Killinghall Primary School

KILLINGHALL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs Rajinder Harrison

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KILLINGHALL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 2 nd – 5 th July 2001

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KILLINGHALL 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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KILLINGHALL 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. Killinghall Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Killinghall Road Bradford West Yorkshire Postcode: BD3 7JF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 13 th – 17 th January 1997 Killinghall Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

18059 Rajinder Harrison Registered inspector English English as an Additional Language Equal Opportunities What sort of school is it? How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve? 31718 Denise Shields Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with its parents? 27899 Georgie Beasley Team inspector The foundation stage Design and technology How high are standards? The school’s results and achievements. 4099 Rod Braithwaite Team inspector Information and communication technology, Geography How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

20326 Peter Clark Team inspector Music, Religious education, Special educational needs How high are standards? Pupil’s attitudes, values and personal development. 21277 Steven Hill Team inspector

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

25577 William Jefferson Team inspector Mathematics, History, Physical education 2911 Eric Steed Team inspector Science, Art How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close ALCESTER Warwickshire BD49 5QW

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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 Killinghall Primary 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Killinghall Primary School is a larger than average, purpose built primary school providing a full time education for 412 pupils aged from 4 to 11 years and part time nursery provision for 80 children. The majority of the pupils come from the Bradford Moor District and its immediate vicinity, reflecting well below average social circumstances. There are 215 pupils (58%), who have English as an additional language, and seven of these pupils speak very little English. One hundred and sixty four pupils (40%) are eligible for free school meals (well above the national average). One hundred and seventeen pupils (23% just above average) are included on the school’s register of special educational needs. Eight of these pupils have statements of special educational need and this is broadly in line with the national average. Few pupils leave or join the school other than at the start of the reception class, and generally the school enjoys

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

a stable situation with few people moving in and out of the locality. At the time of the previous inspection Killinghall was a First School. Since then school has been established as a new primary school. This is its first year with pupils in Year 6.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The attainment of children on entry to the reception class is well below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school with many good features. The school is popular with parents and children are very happy and are cared for well. Relationships throughout the school are very good and pupils’ behaviour is very good at all times. Pupils work hard and overall satisfactory teaching helps them achieve standards that are above those of similar schools. The very strong leadership of the headteacher has helped the school gain a good reputation in the community. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The leadership and management of the headteacher and key staff are good. • Provision for children in the nursery and reception classes is very good and children make a very positive start in their learning. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an additional language is good and all pupils achieve well. • Pupils develop very good attitudes to school; their behaviour is very good overall, and relationships throughout the school are very good. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is very good, and provision is good for pupils’ social development. • Parents hold the school in high regard, and value all aspects of the quality of education and the good care it provides for their children. • Governors fulfil their responsibilities well and the school makes very effective use of its financial resources.

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What could be improved

• Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are not high enough and the school does not make effective use of assessment information to set challenging targets. • The curriculum could be organised more effectively. • Attendance is very low and arrangements for the monitoring of attendance lack rigour. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in January 1997 and at that time it was a First School. It was designated Primary status in 1999. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory. • Standards have improved steadily at Key Stage 1 and whilst still in line overall nationally, they are well above those seen in similar schools. • Schemes of work are now fully in place and opportunities for investigative and experimental tasks have improved. • Whilst day-to-day assessment and regular assessment activities are undertaken, data is not always analysed sufficiently rigorously and put to effective use when setting individual and class targets. Killinghall Primary School - 7 • Challenge, at varied levels, is presented to pupils in many classes but this practice is not consistent across the school, and sometimes teachers’ expectations are not high enough of all pupils. • Subject co-ordinators have clear roles and conduct these diligently. Time for monitoring teachers’

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

planning and pupils’ attainment has increased, but limited time is given to observe teaching.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 7 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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compared with Key

Performance in: all schools similar schools well above average A 1998 1999 2000 2000 above average B Reading D D D A average C Writing C C B A below average D Mathematics B D C A well below average E

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compared with Key

Results for seven year olds in 2000 show standards in mathematics to be broadly in line with national averages with writing slightly higher and reading slightly lower. Teacher Assessments for science were close to the national average. Standards are well above average for similar schools (based on the numbers of pupils receiving free school meals). The school shows a steady improvement since 1999. Standards at the end of Year 4 at the time of the last inspection were judged to be in line with national expectations. Inspection findings confirm this to be the case still. As this is the first time the school has had Year 6 pupils, no previous data exists with which to compare findings from this inspection. From work seen in pupils’ books, from lessons observed and from interviews with Year 6 pupils, standards in English, mathematics and science are below average expectations. The achievement of a significant number of these

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compared with Key

pupils does not reflect the standards they achieved four years ago. The school did not set sufficiently challenging targets to reflect this year group’s prior attainment and teachers’ expectations were not high enough. Inadequate attention was paid to monitoring progress and a significant number of these pupils were not identified as having special educational needs until they were in Year 5.

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compared with Key

In design and technology, geography, history, art and design, and information and communication technology (ICT), pupils reach standards that match the expectations for pupils aged eleven. For pupils aged seven, standards in art and design, history and physical education are above expectations. No judgement was made regarding standards for physical education for pupils aged eleven as observations were limited by the school’s timetable. In religious education pupils aged seven and eleven achieve better than the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus, and the subject has a positive impact on pupils’ spiritual development. Standards in music are below those expected at both ages seven and eleven.

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compared with Key

Pupils achieve well overall but make very good progress in the nursery and reception classes where provision is very good. In Years 1 and 2, inspection evidence shows that pupils make good progress overall in English, mathematics and science and by the age of seven they achieve standards broadly in line with the national average. Their literacy and numeracy skills match these standards. Whilst progress is broadly satisfactory for most pupils at Key Stage 2, expectations are not always high enough to sustain this good progress, and standards at the end of the key stage fall below the national average. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make similar progress to their peers.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils' attitudes to school are very good overall and they work hard. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils' behaviour is very good overall; they are polite, courteous and show appropriate respect for the differing views and beliefs of others Personal development and relationships There are very good levels of personal development and pupils use their initiative when opportunities are provided. Very good relationships exist between both pupils and adults. Killinghall Primary School - 8 Attendance Attendance is very low. Progress is impaired for pupils who take extended holidays or time off for reasons other than illness. Killinghall Primary School - 9

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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

Teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. During the inspection the overall quality of the teaching observed was good and this makes an important contribution to how well pupils achieve. Teaching was excellent in 6% of lessons observed. It was very good in 26%, good in 41% of lessons and satisfactory in 25%. Two percent of lessons were unsatisfactory. In these lessons, pupils did not make enough progress because teaching did not take into account pupils’ prior knowledge and match learning to their needs well. Good teaching was seen in all subjects and teaching of religious education is very good. Where teachers’ subject knowledge and expertise is very good teaching is excellent. However, over time, teaching is judged to be satisfactory overall, because a significant number of pupils at Key Stage 2 have not made the progress of which they are capable. Pupils with English as an additional language and those

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

with special educational needs are supported well. Teachers and support staff are very sensitive to the learning needs of these pupils and work is generally carefully matched to help them make good progress.

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

Teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes is very good and children make very good progress in all areas of learning. At Key Stage 1, good teaching of literacy and numeracy contributes to pupils achieving standards that are in line with the national average and well above similar schools. Teaching of literacy is generally good at Key Stage 2. However, opportunities to develop English skills are not always challenging, especially at the upper end of the key stage. Teaching of numeracy is satisfactory overall at Key Stage 2, and the standards attained reflect this. For a significant number of pupils in Year 6, achievement against their prior attainment has been unsatisfactory and overall attainment in Year 6 is below national expectations. Pupils’ work is below expectations because teaching has not challenged them suitably and some teachers are not secure about what pupils can do at this age. Teachers successfully

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

promote pupils’ very good attitudes to learning and encourage them to work hard. However, assessment is not always used effectively to set challenging targets and teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do at the age of eleven are not always high enough.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum for children under five in the nursery and reception classes is good; they have a good range of learning opportunities. It is satisfactory at both key stages, but is not suitably balanced and time is not always used effectively. Use of assessment information to guide curricular planning is unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is good. Pupils on the special educational needs register are supported well and make good progress towards achieving their targets. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is good. Pupils are encouraged to respect each other’s differences. Approaches to ensure social and educational inclusion are very good. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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Aspect Comment

Provision is very good and is a strength of the school. Very good opportunities are provided for pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development, and opportunities for social development are good. This good provision results in the very good relationships and behaviour seen throughout the school. How well the school cares for its pupils The school takes good care of children; procedures for child protection are very good. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils' academic performance at Key Stage 2 and attendance at both key stages are unsatisfactory. Killinghall Primary School - 10 The school's links with parents are very good in the nursery and are satisfactory overall. Parents make a valuable contribution to the work of the school and support pupils' learning effectively. They are provided with satisfactory information about the work of the school. Pupils’ reports to parents are inconsistent in

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Aspect Comment

quality but are satisfactory overall. They are very good for children in the nursery and reception classes.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good overall. The headteacher has clear vision for the school's development and very successfully drives the school forward in meeting its aims. She is assisted well by a very hard working team. Staff new to the school are made to feel very welcome. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil their responsibilities and support the school well. They play an important role in preparing the school development plan, and recognise the need to integrate Year 5 and 6 pupils successfully. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is justifiably proud of its achievements. Monitoring of performance is satisfactory overall but the school recognises greater attention needs to be paid to analysing and using assessment information to support target setting for individual pupils. The strategic use of resources The strategic use of resources is very good. Excellent use is made of

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Aspect Comment

specific grants. Principles of best value are applied well.

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Aspect Comment

The school is generously staffed and opportunities for staff development are recognised as high priority. Accommodation is good. The Nursery area is particularly well designed to accommodate young children well. The library is a very good resource but limited use is made of this area to develop library skills. The school has recognised the need to develop the playground facilities. Resources are good overall and are particularly good for mathematics and ICT.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Parents agree that their children like school, are well cared for and make good progress. • Most parents believe that the school successfully develops amongst pupils very high levels of tolerance and understanding of people with other cultures and beliefs. • Teachers work hard and promote high expectations of all pupils in their work and behaviour. • The school is well led and managed. • A small number of parents do not feel well informed about how their child is getting on. • A small number are not satisfied with the work their children are expected to do at home.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors fully agree with parents' positive views of the school. Inspectors feel the range of homework is satisfactory. Information about the work of the school, and pupils' reports to parents are generally satisfactory. Killinghall Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Baseline assessments and inspection evidence indicates that the majority of children start nursery with levels of attainment well below those usually found. This is because many children are at the early stages of using English. Very good teaching in the nursery and both reception classes ensures that all children irrespective of their ethnicity, cultural background, ability or social circumstances achieve very well. At the end of the reception year, the majority of children attain the early learning goals in all areas of learning except in communication, language and literacy and in knowledge and understanding of the world. Due to the suitable focus in the nursery and reception classes, they make particularly good progress in their speaking skills, their mathematical development and their personal, social and emotional development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In 2000, the results of the National Curriculum tests for seven year olds indicated that, when compared with all schools, standards in reading were below average. This was due to the lower than average number of pupils attaining the higher levels. When compared to similar schools standards in reading were well above average. Standards seen during the inspection are average and have been maintained since the last inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Standards in writing have been rising steadily since 1996 and results in writing in the 2000 National Curriculum tests for seven year olds when compared to all schools, show standards were above average. When compared to those achieved in similar schools, standards were well above average and have been maintained since the last inspection. Standards in speaking and listening indicated standards are average, which is similar to standards in the last inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. In the 2000 National Curriculum tests for seven year olds, results show standards are broadly average when compared with all schools. When compared to those found in similar schools, standards were well above average. Standards observed during the inspection were also average and similar to the standards found in the last inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Teacher assessments for science in 2000 indicated that by the age of seven the number of pupils attaining the expected level 2 was average. The proportion attaining the higher level 3 was well above average. Inspection evidence agrees with these assessments except the proportion attaining higher levels has fallen. These results are similar to those found in the previous inspection and standards have been maintained.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Achievement in Key Stage 1 is good. Inspection evidence shows that by the age of seven, standards in design and technology (DT), geography and information and communication technology (ICT) are average. Standards in music are below average due to insufficient opportunities provided to develop pupils’ composition skills. Standards in religious education (RE), art and design, history and physical education (PE) are above average. The higher than average standards in RE result from the school’s strong focus on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and its aim to develop a respect for each others’ diversity. Standards in ICT and music have declined since the last inspection, whilst standards in RE, art and design, history and PE have improved.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. As this is the first year that the school has taken part in National Curriculum tests for eleven year olds there is no previous evidence on which to make a comparison. Standards at the end of Year 4 were judged to be average in the last inspection in all subjects and this is still the case, except in music. Standards have therefore been broadly maintained to this age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Inspection evidence indicates that standards in English, mathematics and science at the age of eleven are below average. In all three subjects standards do not compare favourably with the results achieved by this cohort of pupils when they were aged seven years. Nor do they reflect Killinghall Primary School - 12 accurately pupils’ achievement in Key Stage 2, which is satisfactory overall. Standards in Years 3, 4 and 5 are average and pupils are making satisfactory progress across all three subjects. The school has recently started to use assessment information more accurately to monitor and support pupils’ progress more closely and this is beginning to have an effect on standards in Years 3, 4 and 5. However, there has been insufficient time for suitable gains to be made in Year 6. After initial adjustments, teachers’ expectations have now been corrected to meet the demands of the Year 5

