Sound and District Primary School

SOUND AND DISTRICT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 -16 October 2001

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SOUND AND DISTRICT 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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SOUND AND DISTRICT 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. Sound and District Primary School - 3 - October 2001

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Whitchurch Road Sound Nantwich Cheshire Postcode: CW5 7JN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 30 June 1997 Sound and District Primary School - 4 - October 2001

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Team members

11371 Mr F P Ravey Registered inspector 9883 Mr B Silvester Lay inspector 17767 Mrs S Power Team inspector

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Team members

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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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 Sound and District Primary School - 5 - October 2001

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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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

Sound and District Primary School - 6 - October 2001

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the rural district of Sound, near Nantwich in South Cheshire. It is much smaller than most schools nationally, having 94 pupils on roll from Reception to Year 6. Most of the pupils come from the surrounding areas but a significant minority comes from further afield, largely due to the school’s good reputation. Pupils are taught in four classes, each having pupils from two year groups. Five Traveller children attend the school. The percentage of pupils having special educational needs broadly matches the national average. The vast majority of pupils are from white ethnic groups. No pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals last year was 13.7 per cent, a figure which is broadly in line with the national average. The attainment of children when they start school varies greatly. Overall it is broadly average although the attainment on entry of this year’s Reception children in writing and

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

mathematics was below average. At the time of the inspection, the permanent teacher for pupils in the seven to nine age group was absent due to long-term illness. The class for these pupils also contains a very small minority of pupils whose behaviour is very challenging.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with some outstandingly good features in the education it provides. Standards attained in National Curriculum test results at age 11 in recent years have often been very high. Teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Very good care is taken of pupils and the school has a strong family’ feel’ to it. The strength of leadership and very deep sense of commitment shown by the headteacher contribute greatly to the school’s success. Although the cost of educating pupils is very high, owing to this being a small school, the good quality of education provided and pupils’ good achievements mean that it provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils largely achieve above average, and sometimes high, standards by the age of 11. • Teaching is of at least good quality in most lessons. • Relationships and pupils’ personal development are very good. • The school offers a good range of learning opportunities to all its pupils and makes very good provision for Traveller children. • The school takes very good care of its pupils. • A very effective partnership is formed with parents. • The headteacher provides strong and effective leadership.

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What could be improved

• Standards in writing throughout the school. • The behaviour of a very small minority of pupils in the seven to nine age group. • The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in other subjects. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement since its previous inspection, in June 1997. Standards attained by the age of 11 in English, mathematics and science have risen at a higher rate than nationally. The school has often achieved high standards in mathematics and science at age 11. The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection. The school has addressed successfully the key issues raised in the previous inspection report. Governors are now more fully involved in the work of the school and a successful planned programme is in place to develop pupils’ Sound and District Primary School - 7 - October 2001 spirituality. A significant factor promoting improvement is school management’s very good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement.

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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

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

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Key

As the numbers of pupils in particular year groups are low when compared with the national picture, statistical interpretations must be treated with caution. Small variations may become magnified once translated into percentages and may thus give a distorted picture.

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Key

The above average (and often higher) standards achieved in many National Curriculum tests over the past three years show that pupils achieve well. Standards in English at age 11 have been at least above average in recent years when compared with schools nationally. Standards at age 11 in mathematics and science have often been in the top five per cent achieved compared with schools nationally in recent years although they were at average levels in 2001. The comparatively lower levels in standards in 2001 in mathematics and science was largely due to smaller proportions of pupils gaining higher levels in their National Curriculum tests than has usually been the case in recent years. The statistical effect of these smaller proportions is magnified by the relatively small number of pupils taking the test, with each pupil being worth about seven percentage points. In comparison with similar schools nationally, the school’s performance was very good in 2000, with

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Key

standards being in the top five per cent achieved nationally in mathematics and science but somewhat lower in 2001 in these subjects owing to variations in attainment across the two year groups. Inspection findings show that pupils generally achieve well in relation to the broadly average levels at which they start school.

