Lady Bay Primary School

LADY BAY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Bogusia Matusiak-Varley

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LADY BAY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 - 16 October 2001

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LADY BAY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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LADY BAY 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. Lady Bay Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Trent Boulevard West Bridgford Nottingham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Marian Beaumont

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 30 June 1997 Lady Bay Primary School - 4

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Team members

19938 Bogusia Matusiak-Varley Registered inspector 9769 Margaret Morrissey Lay inspector 22059 Neil Wales Team inspector

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Team members

Glenside Education Limited 3 Middlefield Close Weaverthorpe Malton North Yorkshire YO17 8EJ

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Lady Bay Primary School caters for pupils aged 4-11. It is a large school with 309 pupils on roll, 149 boys and 160 girls, although pupil numbers have fallen since the last inspection. It serves the residential community of Lady Bay and is situated on the north side of West Bridgford in Nottingham. 9.5 per cent of pupils are of ethnic minorities comprising of a mixture of Pakistani, Indian, Chinese and black Caribbean. All of these pupils have appropriately developed language competencies, which help them access the curriculum. 8 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals; this is low for a school of this size. 34 per cent of pupils have special educational needs; this is above average. No pupils have statements of special educational need. Pupils are taught in single aged classes in reception and Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2, there are three Year 3/Year 4 classes and three Year 5/Year 6 classes. Pupils’ attainment on entry

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

to the school is average; the majority have attended pre-school education.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good and effective school which has many positive features and which serves its community well. By the time they leave the school, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of learning. By the age of 11, pupils’ attainment in English is well above average and it is above average in mathematics and science, both in comparison with all schools and with similar schools. All groups of pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. There is an extremely good atmosphere for learning, due to the very good quality of teaching and the very good provision for pupils’ personal development. The best teaching is seen in Key Stage 2. The curriculum is lively and vibrant and teaches pupils about life in a multicultural society. Pupils feel valued and believe they can do well, because they are encouraged by a very hard working and dedicated staff. The school is very well led and managed by a caring, and knowledgeable,

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

headteacher who passionately believes in equal opportunities for all. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain well above average standards at age 11 in English, and above average standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology. • Overall, the quality of teaching is very good with many examples of highly effective practice seen in Key Stage 2 and some in Key Stage 1. • Pupils have very good attitudes to learning. Personal development is very good and the school fosters pupils’ self-esteem well through a lively and vibrant curriculum. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Partnership with parents is good, pupils like coming to school and attendance is high. • Leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. The governing body fulfil their duties well and the school is continuously seeking ways to improve on previous best performance.

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What could be improved

• Standards in reading, spelling and science at the end of Key Stage 1. • Provision in the Foundation Stage of learning, especially for those pupils who are higher attainers. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Lady Bay Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good improvement since the last inspection of June 1997. This has been largely due to the very good leadership and management of the headteacher who ensures that all staff are appropriately trained. The staff’s commitment to improvement and the school’s capacity to succeed are very good, reflected in the high standards pupils attain in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology at the end of Key Stage 2. There has been very good improvement in the role of the senior management team; the curriculum is now very well balanced and assessment and record keeping are very good. The monitoring and evaluation of the school development plan is very good, resulting in all staff working very well as a team in order to help their pupils attain high standards by the time that they are 11, and ensuring that they are well prepared for secondary school. By the age of 11,

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

standards have improved in English, mathematics and information and communication technology and have remained above average in science. By the end of Key Stage 1, standards in speaking and listening and writing are above average, but standards in reading are broadly in line. This is an area that the school has recognised as needing further improvement. The quality of teaching has improved, with a much higher percentage of very good teaching seen. This has been brought about by the implementation of very effective systems of performance management.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English A A A A well above average above average A B Mathematics A A B B average below average C D Science A A B B well below average E

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Key

The results of the 2001 national tests for 11-year-olds show that pupils attain standards, which are well above average in English and above average in mathematics and science, both in comparison with all schools and in comparison with similar schools. Since 1998, the school has continuously pushed up standards. The results in 2001 are slightly below those attained in 2000 in mathematics and in science, because that particular year group had a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs but, in spite of this, an above average percentage of pupils attained the higher levels in English, mathematics and science. The results of the national tests and assessments for seven-year-olds in 2001 showed pupils’ performance to be well above average in writing, in line in mathematics, below average in reading and in line with the national average in science. Over time there has been underachievement in reading, but the

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Key

school has recognised this and plans are in place to raise standards rapidly. These are already having a positive effect. Performance over time shows that pupils attain high standards in writing. The school exceeded its targets for both English and mathematics in 2001.

