Wistow Parochial Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

WISTOW PAROCHIAL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 October - 2 November 2001

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WISTOW PAROCHIAL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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WISTOW PAROCHIAL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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WISTOW PAROCHIAL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

School address: Wistow Selby North Yorkshire Postcode: YO8 3UU

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WISTOW PAROCHIAL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1/7/1997 Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

14906 B Male Registered inspector English Art and design Geography History Music Foundation Stage What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 19419 S Boyle Lay inspector Attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 19852 M Fowler Team inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education Religious education How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Full Circle The Brow 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 5 REPORT CONTENTS

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils' attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents' and carers' views of the school

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

The school's results and pupils' achievements Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This small village primary school takes pupils from four to 11 years old, and is maintained by the North Yorkshire Local Education Authority. It occupies its original 187 7 buildings that have been extended with two temporary classrooms being added. It is set in very attractive and well developed grounds and serves the village of Wistow and surrounding areas. At the time of the inspection there were 114 pupils in four classes. Many pupils start school with standards of attainment above those usually found. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is also well below the national average, but there is an above average proportion of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school has expanded significantly over the last three years and is due to grow even larger.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with significant strengths. Pupils make good progress across the school. Standards of attainment are well above average in mathematics and science, and above average in English by the end of Key Stage 2. This is a good level of achievement for these pupils. The quality of teaching is good across the school, with a significant amount of very good and excellent teaching. Pupils have very good attitudes to school and behave well. There is a very caring ethos and very good relationships exist between pupils across the school. The headteacher provides very thoughtful and perceptive leadership for the school and sets a clear educational direction. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils make good progress across the school and attain well above average standards in mathematics and science, and above average standards in English. • Pupils have very good attitudes to school and behave well. Relationships between pupils are very good across the school. • The quality of teaching is good across the school, with a significant amount of very good and excellent teaching. • The school provides a rich curriculum in a stimulating environment. • There is very good provision for pupils' personal development. • The school buildings and grounds have been developed very well. • The headteacher provides thoughtful and perceptive leadership, and sets a clear educational direction and a very good tone for the school. • The school has made very good progress since the previous inspection.

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What could be improved

• The way in which the Foundation Stage curriculum is implemented in the reception class needs to be reviewed. • The school could build on the good quality of its teaching by widening the range of teaching and learning strategies. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors' action plan. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in July 1997, and has made very good progress since then. Standards of attainment have risen significantly, and the quality of teaching has improved. Pupils' behaviour continues to be good, and attitudes are now very good. The headteacher provides very good leadership, and the quality of analysis and evaluation is much sharper. The school has addressed all of the key issues raised by the previous inspection.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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schools

1999 2000 2001 2001 very high A* English A B B C well above average above average A B Mathematics A A A B average below average C D Science A A A* A well below average E

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schools

The school's scores in the 2001 national tests were even higher overall than in the previous years. Inspection evidence suggests that standards are even higher this year, but are still within the same overall categories. Standards are well above average in mathematics and science, and above average in English, information technology, music, physical education and religious education. Insufficient lessons were seen in other subjects for an overall judgement to be made.

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schools

Inspection evidence suggests that standards are also higher this year a t the end of Key Stage 1, being above average in English and science, and well above average in mathematics.

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schools

Across the school, there are particularly high standards of writing.

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schools

The good progress pupils make across the school results from the good qual ity of the teaching together with the pupils' very good attitudes to school. The very rich curriculum and the support pupils receive from home underpin the very good attitudes and so contribute significantly to the progress.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to school. They take their work seriously and sustain their concentration well in lessons. They are keen to succeed and are proud of their work. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave well in lessons. They are polite, open and friendly within the supportive and relaxed atmosphere of the school. They are generally thoughtful towards others, and older pupils are particularly caring towards younger ones. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 8 Personal development and relationships Relationships between pupils are very good across the school. Pupils develop very well in terms of self-confidence, and have a very good sense of responsibility towards the school. Attendance The rate of attendance is well above the national average.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1-2 Years 3-6

Quality of teaching Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. Satisfactory means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1-2 Years 3-6

The quality of teaching is good overall, with a significant amount of very good and excellent teaching.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1-2 Years 3-6

Teachers work very hard and are very concerned for their pupils as individuals. Where teaching is very good there is a high level of challenge together with a sense of excitement in lessons that enthuses the pupils. These lessons involve pupils in a range of practical activities that give them scope for some independence in their learning. In these lessons, pupils are encouraged to reflect on what they are doing and to consider ways in which they could improve. The school could build on the good quality of the teaching by considering a wider range of teaching and learning strategies, ensuring that pupils have sufficient independence in their learning and ensuring that lessons build precisely on the good assessment information the school holds. Teaching is not always consistent across the school, and during the inspection there was a small number of unsuccessful lessons at the beginning of Key Stage 2.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1-2 Years 3-6

The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been implemented effectively. There is appropriate support for pupils with special educational needs, and good support for those pupils who have statements of need. The good quality of the support from teaching assistants and volunteers makes a significant contribution to pupils' learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a very rich curriculum and a wide range of learning experiences at Key Stages 1 and 2. The curriculum for children under five is not fully implemented, whilst provision within the class is focused on Year 1 pupils. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes appropriate provision for these pupils and the National Code of Practice is followed. The targets on some of the individual education plans could be focused more sharply on the precise needs. Provision for pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes very good provision for pupils' personal development. There is very good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There is a particularly successful programme of circle time that makes a significant

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Aspect Comment

contribution to personal development. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 9 How well the school cares for its pupils There is a very caring ethos and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the school. There are very good procedures for health, safety and child protection. There are good arrangements for assessing pupils' attainment and progress, and some good targets are being set for groups and individuals. The next step is to track these targets through into lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Parents are very suppo rtive of the school and there is a waiting list of pupils wishing to attend. The Friends Association is very active and raises a significant amount of money each year. Parents give very good support to their children's learning.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very thoughtful and perceptive leadership for the school. She sets a very good tone for relationships, and her own very good teaching provides an excellent model. The assistant headteacher has a good overview of assessment issues. Subject areas are managed generally effectively. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are very supportive of the school, and have a good overview of its work. They have set a very clear strategic direction for the school, and have clear and realistic plans for its development. The school's evaluation of its performance The school is taking many valuable steps to analyse assessment, test and other performance data. This is having a positive impact on attainment. The school's development plan is extensive in its range, and fewer and sharper targets would make it easier to establish value for

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Aspect Comment

money. The strategic use of resources The school budget is drawn up appropriately and resources are allocated effectively. The principles of best value are applied.