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Key

Work seen during the inspection confirms the school’s accurate analysis of pupils’ attainment for the present Year 6 group of pupils. This show that attainment amongst this group is significantly lower than in previous years. However, it is clear from work seen during the inspection that these pupils are attaining well enough in relation to their levels of attainment in previous years. Generally, standards are higher in mathematics and science than in English. This reflects the greater strength in the way in which the school plans its teaching in these subjects.

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Key

At age seven, pupils achieve well in their reading and mathematics but not so well in writing. This is part of a consistent picture relating to writing standards throughout the school and is a significant area for school improvement. The standards achieved by pupils of different attainments are very largely high enough, writing being an exception. Traveller children make very good progress in their work, due to good teaching. Throughout the school the level of demand in most work provided means that pupils of all attainments and backgrounds achieve well, especially in mathematics and science. This level of demand is not as high in tasks related to developing the quality of pupils’ writing. The school sets challenging yet realistic targets in English and mathematics for each cohort of Year 6 pupils. It is very successful in achieving these.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Sound and District Primary School - 8 - October 2001

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils show good attitudes to school. Amongst pupils in the nine to 11 age group, attitudes are very good. Pupils appreciate the good quality of education with which they are provided.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is largely good, both in lessons and around the school. The behaviour of pupils in the nine to 11 age group is very good and sometimes excellent. A very small minority of pupils in the seven to nine age group behaves inappropriately in lessons and this sometimes disrupts learning.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development and relationships are very good. Pupils and staff relate very well to one another. Pupils are keen to take responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is a little above average and is satisfactory. The school makes great efforts to ensure that Traveller children, in particular, are encouraged to attend.

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

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

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

Teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ learning and achievement, especially in mathematics and science. Teaching of writing is improving but has yet to have the same consistently good impact on learning throughout the school. The school has recognised this as an area for improvement and has begun to implement good plans to achieve this. Teachers have good subject knowledge, particularly in literacy and numeracy. They relate very well to pupils and establish very good conditions for learning. A strength of the teaching is the way in which work is planned effectively for all groups of pupils. The teaching of Traveller children is a good example of this, resulting in these pupils making very good progress. Teachers largely manage pupils’ behaviour very well although this is less successful with a very small number of badly behaved pupils in the seven to nine age group. The large majority of pupils are eager to learn and they work hard. Pupils in the nine to 11 age group work

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

especially hard. A very small minority of those in the seven to nine age group have unsatisfactory attitudes to learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school offers a good range of effective learning opportunities. An excellent feature of its provision is in the opportunity given to all pupils to learn French if they so wish. The learning opportunities provided for Traveller children are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils with special educational needs are provided with good opportunities to develop their skills. Well-composed individual education plans ensure that their work contains a good level of demand. Sound and District Primary School - 9 - October 2001 How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares very well for all its pupils and especially for those who are Traveller children. There is a very strong sense of family in this school. It is a very happy and harmonious community.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong, effective and sometimes inspirational leadership. She leads ‘from the front’, by example, and her deep sense of commitment to pupils has led to the formation of a very strong team approach by staff. She is well supported by the deputy headteacher and other subject leaders.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil their responsibilities well. They are very supportive of the school and are well informed about its activities.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school makes very effective analysis of test data in order to provide pupils with suitable learning opportunities. School management has a very clear view of strengths and areas for improvement. Evaluation of teachers’ performance is satisfactory although a little restricted by the time available in such a small school.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes good use of the resources available to it. Governors pay satisfactory attention to ensuring that the principles of best value are applied.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school • Teaching is good • They are kept well informed about their children’s education • The school has high expectations of their children • School staff are very approachable • The school is well led and managed • The school helps their children to grow in a mature and responsible way • A small minority feel that their children do not get the right amount of homework

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the very positive views expressed by parents. They found that the school provided the right amount of homework for pupils. Sound and District Primary School - 10 - October 2001

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eleven

1. The above average standards achieved by age 11 and the very high standards sometimes achieved in recent years in mathematics and science, are due to a combination of factors. A significant factor is the quality of teaching but this is underpinned by other factors in the quality of education provided and in subject management that help teachers to be successful in their work.

