Scarcliffe Primary School

SCARCLIFFE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 – 13 February 2002

p.1

SCARCLIFFE 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.

p.1

SCARCLIFFE 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. Scarcliffe Primary School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Langwith Road Scarcliffe Bolsover Chesterfield Postcode: S44 6TH

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr M Wilkinson

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 April 1997 Scarcliffe Primary School - 4

p.3

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

16886 R Moseley Registered inspector Science Information and Communication Technology Geography History Physical Education Religious Education Characteristics of the school. The schools results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 19504 J Telfer Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 23818 A Pangbourne Team inspector Mathematics English The Foundation Stage Special Educational Needs Art and Design Design and Technology Music How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Serco QAA Ltd 2 Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

p.4

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:

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Scarcliffe Primary School - 5

p.4

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

p.5

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Scarcliffe Primary School is much smaller than most other primary schools, with 69 pupils, consisting of 38 boys and 31 girls aged from four to eleven years. A lower than average number of pupils, four per cent, are entitled to free school meals. The school serves the local village but it is a popular school and many parents who live outside the catchment area bring their children. The school therefore serves a wide variety of mixed social backgrounds and types of housing. Attainment on entry to the school varies widely, as in some years there are only a few pupils, often as low as four. However, the evidence indicates that it is broadly average. There are no pupils speaking English as an additional language and there are no pupils with ethnic minority backgrounds. The number of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs is broadly in line with the national average. There are three pupils with a

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

statement of special education needs, which is above the national average.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school, with some very good and excellent features. It has developed a very challenging climate for learning. Most pupils attain above average standards in English, mathematics, science and religious education by the time they leave the school. The quality of teaching is never less than good with a significant amount of very good and excellent teaching. Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their relationships are excellent. The headteacher’s leadership of the school is outstanding and the school gives very good value for money.

p.6

What the school does well

• Teaching, which is mainly very good is having a very positive effect on pupils’ learning. • Attainment in English, mathematics, science and religious education is above average, due to the effective teaching. • The provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral and social development is very good. This has resulted in pupils having excellent relationships with each other and outstanding and positive attitudes to their work. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents and their involvement in the work of the school is very good and has a positive effect on pupils’ learning. • The headteacher provides outstanding leadership, inspirational guidance and a clear educational direction for the school.

p.6

What could be improved

• There are no significant areas for improvement.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in April 1997. It has overcome most of the weaknesses noted in the inspection and has improved in a number of other ways. Overall, the improvement has been very good. With reference to the key issues in the last report, the school has greatly improved its provision for children in the Foundation Stage. The school has worked hard to raise standards in subjects and has done so in English, mathematics, science, religious education, physical education and geography.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In addition, excellent leadership by the headteacher has resulted in many other improvements. For example, there has been an increase in the number of education care officers supporting teachers in the classroom. Their contribution to the quality of teaching and learning is excellent. Also, assessment procedures are now good and are used well, particularly in English and mathematics, to identify pupils’ needs more effectively. Scarcliffe Primary School - 7

p.6

Performance in:

1999 2000 2001 2001 English * * * * Mathematics * * * * Science * * * *

p.7

Key

well above average A above average B average C below average D well below average E

p.7

Key

The small number of pupils taking national tests each year, at the age of 11, means that no relevant comparison of standards can be made with national average or with the results from similar schools. In 2001, only four pupils took the tests.

p.7

Key

The attainment of this year’s pupils in Year 6 can be more accurately analysed as there are 13 pupils. In English, mathematics and science standards are above those expected for pupils’ ages and pupils are achieving well. Records kept by the school, an interpretation of the last report and an analysis of standards throughout the school indicate that attainment has risen well in these subjects. This is mainly due to a great improvement in the quality of the teaching and learning.

p.7

Key

In information and communication technology, attainment at the end of Year 6 is in line with that expected for pupils’ ages and pupils are achieving soundly. However, recently, pupils have begun to make good progress in using and understanding computers. This is because of the introduction of new computers which are linked between classrooms, a connection to the Internet, the use of new software and the guidance given by the new subject leader.

p.7

Key

In religious education, the level of attainment is above the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus and pupils are achieving well. In all other subjects, where a judgement could be made, attainment matches expectations for pupils’ ages by the time they leave the school and they are achieving soundly. In design and technology, although their achievement is sound, they are beginning to make good progress because of the introduction of a new scheme of work and improved teaching. No lessons were seen in music and physical education within Key Stage 2 and so an overall judgement could not be made. Teachers’ records indicate that standards in swimming are above that expected for pupils’ ages. Standards in literacy and numeracy are above average by the time pupils leave the school.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils are very eager to learn. They are extremely responsive to all challenges and show outstanding attitudes in all they do. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good, both in lessons and around the school. They are polite and courteous to each other and to adults. Personal development and relationships Outstanding. Relationships at all levels are excellent and make a major contribution to pupils’ personal development. Attendance Satisfactory. Broadly in line with the national average.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Pupils greatly enjoy coming to school. They are very proud of their school, care about each other a great deal and respect each other’s views. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs, show a great deal of confidence by the time they leave the school. Scarcliffe Primary School - 8

p.7

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Very good Very good Very 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.

p.8

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching is largely very good throughout the school. All teaching is good or better. There is a significant amount of excellent teaching in Years 5 and 6. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. The present level of teaching ensures that learning is mainly very good in many areas as pupils successfully acquire skills, knowledge and understanding in most subjects they are studying.

p.8

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Particular strengths are the effectiveness of the methods and ideas teachers use. These interest pupils and motivate them very well to the end of the lesson. The management of pupils is very good. This ensures very good behaviour in lessons and pupils develop extremely positive attitudes to learning. The pace of lessons is very good, resulting in pupils making very good, intellectual, physical and creative effort. An outstanding strength in the teaching is the way pupils are encouraged to respond to questions and contribute ideas and suggestions. The level of discussion within lessons is usually of high quality and this strengthens pupils’ confidence and personal development very well. Teachers’ planning is very good and builds well on previous lessons. This fulfils the needs of all pupils and ensures they make good or very good progress. The use of computers to support learning in many subjects is also a strength.

p.8

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

This makes many aspects of learning very interesting to the pupils and develops their computer skills. There are no significant weaknesses in any aspect of the teaching. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well in all subjects.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. Educational visits out of school and visitors into the school enhance learning well. Extra-curricular activities are of very good quality. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Teachers and support staff work closely together. These pupils are fully integrated into the school. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The provision for personal, spiritual, moral and social development is very good. The provision for cultural development is good.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The school cares for its pupils very well.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. Assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress and the use of these records to plan future work are good and developing well. They are particularly well developed in English and mathematics and support pupils well. There are very effective links with parents and the impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school is very good. A few minor items that should be in the governors’ annual report to parents have been omitted. These have been pointed out to the chair of governors.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Scarcliffe Primary School - 9 Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. Within this the headteacher gives outstanding leadership. She leads by example and has inspired her staff to have a shared commitment to improve and a capacity to succeed. Some subject leaders are fulfilling their roles very well and others are developing their roles further. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. They support the school very well. The chair of the governing body works closely with the headteacher and a number of other governors are closely linked to subjects of the curriculum. The finance committee oversees spending very well. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The headteacher, staff and governors have a very good awareness of the school’s strengths and areas it wants to develop further. The strategic use of resources Very good. The resources available are used very well. All money

p.9

Aspect Comment

available to the school is used wisely and carefully. The school applies the principles of getting best value for its pupils.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum is excellent. The educational care officers are well qualified, deployed very well and make a major contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. The accommodation is unsatisfactory in many ways. There is no hall for assemblies and for aspects of physical education. One classroom is very small and another has to be used for serving dinners. There is no covered or level area for children in the Foundation Stage to use for physical development. However, the teachers utilise what they have very well, make special arrangements for the physical development of children in the Foundation Stage and aspects of physical education for older pupils and there are no significant limitations on any aspect of the National Curriculum. Learning resources are mainly good and used well.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their child likes the school. • Their child is making good progress. • The teaching is good. • They can approach the staff with any problems. • Their child is expected to work hard and do their best. • The school is well managed. • The school helps their child to become more mature and responsible. • Behaviour is good in the school. • The school works closely with parents. • The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. • A very few parents felt that their child did not get the right amount of work to do at home. • A very few parents felt that they were not well informed about how their child was getting on.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

All views expressed by the parents were brought to the attention of the headteacher. Inspectors support parents’ very positive views of the school. They also judged that the amount of homework was good. They agreed with parents that the pupils’ annual reports do not always give a clear picture of progress and attainment. However, this only applies on a few occasions to the reporting of non-core subjects. They give a very clear picture in English, mathematics and science. Scarcliffe Primary School - 10

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Attainment on entry to the school for the very small number of children who start school each year is broadly average in all the areas of learning but covers the full range of attainment. Children in the reception year make good progress and firmly consolidate and broaden their skills. By the time they leave the reception year, most children are on course to attain the early learning goals in all the areas of learning, although some will exceed them. They are achieving well. The teacher has only been in the school a few weeks and although there are many improvements in the provision for these children, there has not been time to produce even higher standards by the time children leave the reception class. The overall standard of work seen at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6 is above average and pupils continue to achieve well. This is because of the improved provision and especially the improvements in the quality of