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and 6 curriculum and standards. This, linked to weaknesses in the organisation of the curriculum, the very poor levels of attendance, recent building work and turnover of teaching staff have all contributed to the lower standards seen in Year 6 this year.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. In English, there has been a good emphasis on the development of literacy skills, through the successful implementation of the literacy strategy, and pupils achieve well overall. Opportunities for speaking and listening are becoming well established through, for example, preparations of presentations. Spelling practice, extension of appropriate vocabulary and overall competence in the accurate use of grammar are given due attention in literacy lessons and some other subjects. Whilst opportunities for reading, successfully supplemented by the ‘Better Reading’ scheme, enable pupils to make generally satisfactory progress in reading, standards of reading at the end of Key Stage 2 are slightly below average. Writing skills, including writing for different purposes are given appropriate priority through literacy lessons and extended writing. Standards are generally in line in Years 3 and 4, and close to expectations in Year 5. Pupils are below average in their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

writing skills in Year 6, because they have had less time to work through the structured approaches of the literacy strategy, and in some lessons teachers’ expectations are not high enough of what pupils of this age can do.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. In mathematics, standards of the first group of Year 6 pupils to pass through the school, are judged to be below those expected nationally. This is well below their overall level of achievement when compared with their test results at the age of seven. Before this year, the school did not made effective use of assessment data to target learning for individuals and specific groups of children. They have not, therefore, built on prior attainment and not identified gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding early enough for standards to be any higher this year. In some lessons in Years 5 and 6, pace and challenge have lacked the rigour needed to achieve higher standards. Initially, teachers’ expectations were too low to challenge pupils in Years 5 and 6, therefore progress for this group of pupils initially was unsatisfactory. Due to recent higher expectations, standards for Years 3, 4 and 5 are broadly in line and effective implementation of the numeracy programme is

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. In science, standards of work seen are broadly in line with national expectations in Years 3 and 4. Pupils in Year 5 are close to these standards and where teaching is good they are in line with what is expected of this age. Due attention has been given to the effective development of knowledge and understanding, and pupils investigative skills are appropriately supported. Pupils in these year groups achieve well overall. However, insufficient attention has been given to analysing what pupils know and understand in Year 6, and, in some lessons, teachers’ expectations are not high enough of what pupils of this age can do. Because of the range of difficulties this year group has encountered, teaching has not always built on pupils’ prior attainment and their achievement overall is unsatisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Achievement at Key Stage 2 is satisfactory overall. Standards in art and design, history, DT, geography and ICT are average by the age of eleven. Standards in music remain below average while standards in RE are above the average expected by the Locally Agreed Syllabus. No judgement was made on standards in PE, as there was insufficient evidence on which to assess standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. Progress is good overall for pupils with special educational needs. Good support in Key Stage 1 for pupils with special educational needs results in them making good progress. Progress in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory overall, reflecting the inconsistent quality of measurable targets against which progress is monitored. The school is aware that this is an area for further development. Gifted and talented pupils make progress similar to their peers. Pupils with English as an Killinghall Primary School - 13 additional language also achieve well. Pupils also achieve well as a result of the school’s very strong equal opportunities ethos.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attitudes to learning are very good overall. Pupils of all ages and abilities show keen interest in their lessons, have a very positive approach to their work and try hard to finish their work in the time allocated. Most pupils are eager to answer questions and to contribute their ideas in class discussions. For example, in a Year 1 class, pupils discussed their recent visit to the local church with great animation and confidence. When the pace of teaching is brisk and lively and the lesson content builds successfully on previous learning, pupils work hard and concentrate well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Standards of behaviour are very good overall throughout the school. This is especially true when good quality teaching is imaginative and stimulating. Where the pace of lessons slows after a brisk start or work lacks challenge to extend pupils’ learning, pupils’ behaviour is sometimes not as good as it should be and a few pupils can be disruptive. Pupils of all ages and from all ethnic groups get on very well with each other whilst at play. No incidents of oppressive or racist behaviour were seen or reported by the children during the inspection. Reports from parents indicate that they are happy about the standards of behaviour, believing that the school actively encourages good behaviour. Any instances of bullying or similarly unacceptable behaviour are taken seriously and handled firmly and efficiently by the school. All pupils move around the school in an orderly, controlled manner and look after each other well. Most show an awareness of others and a

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

willingness to share the space available. For example, in a Year 2 music lesson, two classes sat together in a space normally reserved for one class. Pupils controlled their movements well, even though the limited space restricted the movement of arms and legs.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Relationships throughout the school are very good. Pupils get on well with one another and with adults. For example, pupils heard reading were very positive and respectful and keen to talk about their work and life in school. Children are very tolerant of others' beliefs and considerate of their feelings. Members of staff relate well to pupils and treat them with consideration and respect. In return pupils are polite to staff, visitors to the school and to each other. There were no exclusions of pupils last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. The personal development of pupils is good. Some good opportunities for taking responsibility have been introduced as the school has grown, particularly for older children, and the pupils respond well to these. In Year 6 pupils, for example, willingly help in the dining hall and monitoring the corridors. They take these duties seriously and carry them out sensibly. A good range of day trips and contact with visitors to the school enhance personal development for all age groups. However, there are insufficient planned opportunities for pupils to carry out independent personal research by using a range of different resources, for example, either the library or ICT as the majority of tasks are teacher directed. They are not often given the chance to develop a sense of enquiry and curiosity about their work.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils with special educational needs show the same very good attitudes and behaviour as their peers. Most listen well in lessons and are enthusiastic to answer questions. For example, small groups of children working in an area used continuously as a thoroughfare, behave very well paying full attention to the teacher. Their interest levels are directly linked to the content of lessons and teachers' ability to relate new learning to previous teaching. Pupils display growing self- esteem and confidence when contributions to lessons are sought and valued, and when teachers and peers celebrate their success.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Pupils from all ethnic groups get on very well together. All staff value and respect the culture and faiths of pupils from different ethnic groups and every effort is made to build up the confidence and self-esteem of all pupils in the school. The school celebrates the festivals of pupils in many of the displays featured in classrooms and corridors. Very good use is made of the dual language books to celebrate language diversity in the school. Killinghall Primary School - 14

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Attendance

20. Pupils say they enjoy attending school. Nevertheless, attendance rates have declined since the last inspection. Figures for the year 2000 / 2001, due to be published shortly, are very low compared to those nationally; unauthorised absence is minimal. Although the school now accommodates pupils to the age of 11, there is no significant difference between the attendance of pupils of different age groups. Inspection findings show extended family holidays to the sub continent during term time account for nearly 2 per cent of all absence, the remainder is authorised by the school and is usually due to medical reasons. However, there is a lack of clarity about how much time can be authorised, for example for religious reasons or for family celebrations. The low attendance of some pupils and interrupted attendance of others impacts on their progress and continuity of learning.

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Attendance

21. Figures provided by the school show that nearly a third of all pupils have, since the start of the summer term, recorded one or more late mark. These figures are not totally reliable as some teachers mark pupils late before the registers are closed at 9.15. Late arrival, however, interrupts the orderly start to the school day.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. During the inspection, the overall quality of the teaching observed was good and this makes an important contribution to how well pupils achieve. Teaching was excellent in 6% of lessons observed. It was very good in 26%, good in 41% of lessons and satisfactory in 25%. Two percent of lessons were unsatisfactory. In these lessons pupils did not make enough progress because teaching did not take into account pupils’ prior knowledge and match learning to their needs well. However, over time teaching is satisfactory overall. Since the school’s transition from First to Primary status, pupils’ progress in Key Stage 2 has not always been satisfactory. For a significant number of pupils in Year 6 achievement against their prior attainment has been unsatisfactory and overall attainment in Year 6 is below national expectations. Disruptions in staffing arrangements, continued building works,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and the school’s adjustment to accommodate Years 5 and 6 have had a detrimental impact on the standards of work seen at the end of Key Stage 2. In addition, the late identification of pupils with special educational needs at the upper end of the school has not given teachers sufficient time to address gaps in pupils’ learning. Pupils’ work is below expectations because teaching has not always challenged them suitably and some teachers are not secure about what pupils can do at this age.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The quality of education provided for children in the Foundation Stage is very good overall. Children arrive to an environment that is stimulating and inviting, and where the care of children is of paramount importance. Excellent relationships, commitment and expertise of all the adults who work in the nursery and reception classes engender excellent team spirit. Everyone knows all the children and their parents and carers very well. Very good knowledge and understanding of the relevant curriculum very young children need enable planning to be of a high standard. This ensures all areas of learning are covered appropriately. Staff have a very secure understanding of how young children learn, evident in the excellent and very good teaching seen. Interactions with children are enthusiastic and fun and these make children want to learn. There are some minor weaknesses in the organisation of the timetable in the reception classes when children are involved

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

in language and literacy activities for too long on two days of the week. This means they often move onto activities that are not relevant if they finish at different times. These ‘fill in’ activities are not always planned well enough to move children on.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. By the end of the Foundation Stage, the majority of children achieve expected standards for their age in each of the Early Learning Goals except communication, language and literacy, and their knowledge and understanding of the world. Children are encouraged to take part through sensitive interventions from the teacher and support staff. The Foundation Stage sets high expectations of Killinghall Primary School - 15 all children and good attention is given to monitoring progress and setting targets for improvement. Children take immense delight in experiences offered to them, for example, awe struck when watching the emergence of butterflies in their work on life cycles, and the sheer fascination when listening to the sounds produced by the various instruments in the music frame. These high quality and well-organised experiences result in their very good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The teaching of literacy and numeracy skills is good at Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2 and satisfactory at the upper end of Key Stage 2. Both the National Literacy and the National Numeracy strategies have been implemented effectively. Teachers and support staff use appropriate techniques to teach basic skills, although the teaching of English is generally better than mathematics at the upper end of the school. Writing has been a school priority this year and appropriate emphasis has been given to extend pupils’ experiences in writing for a range of purposes. Some good quality written work was seen in the portfolio for English reiterating the school’s drive to raise standards. In some literacy and numeracy lessons effective time is given to plenary sessions to round lessons off and assess the progress pupils have made. Support teachers work diligently with targeted groups and this allows more children to achieve well. Where careful

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

attention has been applied to assessing individual needs, pupils’ progress is generally good. Unfortunately, some pupils in Year 6 were only identified as having specific needs when in Year 5, and for some progress has been unsatisfactory. Teachers use praise and encouragement to motivate children and, because relationships are very good pupils, are very eager to work hard to please. These basic skills are applied appropriately across other subjects. Good evidence is seen with Venn diagrams and nets in design and technology, and evaluative writing in history topic work and design and technology.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The quality of teaching in English is generally good at Key Stage 1. It is satisfactory overall at Key Stage 2, although individual lessons are sometimes good or very good in many classes. The picture is very similar for the teaching of mathematics. In both subjects setting pupils by ability at the top end of Key Stage 2 is beginning to have a positive impact on learning. Teachers identify learning objectives more effectively for groups of pupils and prepare work that is better matched to their needs. The school is considering deployment of subject specialists to refine further this targeted learning at the upper end of the school. The school employs a good number of support staff who make valuable contributions to children’s learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teachers have very good relationships with children and this promotes the positive attitudes children have towards school. Where teaching is of an exceptionally high standard, children are fully involved from start to finish in the learning experience presented to them. An excellent example was the physical education lesson in Year 1, where the teacher’s overall competence and enthusiasm fired up pupils’ enjoyment of the activity. The lesson presented pupils with high expectations but, as their role model, the teacher worked hard with the children, showing them how they could improve in their efforts. Similarly, the ICT lesson in Year 5 on spreadsheets held pupils’ interest through some complex and challenging instructions. When they applied this learning on their lap tops, the high level of success they achieved created a lively buzz of excitement and satisfaction that was wonderful to observe. Teaching that was judged to be

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

unsatisfactory failed to link new learning successfully to pupils’ prior attainment. Because pupils did not understand what they were expected to do, they did not make satisfactory progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. The quality of class teaching for pupils with special educational needs and with English as an additional language is generally good, and in many lessons it is very good. The school has a very positive approach to educational inclusion and this is generally very well implemented across the school. Teachers are very aware of the needs of individual pupils and irrespective of their specific need, they make good efforts to prepare appropriate work for them. Often this is class-work, modified to suit groups of pupils working together, but teachers are careful to support individuals as they move around the classroom, intervening as necessary to keep pupils on task. Sometimes, in some lessons in some classes, work is not sufficiently challenging to extend the highest attaining pupils. In these lessons, pupils' progress is less than it might be if tasks were better matched to their abilities. This lack of sufficient challenge is illustrated by the geography lesson in Year 5 on

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Killinghall Primary School - 16 the water cycle, where pupils’ attainment was measured by the completion of the task rather than how well it was done.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Pupils are managed extremely well throughout the school. Adults and pupils show a high level of respect for one another and this permeates across everything pupils do. Pupils respond with very good levels of courtesy and consideration for others, regardless of differences in cultures and beliefs. In this, pupils follow the very good examples set by staff. There is a happy working environment in the school, and children feel loved and cared for. This gives them sustained confidence to continue to do their best. Teachers make effective use of a range of good resources, although emphasis on the use of ICT in many lessons is limited. On occasions, teaching time is lost because some lessons do not always start on time, or finish too early. Where this is coupled with insufficient challenge and pace, the progress of some children is sometimes slow. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory overall at Key Stage 2. The

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

key weakness here is an unclear understanding of the standards of work pupils in Years 5 and 6 should achieve. However, the school has identified this as an immediate area for development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Monitoring of teaching and standards is developing, and this has resulted in some consistency in approaches to handling investigative work, for example, or elements of the literacy hour. Teachers in parallel classes plan work together to ensure all pupils in the same year group have equality of access to the curriculum. Planning is generally good although, in many lessons, few opportunities are identified for the use of ICT or for assessment. The standard of marking is satisfactory overall. Some of the better marking gives pupils clear guidance as to why their work is of a particular standard and where improvements can be made. Where marking is unsatisfactory, cursory comments do not help pupils realise how well they have done, and on occasions incorrect work is marked as correct. Sometimes pupils have not responded to teachers’ comments, but this is not always noted. Homework is given in most classes and the amount of homework set is satisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Parents are invited to support their children with homework and reading, and teachers value their help.

