Kineton Green Primary School

KINETON GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 11 th October 2001

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KINETON GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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KINETON GREEN 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. Kineton Green Primary School - 3 October 2001

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Kineton Green Road Olton Solihull West Midlands

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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: 3 rd March 1997 Kineton Green Primary School - 4 October 2001

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 18842 Mrs G Peet Registered inspector Science Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Physical education Equal Opportunities What sort of school is it? The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 13459 Mrs. E. Mills Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and beliefs How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 29263 Mrs F Clarke Team inspector Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage Mathematics Music Religious education 26414 Mrs A Tapsfield Team inspector English Geography History Special Educational Needs English as an Additional Language How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Kineton Green Primary School - 5 October 2001 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Kineton Green Primary School - 6 October 2001

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 31

Kineton Green Primary School - 7 October 2001

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Kineton Green Primary School is a smaller than average sized school with 129 full time pupils ranging from four to eight years of age in the main school and 30 part time pupils aged from three to four in the nursery. The school has recently changed its status from that of an infant school and nursery to that of a primary school. It currently has 28 pupils in the junior part of the school, all of whom are in Year 3. Most children who enter the reception class have already spent one year in the school nursery. The attainment of most children on entry to the nursery is average or slightly above average. By the time children leave the reception class and enter the infant school, it is generally above average. There are similar number of boys and girls in the school, although this year, in the nursery there are twice as many boys as girls. Most pupils come from the nearby privately owned housing, although a

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

minority come from further away because the parents like the caring approach of the school. Twenty pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is in line with the national average. At the time of the inspection there were eleven pupils who speak English as an additional language but only one at the early stages of learning it. The school has a lower than average number of pupils who are on the register of pupils with special educational needs and no pupil has a statement of special educational need. The school aims are very focused on developing the whole child. Inclusion is fundamental to the ethos of the school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school with many good and some very good features. It is successful because of the excellent leadership of the headteacher. She has been an inspiration to the senior management team and to the governing body who together with the headteacher provide a clear educational direction for the school and a commitment to raising standards. She is ably supported by a hardworking staff. The pupils achieve high standards in the core subjects of reading, writing, mathematics and science. The quality of teaching is good and pupils’ attitudes to their work are very good. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well  The leadership and management of the headteacher, the senior management team and governing body are excellent.  The standards pupils attain in English, mathematics and science are high.  The very good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and the very good care the school shows for all its pupils results in high standards of behaviour and very good relationships throughout the school.  The school’s links with parents are very good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved  The use of information and communication technology across all aspects of the curriculum. 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 last inspection took place in March 1997. The level of improvement since then has been very good. Standards have improved in each of the core subjects of reading, writing and mathematics. Standards have improved from unsatisfactory to satisfactory in art, music and physical education. The key issues of the last inspection have been addressed well. Assessment of pupils and the monitoring and evaluating of the work of the school are now very good and are the means by which standards have been raised. Training has raised levels of staff awareness of the National Curriculum and other educational developments and the quality of teaching has improved from much that was then unsatisfactory, to good. The role of coordinators and the governing body has been strengthened and they now make a significant contribution to the management of the school. The school has prepared well for the transition from infant school to primary school.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Kineton Green Primary School - 8 October 2001

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

Reading A A B B well above average above average A B Writing A A B A average below average C D Mathematics A A B B well below average E

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STANDARDS

 Although the results of the National Curriculum tests over the last three years dropped slightly in 2000, they nevertheless demonstrate consistently high standards in all three subjects.  The 2001 results are better in reading, writing, mathematics and science. All pupils attained the expected standard and an increased number attained the higher Level 3. In reading and mathematics, over half the pupils attained the higher Level 3.  Although standards of handwriting are similar to those seen in other schools, they are not above average. This is because handwriting is not taught in a methodical way that builds on pupils’ prior experiences.  The inspection findings are that, for almost all the pupils currently in Year 2, attainment in English is above average although only average in handwriting. In mathematics and science attainment for almost all pupils is above average. Pupils are on course to achieve similar high standards to

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STANDARDS

those attained by pupils in 2001.  Pupils in Year 3 attain standards that are well above expectations for their age in reading, writing, mathematics and science.  Standards in literacy and numeracy are above average throughout the school.  Standards in information and communication technology are similar to those seen in other schools in the Years 1 and 2. No examples were seen of information and communication technology in Year 3 and evidence from teacher’s planning indicates that attainment in this year is likely to be below national expectations. This is because the pupils in this class have only recently had the benefit of the school’s new technology suite.  Standards in other subjects are in line with those expected for pupils of their age, except in physical education where they are above expectations.  Challenging targets are set in the school’s development plan. In 2001 these targets were

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STANDARDS

exceeded.  Pupils enter the nursery with attainment similar to that expected for pupils of their age. By the time they enter Year 1, they have attained standards in literacy and numeracy that are above those found in other similar schools in the area. By the end of Year 2, the number of pupils attaining the expected level in reading, writing, mathematics and science is well above average.  Pupils make good progress in this school. Kineton Green Primary School - 9 October 2001

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy school and are keen to come. They are attentive and listen carefully in lessons. They are keen to answer questions. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Behaviour around school is very good. Pupils are well mannered and respectful.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. The programme for personal, social and health education has a very positive effect on personal development. Relationships throughout the school are very good.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Year 3

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Good 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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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection and is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. Teaching in the Year 3 class is very good. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. Teaching in both literacy and numeracy is overall good. Teachers have secure knowledge of literacy, are confident teaching it and teach basic skills well. In numeracy, teachers give clear explanations and pupils know exactly what they have to do and how to do it. This results in a good level of learning. There is an appropriate emphasis on mathematical vocabulary, which pupils use correctly. The two teachers in the Foundation Stage work closely with the teaching assistants, who make a significant contribution to the good progress children make. Praise is used well to encourage and help children feel secure and confident. All adults have a good understanding of how children of this age learn. Children in this stage make good progress as they rise to the high expectations of the adults. Some of

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

the best teaching seen was in personal and social and health education. Teachers use these lessons to try to create a secure environment for pupils in which their self-esteem is raised and they are better prepared for learning in other subjects. The weakest aspect of teaching is in the lack of planned opportunities for pupils to practise their skills in information and communication technology to support their learning in other subjects of the curriculum. Teachers know the pupils very well and this enables them to prepare lessons that meet the needs of pupils of all abilities, ethnic and social backgrounds, religions and both boys and girls.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school plans a good, balanced curriculum that meets statutory requirements. It provides a broad and rich range of opportunities that excites pupils of all ages, interests and abilities, and encourages them to be involved in their own learning. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Children with special educational needs are cared for well and their learning needs are addressed successfully. Kineton Green Primary School - 10 October 2001 Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Children for whom English is an additional language are cared for well and are supported in lessons. Pupils at an early stage of learning English are helped by regular visits from a support teacher.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The school provides a secure and happy environment. This is a school that genuinely cares for its pupils and is concerned about their well being.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very supportive of the school and their views of almost all aspects are overwhelmingly positive. Parents are fully involved and informed. The very good provision for personal, social, health and moral education is a strength of the school. Pupils are given opportunities to learn the necessary knowledge and skills for making informed decisions about healthy living. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress in all areas of the curriculum are very good and detailed records are kept of pupils’ attainments. These give useful information about pupils’ progress and identify areas of underachievement. The support and care for pupils with special educational needs are good. The monitoring of their personal and academic progress is good and staff are quick to identify needs as they arise.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and the school is very well managed. A hardworking senior management team and staff ably support her.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Excellent. The governing body are very active and give excellent support to the school. They have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and those areas needing to be improved.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Systems for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school are thorough and all teachers play a role in this.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Specific grants are used very well, for example, the additional funds obtained by the school for the transition to a primary school have been used to good effect.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The match of teachers and teaching assistants to meet the demands of the National Curriculum is good. The accommodation is good and is well maintained and cared for by the care taking and cleaning staff. The overall level of resources is good. The governors understand the principles of Best Value and take steps to ensure that they obtain good value in all their transactions. Kineton Green Primary School - 11 October 2001

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved  The expectations the school has that their children will work hard and achieve.  The leadership and management of the school.  The teaching is good.  The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible.  The behaviour in the school.  The range of activities outside lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors agree with all the parents’ very positive views of the school. They disagree with the parents’ views about extra curricular activities and judge the range and quantity to be good and similar to that seen in most infant schools. The school is aware of the need to increase the range of activities available after school for the pupils in the junior age range. Kineton Green Primary School - 12 October 2001

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Standards in the three core subjects of English, mathematics and science are high although the results in the year 2000 were lower than usual. This is because the 2000 cohort of pupils contained a higher number of less able pupils than that found in previous cohorts. In the 2000 end of key stage tests in reading, writing and mathematics, the average points achieved by pupils were above the national average. When these results are compared to those of schools, which serve similar pupils to those at Kineton, the results in reading and mathematics are above average and in writing, are well above average. These results show an improvement since the last inspection, when, in the end of year tests in 1997, the school’s results were average when compared to other schools nationally.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Teachers’ assessments of science in 2000 indicate that attainment was above average for the number of pupils attaining the expected Level 2 or more, but the number of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 was average. When these results are compared to those of similar schools, the number of pupils attaining Level 2 or higher was still above average and the number of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 was still average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Results in all subjects were even better in 2001. In the tests for reading, writing and mathematics and in the teacher assessment of science all pupils attained the expected Level 2. The number of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 in reading, writing and mathematics was significantly higher than in 2000 and the number of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 in science was slightly higher. At this time there are no national figures with which to compare these results.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The trend in the results for all the subjects tested has been generally upwards although the results in 2000 fell below previous levels. Nevertheless the results still reflected a sharp rise since 1997.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The inspection judgement is that almost all the pupils in Year 2 are attaining standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are above those expected for their age and that standards at the end of Year 2, are on course to be well above average. In science most pupils are attaining the levels expected for their age and that standards at the end of Year 2, are on course to be above average. Pupils in Year 3 are attaining standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science that are well above those expected for their age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. On entry to the nursery the attainment of most children is in line with that expected for their age. The school’s assessment procedures indicate that, when they enter the reception class, children are achieving standards above those of children in similar schools in the area. This reflects the good teaching in the nursery. The good provision in the Foundation Stage enables almost all children to attain the Early Learning Goals in all six aspects of learning by the time they enter Year 1. Pupils’ attainment in personal and social development is above expectations. Personal and social development is exemplified by the children’s positive attitude towards learning, and by their good behaviour and their interest and participation in the variety of activities provided. In both nursery and reception, great emphasis is put on getting children to talk and this effectively increases their skills in speaking and listening.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Kineton Green Primary School - 13 October 2001 Reception children are gaining confidence in the early stages of writing. They identify the names of characters in the reading scheme and are becoming familiar with words and sentences in their early reading books. By the time they begin in the reception class, the majority of children successfully identify numbers to ten and count forwards and backwards. Pupils in the Foundation Stage make good progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. At the time of the last inspection, standards in reading by the end of Year 2, were in line with national expectations but in writing a significant number were not meeting these expectations. There was significant underachievement in spelling. The rise in attainment in all aspects of English is due to clearly planned and focused teaching. The National Literacy Strategy is taught well, and teachers make good use of their informal assessments to plan work that extends pupils’ literacy skills effectively. The school sets challenging targets for English and in 1999 they were exceeded in reading and writing. In 2000 they were missed by a very narrow margin in reading and exceeded in writing. In 2001 they were exceeded in both reading and writing. Pupils attain good standards in speaking and listening. They listen carefully and are able to take part in discussions when talking in a group. Pupils in Year 2 have good