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Key

Inspection findings show that standards, in the present Year 6, indicate that pupils are on course to be well above average in English, and above average in mathematics and science by the end of the summer. This is because the quality of teaching is very good and very good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs. By the end of Year 2, standards in Lady Bay Primary School - 8 reading are in line with the national average, in writing are well above average, and in mathematics are above average. In science standards are in line with the national average. Based upon the high standards that pupils attain in writing, standards in science could be better for these pupils, as there is overuse of worksheets which do not challenge pupils’ writing skills. Throughout the school, standards in speaking and listening are well above average, pupils have a wide and rich vocabulary and eagerly talk about their experiences. At the end of

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Key

Year 2 and Year 6, standards in information and communication technology, and art, are above average. In religious education pupils exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. By the end of the Foundation Stage pupils attain the early learning goals in all areas of learning, however there are weaknesses in curriculum planning, which prevent these pupils from making better gains in learning. This is an area which the school is presently addressing. In both key stages, pupils use their skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology well and they are generally all able to work independently when asked to do so.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils listen well, ask questions and are keenly interested, especially in Key Stage 2. They clearly enjoy coming to school and take justifiable pride in their achievements. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave sensibly and the older pupils look after the younger ones responsibly. Pupils respond very well to teachers and other adults and co-operate well with one another. Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils take on responsibilities willingly and ask if there are any jobs they can do in their free time. They take their duties seriously and willingly demonstrate and share their achievements outside of school with their peers. Relationships are very good and pupils appreciate their teachers’ good humour. Attendance Very good. Attendance is well above the national average and pupils love coming to school. The very good attendance has a

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Aspect Comment

positive effect on the high standards that pupils attain by the time they leave the school.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Satisfactory 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.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Overall, the quality of teaching and of pupils’ learning throughout the school is very good; in over half the lessons seen, teaching was very good or excellent. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 is particularly good, with one example of an excellent numeracy lesson seen in Years 3/4. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. Teachers know their subjects well and their enthusiastic approach brings aspects of English, mathematics and science alive for their pupils. The quality of teaching for children in the reception class is satisfactory, but the planning is not rigorous enough in clearly identifying expectations for learning through Lady Bay Primary School - 9 the planned activities. Activities set up enable children to work independently and use good quality resources, giving them many opportunities to play imaginatively using all of their senses. However learning intentions are too broad and this slows down the rates of new learning.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

In spite of many examples of effective teaching seen in Key Stage 1, there is a weakness in the teaching of shared and guided reading, which has been recognised by the school and is presently being addressed. Generally teaching is good in Years 1 and 2, with examples of very good teaching seen in literacy and numeracy. In Year 2, teachers have high expectations of their pupils, use time effectively, and resources are well prepared. The teaching of pupils, in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 particularly, is very good. Teachers expect their pupils to concentrate fully, they use time very well, and much of the teaching is lively and imaginative, ensuring that pupils use their skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. Some very good examples of independent research were seen in Years 5/6. A strength of the teaching in both key stages is the very good teamwork among teachers and support staff. Teachers take

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

every care to meet the needs of all pupils, adjusting their planning daily to take into account what pupils have learnt and what they need to learn next. Additional specialist and support staff are used very well to help pupils who have special educational needs, and pupils’ individual learning plans are well used in planning lessons.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Overall, the teaching of literacy and numeracy is good throughout the school, but it is very good in Key Stage 2. Inspection findings show that homework is used effectively to extend learning.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

A contributory factor to the very good teaching is that the headteacher and governing body place a high emphasis on ensuring that all staff have access to continuous professional development.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. Satisfactory in the Foundation Stage. The curriculum is enriched by many opportunities for pupils to learn through practical activities. It is well planned with an appropriate balance of literacy and numeracy. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good, well organised to meet the needs of pupils and to ensure that their learning is as good as that of others. The very good provision for special educational needs is a key factor as to why standards are high at the end of Key Stage 2. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. These pupils make good progress in their learning. At present there are no pupils who qualify for additional support as they have appropriately developed language skills to access the curriculum. Provision for pupils’ personal development,

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Aspect Comment

including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school succeeds very well in creating a caring environment where everyone is valued, where differences are appreciated and where good provision is made to encourage pupils to learn about life in a multicultural society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The school treats each pupil with respect and, as a result, all pupils feel valued and begin to learn effectively. Pupils’ personal and academic progress is monitored very well and their success celebrated. Lady Bay Primary School - 10 Partnership with parents is good. Parents are seen as true partners in their children’s learning and are generally supportive of the school. Lady Bay Primary School - 11

