Allendale Primary School

ALLENDALE FIRST SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 and 14 November 2001

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ALLENDALE FIRST SCHOOL

Short 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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ALLENDALE FIRST 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. Allendale First School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Allendale Hexham Northumberland

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. N. Fowles

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: May 1997 Allendale First School - 4

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Team members

4720 Mr G Carter Registered inspector 9511 Mrs A Longfield Lay inspector 11611 Mr J Hall Team inspector

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Team members

PkR Educational Consultants Ltd 6, Sherman Road Bromley Kent BR1 3JH

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Team members

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

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Allendale First School - 5

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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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Built in the late nineteenth century, Allendale First School is situated in the small village of Allendale. It serves a large catchment area of rural communities, including some very isolated farms, and some parents commute significant distances to secure employment. The school has 98 pupils on roll and is small compared with the national average. Numbers have steadily decreased in recent years as a result of the fall in birth rate in the Tyne Valley area. The school has recently undergone significant internal refurbishment to improve the quality of the teaching areas and library. An outside play area, of very high quality, has also been established for the youngest children. There is a significant shortage of nursery education places in the catchment area and children attend a variety of private, pre-school settings. The overall attainment of pupils on entry to the school is below what might be expected nationally. Around 19

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

per cent of pupils are named on the school’s special educational needs register, which is similar to the national average. Of these, two per cent have Statements of Special Educational Need, which is slightly higher than the national average. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is very low in comparison with the national average. The proportion of pupils with ethnic backgrounds other than white is below the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Allendale First School is a very good school. Pupils achieve high standards as a result of consistently good teaching. The headteacher, teachers and classroom support staff work well together as a team continually to improve the quality of provision in this well-managed school. Governors monitor the performance of the school well through clearly focused visits and meetings. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The standards achieved by pupils in English and mathematics are well above average in comparison with schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds. • The quality of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength. • The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the reception class it is very good. As a result, pupils show enthusiasm and very good attitudes to their work. • The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong partnership between school staff, governors and parents. • The school provides a very high level of care for its pupils.

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What could be improved

• The quality and use of assessment of pupils’ information and communication technology skills. • The quality and consistency of pupils’ handwriting across Key Stages 1 and 2. • Despite continuing efforts, by the headteacher and governors, to have suitable management software installed on the office computer to support the school’s financial management system, this has not yet been achieved. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Allendale First School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in 1997. Since then it has continued to make good improvements in a number of ways. Standards in English and mathematics have continued to improve as a result of improved teaching. Overall, the school has made good improvements in the three areas identified for improvement in the last report. The levels of attainment achieved by higher-attaining pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 have been raised by teachers continually raising their expectations of what there pupils can achieve. The school has successfully improved the involvement of parents in their children’s learning through a number of strategies. These include twice-yearly information evenings; a parents information board; regular newsletters; curriculum workshops; effective induction opportunities for parents of the youngest pupils; regular parental involvement in homework, such as reading; involvement in supporting

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

fund raising; and supporting teachers in lessons and visits. The school now has a clear policy on child protection, which has been reinforced by appropriate staff training, including that for lunchtime supervisory staff.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on National Curriculum test results.

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Key

reading A* A* A* A* well above average above average A B writing A A A A average below average C D mathematics A A A* A well below average E

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Key

In the 2001 national assessment tests, the standards achieved by pupils in reading and mathematics were very high, and in writing they were well above average, in comparison with all schools nationally. The results in reading and mathematics show that pupils’ attainment is within the top 5 per cent of attainment nationally. When compared to similar schools, pupils’ attainment was well above the average in writing and mathematics. In reading the attainment was very high. Over the past four years the improving trend of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been greater than the national trend. There are no significant differences between the performances of girls and boys. These results are all the more notable given that the overall attainment of pupils is below what might be expected when they enter the school. The school set itself ambitious targets in English and mathematics, which were

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Key

Although pupils were at a relatively early stage in the academic year at the time of the inspection, the standard of work seen in lessons and in previous work indicated that pupils are achieving well and sometimes very well. Pupils in the Reception Year achieve very well as a result of very good teaching. As they move through the school, pupils continue to achieve well, including those with special educational needs and the most able. Inspection evidence indicates that, by the time they are seven, pupils will achieve standards which are well above average for the majority in English and mathematics. By the time they are nine, pupils continue to achieve well and are very well prepared for their transfer to middle school. They are attaining at levels which are well above the national expectation for their age in English, mathematics and science. They also achieve well in other subjects, such as food technology,