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eleven

2. Work seen in lessons and in pupils’ books provides evidence of teachers’ high expectations. For example, in a Year 5/6 numeracy lesson, the teacher consistently urged pupils to keep up the pace of their work, encouraging them to set themselves targets in this. This was combined with very good subject knowledge and very good relationships between pupils and resulted in pupils working hard to improve their techniques of problem-solving. In Year 3/4, the teacher had planned very carefully to provide pupils of all attainments with work on co-ordinates that not only challenged them but held their interest. In this lesson, high attaining pupils, in particular, made good progress in reading maps of the local area using grid references. Science work in the books of Year 2 pupils showed a very good level of challenge, and hence high expectations, in the tasks pupils had to complete in relation to changes of shape in

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eleven

3. Good planning is a feature of work, particularly in mathematics and science. Teachers use the framework of the National Numeracy Strategy very effectively as the basis for planning learning tasks that challenge pupils of all attainments. In science, tasks are designed to challenge pupils to think scientifically. The curriculum in these subjects is planned with a strong degree of understanding and to a good level of detail. The knowledge and understanding of subject co-ordinators comes across strongly, as does their enthusiasm for their subjects. The result of this well understood, well organised curriculum is that teachers provide pupils with good learning opportunities. Allied to the teachers’ high expectations in lessons, this results in good achievement.

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Teaching is of at least good quality in most lessons

4. In addition to the features of effective teaching outlined in paragraphs 2 and 3, teachers ensure that the level of demand on pupils’ learning in lessons is high. This is not only achieved through setting pupils work that challenges and interests them, it is also done through well worded questions that encourage them to think. The very good relationships that teachers establish with pupils help to set a very positive climate for learning – one in which pupils are enthusiastic and eager to respond. This was seen at an excellent level in a personal and social education lesson in Year 5/6, when pupils’ views and feelings were clearly respected and as a result they produced thoughtful and appropriate views on the title ‘Somebody I Feel is a Real Friend’.

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Teaching is of at least good quality in most lessons

5. These very good relationships and high expectations are evident in all those who work with pupils. A Year 2 Traveller pupil, working one-to-one with a specialist teacher, was clearly made to feel both valued and capable. As a result, he was very keen to learn. Good skills of teaching reading then resulted in him making very good Sound and District Primary School - 11 - October 2001 progress in developing his ability to read simple words through recognising the sounds that make them up. In Year 1 / 2, adult helpers were very well prepared by the teacher so that the work they did with small groups of pupils was very appropriate to these pupils’ learning needs. The very positive way in which these helpers related to pupils ensured that a good climate for learning was created.

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Relationships and pupils’ personal development are very good

6. A major strength in the teaching and in the school’s broader educational provision lies in the high quality of relationships established and sustained throughout the school. It is totally apparent how much pupils like their teachers and how much teachers respect their pupils. This forms the foundation for effective learning in lessons and for the way in which pupils’ personal and social development is promoted so successfully outside lessons.

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Relationships and pupils’ personal development are very good

7. Before the inspection, it was evident that parents agreed strongly that their children like school and that the school is having a very positive influence upon their personal and social development. The accuracy of this view was evident throughout the inspection. Even on the few occasions when a small minority of pupils did not behave appropriately, the quality of relationships within the lesson was sustained. Relationships are built effectively from the earliest days at school. They are promoted through respect but also through high expectation of behaviour and attitudes. It was very noticeable in the Reception group that the teacher had high expectations that children wait their turn and signal before offering a response to a question. When this was, very occasionally, not forthcoming, the teacher persisted pleasantly and patiently until the child had learned this important lesson. In the five to seven age

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Relationships and pupils’ personal development are very good

group, two support assistants worked patiently and with good humour to encourage pupils to learn in small groups. In the nine to 11 age group, the teacher established superb relationships with pupils in a lesson on personal and social education. This led to pupils reflecting very thoughtfully on a variety of topics, including friendship. The spirituality on this occasion was almost tangible!