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Aspect Comment

The school has an adequate number of teachers and a good number of support staff. The range of resources is generally appropriate, although the quality of reading materials could be improved for younger children. The school buildings provide a very attractive learning environment, but are barely adequate in size to accommodate the present number of children and will be unable to cope with the projected increase. The hall is very small for games and physical education, the staffroom and office are far too small, and one of the outside classrooms is very cramped. The hard-surfaced playground is very small for the present number of pupils and will not be able to provide sufficient space for the projected increase. There is no accommodation at all for the projected fifth class that will be needed in September 2002. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The quality of teaching is good. • Pupils are expected to work hard. • There is good provision for pupils' personal development. • The headteacher and school are approachable. • Children like going to school. • Some parents would like to see a wider range of extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection agrees with all the favourable comments made by parents. The range of extra-curricular activities is already wider than that provided by most schools of similar size. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 11

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The school's results and pupils' achievements

1. Pupils enter the reception class with standards of attainment already above those expected for children of this age, and make good progress across the school. Standards in mathematics and science, and in the writing element of English, are well above average by the time pupils leave school at the age of 11, and standards are above average in other subjects. This is far higher than the standards found by the previous inspection. The good progress results from the quality of the teaching, the richness of the curriculum and the pupils' own good attitudes to school. Parents' support for the school and for their own children's learning also has a significant impact on progress.

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The school's results and pupils' achievements

The school's targets and pupils' achievement 2. The school has set realistically challenging targets for pupils' attainment, and has been successful in meeting them. The standards attained represent good achievement for these pupils.

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The school's results and pupils' achievements

Children under five 3. Most pupils enter the school as four year olds with standards of attainment already above those usually found. Progress is generally good through the reception class in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy, but because the national Foundation Stage Curriculum is not fully implemented, progress is slower in the creative and physical aspects.

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The school's results and pupils' achievements

Key Stage 1 4. In national tests for seven year olds in 2001, the overall standards, as measured by average point scores, were average in reading and writing and mathematics. These standards were lower than similar schools, and much lower than in previous years. The lower standards were associated with the presence in the class of a higher than usual number of pupils with special educational needs. The general trend is one of consistently above average standards, and inspection evidence indicates that standards are likely to be back to their usual level in 2002. With very small numbers of pupils, such fluctuations are inevitable.

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The school's results and pupils' achievements

5. Inspection evidence shows that standards this year are well above the national average in writing and mathematics, and above average in reading. Standards are also above average in science, information technology, music, physical education and religious education. Too few lessons were seen in other subjects for an overall judgement to be made.

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The school's results and pupils' achievements

Key Stage 2 6. In national tests for 11 year olds in 2001, standards were above the national aver age in English, well above average in mathematics and in the top five per cent in the whole country in science. This continues a trend of high standards over the last four years. Inspection evidence suggests that standards this year are even higher, with all pupils likely to attain the expected level (Level 4) and a significant number expected to attain the higher level in all three subjects.

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The school's results and pupils' achievements

7. Standards in information technology, music, physical education and religious education are also above those usually found. Insufficient lessons were seen in other subjects for an overall judgement to be made. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 12 Writing 8. Standards of attainment are particularly high across the school. These result from the wide reading in which many of the pupils engage both at home and in school, which has given them good experience and understanding of a literary style, and also from the way in which pupils are encouraged to evaluate and improve their work. This results in some very good writing indeed. For example, during the inspection a Year 2 pupil was able to write, unaided, the sentence, “Standing at the open window, he launched the paper plane into the cool evening air”.

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The school's results and pupils' achievements

Progress of different groups 9. The school provides appropriate support for pupils with special educational n eeds, and they make satisfactory progress. The progress of boys and girls is in line with the national trends. Higher attaining pupils make generally good progress, with a significant number of pupils attaining the higher level (Level 5).

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Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils have very good attitudes to school. They take their work seriously and sustain their concentration well in lessons. They are keen to succeed and are proud of their work . This stems from the way in which their work is valued by teachers and by the range of interesting activities in which they are engaged. The work and approach of the reception/Year 1 class give them a good start here and set a good tone for the school. Pupils like their school and their teachers, and because of this and the very good support they get from their parents they apply themselves well in lessons and are willing to work hard. They look after their school well and, for example, are careful not to tread on the attractive flower beds that surround the very small playground.

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Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils' behaviour is mostly good. They do as they are told, and move around the school and the classrooms in a sensible manner. In the dining room, pupils eat their lunch very sensibly, chatting quietly to each other, and their behaviour contributes significantly to the pleasant social occasion. This is well supported by the very good quality of the supervision by the mid-day staff. Pupils demonstrate high levels of self- discipline so that even in those lessons that fail to enthuse or excite, behaviour is always at least satisfactory. Pupils are quietly polite to adults and to each other, and aware of others. An example of this occurred during a painting lesson in the reception class. A child noticed that the girl across the table was having difficulty reaching the tray of blue paint. She put down her own paintbrush, and very carefully helped the other girl by tilting the tray of paint towards her. In doing this, she

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Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development

demonstrated a heightened sense of awareness for the needs of others that was particularly remarkable in such a young child.

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Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development

12. The relationships in the school are very good. The headteacher and staff show caring concern in the way in which they relate to pupils, and pupils respond very well to this very positive model. Relationships, particularly between older and younger pupils, are very good, with older pupils showing responsibility and caring attitudes towards younger ones. Very good examples of this are seen regularly in the dining room. In one particular incident, an older pupil tried hard to persuade a child who was in the reception class to eat some lunch. He told her how good it was in several different ways, and when she persisted he suggested, “I can scrape the coconut off if you don't like it”. Finally he asked, “Just some custard then?” All this was done with great patience and understanding and showed a great commitment on his part to making sure that she was looked after properly. In this interchange, the older pupil

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Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development

was modelling his approach very much on the school cook, whose own caring approach to the pupils contributes greatly to the quality of lunchtimes. Pupils are Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 13 helpful to adults and to each other, such that in a beginners' recorder class, a pupil very quietly and without being asked, showed a fellow pupil where to put his finger to make the note 'B'. Pupils demonstrated quite sophisticated approaches to settling disagreements. A good example of this was in the Year 2 class, where children had to decide amongst themselves the opening line of a story. One wanted “Once upon a time” whilst another was very keen on “It was just before Christmas”. One pupil suggested a vote, which was taken up by the group and thus the dispute was resolved amicably. Pupils are comfortable about talking with adults and willingly engage in conversation. They stand up in front of the whole school to take

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Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development

assemblies and perform dance and other routines without embarrassment.