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PUPILS?

31. Curriculum provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. The relevant curriculum that very young children need is well planned to make sure that all areas of learning are covered appropriately. There are some minor weaknesses in the organisation of the timetable in the reception classes when children are involved in language and literacy activities for too long on two days of the week. This means that they take part in activities, which are not always relevant to their needs. Children respond very well to the supportive environment and well-structured curriculum. Most children make very good progress.

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PUPILS?

32. The curriculum provided in the statutory years of schooling is suitably broad, including all the subjects of the National Curriculum together with religious education. In addition, the personal, health and social education policy includes drugs education that is covered through science and sessions presented by the police for pupils in Year 6. The present sex education policy covers only pupils up to the age of nine years; the governors are aware of the requirements for the full age range in the present primary school and intend to adopt the Local Education Authority’s policy when it is available. The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall. The specific requirements identified in their statements of educational need are generally met well by the school and all requirements and guidance of the national Code of Practice are met. The individual education plans written by the teachers are of satisfactory quality overall.

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PUPILS?

33. The school has adopted the government’s guidelines for all subjects and is presently adapting them for particular school needs. Policies are available for each subject and these have dates for regular reviews. There are suitable strategies in place for the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy, but time allocations given to each are an issue. The effective introduction of Curriculum 2000 is similarly constrained by the lack of time in the present school day. Killinghall Primary School - 17 34. There is a sound development plan in the Foundation Stage that is securely linked with the Early Learning goals. However, elsewhere, there is no whole-school plan to link subject content with the introduction of skills and concepts and to ensure their gradual progressive development as pupils move through the school. Links between knowledge and its use are not always secure. For example, pupils in Year 4 have sound book reference skills but have not been taught how to

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PUPILS?

retrieve books from a library in order to use their skills.

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PUPILS?

35. The school’s curriculum is not balanced. The major reason is that the weekly contact time made available for teaching is almost two hours less than the nationally recommended time at Key Stage 2. Further, during the inspection, too many lessons were late in starting following morning and lunchtime breaks. The school is aware of the overall need to increase the weekly contact time and the governors have agreed proposals to extend the length of the school day. There are, however, other anomalies with timings. The difference in time devoted to English across the school from class to class, varies by one hour and forty minutes each week, whilst mathematics varies by one hour and forty-five minutes. This is a detracting factor on the progress pupils are able to make in other subjects. Owing to the lower than average weekly overall contact time in Key Stage 2 pupils are covering, for example, history and geography, and art and design and DT in alternate half-term

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PUPILS?

sessions rather than being afforded more frequent contact with each subject. Pupils also have excessive periods of time sometimes to study a single subject. For example, whereas the national guidance recommendation is for a daily literacy hour, pupils in Year 2 have two days each week where a block of literacy lasts for an hour and forty-five minutes without a break. Pupils become tired during such prolonged periods and the pace of learning drops away.

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PUPILS?

36. There are weaknesses in the use of ICT across the curriculum. This is particularly evident in English and mathematics. There are weaknesses also in the failure to cover composition in music teaching, and in poor successes in swimming. Literacy skills are generally under-used across the curriculum because on timetables and in practice, English is compartmentalised. The creative use of English within other subjects would free time to be used to enable pupils to experience all subjects on a weekly basis. Appropriate time is not given to the development of library skills in a number of classes.

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PUPILS?

37. The practice of organising break times and lunchtimes as staggered periods across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, denies pupils valuable opportunities to socialise with children of differing ages. It also restricts older pupils opportunities to take responsibilities and to show initiative and, thereby, to develop their personal social skills.

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PUPILS?

38. The programme of extra-curricular activities is broadly satisfactory. At the time of the inspection, football was the sole seasonal sporting club and although there are girls who are enthusiastic participants, those girls who prefer other sports are not catered for adequately. A good range of visits and visitors enrich pupils learning experiences.

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39. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development and good provision for their social development.

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PUPILS?

40. Spiritual development is very effectively promoted by well-planned opportunities for pupils to reflect upon those aspects in their lives, which rise above the purely material. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to pray and reflect on assembly themes and how these relate to their own lives. Prayers at the end of assemblies provide periods of calm with a spiritual element. Pupils have regular opportunities for reflecting upon significant events in the lives of people, for example Florence Nightingale, or upon the wonders and beauty of nature from watching plants grow to the life cycle of butterflies. In reception many children were observed watching butterflies in a manner that creates a level of awe and wonder that was quite touching. Commercial works of art appear throughout the school in corridors and classrooms so pupils develop an appreciation of the beauty of form and colour. High expectations of pupils’ behaviour and effort are matched by many

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expressions of praise and more tangible rewards that develop self-esteem. A good example is the way pupils’ writing is valued. It is attractively displayed and often retained in artistically bound Killinghall Primary School - 18 books. In religious education pupils study festivals such as the Christian Christmas, Divali from the Hindu faith and Eid from the Islamic faith. Pupils and parents from different ethnic minorities are encouraged to share language, faith and cultures during the regular faith assemblies. Very good links with local churches contribute to the quality of worship, which is an important ingredient in the development of children’s spiritual growth.

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PUPILS?

41. Pupils’ moral development is consistently fostered through the school’s promotion of very good behaviour. Through its aims and policies, the school sets a high value upon understanding the difference between right and wrong and fostering an awareness of the fact that individual behaviour has an effect upon others. Truthfulness is encouraged at all times as well as respect for the rights and property of others. For example, each class has devised rules for working together and these are on display. Through literature, through reading about the lives of famous religious leaders and through work on life in other countries, pupils are provided with rich opportunities for discussing a variety of issues that raise moral questions. Pupils are encouraged to care for their school environment and, by discussing the causes and effects of pollution, are aware of wider issues and the need for conservation to retain areas of natural beauty. A sense of fair play is

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encouraged in the playground and during games lessons. This makes pupils aware that their individual behaviour affects the life and happiness of others at school and at home.

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PUPILS?

42. The arrangements for pupils’ social development are good. Pupils have a wide range of social skills upon entry into school. The school successfully fosters a sense of social and personal responsibility in preparation for adult life and so provides opportunities and occasions for pupils to work together collaboratively. For example, pupils from Year 3 and Year 4 worked together to produce a very colourful banner displaying a range of colours and material with pupils working in pairs to create this beautiful feature. Older pupils are often engaged in taking visitors around the school. A sound range of extra-curricular activities successfully encourages pupils to develop their social skills. The school raises money for charity contributing to local good causes as well as to national and global causes, further developing pupils’ awareness of their social responsibility. In particular, visits have enabled pupils to become aware of life in Bradford during Victorian times

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compared to life as a child in Bradford in 2000.

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43. There is rich provision for pupils’ cultural development which successfully prepares them to live in a multicultural society. Pupils learn about British and other western culture through art, geography, history and music. For example, they visit museums, galleries and other cultural areas and theatre and music groups visit the school. Art and artefacts are on display throughout the school, reflecting a range of cultures. Pupils work in the style of world famous artists, such as Van Gogh for example, drawing and painting sunflowers using a variety of colours and shapes. The literacy strategy has introduced pupils to a range of quality literature including stories and poems from many countries. This has successfully raised pupils’ awareness of the rich heritage of cultural achievement in their own communities and achievement across the world.

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44. The school is socially inclusive, ensuring equality of access and opportunity for all children. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are successfully integrated into all groups within the classroom and they are appropriately included in any additional activities provided by the school, for example, the school choir, which includes a small group of special educational needs pupils.

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45. Links with the community are good. The immediate and wider localities are used well for educational visits linked to the curriculum, such as to a local industrial museum. A good range of visitors including theatre and dance companies, representatives from charitable organisations, and the safety services enrich pupils’ curricular experiences. The school also contributes to the nearby community, for example, pupils in Year 5 entertain residents at the local Pollard House.

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46. Relationships with partner institutions are good. There is good liaison with the nearby further education college and secondary schools; and the school regularly accepts pupils on work placements. Trainee teachers also regularly have placements at the school. The school benefits from being part of the local primary and nursery cluster groups that provide opportunities to share Killinghall Primary School - 19 expertise and good practice. There are good links with external agencies that support a number of pupils.

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47. Various classes are organised for parents including family literacy, beginners English and women’s health issues. These are arranged, where possible to fit in with parents’ needs. As a result of attending courses, some parents have gone on to take qualifications as classroom assistants and now work at the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school takes good care of all its pupils. Teachers know pupils well and provide a caring and friendly atmosphere in which pupils work confidently. Day to day guidance is good, the administration, classroom and lunchtime staff all make a significant contribution to this aspect of the school’s work. Pupils appreciate the support they receive and say they are all treated fairly and teachers do not have favourites. Because of this good provision, pupils’ gain self-respect and confidence; this contributes to the progress they make. Parents appreciate the fact that their children are well cared for. Since the previous inspection, standards in nearly all areas have been maintained.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The arrangements for child protection are very good. Teachers are very aware of the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about pupils in their care. Any issues are dealt with sensitively. Overall arrangements for health and safety are satisfactory. Teachers adopt safe practices in their day-to-day work. Although there have been regular annual health and safety audits of the school progress on the action points identified are not formally monitored by the governing body. Action points are not reviewed until the next inspection takes place. A number of staff have received appropriate first aid training and there are effective arrangements to inform parents about illness or accidents at school. There is a good induction programme for pupils entering the nursery and then transferring to the reception classes; this ensures they settle quickly into the routines of school life. Good liaison with the secondary schools in the area ensures the smooth transition of pupils to their

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

next stage of education. Overall arrangements to ensure pupils’ welfare are good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Very good systems ensure pupils’ behave very well throughout the school. From pupils’ earliest days in school, high expectations are set and the overwhelming majority live up to them. Class and school rewards for good behaviour are well matched to the age of the pupils. Incidents of bullying are very rare and racial harmony exists throughout the school. The school’s very positive inclusion policy is successful in preventing bullying, harassment and racial unrest. Pupils and parents are confident that any incidents brought to the school’s attention are dealt with promptly.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are satisfactory but these are largely informal. Procedures are very good in the nursery and children are encouraged to take responsibilities appropriate to their age. They look after each other affectionately, and help clear away at the end of activities they have been involved with. Staff observe individual children and gently guide them towards appropriate behaviour. This very good practice results in children being confident in their actions and very aware of their impact on others. Elsewhere in the school extra curricular activities, opportunities to take part in class assemblies and for pair and group work, for example in English or mathematics lessons, contribute to raising pupils self confidence and self esteem. Pupils have some class based responsibilities but there is no opportunity, because of time tabling arrangements, for older pupils to help with the younger ones, such as playing with reception

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

pupils during a wet playtime. Teachers do not consistently provide opportunities for pupils to show initiative, for example, to tidy away at the end of some lessons; they often do this for them. Use of the library to research information or choose books for themselves, unsupervised, are not readily available to all pupils; their independence is therefore not being developed. Teachers know pupils well because much informal communication between teachers takes place, however, written records to monitor personal development are not maintained. The school has begun work with pupils to establish a school council that reflects pupils’ views through a formal channel. Killinghall Primary School - 20 52. The school administration officer and bi-lingual parent liaison worker effectively follow up any concerns raised by staff about pupils’ absences. Parents are contacted on the first day of absence. Efficient records of holidays taken during term time are maintained and the school follows up any

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

instances where pupils do not return to school on the agreed date. Nevertheless, the school could do more to improve attendance rates and punctuality; arrangements overall are unsatisfactory. No member of the senior management team has an overview of attendance, the school does not analyse trends and patterns to discover their impact, for example to discover what effect holiday during term time or extended absence for religious celebrations has on overall figures. There are no class or whole school rewards to encourage pupils to attend regularly and on time. Although there are some examples of good practice, overall there are no rigorous initiatives to analyse, monitor in depth and promote attendance and punctuality throughout the school. 53. The results of baseline assessments are used very effectively to focus the needs of individual children and to help them make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

statutory national tests have been properly administered to pupils aged seven and, for the first time, also to pupils aged eleven. For the last two years optional tests have been presented to pupils in Years 3 to 5. The analysis of the Year 5 optional tests in 2000 revealed that pupils in that year group had made insufficient progress through Key Stage 2, to sustain the above national average standards that they had achieved at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1997. This timely analysis resulted in remedial action and the forming of booster classes in English and mathematics. However, this action came too late to enable pupils to regain lost ground.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. A key issue following the inspection of the former First School was to “improve the use of assessment information to inform subsequent planning to ensure that tasks are well matched to individual pupils’ needs”. Since that time the procedures for the collection of assessment data have much improved. Teachers record each pupil’s attainment against the end of topic expectations that are given in the nationally available subject guidelines. In order to aid teachers’ decisions as to the levels attained in English, mathematics and science, portfolios of exemplar pieces of pupils’ work have been assessed, and annotated.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. In the non-core subjects, teachers use the National Curriculum attainment level descriptors. These are too often assessed at the end of a task rather than being used to determine how well pupils understand and learn during the task, when intervention and re-planning of tasks could ensure individual success by the end of the task. Because the school has no whole-school agreed plan whereby teachers are aware of what pupils have already covered in terms of skills and concepts, teachers have no sound basis for assessing what learning opportunities individual pupils require in order to make appropriate progress. Short-term plans are produced on a weekly basis and whilst they include learning objectives for the class and for the ability groups within the class, they are rarely reviewed in the light of on-going assessments. The plans do not include assessment opportunities to be used during lessons apart from general questioning planned for the plenary