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

reading skills. They read accurately, confidently, with good expression and a high level of understanding. They are able to use non-fiction books to access information. Good standards in writing enable pupils to write extended pieces of work that use an interesting vocabulary.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In Year 3 pupils attain standards that are well above expectations in reading and writing. Standards of handwriting are only satisfactory throughout the school. A significant proportion of pupils do not write easily, for example, some hold a pencil incorrectly or adopt a seated posture that is unhelpful. Pupils make good progress in English.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. At the time of the last inspection, standards in mathematics were broadly in line with national expectations. These standards have been improved and are now well above average. Since the last inspection the introduction of the Numeracy Strategy and its implementation have been successful. In all classes pupils have opportunities to take part in problem solving activities and mathematical investigations and this is increasing their confidence in the handling of number. The very high targets set in mathematics for 2001 were exceeded. In Year 3, pupils attain standards that are well above expectations. Progress in mathematics is good. By Year 2, most pupils have a good understanding of place value to 100. They are familiar with investigations and the processes of estimating and testing the accuracy of their predictions. All use non-standard measures such as cubes to weigh different objects in the classroom and more able pupils recognise the need for standard

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

measures. Pupils in Year 3 identify and state the properties of a variety of two- dimensional shapes. Able pupils successfully apply their knowledge of symmetry to establish the truth or otherwise of a statement about quadrilaterals. Pupils with special educational needs are given work that helps them develop their skills and enables them to achieve the standards expected for their age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. In science, standards were judged to be below expectations at the time of the last inspection and are now above expectations. In 2001 all pupils attained the expected Level 2 but fewer pupils attained the higher Level 3 in science than in the other subjects. In order to improve this, the school is focusing on an investigative approach to science. When this is done well it is effective. Some teachers, however, are still unsure of this approach, and in their classes the approach is less effective and pupils do not attain the higher standards. In Years 1 and 2, higher Kineton Green Primary School - 14 October 2001 attaining pupils are given too few opportunities to learn independently or to be involved in decisions about how to carry out their investigations and this limits the progress they are able to make. In Year 3 pupils attain standards that are well above expectations. Pupils make good progress in science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Standards in physical education are above expectations in both Year 2 and Year 3 and are an improvement on the findings of the last inspection when standards were judged to be unsatisfactory. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in developing their physical skills. The pupils in the reception class begin to demonstrate good control as they gently move a beanbag with their feet. Pupils in Year 2 evaluate their performance in order to improve. Pupils in Year 3 try very hard to move smoothly and exercise good control over their bodies.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. In Year 2, standards in all the other subjects are satisfactory. This represents an improvement in art and music which were judged at the time of the last inspection to be unsatisfactory. This is because clear schemes of work have been written in all subjects and teachers are very clear about what they are expected to teach and what pupils are expected to learn. Rigorous assessment and good record keeping in all subjects enables teachers to maintain a clear focus to their teaching and plan work that meets the needs of individual pupils. In Year 3 standards in all the other subjects are satisfactory except in information and communication technology (ICT) where there was insufficient evidence to make a judgement. ICT is not well used to support learning in other subjects and so opportunities to reinforce learning of ICT and to raise standards higher are missed.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress against the targets set within their individual education plans for literacy and numeracy. Individual education plans focus on literacy, numeracy and behaviour but are not used well. Although suitable targets are identified, some of these are not precise enough and show little change from one term to the next. Pupils make good progress because teachers make good day-to-day assessments of their need and plan work to match that need. When pupils have English as a second language they are well supported in lessons and make good progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

14. Over the last six years there have been differences in the attainment of boys and girls but these differences have not been consistent. The school was concerned about the relatively poorer performance of boys than girls in reading in 2000. In order to interest boys more in reading, new books were purchased. In 2001 the attainment of boys in reading was similar to that of girls. Other resources have been purchased to support specific groups of children, for example, story books in languages other than English.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The school has maintained the strengths of the last inspection in this area and has improved the provision for personal, health and social education, which effectively encourages pupils to become more responsible.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils of all ages enjoy coming to school. They listen attentively to their teachers and to each other; they work hard and concentrate well in lessons. Pupils co- operate very well when working in pairs or in groups. Pupils in the Foundation Stage have very good attitudes to learning as the work stimulates and interest them. For example, children in a language and literacy lesson listened well to the story of the Kineton Green Primary School - 15 October 2001 ‘Rainbow Fish’ that captured their interest and they showed a willingness to talk about friendship and caring.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Behaviour in and around school is very good. In lessons, this very good behaviour ensures that pupils learn effectively. Pupils are aware of school rules and understand the consequences of their actions. For the most part, discipline is based on an expectation of good behaviour and all members of staff act as good role models. Mutual respect between staff and pupils is evident. Behaviour around the school and in the playground is also very good. Pupils relate well to each other, with very good relationships between boys and girls and between pupils of different ethnic backgrounds. Instances of bullying are rare and are dealt with effectively and swiftly. There have been no exclusions in recent years.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The school places great emphasis on personal development and the promotion of this permeates the school. Circle time (which is the time used for pupils to sit in a circle in order to discuss issues of a personal or social nature) is used regularly and very well to increase pupils’ self confidence and independence and to help them make their own decisions about all aspects of their life. Pupils are aware that they choose whether to behave well or not. As a result, pupils are confident and mature. They form constructive relationships and can resolve differences. Even very young children in the nursery show considerable independence when choosing activities and equipment. Year 2 pupils act as monitors, organising resources and supporting midday supervisors. Further responsibilities are now being given to Year 3 pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Children with special educational needs are positive in their response to class work and are keen to share and talk about their work. For example a pupil in Year 2 talked enthusiastically about the map work they were doing, and correctly identified that bananas came from the Caribbean. They work hard and collaborate well with their classmates. Other pupils give good support to their peers with special educational needs, for example in a lesson on climate, pupils in Year 2 enjoyed one of their number acting as the rays of the sun.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Attendance at the school is good with very little unauthorised absence or lateness.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. In the Foundation Stage and in the infant classes the quality of teaching is good overall with a significant number of very good lessons. In the junior class the quality of teaching is very good. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection when over 21 per cent of the lessons seen was unsatisfactory. The best teaching was seen in the Year 3 class, where all the teaching observed was judged to be at least good and eight of the 10 lessons seen were very good. In the Years 1 and 2 classes, 19 of the 22 lessons seen were good or better.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. In the nursery and the reception class, teaching is overall good and five of the 12 lessons seen were very good. The two teachers work closely with the teaching assistants who make a significant contribution to the good progress children in the Foundation Stage make. In both classes there is a focus on the development of speaking and listening skills, numeracy, and personal and social development. In both classes all adults take every opportunity to encourage children’s speaking and listening skills. They talk to them constantly and expect extended answers to their questions thereby improving the children’s speaking skills. Adults have high expectations that children will be independent. This was seen in the confidence Kineton Green Primary School - 16 October 2001 children, who were only in their first weeks at school, displayed in the nursery at snack time and at home time. Children in this stage make good progress as they

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

rise to the high expectations of the adults. In both classes, activities are very well organised and instructions given to children are clear. This ensures that children understand exactly what is expected of them and are successful in carrying out the required activities. Praise is used well to encourage and help children feel secure and confident. All adults have a good understanding of how children of this age learn.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. Throughout the school, some of the best teaching seen was in personal, social and health education. Four lessons were seen and three of these were very good. The school puts a great emphasis on the importance of personal, social and health education and uses this not only to help the pupils deal with day-to-day problems but also to develop their thinking skills. In this way teachers try to create a secure environment for pupils in which their self-esteem is raised and they are better prepared for learning in other subjects. Lessons are handled very sensitively and pupils know that they are valued and that their opinions matter. This was seen in one Year 3 lesson when several pupils requested extra circle time in order to consult the class about problems they had. In another lesson pupils were able to talk frankly about their strengths and weaknesses. Teaching is effective because teachers are

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

committed to this approach and regard it as an integral part of the normal curriculum. In each infant class good use is made of a puppet to which pupils are able to relate.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. Teaching in both literacy and numeracy is overall good and teachers have adopted the National Literacy and the National Numeracy Strategies effectively. In literacy, of the four lessons observed in the Years 1 and 2 classes, one was satisfactory, two were good and one was very good. In the Year 3 class, one lesson was good and a short lesson on spelling was very good. Teachers have secure knowledge of literacy, are confident teaching it and teach basic skills well. They use all opportunities to reinforce concepts and this results in a good level of learning. Planning for literacy lessons is good and teachers identify the pupils that will need extra support. The teaching assistants give this effectively. Pupils are managed well, and because they are clear about what they have to do, they are able to complete tasks successfully and without fuss. In a very good lesson in Year 1, the teacher managed the pupils very well and maximised their opportunities for learning

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

by using the pupils’ own contributions. The weakness in the lesson that was only satisfactory was that a pupil became restless and slightly disruptive because he could not see what the teacher was writing on the board. In the very good spelling lesson in Year 3, pupils made very good progress in learning spellings. This was because the teacher led a very good discussion in which she encouraged pupils to reflect on the different individual learning styles that were successful for them.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. The teaching of numeracy is good. Of the four lessons seen in the Years 1 and 2 classes, one was satisfactory, two were good and one was very good. The lesson in Year 3 was very good. Teachers give clear explanations and pupils know exactly what they have to do and how they do it. This results in a good level of learning. There is an appropriate emphasis on mathematical vocabulary, which pupils are encouraged to use correctly. Resources are used well and sometimes imaginatively. This was seen in a good Year 2 lesson when the teacher used a ‘spider’ to walk across the number board. In two lessons in Year 2, however, teachers chose to use insufficient resources, and this slowed the pace of the lessons and the rate of learning. These were lessons on weight when the class had to share four one kilogram weights. Time at the end of lessons is well used to reinforce understanding and to prepare pupils for the next stage of learning. In a very good lesson in Year 1,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Kineton Green Primary School - 17 October 2001 the teacher continually talked about what she was doing to reinforce the pupils’ understanding. The lesson was very well organised to meet the needs of all pupils and they made very good progress because of the support given to them. In the very good Year 3 lesson the pace was lively and ensured pupils remained fully involved throughout.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. In science, teaching is good in Years 1 and 2 and very good in Year 3. Teachers use an investigative approach to the teaching of science, which helps pupils develop their skills in predicting and in managing a fair test. Teachers plan carefully and involve pupils at all stages of the investigation. Pupils are required to think about what is happening and this supports understanding. In a good Year 2 lesson the teacher’s good relationship with the pupils encouraged a good discussion about how to carry out the investigation and this helped them to think about what was actually happening. In the very good Year 2 lesson, the teacher had a secure understanding of how to manage a fair test and ensured that all external factors that would affect the result of the test were eliminated as far as possible. In this way pupils could understand how they could help keep the test fair, for example, by not touching the