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Attendance

13. Attendance rates at the school are very high in comparison with other schools.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching is good overall across the school, and there is a significant amount of very good and excellent teaching. Of the lessons seen in the school as a whole, about a quarter were very good or excellent, three quarters good or better and a fifth satisfactory. There was a very small number of lessons at the beginning of Key Stage 2 where the teaching was unsuccessful.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Teachers work very hard and are very concerned for their pupils as individuals. They have generally good relationships with their pupils, and manage their classes well, and so behaviour in classes is generally good. Lessons are planned carefully and pupils are involved in a wide range of learning experiences that interest and often enthuse them. This underpins the pupils' good attitudes to school. Effective use is made of some very good support from teaching assistants and volunteers that makes a significant contribution to pupils' learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Children under five 16. There is good teaching of children under five, especially in the early skills of literacy and numeracy. The teacher has very good relationships with the children and has a very effective direct teaching style that engages their interest and enthusiasm very well. She uses these to good effect to promote good progress. For example, she was able to make the learning of the shape and sound of the letter 'M' an occasion for fun and laughter, but also very skilfully drew pupils' attention to key aspects of the shape which they all remembered afterwards. Her lively style and use of techniques such as a glove puppet who gives silent messages for the teacher to interpret, add interest to lessons, and enable her to retain the pupils' attention for long periods.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Much of the teaching is carried out alongside Year 1 pupils in this mixed-age class, and tends to focus on the needs of the older pupils. The Foundation Stage Curriculum is therefore not fully implemented in the way that is usual, even in mixed age classes. Although the direct teaching is good, and sometimes very good, there is a heavy balance to this approach and consequently too little scope for children to explore new situations or engage in the usual range of practical activities where there is some independence for them to find out for themselves how things work. These practical situations usually create the opportunities for talk between children and discussion with adults that develop children's understanding from the firm basis of first hand experiences. There were occasions, such as making a model truck, when the activity was far more suited to older pupils. There is some provision for role play

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and outdoor activities with large equipment, but these could be used more directly Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 14 and become more important features of the teaching and learning for the younger children.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. As most of the children under five start with levels of attainment above those usually found, they are generally able to cope with the prevalent approach of the teaching. As the teaching within this approach is so good, the children make good progress, particularly in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy that can be taught in this way. The more practical and investigative approach envisaged by the National Foundation Curriculum is particularly important for children whose starting levels of attainment are not so high, and for areas of creative and physical development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Key Stage 1 19. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 is good overall, and very good in mathematics. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and use these very effectively to encourage the pupils' very good attitudes to their work. The way in which the teachers engage the pupils' interest, and value the pupils' responses are key features of lessons at Key Stage 1. This valuing is very important to building the pupils' self-confidence. This enables them to tackle new work with confidence and so impacts upon their progress. For example, Year 1 pupils responded well to a good level of challenge in a mathematics lesson where the teacher's very clear explanations and careful questioning helped pupils find different ways of making different numbers by adding two others. What made this lesson particularly good was the way in which pupils were called upon to explain the methods they had used.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Their confidence in this difficult task stems from the way their responses are always valued so well by the teachers. In another mathematics lesson with older Year 1 pupils, they worked well together on a 'ten more than' exercise, picking up on the very good model set by the teacher as they questioned each other about their work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Key Stage 2 20. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 is good overall, and very good in science. There is some good direct teaching and some high challenge, particularly at the top of the key stage, and some very good opportunities for pupils to work together and to consider ways of improving their performance, particularly at the beginning of the key stage. In science, as in some other subjects, it is the independence that pupils are given to consider how to find things out for themselves that makes the teaching so effective and the learning so good. For example, in a very good science lesson, pupils in Years 3 and 4 worked well together to consider whether the shape of a piece of plasticine would affect the rate at which it sank through water. It was the scope for them to try different approaches and consider how to record their results that made this so good. The good direct teaching at the top of the key stage was

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

exemplified in an English lesson in which the concept of paragraphs was very clearly explained through the medium of an explanatory leaflet about gravity. The use of different text boxes reinforced the notion of paragraphs very effectively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Features of teaching 21. Where teaching is at is best across the school, lessons excite and enthuse the pupils, and give them the opportunity to reflect upon what they are doing and so improve. This was very well illustrated in an excellent physical education lesson for Year 3 and 4 pupils where they worked in pairs on a sequence of dance movements. It was the way in which the pupils were taught to appraise and evaluate their performance that made this so good. Picking up on the excellent example given by the teacher, they were able to comment on use of space, variety of movement, fluidity and modulation of speed, and subsequently alter performance in the light of their fellow pupils' comments. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 15 22. The teaching of writing within English has been particularly successful, with standards across the school far higher than those usually found. The element of appraisal has also been important here, with pupils encouraged to reflect upon what

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

they have written and look for way of improvement. This was evident in the way the teacher worked with pupils individually in a Year 2 writing lesson where the teachers' very appreciative approach, together with gentle but perceptive questioning not only enabled them to see what needed changing, but also gave them the confidence to do so.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. There is some very good teaching of music, particularly in the recorder groups in which all Key Stage 2 pupils are taught to play the instrument. The way in which all support staff, including the school cook, are involved to create so many groups is typical of the way in which staff work together so well for the good of the pupils. As a result of the very good teaching, standards in music are above average.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. There is some very good support from teaching assistants across the scho ol, and the recent national award to a teaching assistant was very well deserved. For example, there was some very effective questioning by the teaching assistant of pupils in a Year 4 reading group that required them to consider meaning beyond the literal. This was a good level of challenge that required them to work at Level 4. There is also very good use made of voluntary help from parents and other adults. Good preparation procedures ensure that the contributions of volunteers can be most effective. The work of support staff and volunteers makes a significant contribution to pupils' learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The quality of teaching is not always consistent across the school, and there was a very small numbers of lessons at the beginning of Key Stage 2 that were not successful during the inspection. This was mainly the result of management of the pupils, which did not always ensure that they were sufficiently engaged in the tasks. Sometimes this was because the physical layout of the room or activity made it difficult for all the pupils to see, or for the teacher to supervise, or made it easy for some pupils to lose concentration. At times, activities went on too long without intervention from the teacher.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The range of teaching and learning strategies is quite wide across the school, but pupils would benefit from a wider range in each class if the various approaches were pooled. For example, some classes make good use of activities in which pupils consider issues or questions in pairs and report back to the class or larger group, but this is not the case in all classes. There are some good examples of pupils being given the independence in their learning required by the National Curriculum, but this needs to be extended to those lessons where the teacher gives so much direction that pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to select appropriate methods, equipment and materials, or to decide for themselves how to record their results. The school has good assessment procedures and keeps some very detailed record s about what pupils have learned. This information could be used in a more precise