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The leadership of the headteacher and key staff is very good. They work extremely well as a team, combining effective systems with a caring pastoral approach. Co-ordinators develop their subjects well and provide an effective lead. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The very supportive governing body is well organised, well informed, and new members attend courses. The governing body understands the strengths and weaknesses of the school very well indeed, and applies the principles of best value to all their decisions. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school sets itself high standards in all aspects of its work. The monitoring and evaluation of teaching by the headteacher, and of teachers’ planning by subject co-ordinators, is rigorous; this contributes to the high standards that pupils attain.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The school uses its grants and support staff well and this benefits the learning of pupils. Educational decisions are very carefully linked to the best possible value and their success is evident in pupils’ results at the age of 11.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources are good. All staff are appropriately trained. Accommodation is well maintained and learning resources are stimulating and well looked after.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school has high expectations and all staff are approachable • The teaching is good and children make good progress • The school helps the children to become mature and responsible • The behaviour is good • The school is well led and managed and works closely with parents • The range of extra-curricular activities • The amount of homework given to children

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views of the school. Inspectors disagree with parents’ concerns as the range of extra-curricular activities is good and the amount of homework given follows national guidance. However, there are inconsistencies in the regularity with which homework is given out and the school is already addressing this issue. Lady Bay Primary School - 12

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

1. When pupils enter the school their attainment on entry is average. They make sound progress throughout the Foundation Stage and attain the early learning goals in all areas of learning. However, their achievements, whilst satisfactory overall, could be better because, at present, the planning in the Foundation Stage is not rigorously identifying expectations of what groups of pupils will learn. There is a lack of extension activities when pupils have finished their work. Higher attaining pupils are, on occasions, insufficiently challenged and, whilst their progress is satisfactory overall, it is nevertheless inconsistent.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

2. By the end of Year 2, national test results show that, in comparison with all schools and similar schools, standards in reading were below the national average; in writing standards were well above the national average and in mathematics standards were in line with the national average. In science, teacher assessments indicate that standards were in line with the national average, both in comparison with all schools and with similar schools. Standards in reading have been very variable. They were very high in 1998, in 1999 they were below the national average in comparison with similar schools, and in 2000 they were above the national average. This uneven pattern represents clearly the variable attainment levels of the groups of pupils who took the tests. Over time, taking the three years 1998 – 2000 together, the figures show that the performance of pupils exceeded the national average in reading,

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

3. Inspection findings show that, by the age of seven, standards in reading are in line with the national average, standards in writing are well above average, standards in mathematics are above the national average, and standards in science are in line with the national average.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

4. Pupils’ achievements are good in writing and mathematics, they are satisfactory in reading and science, but there is room for improvement. Pupils experience difficulty in sounding out their words and do not have sufficiently well developed strategies to read on and to use context clues to help them decipher unfamiliar words. Pupils do not know how to blend both initial and final sounds correctly. Many pupils can read but average and below average pupils experience difficulty in understanding what they have read. In science there is an overuse of worksheets, which prevents pupils from recording their work in a variety of different ways, and pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to extend their skills of enquiry in the topics they have studied.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

5. In mathematics pupils in Year 2 achieve well in relation to their prior attainment, the introduction of the numeracy strategy and the good quality of teaching contribute to the incremental gains that pupils make in learning. Pupils are good at verbalising the strategies they use in working out mental mathematics. Pupils quickly learn that mathematics is fun and they enjoy working in time constraints. Through their teachers’ inventive approach they learn to appreciate the pattern in number as they count forward and backward to 100. They learn how to sequence and to work out the missing numbers. They can apply this knowledge to solving simple problems involving money, and explain readily their quick methods of calculation. Lady Bay Primary School - 13 6. By the end of Year 2 in science, pupils have secure knowledge of practical and investigative science, but the use of worksheets prevents them from recording their

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

results in a variety of ways and insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to use their skills of research and extend their learning using reference materials. Too much emphasis is placed on drawing and this restricts pupils’ writing up of experiments. For example, pupils draw objects that use electricity and batteries in the house, but insufficient attention is paid to how simple circuits work. Pupils can sort materials by their properties, and know that chocolate melts and when cool turns back to a solid. Pupils know about similarities and differences about themselves and are making good gains in their observational skills. They can plan a comparison and decide whether it is fair, but their recorded work is minimal. This contributes to standards being average rather than being above average.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