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

teaching. However, these improvements have not yet been in place long enough for pupils to attain even higher standards by the time they leave the school.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The National Curriculum tests and assessments for seven and eleven year olds in 2001 cannot be reported as the numbers of pupils was very small. There were five, seven-year-olds and four aged eleven. This small number makes statistical comparison invalid.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. For this year’s pupils, in Year 2, with a much larger number of pupils, standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are above average and pupils are achieving well. In Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science are also above average and pupils are achieving well.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. In English, pupils throughout the school read effectively and with good expression. Pupils in Year 2 break down words into syllables to build unknown words. Pupils in Year 6 read fluently and enjoy a wide range of reading material and are able to compare their favourite authors, such as Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson. In writing, pupils write successfully for a wide range of purposes. They compose letters, make up stories, and write about books they have read and prepare lists for special purposes. For example, a list of ingredients for making biscuits. Speaking and listening skills are also successfully developed throughout the school. Pupils contribute to question and answer sessions in all subjects and many are confident enough to make other important suggestions whenever it is appropriate. Pupils’ debating skills are good. Standards in literacy are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In mathematics, pupils achieve well in all areas. By the end of Year 2, pupils undertake a range of investigations to explore numbers and use numbers to 1000 with confidence. They double numbers and have a secure understanding of fractions. They solve money problems effectively. By the end of Year 6, pupils express fractions as percentages, measure in metres to two decimal places and understand the term ‘median’. Higher attaining pupils order decimals and reduce fractions to their simplest form. Standards in numeracy are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. In science, pupils do well in all areas. For example, pupils have a good knowledge of investigational and experimental science. In a lesson in Year 6, pupils were investigating to see if they could speed up the dissolving rate of a solid in water by reducing the amount of solid, increasing the amount of liquid or stirring the mixture for longer. They were able to predict what might happen and understand the importance of making the test fair. However, pupils’ abilities to set up and devise their own individual investigations less directed by the teacher are not as well developed. Pupils have good knowledge of materials and their properties, life processes and living things and physical processes. The skills of literacy, numeracy and those needed to use computers are well developed in science. Scarcliffe Primary School - 11 7. In information and communication technology, pupils’ attainment is in line with that expected

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

nationally at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, and pupils are achieving soundly. Recently, they have begun to make good progress. This is mainly because of improved hardware and software and the influence of the subject leader who is well qualified in information and communication technology. Throughout the school, pupils gain a sound range of skills. Most pupils in Year 2 use the mouse and keyboard to work computer programs with increasing confidence and they alter the font and size when word-processing work. By Year 6, pupils are able to carry out impressive word-processing work, importing pictures and moving them around the screen. They input data and produce graphs and charts with confidence. Most pupils in Years 5 and 6 are able to log-on and use the Internet.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In religious education, pupils’ attainment is above the level expected by the locally Agreed Syllabus throughout the school and pupils are achieving well. By age seven, they explore issues of care and responsibility and have good knowledge of Christianity. By age 11, pupils have an above average understanding of other religions, such as Islam. They are able to write about sensitive issues, such as death and how Christians and other faiths respond to it.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. In physical education, attainment is above that expected for pupils’ ages at the end of Year 2 in those areas where a judgement could be made, such as in gymnastics. For example, pupils have a good awareness of space when running or moving and they are well co-ordinated. They are able to demonstrate any skills they have with pride. They sustain good physical effort. Most pupils can swim well by the time they leave the school. No judgement could be made about attainment overall by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. In the remaining subjects where a judgement could be made, attainment is in line with that expected for pupils’ ages at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Although attainment in history and geography is average, the school is anxious to develop these subjects further in order to raise attainment. It has identified these subjects within the School Improvement Plan as areas for improvement. As this was only a three-day inspection it was not possible to acquire sufficient evidence to make a judgement in music.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Pupils with special educational needs make very good gains in their learning in relation to their prior attainment. They make very good progress towards the targets set for them. This is because very good individual education plans identify clear and specific targets and progress is closely tracked to ensure that they are offered tasks that are well matched to their needs.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. The pupils’ attitudes to school, their values and their personal development are excellent. These contribute strongly to the progress the pupils make and to the positive learning environment. The school’s aims place a high priority on this aspect of its work. It meets these aims very well. Parents are very pleased with the way their children turn into confident, responsible and mature individuals, well prepared for secondary school and their future lives. The pupils’ attitudes have improved since the last inspection, when they were judged to be good.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The pupils enter the school in a purposeful manner, looking forward to the day’s activities and wanting to learn. The youngest pupils relish the subjects presented to them, delighting in sounds such as the “splash” of water or the “baa” of sheep. Older pupils enjoy studying science fiction in literacy and talk about features of the genre with enthusiasm. They identify well with the school and fully participate in the many stimulating activities it offers. Behaviour is very good. The pupils are aware of the rules and motivated by the system of rewards for their house teams. There have been no exclusions. They are proud of their involvement in the anti-bullying initiative. There is a little teasing in the playground but it is not serious and responds rapidly to adult intervention if needed.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Relationships are excellent. The pupils are co-operative, readily sharing resources and taking turns spontaneously. Pupils with special educational needs are equally valued and fully included in school life. All pupils are very sensitive to the needs of others and particularly helpful to those Scarcliffe Primary School - 12 younger than themselves. They all have reading partners, with whom they discuss their thoughts before they commit them to paper. They are very aware of the feelings of others and respect their beliefs. Pupils show very caring attitudes towards those with special educational needs.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The pupils are very mature and responsible. They all have jobs in the school, such as servers at lunchtime, which they execute conscientiously, contributing to the smooth running of the school as a whole. They express their opinions on consultation exercises, such as improvements to their villages, showing an awareness of citizenship and involvement in the local community. They raise substantial sums for charities, at home and around the world, so supporting those less fortunate than themselves.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The level of attendance is satisfactory. The pupils enjoy coming to school and almost always arrive on time. Most avoidable absence is accounted for by parents taking their children away on holiday in term-time. The governors recognise that this can have a negative impact on standards but have had only limited success in dealing with the problem.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. In nearly six out of ten lessons, teaching is very good. Just over one quarter of the teaching is good, and it is sometimes excellent in Years 5 and 6. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. This level of teaching shows a very good improvement since the last inspection where the quality of teaching was generally satisfactory and sometimes good or very good. One of the teachers is very new to the school but has brought with her well developed teaching skills. The other teacher, who is newly qualified, the part-time teachers and the education care officers have all worked hard to develop and strengthen their teaching. They have had very good support from the headteacher who is herself an excellent teacher. The improvement in the quality of the teaching has resulted in improvements in learning in all subjects but particularly in English, mathematics, science and religious education.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching for children in the reception year is very good and leads to very good learning. This is a considerable improvement since the previous inspection, where the quality of teaching was unsatisfactory. Due to the length of the inspection, it was not possible to observe many lessons where the focus was only on the youngest children. However, in the two lessons observed, the quality of teaching was very good. The quality of teaching for the older pupils in the class was judged to be very good overall and a contributory factor to this judgement was the very good provision made for the children in the reception year. The teacher, who is new to the school this term, has a very good understanding of the needs of young children and ensures that their needs are very well met. She is very ably supported by the talented education care officer, who shares her very high expectations and exciting teaching methods. Consequently,

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

children are keen to learn and show a very good level of independence.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The teaching of literacy has been a major focus for the school during the last two to three years and it is now well established. The quality of teaching in this area is very good, with some excellent teaching and, as a result, pupils make very good gains in learning. Teachers have very good and sometimes excellent knowledge of the subject. The excellent teaching is characterised by a motivational style that challenges all pupils. For example, the teacher read extracts from a science fiction story, which not only enthralled the pupils but demonstrated that clever writing can convey feelings in a dramatic way and that they can change from curiosity to terror in a few paragraphs. This challenged pupils to raise the level of their own writing. Another strength of the teaching is the way pupils are encouraged to discuss and express themselves, which results in good standards in speaking and listening. The teaching of numeracy has

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

received specific attention also and a very good format for lessons has been established. The quality of teaching is mainly very good and teachers use challenging questions to promote thought and test out understanding. Teachers also relate mathematics well to examples in real life. For example, familiar objects like bags of sugar, sweets and flour enabled pupils to successfully estimate weight in grams. Pupils have individual targets in mathematics and in English and teachers use these well to set appropriate work. Scarcliffe Primary School - 13 20. Particular strengths are the effectiveness of the methods and ideas teachers use. These interest pupils and motivate them to the end of the lesson. Teachers have very good subject knowledge. All subjects have good schemes of work and policies to guide teachers. Teachers have undergone training in some subjects to improve their knowledge and develop confidence. In

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

information and communication technology, for example teachers have had special training and they use computers well to support learning. For example, computers were used to good effect in a mathematics lesson for pupils in Year 6. The lesson was about different kinds of angles. The teacher had set up a computer program picturing a protractor, which could be moved around the screen to fit the angle. The program could be set at different levels according to the skills of the operator. The use of the computer in this case, not only developed pupils’ measuring skills and understanding of acute, reflect and obtuse angles, but it did so in a way that stimulated and motivated the pupils.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teachers’ lesson planning is very good. It always has very clear objectives, which are shared with the pupils. Lessons are then planned carefully in structured learning steps. This results in very good progress in learning as pupils acquire skills, knowledge and understanding. Almost always a very good plenary session at the end, consolidates learning and informs the teacher if pupils have achieved the objectives.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The management of pupils in lessons is very good. This ensures very good behaviour in all lessons and all pupils have developed excellent attitudes to their work, have a strong desire to improve and always give of their best throughout the lesson. One exceptionally good feature of the teaching is the way pupils are encouraged always to respond, ask questions and discuss areas with their teachers or education care officers. Because of this, pupils have developed a level of confidence and an ability for speaking and listening above the expectations for their ages. The pace of almost all lessons is very good and so pupils make a very good intellectual, physical or creative effort. For example, in a gymnastics lesson for pupils in Year 2, the teachers’ high expectations of work rate and behaviour, together with the pace she had set, resulted in a very productive lesson. Pupils sustained their physical effort very well and worked