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Relationships and pupils’ personal development are very good

8. Older pupils help younger ones at lunch time. All learn to work well together when asked to do so in lessons. This was a significant strength in many lessons seen. Pupils are given the chance to shine with their particular talents. For example, in assembly, some accompanied the singing very well with percussion instruments. Pupils themselves were quick to point out the strength of the school in making them feel valued as people. One Year 4 pupil put it very well:

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Relationships and pupils’ personal development are very good

“(In this school) everybody’s friendly and polite … . If someone’s lonely, someone will help.”

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The school offers a good range of learning opportunities to all its pupils

9. Pupils of all attainments receive their full curricular entitlement. In addition, the school makes very good provision for Traveller children, good provision for personal and social education and good provision for activities outside lessons. Very clearly focused individual education plans help teachers of pupils with special educational needs to ensure that these pupils are also well challenged to learn. A good programme of homework supplements the work done in school.

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The school offers a good range of learning opportunities to all its pupils

10. A strength of teachers’ planning is the way in which pupils of all attainments receive work that matches their learning needs. This was evident in lessons throughout the inspection. Sometimes tasks are different; at other times pupils are given the same Sound and District Primary School - 12 - October 2001 task but with extra support to help them learn. A good example of this was seen in a literacy lesson in the five to seven age group when well-planned support for learning helped low attaining pupils compose similes. In the same lesson, pupils from different age groups but of similar attainment worked together successfully.

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The school offers a good range of learning opportunities to all its pupils

11. The school makes very good use of the local education authority support services to help make very good provision for Traveller children. The local Traveller Education Service provides specialist teaching support each week. The quality of this teaching is good. Pupils observed made very good progress in developing the skills of reading. However, the school also does all it can to ensure that Traveller children are fully included as members of the school community. The local Education Welfare Officer liaises closely with the school and with the specialist teacher to help ensure that Traveller children attend regularly. The school keeps comprehensive records of pupils’ progress to pass to other schools when Traveller children move on.

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The school offers a good range of learning opportunities to all its pupils

12. A great strength of provision of activities outside lessons is the opportunity given to all pupils to learn French, if they wish. Lessons are available on a Monday for pupils from Reception to Year 6. Many pupils take part enthusiastically and successfully. The standard of French spoken in the lesson observed was good. The teacher provides a very good example of how to speak French and her skills in helping pupils to enjoy the subject and to develop their speaking skills in imaginary situations is of high quality. Other activities outside lessons include musical tuition, a Performing Arts club (held during the Spring Term) and athletics, cricket and rounders clubs (held during the Summer Term).

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The school offers a good range of learning opportunities to all its pupils

13. Provision for personal and social education successfully permeates many aspects of school life. Very good relationships between pupils and teachers, together with challenging work tasks, set the tone for good co-operative work between small groups of pupils in lessons. This ability to work together is encouraged from Reception onwards. For example, Reception children in a physical education lesson were asked to work together in pairs to move around as the ‘dish’ and the ‘spoon’ from the nursery rhyme ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’. Most did this very successfully. Pupils are encouraged to help each other with, for example, older ones sitting with younger ones in the dining room to help them with their lunch. At break times, older pupils show care for the safety of younger ones whilst also playing games with them. The introduction of ‘circle time’ (when pupils play team games and also sit in a circle to talk about various topics) is making a very positive impression on pupils’

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The school offers a good range of learning opportunities to all its pupils

development. In the Year 5/6 lesson observed, pupils had clearly learned a great deal about team co-operation and about the way to conduct themselves in a sensitive discussion. The class’s recent residential, teambuilding trip had clearly had a beneficial effect along with the teacher’s excellent creation of the right atmosphere for this lesson.

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The school takes very good care of its pupils

14. The very good quality of personal support and guidance provided for pupils contributes strongly to their welfare. Everybody knows everybody else in this small school and everyone has a caring attitude towards others. This is based on the hard work done by the headteacher and staff to create a family atmosphere at the school. Parents feel that their children are very well cared for; and inspectors agree. This commentary contains many examples of the relatively small things that add-up to very good care. These include older pupils being actively encouraged to help younger ones and the provision of play equipment at lunch times. The care and concern Sound and District Primary School - 13 - October 2001 shown for the attendance and welfare of Traveller children is very obvious. The local education authority Education Welfare Officer is a valued member of the school team and helps ensure that links with Travellers are maintained well. Detailed analysis of

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The school takes very good care of its pupils

test and other assessment data and well-planned actions arise from it ensure that pupils’ academic progress is watched closely.