7. In 2001, by the end of Year 6, pupils attained well above average standards in English, and above average standards in mathematics and science both in comparison with all schools and in comparison with similar schools. 2000 test results show that standards in English, mathematics and science were well above average in comparison with all schools and, in comparison with similar schools, standards were well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. Over time, the performance of pupils exceeded the national average for their age group. The school exceeded its targets for both English and mathematics in 2001.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

8. Standards in speaking and listening are well above the national average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils have a rich vocabulary and use a variety of adjectives to describe their activities. They use tenses correctly and have a good awareness of audience. Standards in spelling are satisfactory overall by Year 2 and there is evidence to suggest that standards are improving, but too often teachers are not marking pupils’ work rigorously enough, and work on display contains many spelling errors. Pupils attain above average standards in art and information and communication technology, and in religious education pupils exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. In these subjects pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ achievements over time are good, in lessons examples of very good achievement were seen because of the very good

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

quality of teaching. Pupils in both key stages write very well. By the end of Year 2 they write about events from their experience, create poems with specific organisational patterns, plan stories and present their information in different formats, they use commas, question marks and link their sentences, using conjunctions and connectives. They write vivid accounts of Animals who came to Tea in the style of Judith Kerr, and they use a wide range of story openings, such as ‘Once upon a time’, ‘Suddenly there was a knock at the door’. Pupils use computers to edit their writing, they insert appropriate punctuation and save and print what they have written.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

9. By the time pupils are eleven, they write very well with an ease and fluency which is well above average for their age. They take very good notes to find out main ideas and details from paragraphs and they have a wide range of vocabulary to substitute the word “said”, such as “chuckled”, “murmured”, “gasped”, “commanded”, “exclaimed”. They have very good personal strategies for correcting their spelling, such as visualising the word in their heads, to check that it feels right. Pupils write very good descriptions of characters and develop them for the purpose of the reader through their interactions. They write stories from different points of view and in religious education they can appreciate the linguistic style and range of metaphoric expressions used in the Bible. Lady Bay Primary School - 14 10. In mathematics, by the end of Year 6 higher attaining pupils successfully work out how to solve problems, using large numbers and different types of calculations. They

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

are aware that “sums” are not mathematics and understand that mathematics is a useful tool with which to solve problems. Pupils are challenged to think for themselves and to defend their answers.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

11. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ achievements in science are good. Pupils can set up their own experiments, they know the principles of fair testing and they can explain the difference between shadow formation and reflection in terms of path of light. They use their knowledge about electrical conductors and insulators to answer questions about circuits and they recognise when observations and measurements need to be repeated. Throughout both key stages pupils apply their skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology well to other subjects. Pupils know how to measure forces, they can describe the difference between solids and liquids and they use a range of pie charts, line graphs and diagrams to present their findings.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

12. In information and communication technology at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils make good gains in learning. Year 6 pupils explore the effect of changing data in a spreadsheet, interpret, check and question data and recognise that poor quality information leads to unreliable results. Year 2 pupils add words and refine sentences in the light of comments make by the teacher, they develop an image, and modify and correct their work as they go; in both key stages pupils can search a CD-ROM purposefully, following straightforward lines of enquiry.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

13. By the end of Year 2 in religious education, pupils know about the major festivals that Christians, Muslims and Jews celebrate. They know that the Torah, Qu’ran and Bible all have important messages for the way we lead our lives, and they understand that places of worship, such as synagogues, mosques and churches, are attended by the faithful. They know many stories that Jesus told and they are developing a good understanding of signs and symbols in religion. By the end of Year 6 pupils know that sacred texts influence followers’ beliefs. Through the medium of drama they develop a very good understanding of empathy, whilst exploring role-play situations of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” Luke Chapter 6 verse 3. They eagerly ask questions of the teacher and one another, and show a deep understanding of why and how religious beliefs give people a meaning of life and develop a value system by which their lives are governed.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

14. By the end of both key stages pupils attain above average standards in art and achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. Teachers’ planning reveals that skills of shading, paint mixing, blending and sketching are rigorously taught. Pupils have the opportunity to work alongside a community artist, who has helped teachers link their topic on water to tie and dye work. The displays around the school are of very high quality and enhance the positive learning environment. Art is used to support the majority of curriculum subjects in both key stages. By the end of Year 2 pupils can weave, they have good observational skills and their still life drawings of fruit are very detailed. Pupils paint portraits representing a range of human emotions and illustrate the story “Handa’s surprise” with well-executed pastel drawings. By the end of Year 6 pupils have very good knowledge of the uses of camouflage, and they have

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

presented some very interesting designs of card animals on painted backgrounds. They have very secure skills of shading and pencil drawing, and have worked with a wide range of media, such as fabric, tie and dye, tissue collage. Excellent examples Lady Bay Primary School - 15 of Millennium Dominoes, designed by the pupils, were seen, and these won a prize from Nottinghamshire County Council.