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teachers have sound knowledge of all pupils they teach and their day-to-day assessment of how well pupils are learning is very accurate. This is used well to track pupils’ progress. The assessment procedures are particularly good in English and mathematics, where they are used well by the teachers to plan appropriate work for the pupils. The quality of marking is good, with some very good helpful comments on occasions that indicate to pupils what they have done well or what they have to do to improve. The amount and type of homework set is appropriate for the ages of the pupils.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. A positive feature of all lessons is the way in which pupils with special educational needs are included in whole class sessions. Teachers make a point of posing questions that are well matched to the needs of individuals and of ensuring that they are partnered appropriately when in discussions. Teachers are quick to spot if a pupil is struggling to understand and sensitively provide extra support. The education care officers work very well in partnership with teachers to support those with special educational needs.

p.13

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

25. An appropriate curriculum, based on the nationally defined areas of learning is provided for children in the reception year. This marks an improvement since the previous inspection, where the curriculum provided then was unsatisfactory. This was because there were insufficient opportunities for imaginative play and to choose activities. This has been very successfully addressed. Children are offered a wide range of stimulating, relevant and developmentally appropriate activities. This ensures that they make good progress in all the areas of learning. The teacher and education care officer share plans very effectively and work very well in partnership to ensure that the needs of these children are met. However, opportunities for children to use wheeled toys and climbing apparatus to develop their physical skills are more limited because there is insufficient storage space for large toys and the sloping playground is

p.13

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

Scarcliffe Primary School - 14 not conducive to physical activities. The school, however, makes provision to take these children to a large hall in another school.

p.14

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

26. The school provides a good curriculum that meets all statutory requirements for the National Curriculum, religious education and collective worship. Provision for personal, social and health education, including drugs and sex education, is good. For example, older pupils take responsibility for manning the tuck shop, organising the music to be played in assemblies, keeping the playground tidy, ringing the bell and checking that lights are turned off. Each week, pupils discuss citizenship issues during ‘circle time’ and act out possible scenarios through role-play. Pupils with statements of special educational needs are particularly well catered for through the ‘Life Skills’ programme, which gives them strategies to cope with a variety of situations. The ‘Well Done’ board, displays the name of one child from each class who has been judged to have done particularly well in some aspect of school life during the preceding

p.14

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

27. Opportunities for pupils to undertake physical education are restricted due to the lack of a hall and the sloping playground. However, the school makes every effort to address this and to ensure that standards are not adversely affected by taking the pupils to a nearby school for some of these lessons. This means that opportunities for gymnastics are more limited but this does not have any significant effect on attainment, either for children in the reception or older pupils.

p.14

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

28. The school has worked hard to address the weaknesses identified in the previous inspection. Very good planning procedures ensure that pupils of different ages and prior attainment are now sufficiently challenged in all subjects. This contributes positively to the standards attained. For the majority of subject areas, the school follows government-approved schemes of work, sometimes supplementing them to more closely match the needs of the pupils. The school plans very carefully for its cycle of topics to ensure good coverage and cross-curricular links, and to ensure that pupils develop their skills steadily and systematically as they move through the school. However, the school has already acknowledged that there is room for more emphasis to be placed on history and geography teaching to raise standards further.

p.14

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

29. The school has implemented the National Literacy Strategy very effectively. This is helping to raise standards still further by providing a clear structure and planning framework. Very good provision is made for the development of speaking and listening skills. The ‘talking partners’ scheme provides very good opportunities for pupils to share and discuss their ideas across many areas of the curriculum. As a result, pupils act as ‘critical friends’ and encourage each other to improve their work. Very good emphasis is placed on reading, with daily guided reading sessions taking place before the Literacy Hour. The school has also successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy. Pupils have responded very well to the very brisk pace of lessons, particularly the introductory work involving mental calculations in numeracy. Pupils particularly enjoy using their whiteboards to record their answers.

p.14

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

30. In relation to its small size, the school offers a very good range of extracurricular activities to enrich its curriculum. During the year, pupils have opportunities to participate in such activities as football training, cross country running, art and design, information and communication technology, choir, recorder playing, first aid and board games. Specific activities designed to raise standards are also offered. For example, the writing club, currently for pupils in Year 4, motivates pupils because of the high quality ‘tool box’ of stationery that they are invited to use. Extra mathematics sessions are also offered after school. A good range of visits are provided to support the teaching of geography, history, and art and design. Recent visits include the Millennium dome, Walesby adventure centre and the Crich Tramway Museum. There is also a ‘breakfast club’ that gives pupils who attend, further opportunities to develop their skills.

p.14

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

31. The school has very good links with the local community, which enrich the education it provides for its pupils. It is involved in village events, such as the flower festival and the gala celebrations, which enhance the pupils’ understanding of citizenship. The local garden club helped the parents and staff to create the millennium sensory garden and provide produce for the school Scarcliffe Primary School - 15 fete. Two members of the local clergy are regular visitors, conducting acts of worship, as well as contributing to lessons in religious education. Health professionals, such as the school nurse and the optician, provide authoritative contributions to the programme of personal, social and health education.

p.14

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

32. Relationships with partner institutions are good, and contribute to the quality of education provided by the school. Through membership of the Education Action Zone, the school has constructive links with 15 other primary schools and three secondary schools. This provides a wider context for the headteacher and staff to make comparisons and to gain the support of others. It joins with other small schools to arrange courses for staff training. Sharing of resources takes place; most notably a nearby primary school allows this school to use its hall for gymnastics and dance. The school engages in sports competitions, such as football matches, with other schools, thereby ensuring that the team has a chance to meet other talented players. The anti-bullying initiative is another example of co-operation with other schools, including the local secondary schools, to pool ideas and expertise. Links with the

p.15

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

secondary schools to which the pupils transfer at 11 are limited by the number of schools involved.

p.15

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

33. Overall, the school’s provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, where spiritual and cultural awareness was judged to be satisfactory. Provision for spiritual development is now very good. Daily acts of collective worship and assemblies provide pupils with time for quiet reflection, with pupils being wished ‘a lovely day’ as they leave. Many opportunities to promote spiritual values were evident in lessons. For example, younger pupils closed their eyes as they listened to Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’ played in two different styles, marvelling at the effect produced by different instruments. Older pupils reflected on the language used by Kipling in his poem ‘If’. Circle times are used very well to promote spiritual values, enabling pupils to listen to and respect the beliefs of others. Plenary sessions at the end of lessons are often used well to enable pupils to reflect

p.15

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

on what they have learned and to develop an awareness of their own self knowledge. The school environment, especially the sensory garden, provides opportunities to encourage an awareness of natural beauty.

p.15

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

34. Provision for moral development is also very good. All adults provide very good role models and the school’s positive behaviour policy is consistently upheld. Pupils are provided with clear guidance on distinguishing right from wrong and have helped to draw up both the school and their classroom rules. Pupils recognise the importance of considering those less fortunate than themselves and appreciate the work of various charities.

p.15

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

35. Provision for social development has also remained a strength since the previous inspection, being very good. Pupils are encouraged to relate very well to each other. For example, older pupils serve younger ones at lunchtime, sometimes helping to cut their food. During the inspection, older pupils were seen to show younger ones how to eat spaghetti politely! One of the strengths of the school is the way in which pupils are encouraged to relate to each other in lessons, working with their ‘talking partner’ or in small groups. Girls and boys work and play harmoniously together and pupils with special educational needs are fully accepted into the school community. Within the village, pupils develop a good understanding of living in a community. They take part in the local flower festival and the village Millennium Gala. This helps them to learn to socialise with adults.

p.15

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

36. Provision for cultural development is good and this has improved since the previous inspection. Pupils are made aware of their own heritage, for example through work in history and through visits to churches and museums. Visitors speak to pupils about books and poetry. The works of great composers are played and identified in assemblies and the work of a range of well-known artists is also studied. Music from other countries is played in lessons; for example, pupils were introduced to the different sounds made by the Australian didgeridoo and the Irish pipes. Pupils develop a wider perspective on life through their studies of other countries and different religions. During the inspection, pupils learned about the first day of the Chinese New Year, while eating a Chinese meal prepared for their lunch. Older pupils were keen to explain how to use their birth Scarcliffe Primary School - 16 date to find whether they were born in the year of the ram or the horse. Good use is made of the

p.15

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

local church as a resource for teaching. Opportunities for pupils to learn about the multicultural nature of society are satisfactory, with a suitable range of books and the school seeks to involve parents and visitors from different backgrounds whenever possible. The school has identified this as an area it wishes to develop further.