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session. There is wide inconsistency in teachers’ use of assessment when planning lessons and this remains unsatisfactory overall. During the inspection, lessons were taught even when teachers knew that the short-term plans were inappropriate for pupils’ needs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56. Insufficient use is made of marking as an assessment procedure whereby targets may be set to help pupils to improve their work. Most teachers recognise pupils’ efforts with an encouraging comment. These are not always thought through and examples exist in pupils’ books where pieces of identical work have been marked differently, for example, one ticked and the other given “good” with no further comment.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

57. The school has this year developed the good practise in the annual reports to parents of setting targets to be achieved during the coming school year. The focus and quality of target setting is variable. Plans are in place for pupils to receive personal targets from the beginning of the next school year so that they have more knowledge of what each needs to accomplish in order to make progress in all subjects.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

58. The progress of pupils with special educational needs in literacy and numeracy is monitored and evaluated satisfactorily by the teachers, the special needs co-ordinator and by other adults involved Killinghall Primary School - 21 in their care. There are unsatisfactory procedures for the early identification of pupils in the reception and Year 1 classes and for moving pupils off the special needs register in Key Stage 2. Formal assessments are not always used sufficiently to help this process, for example, the large proportion of pupils entering the special needs register at Stage 1 in Years 5 and 6. Decisions, at present, are often made on the basis of the level of concern rather than formal analysis of all available information. Pupils identified as having emotional and behavioural difficulties have satisfactory behaviour plans that are used consistently by teachers. The progress of pupils with

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

English as an additional language is good. All teachers are aware of these pupils’ needs and provide for them well. Although a group of pupils has been assigned to the after-school gifted and talented club they are not challenged in lessons to produce above average work or given opportunities to suggest routes for their own learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOLWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. Parents’ views of the school, expressed through the parents’ questionnaires and the meeting before the inspection, are very positive. A few parents raised some concerns about homework and information about their children’s progress. Generally homework is at an appropriate level, a homework timetable is included in the homework diaries and some teachers, but not all, send written details home. Pupils’ annual reports are satisfactory and the quality of progress reports in the Foundation is very good. The overall effectiveness of the school’s links with parents is satisfactory.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOLWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. Strong links are forged with parents before the children start nursery through well planned meetings, which give good information about the school. All parents of nursery age children are actively encouraged to become involved in their children’s learning and many do so. There are regular helpers in the nursery area, and with parties and visits; their help is valued and the support the children receive has a positive impact on their achievement. There are many informal opportunities for parents to talk to nursery teachers before and after each session this means that any concerns can be addressed quickly. The ‘School and parents working together’ pamphlet has been translated into a number of home languages, it is talked through with parents during the nursery curriculum workshops. The bi-lingual home/school liaison worker makes a valuable contribution to the well-structured nursery induction process because translation facilities are

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readily available to parents whose first language is not English.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOLWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. Appropriate home/school agreements are in place and are shared with parents. Where they are able parents support the work their children are given to do at home. A number of parents are involved in the ‘Better Reading’ Project; listening to their children read at home. Parents give considerable support to events such as concerts and celebration assemblies. There are no volunteer parent helpers in classrooms, but some parents are qualified classroom assistants and are employed by the school. However, when asked parents do help with school visits. There is no parents' organisation, although a few parents have requested one to be formed to organise a summer fair. The school does not regularly seek parental views, or evaluate the effectiveness of its relationships with them, because of this the school cannot be certain it is meeting the needs of all its parents. Although there are examples of established good practice, the school does not capitalise on the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOLWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

good partnership established in the nursery.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOLWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

62. The quality and range of information provided for parents are satisfactory. If a parent has a concern there are informal opportunities for discussion with teachers at the end of the school day; parents appreciate this. Day to day information is sent when the need arises, but there is no regular school newsletter that celebrates school and pupils’ achievements. The school brochure is well presented and gives prospective parents a good oversight of what the school provides. The governors’ annual report to parents is generally satisfactory. The annual reports to parents about their child’s progress are inconsistent in quality but are satisfactory overall. Foundation Stage reports provide parents with a consistently clear picture of the progress children have made, and what they know, understand and can do. Killinghall Primary School - 22 63. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are invited to reviews of individual education

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOLWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

plans and most parents attend annual reviews. Detailed information about pupils’ progress is given to parents of pupils with statements of special educational needs. However, not all parents are sent copies of their children’s individual education plans, thus restricting the opportunity for them to be supported from home.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The leadership of the head teacher is very good. The leadership and management of the school by key staff is good. This is a similar picture to that of the previous inspection. The headteacher is strong and determined and has ensured that the major developments in the school in the last few years, especially its rebuilding, have been successfully completed. She has a very clear educational priority in directing the school towards higher standards, and has worked particularly hard with the whole school community to integrate the Years 5 and 6 pupils into this newly created primary school. The school has recognised the magnitude of this task, has identified the main problem areas associated with it, and is now well on the road to achieving the standards it expects in the future. The headteacher has been ably supported in her work by the deputy head and other senior staff and co-ordinators. There is appropriate delegation of communication responsibilities to them,

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and their decision-making responsibilities in other areas are growing as they gain more experience in the needs of a primary school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. There is a very good learning ethos in the school created by the strong sense of purpose of all staff, the very good relationships between pupils and staff, the high quality of the school environment and the intense pride shown in the school by all connected with it. The school has very positive approaches to ensure social inclusion and takes pride in celebrating diversity in its day to day work. There has been a satisfactory level of improvement since the previous inspection, especially in provision for schemes of work, and in challenge for pupils. School development planning is clearly laid out, but there are a considerable number of priorities, not all of which can be achieved in the short time scale of one year. Nevertheless the huge rebuilding programme of the last few years, although giving considerable logistical problems to school management, has been successfully completed and is a tremendous credit to the determination and planning of all those

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The headteacher's own monitoring of teaching is helpful in identifying areas for improvement. Some teachers with management responsibilities monitor planning and sometimes monitor teaching and assess sample of pupils’ work. Evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching on learning and standards is still developing, as for example in teachers’ efforts to use assessment information to identify accurately pupils’ progress through their time in the school. There is some inconsistency in the opportunities of co-ordinators, particularly in the non-core subjects, to lead curriculum development and raise pupils’ performance where there may be concerns.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. There are some weaknesses in the management and administration of special educational needs and the school is aware of the need to review its formal procedures for identifying pupils in need of special help and support. The school has recognised the need for further training as not all teachers are aware of how to link individual education plans into clear, concise and measurable targets. Teaching assistants have very good relationships with pupils on the school’s special needs register and are effectively deployed, making good use of the time allocated to them.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The governing body has met fully all its statutory requirements, drawing on its considerable experience in managing a grant maintained school. It plays an effective role in shaping the direction of the school, and has a sound understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. It has recognised the need for the school to integrate Year 5 and 6 pupils successfully into the new school organisation, and to maintain the standards, which have been set in earlier years.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The school makes good use of its financial and other resources. It has shown considerable expertise in bidding for specific grants, such as 'Gifted and More Able Pupils', and an access Killinghall Primary School - 23 initiative for special needs pupils. It uses these financial resources excellently. Financial administration through the bursar, responsible officer and headteacher are also very good and reflect the schools’ educational priorities identified by the governing body.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The finance committee had necessarily to exercise considerable caution in its spending during the extensive rebuilding programme. Although the school has a much higher than expected carry forward contingency in its budget, the management and officers concerned were able to offer a number of priorities which had been identified for further development, such as extensive perimeter fencing, and improvements to the playground.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. The school is establishing a considerable resource of new technology throughout its administration and in classrooms. Although much is being used well, not all is fully operational, and, although some aspects of ICT in the classrooms are good, it is not always being used on a day to day basis across the curriculum. There is a strong determination across the school to continue to improve and raise standards. This, combined with the headteacher’s skills of decision making, give the school a good capacity to succeed.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. The school has a generous allocation of teaching staff. It comprises a well- balanced team of teachers in terms of experience and qualifications. Co-ordinators are fully aware of their responsibilities and have the relevant expertise to develop their subjects appropriately. They have access to very good development opportunities and performance management procedures have been successfully implemented. The school has been successful in achieving the ‘Investors in People Standard’. Teachers new to the school are provided with very good support to help them settle in and newly qualified teachers receive very helpful guidance from an well experienced members of staff. In classrooms, teachers are assisted very well by a number of very competent support staff, who generally work with small target groups.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. Since the previous inspection the planned programme of building work and refurbishment has been completed. The provision of accommodation is good and the nursery area is particularly well designed for early learning. The library is a very good resource, of which the staff feel particularly proud, but only limited use is made of this area. There are very good displays of pupils work in classrooms and corridors together with an abundance of commercially produced pictures and photographs; these create a stimulating and pleasant working environment for teachers and pupils to work in. In hot weather, ventilation is poor and very few windows open to allow air to circulate around the building. Because of this, classrooms become very hot and stuffy; this atmosphere is difficult for both pupils and teachers to work in. The school is aware of this fact and is considering appropriate solutions. The accommodation is clean and well maintained. The hot

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

water supply to the sinks in the toilets, however, is too hot and needs regulating as pupils and teachers are at risk of scalding themselves. Outside the playground is a suitable size, but there is no shaded area to protect pupils from the sun at breaks and lunchtimes.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

74. The quality of resources for teaching and learning is good. There are good resources to support teaching and learning in English, science, design and technology, history, art and physical education. The resources for mathematics and ICT are very good. In all other subjects, resources are satisfactory. The storage of these resources is good; making them readily accessible to all staff. Killinghall Primary School - 24

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2 by: - improving the planning of lessons to ensure appropriate challenge for all pupils - having higher expectations of what pupils in Years 5 and 6 can do. - identifying pupils with special educational needs early on in reception and at Key Stage1 and monitoring their progress more closely. - assessing pupils’ existing skills and setting realistic but challenging targets for groups and individuals - improving the quality of marking to give pupils' guidance on how well they have done and what they can do better. - using assessment information more systematically to identify aspects of the curriculum and teaching that can be improved - where there is a need, improve teachers’ expertise and confidence through appropriate in-service training. (paragraphs:8,10,11,22,24,25,28,30,56,58,63,66,85,86,92,99,102,105,107,112,114,117, 119.)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Organise the curriculum more effectively by: - raising the amount of teaching time to at least the minimum recommended for Key Stage 2 - ensuring appropriate teaching time is allocated to each subject and that lessons start and finish on time - devising a whole school curriculum plan that links subject content with the introduction of skills and concepts progressively through the school (paragraphs: 31,33,34,35,96,97,108,115,145,)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the very low attendance by: - appointing a member of staff to monitor attendance. - analysing trends and patterns in absences of all pupils. - impressing on parents the importance of regular attendance and its impact on their children’s achievements. - encouraging parents to ensure their children arrive to school on time. - Establishing appropriate reward systems to encourage pupils to attend regularly and punctually. (paragraphs: 20,21,52,)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the issues above, the school should consider the following when drawing up its action plan: Ensure teachers' planning incorporates the use of ICT in all subjects appropriately. (paras:17,29,30,36,71,96,99,106,136 )

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Raise the standards pupils achieve in music throughout the school and in swimming. (paras: 36,141,

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Make more effective use of the library to support the development of pupils' library skills and their ability to work independently. ( paras: 51,73,98,137,138)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Improve the facilities in the playground to engage pupils' interest better at break times. (para:73)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Organise more opportunities for pupils to socialise with children of differing ages .(paras: 17,90)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Offer a broader range of seasonal sporting clubs to engage pupils with differing interests. (Para:38) Killinghall Primary School - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 94 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 36

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 6 26 41 24 2 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 40 412 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 164 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 8 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 117

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 215

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 19 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 33

p.25

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 6.6 School data 0.1 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. Killinghall Primary School - 26

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 35 25 60

p.26

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 32 32 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 23 23

p.26

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 90 (84) 92 (82) 90 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.26

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 31 31 32 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 24 23

p.26

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 88 (84) 92 (88) 92 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Killinghall Primary School - 27

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 4 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other Black – other 0 0 Indian 19 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 199 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 10 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese Chinese 0 0 White 115 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 4 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.

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 19.2 Financial year 2000-2001 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.7 Average class size 29.4 £ Total income 1049647

p.27

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 1093492 Total number of education support staff 15 Expenditure per pupil 2420 Total aggregate hours worked per week 392 Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year

p.27

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 40

p.27

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Total number of education support staff 3 Total aggregate hours worked per week 108

p.27

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Number of pupils per FTE adult 8.7 FTE means full-time equivalent. Killinghall Primary School - 28 Killinghall Primary School - 29

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 60 34 2 2 2

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 55 39 2 1 3

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 35 13 2 3

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 45 38 11 3 2

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 63 29 4 1 2

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 27 2 1 3

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 46 41 7 2 3

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 61 33 2 1 2

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 55 36 5 1 2

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 43 34 7 2 12

p.29

Other issues raised by parents

No other issues were raised. Killinghall Primary School - 30

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75. Children usually start nursery in the September following their third birthday. This means that they have one year in the nursery and one in reception, which makes up the Foundation Stage. Meetings are organised before the children start to welcome parents and children and provide useful information about the school. Home visits take place if necessary and the school ensures that someone who is able to speak the home language attends these meetings so that all parents and children are included.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

76. There is a range of attainment when children start the nursery, but overall, children start with skills, which are well below average in all areas of learning. Children make very good progress in the nursery and both reception classes, and on entry to Year 1, the majority have attained the early learning goals in all areas of learning except in their communication, language and literacy and in their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

77. The quality of teaching is very good overall. This is due to the excellent relationships, commitment and expertise of all the adults who work in the nursery and reception classes. The team spirit is excellent and everyone knows all the children very well. There is a very good knowledge and understanding of the relevant curriculum that very young children need and this is well planned to make sure that all areas of learning are covered appropriately. There are some minor weaknesses in the organisation of the timetable in the reception classes when children are involved in language and literacy activities for too long on two days of the week. This means that they often take part in activities that are not relevant, and because they finish at different times, the following activities in which they take part are not always planned well enough.

p.30

Personal, social and emotional development

78. Children gain in confidence quickly when they start nursery and make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. The very good teaching and very strong relationships between adults and children ensure that all children achieve very well and the majority attain the early learning goals for this area of learning. All the adults in the nursery and reception classes know the children very well and use this knowledge to provide very good opportunities for children to gain in confidence and raise their self-esteem. They are strongly encouraged to develop their independence through choosing from a range of suitable activities and sharing toys and equipment amicably. The children play very well with and alongside each other in the role-play areas where they enjoy bathing and dressing the dolls and generally caring for their well-being.