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

ice. In the very good Year 3 lesson, questions were well used by the teacher to encourage pupils to think about what they were doing and contribute to the lesson.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of what they are teaching in other subjects are always at least satisfactory and in most subjects good. Teaching of the basic skills in reading, writing and numeracy is good when it is extended into other subjects. Specific teaching of information and communication technology is helping to develop a satisfactory level of skills throughout the school. However, pupils have too few opportunities to practise these skills and those of handwriting, across the curriculum.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. Teachers’ planning is effective and pupils usually learn what teachers expect them to learn. Teachers plan their lessons in clear step-by-step stages that help pupils understand each stage before moving to the next. This was done particularly well in the Year 3 class. Teachers promote class discussions well and in many lessons pupils are encouraged to share their ideas with each other. This was seen in a Year 1 history lesson in which pupils discussed the differences between life in the time of Florence Nightingale and life today. Teachers use questions well to encourage pupils to think about what they are doing. For example, in a Year 2 physical education lesson the teacher’s good use of questions helped pupils evaluate their performance, correct their mistakes and improve.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

29. Teachers use a range of teaching strategies to help pupils learn. In the Year 1 class, pupils were interested when the classroom assistant pretended to be Florence Nightingale and answered the pupils’ questions about life in those times. In science, pupils are encouraged to find out the answers to their questions, both through practical activities and by researching secondary sources such as books. Opportunities to research using CD ROMs were not observed during the inspection and overall this is a resource that is not fully used.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

30. A strength of the teaching is in the way teachers use praise and encouragement. This results in very good attitudes from the pupils and inspires them to want to do their best. This positively affects the progress pupils make.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

31. Teaching assistants are very well informed about the lessons and they make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. Resources are well prepared and well used. Kineton Green Primary School - 18 October 2001 32. Day-to-day assessment is good and teachers know their pupils well. They use their knowledge to match work to pupils’ needs and to give support to those pupils that need it. Teachers use questions well to check pupils’ progress. Homework is given regularly and helps to consolidate the learning that has taken place in class lessons.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

33. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. Class teachers know their pupils and their difficulties well and are very patient and caring. They plan work according to the underlying abilities of their pupils and address aspects identified in their individual education plans. Although suitable targets are identified in these plans, some are not precise enough and teachers rely on their day-to-day assessments of pupils’ needs in order to set suitable work. Teachers and teaching assistants are careful to ensure that children with special educational needs are fully involved in class activities, actively promoting and planning for this if necessary. Pupils respond enthusiastically and are keen to show and talk about their work.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

34. Pupils with English as an additional language are fully integrated into the classes. The pupil that is still at the early stage of learning English has individual help. Because teachers know the pupils well they are able to prepare lessons that meet the needs of pupils of all ethnic, religious and social backgrounds, and of both boys and girls. Although the school does not yet specifically identify pupils who are gifted or talented teachers match day to day work well with pupils’ needs and no evidence was seen during the inspection of pupils being given work that was undemanding.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. The school plans a good, balanced curriculum that meets statutory requirements and includes provision for religious education. It provides a broad and rich range of opportunities that excites pupils of all ages, interests and abilities, and encourages them to be involved in their own learning. Children with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language are cared for very well and their learning needs are addressed successfully.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. At the time of the previous inspection the curricular framework and policy had only recently been introduced. Since then, staff have implemented it successfully. They plan well for all levels of prior attainment and ensure that pupils’ existing knowledge and understanding are built upon systematically. Schemes of work have been developed for all subjects and all are well integrated into a topic approach to teaching. Care has been taken to ensure that what pupils are expected to know, understand and be able to do is sufficiently structured to be clear to teachers.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. Strategies in place for teaching literacy and numeracy are good, and have a positive influence on raising pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics and the use of these subjects across the curriculum.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. The very good provision for personal, social, health and moral education is a strength of the school. Circle time is an integral part of the curriculum and it is well used to help pupils learn to deal with day-to-day issues. The balanced scheme of work addresses such issues as relationships, resolving conflict, safety and citizenship. It gives straightforward guidance to staff on the approaches suitable for pupils of different ages, for example when considering sex education and the consideration of the use and misuse of drugs. Pupils are given opportunities to learn Kineton Green Primary School - 19 October 2001 the necessary knowledge and skills for making informed decisions about healthy living.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities for the ages of pupils currently in the school. The inspection team did not agree with those parents who felt that the provision for extra-curricular activities was unsatisfactory. Lunchtime activities include recorders, gardening and reading clubs, and a games skills club is planned for the second half of term. The school has good plans to introduce further extra- curricular activities, as pupils get older. Arrangements for individual music tuition include opportunities for pupils to learn the violin and cello. The curriculum weeks each term further enrich the learning environment with such focuses as art last term and health and safety this term. The prescribed curriculum is enhanced by regular trips to a range of localities that support pupils’ learning, such as to Blists Hill Museum and the Coventry Transport Museum to support learning in history, and field

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

trips around the school’s immediate locality to support work in geography.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

40. The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs is good. The work undertaken by the teachers and the teaching assistants addresses elements in pupils’ individual education plans, and general class work is tailored to promote their understanding of the topics addressed. At the time of the last inspection a major concern was raised about the amount of time these pupils were taught outside the classroom. Now nearly all of the work done with the teaching assistants occurs in the classroom and promotes the full involvement of these pupils in class activities. Occasionally teaching assistants take pupils outside the classroom to work on their phonic skills. Under these circumstances, a quieter environment enables them to hear differences in the sounds, letters and combinations of letters. This is both appropriate and effective.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

41. All pupils have access to the full curriculum regardless of ability, gender, ethnicity or background. A pupil at an early stage of English language acquisition is supported by regular visits from a support teacher. The school tries to meet the needs of all pupils, by purchasing books that are of special interest to boys and story books in languages other than English.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

42. The community makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning. For example, representatives from the local police and fire services contribute to health and safety education and the crossing patrol gentleman has talked with and encouraged pupils about the ‘Walk to school’ project. Pupils enjoy making their own contribution to the community, for example by collecting items for St Basils, a centre for the homeless in Birmingham, and by contributing to floral tubs at Olton Station. The school has close links with the local United Reform minister and holds its Christmas service in their local church.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

43. Links with partner schools are satisfactory. Although the school is not in a position yet to send pupils on to secondary school, links have been established with the local senior school. Kineton Green welcomes senior pupils on work experience placements. The school receives pupils into the Nursery from a wide range of playgroups but does not have formal links with any of these, for instance through visiting pupils in their playgroups before they move to Kineton Green. The school does have good links with Reynalds Cross Special School. The two staffs share expertise and pupils from Reynalds Cross visit sometimes to have experience of life in a mainstream primary school. Kineton Green Primary School - 20 October 2001 44. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. It is very evident that Kineton Green Primary is a happy school that promotes a caring appreciation for all within its community.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

45. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own and other people’s beliefs within the curriculum for religious education. Teachers guide them to compare their own special times and places with those in other faiths, for example by contrasting festivals of light such as Diwali, Christmas and Hanukkah. The daily act of collective worship gives good opportunities for pupils to think about the values important in their school community and to celebrate the successes of individuals and groups within the school. Assembly themes are carefully planned and cover such principles as valuing themselves, caring for the environment, tolerance and appreciation of others.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

46. Teachers plan lessons effectively to extend pupils’ spiritual awareness. For example, during an English lesson on poetry writing, pupils stood outside in silence and listened to the sounds around them. The resulting work was moving:

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

‘…It was so silent that I heard the moon whistling as it moved across the world, …I heard the trees stretch like they were yawning.’

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Some teachers play music at the beginning and end of the day and this contributes to the creation of a calm environment. Within the curriculum for religious education, pupils have considered the Ten Commandments and discussed their own commandment that they feel to be most important. For example, ‘Don’t hurt other people’s feelings.’ Teachers value pupils’ ideas. Many lead class discussions well to draw in all pupils and positively promote the contributions of pupils with special needs or those for whom English is an additional language. Staff know and are interested in other pupils as well as those in their own classes. This helps the school keep track of pupils’ personal development in a very informal way.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

47. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. The school provides a strong moral code and teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in the classroom as well as around the school. Rewards are given both to individuals, such as mentions in the Gold Book, and to classes for behaviour and effort. Rules and consequent rewards and sanctions are clear and pupils know them well. They consider the school rules firm but fair, partly because all staff apply them consistently. Assemblies give strong support to the teaching of the principles that distinguish right from wrong. They foster such values as being a good friend and respecting each other; a strong sense of care for one another permeates the school. As a result, pupils show courtesy to adults and talk politely with visitors. They are proud of their school and happy to talk about the activities they share.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

48. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good. The school has good policies on how to deal with bullying, harassment and indiscipline. These give clear guidance to all staff on the principles and practice of the school’s provision, and they are applied consistently. Staff encourage pupils to relate positively to each other, developing their awareness of each other’s good qualities and of why they like their friends. The programme for personal, social, health and moral education is very strong and guides pupils in how to deal with such eventualities as playground conflicts in a mature fashion. Circle time discussions make valuable contributions to this. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to take responsibility for particular jobs around the school. For example, Year 2 pupils prepare the school hall for assemblies and manage the hi-fi system. Staff are very aware of the need to ensure

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Kineton Green Primary School - 21 October 2001 that these pupils do not lose their posts of responsibility as the school grows. Consequently new jobs have been created for pupils now in Year 3, with such jobs as writing the dinner menu on the blackboard and supervising the water dispenser at break times.

p.21

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

49. Children are encouraged to participate in fund-raising events such as a sponsored bounce to raise funds for their school equipment and Comic Relief. Whole-school projects such as the Millennium Bug Garden project teach pupils what can be achieved when they all contribute their little bit. The resulting first prize in Solihull’s school garden competition was much appreciated by all who had contributed.