p.16

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

37. There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and all statutory requirements are met. All systems and procedures connected with special educational needs are very good, as is the paperwork that underpins them. The school is committed to inclusion for all pupils and this was particularly well illustrated during the inspection by the way in which pupils with statements of special educational needs were sensitively supported to ensure that they could take part in the lesson. For example, when a teacher realised that a pupil was struggling to complete a task on his own he was invited to join his teacher who was helping another group with the same task. The manner in which this was done ensured that his self- esteem was boosted as he was able to contribute what he had already completed and went on to finish the task successfully. Talented education care officers provide very effective support to

p.16

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

small groups and individuals and make a positive contribution to the very good progress made by these pupils.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school cares for its pupils very well. It has established a family atmosphere, which includes all members of its community in a calm and safe environment in which they can flourish and achieve their best. Parents are very pleased with the way the school supports and encourages their children. From the time they enter the school, all the pupils rapidly become well known to the adults. Their individual strengths and weaknesses are identified and sensitive planning takes place to meet their needs. Older pupils play a significant role in welcoming and supporting the youngest, for example by serving them at lunchtime and helping them learn to read. This successfully develops their confidence and their sense of belonging to the school community.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The pupils’ welfare is very well promoted. A breakfast club is provided for those children who need to be brought to school early. Nutritious food is cooked on the premises. Exemplary attention is paid to health, safety and security, including thorough risk assessments for all activities. There is due awareness of child protection matters.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The monitoring and promotion of attendance is good. Appropriate procedures are followed for investigating unexplained absences. The headteacher and the governing body are beginning to consider ways in which the high level of term-time holiday absence may be tackled.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The procedures for monitoring and promotion of good behaviour are very good. Any minor misbehaviour is swiftly and effectively handled. Reward systems are appropriate, encouraging teamwork as well as individual effort. The pupils review the rules annually. Lessons on citizenship contribute to their developing sense of the needs of the community.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school has achieved national recognition for its anti-bullying commitment. All teachers and non-teaching staff have received appropriate training. They have engaged the pupils in developmental activities leading to the award, such as the writing and performing of a song on bullying to a conference of local schools. This work has been supported by the Education Action Zone.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school has made good improvements in its assessment systems since the previous inspection when they were judged to be unsatisfactory. The school has many good procedures now and they are very good in English and mathematics. In English, these include regular half- termly writing assessments, which are used well to set individual targets that are clearly displayed on pupils’ books. This ensures that pupils are aware of their targets and try very hard to reach them. There are similar arrangements in mathematics and these are used well to predict National Curriculum levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 to put strategies in place if difficulties are identified. Scarcliffe Primary School - 17 44. Baseline assessments are used well to establish what children can do when they start school, to group them appropriately and to set future targets. The talented education care officer has drawn up a useful assessment booklet in which progress is recorded and samples of work are

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

maintained to illustrate what children can and cannot do. The teacher and education care officer work very closely in partnership to ensure that all children are offered tasks that are well matched to their needs.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Very good procedures for the assessment of pupils with special educational needs are in place. Children are identified at an early age and teachers and support staff draw up very good individual education plans. The plans are regularly reviewed. Pupils with statements of special educational need are very well supported and teachers pay very good attention to their needs in their planning. The needs of higher attaining pupils are very well met. Teachers are skilled in offering activities that are well matched to their needs.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Parents think very highly of the school. They value its effect on their children, their academic progress and their personal development. They rightly believe that its teaching, leadership and management are very effective. Their children are happy there. The school has established a very good partnership with parents, which contributes powerfully to the standards the pupils achieve and to the warm and positive atmosphere there. The headteacher writes at the start of the prospectus that parents are welcomed and valued, as “the home-school relationship is crucially important in achieving the best possible education for their child.”

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. All parents are expected to come into classrooms at the start of each day to settle their children or have an informal word with the teacher. Much useful information is exchanged at this time. An informal ‘open afternoon’ takes place in March where parents have an opportunity to look at their child’s work. More formal opportunities are presented twice a year, when parents discuss their children’s progress. End of year reports are clear and give a good picture of the pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in English and mathematics, their personal development and studies in citizenship. However, there is too little detail of progress in other subjects or of how the pupils’ performance compares with national standards. There is a very useful section on how parents might help their children to move forward or consolidate their learning over the summer holidays.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The school is open and supportive to parents, inviting them to understand its curriculum and to contribute to the decisions it makes, for example, they were consulted on its policies on bullying and homework. It runs a breakfast club for children which is highly thought of by parents who have to go to work early. The governing body is responsive to parents’ concerns, having this as an agenda item for every meeting. However, their Annual Report to Parents has a few missing items, such as security and arrangements for including pupils with disabilities.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents make a very good contribution to the life of the school. Their skills are enhanced by attending courses in how to help children with numeracy, reading, writing and talking. The school has also run a family computing club. Much of this work is supported by the Education Action Zone. Parents raise substantial funds for the school, providing resources and subsidising trips and activities. They also work on enhancement projects, such as decorating classrooms and improving the playground.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Very good links with parents begin in the early years when a good induction programme enables parents to be involved at an early stage with their children’s learning. An attractive booklet introduces parents and children to the school and very good communication ensures that parents are fully involved in the development of reading skills. For example, book sacks are taken home with books and activities to share and the ‘talking partners’ scheme, both include opportunities for parents to maintain a continuous dialogue with the school. Some parents give valued help with children in the reception year. Scarcliffe Primary School - 18 51. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept very well informed about their child’s progress. Several parents take part in schemes to help their child at home. For example, the ‘Top to Toe’ scheme provides activities that a parent and child can work on at home.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. Leadership and management is very good. This is a good improvement from the last inspection where it was judged to be good. The headteacher gives outstanding leadership in spite of having a high teaching commitment. She has provided an excellent vision, gives inspirational guidance and a very clear educational direction for the school. She leads by example and has been very successful in developing an agreed sense of purpose amongst the staff. All the key issues from the last inspection have been resolved and many new improvements have been introduced, standards are rising and the school has no significant issues in need of development. She has ensured that the school’s priorities for development are very appropriate. The very successful implementation of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, the monitoring and evaluation of the teaching and a great improvement in the efficient way the school is run, are just some

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

successful examples of these priorities, which have had an impact on standards and achievement.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The governing body is very supportive in many ways. The chair of the governors is fully committed to the school. He is fully involved in the life of the school, visits often and engages in regular professional dialogue with the headteacher. A number of other governors visit the school and some are very closely involved and support aspects of the curriculum. For example, two governors are linked to each teacher to monitor curriculum developments. The literacy governor for instance, is fully informed of all developments in English. The governors with responsibility for special educational needs, numeracy and health and safety also support the school very well. Governors have a very good understanding of the strength of the school and the areas that need further development and are closely involved in the production and evaluation of the yearly improvement plan. They are well supported by the chair of the governors’ financial committee

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

who is well aware of future developments. For example, owing to small numbers of pupils in some years, much less money will be available and he has ensured an appropriate carry over budget in order to meet costs and still support the pupil teacher ratio and the employment of the part-time educational support officers. Almost all of the governors’ statutory duties are fulfilled very well. There are a very few items missing from the governors’ annual report to parents, which have been pointed out to the school.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The headteacher has been involved in the monitoring and evaluation of teaching through an agreed timetable of observations set against an established range of criteria. Written feedback has been provided and the outcome of the observation is discussed with teachers. This has been effective, as the quality of the teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection. She has also ensured that new staff and the newly qualified teacher have been inducted into the school very effectively. Teachers’ planning is also examined on a regular basis and pupils’ work is analysed.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The subject co-ordinators are developing their role well. Being a small school, some staff have more than one subject responsibility. In some cases, the school relies on the education support officers to take a leadership role, often in their own unpaid time. This is deeply appreciated. Some subject leaders are only just beginning to develop their role. This is mainly because some teachers are new to the school and the school has had to concentrate on literacy, numeracy, science and information and communication technology in recent years.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The aims of the school, its values and policies, are implemented very well. The leadership has developed an outstanding ethos in the school, where pupils have developed excellent relationships and attitudes to learning. A great strength is the development of very confident pupils, who behave very well and are able to work independently on tasks or in small groups very effectively. There is a commitment by the leadership to raise educational standards for all and provide equal opportunities within a climate of including all pupils within all aspects of school life. The yearly school improvement plan effectively supports management. It is carefully Scarcliffe Primary School - 19 costed. Funding is very well linked to education priorities, such as maintaining additional classroom support.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The accommodation is unsatisfactory. This is mainly because there is no adequate school hall for assemblies or for teaching indoor games, dance and gymnastics. The children in the Foundation Stage have no adequate outdoor play area they can use during the winter months. Also, one of the classrooms is very small and another classroom has to double as the dining area. However, the staff utilise the accommodation they have very well and the caretaker maintains the building very well. They make special arrangements to teach aspects of physical education and physical development of Foundation children, at another school and, although this limits the time available, there is no significant impact on the development of any aspect of the National Curriculum or religious education. The match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum are excellent. Learning resources are generally good, with strengths

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

in literacy, numeracy, science and information and communication technology. They are adequate in most other subjects.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The new co-ordinator for special educational needs provides very good leadership and ensures that the requirements of the Code of Practice are met. She has studied the new Code of Practice and is shortly to undertake training before implementing it later this year. Classroom support is deployed very effectively to work with pupils with special educational needs and play a significant role in the very good provision for them. Governors take their responsibilities in relation to special educational needs seriously. The chair of governors has expertise in this area and makes every effort to provide the best possible support for these pupils. In this he is very successful.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Very careful financial planning supports educational developments very well. The school uses all money at its disposal very wisely and the headteacher, chair of governors financial committee and the school secretary are aware of the need to get the best value for pupils. In this they are effective. The quality of financial control is very good. School administration by the headteacher and school secretary is very efficient and effective. The management systems now in place, including the very effective leadership of the headteacher, dedicated team of teachers, support staff and governors, have ensured a number of very important developments since the last inspection. The school has a very good capacity to maintain a very effective school and introduce further improvements. Scarcliffe Primary School - 20

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

60. In the light of the school’s many strengths, there are no key issues to address but the inspection team asks the governing body to consider the following items for improvement:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Consider ways of developing the teaching of history and geography to a greater depth.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Ensure that all statutory required information is included in the governors’ annual report to parents.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Clarify attainment and progress in the pupils’ annual reports for the non-core subjects more effectively.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(These are outlined in paragraphs 10, 47, 48, 53 and 103.) Scarcliffe Primary School - 21

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 20

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 69

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 3

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 15

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 3

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Scarcliffe Primary School - 22 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Scarcliffe Primary School - 23 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3.3 Financial year 2000/2001

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.7

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 171,256

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 164,749

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 89 Expenditure per pupil 2,354

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance brought forward from previous year 11,151

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year 17,658

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2.3

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2.3

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 1

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Scarcliffe Primary School - 24