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Communication, language and literacy

79. Strong emphasis is given to the development of communication, language and literacy in both the nursery and the reception classes. Very good opportunities are provided for children to develop their speaking and listening skills and adults take every opportunity to question and talk to the children so that they can extend and develop their vocabulary and use of language. The role-play areas provide very well for this as the children act out real life situations with adults playing with the children very effectively. The nursery and reception classes are rich with language, which gives the children very good opportunities to speak and talk about what they are doing.

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

80. The teaching of reading and writing is very good. Teachers and support staff make sure that the activities in which the children take part are challenging and very well matched to the individual learning needs. All children know how to handle books and are beginning to read, confidently, the early books in the reading scheme. Their phonic knowledge is satisfactory but they are not yet always using this knowledge in other situations. In writing activities too many links are made with the reading scheme and children are given too few opportunities to write for a range of purposes. Most children hold their pencils with a suitable grip and the majority form letters correctly. Killinghall Primary School - 31 Despite the very good teaching, due to the very low starting point, including those with English as an additional language, the majority of children have not yet meet the early learning goals in this

p.30

Mathematical development

81. The teaching of children’s mathematical development is very good. In nursery children are confident with numbers. They count up to five accurately and many can choose the correct numeral for their sets. Very good planned opportunities are provided for children to count in a range of activities. For example, when listening to the story of the ‘Very Hungry Caterpillar’, the children enjoyed the challenge of counting how many apples the caterpillar had eaten. A number of activities encourage the children to learn effectively about shape and pattern. In the reception classes, the children’s knowledge and understanding of number is built on very strongly. The higher attaining children add and subtract and use this information to solve simple problems. A few children are very confident with numbers to 100. They look at the patterns in a one hundred square to identify which numbers are in the twos, fives and tens pattern. This very good teaching

p.31

Mathematical development

helps the majority of children attain early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of the reception year.

p.31

Knowledge and understanding of the world

82. The children start nursery with well below average knowledge and understanding of the world and despite the very good teaching and very well matched and suitable activities, the majority do not attain the early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of the reception year. The curriculum for this area of learning is particular well organised so that the children learn from first hand experience about the world in which they live. The classrooms are vibrant and colourful, with the children’s paintings, drawings and models of caterpillars and spiders displayed creatively among a variety of posters and models. These are clearly labelled and motivate and interest the children’s learning. During their recent work on mini-beasts the children have watched with great interest the development of the caterpillars as they hatch from their eggs and change into ‘beautiful butterflies’. Very well planned activities allow their curiosity to be aroused through scientific

p.31

Knowledge and understanding of the world

enquiry, story, music and dance as well as very strong links to literacy and numeracy work.

p.31

Physical development

83. Children start the nursery with below average physical development skills. Very good opportunities and teaching ensures that the majority attain the early learning goals for this area of learning by the end of the reception year. ‘Provisions’ activities ensure that the children have frequent access to malleable materials. Very well planned ‘make and do’ tasks ensure that children regularly use scissors, staplers, glue, tape and string to cut and join a range of materials to make models of their own choosing, although these are often linked to the current topic being studied. The outdoor area and wide range of large equipment ensure that children in the nursery have regular opportunities to develop their climbing and balancing skills. The soft play shapes allow the children to build their own obstacle course before making their way through, over and under the pathway they have created. The children in the reception classes are introduced to the larger

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Physical development

playground gradually so that they are soon running round safely aware of their own and other’s space and safety. The lessons in the hall are enjoyable and suitably based in structured play activities.

p.31

Creative development

84. The teaching of children’s creative development is very good. Many very good opportunities are provided for the children to mix paint to make patterns and pictures of their own. The learning is organised within familiar contexts and during the inspection week children enjoyed their work on mini-beasts. Very good opportunities are provided for the children to explore and change sounds and the ‘music maze’ on loan this week was particularly successful in developing the children’s Killinghall Primary School - 32 musical creativity. Due to this very good teaching the majority of children attain the early learning goals in this area of learning. Killinghall Primary School - 33

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ENGLISH

85. Standards attained in English in the previous inspection were broadly in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and by the end of Year 4. This is still the case now and pupils achieve well overall. However, since that time the school has gained Years 5 and 6 through local re-organisation and standards are generally close to national standards in Year 5 but are below these at the end of Key Stage 2. Targets for English this year have not been high enough and do not fully reflect pupils’ capabilities when considering the attainment of this cohort at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1997.

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ENGLISH

86. A number of factors have impacted on the overall unsatisfactory achievement of the present Year 6. These include the transition, two years ago, from First School to Primary status, disruptions caused by extended building works and a sequence of supply and temporary teachers. In addition some teaching has not reflected a good understanding of what pupils at Years 5 and 6 can do, expectations have not been high enough from some pupils and the school has not made effective use of its assessment data to set challenging targets for specific groups of children. The school is fully aware of how these issues need to be addressed and has the capacity to raise standards at the end of Key Stage 2 to meet national expectations. Higher attaining pupils generally achieve well as do pupils with special educational needs and with English as an additional language. Teachers generally respond very well to their pupils’ diverse learning needs and ensure that educational

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ENGLISH

87. In Year 2000, the end of Key Stage 1, National Curriculum test results for pupils aged seven indicated that their performance in reading was below the national average for their age group but above for writing. When compared to similar schools, however, the pupils’ performance was well above for both aspects. Inspection findings are that pupils read and write as well as expected for pupils of their age. With the high numbers of children entering school with English as an additional language, they are helped to make very good progress through a very effectively delivered Foundation Stage curriculum and good progress is sustained throughout Key Stage 1. No end Key Stage 2 data is applicable, but the school has administered optional tests and other assessments that indicate that overall good progress is sustained through the lower end of Key Stage 2, but this has not been so rigorously pursued in some classes at the top end.

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ENGLISH

88. When pupils enter the school they lack confidence in speaking English but by the age of seven, attainment in all aspects of English is in line with national averages. Standards of writing improve steadily throughout Years 1 and 2. Teachers place much emphasis on the writing process and many of these pupils attain higher test results in writing than in reading. This level of emphasis is evident in most classes in Key Stage 2, although writing in other subjects in some classes does not always reflect appropriate application of skills learned in literacy and English lessons. By the age of eleven the standards in writing, overall, are currently below national expectations. Many pupils, when appropriately directed, generally do produce clear, organised writing that is of a satisfactory and sometimes good standard. However, sometimes work produced, especially when working independently, lacks quality and quantity and this is not always picked up through subsequent

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ENGLISH

89. Given the limitations of many pupils’ skills in spoken English when they enter school, they do well to attain satisfactory standards in speaking by the end of Key Stage 1. Many children come to school with limited vocabularies but there is a consistent drive in lessons to introduce new words, encourage correct pronunciation and ensure conventional speech patterns are reinforced. At both key stages, the pupils make good progress in this aspect of English. By the age of seven, most pupils are able to communicate with each other clearly and are keen to contribute to class discussions by offering their views and ideas confidently. For example, in a literacy lesson in Year 2 pupils became quite engrossed in asking very pertinent questions about how to investigate mini- beasts and were disappointed when this activity was cut short. Such lively interactions indicate a good level of interest and enthusiasm to think about their ideas and articulate them well in front of

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ENGLISH

others. Similarly in a lively literacy lesson in Year 1, pupils tried to reflect their feelings as they shared the story of ‘Dogger’, and although they were familiar with the book it still captivated their Killinghall Primary School - 34 imaginations and fired their enthusiasm to speak their mind. Some less confident pupils listen very well but are hesitant when asked open ended questions and do not always have the confidence to offer responses. Teachers are very aware of these limitations and handle pupils sensitively.

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ENGLISH

90. By the age of eleven, most pupils are confident and fairly articulate speakers. The highest attaining pupils carry out reasoned arguments and can stand their ground confidently. For example, groups of children have worked on producing high quality videos for presentations indicating maturity in their use of language to communicate messages effectively. They can re-tell stories and recount events fairly accurately, and talk confidently although a minority prefers listening to speaking. All teachers encourage pupils to talk about work, although sometimes opportunities are missed, for example in some plenary sessions, to maximise reflection and self - assessment skills. An example of this was an art lesson in Year 2, where the plenary did not include all pupils, as some were completing work. Neither did it focus on the lesson just concluding, but rather reviewed the whole day, and many pupils did not listen well or contribute to

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ENGLISH

the speaking. Similarly, in a science lesson in Year 4, there was insufficient guidance for pupils to talk effectively with each other to design their investigations, and some pupils dominated the task whilst others acquiesced to these ‘leaders’. However, appropriate interventions from the teachers did bring more children into the activity successfully. Whilst opportunities for pupils to speak with peers and adults are good, with current arrangements for the school day, pupils have few planned interactions with pupils older or younger than themselves.

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ENGLISH

91. Throughout the school, pupils show a good understanding of what is said and listen with good concentration. Occasionally, where some pupils do not have full access to English, or certain words or concepts, especially at Key Stage 1, appropriately sensitive peer or adult interventions support pupils’ understanding. In Key Stage 1, they have many opportunities to listen to stories, and evaluate written work and the opinions of their peers. For example, pupils in a science lesson in Year 2, listen very carefully while the teacher explains the tasks for each group and they settle very quickly to their independent group activities. They are encouraged to respect each others’ time to speak and teachers and support staff act as very good role models. Similarly, pupils in Year 6 listen attentively to the teacher’s explanation of how to use scanning and skimming skills to best effect, and once left to apply this learning, most absorb themselves in the task well. Pupils’

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ENGLISH

overall learning is good in many lessons because they are expected to listen, encouraged to ask if they do not understand and helped sensitively when necessary to keep them engaged in tasks. Standards in listening throughout the school are very good and most pupils make at least good progress in this aspect.

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ENGLISH

92. By the end of Key 1, pupils achieve standards in reading that overall are close to those expected for their age. Most pupils have built up an average sight vocabulary, and an appropriate understanding of text. Through effective literacy sessions, teachers give good attention to phonic work and the appropriate sounding out skills for letter blends. Most pupils join in confidently with the shared reading by the end of Year 2, and because they love stories, they enjoy these sessions. By the end of Key Stage 2, whilst this pleasure in stories has not diminished, as was evident in the Year 5 lesson, where pupils listened avidly to an extract from ‘The Jungle Book’, standards of reading overall are just below average. Whilst the highest attaining pupils read very well and read widely, a significant number of pupils in Year 6 are not reading at the levels expected for eleven year olds. Some pupils show hesitancy in word building skills, and sometimes find it difficult to

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ENGLISH

guess the word from contextual clues. Pupils who were only identified as having special educational need in 1999 have made unsatisfactory progress in reading since they completed Key Stage 1, and there has been insufficient time to close the gap with regard to their prior attainment. However, nearly all pupils identify story themes, plots and characters, and comprehension skills are satisfactory.

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ENGLISH

93. All pupils participate in reading activities during the literacy hour and show a real enjoyment of books. Pupils read fluently and fairly accurately in groups and structured class reading sessions. They appreciate being listened to and use text appropriately to extract information or analyse feelings. For example, in Year 4 pupils engage in writing different types of letters and know how to read the messages appropriately to sound ‘friendly’, ‘officious’ and ‘polite’. One pupil in Year Killinghall Primary School - 35 6 reading ‘Watership Down’, talked knowledgeably about his views on the writing style of JRR Tolkein’s ‘Lord of the Rings’. Another pupil showed obvious discrimination in the quality of successive ‘Harry Potter’ books, predicting the film is unlikely to be as good as the book, because it will not ‘ make you imagine as much for yourself’. Whilst these levels of maturity are few,

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ENGLISH

nevertheless, some pupils are well above national expectations. The effective introduction of the ‘Better Reading’ scheme is a much valued opportunity to focus on individual pupils’ reading. Evidence suggests that with this now established across the school, pupils have more opportunities to consolidate and improve reading skills with good individual attention and support. Pupils with individual educational plans receive additional support throughout the school and make good progress.

p.35

ENGLISH

94. The majority of pupils write as well as expected for pupils of their age by the end of Key Stage 1. They are independent writers and use capital letters and full stops with reasonable accuracy. Teachers regularly reinforce these good expectations. Pupils recognise correct word order and understand technical vocabulary. For example, pupils in Year 1 are quite clear about verbs, adjectives and nouns, and recognise any such omissions in their writing.

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ENGLISH

95. At Key Stage 2 pupils explore alliteration, clauses and phrases reasonably confidently in directed writing sessions. They sequence events, for example, pupils in Year 2 understand the life cycle of a butterfly and a plant and pupils in Year 4 understand the correct sequence for designing an effective investigation. Pupils are able to follow instructions and write procedures, for example, to make a cup of coffee. They produce a reasonable standard of written work, some of which is quite expressive, using a range of literary skills they have learnt to interest the reader. Pupils write in a variety of genres such as stories, letters, information notes, biography and poetry. Pupils generally enjoy the extended writing sessions but, from their books it is evident, the quality and quantity of the work produced in some classes at the top end of Key Stage 2 does not always reflect the high expectations seen in other year groups. Handwriting is reasonably well developed, but again there

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ENGLISH

is evidence to show some pupils pay less careful attention to presentation than might be expected, and in some instances this goes without remark. Most pupils take pride in their work, and work diligently to complete tasks. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are supported well in their writing activities by teachers or support staff. They achieve well because approaches to inclusion are so positive.