p.21

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

50. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good overall. The school makes good provision for the development of pupils’ understanding and appreciation of western culture. For example, pupils study a range of western artists within the art curriculum, such as Lowry, Goldsworthy and the Impressionists. The use of visiting specialists, for example during Art Week last term, makes a very strong contribution to the development of pupils’ awareness of a range of aspects of western art. Display around the school celebrates pupils’ own art and its contribution to their school community. In English, pupils consider good quality children’s texts. In music, they learn about a range of musical styles and listen to a suitable range of work of different composers and genres. Their knowledge is actively promoted during assemblies through discussions of a specific piece of music each week. Extra-curricular activities add to the provision. For example, pupils talked

p.21

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

enthusiastically about visits by theatre groups and Year 2 pupils participate in a Christmas concert with pupils from other primary schools.

p.21

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

51. The school has worked hard since the last inspection to celebrate better the cultural differences represented in their area and to promote pupils’ understanding of multi- cultural issues. Focuses within the art curriculum on the art of the North American Indians and of aboriginal culture have been a good starting point, alongside the raised profile of a range of world faiths both in assemblies and in religious education. There has been considerable progress in this aspect since the last inspection and staff are keen to develop further, in all pupils, an appreciation of the wide range of cultures represented within their own school community.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The school has maintained the secure and happy environment found during the previous inspection. Staff continue to provide very effective personal support and this contributes well to effort and achievement. This is a school that genuinely cares for its pupils and is concerned about their well being. Parents are confident that their children are well cared for and that their individual needs are met. During the inspection teachers and other members of staff were seen to deal sensitively with pupils who were unwell or upset.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. The school has clear procedures in place that successfully promote good behaviour. The reward system is very effective and understood well by pupils and parents. Teachers and non-teaching staff use praise well to reinforce good behaviour. They do not tolerate bullying incidents and deal with these very effectively. Lunchtime supervision is very well organised and of high quality, with very good liaison between midday supervisors and teaching staff. Good procedures for ensuring regular attendance are in place. Kineton Green Primary School - 22 October 2001 54. The school takes great care to ensure that health and safety regulations are met, with appropriate risk assessments and building checks carried out. Governors and the site supervisor are fully involved in this. Child protection procedures are in place and are supervised by an experienced designated person.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. The personal development of pupils is monitored extremely well and is included in the assessment procedures of the school. Good records are kept of pupils’ progress in this area. Teachers use circle time very effectively to focus on any issues that may be worrying pupils. During these times confidence and self-esteem are effectively encouraged. The pupils’ personal development is reported on in their annual reports. Teachers know their pupils well and care about their personal development.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress in all areas of the curriculum are very good and detailed records are kept of pupils’ attainments. These give useful information about pupils’ progress and identify areas of underachievement. This information is used well by teachers to arrange pupils into groups of pupils with similar prior attainment and to identify pupils who need extra support in class. Teachers’ day-to-day assessment is good. Class-work is marked regularly and good use is made of questioning within lessons to assess individuals’ progress. Standardised tests are given to pupils at the beginning of the foundations stage, at the beginning and end of the reception year and at the end of Year 2. This is used to track pupils’ progress and check that pupils make the expected progress.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

57. The support and care for pupils with special educational needs are good. The monitoring of personal and academic progress is good and staff are quick to identify needs as they arise. Regular reviews are held. Individual education plans focus on literacy, numeracy and behaviour. Although suitable targets are identified, some of these are not precise enough and show little change from one term to the next. Kineton Green Primary School - 23 October 2001

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. Parents are very supportive of their children’s education and take a keen interest in the work of the school. Their views of the school are very positive in almost all areas. They feel that their children enjoy school, are taught well and make good progress. They believe that the school is well managed and that teachers have high expectations and are approachable. Some parents have reservations about the number of extra-curricular activities provided. Inspectors agree with the positive views of parents, but find that the range of activities provided outside lessons is good compared with what is normally found in schools of this size and type.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. The school continues to have very good relationships with parents. Parents are kept very well informed about the school and its work. The quality of this information is excellent, with details about the curriculum and topic work to be covered. Governors produce a newsletter, ‘Buzzword’, which provides up-to-date information and encourages parents to make their views known. Kineton Green Partnership has been re-established since the last inspection. It is well supported and provides valuable resources for the school, including a sizeable contribution to the new computer suite.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in the classroom and they provide valuable help in lessons. Home/school reading records provide an effective means of communication, and a home/school agreement reinforces the importance of a partnership between parents and staff. Enough opportunities are provided for parents to find out about their children’s progress both formally and informally. Annual written reports are of high quality. They are detailed and informative in identifying strengths, weaknesses and targets for improvement.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. The involvement of parents in the provision for special educational needs is good. Individual education plans are shared with parents who contribute to the review of targets and the setting of new ones. Parents feel that their children are cared for well, that their difficulties are identified quickly and that effective action is taken.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

62. Overall the school has maintained and strengthened its partnership with parents and has fostered very good relationships with them. This has a very positive effect on pupils’ learning.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. This newly created primary school has benefited from the excellent leadership of the headteacher and is very well managed. Her strong leadership has been an inspiration to the senior management team and to the governing body who, together with the headteacher, provide a clear educational direction for the school and a commitment to raising standards. She is ably supported by a hardworking staff.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. In the year prior to the inspection the school experienced a period of trauma. Initially the future of the infant school was in doubt. After the decision to develop the school into a primary school further difficulties and delays arose relating to the proposed new extensions to the school. The headteacher is successfully steering the school through these difficulties and is maintaining good morale and a continued commitment to high standards. She has been ably supported by the chair of the governing body, who, with the headteacher has been active in dealing with the problems relating to the change of status. Kineton Green Primary School - 24 October 2001 65. The headteacher has a very good grasp of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is aware of the areas for further development. She has been decisive in settling the priorities for action, and has been instrumental in setting up effective

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

management systems that have moved the school forward and raised standards since the last inspection. For example, the roles of the subject co-ordinators have been developed since the last inspection, and all teachers are now actively involved in taking curriculum responsibility and in raising standards in their own subjects. This has been instrumental in developing a whole-school approach to the teaching of all subjects. The senior management team is enthusiastic and hardworking and shares the headteacher’s commitment to improvement. The school works positively to ensure all pupils are fully included and have equal opportunities regardless of their ability or disability. The school’s practice of developing the self-esteem of pupils is particularly effective in ensuring that the needs of all are identified and systems put in place to deal with these needs.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. Systems for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school are thorough and all teachers play a role in this. They have been effective in improving the standards of teaching since the last inspection. The headteacher and the deputy and sometimes the coordinators monitor teaching. Teachers evaluate their own lessons and their evaluations are read by the headteacher when she monitors their weekly planning. Co-ordinators monitor the work of pupils and have a clear view of how well they are doing. Each year co-ordinators prepare action plans for their subject to ensure continual development. The school has recently introduced a rolling programme of subject development and coordinators are actively preparing for the time when there is a focus on their subject. The school recognises that, although their present strategies are successful in providing clear information about the work of the school,

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

they will have to be refined if they are to be equally successful in a bigger school.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The management of provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is good and meets the requirements of the SEN Code of Practice. The co-ordinator maintains all the necessary paperwork well and gives good support to class teachers in review meetings and writing the individual education plans. The school has a number of skilled teaching assistants who give very good support to pupils with special needs.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The governing body is very active and gives excellent support to the school. The governors have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and of areas that need to be improved, for example, the raising of standards even further. They are fully aware of the standards the school attains and how these compare to those of other schools. They are involved with the setting of the school’s targets and require the school to explain when cohorts perform less well than others, for example in 2000. Governors have a strong committee structure for looking at different aspects of the school, and are well informed by thorough reports and open discussions with the headteacher and staff. Governors are attached to a curriculum area and monitor closely through links with the co-ordinator. Governors have been particularly active in supporting the attempts of the headteacher to change the status of the school. The chair of governors has given a high level of practical support to

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the headteacher in dealing with some of the issues that have arisen in relation to the building development. In an attempt to fully involve parents in the changes taking place, the governing body have prepared their own newsletter, ‘ Buzzword’, which is a now a regular publication.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The school improvement plan is a substantial document which covers all aspects of school life. It is well thought out and closely monitored. Its proposals are usually Kineton Green Primary School - 25 October 2001 effected within the scheduled time and are successful in achieving their aims. Spending is rigorously matched to educational priorities. All staff and governors are included in the planning and meet for one day each year to plan for the subsequent year. Plans are costed and closely related to the budget. Each area for development has a member of staff and a named governor who are responsible for ensuring that plans are carried out.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. Routine administration is very efficiently carried out by the school's administrative staff and enables teachers to work effectively. The school's office staff make a significant contribution to the school, and provide parents with a valuable point of contact and a warm welcome. Day to day monitoring of the school budget is effective. Spending is well documented and the governors’ finance committee monitors income and expenditure. The governors understand the principles of best value and take steps to ensure that they obtain good value in all their transactions. For example, the governing body made the strategic decision to fund smaller classes in Year 2 instead of having classes of pupils of different ages. Specific grants are used well and for their intended purpose. For example, the additional funds obtained by the school for the transition to a primary school have been used to good effect.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

The school uses new technology satisfactorily to maintain records of the school’s spending.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. The match of teachers and teaching assistants to meet the demands of the National Curriculum is good. The teachers have an appropriate range of subject expertise and there are suitable procedures for inducting teachers that are new to the school. Because no newly qualified teachers have been appointed to the school for some time, there are at present no procedures for their induction and support. The school has a policy on performance management which has effectively replaced the appraisal and professional development cycle.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. The accommodation is good and well maintained and cared for by the care taking and cleaning staff. Quality displays enhance the accommodation. The provision for the Foundation Stage is very good. The recently extended Foundation Stage building provides a pleasant environment for children new to the school. The outside play areas are attractive and are enhanced by the ‘Millennium Garden’. The outside play area for the under fives is adequate and well resourced, but because of the recent building, the grassed area is not in use at the moment.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. The overall level of resources is good. The number of computers has increased considerably with the recent opening of the computer suite. The school has an appropriate range of resources for any special educational needs arising for pupils currently in the school. Kineton Green Primary School - 26 October 2001

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

74. In order to maintain and further improve standards of attainment in all subjects the school should:

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Extend the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum, by:  Including in medium term planning, opportunities for using information and communication technology in other subjects.  Ensuring that computers in classrooms are used more frequently. (paragraphs: 12; 29; 107; 111; 120; 124; 129; 136; 148; 157)

p.26

Other issues which should be considered by the school

 Raise the standard of handwriting across the school. (paragraphs: 7; 99)  Set more precise targets in the individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs. (paragraphs: 13, 33, 57) Kineton Green Primary School - 27 October 2001

p.26

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 35

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 43 45 11 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 two percentage points.