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standards in mathematics, science and information and communication technology

15. Due to the short nature of the inspection, it is not possible to make a judgement on standards in other foundation subjects, but teachers’ planning indicates that all subjects of the National Curriculum are appropriately covered.

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seen in Key Stage 2

16 The quality of teaching overall is very good; over half of the lessons were very good, with one lesson being excellent. The best teaching is seen in Key Stage 2. There is no unsatisfactory teaching and much of the teaching, particularly of older pupils, is very good and sometimes excellent. An excellent mathematics lesson was seen in a Year 3/4 class. In this lesson pupils made very good progress because of the high expectations of the teacher, who challenged the pupils to solve money problems. The teacher gave pupils the opportunity to understand the concept of “expensive” and “value for money”. All groups of pupils made very good progress because they saw the relevance of what they were doing to everyday life.

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seen in Key Stage 2

17 Teachers in Key Stage 2 have very good subject knowledge and the quality of their teaching often reflects their individual subject expertise, especially in information and communication technology. A common feature throughout the school is the enthusiasm of subject leaders in the core subjects of the National Curriculum. The headteacher has managed to create a true learning community. Pupils learn from teachers who are themselves fired by the beauty and power of words or who believe passionately in the vital importance of mathematics in daily life. In a Year 2 literacy lesson, the teacher created a very purposeful learning environment by encouraging pupils to write. She often encouraged them by saying “Come on, I know that there is a keen writer inside every one of you, and you all have something valuable to say.”

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seen in Key Stage 2

18 The quality of teaching in the reception class, whilst satisfactory overall, has nevertheless some very positive features. The quality of relationships is very good and this has a very positive effect on these young children who feel very secure in their learning. The ratio of adults to children is good and children have opportunities to engage in imaginative play and learn through using their senses.

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seen in Key Stage 2

19 The quality of teaching in Years 1 and 2 is good overall, but it is better in Year 2 than in Year 1. Teachers plan their lessons carefully, taking into account what pupils know and understand and what they need to learn next. Much of the work is practical and teachers of younger pupils help them maintain concentration by varying the pace of different activities. For example pupils respond well to the challenge of calculating at a faster rate in mental mathematics sessions. In literacy the use of whiteboards to check spellings is particularly effective as this gives teachers the opportunity to detect early spelling difficulties. Pupils are encouraged to work with partners, or in small groups, and this helps develop their personal and social skills. Teachers are very sensitive to pupils’ feelings and, through their own example and encouragement, demonstrate how to treat others with sensitivity and so learn how to work

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seen in Key Stage 2

collaboratively and productively. Resources are well prepared to enable pupils to work independently, and support staff contribute well to helping pupils learn, and intervene appropriately in helping pupils overcome difficulties. Lady Bay Primary School - 16 20 The teaching of pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 is very good. Pupils know exactly what is expected of them and no time is wasted. Expectations of pupils are high; pupils are expected to finish their work in an allocated amount of time. The planning is very good across year groups and teachers clearly enjoy working together. In a Year 5/Year 6 religious education lesson, the teacher used role-play very effectively to help stories from the Bible come alive for the pupils. Teachers use questioning very well to help pupils learn, adapting the pace to help those who learn more slowly to understand. Each new question presents a different aspect to consider. This was

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seen in Key Stage 2

seen in a Year 5/Year 6 science lesson where the teacher reminded the pupils of the principles underpinning fair testing. She structured each question so that all groups of pupils could successfully respond to it but, at the same time, she pushed for clarity by insisting that pupils explained cause and effect. Teachers use visual aids, such as overhead projectors, very well and pupils enjoy presenting their findings using this particular aid. The good and better quality of teaching has a positive effect on pupils’ learning. Pupils feel safe in asking questions, they are interested and show good understanding because of the clear explanations. Pupils’ responses show an enthusiasm for learning because they know that they are encouraged to learn from mistakes. This contributes to the high standards attained at the end of Key Stage 2. Lady Bay Primary School - 17

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the school fosters pupils’ self-esteem well through a lively and vibrant curriculum

21 Pupils have very good attitudes, and personal development is very good due to the very good role modelling and examples set by staff. Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibility for their own conduct and learning in many lessons and at play. The newly formed group of Playground Peacemakers (school council) is a contributory factor to pupils’ personal development and subsequent very good attitudes and behaviour.