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 60 40 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 61 37 2 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 41 47 10 2 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 44 46 10 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 78 16 4 2 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 78 22 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 53 35 4 4 4

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 67 29 2 2 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 61 37 0 2 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 67 29 4 0 0 Scarcliffe Primary School - 25

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. Children are admitted to the reception year to attend full time at the beginning of the year in which they have their fifth birthday. The small number of children is accommodated in a class that also includes pupils in Year 1 and Year 2. This year, there are approximately similar numbers in each year group, but this is not always the case. Evidence from baseline assessments and the inspection shows that attainments on entry are broadly average and covers the full range of attainment.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. Children receive a positive start to school and make good progress, firmly developing and consolidating their skills. They achieve well because they receive very good teaching from their teacher, who is new to the school this term. By the end of the reception year most children are on course to attain the early learning goals in all the areas of learning, although some children will exceed them. The current good provision has not been in place long enough to bring even higher standards. Due to the length of the inspection, it was not possible to observe many lessons where the focus was only upon children in the reception year and so it is not possible to make a separate judgement on the quality of teaching in all the areas of learning. However, in the areas of creative and physical development the quality of teaching was very good. The quality of teaching for pupils in Years 1 and 2 in the same class was very good overall. The

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

previous inspection identified weaknesses in the quality of teaching where children were not offered appropriate tasks and had insufficient time to develop their skills practically. These weaknesses have been very successfully addressed and the curriculum now provided is appropriate to the needs of these young children.

p.25

Personal, social and emotional development

63. The children enjoy coming to school because they are offered interesting activities. They are secure in routines and take responsibility for taking the register to the office. Adults encourage children to develop their social skills in a variety of ways. For example, they are encouraged to take turns to be the customers or waiters when ordering meals in the class café and to be considerate to others. Good manners are stressed and children are encouraged to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. They willingly tidy away their equipment and show a developing sense of independence when putting on their coats or changing for physical education. Children with special educational needs are well integrated and other children show sensitivity to their needs.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

64. Children develop their speaking and listening skills well through role-play in the cafe. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, where there were insufficient opportunities for activities such as these. They discuss menus and decide whether foods are healthy or not. They learn to listen to others when discussing which clothes to pack for Barnaby Bear’s holiday to France. Children have good opportunities to develop their writing skills. For example, they use a good range of tools to write menus for the cafe. Some children can write their names and others copy it. During a lesson seen for older pupils in the class during the inspection, children made very good gains in learning how to spell simple words such as ‘hat’ and ‘dog’ through very good opportunities to identify letters and hang them on a washing line to make words. This session was led by the education care officer and a parent helper who ensured that all children

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

made very good gains in learning to spell in a way which motivated them.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

65. Good emphasis is placed on the development of reading skills. A particularly positive feature is the system of book sacks, where children borrow a bag containing a book and activities to play with parents at home. Parents comment on these and records show that they find them useful in helping their child to read. Another valuable initiative is the system of ‘talking partners’ where children are paired with an adult in school for focused conversation and good information Scarcliffe Primary School - 26 ensures that parents can continue at home. This makes a significant contribution to language development and the development of early reading skills. Most children read simple words and talk about the stories they have read. Higher attaining children are confident early readers, using a range of strategies to help them decipher unknown words. Lower attaining children use the pictures to help them ‘tell’ their own stories and recognise some initial sounds but do not

p.25

Mathematical development

66. Adults take every opportunity to develop their children’s mathematical skills. For example, the classroom assistant used a good strategy to encourage children to identify numbers by singing the song ‘magic fingers in the air - everybody find number six’. The children were keen to join in and this ensured that everyone looked at their numerals. Higher attaining children confidently order numbers from zero to nine but lower attaining children need help to do this. Children learn to count forward and back to ten by counting small bears. They develop correct number formation when they work with a partner, who chooses a number, says it and the partner writes it. Most struggled to write the number two correctly. They further develop their skills when they count the number of sides on shapes and use the computer to match them to the correct number.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

67. Children learn about other countries in the world through an attractive display showing where Barnaby Bear has been on holiday. They know that thick woolly clothes are not suitable for him to take on holiday to France where it is hot. They learn about healthy eating through their play in the cafe. They experiment with sand and water and learn the difference between ‘left’ and ‘right’ through use of the ‘mouse’ buttons when using the computers. They learn about the different senses through very good opportunities to smell and feel different items.

p.26

Physical development

68. Opportunities for physical development are restricted by the accommodation. The small playground slopes and there are no wheeled toys or large apparatus because there are no suitable storage facilities or safe area in which to use them. There is no hall or other large space suitable for use. However, the school takes every opportunity to develop these skills through weekly physical education sessions at a nearby school and by developing skills with small apparatus in the playground. In a physical education lesson seen during the inspection, the quality of teaching was very good. Here, children made very good gains in learning to move confidently, with sound control and co-ordination. They showed good use of space when slithering, balancing and crawling. All children handle scissors and small toys regularly to develop their manipulative skills. For example, they rearrange small farm animals and cut out

p.26

Physical development

mathematical shapes. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, where there were insufficient opportunities for this.

p.26

Creative development

69. At the time of the previous inspection, too few opportunities were provided for children to paint and develop their imaginative skills. There has been good improvement in this area. Children experiment with paint to make patterns and pictures of their own choice, showing developing hand control. They cut and stick coloured paper to make collages of frogs and develop pencil skills through drawings based on sculptures by well-known artists. There are regular opportunities to develop musical skills. During the inspection, children learned to clap in time and played musical instruments to represent different types of weather. They listened to two versions of Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’ and recognised that it was the same tune played on different instruments.

p.26

Creative development

70. The quality of teaching is very good overall and leads to very good learning. The teacher is new to the school this term and has not been in post for long enough for the very high standard of Scarcliffe Primary School - 27 teaching to impact fully on standards by the time that children leave the reception year. Features of this high quality teaching include a very good understanding of the needs of young children and very good organisational skills, which ensure that these children are offered suitable activities and given enough support in this class that includes older pupils. The education care officer is very much part of the team and makes a positive contribution to the standards attained.

p.26

ENGLISH

71. Inspection evidence shows that standards overall are above average by the end of Year 2 and also by the end of Year 6. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, are achieving well. This is an improvement since the previous inspection where standards were judged to be average. Standards in reading, writing and speaking and listening are broadly above average in all year groups, but some year groups are very small and the proportion of pupils with special educational needs varies between year groups. Consequently, it is difficult to make a judgement in the very small year groups; for example, in Year 3 where there are only five pupils.

p.27

ENGLISH

72. There are several reasons why standards are high. Fundamental to this is the outstanding quality of the teaching, particularly for the older pupils. Other reasons include the very good assessment procedures that ensure tasks are well matched to the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils and the way in which the school takes up new initiatives to raise standards, particularly those involving the Education Action Zone. The way in which literacy skills are developed in other areas of the curriculum and the very effective use of talented education care officers are other factors.

p.27

ENGLISH

73. One initiative that is successfully raising standards, particularly in speaking and listening is the ‘talking partners’ scheme. This begins in the reception year where children are paired with an adult for focused conversation and continues through the school where pupils have a peer partner. Many examples were seen during the inspection, where pupils developed their skills through discussion and evaluation of their work, not only in English lessons but also in many other subjects. In an excellent English lesson for the oldest pupils, they discussed conditional clauses with their partner, deciding between them the best clause to add to, ‘If I win the jackpot on the lottery’. The resulting clauses were both amusing and thought promoting, leading to further class discussion. Pupils talk confidently about the books they are reading and explain their work clearly. They discuss their strategies in mathematics and articulate their feelings in

p.27

ENGLISH

personal and social education lessons. A particularly good example of the development of speaking and listening skills was seen for pupils in Year 2. Here, pupils played different parts in the story of ‘The Pig in the Pond’, encouraged by the education care officer and a parent helper. The pupils paid close attention, not wanting to miss their cue, and were particularly motivated because the teacher tape-recorded their performance. This not only encouraged speaking and listening skills but also encouraged them to read expressively.

p.27

ENGLISH

74. Pupils also do well in reading because the school places great emphasis on the development of these skills. For example, pupils throughout the school have regular opportunities to read aloud individually to adults as well as to read in groups. Guided reading sessions are used very effectively to teach specific skills, as well as to monitor reading skills. For example, higher attaining pupils in Year 2 developed their dictionary skills in a very good lesson. After reading and discussing the text together, pupils identified nouns such as ‘pyramid’ and ‘artefact’, having checked in the dictionary to confirm that they were correct. This lesson also contributed to pupils’ historical understanding as the teacher took every opportunity to discuss the content of the text. Consequently, pupils learned that ‘BC’ meant ‘Before Christ’. A scheme that is funded by the Education Action Zone is also contributing to high standards in reading. Pupils in Year 6

p.27

ENGLISH

borrow ‘back packs’ containing texts of different genres, a dictionary and activities that are matched to the needs of individuals. Pupils may keep each pack for one week and staff are paid by the Education Action Zone to mark the activities. Younger pupils borrow ’book bags’ that contain texts, toys, taped stories and activities to promote reading. The school has taken care to provide tapes, recorded by both boys and girls and a variety of ages. All these initiatives make a positive contribution to the standards attained. Scarcliffe Primary School - 28 75. Year 2 pupils read with fluency, breaking down words into syllables to build unknown words. A variety of graded materials are used and texts are well matched to the abilities of the pupils. Higher attaining pupils read with more fluency, discussing their favourite authors such as Dick King-Smith. Lower attaining pupils use their understanding of letter sounds to help them read

p.27

ENGLISH

unknown words but use little expression in their reading. Pupils in Year 6 read fluently and expressively, enjoying the humour in their texts and comparing their favourite authors, such as Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson. All pupils are familiar with literacy terms appropriate for their ages such as ‘index’, ‘publisher’ and ‘glossary’. They borrow books from the library and know how to find books on different subjects.