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y3

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 15 129

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 13 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y3

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 21

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 11

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 8

p.27

Attendance

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. Kineton Green Primary School - 28 October 2001

p.27

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 30 11 41

p.28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.28

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

Boys 27 29 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (98) 98 (100) 95 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.28

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 27 28 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (98) 95 (100) 95 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.28

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Kineton Green Primary School - 29 October 2001

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 3 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 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.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6.3 Financial year 2000/01

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.5

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education teaching assistants: YR – Y3 Total income 353,483

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education teaching assistants 3 Total expenditure 347,740

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 49 Expenditure per pupil 2,655

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and teaching assistants: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 20,350

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0.5 Balance carried forward to next year 26,093

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education teaching assistants

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 31

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 10 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

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

p.29

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. Kineton Green Primary School - 30 October 2001

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 66 29 0 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 73 25 0 0 3

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 41 32 8 0 19

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 59 26 10 0 5

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 70 25 3 0 3

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 84 15 0 0 1

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 70 26 1 0 3

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 81 14 1 0 4

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 75 19 1 0 4

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 25 21 7 29

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

No significant issues were raised. Kineton Green Primary School - 31 October 2001

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75. The school's provision for children in the nursery and reception classes is good. The curriculum is based on the six areas of learning and provides the children with broad and balanced experiences. The school provides a wide range of focused activities to promote the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development. Since the last inspection the reception class and the nursery have combined to form a new Foundation Stage and the nursery building has been extended to allow all the children to be taught in the same part of the school.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

76. The attainment of the children entering the nursery is in line with that expected nationally. By the time they enter the reception class, assessment shows that children are achieving standards above those of similar schools in the area. By the time children enter Year 1 an above average number of children have attained the early Learning Goals in all six areas of learning. The quality of teaching throughout the Foundation Stage is good with some very good teaching, particularly in the nursery. Liaison between teachers and teaching assistants is excellent, and all staff establish good, caring relationships with the children and provide them with a secure environment. Praise and encouragement are very effective in promoting positive behaviour and good personal, social and emotional development. This has a positive effect on the good progress children make towards the early learning goals in all six areas of learning and provides a firm foundation for learning in the main

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

77. Plans are detailed with clear learning objectives linked to the Early Learning Goals. An informative assessment and record system exists that is carefully linked to the planned activities to indicate children's progress. It is not yet sufficiently linked to the Early Learning Goals although plans for this are in hand.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

78. As a result of the good support they receive in the nursery and the reception, children achieve well and are in line to reach the early learning goals in all six areas of learning by the end of the reception year.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

79. Arrangements for admitting children to the nursery are good. Parents have the opportunity to spend time with their child in the nursery in the term before the child is admitted. Staff have prepared a booklet about what children are doing throughout the Foundation Stage, and this suggests ways in which parents can support their child's learning. Good admission arrangements successfully promote the value of the education the child is to receive and establishes a very positive relationship with parents.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Personal, social and emotional development.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

80. Children in both the nursery and the reception class enjoy coming to school and have a positive attitude towards learning. This is shown by their good behaviour and their interest and participation in the variety of activities provided. Children's behaviour in their physical education lessons and their instant responses to the teacher's instructions are exemplary. Children make good progress and children are likely to achieve beyond the Early Learning Goals in personal and social Kineton Green Primary School - 32 October 2001 development by the end of the Foundation Stage. Teaching is good. Teachers have high expectations of children’s behaviour and give them many opportunities to act independently and make their own decisions.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

81. Children in the nursery are already familiar with the daily routines although they have only been in school for a short time. The calm attitude displayed by the staff makes them feel secure. Each morning reception children are told about the plans for the day. This structure develops their awareness of what is going on and their confidence to engage in the activities. Knowledge about other aspects of school life is enhanced when they attend assemblies, go over to the computer suite and have lunch with older pupils. Children have many opportunities to develop responsibility and independence. For example, they choose an activity or get themselves ready for a physical education lesson and at the end of sessions help to tidy up resources. Even the youngest children dress and undress independently. Children share resources amicably as they play with toys and engage in activities such as water

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

play. There are well-planned opportunities for development of sensitivity and awareness of other people. Reception children engage in discussion about what their friends like and nursery children compose sentences about friendship. There is appropriate emphasis on health and safety such as washing hands before eating and crossing the road carefully when going over to the school.

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Communication, language and literacy

82. Children's development in communication, language and literacy is good and almost all children are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area by the end of the Foundation Stage. Teaching is good and children make good progress. In both nursery and reception great emphasis is placed on getting children to talk and this effectively increases their skills in the whole of this learning area. Children are encouraged to share conversations and articulate their ideas. Class and group sessions provide opportunities for children to talk about their own experiences. Questions and comments are used well to promote conversation and extend children's thinking. In a physical education lesson, reception children talked about moving further away from the bucket they were throwing their beanbags into, thus responding well to the challenge of explaining how they could make the task they were doing more demanding. Nursery children listen carefully and with great

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Communication, language and literacy

enjoyment to stories, and speaking and listening skills improve as children are encouraged to make comments and answer questions. By the time they move into the reception class, they have become attentive listeners, able to follow instructions about their tasks and enjoy interesting stories and rhymes.

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Communication, language and literacy

83. A few children in the nursery read their own names and already most can distinguish between print and pictures in their books. They learn about writing as they put marks and recognisable letter shapes on paper to describe their drawing or 'write' about being friends and when they were babies. Reception children are gaining confidence in the early stages of writing. They are learning to form letters correctly and make up simple sentences to be scribed by the teacher. A few attempt to write their own sentences. The majority recognise single letter sounds. Activities such as writing a message to a friend or family member make writing meaningful for the children. Reception children identify the names of characters in the reading scheme and are becoming familiar with words and sentences in their early reading books. Learning about sounds and letters is a fun activity for reception children as they

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Communication, language and literacy

identify the sound and shape of the initial letters of interesting objects from a big box. Some apply this knowledge to other situations. For instance, when learning about numbers one child refers to the fact that four and five both begin with the letter F. Kineton Green Primary School - 33 October 2001

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Mathematical Development

84. Children make good progress in their mathematical development and almost all children are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. Teaching in both classes is good. In the nursery there are many opportunities for children to gain basic mathematical knowledge and understanding. They nail shapes on a board to make pictures and patterns, thread bobbins and match colours. They engage in fun activities, counting the number of paper fish they manage to catch in a specified time dictated by a timer. They are introduced to a good range of number rhymes and songs, which develop their counting skills. Reception children carry out investigations about eye colour and about the numbers of children who walk to school or come by car and the information is presented in graphical form.

p.33

Mathematical Development

85. Each nursery child confidently counted out five crisps to eat at snack time. By the time they are in the reception class, the majority of children successfully identify numbers to ten and count forwards and backwards. They enjoy making a fish number line demonstrating their ability to sequence numbers correctly.

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Mathematical Development

86. Opportunities to develop children's' mathematical knowledge outside of designated activities are well used. In the nursery, children were encouraged to fill up containers with sand to make castles. Reception children join with their teacher in counting out the number of children who will be having a packed lunch, those having a cooked lunch and those going home.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

87. Particular attention is given to this aspect of learning. Teaching is good, with well- planned activities in both classes to develop children's knowledge and understanding of the world. Progress is good and almost all children will achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of their time in the reception class.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

88. Children are aware of their environment such as their journey to school and ways of moving about the school building. A whole-school project on the advantages of walking to school helps them to become aware of environmental issues. Photographs of themselves and their teachers as babies, together with a display of baby clothes and toys, help children to understand about change over time. This concept is also reinforced when they are frequently reminded about what they have learned and done on previous occasions and discuss what they will be doing in the future. Children learn about the reflective properties of shiny objects and materials through an interesting interactive display. Their knowledge about other living creatures and their care is enhanced by the presence of the two guinea pigs and the goldfish. In the nursery children are introduced to the computer and are already developing skills such as mouse control. They create pictures, some managing to

p.33

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

use different colours. By the time they are in the reception class, children are confident with programs using the mouse and cursor to access different tools to produce pictures. Keyboard skills are developing and most make good attempts at writing their names.

p.33

Creative Development

89. Children in the nursery and in the reception classes make good progress in developing their creative skills and almost all children are likely to achieve the Early Kineton Green Primary School - 34 October 2001 Learning Goals in this aspect by the end of the Foundation Stage. Teaching is good. Children enjoy a good range of experiences in art, music, story and imaginative play. A wide range of materials of different textures is provided and children have opportunities to practise and develop skills. Sand and water are available daily, with well-planned and stimulating activities to develop children's imagination and to extend their knowledge and understanding.

p.33

Creative Development

90. Very good provision in the nursery has ensured that, by the time children are in the reception class, skills such as painting, printing, cutting and pasting for making models and pictures are well developed. Occasionally in the reception class, there is more adult intervention than is necessary when children engage in these activities. For example, after listening to an interesting story, children's creativity was somewhat restricted by the enthusiastic but over-precise directions of the teacher. Children enjoy taking part in role-play situations. The well-stocked underwater grotto provides a fascinating area for children to act out 'Rainbow Fish ' stories. Nursery children enjoyed an exciting game in their physical education lesson, which involved being rocks and escaping from crabs. Children have opportunities for singing and making music with a wide range of musical instruments and this helps children to

p.34

Physical development

91. Progress in physical development is good and almost all children are on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. Teaching is good. Children in the Foundation Stage have their own enclosed outside play area, which is well resourced with small apparatus. Another area contains large apparatus but cannot be used at the moment because of recent building work. Children have lots of opportunities to develop their manipulative skills throughout the Foundation Stage as they use scissors, tools, moulding materials, brushes and pencils in a variety of activities. Teaching in the physical education lessons in the school hall is very good. These lessons are very enjoyable and proceed with an energetic pace and high expectation of what the children can achieve. The teacher has very good control of the children but does not inhibit their activities or exuberance in any way.

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Physical development

A variety of skills are developed. Nursery children move around the hall and are already developing good spatial awareness. Reception children learn to kick and control a beanbag and to develop throwing and catching techniques. They move about the hall well and are able to change their speed with increasing co-ordination and confidence. Relationships between adults and children are very good. Children listen carefully and respond positively to the clear guidance on how to improve their skills. Kineton Green Primary School - 35 October 2001

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ENGLISH

92. The school makes good provision for the teaching of English and pupils of all ages make good progress. At present, the standards attained by almost all pupils in Year 2 are above those expected for their age in both reading and writing and the school is on course to attain results in English that, by the end of Year 2, are well above those expected. The standard of pupils’ handwriting is only satisfactory overall. Pupils develop good skills in spelling. This represents an improvement since the last inspection when a significant number of pupils in Year 2 were not meeting national expectations in writing.

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ENGLISH

93. Pupils in Year 3 attain well above the standards expected for their age in reading and writing. Although at the end of Year 2 these pupils attained standards well above expectations in both reading and writing, their familiarity with a variety of literature is not as strong as their technical reading skills.