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Key

religious education, history and art. Pupils make sound achievements in information and communication technology. Allendale First School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils show very positive attitudes and great interest in their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and outside is invariably very good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils show respect to each other and adults and enjoy very good relationships with each other and school staff.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is normally very good, although it has been adversely affected by the constraints imposed by the foot and mouth disease during some weeks in the last 12 months

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Aspect Comment

Pupils develop respect for others, and what others say and do, from an early age. In the Reception class children listen well to what other pupils say during class discussions and ‘circle times’ (personal, social, and health education sessions). As they get older, pupils try hard and succeed in acting responsibly. They achieve this through helping younger pupils, serving drinks for them during lunchtimes, serving fruit (as part of the school’s ‘Healthy School’ initiative) at break-times, and serving as register and dinner money monitors during morning registration. When outside school, pupils behave particularly well, as when visiting the local village store to identify and draw fresh fruit and vegetables as part of a food technology lesson. Pupils also show enjoyment and respect when working with others on a task, in such lessons as science, design and technology and dance.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Very 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: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The high quality of teaching in the Reception class enables pupils to gain confidence quickly and they soon make very good progress across all areas of learning. The Reception class teacher organises lessons thoroughly, ensuring that pupils are given activities which match their maturity and learning needs well. She deploys classroom assistants and volunteer adults carefully to develop pupils’ confidence as learners. The consistently good teaching in classes for infant and junior-aged pupils ensures that the pupils continue to make good progress. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and this has helped continually to improve standards. There are a number of reasons why the quality of teaching is so successful. Teachers manage pupils well, balancing praise and encouragement with appropriate expectations of good behaviour when required. Teachers make clear to pupils what is expected of them through clear lesson

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

objectives. Very good planning ensures that pupils in mixed-age classes are given suitable tasks and resources. In this way pupils with special educational needs, including statemented pupils, as well as the highest attainers, are appropriately challenged. In response, these pupils frequently make good, and sometimes very good, progress. Invariably the quality of pupils’ learning mirrors the quality of the teaching. This results in pupils showing very good levels of concentration and interest in their work. In the best lessons pupils take an active part through discussion and show confidence in tackling problems. Teachers use their good knowledge of their subject to question pupils and assess their progress during lessons. They also use prior information such as test results, well, in order to set targets for pupils. These are usefully shared with pupils, helping them to assess their own progress in a

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

topic. Teachers use a good variety of teaching approaches, which helps to enliven lessons and motivates pupils. As a result pupils are frequently engaged in the lesson and invariably work productively. Allendale First School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum This is good overall. In the Foundation Stage it is very good. The school has reviewed its curricular provision to meet the requirements of recent national guidelines for the Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1 and 2. Personal, social and health education is being implemented well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Provision for those with Statements of Special Educational Need is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development This is a strength of the school. Through lessons, collective worship, visits, and the established relationships between staff and pupils, the opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a high level of care for all pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum is well planned in all classes. The curriculum in the Reception class is made exciting and relevant and provides a very good preparation for the National Curriculum. Very good use is made of the outside play area to enrich pupils’ curricular experiences. In those classes with mixed age groups, pupils are appropriately organised into groups for particular activities. Tasks are suitably chosen to match the learning needs of individual pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with Statements of Educational Need. Learning support and classroom assistants are well briefed by teachers to help pupils to access the curriculum and are skilful in achieving this. The curriculum is organised well, on a two-year cycle, to enable pupils in mixed-age classes to learn effectively, without unnecessary repetition. Teachers make good use of visits and the local community to enhance pupils’

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff The headteacher has been successful in building a strong team commitment to improve teaching and learning continually in order to raise pupils’ attainment. Co-ordinators provide good leadership in their subjects and are mutually supportive to all staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are also committed to enhance the level of provision continually for pupils and staff. They use regular visits to monitor targets in the school development plan and have a good understanding of the school’s strengths.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher, teachers and governors use available performance data successfully to monitor the school’s performance and that of individual pupils and groups.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school has made very good use of available funding to improve the quality of resources, including computers and software, and to provide good support for pupils with special educational needs. Very good use has recently been made of voluntary fund-raising efforts by parents, staff and governors to improve significantly the outdoor play area and equipment for the youngest pupils. Since the last inspection, the headteacher has successfully identified the need to improve the quality of Allendale First School - 10 teaching and learning and to enhance the quality of accommodation and resources to enable such improvements to take place. He has been well supported by his deputy and co-ordinators, who have contributed extensively to the successful development of teaching and learning strategies and to the management of the curriculum for all pupils. The headteacher, staff and governors work closely in