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the school fosters pupils’ self-esteem well through a lively and vibrant curriculum

22 The school aims to create a caring environment where everyone is valued, where differences are appreciated, where everyone can experience a sense of achievement. Equal opportunities underpin all school practices. These aims are evident in the school and particularly in the very good lessons seen as, overall, very good provision is made for pupils’ personal development. Assemblies celebrate pupils’ achievements and, during the week of inspection, one Year 2 pupil showed the pupils how a story can be told through dance and how, in order to master ballet steps, practice is needed. Pupils are valued throughout the school, and their contributions during lessons are warmly received by all teachers. There is a lot of inventive and creative pupils’ work on display, ranging from intricate Indian designs, as displayed in tie and dye work, to creative writing and poetry. Multicultural books are on display and are well used, and work of artists, such as Bridget Riley, is

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the school fosters pupils’ self-esteem well through a lively and vibrant curriculum

23 Pupils display very positive attitudes to learning due to the very good and better quality of teaching and good curriculum planning. Pupils say they like their teachers because the teachers help them in their work and learning is fun. When given opportunities to work on their own, they do so quietly with a strong will to succeed. They enjoy challenges and use computers well to support their learning, they are keen to improve the quality of their work and behaviour is very good in lessons and at play. There was one fixed period exclusion last year, but none this year. Pupils know and understand the rules, which are on display prominently in each classroom. Personal and social education lessons, coupled with circle time, often focus on issues involving responsibility, behaviour and attitude.

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the school fosters pupils’ self-esteem well through a lively and vibrant curriculum

24 The curriculum is lively and vibrant and is well planned. Medium term planning places particular emphasis on subject specific skills, which are progressively taught. This contributes to the high standards that pupils attain. Very good links exist with Nottinghamshire County Football and Cricket Clubs. Trips, visits, visitors, use of theatre groups, and the locality contribute positively to pupils’ love of learning. Specific focus weeks, such as the one aiming to promote science, are particularly effective. Very good use is made of parents’ specialisms and this brings learning opportunities alive for the pupils. An excellent example of this was given in a week in which many parents participated.

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the school fosters pupils’ self-esteem well through a lively and vibrant curriculum

25 Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. Pupils are encouraged to marvel at the achievements of artists and musicians; they learn about different faiths and they maintain the environmental garden well. They know that beliefs underpin actions and older pupils, in their poetry writing inspired by a religious education lesson, write “I believe in honesty, not only to others but to ourselves, and I also believe in hope for the future.” Pupils compose their own music to accompany their poetry reading and this has a very positive effect on their attitudes Lady Bay Primary School - 18 and personal development. Their class charter clearly displays that the right attitudes can change almost anything. Pupils work in mixed gender groups and value one another’s contributions. They learn about different faiths and ways of life and an appropriate range of multicultural books is used across the curriculum to develop

p.17

the school fosters pupils’ self-esteem well through a lively and vibrant curriculum

pupils’ understanding of the multicultural nature of our society. Pupils’ personal development and academic progress are carefully monitored by teachers; this information is used well to plan the next steps of pupils’ learning.

p.18

Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good

26 The school makes very good provision for special educational needs. The co- ordinator is efficient and ensures that all staff are aware of the need to identify pupils who may have special needs. As a result, pupils’ needs are identified early and their parents are involved at the very beginning. Records are kept meticulously and the individual education plans, written by class teachers, are of a similarly high quality. Pupils’ progress is measured through the individual education plans and notes kept on what they have achieved. All teachers use these plans well when identifying learning opportunities for their pupils.

p.18

Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good

27 The quality of assistance received by pupils with special educational needs is very good indeed. Teachers are required to review their class list at the beginning of each term to check whether the special needs identification and provision are accurate and up-to-date. Support staff and teachers are well trained so that they are aware, for example, of what to look out for in children’s development. Within class, support assistants work extremely well with pupils with special educational needs. In the older juniors, the organisation of teaching and learning ensures that those with special educational needs do not miss out. In science in Years 5 and 6, for example, pupils did exactly the same work as others but with opportunities to work with a friend in order to find out which materials would be best used to muffle sound. They worked together co-operatively and their learning was as good as that of others. The very

p.18

Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good

good provision for pupils with special educational needs is a key reason why standards are high at this school.

p.18

Partnership with parents is good, pupils like coming to school and attendance is high