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ENGLISH

94. Over the last four years there have been differences in the performance between boys and girls in national test results at seven but these are inconsistent. During the inspection no consistent evidence was found of significant differences in the attainment of boys and girls, or of pupils from different cultural backgrounds.

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ENGLISH

SPEAKING AND LISTENING 95. Pupils of all ages attain good standards in speaking and listening. This is due to the positive approach of staff, who encourage pupils to reflect upon their own and other people’s feelings and responses from an early age. All pupils listen attentively in order to understand what they need to do to. They answer questions clearly and confidently, often providing detailed and interesting information. Teachers plan well to provide good opportunities for pupils to extend their vocabulary and to ensure that pupils with different learning needs understand unfamiliar words and phrases. The very good way in which teachers lead class circle times also makes a valuable contribution to raising the standards of pupils’ speaking and listening skills. Pupils listen carefully to others in order to discuss ideas when talking in a group. Pupils of all abilities, whether they are average, special educational needs or higher attaining

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ENGLISH

pupils, make good progress because learning opportunities are good and because of the way in which teachers relate to pupils as individuals.

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ENGLISH

READING 96. Pupils attain good standards in reading. Many read accurately, confidently and with good expression. They have a sound grasp of letter sounds and this helps them to tackle words that are unfamiliar to them. They can express simple preferences in reading but do not talk easily about their favourite books or authors. They have a clear understanding of what they have read but find it difficult to make use of this knowledge when predicting what might happen later in a story. They know the difference between fiction and non-fiction books and use the contents and index of a factual book to retrieve information. Higher attaining pupils in Year 2 reach standards well above those expected nationally, reading at sight such words as ‘machine’ and ‘performed’. They make reasonable predictions about future events based on what has gone before. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and reach the standards expected for their age.

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ENGLISH

97. Pupils in Year 3 attain high standards of reading accuracy but do not talk easily about their preferences in reading or why they like a particular book or author. A few pupils can name their favourite author and can discuss sensibly the thoughts and feelings of the characters within texts they are sharing. Kineton Green Primary School - 36 October 2001 98. Pupils throughout the school are able to use books to find information and by the time pupils reach Year 3 they can use dictionaries, and contents and index pages. The reading skills of most pupils are well developed and they have sufficient opportunities to develop the necessary skills to cope with the texts they need for other subjects. The school library is unsatisfactory. Although there are sufficient books of good quality, the design of the library, which is laid out along the main corridor, does not promote the development of library skills. As a result, pupils do

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ENGLISH

not appreciate how libraries are arranged and consequently do not know how to find a book. Plans for an extension to the school building include provision for a new library.

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ENGLISH

WRITING 99. Standards in writing are good overall and almost all pupils in Year 2 attain standards above those expected for their age. Pupils in Year 3 attain standards well above those expected for their age. Pupils make good progress because of clearly planned and focused teaching. Teachers guide pupils well when they undertake extended writing tasks, with the result that pupils in Year 2 can write sustained stories with good attention to characterisation and plot. Teachers use a wide vocabulary themselves to promote pupils' interest in new words. They encourage pupils to select descriptive words carefully with the result that they make good use of interesting vocabulary within a range of forms of writing. For example, ‘Suddenly a blinding light shone…’ Many use a variety of connectives to join short sentences into interesting complex sentences. Pupils experience writing in a range of forms

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ENGLISH

and are able to alter their style to suit the form. When writing instructions, such as ‘How to make toast with chocolate spread’ they give thought to the characteristics of instructional writing and the need for clarity and sequencing. When writing a news article, pupils used short snappy sentences, for example, ‘Do you think they should build a motorway? I am quite angry about it.’

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ENGLISH

100. Standards of handwriting are satisfactory throughout the school. Pupils begin to learn a joined script early and undertake regular practice of writing and writing patterns. However, handwriting skills are not consistently applied across the curriculum and pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to develop a consistent style through the regular application of skills in everyday writing. As a result a significant proportion of pupils do not write easily, for example, some hold a pencil incorrectly or adopt a seated posture that is unhelpful. Although the presentation of pupils’ work at present is satisfactory, these factors will cause many to struggle when they move to using ink.

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ENGLISH

101. Standards attained in spelling by the time pupils are seven and of pupils in Year 3 are above those expected for their ages. Nearly all pupils spell frequently used and monosyllabic words accurately, and they make good use of their knowledge of common spelling patterns to help them spell new words. The school has a good policy of not highlighting too many errors at once. As a result pupils of all abilities are confident to use a very good range of interesting words within their writing. The spelling of important vocabulary for other subjects is satisfactory but the school does not reinforce this in a systematic way.

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ENGLISH

102. Most teaching of English is at least good and 40 per cent of lessons observed during the inspection were judged to be very good. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed, which is a marked improvement on the findings of the last inspection. This improvement has had a good influence on the standards that pupils attain. Teachers manage pupils’ learning and behaviour well and encourage pupils to take a Kineton Green Primary School - 37 October 2001 full part in lessons and all contribute. Most teachers share the learning objectives for each lesson with pupils and this helps them to know what they have to learn and what they need to do to improve. Teachers use a good variety of teaching methods well and this retains their interest and inspires pupils. These include: the use of big books to improve reading skills; whole class teaching of spelling and grammar; probing questions to find out how well pupils are learning, and praise to make sure

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ENGLISH

pupils feel that they and their efforts are appreciated. Occasionally, however, questioning tends to lead pupils’ responses too much, curtailing opportunities for pupils to explore and justify their own opinions and ideas. Teachers have good subject knowledge.

p.37

ENGLISH

103. The National Literacy Strategy is used well, and teachers make good use of their informal assessments to plan work that extends pupils’ literacy skills effectively. Teachers use the end of the literacy sessions effectively to encourage pupils and to share examples of their work. However, it is less common for pupils to be asked to reflect upon their individual success in achieving a lesson’s target. The quality of marking is varied. All teachers give praise and encouragement generously, but not all use marking to make extensive suggestions about how pupils can improve future work. Good use is made of homework to extend pupils’ learning.

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ENGLISH

104. Good use is made of literacy to support work in other subjects. Pupils are given plenty of opportunities to practise their extended writing skills in a range of subjects. For example, pupils write factual comparisons between hospitals in Victorian time and those nowadays. Others write debates that relate to a geography project on improving our environment, such as, ‘Do you think they should build a new motorway?’ Research skills are practised through such things as history projects on Florence Nightingale or on bicycles through the ages.

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ENGLISH

105. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and tasks within lessons are carefully focused to address pupils’ individual needs. Pupils’ learning is enhanced by the good contribution made by the teaching assistants who facilitate the involvement and contributions of these pupils and support them in their individual tasks. These staff work closely with teachers to promote the involvement of all pupils in class activities and discussions. Pupils with English as an additional language are given work to help them develop their English skills and one pupil is given additional teaching support from a visiting teacher.

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ENGLISH

106. Management of English is good. The literacy co-ordinator is knowledgeable and has planned a good, detailed curriculum that is supported by clear assessment guidelines for each year group. Assessment data are evaluated well to ensure that pupils’ progress is tracked closely. However, their use to identify specific areas for future study is less developed. For instance, the pieces of independent writing that are assessed regularly are not evaluated in sufficient detail to highlight pupils’ personal areas of weakness.

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ENGLISH

107. Resources for the learning of English are good. Class libraries are attractive and comfortable and contain a range of books of good quality and condition that encourage pupils to try new texts. This is an improvement since the last inspection. However, it is still not possible to use the school’s central library properly to promote pupils’ learning. Big books are used effectively with all pupils, both to develop reading skills and to demonstrate the language elements of their lessons, as when they learn that words which rhyme do not always have the same spelling pattern. Kineton Green Primary School - 38 October 2001 108. The school’s computer suite is very new and it is not yet used effectively to teach pupils how to draft and edit their writing. Neither are the computers in the classrooms used sufficiently to extend pupils’ learning in English.

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MATHEMATICS

109. The school makes good provision for the teaching of mathematics and pupils of all ages make good progress. Inspection evidence shows that current standards among seven year olds are above the national average and that these pupils are on course to attain standards that are well above average. The attainment of pupils in Year 3 is well above that expected nationally for pupils of this age. This represents good improvement since the last inspection when progress was judged to be unsatisfactory in Year 2. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make good progress.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

110. By Year 2, most pupils have a good understanding of place value to 100, which they demonstrate through various activities including partitioning, sequencing and identifying missing numbers. Year 2 pupils have a good understanding of investigations and the processes of estimating and testing the accuracy of their predictions. All are competent at using a balance and use non-standard measures such as cubes to weigh different objects in the classroom. Able pupils recognise the need for standard measures and a few identify grams and kilograms. Pupils in Year 3 identify and state the properties of a variety of two-dimensional shapes. Able pupils successfully apply their knowledge of symmetry to establish the truth or otherwise of a statement about quadrilaterals. Lower ability pupils successfully test a statement about squares when given support. Pupils with special educational needs are given work that helps them develop their skills and enables them to

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MATHEMATICS

achieve the standards expected for their age.

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MATHEMATICS

111. Pupil's behaviour is generally good and they show interest in mathematics lessons. The majority of pupils co-operate well with their teachers, sustaining concentration throughout the lesson. When required, they collaborate well with other pupils, sharing ideas and equipment sensibly. The behaviour of Year 3 pupils is very good. They listen with careful attention and respond eagerly to questions and challenging tasks. These positive attitudes in learning have a beneficial effect on pupil's attainment and progress.

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MATHEMATICS

112. Standards of numeracy across the school are good. In all classes pupils have opportunities to take part in problem-solving activities and mathematical investigations. They are introduced to the relevance of mathematics in their daily lives when they engage in activities relating to shopping and identify the mathematical shapes of objects in the environment. Good use is made of mathematical skills in other areas of the curriculum. In science, for example, they use graphs to record their findings about the suitability of different materials to conserve frozen objects, and in a geography project they collect data about different types of shops in the area. There is no evidence to show that information and communication technology at present supports pupils’ work in mathematics.