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A very effective partnership is formed with parents

15. Parents have very positive views of the school. They are well aware of the many ways in which their children’s education is enriched beyond the normal curriculum and are very appreciative of these. The school communicates effectively with parents and encourages them to play their part in their children’s learning. The approachability of school staff helps to set a good foundation for partnership and this is built upon by strategies such as the very clearly valued reading records sent between school and home. The level of exchange in some of these was of high quality indeed! The annual reports parents receive about their children’s progress are of good quality. They give parents a clear picture of progress made as well as setting targets for improvement. Parents welcome the regular opportunities provided to discuss their children’s progress. The Parent-Teacher association makes a good contribution to the life of the school, both socially and through fund-raising. At

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A very effective partnership is formed with parents

present, the association is helping the school with much needed funds for computers.

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The headteacher provides strong and effective leadership

16. Prior to the inspection, the headteacher wrote a statement evaluating the school’s present position and its recent improvement. This clear, concise and coherent document painted a very accurate picture of the school and indicated the headteacher’s very clear understanding of the school and its needs. Also very evident then, and during the inspection, was her very deep commitment to the school and the effectiveness of her leadership in building a staff team with a clear shared vision for improvement. This has helped to strengthen further the very evident sense of family and community in the school, something shared by staff, pupils, governors and parents. She has led staff in closely analysing test data and in using the information gained to help plan work to improve standards. This has had a clear impact in the school’s recent very good National Curriculum test results. Her concern with improvement is illustrated by the way in which she went through the previous

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The headteacher provides strong and effective leadership

inspection report and looked for every reference to improvement. This resulted in a post-OFSTED action plan that went well beyond the key issue requirements and which has aided the school in improvement. In addition, the headteacher provides strong leadership of mathematics, helping the school to secure high standards. Her teaching load ensures that she has great familiarity with the needs of teachers and pupils. Sound and District Primary School - 14 - October 2001

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Standards in writing throughout the school

17. Standards in writing at age seven have been weaker than those in reading in mathematics in recent years. Standards in writing at age 11 have consistently fallen behind those in mathematics and science. These statistics reflect a national trend. During the inspection, the quality of teaching in literacy lessons seen was good although the focus in these lessons was often on reading rather than writing. The main weaknesses in the teaching of writing lie in the lack of sufficiently well planned opportunities for pupils to develop their skills; the lack of a sufficiently sharp and rigorous focus in the marking of pupils’ work; and the use made of information gained from this type of assessment and others that take place in lessons.

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Standards in writing throughout the school

18. A significant weakness lies in the lack of consistency in teachers’ planning for the teaching of writing. In the best plans, for the nine to 11 age group, the skills to be learned in the lessons (‘lesson objectives’) are clearly stated and the activities to help pupils develop these skills are detailed alongside. In other plans, learning objectives are often missing, making it difficult to identify the skills to be learned and hence to assess pupils’ progress in developing writing skills. Activities sometimes lack a sharp enough focus, as for example when plans state that pupils will ‘write in sentences’ but do not provide clear expectations of what elements of sentence structure will be developed. As a result, skills are often not developed systematically or sufficiently.

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Standards in writing throughout the school

19. Teachers’ plans mostly give little indication of how and when pupils will be given opportunities to engage in writing longer pieces of work in order to develop fluency and style. Opportunities to do this through work in different subjects are not clearly identified and the impact of this is that pupils do not receive a sufficiently consistent and planned approach to the development of writing skills. Information and communication technology is identified well in some plans as a means of encouraging pupils to improve their writing but, again, there is a lack of consistency in plans with regard to this.

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Standards in writing throughout the school

20. Teachers mark pupils’ work conscientiously but often this amounts to ticks and praise for the pupil and does not extend to highlighting a point for improvement and then following this up until the improvement is evidently secure in the pupils’ work. Sometimes it is difficult to identify what has been marked because the marking is in the same colour as the pupils’ work. In addition, work is sometimes not presented to a high enough standard and the quality of pupils’ handwriting is sometimes poor.