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Aspect Comment

planning the future of the school, with the result that they are well informed about school priorities and the degree of success achieved by the school and its pupils. Governors have a good knowledge of the school through their visits, which focus on different aspects of the school’s improvement plan. This helps them understand what the school does well and what areas of development might be appropriate in the future. Governors are using the principles of best value well to develop resources and improve the internal and external environment of the school. Despite efforts by the headteacher and governors, the school does not yet have appropriate management software installed to use with its new office computer.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Pupils make good progress • Pupils behave well in school • The quality of teaching is good • The school has high expectations of pupils • The pupils are helped to mature • Staff respond well to parents’ concerns • The school is well led and managed • The range of activities outside lessons is insufficient

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The members of the inspection team agree with the many areas that please parents most about the school. The range of extra-curricular activities recently offered by the school is not representative of what has, in the past, been available, because of restrictions imposed on the school by the impact of the foot and mouth epidemic. Allendale First School - 11

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

1. When they enter the school, pupils’ knowledge and skills in most areas of learning, but particularly language and number, are below what might be expected nationally for their age. Nevertheless, as a result of very good teaching and good support from parents, they make very good progress and achieve very well. Most pupils achieve their Early Learning Goals by the time they are five, but a significant minority achieves well beyond these. They make very good progress in their speaking and listening skills as they discuss stories and respond to the teacher in class discussions. They can anticipate and retell stories describing the correct sequence of events. More-able pupils recognise simple words and are linking letters with sounds and higher-attaining pupils know that authors write books. They are beginning to copy write over simple sentences and words and can write their names. Pupils can count to ten confidently, both forwards and

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

backwards, understand the correct sequencing of days of the week, and know how to make a simple block graph from data they have collected about the houses that they live in.

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

2. By the age of seven, pupils continue to achieve well and sometimes very well. A majority achieves standards which are well above average in English and mathematics. They take a very active part in discussions, as when discussing meanings of words, or a newspaper article about Harry Potter. Pupils can read stories fluently, many with expression, taking note of punctuation, such as full stops and speech marks. They write imaginative stories and respond in writing to questions about characters and events, such as about the anxious boy in “Who lost the key?”. By this age, higher-attaining pupils can use their knowledge of multiplication and division to work out the costs of meals, and are confident in explaining their answers.

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

3. By the time they are nine, pupils are achieving standards which are well above the national expectation for their age in English, mathematics and science. Pupils talk well about more difficult ideas. This occurred when discussing the ideas behind a Hindu story in a religious education lesson, and when discussing how they achieved a ‘fair test’ when examining the properties of different soils in a science lesson. At this age pupils are very competent readers. They use good intonation when reading and can talk well about characters and plot. Many use their reading well to research topics, as when using the Internet to discover more about Ancient Egypt in history lessons. Pupils write good imaginative stories using their understanding of grammar well. However, many pupils do not use a consistent cursive style of handwriting confidently, particularly in subjects other than English. In mathematics lessons they understand how to use number coordinates

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

to locate points on a grid and can extend these ideas to plotting two–dimensional shapes using number coordinates.

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

4. In information and communication technology (ICT) pupils make sound gains as they move through the school. Standards achieved in this subject are similar to those expected nationally. By the time they are nine, they can use a word processing package effectively, know how to interrogate a database and can control a robotic device using suitable commands to change direction. They make good use of CD ROM programs when researching topics, such as Ancient Egypt, and can use the Internet, as when Allendale First School - 12 corresponding with pen friends in the United States of America. Pupils achieve well in other subjects, such as history, art, food technology and history.

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

The quality of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength.