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MATHEMATICS

113. The quality of teaching has improved since the time of the last inspection when it was described as variable. Teaching for seven-year-old pupils was generally unsatisfactory, and low teacher expectation resulted in pupils being set unchallenging tasks. It is now good overall for five to seven year olds with an example of very good teaching in Year 1. Teaching in Year 3 is very good. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. Teachers are aware of the importance of getting pupils Kineton Green Primary School - 39 October 2001 to explain exactly how they arrive at an answer and in all classes work is carefully matched to pupils' abilities. In the very good lessons the introductory mental session moves at a good pace, whilst allowing pupils sufficient time to think and work out their answers. Year 1 pupils made very good progress in using 'counting on' to work out number bonds. The teacher continually emphasised the process, getting pupils

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MATHEMATICS

to state it too. This ensured a thorough understanding. At the start of the lesson in Year 3 pupils were helped to recall their knowledge of right angles, symmetry and attributes of two-dimensional shapes. A lively pace and interesting activities such as drawing shapes in the air for others to identify, as well as the assurance that all the knowledge would be put to good use later in the lesson, produced rapt attention and intense keenness to contribute, all of which ensured very good learning. In all the lessons observed, teachers emphasised correct mathematical terminology. Year 3 pupils were encouraged to use words such as accurate, alternative and persevere to refine further their descriptions of their mathematical investigations. Investigation and problem solving are features in most lessons, enabling pupils to practise and apply mathematical skills in relevant contexts. Teaching of this aspect of

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MATHEMATICS

mathematics is very good. In a Year 2 lesson pupils were required to put written statements about the processes involved in problem solving in the correct order and the teacher very clearly demonstrated the procedure using various relevant examples. Year 3 pupils became 'shape detectives' and successfully carried out challenging tasks to enhance their investigative skills. The teacher, aware of exactly what she wanted pupils to learn, was direct and vigorous, using her hands to emphasise certain factors and pupils responded well.

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MATHEMATICS

114. Co-ordination of mathematics is good. The present co-ordinator has only recently joined the school but is already very knowledgeable about the mathematical provision within the school. Staff have received training in the requirements of the National Numeracy Strategy. The co-ordinator looks at planning and is auditing the resources for the subject. She has not yet had opportunities to monitor teaching herself at present but this has been done in the past. Assessment is good and is closely linked to planning. Pupils' attainments are analysed systematically in order to monitor their progress. Any gaps in the pupils' learning are highlighted and tackled later in the cyclical programme. Homework provision is very good. Each parent receives information in advance about what their child will be doing over each half term and weekly tasks are set to enable parents to support their child. There are

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MATHEMATICS

opportunities for parents, pupils and teachers to make comments about the work and about the pupils' progress. Kineton Green Primary School - 40 October 2001

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SCIENCE

115. Inspection evidence shows that the pupils in Year 2 and in Year 3 are attaining standards that are above those expected for their age. This represents a considerable improvement since the last inspection when standards at the end of Year 2 were judged to be below expectations. Fewer pupils attain the higher Level 3 in science than in other subjects.

p.40

SCIENCE

116. Pupils of all abilities in Year 2 have a good grasp of the science of living things. They know that plants need water and light to grow and that animals need water and food. They know that some foods are healthier than others. They know that materials are different and that heating or cooling can change some. However, only the more able pupils are yet aware that sometimes these changes can be reversed. Most pupils know that a sponge ball will revert to its original shape after being squashed. Pupils are less secure in their understanding of the physical processes but this is largely because they have not yet met concepts such as electricity, which are included in planning to be covered later this year.

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SCIENCE

117. Pupils make good progress both in learning to understand more about the concepts of science and in learning how to investigate and think scientifically. Pupils in Year 1 learn to predict what might happen before beginning an investigation. Through investigating they learn that water will pass through some materials better than others. Pupils in Year 2 learn that they need to record their observations and that this can be done in a variety of ways. Pupils in Year 3 learn that not all questions can be tested and that sometimes it is necessary to use secondary sources such as books. By the time pupils reach Year 3, they understand that investigations need to be fair. They know that if they change one variable, all others must remain the same. Pupils with special educational needs also make good progress. They are given work that is appropriate to their ability and are well supported by teaching

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SCIENCE

assistants. In Years 1 and 2, higher attaining pupils are given too few opportunities to learn independently or to be involved in the decisions about how to carry out their investigations and this limits progress they are able to make.

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SCIENCE

118. Since the last inspection the scheme of work has been updated and assessment procedures have been developed. These are good and enable teachers to plan work that builds on previous understanding. The school has recently introduced a framework for planning investigations. When this is done well it is effective, for example in Year 3. In some other classes, teachers are unsure about why they plan in this way. This inhibits their teaching and fails to have the expected result of raising standards higher.

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SCIENCE

119. Pupils’ attitudes to science are good. They are interested, and when encouraged, join in class discussions enthusiastically. This was seen in a Year 2 class when pupils involved themselves in a discussion about whether to measure the water that had melted from ice or whether to measure the remaining ice. They work together cooperatively and take turns if the activity is practical, for example, when wrapping up ice lollies to stop them from melting.

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SCIENCE

120. Teaching is good and 2 of the 4 lessons observed were very good. In one good lesson the teacher was effective in promoting a high level of discussion, which encouraged the pupils to express their ideas and think about what they could see happening. In this lesson one pupil observed that the activity had not been a fair test because the ice had not been kept in the same place. In the very good lessons, the teachers have a good understanding of how to investigate scientifically and take Kineton Green Primary School - 41 October 2001 steps to ensure that pupils are given opportunities to keep the test as fair as possible. For example, in one lesson the teacher encouraged a discussion about how to wrap up a melting lolly and pupils were able to understand that the size of the wrapper and the way in which it was wrapped had to be kept the same. In another lesson the teacher was unsure about the investigative process and confused

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SCIENCE

measuring whether a material was waterproof with whether the surface was water soluble.

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SCIENCE

121. Management of the subject is good. The co-ordinator has only held this for a short time but she has already updated the science scheme of work and ensured that it includes opportunities for pupils to learn the skills of science as well as the concepts. Assessment opportunities are built into the scheme of work and good records are kept of pupils’ progress. No examples of ICT being used to support learning in science were observed during the inspection.

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ART AND DESIGN

122. By the time they are seven, pupils have attained the standards normally expected for pupils of that age. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection when standards were judged to be below expectations at the end of Year 2. Pupils in Year 3 also attain the expected standards. Only 1 lesson was observed during the inspection and so judgements have been made on the analysis of pupils’ work, both from this year and last, and of teachers’ planning.

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ART AND DESIGN

123. By the end of Year 2 pupils have experienced using a range of media and techniques. Pupils in the reception class mix paint by rubbing their hands together. They produce warm and cold colours. Pupils in Year 1 mix paints in palettes and use them to paint flowers. Pupils in Year 1 observe their facial features in order to produce paintings of faces. Pupils in all classes look at the work of famous artists and use this to consider their own style. Pupils in Year 1 have looked at the work of Andy Goldsworthy. Pupils in Year 2 looked at the work of Lowry and then discussed how their limbs move when running and jumping. This helped them produce good quality sketches of moving figures. During the inspection pupils in Year 3 were working on pictures of themselves and another person. They focused on the relationship of the people in their picture and tried to communicate this through their work. As well as paint, pupils use chalk, pen, pastels and pencils. Last year, Year 2

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ART AND DESIGN

used textile paints to produce a batik. They have made collages and have made tiles, which they have used for printing. There were no examples of 3 dimensional work seen during the inspection but this is included in the scheme of work. The art curriculum week last term enriched the provision of art and enabled pupils across the school to produce work of a very high standard. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included in all lessons and attain standards similar to those of other pupils.

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ART AND DESIGN

124. Management of the subject is good. Since the last inspection the co-ordinator has worked at improving art and raising the status of art within the school. She teaches in the school for only one day each week and does not have opportunities to monitor planning or observe lessons. However she monitors the displays around the school and is aware of the work being done by pupils in each class. She has recently introduced sketchbooks, which are now being used throughout the school. Art is assessed and records of pupils’ progress kept.

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ART AND DESIGN

125. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection. This was in Year 3 and was very good. The teacher gave clear instructions about the task and taught specific Kineton Green Primary School - 42 October 2001 colour mixing skills before asking the pupils to try for themselves. This helped pupils achieve success. Resources for the subject are good, but because they are kept in a central store and not in the classrooms, pupils have few opportunities to make their own choice of materials. Pupils sometimes have opportunities to produce art work on the computer but these opportunities were not evident during the inspection and few examples were displayed around the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

126. By the time pupils reach the age of seven they have had a variety of design and technology experiences and have attained standards broadly similar to those seen in most other schools. Pupils make satisfactory progress. Because only two lessons were observed, judgements are also based on the analysis of work and teachers’ planning. Both lessons observed were introductory lessons and pupils were not observed making. Whilst it is clear that standards are at least satisfactory, there is insufficient evidence to confirm the judgement of the last inspection that pupils’ attainment is good. Planning indicates that standards in Year 3 are also similar to those found in other schools.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

127. By the age of seven pupils have used a range of materials such as textiles, food and card. When in Year 1, the present Year 2 made a fruit salad. They considered who they were making it for, how to make it look nice and what it would taste like. They used card to make pictures that moved, using simple lever techniques. During the inspection, Year 1 were observed designing puppets which they are going to make out of textiles. They looked carefully both at the materials used and the techniques to join them. They are beginning to generate their own ideas, for example in the way they dress their puppets. Year 2 were observed designing houses. They generate their own designs and think about what materials they will use and the tools they will need. In the lessons observed pupils with special educational needs were well supported. The manner in which their ideas were recorded was adapted to include

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

128. Pupils enjoy design and technology and pupils in Year 1 were excited by looking at puppets. They worked well together and shared resources amicably.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

129. Since the last inspection the scheme of work has been rewritten and assessment criteria identified. It is clear from the scheme of work and from teachers’ planning that pupils follow the National Curriculum and firstly investigate other examples of the things they are going to make. Teachers teach the necessary skills to support pupils in their making and pupils are expected to evaluate their work when it is complete in order to identify areas for improvement. In this way pupils develop a bank of skills. The scheme ensures that pupils experience using a range of materials.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

130. In the two lessons observed teaching was good. Both these teachers had a clear idea of the design process and pupils were encouraged to examine existing articles before designing their own.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

131. Resources for the subject are satisfactory. No examples of pupils using computers to aid design were seen during the inspection. The co-ordinator has previously monitored planning and teaching but this is not happening at the moment because there is no coordinator for the subject. Good records of pupils’ progress are kept. The headteacher is presently covering the management of the subject and this is satisfactory. Kineton Green Primary School - 43 October 2001

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GEOGRAPHY

132. Standards in geography at the age of seven and in Year 3 are close to those expected for their ages. All pupils including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. They have geographical skills and knowledge at the expected level and make use of them when investigating geographical questions. Standards seen at the last inspection have been maintained.

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GEOGRAPHY

133. The school is careful to ensure that pupils develop geographical knowledge in a progressive way as they move through the school. For example, younger pupils investigate the local area considering shops and services. As they grow older, some pupils study where a range of locally available commodities came from originally, whilst others consider both physical and human influences on their local environment.

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GEOGRAPHY

134. Pupils also develop skills progressively. For instance, younger pupils make and use maps of the local area, while older pupils study maps in atlases to deduce reasons for differences in where crops are grown. For instance, ‘Bananas come from the Caribbean because it is hot and it needs some hot so it can grow’.