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ENGLISH

96. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good and they generally maintain good levels of concentration and perseverance. When given good support and guidance they settle quickly to work, sometimes in unsupervised groups and they are eager to please. Their behaviour is very good and they co- operate with adults and each other exceptionally well, showing due respect to everyone in a manner that is most commendable. When given the opportunities, pupils’ levels of initiative and independence are well developed but lessons sometimes limit the scope for pupils to extend their personal research skills. For example, in a literacy lesson in Year 5, pupils exploring new vocabulary did not readily defer to their dictionary skills, although could do so once reminded of their availability. The heavy dependence on commercial worksheets, for example, in Key Stage 1, restricts personal creativity and in some lessons higher attaining pupils did not need this resource to

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achieve well. Where information retrieval skills were actively promoted, in a Year 6 literacy lesson pupils, showed remarkable excitement in using ICT and books to look for the requisite details and their fascination with reference books was particularly notable. However, planned opportunities for pupils to use the library and ICT facilities independently are currently not regularly established.

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ENGLISH

97. The quality of teaching is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory overall at Key Stage 2. Teaching was good overall in the lessons observed and this represents a significant improvement since the previous inspection. Very good teaching occurred in some classes, more at Key Stage 1 than Key Stage 2. The weakest teaching, whilst judged satisfactory overall, occurred mainly in Key Stage 2 and this is reflected in the overall achievement at both key stages, which is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory overall at Key Stage 2. Literacy lessons are generally well structured, although in a few classes there is a tendency to overrun and sometimes this allows pupils more time than is required to sustain effective concentration to carry out tasks. For example, in a Year 6 literacy lesson, the plenary session was lost for some lower attaining pupils who at the end of an hour and Killinghall Primary School - 36

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ENGLISH

fifteen minutes were not on task. Similarly, in a Year 2 lesson, the flow of the literacy hour was interrupted by preparation for playtime, return from playtime, milk time. This gave some pupils time to think off task, and it was evident the highest attaining pupils could have worked faster with a greater sense of urgency if the session had not been so protracted. The literacy strategy has been effectively implemented and all teachers are secure in their subject knowledge. Teachers receive very effective help from suitably qualified support teachers and assistants, and in this way work is generally well matched to pupils’ needs. Support staff make valuable contributions to pupils’ learning, for example, when working with targeted groups, supporting pupils with special educational needs or those with English as an additional language. In this latter instance, bilingual staff translate, if appropriate, to help pupils make progress. Good lessons are generally conducted

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ENGLISH

at a brisk pace, and when teachers’ expectations are particularly high, as seen in Key Stage 1 and some classes in Key Stage 2, the pupils respond well to the challenges and learning is good.

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ENGLISH

98. Throughout the school, teachers pay good attention to the acquisition of new vocabulary and extending pupils’ understanding of the structure and conventions of English. Teachers make sure pupils know what they have to learn and how this links to what they have learned previously. There is appropriate emphasis on whole class and group work, and expectations are usually high. Sometimes insufficient time is given to plenary sessions and evaluating what pupils have learned and how well. Because relationships throughout the school are very good, and teachers use praise and encouragement to motivate children, this results in their overall good achievement. Achievement at the end of Year 6 is unsatisfactory because teachers’ expectations are not high enough of what pupils at this age can do, and teachers’ do not always build on pupils’ prior learning. Teachers make insufficient use of ICT to support learning in individual lessons and

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opportunities for pupils to explore writing for different purposes using word processing skills, for example drafting, producing newspaper articles, newsletters and so on are not evident. In addition, many pupils are limited in their knowledge of library skills because opportunities to use the school’s very attractive library are restricted. Other technology, for example audio-visual equipment is used well to enrich learning, and teachers use visiting theatre groups, authors and visits to theatres to broaden pupils’ experiences in the subject.

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ENGLISH

99. The subject is managed well by four subject leaders who work together to review planning and monitor pupils’ work and sometimes teaching. They acknowledge the benefits of the literacy strategy and the ‘Better Reading’ scheme in raising standards, and are looking more closely at matching work more effectively to pupils’ needs by modifying approaches to the literacy hour to consolidate learning. Samples of pupils’ work are collected and testing procedures are in place, with teachers’ using satisfactory on-going assessment procedures to guide planning. This data is not yet sufficiently well analysed to monitor the progress of either individual pupils or groups of children. The subject leaders have not taken a lead on analysing data and drawing together appropriately challenging targets. Marking of pupils’ work is variable. At its best it helps pupils see how well they have achieved, but does not always identify how they can improve further.

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ENGLISH

Sometimes marking is cursory and even inaccurate. Literacy skills are used satisfactorily in other subjects, for example, note taking in science, extended writing in history, and reflective work in design and technology and religious education. Library skills are not developed appropriately through this subject.

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ENGLISH

100. Overall resources are good. The school has a good range of non-fiction material around the school to support pupils thirst for knowledge and freer access to the library will enhance this provision. Whilst the school does have a sufficient number of fiction books, there is a shortage of supplementary readers to support pupils avid love of books whilst they prepare to move on to the next levels in the reading scheme.

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MATHEMATICS

101. In national tests in the year 2000, pupils in Year 2 achieved standards close to the average compared with all schools and well above average when compared with similar schools. The Killinghall Primary School - 37 proportion of pupils that achieved a level higher than expected, was close to the national average. Inspection evidence shows that standards in Year 2 continue to be similar to the national average.

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MATHEMATICS

102. Standards of the first group of Year 6 pupils to pass through the school are below those expected nationally. This is well below their overall level of achievement when compared with their tested ability at the age of seven. There are a number of reasons for this fall in standard. Although the school tested these pupils’ learning in 1999, it did not closely examine the results of those tests. Consequently, teachers did not know sufficiently well where extra help was needed, nor did they identify that many pupils were in fact falling behind. The building works added further disruption to pupils’ education. The local reorganisation of schools meant that some of the existing staff had insufficient experience of teaching older pupils and often they had low expectations of what their pupils could do. Scrutiny of work shows that, pupils have sometimes repeated work previously covered, and work was sometimes incorrectly marked or not marked at all. Together, these factors

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MATHEMATICS

had a serious, negative impact on pupils’ progress and achievement. Scrutiny of pupils’ books of the current Year 5 and observing their work during lessons, shows that, as a group, they have the potential to achieve standards in line with national expectations when they are eleven.

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MATHEMATICS

103. Pupils at Key Stage 1 achieve well overall. At Key Stage 2 pupils up to Year 5 make satisfactory progress. Higher achieving pupils at both key stages make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs, and those with English as an additional language, make good progress at Key Stage 1 and their achievement is generally satisfactory at Key Stage 2.

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MATHEMATICS

104. By the age of seven, almost all pupils understand pattern in number and place value of tens and units. A good number of high achieving pupils handle hundreds, tens and units well. Most pupils understand the concept of inverse operations. Almost all pupils understand division as a process of equal sharing and ‘sets of’, and most pupils have successfully grasped the concept of remainder. Multiplication is well understood through counting ‘lots of’. Most pupils make sensible estimates of length, weight and capacity, before using both non-standard and standard units to measure. Pupils’ understanding of the properties of 2-D shape is secure and many can identify these shapes related to long/short/equal sides and corners. Knowledge of 3D shapes is underdeveloped and very few recognise these shapes by an examination of faces, edges and corners. Most pupils use their knowledge and understanding of number well to solve problems mentally.

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MATHEMATICS

105. By the age of eleven, about half of the pupils have a well-developed understanding of place value to tens of thousands and their overall understanding of number concepts is good. This provides the foundation for their ability to work confidently with the relationship between fractions, decimal fractions and percentages, and to solve problems using long multiplication and division. Most of the other pupils have insecure knowledge of place value and fractional parts. This restricts their progress in developing further with real confidence. The more able pupils understand mean, median, and mode and can work out the average speed of vehicles from information provided. A large majority calculate the area and perimeter of regular quadrilaterals, but only the higher achievers use protractors to draw angles. Pupils analyse a number of different types of graphical representation and construct their own bar charts and pictograms. Their knowledge of geometry

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MATHEMATICS

does not enable them to construct pie charts. Most pupils have very limited understanding related to which type of graph might best represent a particular set of data. This is because they are given insufficient opportunities to collect, represent and then interpret any information gathered. Investigation work is generally satisfactory, but does not always challenge the highest attaining pupils well.

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MATHEMATICS

106. ICT is insufficiently used to support pupils’ work in mathematics, for example with data handling. The planned supportive role of mathematics in other areas of the curriculum is generally not developed well. However, in Year 4, pupils use their measuring skills to good effect in science, when they measure the ever-changing length of the sun’s shadow. In Year 1, artwork supports mathematics well when the pupils undertake paper-folding activities to produce good quality symmetrical pictures. Killinghall Primary School - 38 107. The quality of teaching throughout the school is satisfactory overall with consistently good or better teaching at Key Stage 1. Pupils’ mental mathematics skills are generally taught well and pupils of all abilities are suitably challenged, including those with special educational needs and those having English as an additional language. At Key Stage 2 half the lessons seen were good or

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MATHEMATICS

better with two lessons being unsatisfactory. Overall behaviour of pupils during mathematics’ lessons is very good and occasionally it is excellent. In one Year 5 group and in one Year 6 group, there are small numbers of boys and girls whose behaviour is unsatisfactory. This is because the level of work is sometimes too difficult for them and they lose interest. This has a negative effect on the progress of other pupils who are keen to learn. Most pupils really enjoy mathematics, and the quality of teaching is reflected by the good achievements they make.

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MATHEMATICS

108. Teachers generally are clear about the lesson objectives for the classes or sets, but these are not consistently shared with the pupils to prepare them well for what they are to learn. In the two unsatisfactory lessons the key weakness was the unsatisfactory attention paid to building on pupils’ prior learning. In one of these lessons, for example, pupils were not confident in their understanding of place values, and so whilst carrying out the tasks given mechanically, many could not relate whether their answers were correct. This highlighted lack of awareness of pupils’ prior attainment and the opportunity to rescue this lesson for many pupils was missed. The start of most lessons is used to develop the pupils’ mental mathematical skills. In a small number of lessons, the overall effectiveness is reduced because the pupils read the questions, instead of listening to them. However, during this part of the lesson in most classes, good attention is paid to extend pupils of

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MATHEMATICS

all abilities. Where lessons are good or better, group tasks of differing levels of difficulty are set. In some sets chosen by ability, all pupils are given the same task. As a result these activities either fail to challenge the more able or as in the case of the two unsatisfactory lessons, the task is too difficult and the pupils make little or no progress. Sometimes lessons are too long to keep pupils of all abilities on task. Their concentration sometimes lapses, when the work is too hard or too easy.

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MATHEMATICS

109. Where work is suitably matched to pupils’ needs of all ability groups, and they are clear about what they have to do, behaviour is very good and pupils are eager to do their work well. For example, in a very good lesson in Year 1, the teacher’s enthusiasm for mathematics was clearly transmitted to her pupils. A well-paced mental introduction motivated the pupils to respond excitedly. High quality resources supported a very well presented period of practical-based teaching. The pupils were fully involved in the competitive challenge the teacher presented them with, and progress for many was very good. Very good on-going assessment enabled many pupils to make good progress. Where expectations are high and work is presented confidently through a range of appropriate resources, pupils are encouraged to think carefully and check their answers systematically. All teachers are well supported by a team of very effective learning support and

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MATHEMATICS

classroom assistants and this support makes a major contribution to pupils’ overall achievement. Some teachers evaluate their lesson effectively during the final part of the lesson, to highlight things that have gone well and to identify those pupils who had difficulty with a concept. This practice successfully informs planning for following lessons. The quality of marking is inconsistent and unsatisfactory. In a small number of classes, work is not always marked. In many sets there is little evidence of either positive comment, or of clear identification to individual pupils, as to what they should do in order to improve. In a number of classes, marking is good and standards of presentation improve as a result.

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MATHEMATICS

110. The co-ordinator is a well-qualified subject specialist and is ably supported by another member of staff. They have played a key part in the effective implementation of the numeracy strategy. However, they have insufficient opportunity to become involved in analysing pupils’ achievements and using this data to inform the areas of the curriculum that need developing. ‘Booster Classes’ are held for pupils in Year 6 and ‘Springboard’ lessons for pupils in Year 5. These are an important addition to the school curriculum and effectively support pupils’ progress. A good range of high quality resources and equipment support teaching and learning well.

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SCIENCE

Killinghall Primary School - 39 111. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is broadly in line with the national average for their age. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ attainment is below the expected average for eleven year olds. Attainment of pupils with English as an additional language is similar to their peers and they achieve well overall. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support and generally achieve well in relation to their ability. At Key Stage 1 in 2000, teachers’ assessments placed pupils overall at the national average with attainment at the higher level 3 as being well above the national average. When compared with pupils in similar schools pupils were also well above the average for those schools.

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SCIENCE

112. At the time of the last inspection in 1997 attainment for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 was in line with national expectations and the majority of pupils were making satisfactory progress. The progress of that group of pupils has been unsatisfactory over time so that at the time of this inspection, when they are at the end of Key Stage 2, their attainment is below the national average.