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

5. The school provides good opportunities for the personal development of pupils, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The headteacher and teachers make good use of collective worship times to help pupils think about others and their response to other people’s feelings. In one assembly, Year 4 pupils enacted for other pupils situations in which particular feelings towards people were invoked. Pupils watched carefully and took an active part in the discussion which the headteacher led afterwards. Teachers often plan lessons with very good use of resources which help to promote a sense of wonder and further pupils’ curiosity and excitement with learning. For example, Year 4 pupils gasped with amazement during an art lesson when a visitor wearing a sari unfurled the garment to show how many metres of material were involved in its manufacture. In a Reception year lesson, pupils showed great excitement at the

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

sight of themselves and others in bears’ costumes as they enjoyed role playing the Goldilocks story inside the school’s recently acquired playhouse.

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

6. Teachers remind pupils of their high expectations for their behaviour and pupils invariably respond well. Teachers take opportunities to remind pupils through stories of what is right and wrong, as when discussing with the youngest pupils Goldilock’s uninvited entry into the bears’ house. Pupils are taught to listen and respect each other’s opinions and pupils invariably respond well to this during introductions to lessons and plenary sessions. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons are particularly valuable in helping pupils to value each other’s opinions and to co-operate for the benefit of the larger group.

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

7. Pupils have good opportunities to develop responsible attitudes and accept increasing responsibility around the school. Lunch-time monitors enjoy helping to fill the water glasses of younger pupils and selling fruit and counting the money taken during morning break, as part of the school’s healthy eating campaign. When taking part in practical work in lessons, such as science, pupils show good levels of co-operation and mutual support. Visits, such as those to the local Co-op store and the mining museum, and the annual residential week for older pupils, provide valuable opportunities for pupils to relate to others in new settings and to extend their levels of personal responsibility towards others.

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average in comparison with all schools nationally and those whose pupils have

8. The school provides many opportunities to enrich pupils’ cultural awareness. Visits to mines and museums, and research into their local village as contributors to the school’s new web site, give pupils an increasing understanding of their own community and its values. The planned curriculum provides good opportunities for pupils to understand the impact of other cultures. For example, in religious education lessons pupils learn about other faiths such as Judaism and Hinduism. In history, pupils learn about the differences between modern and old toys, in discussion with an older volunteer helper. They also learn about great civilisations, like the Egyptians, and their achievements, such as the building of the pyramids and decorated tombs.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the Reception class it is very

good. As a result pupils show enthusiasm and very good attitudes to their work.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the Reception class it is very

9. The quality of teaching is a strength of the school. Teaching throughout the school is Allendale First School - 13 never less than good and is very good in almost one-third of lessons. In the Reception Year teaching is very good in a majority of lessons. Since the last inspection, the quality of teaching has continued to improve. This is because of well-focused professional development of teachers and classroom support staff, and a shared commitment amongst staff continually to improve teaching and learning.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the Reception class it is very

10. The high quality of teaching is linked to a number of factors. Teachers plan their lessons very well, linking them to pupils’ previous learning. They invariably share the learning objectives with pupils at the outset of lessons. This happens consistently from the time pupils enter the school. In a Reception Year language development lesson, the teacher made clear to pupils the objective that they should be able to retell the story of ‘Goldilocks and the three bears’ and be able to name the characters and put the events of the story in the correct order. This helped pupils to know what was expected and helped them to succeed well in the task.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the Reception class it is very

11. The high quality of planning results in tasks which are well matched to the needs of all pupils, including the most able and those with special educational needs. In their planning, teachers help pupils to make links with other curricular areas and subjects to help consolidate their learning. For example, in a mixed Year 2/3 dance lesson, the teacher used well-chosen Hindu music for the lesson, soon after pupils had been studying about the Divali festival. Also, in a Year 4 literacy lesson, the teacher made very good links with the pupils’ previous work on rocks and soils when he asked pupils to write a menu for making good soil using an instructional form of writing. With secure prior knowledge, many pupils felt they could contribute to the introductory discussion and showed enthusiasm for the task that followed.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the Reception class it is very

12. Teachers have high expectations of what their pupils can learn and this contributes to pupils achieving well, including pupils with special educational needs. In a Reception Year lesson, the teacher had high expectations of pupils as they used data they had collected about houses to make a human graph in the hall. Equally high expectations led to some pupils printing similar graphs on the computer. In a mixed Year 2/3 literacy lesson, the teacher demonstrated high expectations of pupils extending their vocabulary as they read a news item on the Internet. Teachers also have high expectations when using skilful questioning to make pupils think. This occurred when the teacher asked pupils in the Reception class to think hard about the sequence of events in the Goldilocks story before they set out to make an audio tape for the class to listen to. Teachers demonstrate high expectations in mathematics lessons, when pupils are