28 The majority of parents view the school highly. They are made to feel welcome in the school and their views are sought on many issues. Many parents help out in school and this is greatly appreciated by staff and by pupils and has a positive effect on learning. Parents hear readers, help out with information and communication technology and group reading, and provide good quality support for the pupils in their care. Reports are well detailed and clearly reflect pupils’ achievements and areas for improvement.

p.18

Partnership with parents is good, pupils like coming to school and attendance is high

29 Parents are particularly pleased with individual targets that the school sets for their children, and the majority of them feel well informed. Parents make a valuable contribution to hearing their children read and use the home-school diaries well. Pupils enjoy the fact that there is good communication between parents and the school and that both parties are working together for their benefit. This results in pupils wanting to come to school because they know that they are valued, and consequently attendance rates are very high and contribute to the high standards that pupils attain. Parents receive regular newsletters regarding the content of the work, which will be covered in classes. This they appreciate. The good involvement of Lady Bay Primary School - 19 parents contributes to the high standards that pupils attain by the time that they leave school.

p.18

previous best performance

30 The headteacher is very caring, knowledgeable and totally committed to the pupils in her care. She has a very clear view of the school and has shaped its development to focus on raising standards and improving overall provision. There is consistency in the way the school is managed and run. Standards are expected to be high and sustained. The lead comes from the headteacher, who is continuously seeking ways to improve on previous best performance. This is achieved through a very rigorous analysis of data, consultation with parents, very good implementation of performance management initiatives, very good school development planning and staff development. The headteacher has a clearly defined vision for the school, based upon her very well developed philosophy of equal opportunities for all. She is well supported in this by her senior management team and subject co-ordinators, who execute their duties well.

p.19

previous best performance

31 A contributory factor to the high standards that pupils attain is the very good monitoring of teaching, learning and pupils’ progress. Areas for improvement identified in the monitoring of the school’s performance form the basis for the school improvement plan, staff training, curriculum development and appropriate allocation of funds. All improvements are firmly linked to improving pupils’ achievements, both academic and personal. For example, in a successful attempt to raise standards at the end of Key Stage 1, the headteacher placed a member of her senior management team, who previously taught at Key Stage 2, into Key Stage 1. Financial planning is good. All issues identified by the recent audit have been addressed and money is spent wisely to ensure that pupils receive the best value educationally.

p.19

previous best performance

32 The headteacher is respected by her pupils, staff and parents. She visits classes regularly and, consequently, really knows her pupils well. The senior management team ably undertakes the management of the school, and systems are in place, which mean that the curriculum and its link to assessment are very well organised.

p.19

previous best performance

33 The governing body fulfil their duties well; they ensure that all statutory requirements are met. They are well organised, attend regular training and make a very good contribution to setting appropriate priorities and targets, which are reflected in the school improvement plan. This identifies actions to be taken and reviews progress.

p.19

previous best performance

34 The governing body is organised into relevant sub-committees, but in actuality all governors are interested and involved in whole school issues, because they want to know how best they can help the school. In addition, the governing body monitor the work of the school by visiting the classes and monitoring teaching and learning and providing reports on their findings to the headteacher. The headteacher provides very good quality information for the governing body and this enables them to review the standards achieved in national tests.

p.19

previous best performance

35 Communication between all parties concerned is very good. The headteacher delegates very well to staff; she expects high standards in all that they do, but she ensures that they know how to execute their roles due to the good quality training that Lady Bay Primary School - 20 they receive. The atmosphere of the school is quite distinctive and the warmth and humanity of its leadership is instantly evident.

p.19

Standards in reading, spelling and science at the end of Key Stage 1

36 Inspection findings show that, whilst standards in reading, spelling and science are average, they could be further improved, as these pupils are capable of achieving higher standards.

p.20

Standards in reading, spelling and science at the end of Key Stage 1

37 At present there is a high emphasis placed upon pupils becoming avid readers and writers, but this is occasionally at the expense of rigorous teaching of reading and spelling. For example, pupils read their books every day but insufficient opportunities are provided for shared and guided reading. In light of the results of the national tests of 2001, where reading is below average, further emphasis needs to be placed upon teaching reading, using the methodology prescribed by the National Literacy Strategy. This can be done during the afternoon, when pupils are involved in silent reading sessions. Pupils struggle with segmenting words, sounding out initial and final blends, and using structural devices to find information. Many pupils can read mechanically, but they do not always understand what they have read. This is particularly the case for average and below average attaining pupils. The

p.20

Standards in reading, spelling and science at the end of Key Stage 1

opportunities for pupils to undertake guided reading, and to read in a structured manner on a regular basis, are too infrequent. The school has recognised this as an area for improvement and plans are under way to rectify this.