p.28

ENGLISH

76. The school has identified writing as an area for further development from analysis of recent statutory test results. Several interesting strategies are impacting positively on standards. For example, extra tuition of one hour each week, provided by the Education Action Zone to improve narrative writing has resulted in significant improvements, particularly for pupils with special educational needs. Teachers from the Zone have worked with co-ordinators from each school to compile a collection of narrative writing, matched to National Curriculum levels and agreed by all schools. This provides a very useful reference for teachers. Extra attention is paid to spelling. Pupils maintain a spelling ‘log’ where they practise spellings linked to the National Literacy Strategy each day. When they make a spelling mistake, it is added to their ‘log’, tested with a partner and then recorded as a known word when it can be spelled correctly.

p.28

ENGLISH

77. Good attention is paid to handwriting and presentation. By Year 2, pupils use punctuation, including speech marks, securely and use correct spelling for monosyllabic words. Higher attaining pupils have a good understanding of rhyme and write amusing poems, such as, ‘Once there was a dinosaur who ate a bit of boar manure…’. Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs do not yet use capital letters and full stops regularly. By Year 6, stories show the use of more sophisticated vocabulary and the sustained development of ideas. For example, as in “Oh, the horror! To think that I had touched the beard of the famous man who was once alive.” Spelling is generally correct. Higher attaining pupils use paragraphs securely and write persuasively about topics such as drink and driving. The school takes every opportunity to encourage writing. For example, a visiting poet during ‘Book Week’ inspired work

p.28

ENGLISH

of high quality. Pupils were also invited to write poetry at home for a competition, with a prize for the best in each class. The winning poems on display clearly show the development of skills as pupils move through the school.

p.28

ENGLISH

78. Literacy skills are developed very well in other areas of the curriculum and this is another reason why standards are high. For example, in design and technology, pupils list the ingredients needed to make biscuits and increase their vocabulary, learning terms such as ‘fire retardant’. They write evaluations of the vehicles they design. In music, pupils offer words to describe their feelings when listening to music and write a class poem using these words. They record their experiments in science and mathematics. Information and communication technology makes a positive contribution to the teaching of literacy skills. Pupils use information and communication technology to write stories, poems and accounts. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 wrote parodies of Kipling’s ‘If’. Younger pupils use a range of computer programs to support the development of phonic skills.

p.28

ENGLISH

79. The quality of teaching is very good overall and as a result, pupils make very good gains in learning. The many improvements in teaching have not yet been in place long enough for pupils to gain even higher standards. The quality of teaching was never less than very good with two excellent lessons seen for the older pupils. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the previous inspection, where it was judged to be satisfactory, with some unsatisfactory lessons. Teachers have very good knowledge of the subject and the National Literacy Strategy has been implemented very well. Excellent teaching is characterised by a motivational style that challenges all pupils and produces a very brisk pace. An enthusiasm for H.G.Wells’ ‘The War of the Worlds’ was very successfully transferred to the pupils who were determined to reach the teacher’s very high expectations. Very well targeted questions ensured that all took part. The

p.28

ENGLISH

way in which the teacher read extracts from the text enthralled the pupils who consequently Scarcliffe Primary School - 29 learned how an author can convey feelings from curiosity to terror in four paragraphs. Where teaching is very good, very good organisation for three age groups in one class ensures that the needs of all pupils are well met. For example, pupils in Year 2 who are in two classes often come together for parts of the Literacy Hour. Expectations are very high and pupils do their very best and work very hard. Pupils with special educational needs are very well integrated and those with statements of special educational need receive very sensitive support. Teachers and classroom assistants take every opportunity to raise their self- esteem.

p.28

ENGLISH

80. The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and has a very clear view for the further development of the subject. There is a very good range of assessment procedures that are used well to track pupils’ progress. These include regular half-termly writing assessments, which are used well to set individual targets that are clearly displayed on pupils’ books. This ensures that pupils are aware of their targets and try very hard to reach them.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

81. Inspection evidence shows that standards in mathematics are above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils are achieving well. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, where standards were average.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

82. There are several reasons why pupils do well in mathematics. Firstly, the school has very successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy and the effect of this is now being reflected in the standards attained. The quality of teaching is mainly very good and very good assessment procedures ensure that all pupils are offered tasks that are well matched to their needs. The school also takes advantage of any new initiatives, and particularly those introduced by the Education Action Zone. For example, the ‘Keeping up with the Kids’ project provides training for parents to help them understand the National Numeracy Strategy and how to help their children at home. Parents on the project praised it and felt that it really helped them to support their children. Parents have also been invited to watch numeracy lessons. Initiatives such as these have a positive impact on the standards attained. Strong emphasis is placed on

p.29

MATHEMATICS

developing mathematical skills in other areas of the curriculum and this too contributes to the high standards.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

83. The school is committed to continual improvement and works very hard to raise standards, particularly for lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 take part in a programme during school time designed to help pupils move on, and pupils in Year 5 who have been identified as in need of extra help are offered after school support. As a result, standards are rising even further.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

84. Pupils succeed in all the components of mathematics. By the end of Year 2, pupils undertake a range of investigations to explore numbers and use numbers to 1000 with confidence. They double numbers and have a secure understanding of fractions. They solve money problems well. They measure in litres and centimetres and know the properties of shapes such as pentagons and hexagons. By Year 4, they multiply by seven confidently and know how many grams make a kilogram. By the end of Year 6, they express fractions as percentages, measure in metres to two decimal places and understand the term ‘median’. They know that the four angles of a quadrilateral add up to 360 degrees and find the area of shapes. Lower attaining pupils know that a quarter of £36 is £9 but are unsure of the difference between symbols representing ‘greater than’ and ‘smaller than’. Higher attaining pupils order decimals and reduce fractions to

p.29

MATHEMATICS

85. The National Numeracy Strategy has been implemented very well and the mental sessions at the beginning of lessons are making a positive contribution to pupils’ skills of mental recall and to the standards attained. Teachers are skilful in targeting individual pupils, so that all, including those with special educational needs, can take part. Attractive whiteboards and marker pens motivate the pupils, who are keen to be first to record their answers. For example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 quickly recorded their answers to numbers before and after 40 and sensibly waited for all to be ready before showing their answers. In Year 4, pupils recorded answers to Scarcliffe Primary School - 30 the five times table, having counted up and down in odd and even numbers. In Year 6, pupils count in multiples of 25, forward and back, including minus numbers. They were motivated to take part because the teacher’s enthusiasm and encouragement, calling ‘faster!’ and keeping

p.29

MATHEMATICS

the rhythm by tapping the floor, enabled them to count in 0.25s to three.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

86. Pupils have a very positive attitude to the subject and are determined to succeed. They strive to meet the teachers’ very high expectations and work hard because they are offered interesting activities. The quality of teaching is very good overall. Consequently, pupils make very good gains in their learning. These improvements have not been in place long enough for pupils to gain even higher standards. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, where some teaching was unsatisfactory and the needs of pupils of different ages in the same class were not always met. This has been very successfully addressed and lessons are planned very thoroughly to ensure that the needs of all pupils, regardless of age or ability, are well met. One excellent lesson was seen for pupils in Years 5 and 6. Here, the teacher’s enthusiasm for the subject was successfully transferred to the pupils, resulting in total commitment from them to

p.30

MATHEMATICS

reach her very high expectations. Excellent organisation meant that the teacher could work with lower attaining pupils to teach them to use a protractor, while the talented education care officer taught another group to work with angles and parallel lines. Other pupils worked independently on the computers to develop their skills in using protractors, while another group worked on a practical measuring task. As a result, all pupils worked on tasks that were perfectly matched to their needs and made excellent gains in developing their understanding.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

87. Features of very good teaching include a very brisk pace, very good use of resources and the use of challenging questions to promote thought and test out understanding. For example, in the class for pupils in Years 5 and 6, pupils learned to identify acute, obtuse and reflex angles in response to the teacher’s questions. Good use of humour with questions such as ‘What is the difference between angels and angles?’ not only contributed to the development of spelling skills but also elicited the response that an angle is ‘a measurement of degrees’. In another very good lesson, for pupils in Years 3 and 4, very good resources relevant to real life, such as bags of sugar, sweets and flour, enabled pupils to successfully estimate weight in grams. Where teaching is good, there are many strong features but, on occasions, the pace of the plenary session is insufficiently brisk to reinforce what pupils have learned during the lesson.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

88. Pupils use their numeracy skills very well across the curriculum. For example, they use their measuring skills in design and technology when making cushions and use their knowledge of weight to make recipes for biscuits. They record the results of their investigations graphically in science. Information and communication technology also makes a very positive contribution to the subject. Pupils use a good range of computer programs designed to support numeracy skills. Many examples were seen during the inspection, where teachers planned to use the computers to develop the skills taught during the lesson. For example, older pupils used a program to develop their skills in using a protractor. Lower attaining pupils used a programmable toy to develop their understanding of right angles. Younger pupils in Year 2 used a programmable toy to draw squares, remembering the sequence of instructions and learning how

p.30

MATHEMATICS

89. The co-ordinator, who is also the headteacher, provides very good leadership and has a very clear view for the further development of the subject. Very good assessment procedures, where pupils are assessed each half term, ensure that pupils have appropriate targets for improvement. Results of these assessments are used well to predict National Curriculum levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and strategies are put in place if difficulties are identified. This has a positive impact on the progress made.