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The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the Reception class it is very

asked to justify their answers during plenary sessions with such questions as,” Why is ten a multiple of 40?” and, “ Can you show me your working, using partitioning?”.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the Reception class it is very

13. Teachers manage their pupils well. They show respect for pupils, who, in turn, have respect for adults and other pupils. Teachers use a good range of classroom management strategies to maintain a good learning environment, including good routines for gaining instant attention, and relocation of pupils who might become fidgety and disruptive. Teachers use praise well to manage pupils. In one mixed Year 1/2 literacy lesson one boy who found it difficult to sit still during much of the lesson made several good suggestions about the use of alternative words in a sentence, such as “yelled” rather than “said”. The teacher thanked him for his very good responses and this helped to maintain his interest during the lesson.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the Reception class it is very

14. Teachers make good use of resources and deploy classroom support staff very effectively. In a lively religious education lesson, pupils were tasked to make diva pots of clay, as part of their study of Divali. The teacher used photographs and pictures of the pots to assist pupils in their design. One support assistant worked very effectively with a Allendale First School - 14 statemented pupil as she moulded her pot, giving advice and encouragement, and, as a result, the pupil made good progress. In another lesson a classroom assistant supported lower-attaining pupils well as they created ‘halves’ of regular geometric shapes during a mathematics lesson.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the Reception class it is very

15. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils and know them well. They frequently use humour to good effect in lessons and collective worship and this enhances the relationships further. Pupils enjoy learning and showing others what they know and understand. They are very well behaved and show increasing responsibility as they get older, in such tasks as selling fruit, helping at lunch tables and assisting with registers and dinner money.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

partnership between school staff, governors and parents.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

16. Since the last inspection, the high quality of leadership has been maintained. The headteacher provides strong and supportive leadership, setting a clear example through his teaching role. He has successfully developed a strong sense of teamwork by involving teachers regularly in decision making. As a result, staff have a high level of commitment to the aims of the school and its targets for development. He has successfully developed good relationships with parents. Parents are now well informed about school events through a parents notice board, regular newsletters and curriculum workshops. Many opportunities are provided for parents to be involved in such events as fund-raising, school visits, school drama events and classroom support.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

17. The headteacher is well supported by his deputy, who is also very effective in her role as special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). Subject co-ordinators have a strong leadership role in shaping the curriculum. They have successfully led reviews of the curriculum for the Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1 and 2 and successfully implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, which have had a positive effect on teaching and learning. Co-ordinators have contributed well, through audits of their subjects and staff development opportunities, to the future development of the school and to raising achievement. Their involvement in a local authority sponsored “Thinking Skills” initiative has had a positive impact on pupils’ learning. They use the data from assessment well. Such information has been successfully used to group pupils, set individual and group targets and to modify teaching programmes, giving more

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

emphasis to areas of teaching and learning that have previously been less successful, such as explaining strategies and using appropriate language in mathematics.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

18. Although many of the governors were appointed recently, including the Chair, they have quickly established supportive relationships with the school. They have established a useful pattern of productive meetings and school visits. Having established clear curriculum-monitoring responsibilities, they use visits very effectively to evaluate the success of school improvement plan targets. Some governors provide very useful classroom support, whilst others give equally of their time in supporting fund-raising and administrative tasks, when required. They have established a routine of ‘additional’ meetings to monitor school developments further, and are competently using school performance data to gauge the strengths and development needs of the school.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

19. Governors monitor spending effectively, with the very good support of the school secretary, who is also a governor and member of the Finance Committee. However, the process is made unnecessarily tedious because the school still does not have appropriate management software to run its new office computer. This situation has arisen despite extensive efforts by the headteacher and governors to resolve the Allendale First School - 15 situation through the local authority. Governors are making good use of tendering processes to achieve good value for money. They consult parents on development issues, as in the recent establishment of a much-needed outdoor play facility for the youngest children. In this way they use the principles of ‘best value’ well.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