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SCIENCE

113. A key issue, made following the last inspection, was to raise standards in science. Standards have risen in Key Stage 1, and through to Year 5, in line with standards nationally. Pupils now carry out investigations accurately and in accordance with instructions. They are, however, still not given sufficient opportunities to plan, resource and carry out their own investigations. This restricts pupils’ opportunities to show initiative and to attain higher levels of understanding. There are, however, signs that some progress is being made in this aspect. For example, in a lesson in Year 1, pupils were encouraged to become effectively involved in the planning of an investigation.

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SCIENCE

114. Pupils in Year 1 have an appropriate understanding of the need for fair testing and use this knowledge to plan a new investigation. Teachers effectively help pupils in Year 2, explore and understand the diversity of plants and animals. However, for some pupils, the recall of work previously undertaken is not always secure. Pupils in Year 3 use understanding of a fair test well in an investigation into the absorbency properties of a range of papers, and teachers encourage them to explain some of their theories appropriately. When an expedition to collect mini beasts in the school grounds proved to be unsuccessful for pupils in a lesson in Year 4, they used their knowledge and experience to offer sensible ideas as to why the mini beasts were absent in the very hot weather. The majority of pupils in Year 5 have a sound knowledge of pollination and fertilisation processes in flowering plants and teachers effectively encourage them to use correct

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SCIENCE

scientific vocabulary in their learning. Those that were not secure with this work identified gaps in their previous learning about life cycles and reproduction. In Year 6, a substantial minority of pupils show below average knowledge of electrical circuits, for example, were unclear about the significance of a ‘gap’ in the circuit. Interviews with Year 6 pupils revealed gaps in their knowledge from learning in previous years, for example, they generally lack the understanding to think through a problem.

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SCIENCE

115. Pupils enjoy science generally, are eager to learn and listen avidly to instructions for investigation work. A weakness in the teaching, sometimes, is the over-direction teachers give, for example, to planning investigations. Opportunities are not always taken, to enable pupils to suggest other materials for investigation, or of other possible means of carrying out the investigation. For example, pupils in a Year 4 lesson were given too much direction and higher attaining pupils were not suitably challenged to think about alternative strategies to carry out and record the investigation. This lack of emphasis on developing initiative and independence sometimes restricts pupils’ achieving higher levels of attainment. In this same lesson, the time given to the lesson was too long to sustain the interest of a number of pupils, and this allowed some pupils time to go off task.

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SCIENCE

116. The quality of teaching observed in lessons during the inspection was never less than satisfactory, often good and, on one occasion, very good. Teaching over time is satisfactory. The gaps identified in pupils’ knowledge and understanding, at the end of Key Stage 2, highlight the need to ensure teaching builds effectively on prior learning. The absence of a whole curriculum plan hinders clear links to be effectively made between what knowledge and skills pupils already have to what they are expected to learn next. All teachers follow the national guidelines for the subject carefully but their subject knowledge is not always secure - as when lack of drainage for Killinghall Primary School - 40 germinating seeds caused water logging and failure to germinate. In a particularly lively literacy lesson in Year 2, the teacher’s good subject knowledge was very good as she skilfully encouraged pupils to ask questions around their topic on insects. The level of inquisitiveness was so gripping,

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SCIENCE

pupils were reluctant to move on. Classroom organisation and management is secure and contributes to generally appropriate pace for lessons. In a few lessons, at both key stages, where lessons are too long to sustain interest or teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do, pupils sometimes do not produce as much work as they are capable of. Teachers’ pay good attention to enhancing pupils’ vocabulary and help them to use scientific language confidently. Pupils with special educational needs are supported appropriately, especially when additional support assistants are present. Teachers ensure pupils are fully involved in all lessons. Relationships within classrooms are very good and pupils are very good at working with each other.

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SCIENCE

117. The co-ordinator has produced a good quality policy that properly focuses on raising standards in areas of weakness stated in the last report. This has led to more emphasis on investigation work. There is awareness of the need to adapt the guidelines so that they better fit the strengths within the school’s environment; for example, in using the school grounds and nearby park for mini beast hunts and to study forces with play equipment. Graphs, measuring and data recording contribute to numeracy skills, but the use of ICT skills requires development. A portfolio of assessed, levelled and annotated work helps teachers give accurate assessments to individual pupils. However, assessment information is not always used effectively to plan learning tasks for pupils with a wide range of abilities. Planning is monitored regularly but there is no regular commitment to monitoring standards of teaching and learning in classrooms. Resources are of good quality and

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ART AND DESIGN

118. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are above the national expectations overall. At the end of Key Stage 2, standards are broadly in line with the national expectations. By the age of eleven pupils have not maintained sufficiently the standard of earlier years owing to inconsistent teaching in some classes at the end of Key Stage 2. There is evidence to suggest progress in the earlier years of Key Stage 2 has improved. No lessons were observed in upper Key Stage 2 but there was sufficient evidence from work displayed, pupils’ sketchbooks and teachers’ planning to make judgements.

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ART AND DESIGN

119. The good skills, developed at the Foundation Stage, enable pupils in Year 1 to produce work of a good standard, especially in their observational drawing. Pupils apply a good range of materials effectively in weaving and three-dimensional work. Progress in drawing is evident in the work of pupils in Year 2. For example, in some vibrant good quality drawings of cross sections of vegetables and pastel drawings of “The Seaside”, pupils apply good observational skills. They have above average understanding of colour mixing and application of texture and enjoy the results they achieve. Detailed observational drawing skills are a major feature of all year groups. At Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 3 study formal and informal portrait groups by famous painters and talk critically about the impact of various poses and styles. Pupils in Year 4 produce pay close and careful attention to their drawings of insects, enthusiastically observing live mini-beasts. By years

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ART AND DESIGN

5 and 6 progress slows and the overall quality of the work produced is average, with standards ranging from good to immature for their age.

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ART AND DESIGN

120. Appropriate use of sketchbooks helps pupils generate their ideas and consider the materials they might apply for maximum impact, and teachers provide sensitive guidance to encourage pupils to try a range of materials suitable for the activity. In many instances, for example, in the lesson seen in Year 2, pupils are encouraged to experiment and select techniques that best reflect their ideas. They study the work of a good range of artists in order to extend the range of techniques they might apply. Pupils are proud of their work generally, and are keen to talk about it. Some are reflective and are able to say how their own work might be improved and what they enjoy about the work of others. In lessons pupils’ attitude and behaviour is usually very good; concentration is high and there is always obvious enjoyment. Pupils co-operate effectively in sharing materials and Killinghall Primary School - 41

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ART AND DESIGN

equipment. Relationships are warm and friendly and a fun atmosphere prevails in many lessons. This helps pupils develop confidence and a sense of pride in their work. Pupils at Key Stage 1 willingly offer ideas and evaluation, when they have the opportunity to discuss their work, but older pupils are sometimes more reticent to contribute, feeling less sure about the quality of the work they produce, or how they might improve it.

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ART AND DESIGN

121. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 is satisfactory, and it is good at Key Stage 1. This reflects the overall standards pupils achieve. Teaching is good where teachers have good subject knowledge and this makes a high contribution to pupils’ overall achievements. In good lessons pupils are expected to work hard and are given very good individual support from teachers and support staff. Pupils have appropriate opportunities to develop creative skills and benefit tremendously from the social interactions the lessons provide. In lessons, all pupils are fully included in all aspects of tasks and discussions, and time is given to support individuals in developing their skills and techniques appropriately. Opportunities are sometimes missed to encourage pupils to talk about what they have done well and what they might try next time to improve. In some lessons where the time allocated to the session is long, pace is an issue, a few

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ART AND DESIGN

lower attaining pupils cannot sustain concentration, and the progress they make is slow.

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ART AND DESIGN

122. Pupils’ artwork is displayed to a very high standard throughout the school. Art makes a sound contribution to speaking and listening skills during discussions and evaluation sessions. Cultural development is promoted through studies of paintings and other art forms from other cultures that are displayed around the school buildings. These studies have led to some good quality work, for example, in flower studies in the style of Van Gogh in Year 2. The use of ICT is developing satisfactorily at Key Stage 1, where the Kidpix program is used effectively, but development of ICT is unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2.

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ART AND DESIGN

123. The co-ordinator has worked hard to ensure the development of the subject following the introduction of Curriculum 2000. The policy particularly emphasises pupils develop critical awareness and evaluation skills. The school environment appropriately generates an extensive range of cultural stimulation to help pupils appreciate the work of a wide range of artists. Resources and artefacts are of high quality. The last report stated the need to develop three- dimensional work; this remains the case because three-dimensional work is a weaker area of development and practice. There is also a need to ensure that the present good quality work being achieved in Key Stage 1 and in lower Key Stage 2 is continued as pupils move into upper Key Stage 2. If this is to be achieved successfully, the monitoring role of the co-ordinator requires further time devoted to it. Attention given to assessment is unsatisfactory, and does not identify

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ART AND DESIGN

areas for development in particular aspects of the curriculum.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

124. Displays of pupils’ work, a school portfolio and lessons observations indicate that standards are average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This reflects a similar judgement made in the last inspection and the school has made satisfactory improvements since that time. Pupils are aware of the design process and their keen evaluation of their work ensures that items are finished to high standards. Sometimes too much emphasis is given to how the finished products will look and not enough to whether the mechanisms will work effectively first. Therefore, although Year 3 pupils have designed and made ‘Moving Monsters’ to a good quality of finish, the use of card wheels rather than wooden ones means that the models do not move so smoothly. There is a need to ensure that both aspects are developed fully in all work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

125. Pupils show a keen interest in their design and make tasks. Pupils across the school take part in a suitable range of work and it is evident from their finished models that they have taken a great deal of care in their completion. Pupils in Year 1 have created pictures of ‘Elmer’ that show great attention to the colouring and they have used split pins to join effectively, the legs and head of the elephants so that they move backwards and forwards when moved. In Year 2, pupils followed a simple pattern to make individually designed puppets from felt. The finished puppets show that Killinghall Primary School - 42 pupils have developed good sewing skills, using blanket-stitching to join the edges neatly and adding different features that are individual and independent in the quality of finish. The computer drawn designs and written instructions show links to develop literacy and ICT skills are planned

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

126. Whilst the two lessons seen were judged as good, the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. Most lessons are soundly planned so pupils are fully involved in considering carefully the purpose of their design. When making a model, which incorporates a lighting system, pupils in Year 4, design and make a box, which is big enough to hold a simple electrical circuit successfully. Teachers expect pupils to use their knowledge and understanding of netts learned in numeracy lessons to construct the box and suitable links are also made to learning about circuits in recent science lessons. The good attention paid to developing new vocabulary supports pupils’ achievements in literacy skills. Pupils in Year 6 use Lego kits to make motor driven models, which are controlled by a simple programme written on the computer, thus showing satisfactory use of computers to support learning. Because pupils are keen to produce good work, and relationships

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

are very good, they work together well, and teachers ensure all pupils take active roles in their groups. Pupils with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs make progress similar to their peers.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

127. Subject co-ordination is satisfactory. Both co-ordinators are new to the role and are only just beginning to evaluate and identify further development and improvement needs. They have a sound overview of curriculum content but as yet have no opportunity to monitor closely whether all teachers are following the agreed scheme of work. Assessment procedures are in their early stages of development. A wide range of good quality resources supports effective teaching and learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

128. At the end of both key stages, pupils attain standards consistent with those expected for their age and make satisfactory progress through the school, which is similar to the findings of the previous inspection. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make satisfactory progress, and pupils with English as an additional language make progress similar to their peers.

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GEOGRAPHY

129. Although no lessons were observed at Key Stage 1, there was evidence from pupils‘ books and school displays that pupils learn about their own locality and compare it with other areas of the world including St Lucia. Pupils write about the wooden houses there, and comment that ‘there are not too many bananas in Bradford’. They learn to express views on the local environment by, for example, studying traffic and parking on the adjacent main road and practice their writing skills by producing letters to the local council about these problems. There are good cross-curricular links with history. For example, pupils learn about seaside features and compare them appropriately with the same environment 100 years ago.

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GEOGRAPHY

130. At Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 3 learn how to contrast different localities by studying tourist brochures for areas such as Austria, Florida, Kenya and Scarborough. They locate on maps, polar areas, the equator and equatorial rain forests. Pupils in Year 5 learn to describe appropriately, physical processes such as the water cycle and study how technology intervenes with this process to treat water for human consumption. Pupils in Year 6, learn about the impact people have on their environment by looking at the effect of tourism in, mountainous areas like Snowdonia, for example. They understand the serious implications of pollution and have clear views on the responsibility people carry to preserving the environment. Learning is often based upon absorbing details, and there is less emphasis on developing pupils' questioning skills or independence in finding their own sources of evidence. In many instances, pupils of all abilities are given the same

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GEOGRAPHY

work to do, and this does not always challenge the higher attaining pupils well. Older pupils occasionally make field visits that they recall with enjoyment, to places such as Burley in Wharfedale and Nell Bank near Ilkley. Learning from these experiences is good, and encourages pupils to think about the world around them with greater interest. Killinghall Primary School - 43 131. Teaching is always at least satisfactory and mostly good. Most teachers have good subject knowledge, prepare lessons well and manage their pupils very well. Resources are used effectively to support learning and pupils respond very positively to the teaching. Teachers use good questioning skills to encourage pupils to think and contribute to discussions, and support staff are extremely helpful in supporting those pupils who are less confident in their activities. Pupils are expected to work hard and when appropriately challenged, they produce good work. Time

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GEOGRAPHY

allocated to the subject is used to good effect when the subject alternates with history, sometimes the gaps between study periods are too long for all pupils to retain skills to the standard they require to move on. Assessment opportunities are limited and do not currently identify how well pupils achieve in the subject. The co-ordinators are determined to give pupils the most appropriate curriculum, and are carefully evaluating the effectiveness of the new geography scheme of work.