p.30

SCIENCE

90. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards are above that expected for seven and eleven year olds. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well. Scarcliffe Primary School - 31 91. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have a good knowledge of all the components of science. For example, they know the difference between living and non-living things and are able to investigate plants and animals in the school grounds. They have a good understanding of how plants grow and are able to sow a seed and record and observe the growth into a plant. Higher attaining pupils have a good understanding about how materials change and that some changes are reversible and some are not. In an investigation seen in their books, pupils heated bread to make toast and boiled an egg. They knew these changes were irreversible but if you melt lard or ice, these can be re-formed as a solid.

p.30

SCIENCE

92. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a good knowledge of life processes and living things, physical processes and materials and their properties. For example, work in their books indicates that they are able to separate a range of different materials, such as sand in water, by a filtration experiment. They also evaporated the water from a solution of salt to leave salt crystals behind. Pupils’ skills in scientific enquiry are good. In a lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6, pupils set up an investigation to see if they could speed up the rate of dissolving sugar in water. They clearly understood the need to make the test fair and were happy to try and predict what might happen. They ably kept some factors the same, for example, the amount of liquid or the length of time taken to stir the mixture. Other factors they changed, such as reducing the amount of solid. Other pupils tried it using more water but keeping other things the same. The whole class were

p.31

SCIENCE

able to work together very well to achieve valuable results, which they proceeded to record clearly and systematically with good presentation skills. Pupils are developing the use of a good scientific vocabulary to describe their work. They use computers well to save data and display results in various forms, such as pie-charts or column graphs. The skills of literacy and numeracy are used well by the pupils. Pupils’ ability to set up and devise their own individual experiments, with less direction from the teacher, is not as well developed.

p.31

SCIENCE

93. The quality of teaching is good. Particular strengths are found in the way teachers have developed their class approach to experimental and investigational science. Teachers emphasise the importance of predicting what might happen and the need to make a fair test. For example, pupils in Year 4 followed these procedures carefully when setting up an investigation into melting ice cubes. They used the same number of ice cubes and the same size bowls but changed the temperature of the surrounding water. The teacher clearly encouraged the pupils to consider other factors that might affect the melting rate. Her good questioning techniques enabled the pupils to reach their own conclusions about this, such as the effect of room temperature on the experiment. Another strength is the way teachers insist on the use of a good scientific language. This makes a major contribution to pupils’ literacy skills. Teachers’ lesson planning has a number of strengths, such as demonstrating a good

p.31

SCIENCE

range of well thought out ideas. Also, they ensure plenty of opportunities for discussion, which enables pupils to contribute their ideas. This also means that lessons proceed at a good pace and pupils work hard to the end of the lesson. However, on occasions, the teacher does not make it clear just why this particular aspect of science is being investigated and why the results are useful or how they affect our lives. This means that, on occasions, pupils do not always appreciate the value of science. Although pupils are always involved in making suggestions, they get few opportunities to set up and devise their own investigations. This limits opportunity for individual creative thought, especially for some of the higher attaining pupils.

p.31

SCIENCE

94. The co-ordinator, who is a part-time teacher, is supporting the subject well. Good assessment procedures have been introduced, which are used to identify not only pupils’ level of knowledge but also their investigational skills. Resources are very good and a good range of CD-ROMS have recently been purchased, which should increase the use of computers further to support learning in science. The curriculum is enhanced in a number of ways. For example, younger pupils visit the local park to study the different types of forces that are in operation with the swings and roundabouts. Living things in the school grounds are studied and older pupils study contrasting habitats during their residential visit to the Lake District.

p.31

ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Scarcliffe Primary School - 32 95. Judgements are based on the one lesson seen during the inspection, in design and technology for pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4, scrutiny of planning and displays and discussions with the co- ordinators and pupils. This indicates that standards are broadly average in both subjects by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils are achieving appropriately. In the previous inspection, no judgement was made about standards in design and technology because pupils had insufficient opportunities to develop their skills. The school has successfully addressed this and the subject now has a much higher priority in the school. Standards in art and design were broadly similar at the time of the last inspection.

p.32

ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

96. Displays throughout the school show that pupils develop an appropriate range of skills in both subjects. Pupils in Year 2 show suitable attention to detail, accurately representing shade and tone in their pencil drawings based on the work of Andy Goldsworthy. They experiment with paint to produce attractive paintings based on Henry Moore’s ‘Sheep pieces’. Attractive sculptures from natural materials show the development of three-dimensional skills. Pupils design and make cushions, tie dying their own material and evaluate the finished products. They investigate a range of materials used as cushion fillings to discover which are best and learn why it is necessary for these fillings to be fire retardant. They investigate the best fabrics to use for purses and design their own necklaces.

p.32

ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

97. By Year 6, pupils experiment with the way in which combinations of techniques can produce different effects when drawing facial expressions. Good quality drawings of sporting poses show good observational skills. They develop their understanding of mechanisms by designing and making an electrical vehicle that can travel a minimum of one metre, using a pulley. Evaluations show that pupils know how they can improve their designs. Work underway during the inspection included the designing of a biscuit to commemorate the Golden Jubilee. This work showed a sensible choice of ingredients and imaginative designs for the face of the biscuit.

p.32

ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. It was not possible to make a judgement on the quality of teaching in either subject because only one lesson was seen in design and technology. However, in this lesson, for pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4, the quality of teaching was very good. Very clear explanation ensured pupils learned the meanings of symbols on labels and why it is important for stuffing materials to be fire retardant. This lesson was very well planned and resources such as a variety of large pre written labels, replicating those on cushions, ensured all pupils could read them. Pupils made very good gains in learning because the teacher followed up questions posed by pupils such as ‘How do the makers know their cushions are fire retardant? Do they test them?’ This resulted in discussion about manufacturing processes. By the end of the lesson, pupils had accurately recorded their investigation to show which materials were suitable for stuffing cushions.

p.32

ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. Information and communication technology is used appropriately to support both subjects. Pupils use a range of drawing programs in art and design and type their evaluations in design and technology. The co-ordinators have a clear view for the development of both subjects. The co-ordinator for art and design is a temporary appointment but ensures that the scheme of work is implemented successfully so that pupils develop their skills systematically as they move through the school. The co-ordinator for design and technology has only recently taken up her post and has already made a promising start. Half termly assessments in both subjects are used successfully to record progress.

p.32

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

100. It was only possible to see one lesson of geography. However, evidence was available through the analysis of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning, and an evaluation of classroom displays and discussions with pupils and teachers. All evidence for geography and history indicates that by the ages of seven and eleven, pupils are working at a level that is expected for their ages. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, are achieving soundly. This is an improvement on the last inspection in geography, where pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 was below the expectations for their ages. There was no clear judgement in history in the last report. Scarcliffe Primary School - 33 101. In history, pupils in Years 1 and 2 are beginning to understand the difference between past and present and old and new, as they look at a seaside holiday now and in times gone by. More able pupils in Year 2 have a sound understanding of a time-line and are developing an early

p.32

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

understanding of chronology. Older pupils study life in Victorian England, as well as in Ancient Egypt. They know that Ancient Egypt is much further back than Victorian times. Some pupils are beginning to identify some of the different ways in which the past is represented, such as in artefacts, old documents and wall inscriptions, such as hieroglyphics. By Year 6, pupils have a sound knowledge about the periods in the past that they have studied and, for example, are able to explain the similarities and differences between a Celtic homestead and an Anglo-Saxon one. Work in their books indicate that they describe some of the main events, people and changes. For example, they know some things about the Census of 1884, which indicated the type of buildings around at the time, as well as the age, and employment of people and where they were born.

p.33

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

102. In geography, pupils in Years 1 and 2 are able to contrast different environments, such as the seaside, the forest, the town and the village. They have developed a good knowledge of the basic layout of the world map by indicating on it where pupils have been on their holidays, both in this country and abroad. They make this fun and exciting by referring to the journeys of ‘Barnaby Bear’, who often goes away with the pupils on holiday. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have carried out a weather study and are aware of how the weather affects our lives, for example, in many jobs, such as in fishing and farming. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have carried out an in-depth study of traffic in Bolsover. This focussed particularly on how people used the zebra crossings or observed other rules or disobeyed them. The display demonstrated that pupils were able to use maps, take photographs and carry out detailed observations. Pupils also use the computers

p.33

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

well to support their learning in geography, for example, to produce computer generated graphs of their survey. Pupils’ skills in literacy are soundly used in history and geography and presentation of work in their books is good. In the one lesson seen in geography, pupils in Year 2 were studying an imaginary journey by ‘Barnaby Bear’ to Brittany in France. The quality of teaching was very good. The teacher used a good range of maps, showing the relative positions of France, England and Scarcliffe village. She introduced the lesson well by a very good question and answer session, which ensured that pupils’ earlier knowledge was well consolidated. Through her very good relationship she was able to generate a good quality debate about the journey that would have to be made by Barnaby Bear. Pupils were making suggestions as to whether this was to be by car, boat, train or plane. The teacher has high expectations of work and behaviour, sets a good pace for the lesson and reaches valuable

p.33

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

conclusions. Map resources are sound and she makes good use of the educational care officer to work with other groups.

p.33

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

103. The leader of both subjects is aware that there has been little focus on the development of history and geography recently, mainly because of the focus on the teaching of literacy, numeracy, science and information and communication technology. Also, although statutory requirements are met, the time allocation is at the very minimum and topics are not covered to the depth she considers necessary. History and geography have therefore been identified on the school improvement plan as an area for improvement in the near future. The subjects are enhanced by a number of visits out of school. For example to Walesby Country Park to look at a contrasting environment and the history section of the Sheffield Museum, where pupils participate in a role playing exercise dressed in Victorian costume.