p.20

Standards in reading, spelling and science at the end of Key Stage 1

38 Teachers’ marking in Year 1 and Year 2 does not always rigorously identify mis-spelt words. Pupils are sometimes told not to worry about their spellings, but to concentrate on their writing. However, some of these pupils are capable of using dictionaries and, in order to raise standards even further, more emphasis needs to be placed upon using pupils’ spelling mistakes as teaching points and enabling them to strive for spelling words correctly.

p.20

Standards in reading, spelling and science at the end of Key Stage 1

39 In science, the quality and quantity of written work needs to be improved. Scrutiny of pupils’ work reveals that too much time is devoted to pupils drawing their responses rather than developing their writing skills further. Whilst little work was available for scrutiny, it was nevertheless evident that the use of worksheets was excessive.

p.20

higher attainers

40 Whilst provision, including the quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage of learning, is satisfactory overall, it could be better, especially for those pupils who are higher attainers. It must be remembered that this is only the second year that the school has implemented the curriculum for the Foundation Stage of learning. Whilst all the areas of learning are appropriately taught and are well resourced, the quality of planning could be improved, especially in relation to expectations of higher attaining pupils. Many of these children have attended nursery and playgroups and are ready for more structured activities, especially in reading, writing and number work. Planning does not clearly indicate what the learning outcomes will be for the different attainment groups of pupils. This is especially the case in role-play activities, which are not always rigorously structured. There is also a lack of extension activities for pupils

p.20

higher attainers

who have finished their work. Pupils are occupied through play but their rates of Lady Bay Primary School - 21 progress are not always fast enough due to the fact that insufficient opportunities are provided for them to learn basic skills of reading and writing. For example, when playing in the café, higher attaining pupils occupied themselves by drawing around their hands, making fans and colouring pictures they had drawn. Insufficient learning opportunities were provided for them to learn about menus, placing orders, booking tables and developing their literacy skills. A group of pupils working with construction toys were unclear about what they had to do and, therefore, continued to build on their own without being involved in planning, negotiating and collaborating. This is because the learning objectives identified in both medium and short-term planning are too broad. Whilst plenty of opportunities are provided for pupils to use their

p.20

higher attainers

senses, further rigour is required in ensuring that play is structured and purposeful and that planning clearly identifies what all groups of pupils will learn when participating in the activities.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

41 Raise standards in reading, spelling and science in Key Stage 1 by: 36, 37, 38, 39

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their reading through regular shared and guided reading sessions; • using pupils’ spelling mistakes as teaching points and encouraging pupils to use dictionaries to check their spelling; • ensuring that word level work is more closely linked to the text that pupils have studied; • providing more opportunities for pupils to record their work in science, limiting the number of worksheets, and ensuring that there is an appropriate balance between writing and drawing.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Improve provision in the Foundation Stage by: 40

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that learning objectives are very specific and planning rigorously identifies what all groups of pupils (especially the higher attainers) will know and understand in the activities they undertake; • providing further challenges for above average attaining pupils; • providing well structured extension activities for those pupils who have finished their work early.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(The school has recognised these issues in its development plan.) Lady Bay Primary School - 22

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 4

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage 5 53 21 21 [ ] [ ] [ ] 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 one percentage point[s].

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 368*

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 26 FTE means full-time equivalent. * Numbers based on last year’s figures.

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 104

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 18

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 18

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 20

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Lady Bay Primary School - 23 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) Year Boys Girls Total

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 26 30 56

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 23 25 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 28 27

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 89 (78) 95 (84) 93 (86) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 24 26 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 28 27 28

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 93 (90) 95 (88) 93 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 30 23 53

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 27 27 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 21 19 22

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 91 (85) 87 (79) 94 (96) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 24 29 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 21 20 21

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 85 (77) 92 (77) 92 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Lady Bay Primary School - 24 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14 Financial year 2001

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25:1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 626 693

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 625 603

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 167.5 Expenditure per pupil 1 803

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance brought forward from previous year 42 909 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

Strongl y agree Tend to agree Tend to disagre e Strongl y disagre e Don’t know

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 45 47 4 0 4

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 43 53 2 1 1

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 19 38 30 3 9

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 53 13 1 4

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 30 2 0 2

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 42 51 5 0 3

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 39 48 8 0 6

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 38 53 3 1 6

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 52 1 1 3

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 13 35 23 18 12

p.25