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

way in some lessons to ensure that they build more directly on what pupils have already learned.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Teaching of different groups 27. There is appropriate support for pupils with special educational needs, and the targets on their individual education plans are addressed in lessons. There is often good challenge for higher attaining pupils, and some have their own specific targets. The school's good analysis of attainment and pro gress and the targets its sets with individual pupils have been very effective in this area. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 16 The quality of learning 28. The quality of learning, and the rate at which pupils acquire new knowledge, skills and understanding, are good, and are particularly good in writing across the school, and in mathematics at Key Stage 1 and science at Key Stage 2. Pupils are keen to learn, and they work hard in lessons, with even young pupils sustaining their concentration very well; for example, even some of the youngest pupils concentrated for what was for them a long period trying to fix some plastic wheels to a straw axle.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

They were not deterred by the fact that the wheel fell off every time they attempted to connect the axle to the cardboard truck, and painstakingly put the wheel back on before trying again. In many lessons, pupils have a good understanding of what is expected of them and are able to discuss what they need to learn. This is most effective where lesson objectives are shared with the pupils and returned to at the end of the lesson for everyone to consider how well they have done. Pupils take their work seriously and are generally proud of what they have done. This results from their self-confidence and the way in which teachers are valuing of their achievements.

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PUPILS?

29. The curriculum of the school is broad and meets all statutory requirements. Careful consideration has been given to the timetable for all subjects so that there is sufficient coverage of all areas of the curriculum over a given period. A clear policy for the curriculum is in place and is supplemented by a Creative Statement that contains its own set of aims which enhance teaching throughout the school. The school's health education policy contains appropriate policies for sex education and drug education. The curriculum for pupils at the Foundation Stage broadly meets their needs, but is not based fully on the National Foundation Stage Curriculum.

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PUPILS?

30. The strategies used in teaching numeracy and literacy are effective throughout the school, and consequently the development of basic skills is good. This is supplemented effectively by the use of homework.

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PUPILS?

31. The school provides a considerable range of school activities for a school of its size which include dance, musical activities, craft, mixed sport and football. These activities like the wider school curriculum are socially inclusive and are open to all pupils within the school.

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PUPILS?

32. Excellent provision is made to enable pupils to appreciate their own culture. This includes visits to locations such as York Minster and designing a new coat of arms for the village. Additionally, opportunities are afforded to pupils to understand other cultures with such activities as writing to p en friends in Nepal and welcoming visitors from Norway each year.

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PUPILS?

33. The school makes good provision for the personal, social and health education of the pupils and this combines well with the caring ethos of the school to give good provision. Opportunities for circle time, when pupils sit quietly together and consider their feelings and actions, also make a strong contribution. There are satisfactory links with the local secondary school but links with other small schools in the area are less well developed. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 17 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 34. The school makes very good provision for pupils' personal development. The staff have created a very positive and effective environment in which relationships are very relaxed and informal, much as they might be in a family. Pupils speak to teachers informally, but always respectfully. The programme for pupils' personal and social development, particularly through circle time, has a significant impact on their

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PUPILS?

35. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is very good. There is a good sense of community in the school and, in some lessons, opportunities for spiritual development are well used, particularly in Class 1. An example of this was in the reception class, when the teacher shared with a child the secret of the things he had brought to school to show. The rest of the class waited in anticipation as a small toy motorbike, a piece of mint and a mushroom were revealed in turn. The conspiracy between the teacher and child was greatly enjoyed by all the class and, of course, most of all by the child himself. Acts of collective worship are well thought out and very effectively create a sense of community where children feel valued and develop a good sense of self worth. The school has worked hard at creating a very attractive environment both inside and outside. A particular feature is the memorial garden,

p.17

PUPILS?

which pupils use appropriately, by either sitting quietly or by chatting quietly to a friend, and in doing so demonstrate an understanding of the special significance of that area.

p.17

PUPILS?

36. Provision for moral development is very good. Through assemblies and the very effective personal and social education programme, pupils are helped towards an understanding of morality. They learn about rules and rule making by compiling their own class rules at the start of every school year. They are very clear about school rules and demonstrate this in their behaviour.

p.17

PUPILS?

37. Provision for social development is very good. Pupils throughout the school are chosen to be 'Child of the Day' and take responsibility for tasks in and around the school. In Year 6, pupils are given additional responsibilities such as setting up the hall for collective worship. The residential visit gives children a good opportunity to work and play together away from home. This makes a significant contribution to pupils' personal development and particularly so this year. Because the cost of the visit is substantially more than in previous years, the children have decided to organise fund-raising events so that they can contribute towards the cost.

p.17

PUPILS?

38. Provision for cultural development is very good. There is a strong emphasis on the arts, especially music, with many children having peripatetic music lessons, and all Key Stage 2 learning the recorder. The school has a very thoughtful and effective approach to developing its provision for multicultural education. It has established e- mail links with other countries, and is exchanging messages and information with children from other parts of the world. Visitors from other cultures, some of whom have spent extended periods in the school, have helped children towards a greater understanding of the way people live in other places. Other visitors have talked to children about Sikhism and other religions. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 18

p.17

Assessment

39. The school's procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress have been well developed and are now very good. The records kept provide a clear overview of achievement by individuals and different groups of pupils. The school has developed very effective assessment procedures in all areas of the curriculum which show attainment and progress, and highlight weaknesses.

p.18

Assessment

40. Assessment of progress forms an import ant part of many lessons but information is not always used to the full in some classes. Formal assessments are undertaken in a number of ways starting with 'baseline assessment' upon entry to school through to the tests at the end of Key Stage 2.

p.18

Assessment

41. The procedures for assessment which are in place are used to inform the longer term target setting process well, and this has had an impact upon expectations of pupils' learning. However, further development is needed to ensure that the good information held by the school is used more directly in lesson planning to ensure that the learning needs of all pupils are specifically addressed.

p.18

Assessment

42. Useful additional information is made available by keeping folders of special work for each pupil and observations made when pupils are nominated as pupil of the day.

p.18

Support, welfare and guidance

43. In this small school, staff know the children well; children like their teachers and find them approachable. This, and the school's very supportive ethos, mean that children's emotional, physical and academic needs are very well met.

p.18

Support, welfare and guidance

44. There are very good arrangements for child protection, health and safety. The governors have a very responsible approach to health and safety, and support the headteacher well through regular monitoring. Child protection procedures are clear and all staff are vigilant, caring and approachable.

p.18

Support, welfare and guidance

45. Attendance is monitored appropriately. There is an effective message in the prospectus to discourage parents from taking holidays during term time.