p.33

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

104. Pupils’ standards are in line with that expected for pupils’ ages at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. It was a similar picture in the last inspection. All pupils, including those with special educational needs are achieving soundly by Year 2 and by the time they leave the school in Year 6. However, pupils are now beginning to make good progress in lessons throughout the school. The reason for this is that the school has invested a considerable amount of money in the subject in the past few years. Also, a new subject leader, with very good qualifications in this area, is beginning to have a strong impact, not only on the development of pupils’ skills, but also on skills and confidence of the other teachers. Scarcliffe Primary School - 34 105. By age seven, pupils’ keyboard skills and use of the mouse are satisfactory in making simple commands. For example, pupils were seen typing in sentences which they can then edit by

p.33

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

amending letters, increasing the space between words, making letters bold and underlining headings. With help they can save and print their work and some to this independently. By the age of 11, pupils are able to use computers for a wide range of purposes. They all have their own file to store their work and access it at any time. They use computers regularly to support their learning. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 enter the findings from a science experiment, into a graph program. They are able then to display their findings as a column graph or change it to a pre-chart or line graph. They know that inputting poor quality information leads to unreliable results. Many pupils in Year 6 are fast and competent at opening up a variety of menus and files, of moving and dragging images across the screen and importing pictures from the clip-art file. They are competent in many aspects of word processing, which enables them to

p.34

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

present work on wall displays effectively. For example, a display associated with a traffic survey in Bolsover was presented using a variety of fonts and different size letters, together with appropriate pictures. Many pupils in Years 5 and 6 have the basic skills to use the newly installed Internet, for discovering information, although, at present, Internet use is not in full operation owing to technical problems, which outside technicians are trying to correct. Pupils regularly install and use CD-ROMS and all are able to save and print their work. The skills of literacy and numeracy are developed well when pupils use computers.

p.34

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

106. No specific lesson in information and communication technology was seen during the inspection but a great strength of the subject is the way teachers use computers to support learning in a variety of subjects. For example, pupils in Year 3 were using a program called ‘Telling the time’. This supported their work in mathematics, where they worked on time both as a digital display or as a clock hand display. Pupils in Year 4 were able to use a computer game with a pictorial weighing scale. This helped them to realise that 1200 grams could also be described as 1 kilogram and 200 grams. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 use a protractor program to measure angles.

p.34

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

107. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator. Since her appointment, six months ago, she has purchased new computers and networked all the hardware throughout the school. She is building up the computer software with a good range of CD-ROMS to support learning in English, mathematics, and science and within Early Years. She is able to help and support other teachers to develop their own confidence further. A programme of assessment is in use to record pupils’ skills. The subject is enhanced by a residential visit for pupils in Year 4 to the Kingswood Computer Centre in Norfolk. This is funded by the Education Action Zone money and is deeply appreciated by the staff, pupils and parents.

p.34

MUSIC

108. It is not possible to make a judgement on standards, achievement or the quality of teaching for pupils by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 because insufficient evidence was available during the inspection. Due to the length of the inspection, it was only possible to observe one lesson and pupils were only heard to sing briefly in two of the three assemblies during the inspection. In these instances, they sang clearly and with reasonable melody. Limited evidence was also available at the time of the previous inspection. However, the subject is not neglected and discussion with the co-ordinator shows that there are good opportunities for pupils to enjoy and make music. For example, pupils enter and leave assemblies to a wide range of music, such as the 1812 overture, and pupils in Year 6 are invited to play their own choice of music during their final term. This results in a wide variety of musical styles and helps to promote cultural

p.34

MUSIC

awareness. Pupils may also join the choir, which meets regularly after school, led by a teacher and an education care officer, and learn to play the recorder and clarinet. They also join together with other schools for music making days. All these opportunities contribute to an appropriate musical curriculum.

p.34

MUSIC

109. In the one very good lesson seen during the inspection, pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4 recognised ways in which music can convey mood. They gasped in wonder as the teacher produced a flute from its case and played a note, learning that it made a gentle sound. They listened quietly to Scarcliffe Primary School - 35 Debussy’s ‘La Mer’ before offering their ideas as to what sort of place the melody represented. Pupils made sensible suggestions but no one knew it was the sea. Very good subject knowledge enabled pupils to identify those instruments that were orchestral and those that were not. The teacher then very effectively changed the mood as pupils listened to Davy Spillane’s ‘Call across the Canyon’. The pupils responded very positively to the lively rhythm, and a pupil with special educational needs proudly identified a didgeridoo and drew it on the board, to the appreciation of his classmates. Very effective links with literacy were made during this lesson

p.34

MUSIC

as the pupils offered a good variety of words to describe the mood of this music. The teacher skilfully helped them to compose a class poem before reading it to a background of the music. This very emotive ethos contributed very positively to pupils’ spiritual development. By the end of the lesson, pupils showed that they could create their own rhythmical accompaniment, using their bodies, floor and the table tops, responding very well to the teacher’s hand signals to ensure that they kept together.

p.35

MUSIC

110. The school makes effective use of a commercial scheme of work and uses its own materials alongside this to ensure that pupils develop their skills steadily and systematically. Regular half termly assessments are beginning to provide evidence of progress.

p.35

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

111. It was not possible during the inspection to see all aspects of physical education. Nor was it possible to make a judgement on attainment over the full range of the curriculum. However, from the one lesson seen, attainment was above the expectation for the age of pupils and their achievement, including those with special educational needs, is good. This is an improvement on the last inspection where attainment was in line with expectations by the end of Year 2. This improvement is mainly due to a new scheme of work, improved teaching and a strong desire by the pupils to improve their performance. It was not possible to see a physical education lesson for older pupils so a judgement on attainment was not possible at the end of Year 6.

p.35

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

112. In the one lesson seen, on gymnastics, the quality of teaching was very good. Teacher’s planning was of high quality and the teacher had a very good understanding of the skills she intended pupils to learn and improve. This ensured that the class remained focussed throughout and although the lesson was not long, pupils clearly made good progress by the end. Pupils had to move round the floor on arms and legs, selecting their own ways of moving. This demonstrated that they are able to apply their own selected ideas with good co-ordination and control. They are able to see how their own method of travelling is similar or different to others and use this understanding to improve their own performance. The teacher and the education care officer set a very good example by participating actively and giving demonstrations. The teacher also asked some pupils to demonstrate, which gave others ideas of how to improve. It

p.35

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

also developed pride and confidence. The teacher has very good class control and manages pupils very well. This ensures that behaviour is very good and pupils participate enthusiastically and can maintain physical effort well.

p.35

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

113. A discussion with the subject leader about pupils’ records, indicates that attainment in swimming is above the expectations by the time pupils leave the school and pupils achieve well. Good records indicate that attainment in outdoor and adventurous activities by pupils in Years 5 and 6 are also in line with the expectation for their age.

p.35

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

114. The main weakness in physical education is a lack of a school hall for dance and gymnastic activities. The subject leader has had to make special arrangements with another school that has a very large and suitable hall. However, a journey has to be made by coach, which is not only costly, it limits the time available. Nevertheless, it does ensure that statutory requirements are met and the school makes the best use of what is available.

p.35

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

115. The school has a good playing field, which it uses well for games. One of the education care officers takes football once per week and also supports the football team when it competes against other schools, in an indoor and outdoor league. Players from the Derby County football team come into school occasionally and work with the pupils. This enhances the subject well. Scarcliffe Primary School - 36 The school also participates in a number of residential visits to Lea Green near Matlock, Grasmere in the Lake District and to an Information and Communication Technology Centre in Norfolk. In all these places, pupils participate in outdoor and adventurous activities. They develop such skills as basic rock climbing and walking skills and learn to live together in a challenging environment.

p.35

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

116. Pupils’ attainment is above the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This is a very good improvement on the findings of the last inspection where it was unsatisfactory. All pupils, including those with special educational needs are achieving well. This improvement is not only due to improved teaching but also to the good abilities of the pupils to discuss and debate issues.

p.36

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

117. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have a good knowledge of Christianity and Christian churches. They are able to describe the purpose of a range of objects found in the church, such as an altar cross and a church Bible. They know about Judaism and the fact that the Torah is their special book. They are able to describe some of the miracles they have heard about from the Bible such as, ‘the feeding of the five thousand’. Pupils’ debating and thinking skills are well advanced. For example, during a discussion on the death of Jesus, a pupil in Year 1 was heard to remark, “Jesus is dead, he was killed by nasty people but he is now helping God, who is not dead, to control things and look after us”.

p.36

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

118. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 extend their study of other religions and learn about Islam. Work in their books indicate that they know that a Muslim prays five times a day facing Mecca and they know that the Q’uran is their holy book. They are able also to link stories in the Bible with events in their own lives. For example, after reading about the Good Samaritan they worked on the theme of caring and sharing and discussed whether the Good Samaritan would be what we would call today a “Super-hero”. The skills of literacy are well developed in religious education lessons.

p.36

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

119. In the two lessons seen, the quality of teaching was at least good and one was very good. In the very good lesson, the teacher developed the theme of “where would we go to find answers to our religious questions or who would we ask?” The teacher motivated the pupils well by getting them to write down a variety of questions, such as “What is the fastest car?” and “How are sweets made?” They worked in pairs to suggest where they would go to find the answer. This led to the eventual conclusion that the Bible, a Priest, a Vicar or a Methodist Minister would be the place to go to find out the answers to religious questions. This approach stimulated advanced thinking. One group wrote a question, “What is the meaning of life?” They realised that this would be a more difficult question to answer. In the two lessons seen, they were well planned and moved at a good pace. This motivated pupils well and developed their understanding of

p.36

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

some of the valuable things in life. Pupils are beginning to recognise the value of religious education. The subject is well enhanced by visits to the local church and visits into the school, such as the local vicar and the Methodist minister.

p.36