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HISTORY

132. History and geography are taught in blocks on a rotational basis. Standards in history at the end of Key Stage 1 are above national expectations, and this is an improvement since the last inspection. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, and those with English as an additional language, make good progress. Good teaching contributes to this progress. At Key Stage 2, only one lesson was seen. From scrutiny of pupils’ work and from talking to pupils at the end of Key Stage 2, standards are judged to be similar to national expectations. Teaching at Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. Pupils are given insufficient opportunity to experience history by taking part in visits to places of local historical interest to motivate their learning. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 make unsatisfactory progress overall.

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HISTORY

133. At Key Stage 1, pupils are given very good opportunity to investigate and explore history. There is an excellent range of good quality artefacts including a copper bed-warming pan, a dolly for washing, a cobbler’s last and a stone hot water bottle. Pupils work excitedly in groups to discuss the uses of these objects in times past and then record their findings. They all have a very good knowledge of kitchen furniture from fifty years ago and their modern-day equivalents. Pupils in Year 2 listened very attentively to a lady from the local community talking about holidays she had taken at the seaside fifty years ago. They gained good understanding of how holidaymakers dressed for the beach, the type of entertainment they sought, the quality and cost of food items and the common form of transport at the time. Pupils’ written work showed very good progress in knowledge and related well, their understanding of change over time. The high quality of the

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HISTORY

learning experiences helped pupils achieve well. The subject supports literacy well, as pupils write about their experiences at the Bradford Industrial Museum or about holidays at the seaside now and compare them with holidays 50 and 100 years ago.

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HISTORY

134. At Key Stage 2, in a very good lesson in Year 4, pupils reflect on life in Egypt at the time of Tutankhamen. Pupils are given a very good insight into the way in which mummification developed. The teacher’s very good subject knowledge helped him demonstrate the use of a linen bandage to enclose the hand and wrist of one of his pupils. Pupils watched in anticipation as the demonstration captured their imagination, especially when they considered the range of artefacts, such as an amulet designed to bring good luck in the next world, were incarcerated with the mummy. Pupils have a clear understanding of a sense of time, for example, thousands of years. They use this good understanding to link events in history. They recall well that it was Carter who conducted many archaeological explorations in the area, and that papyrus and stone were both used for writing. They show clear appreciation of the importance of the part that hieroglyphics play in

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HISTORY

enabling them to unravel the past. In Years 3 and 4, pupils’ visits to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds and the Archaeological Resource Centre in York help them in their learning effectively. Pupils have limited opportunities to have such experiences in Years 5 and 6.

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HISTORY

135. The subject is led appropriately by the co-ordinators. They have no planned opportunity to monitor teaching or pupils’ progress. Assessment information is limited and does not identify aspects of the curriculum that require development. Good quality resources are plentiful but there is little evidence of ICT to support pupils’ learning. Killinghall Primary School - 44

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

136. Pupils' attainment in ICT is in line with that expected nationally at both key stages. Attainment is good at Key Stage 2 in features such as making instructions for controlling events, understanding how sensors work, and collecting and interrogating information. There has been significant investment in developing and improving resources for ICT, especially recently, and when all is in place and working effectively, the school is poised to continue the successful development of the subject. The joint co-ordinators provide good leadership, and staff’s subject knowledge and confidence is increasing rapidly. The introduction of new ICT areas and equipment, in addition to the good use of discrete subject teaching, have, however, deflected the staff from using technology on a regular basis during lessons in other areas of the curriculum.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

137. By the time they are seven, pupils have satisfactory word processing skills. They control the mouse and use the keyboard to write their scripts. They are confident in using the touch-pads and learn how to record a sequence of events. Under instruction, pupils in Year 1 learn to use ‘edit’, ‘cut’ and ‘paste’ to identify the correct order in which a character in one of their stories puts his jacket on. They also discuss well how they might use ICT in their work. They rely heavily on their teachers and classroom assistants to help them, and most pupils have not yet developed the confidence to work independently.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

138. At Key Stage 2 pupils are more confident. In Year 3, for example, pupils understand the use of ‘computer simulation’ and can follow instructions where they are able to explore options. They enter programmes, type their names and follow several instructions which lead them to multi- option choices in order to problem solve. They are equally competent in using computers or laptops. Pupils in Year 4 enter data in a spreadsheet and convert their data to pie or bar charts. This progression continues into Year 5 where pupils use formulae in spreadsheets, understand the use of rows, columns and cells, and collate data in items such as shopping lists. They are able to present their information in a variety of ways, showing an awareness of their audience and the need for good quality in their presentations. Pupils in Year 6, develop robot models for a simulated fairground ride and created a step programme using touch and light sensors enabling the model to

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

move clock and anti clockwise, and up and down through 180 degrees. They have a good understanding of the need to be precise in their preparation of instructions, how they frame them, and how to add or delete. Their recording of activities and conclusions on task sheets is less effective. A small group of older pupils have devised, made and edited several films for multi- media presentation. One of the films was used for a successful presentation of a school bid for a Gifted and More Able Pupil grant. Throughout the school, pupils use computers and laptops well. They have good opportunities for this in their ICT lessons, but during the inspection, were rarely observed using computers to help learning in other lessons. Most of their learning takes place under instruction from adults, and pupils have few opportunities to work independently. All pupils are fully included in ICT lessons.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

139. Teaching during the inspection was good, sometimes very good and on one occasion excellent. Some teachers have very good ICT skills and are supporting other teachers and non-teaching staff effectively. Teachers are clear in their objectives, manage their pupils well and use the very good resources consistently, although they are sometimes frustrated in their aims by technical difficulties in absorbing a wide range of new equipment. Their knowledge of pupils’ learning is good on an on going basis, but there is inconsistency in their methods of assessing pupil progress. Pupils are enthusiastic and hard working in the subject. They are very eager to learn, waiting in great anticipation to begin their tasks. They work particularly well in pairs and groups and try very hard to achieve their goals even when concepts are difficult. Their attitudes to the subject were shown clearly in the two occasions in the inspection when their software programme crashed. Although

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

extremely disappointed, they showed great patience and very good behaviour while teachers sought to remedy the problem. Killinghall Primary School - 45 140. Since the last inspection, the school has successfully kept up with the pace of national developments in the technology curriculum. The resources and commitment to the subject by staff and co-ordinators are commendable.

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MUSIC

141. Very few lessons were observed during the inspection. The overall judgement that standards are below national age related expectations for pupils aged 7 to 11 is based on scrutiny of teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils. Standards have fallen since the previous inspection, when they were judged broadly in line, due to lack of subject expertise and the subject’s low priority, owing to the pressures of literacy and numeracy. However, the school has recognised that standards have fallen and have introduced a commercial scheme to support teachers’ planning. Listening to pupils singing in group and class sessions indicates that most are on course to meet the expected standards in singing. Overall, standards achieved by older pupils, and higher attaining pupils, in particular are not high enough. Pupils have not carried out sufficient work on composing and playing instruments together; therefore they have not made enough progress in these aspects of

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MUSIC

the subject. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language participate fully in singing lessons. The steady progress they make contributes well towards their personal development.

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MUSIC

142. Pupils at Key Stage 1 show an awareness of pitch in relation to high and low sounds. They sing tunefully with increasing control of dynamics and rhythm, maintaining a steady beat. Pupils at Key Stage 2 are taught singing collectively in respective year groups, supported by a specialist pianist. Pupils are generally highly motivated in these lessons and make sound progress in their singing skills. A small group of pupils at Key Stage 2 receive guitar tuition from a peripatetic specialist and this enhances their performance skills. Pupils enjoy music lessons and most have very positive attitudes, participating enthusiastically, for example, when performing their own compositions. Their behaviour is usually very good.

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MUSIC

143. The teaching observed is satisfactory overall. However too little teaching is undertaken in class groups so pupils lack the acquired musical skills, knowledge and understanding that would help their personal development. Planned opportunities for pupils to learn the recorder are unsatisfactory. Not enough emphasis is placed on music playing in assemblies, other than a small choir and there are missed opportunities to reinforce listening and appraising.

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MUSIC

144. Music appears a low priority in school and management of the subject is unsatisfactory. There are some strengths outweighed, however, by many weaknesses. The co-ordinator, in post for less than one year, has reasonable subject knowledge and has identified the school’s needs. The school has a reasonable collection of accessible tuned and un-tuned percussion instruments. Links with ICT are unsatisfactory. No recent in-service training for teachers has taken place and at present there are no systems for monitoring or assessing either pupils’ work or implementation of the newly purchased scheme to inform future planning intentions. There is no specific budget allocation for music. The subject makes some contribution to pupils’ cultural development for example in dance, and as a background atmosphere when pupils enter the hall for assembly. Visits from musicians suitably enrich the curriculum. Pupils take part in regular concerts and school productions that

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MUSIC

contribute positively to the school’s links with the local community.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

145. Standards at the age of seven are above those expected nationally. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement, related to standards achieved at the age of eleven. This is because Year 5 pupils and the girls in Year 6 had their lessons outside of the period of inspection. Pupils at Key Stage 1, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, make good progress. Scrutiny of teachers’ timetables identifies that classes in Key Stage 2 have insufficient time allocated to physical education. Because of this, the progress of all these Killinghall Primary School - 46 pupils is unsatisfactory. The proportion of pupils who can swim the national target of 25metres is very low at the end of Year 5. The school has no identified plans for these pupils to continue to swim when they are in Year 6. This is unsatisfactory.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

146. In an excellent lesson in Year 1, the teacher motivated pupils well and they made rapid progress. The teacher's very high expectations of behaviour, pace of work and quality of movement were excellent features. Pupils moved benches and mats quickly and safely before performing a very good range of sequenced activities, jumping and landing from the benches with very good control. At Key Stage 2, in a good Year 4 lesson, pupils develop the throwing and catching skills necessary for playing netball and basketball. The teacher's good subject knowledge helped individual pupils well, by coaching the finer points related to chest passes. The lesson finished with fast-moving team games during which pupils demonstrated their recently acquired skills. A good number of pupils have ball skills that, if developed progressively, might produce standards above what is expected nationally at the end of Year 6. An energetic, after school aerobics class supports those

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

pupils with weaker co-ordination skills to good effect.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

147. The co-ordinator, assisted by another member of staff, has been in post for some considerable time and is a subject specialist. They have no opportunity to monitor teaching and the overall standards pupils achieve. The school’s overall curriculum planning does not sufficiently support pupils’ good progress. Pupils at Key Stage 2 have regular opportunities to specialist training in football skills from the city’s football club. Games and adventurous pursuit provision for pupils at Key Stage 2 is an essential area for development. Resources are good and sufficient to deliver the curriculum. There is a shortage of appropriate climbing apparatus and crash mats to support the progress of older pupils in gymnastic and athletic activities.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148. Standards in religious education for pupils currently in Year 2 and Year 6 are above the level expected by the locally agreed syllabus for pupils at these ages. This is an improvement when compared with the satisfactory levels of attainment observed during the previous inspection. Pupils now make good progress throughout the school, particularly in learning from religion to guide their daily lives. Most pupils enter school with low levels of attainment in English, but with a good understanding of the nature of religious belief. The high levels of displays positively enhance the festivals celebrated by the wide range of religious communities represented in the school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

149. The teaching of religious education is good throughout the school. This has a strong influence on both the progress pupils make and their very positive attitudes to religious education. Most teachers plan carefully, to extend both the pupils’ knowledge and their understanding. Teachers do this through a range of methods that engage the pupils’ interest. For example, following a visit to the local church, pupils in a lesson in Year 1 gave a clear insight into the purpose of many artefacts and their religious significance. The teacher explained the technical terms and their religious meaning successfully. This is particularly valuable for pupils who have English as an additional language because it extends their vocabulary. This sharing of pupils’ previous knowledge and experiences is a common feature of good teaching. Pupils have very good opportunities to understand the religious beliefs and attitudes of other people.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

150. Analysis of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils in Year 6 support the fact that pupils make good progress in their learning. Pupils have developed a good understanding that religions share some common features. The attention and respect with which most pupils listen to their teachers and to each other make a very positive contribution to their learning. A good example of this was seen in a lesson in Year 4. The teacher’s very good relationships with pupils encouraged them to talk about their views on effects of pollution on the environment following a series of lessons related to creation. The use of appropriate poetry and text written by children promoted valuable discussion and the teacher’s effective questioning had a very positive impact on pupils’ learning. Killinghall Primary School - 47 151. As a result of sensitive teaching, pupils respect the religious beliefs and traditions of others. By the

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

end of Year 2 pupils show a sound understanding of the richness and diversity of different world religions, for example by visiting a mosque, and through learning about how special people have influenced the lives of others. By looking at Christmas and Ramadan, pupils understand that the two main features of many religions are that of caring for each other and our world. The school invites people from other faiths and cultures to speak to pupils in assemblies and lessons and takes pupils to visit different places of worship. The regular provision for separate faith worship for non-Christian pupils is extremely valuable in supporting their spiritual development. This planned provision further enhances pupils’ understanding of the diversity and richness of other faiths and cultures. The high emphasis placed by the school upon the equality of opportunity and the need to encourage respect for and understanding of other faiths has a very positive effect on a school that

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is totally inclusive of other faiths and cultures.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

152. The support provided for pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language is generally used well in lessons. Speaking and listening form an important part of religious education and the discussions that take place are good features of lessons. The use of written work is well developed in a wide variety of activities however there are missed opportunities to link this range of work closely with ongoing literacy lessons. Displays of pupils’ written work for example ‘A Special Place’ and ‘A Terrible Loss’ indicate good levels of thought and sincerity.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

153. The effective subject co-ordinator ensures that planning is linked to the locally agreed syllabus and recent guidance from the government. She ensures the subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development. The co-ordinator is aware of the need to refine assessment procedures when the agreed syllabus is published. A good range of high quality artefacts is used to stimulate discussion and reinforce learning well.

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