p.18

Support, welfare and guidance

46. The school has a written 'assertive-discipline' policy, but because there is no need for its implementation it is rarely used. This is because staff manage pupils very well by establishing effective relationships with them. This means that pupils like, respect and want to please their teachers. In one class, pupils behave less well and this is because the teacher has not established such an effective relationship with the class and tends to be rather negative in her approach to pupils. This approach does not sufficiently recognise and praise those children who are behaving well, or use them as an example to others to encourage good behaviour. Bullying is not an issue at the school. Children have very good and caring relationships with each other and learn about bullying through the very good personal, social and health education programme. Parents are very satisfied that the extremely rare incidents of bullying

p.18

Support, welfare and guidance

are dealt with well. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 19

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents are very supportive in their views of the school. Some feel that there could be more extra-curricular activities, but the inspection found that the range was good. The school is very popular with parents and there is a waiting list of pupils wishing to attend.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents are very involved with the life and work of the school. The friends' association raises huge sums of money each year, and this makes a significant contribution to the school's budget.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. A good number of parents and friends of the school helps in classrooms in a variety of ways. Their support is valued by the school, and the quality of the support they give makes a significant contribution to learning in lessons. Parents willingly give time and expertise and help to enhance the outside environment by spending time and effort on the school garden.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Most parents very willingly help their children with homework. The school recognises this, and sends parents regular, useful information about the work their child will be doing in class and ways in whic h they can help.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The school consults parents about some policies; for example, the behaviour policy was sent out in draft for parents' comments. The school recognises that there is scope to involve parents more by seeking their views on a more regular basis.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. Pupils' annual reports are helpful, with appropriate information about the progress pupils have made and with suggestions about what they could do to improve their work.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

The headteacher and senior staff 53. The headteacher provides very thoughtful and perceptive leadership for the school. She sets a very good tone for relationships, and her own very good teaching stands as an excellent example for the staff. She is very well aware of the school's strengths and those areas where developments are needed. She has a very clear vision of how she wants the school to develop and this allows her to set a clear educational direction. She is well respected by her colleagues and is often asked to contribute to conferences and courses around the country. She has created a very positive ethos within the school and has ensured that it has made very good progress since the previous inspection.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Subjects are managed effectively, with each teacher in this small school having many subjects to oversee. They work very hard and do very well in these circumstances. The assistant headteacher has a good overview of assessment procedures and the progress of pupils in addition to her subject responsibilities.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs has ensured that the National Code of Practice is fully implemented and individual education plans are appropriately written, although the targets on some could be sharper. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 20 The governors 56. The governors are very supportive of the school, and have a good overview of its work. They fulfil their statutory obligations well. They have clear and realistic plans for the development of the school and are very aware of the difficult circumstances the school now faces. These centre on the fact that the school numbers have risen significantly over recent years and are due to rise further in the coming academic year. Numbers will then be sustained at that higher rate. The projected increase in numbers means that there will be too many pupils for the present four classes, but there is no extra classroom and the hall and other facilities are already too small.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

The governors have prudently set aside an amount of money to pay an extra teacher and will be able to continue to fund the salary from the increase in revenue from the 13 extra pupils. What is needed is an extra classroom which can only be provided by the local education authority. The governors have fulfilled their role well in making the local authority, along with local councillors and the member of parliament, aware of the situation.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Monitoring, evaluation and targets 57. The school is now taking many valuable steps to analyse assessment, test and other performance data. This gives the school a clear view of it performance and those areas where development is needed. The information gained from such analysis has enabled the school to set realistically challenging targets for the school, and for groups and individuals. This is having a positive impact on standards of attainment.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school's development plan is extensive in its range and very detailed. Whilst the school finds this helpful, the wide range of the targets does not make it easy for the school to track success in each area or establish value for money.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

The budget and best value 59. The school's budget is planned effectively and the finances are administered effectively. All specific grants are allocated appropriately.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The school receives an income per pupil that is slightly below the national average for a small school, but it makes good provision and pupils make good progress and attain high standards, so the school provides very good value for money.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 61. The school has an adequate number of teachers and a good number of support staff. The range of resources is generally appropriate across the school, with some good resources in mathematics and science. There is a good range of books available for groups reading, but the quality and range of the individual reading books could be improved for younger children.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The school buildings have been very thoughtfully developed to provide a very attractive learning environment, but are barely adequate in size to accommodate the present number of children and will be unable to cope with the projected increase. The hall is very small for games and physical education, the staffroom and office are far too small, and one of the outside classrooms provides cramped accommodation. The hard-surfaced playground is very small for the present number of pupils and will not be able to provide sufficient space for the projected increase. There is no accommodation at all for the projected fifth class that will be needed in September 2002. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 21

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

63. In order to build on the good quality of the teaching, and the good progress that pupils make, the next steps for the school are to:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) review the way in which the Foundation Stage Curriculum is implemented in the reception class. (paragraphs 29 & 65)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) widen the range of teaching and learning strategies so that:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• pupils are given more independence in their learning to plan, investigate and find out information for themselves; • lessons build on the good assessment information that the school now holds; • there is consistency in approach and quality across the school. (paragraph 26) Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, o ther adults and pupils 5

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 2 21 51 19 7 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than two percentage points.

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Pupils on the school's roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Number of pupils on the school's roll (FTE for part-time pupils) n/a 114

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals n/a 1 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs n/a 3

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Number of pupils on the school's special educational needs register n/a 14

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional langu age 0

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

p.22

Information about the school's pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 23

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 -- -- 19

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys -- -- -- Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls -- -- --

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 100 (79) 95 (79) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers' Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys -- -- -- Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls -- -- --

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 95 (79) 100 (100) 100 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 -- -- 12

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys -- -- -- Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls -- -- --

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 100 (91) 92 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (68) 85 (78)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers' Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys -- -- -- Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls -- -- --

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 92 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 24

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.9 Financial year 2000/2001

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.3

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 227,753

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Total expenditure 229,446

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 41 Expenditure per pupil 2,145

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 24,487

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) n/a Balance carried forward to next year 22,794

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher n/a

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff n/a

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week n/a

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult n/a FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1.2

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1.3

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 25

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don't know

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 48 50 0 0 2

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 40 57 0 0 2

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 31 55 5 10 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 48 40 5 2 5

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 50 31 14 0 5

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 33 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 26 52 14 2 5