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Standards in writing throughout the school

21. As a result of these deficiencies, valuable opportunities are lost to improve writing skills systematically. The school has recognised the need to make improvements in writing and the literacy co-ordinator has recently produced a detailed plan of action to address the weakness in this area. Whilst this plan is in the early stages of implementation, it forms a good basis for improvement. The school has recently purchased national guidance on the teaching of writing and is beginning to consider the use of this.

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The behaviour of a very small minority of pupils in the seven to nine age group

22. The behaviour of the large majority of pupils was at least good throughout the inspection. The behaviour of pupils in the nine to 11 age group was exemplary. Just a very small minority of pupils in the seven to nine age group behaved in a persistently Sound and District Primary School - 15 - October 2001 unacceptable way and were not amenable to correction. The school has recently revised its behaviour policy and, following consultation with pupils, is developing a shared approach to identifying useful and workable rules for behaviour. However, a detailed sequence of procedures to deal with persistent misbehaviour is not yet available. The school intends that such procedures should include both behaviour management strategies for use in lessons and around the school together with details of further support from parents and other agencies.

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The use of information and communication technology in other subjects

23. The school is making good strides forward in developing information and communication technology as part of the curriculum. Teachers have undergone nationally funded training in the use of computers. New computers are being bought and a technology suite is planned. However, although teachers plans all refer to the development of skills in information and communication technology, planning does not as yet systematically identify opportunities to use and develop these skills through work in other subjects. This leads to the loss of opportunities both to develop such skills and also to use information and communication technology as a means of motivating pupils to learn. Some teachers’ plans contain examples of good practice in this and provide the school with the basis for developing such opportunities throughout the curriculum. Sound and District Primary School - 16 - October 2001

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

24. In order to build upon its considerable strengths and to improve standards further, the school should:

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improve the quality of pupils’ writing throughout the school by:

• providing more opportunities in all year groups for pupils to develop their skills in longer pieces of written work; • identifying opportunities in planning for other subjects through which pupils can develop writing skills; • spreading existing good practice in teachers’ planning to develop a whole-school, improved approach to planning, particularly in relation to the identification of learning objectives and by focusing more sharply upon skills to be developed in lesson activities; • focusing teachers’ marking more closely upon improving pupils’ skills; • making more consistent use of pupils’ individual targets for learning to make them more aware of the skills they are to improve; • developing and implementing whole-school procedures for improving the quality of pupils’ handwriting and the presentation of their work; • providing teachers with the training needed to develop their skills of teaching

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improve the behaviour of a very small minority of pupils by:

• developing and applying consistently a set of whole-school procedures for managing behaviour, using the expert advice available locally for this purpose and seeking the support of other agencies as necessary; • informing parents swiftly of persistent misbehaviour by their children and seeking their support in improving behaviour.

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by:

• including opportunities for the use of information and communication technology in planning for other subjects.

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by:

All three of these points for improvement have been identified by the school. Sound and District Primary School - 17 - October 2001

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 6

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 7 14 57 21 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than seven percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 92

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 13 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 23

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

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Attendance

National comparative data 93.9 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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

Year Boys Girls Total Sound and District Primary School - 18 - October 2001 Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 3 9 12

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

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

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (80) 100 (87) 100 (80) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

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

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

Percentage of pupils School 75 (73) 100 (73) 92 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 8 10 18

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

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

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (93) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

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

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (64) 94 (79) 100 (79) 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. Separate data for boys and girls is omitted owing to the small number of boys and girls taking the national tests. Sound and District Primary School - 19 - October 2001

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.8 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total income 23,2830

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Total expenditure 23,7834

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 46 Expenditure per pupil 2,478

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 17,302

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 12,298

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult N/A FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Sound and District Primary School - 20 - October 2001

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 49 40 2 0 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 42 49 7 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 40 18 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 62 29 2 0 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 24 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 27 2 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 56 29 13 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 58 33 4 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 27 0 0 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 60 24 13 0 2

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