20. Overwhelmingly, parents believe that the school is well managed and that it has improved noticeably in a number of ways during the last four years. They are pleased with the improvement in communication between the school and its families, feeling that the school works hard to keep parents informed and is open to suggestions they might make. They also express pleasure in the continually improving standards over recent years and attribute this to the commitment and hard work of teachers. Parents of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need were pleased with the progress their children made.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

The school provides a very high level of care for its pupils.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

21. The quality of care for pupils provided by the school is very good. The school has developed very clear daily routines, which contribute well to the care of pupils. There is a good security system, which enables the secretary to monitor who enters the school through an ‘entryphone’ system. Pupils are safely lined up and counted before being walked to their waiting buses after school. Teachers take care in monitoring the attendance of pupils and, during playtimes, staff monitor the safety of pupils well.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

22. Since the last inspection, the school has implemented a good child protection policy, trained appropriate, named staff and recently extended this training to lunch-time assistants. During outside visits, pupils are very well supervised by teachers and sufficient adult volunteers to ensure their safety.

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The quality of leadership and management is a strength. It has resulted in a strong

23. Teachers asses pupils work well and make very good use of the data. This begins with the careful use of assessment of the youngest pupils within weeks of their arrival. Teachers are proficient at analysing data from these assessments in order to diagnose areas of weakness in learning and teaching and to set learning targets for individuals and groups. These targets are shared with pupils and parents through the annual reports, which are of good quality. Allendale First School - 16

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The quality and use of assessment of pupils’ information and communication

24. Since the last inspection, good progress has been made improving the quality of resources available for ICT. The school has also ensured that pupils have sufficient curriculum time to meet the needs of the curriculum by using the computer suite facilities of the neighbouring middle school on a weekly basis. However the school does not yet have in place an effective assessment system which links what pupils can do with the National Curriculum programmes of study. The school is aware of this and intends to make this one of its priorities for the school improvement plan.

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The quality and use of assessment of pupils’ information and communication

The quality and consistency of pupils’ handwriting across Key Stages 1 and 2.

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The quality and use of assessment of pupils’ information and communication

25. By the time they are nine, pupils can write very imaginative and well-planned stories. They write well for different purposes, such as planning a menu or writing accounts of people and places, such as the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. However, the consistency of the quality of pupils’ joined handwriting is unsatisfactory. As a result, many pupils do not achieve the quality of which they are capable and this detracts from other areas of achievement.

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management software installed on the office computer to support the school’s

financial management system, this has not yet been achieved.

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management software installed on the office computer to support the school’s

26. At the time of the inspection the school secretary did not have an effective software system in operation for monitoring the school’s spending. As a result, financial monitoring was being completed on paper in a very inefficient way. Despite continuing efforts by the headteacher and governors to secure the help of the local authority to install the necessary software and provide training in its use for the school secretary, this has not yet been achieved.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Review the existing policy of assessment for ICT in order to link the progress and attainment of pupils with the National Curriculum programme of study. This can be achieved by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- developing an effective assessment instrument in ICT for teachers - identifying curriculum opportunities for developing ICT competencies - identifying targets for improvement for individual pupils and groups (paragraph 24)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Identify strategies for improving the pupils’ cursive handwriting and presentation of work by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- reviewing the current handwriting policy - identifying curriculum opportunities for developing and practising handwriting skills - reviewing the age at which pupils are taught cursive handwriting (paragraph 25) Allendale First School - 17 (3) Maintain their efforts, through further liaison with the local education authority, to secure the instalment of appropriate management software as soon as possible. (paragraph 26) Allendale First School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 9

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 98

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 17

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Allendale First School - 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 6 11 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 6 6 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 ( 100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 6 6 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (94) 100 ( 88) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 ( 84 ) 89 ( 88 ) 89(88)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Allendale First School - 20

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4 Financial year 2000 - 2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total expenditure 227224

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5.0 Expenditure per pupil 2319

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 62 Balance brought forward from previous year 10272

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 10681 Allendale First School - 21

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 58 35 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 60 33 2 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 42 33 15 4 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 33 6 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 73 19 4 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 42 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 54 25 13 6 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 65 31 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 42 0 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 17 31 33 4 15

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Other issues raised by parents

A majority of parents who attended the parents’ meeting prior to the inspection felt that the school gave the right amount of homework to pupils. They were also unanimous in their opinion that the school worked closely with parents. Allendale First School - 22

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