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 36 50 5 5 5

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 55 38 2 0 5

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 48 21 7 5 Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Many children start school with standards that are above those usually found, particularly in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development. They make good progress through the Foundation Stage, and standards are above average in these areas when pupils move into Year 1. The good progress results from the quality of the teaching together with the pupils' good attitudes to school and keenness to learn.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. The curriculum in the reception class and Year 1 tends to be focused on the requirements of Year 1 and so the National Foundation Stage Curriculum is not fully implemented. As many of the pupils enter the school with levels of development already above those usually found, and because the quality of the teaching is so good, the pupils cope well and make good progress in most areas. Development in the creative and physical areas in particular suffers from the lack of full implementation of the Foundation Stage Curriculum, and this would be a serious problem for any pupil who did not enter with an above average level of development.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Personal, social and emotional development 66. Most pupils start school with good levels of development in this area, and continue to make good progress. Even at the beginning of the reception year, pupils have formed good relationships and can work as part of the group. They are able to anticipate others' needs in a very sophisticated way that shows how well they understand the consequences of their actions for others. For example, one child noticed that a fellow pupil found it difficult to reach the paint pot, so she reached out and tilted it towards her so that she w ould find it easier. They are able to use resources sensibly and independently, although opportunities to do so are rather restricted. They develop very well in terms of self confidence, and the very supportive and valuing approach of the teacher is very helpful in this. For example, a child who brought in some objects starting with the letter 'M' was encouraged to

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

come to the front, act as the teacher and choose fellow pupils to name them.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Communication, language and literacy 67. Children make good progress from an already above average starting point and standards are above expectations by the time they move on to Year 1. Most pupils respond well to the rather formal approach that follows the format of the National Literacy Strategy. They are able to speak clearly with good awareness of the listener, and many have quite sophisticated conversation, responding well to what others have said. For example, when mixing paints one child said to another, “I think you need more red with the yellow if you want this shade”. Children are already building phonetic knowledge through the very clear teaching they receive, and there is some very good support from home with pupils bringing in bags full of objects starting with the letter 'M' that they have already discussed with their parents. By the end of the reception year, most are able to use their phonic knowledge to write

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

simple regular words and to make phonetically plausible attempts at more complex words. They are able to read a range of familiar words in context and show a good understanding of the main elements of stories. Opportunities for role play are limited and so the development of language to imagine and create roles and experiences is more limited, although many children experience this sort of play informally in the playground and at home. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 27 Mathematical development 68. Children make good progress in this area, and by the end of the reception year most have exceeded the Early Learning Goals. The good teaching and the range of practical counting and calculating activities underpin the progress that children make. At the time of the inspection, after only a few weeks in school, most children were already able to count confidently to ten and to work out what was one more or less

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

than a number. They can match numbers; for example collecting the correct amount of wheels and axles for their models. Most are able to create and replicate patterns and can work out what will come next in a sequence. They can recognise shapes such as circles and triangles and kno w the features of a square.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Knowledge and understanding of the world 69. Children enter school with good levels of general knowledge. They build well on these during the year and make good progress. Much of the teaching focuses on the requirements of the National Curriculum in terms of science, history and geography, and most children respond well to this high challenge. For example, reception children worked alongside Year 1 to investigate the effect of the wind on movements. They were able to talk about the way the wind turned their windmills and had noticed that there was a relationship between the strength of the wind and the rate of turn. This was a high level of attainment. Pupils have a good knowledge of the world about them and can talk knowledgeably about the garden and the sort of wildlife that might be found there. In some cases, such as gaining experiences of how things can be joined and constructed when making models, children do not have sufficient

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

opportunity to experiment with a range of materials and so develop their own understanding of what will work and what will not. They gain a good verbal knowledge that is not always underpinned by solid practical experience.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Physical development 70. Most children are already able to move with confidence, and they can handle small equipment such as paintbrushes and pencils with a good level of control. For example, they have already learned the procedures for mixing paint in a palette, washing the brush between each colour and drying it on a sponge. They can cut and stick and handle the small pieces of their models and jigsaw puzzles with care. Physical education lessons carried out alongside Year 1 pupils tend to be somewhat formal, but there are opportunities for children to use larger wheeled apparatus in the designated play area. This has not been developed to give sufficient opportunities for creative play in which the physical aspect can develop alongside the creative.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AT THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Creative development 71. Where pupils have sufficient opportunity to explore and create for themselves they do so with great though and care. They learn a good range of songs, such as 'Bob the Builder', that they sing with enthusiasm. They can match their movements well to the words and music. In painting, they are able to mix colours with some sensitivity. There are too few opportunities for children to express their ideas and feelings through imaginative and role play, or by designing and making their own songs and instruments, which are features of the Foundation Stage Curriculum.

p.27

ENGLISH

72. Standards of attainment are above average at the end of both key stages. Standards in writing are higher than those in reading, and are well above average at both key stages. These standards are higher than those found by the previous ins pection. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 28 73. The high standards in writing result from wide range of literature which many of the pupils have experienced both at home and in school, which has given them good experience and understanding of a literary style. It also results from some good teaching in which pupils are encouraged to evaluate and improve their work. Good teaching in a Year 2 lesson has already been mentioned, and there was also good direct teaching of functional skills in a Year 5 and 6 lesson that focused very clearly on the use of paragraphs. Pupils across the school are involved in a good range of styles and genres of writing with poetry, stories and informative pieces. Good use is

p.27

ENGLISH

made of other subjects such as history for pupils to put into use the writing skills they have learned in English. There have also been visits from poets and other writers who have run workshops with the pupils. This results in some very good writing indeed. The example of Year 2 writing, “Standing at the open window, he launched the paper plane into the cool evening air” has already been given.

p.28

ENGLISH

74. Standards in reading are above the national average, but are not as high as in writing. There is a good focus on reading through Key Stage 1, with pupils reading individually and in groups, and by the age of seven, almost all pupils reach the expected level (Level 2) where they are able to read appropriate texts with understanding and some fluency. A good number attains the higher level where they read fluently and accurately and understand something of the structure of the stories and books. By the age of 11, pupils' ability to look for meaning beyond the literal in more advanced texts, and to understand the more complex devices used by authors, is not well developed, and this prevents standards in reading being as high as those in writing. This is partly because the individual reading books used tend to be fairly straightforward and contain few of the literary devices or meanings beyond the literal

p.28

ENGLISH

that the pupils need to encounter, in order to build up these skills. The group reading books are much better in terms of these features, and there is some good teaching such as that already mentioned in the Year 3 and 4 reading session taken by the teaching assistant, where the books contain some com plex inferences, and pupils are challenged to find them. Where the teaching is very direct and pupils are given little opportunity to discuss and reflect on their work, which is often the case at the top of Key Stage 2, it is more difficult for them to develop an understanding of the more complex features of their reading.

p.28

ENGLISH

75. There are some good opportunities for speaking and listening in the context of class discussions, and older pupils are involved in dramatic productions such as 'The King and Anna' that was in preparation at the time of the inspection. These give good opportunities for pupils to speak in public and so gain in confidence. As a result, most pupils meet the expected levels of development by the ages of seven and 11. Pupils are open and friendly and many have developed a sophistication in certain phrases that they use. For example, a younger Key Stage 2 pupil asked an inspector, “What made you interested in working with children?” The influence of home is very important in such development. It has already been mentioned that opportunities are restricted for younger pupils to engage in role play in creative situations. Opportunities for older pupils to discuss things in pairs and groups and to report back formally to the class are also restricted. The 'plenary' part of lessons,

p.28

ENGLISH

where learning points are summed up and progress evaluated, usually provide too few opportunities for pupils to present their own work and evaluate others' work. Such opportunities would enhance the range of contexts in which pupils' speaking and listening develops.

p.28

ENGLISH

76. There is some good teaching of pupils with special educational needs by teachers and teaching assistants. The school is analysing test and other assessment data rigorously and has set some good target s for groups and individuals, but lessons do Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 29 not always reflect these targets directly, particularly when they apply to both age groups in the mixed-aged classes.

p.28

ENGLISH

77. The co-ordinator has successfully overseen the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy and has developed a good overview of pupils' attainment and progress. The school has increased its stock of group reading books, but the quality and range of the books used individually need improving so that pupils gain more experience of the sort of writing that demands the higher order reading skills such as the use of inference and deduction.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

78. Standards of attainment are well above the national average across the school. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. The high standards result from the quality of the teaching and the pupils' very good attitudes to their work. The curriculum is well planned and pupils' attainment is high in all areas of mathematical work.

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MATHEMATICS

79. Some very good teaching at Key Stage 1 ensures that pupils make good progress through the key stage and build well on their learning at the Foundation Stage. For example, a very good Year 1 numeracy session opened with a wide variety of 'short- burst' activities that have a rapid pace and high challenge. Pupils then moved on to some valuable practical activities and computer games that consolidated their understanding well. By the end of the key stage, almost all pupils attain the expected level where they can add and subtract accurately, know the common two and three- dimensional shapes, and can make simple graphs. Most pupils have attained the higher level (Level 3) where they can multiply and divide larger numbers, understand fractions and the mathematical properties of shapes, and interpret bar ch arts and pictograms. Although opportunities for independence in carrying out mathematical

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MATHEMATICS

investigations are limited, pupils can organise their work and check their results.

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MATHEMATICS

80. Teaching is generally satisfactory at the beginning of Key Stage 2 and often very good at the top of the key stage, where pupils' progress is correspondingly quicker. Expectations of attainment at the end of the key stage are higher, and the pace of work is quicker. For example, in a very good Year 5/6 lesson some very good direct teaching and clear explanations by the teacher led to a good understanding of rotational symmetry. A Year 3/4 lesson on fractions did not build so well on what pupils already knew as many were already familiar with the fractions in question and were not taken to the next level.

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MATHEMATICS

81. Pupils are involved in a good range of work across all areas of the mathematical curriculum, including the investigative and problem solving elements. By the end of the key stage, almost all pupils attain the expected level (Level 4) where they can manipulate high numbers with accuracy, and have a good understanding of fractions and decimals. They can measure accurately, and draw and interpret simple line graphs. Many pupils have attained the higher level, where they can use all four number operations to two decimal places and understand negative integers. These pupils understand rotational symmetry and the formulae for calculating the area of simple two-dimensional shapes.

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MATHEMATICS

82. Teachers are well supported by a clear strategy, good documentation and schemes of work, relevant planning and very good subject co-ordination, all of which have an impact upon pupil attainment. Pupils' use of mathematical language is good, as is their recall of facts. They are able to use a variety of mental strategies, reason and Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 30 think mathematically while their knowledge of the properties of shapes is very good. The use of information technology enhances their knowledge of data handling in graphical and tabular form. The progress of pupils is clearly as sessed and evaluated and these processes inform the planning of future lessons. Resources are well developed and learning support staff give very valuable assistance.

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SCIENCE

83. Standards of attainment are above average at the end of Key Stage 1, and well above average by the end of Key Stage 2. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. These high standards result from the quality of teaching and the pupils' own good attitudes and interest in the subject.

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SCIENCE

84. The good progress at Key Stage 1 results from the good teaching, some very good resources and sensible use of the school environment. For example, a good Year 1 lesson looking at forces and movement used the environment well and built on the pupils' own experiences to look at the effect of wind on moving objects. Technical terms and ideas of strength and speed were well introduced. By the end of the key stage, almost all pupils have attained the expected level (Level 2) and a significant number have achieved beyond this. For example, they have good understanding of the forces that act upon a toy car and how its movement is affected by gradients. They know the differences between plants and animals that are found in the grassy area around the school and are equally aware of changes of physical state; for example, when a cake is cooked.

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SCIENCE

85. There is some very good teaching at Key Stage 2 that extends pupils' knowledge and understanding very well. By the end of the key stage, standards of attainment are well above average. Lessons often involve pupils in practical investigations where they have to decide how to find things out for themselves and make the necessary observations and measurements. This deepens their understanding. For example, in a very good Year 3/4 lesson, pupils were asked to find out if the size of a paper parachute would affect the rate at which it fell. Some pupils demonstrated very good understanding of the factors involved even before they conducted the experiment, suggesting that gravity was trying to pull t he parachute down whilst air resistance was slowing its rate of fall. From this, one pupil hypothesised that “As the largest parachute has the biggest surface area there will be more resistance from the air and

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SCIENCE

so it will fall more slowly”. This went beyond a common-sense prediction and used previous scientific knowledge to form an hypothesis; this was a very high level of attainment. Pupils were very aware for the need to control variables in the experiment and so carry out a 'fair test'. They made sure that the weight beneath the parachute was the same in each case and that it was dropped from the same height.

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SCIENCE

86. In a very good Year 5/6 lesson, pupils were also looking at the effects of gravity, this time with objects partially floating in water. They were asked to weigh objects in air and then to look at the readings again when the object was suspended in water. There was some very good direct teaching here, with clear explanations of the difference between weight and mass and the need to measure in Newtons. Such very good direct teaching has developed the pupils' knowledge very well and underpins the very high standards they attain. There was relatively little scope for pupils to design their own experiments to take into consideration other factors, and this investigative aspect of science is not so well developed in the pupils.

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SCIENCE

87. Teaching is well supported by the subject co-ordinator through good planning of the curricular and assessment opportunities, the use of national materials to support Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 31 planning and the provision of good and appropriate resources. However, there could be more independence for pupils within the investigative aspects of the subject. Good use is made of other subjects in science; for example, using graphical representation of data through the sensible use of information technology.

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ART

88. It was not possible to see any art lessons at all during the inspection and so no overall judgements can be made. The art work on display is of a generally good standard, and pupils have clearly been involved in a good range of techniques and materials.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

89. Too few lessons were seen during the inspection for overall judgements to be made. However, the school has a programme in place to ensure that lessons take place on a regular basis and there is a planned progression of work throughout the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

90. There is a good range of work undertaken at Key Stage 1, including the use of construction kits to make model vehicles and technical equipment, designing and making moving monsters. At Key Stage 2, pupils are involved in designing new classrooms and items such as picture frames through to more advanced work later in the key stage to produce moving Christmas decorations, making and testing kites and puppets or town and building design work. Pupils reflect on their work well and work together to develop ideas.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. There was some very good teaching at the end of Key Stage 2 where pupils were producing fairground equipment. They used circuits, pulleys, motors, frames and other equipment to good effect and their techniques in processes such as joining, drilling or sawing were good. Pupils worked well and independently and were given the opportunity to use their own initiative and develop their own designs. They respond very well to such opportunities.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. Subject co-ordination is good, with ample support for teaching both in organisation and planning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

93. Too few lessons were seen during the inspection for any overall judgement about the quality of teaching. However, there were a number of lessons in other subject areas in which the use of information technology resources were well used and integrated into teaching. Standards of attainment are above those usually found at both key stages.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

94. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils are confident in using the computer, and adept at using the keyboard and mouse. Even very young children in the reception/Year 1 class are able to use computer games with confidence in the context of mathematics and other subjects. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to use information technology in various contexts to find things out, to develop their ideas and make things happen, such as writing a programme to control traffic lights and to present, exchange and share information. This often involves the use of graphical information or activities such as designing their own symmetrical shapes. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 32 They are able to use e-mail as a means of communication and work well with information in various forms. They can use a range of presentation techniques; for example for presenting poetry, merging pictures with text, the production of simple

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

advertisements, using encyclopaedias, data handling, bar charts, the use of super logo and studying devices that follow instructions.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

95. A comprehensive scheme of work ensures that learning experiences show progression throughout the school

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

96. It was not possible to see any lessons at all in geography during the inspection, and only one was seen in history, and so no overall judgements can be made in either subject.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

97. In the history lesson seen, Year 1 and 2 pupils were looking at a range of toys and deciding whether they were old or new. This was a good level of challenge for the Year 1 pupils but not for the Year 2 pupils. The lesson gave some valuable opportunities for pupils to give reasons for their judgements. For example, one pupil pointed out that although his toy looked old, it had not been made a long time ago, but had not been looked after carefully. This was a sophisticated level of reasoning.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

98. Pupils cover an appropriate curriculum range in both subjects, and some very good use is made of visits outside of school to enhance their enjoyment and understanding of the subjects.

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MUSIC

99. Teaching is good across the school, and often very good, and this has brought about the above average standards of attainment. Pupils are involved in a good range of musical activities, including all Key Stage 2 pupils being taught to play the recorder, and have good opportunities to listen to and appraise a wide range of music in assemblies and lessons. They also have access to individual instrumental tuition from visiting teachers. Standards of attainment are higher than those found by the previous inspection.

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MUSIC

100. Pupils are involved in a good range of activities at Key Stage 1 and the good quality of the teaching extends their skills and understanding well. For example, there were very high expectations in a Year 1 lesson where pupils were taught about phrasing and breathing in their singing. This built very well on what they had already learned and used a very good range of resources, such as cards indicating when to breathe, to ensure participation and good progress. A good Year 2 lesson involved pupils in playing a good range of percussion instruments, and gave them good opportunities to explore the various sounds that can be produced and to combine these into sequences.

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MUSIC

101. The good progress continues at Key Stage 2 where pupils are involved in a good range of composing, performing and appraising activities. All pupils have the opportunity to learn to play the recorder. This is accomplished by the involvement of all support staff including the school cook. The teaching in these groups is very good, and is well pitched to the different levels of attainment. For example, the higher attainers discussed the fingering needed for various notes and the best way of moving from one to another, and were given very good guidance from the teacher on Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 33 phrasing. Some very good teaching of a beginners group taught them very clearly about the 4/4 beat, and a good range of rhythm activities enabled them to make good progress. The good teaching results in a good number of pupils being able to play to a high standard, with a group be ing able to accompany hymns in assembly.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

102. During the period of the inspection there were insufficient number of lessons seen to enable overall judgements to be made. However, in the lessons which were seen, the standards achieved by pupils were at least good and at times very good; for example, Year 3 and 4 pupils reached high levels of attainment in a movement lesson. Other examples of good levels of development were afforded by classes at the end of each key stage involving movement and throwing and catching activities leading to simple invasion games. Pupils have developed considerable knowledge and understanding of fitness and health, and older pupils evaluate and improve their performance very well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

103. The teaching of physical education during the inspection ranged from good to excellent. Where teaching was at its best, there was a very high challenge to the pupils with excellent opportunities to reflect upon their performance and consider ways in which it could be improved. In some lessons the degree of learning possible, was restricted by the limited amount of suitable space available. The hall provides the indoor area for physical education. It is small in area and further restricted by the fact that it serves a number of other purposes such as serving as the reprographics and library area. Outside, the hard surface provided by the playground is small and limiting particularly for older pupils at the end of Key Stage 2. The small school field is marked with coaching grids and for use as a small hockey pitch, but was little used during the time of the inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

104. There are some good materials in place to support teaching including a clear policy and guidelines based upon national documents and a year plan outline. However, the planned opportunities in the year plan are not always reflected sufficiently in the amount of time allocated to the subject during any school week in a range of classes.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

105. Too few lessons were seen for any overall judgements to be made about the quality of teaching. Discussions with pupils and a survey of their work suggests that standards of attainment are in line with the expectations of the agreed syllabus, and that pupils are developing a good awareness of Christianity and the other main religions of the world.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

106. In a good Year 1 lesson, pupils were told the story of the 'Good Samaritan' and good use was made of role play to involve them in the action. There was some very good discussion of the issues involved, such as why the priest might walk by. This was a high level of challenge for these pupils to which they responded well, suggesting that the priest might be afraid that the robbers would return. In a good Year 3 /4 lesson looking at Islam, pupils showed a good knowledg e of Islam and the traditions involving the use of geometric patterns. The teaching was clear and there were good examples and practical tasks for the pupils. Wistow Parochial CE Primary School - 34 107. The subject is well co-ordinated and appropriate time allocations are made. Religious education is made relevant to pupils using artefacts, presentations and first hand experiences. The school evaluates its own performance in religious education

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

well and is aware of a shortage of experience of other faiths. A careful programme of areas covered within the subject ensures appropriate coverage, and the North Yorkshire syllabus is followed. Outside resources, such as local churches and clergy, are involved in teaching and are well used.

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