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GEOGRAPHY

135. The teaching of geography is good overall with examples of very good teaching. Teachers plan imaginative projects that excite pupils about geography and develop their ability to draw conclusions. As a result pupils are enthusiastic when talking about what they have learned. Teachers are careful to balance the teaching of subject knowledge and the development of geographical skills. As a result pupils use appropriate geographical terminology and develop sound use of geographical skills. Both literacy and numeracy skills are used well to support work in geography. For example, when researching for their plans for a foreign holiday, pupils wrote letters to the travel agent detailing their requirements for climate and activities.

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GEOGRAPHY

136. The very detailed scheme of work guides teachers’ planning well. The projects selected by the school, both for current pupils and for future older children, address a good balance, extending pupils’ thinking and ensuring that assignments build successively upon the skills pupils acquired in previous years. Teaching of the scheme for pupils in Year 3 has only just begun. However, very good planning is in place that demonstrates well the school’s desire to extend both pupils’ factual knowledge and their geography skills.

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GEOGRAPHY

137. Assessment procedures in geography have been refined and are now very good. They are easily manageable for staff and give a clear picture of pupils’ gains in both knowledge and understanding and in their use of geographical skills.

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GEOGRAPHY

138. Co-ordination of the subject is good. The co-ordinator monitors the school’s provision through visiting classrooms, looking at teachers’ planning and reviewing assessment findings. However, she has not been able to monitor the quality of the learning experiences pupils are given either through observing lessons or through looking at pupils’ books. Resources are satisfactory overall with a good range of atlases and maps in use. Information and communication technology is underused to support work in geography and no examples were seen during the inspection.

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HISTORY

Kineton Green Primary School - 44 October 2001 139. Standards at the age of seven are in line with those expected for their age in terms of pupils’ knowledge of historical detail. Pupils make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to that of other pupils. Because only one class was working on a history-based topic at the time of the inspection, insufficient teaching was seen during the inspection to make an overall judgement as to its quality. Judgements are based largely on scrutiny of pupils’ work and on conversations with pupils and staff. Pupils enjoy history and were keen to tell the inspector about the projects they had studied.

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HISTORY

140. By the age of seven pupils demonstrate the expected knowledge and understanding of the lives of people in the past and the prevailing conditions at the time. Pupils’ historical knowledge and understanding are further developed through making comparisons. For example, when learning about Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole, they compared hospitals of the time with those now. Younger pupils have considered bicycles in the past and compared them with their own versions. Good evaluations of the differences showed an awareness of the different uses and activities of bicycles in different ages. Pupils’ independent writing is thoughtful and sensitive. For example, when writing about the hospital at Scutari they wrote ‘letters home’ describing the conditions and the feelings of the soldiers.

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HISTORY

141. Younger pupils begin to develop research skills as they consider possible reasons behind the events they learn about. Teachers question effectively to involve everyone in discussions and to probe pupils’ understanding. In the lessons observed, the teacher made good use of a range of resources (including a member of staff dressed up as Florence Nightingale for pupils to interview) to bring the subject alive. The discussion that ensued was particularly good in the way it was used to deepen pupils’ empathy for sick people during the Victorian era.

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HISTORY

142. Teachers are careful to plan activities in such a way as to promote the full involvement of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, either through working with more able colleagues, assisted by a supporting adult or by simplifying tasks. Good use is made of literacy skills in the guided research undertaken and some teachers also make good use of computers for pupils to research information stored on CD-ROMs.

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HISTORY

143. Teaching motivates the pupils, who work hard and show great interest in their work. This is extended further through good use of visits out of school and visitors to the school. For example, pupils’ understanding of how shops have changed since Victorian times is brought alive by a visit to Blists Hill Open Museum.

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HISTORY

144. The very detailed scheme of work guides teachers’ planning well. The history units selected by the school, both for pupils currently attending and in future plans for older children, address a good balance across time and civilisations. They are designed to extend pupils’ thinking and ensure that assignments build successively upon the skills pupils acquired in previous years. Pupils in Year 3 will not study history until the spring term. However, very good planning is already in place that demonstrates well the school’s desire to extend both pupils’ factual knowledge and their skills in historical research.

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HISTORY

145. Assessment procedures in history have been refined and are now very good. They are easily manageable for staff and give a clear picture of pupils’ gains in both knowledge and understanding and in their use of historical skills. Literacy skills are developed well in history and pupils regularly undertake written assignments. For Kineton Green Primary School - 45 October 2001 example, they plan interview questions to ask famous explorers such as Neil Armstrong.

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HISTORY

146. Co-ordination of the subject is good. The co-ordinator monitors the school’s provision through visiting classrooms, looking at teachers’ planning and reviewing assessment findings. However, she has not been able to monitor the quality of the learning experiences pupils are given either through observing lessons or through looking at pupils’ books. Resources are satisfactory and staff make good use of the local authority’s library service to extend the school’s range of books, pictures and artefacts.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

147. At the end of Year 2 the attainment of pupils in information and communication technology (ICT) is broadly in line with the standards expected nationally. During their time in the school, the great majority of the pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in relation to their prior attainment. This maintains the findings of the last inspection, when standards were judged to be generally good but with some weaknesses. Because pupils in Year 3 were not observed using the computer during the inspection, there is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on standards in this class. Evidence from the teacher’s planning indicates that attainment is likely to be below expectations.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

148. At the end of Year 2, pupils are confident with the use of word processing programmes. Most pupils are able to use the keyboard and know how to use the backspace key in order to correct their work. They can change the size and colour of the font, and log on to the computer with increasing independence. They have had experience of collecting data and presenting it as pictograms and bar graphs. On occasions, pupils use CD ROMs to gather information.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

149. Pupils in Year 1 recognise how various everyday devices respond to signals and instructions. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 can identify and name the different parts of the computer and practise logging on independently. Pupils in Year 3 are also learning how to log on to the computer, print their work and save it to a file. Pupils are given opportunities to place instructions in the correct order to make programmable toys move. Pupils with special educational needs have the same opportunities as other pupils and make similar progress. There was no evidence that ICT is used to support the learning of pupils with special educational needs in other areas of the curriculum.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

150. Since the last inspection the provision of information technology hardware has considerably improved and a computer suite has been installed in the school. At the time of the inspection this had only been in use for a week and both teachers and pupils were still getting used to using it. This is why the pupils in Year 3 are still at the same level as those in Year 1 and 2 in some aspects of ICT. For example, pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 are all practising logging on and off the computer. Lessons are now timetabled in the suite and pupils are beginning to use the computers regularly. Although there are computers in every classroom, they were often left unused in lessons during the inspection week and little evidence of ICT being used to support the work in other subjects was seen. The medium-term planning makes insufficient reference to ICT in other subjects; consequently its use to support pupils’ learning across the wider curriculum is underdeveloped. Many

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

pupils are familiar with using computers at home and this is supporting their learning in this subject. Kineton Green Primary School - 46 October 2001 151. No full lessons were observed so it is not possible to make a judgement on the standard of teaching. Teachers, however, were observed giving instructions confidently and displaying a satisfactory and sometimes good knowledge of the subject. Throughout the school, pupils demonstrate keen interest in ICT. They co- operate very effectively and their behaviour when working at the computers is good.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

152. Co-ordination of the subject is good. The co-ordinator for the subject has only been appointed this term but has already a good grasp of what is needed to improve the standards further. She recognises the need to plan how ICT will be used to support learning in other areas of the curriculum. There is a clear scheme of work for the subject and assessment systems are well established. There is now a satisfactory level of suitable software and hardware and the school is well placed to raise standards. Funds obtained from the national Grid for Learning (NGFL) have been used to finance the computer suite. Although this is not yet connected to the Internet the school has prepared for this by writing an Acceptable Use policy for the Internet and will in due course fit systems to protect pupils from misuse of the system.

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MUSIC

153. Pupils throughout the school attain the standards expected for their age. The last report stated that there were few opportunities for pupils to listen to and appraise each other's work. This has been addressed. In a very good Year 3 lesson when the teacher asked what made a good audience, the pupils agreed upon looking and listening as key aspects. They put this conclusion to good effect when they were divided up into groups for performance followed by class evaluation. When one particular group performed, the rest were so impressed that they broke into spontaneous applause!

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MUSIC

154. Lessons in Year 3 and in each of the Year 2 classes were observed. Year 2 pupils play a variety of untuned instruments and identify the sounds they make as being particularly appropriate to rain, sea, sun or thunder and lightning. They contrast loud and quiet sounds using the terminology, piano and forte, and understand that these can change the mood and character of a piece of music. Year 3 pupils sing well, using elements in their voices such as volume, speed and vocal timbre to create different effects. They compose and perform descriptive music to accompany poems about animals. They effectively use their hands to conduct their group's own performance.

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MUSIC

155. Because of the overall good teaching that they receive, pupils respond positively in lessons and enjoy them. Teaching in one Year 2 class was good and in the Year 3 class it was very good. In these lessons pupils are enthusiastic, listen carefully to the teachers and work to the best of their ability. They showed great confidence when performing and when discussing their work and sharing their ideas and feelings.

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MUSIC

156. In Year 3 pupils made very good progress in their ability to explore and choose different instruments to describe animals and to create descriptive music in small groups. This was because the teachers' high expectations and challenging approach ensured a mature response. From the start of the lesson, pupils engaged in activities that consolidated previous learning. They effectively demonstrated this learning with good descriptions about how musical elements can be used to describe different animals. One pupil used his hands very effectively to show sound getting lower in pitch. Throughout the lesson the teachers' own infectious enthusiasm Kineton Green Primary School - 47 October 2001 stimulated the pupils and they displayed very good attitudes for the whole of the lesson. In the good, well organised Year 2 lesson, the teacher was confident enough to allow pupils to explore and discover for themselves the variety of sounds

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MUSIC

that could be produced from untuned instruments. This helped pupils make good progress and they produced sensible suggestions about how to make sounds to represent various weathers. Pupils with special educational needs make the same good progress other pupils make.

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MUSIC

157. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils' listening and speaking skills and to their social and spiritual development. They learn the importance of working together to compose music and they improve their interpersonal skills.

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MUSIC

158. Year 2 and Year 3 pupils have opportunities to learn to play the recorder during extra-curricular lunchtime sessions. The school has taken part in various festivals in the local area, and during the summer term puts on a special music and dancing event for the enjoyment of pupils and parents. Music makes a good contribution to activities in the school such as the Harvest Festival and Christmas concerts.

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MUSIC

159. At present the school does not have a co-ordinator for music but provision is overseen by the headteacher and management is satisfactory. The school is well resourced for music following the recent acquisition of a variety of instruments from other cultures. Pupils have the opportunity in assemblies to listen to the music of well-known composers. Pupils also contribute to assemblies with good quality tuneful singing. A small number of Year 3 pupils receive violin and cello lessons from a visiting specialist and parents are required to pay for these lessons. No examples of computer generated compositions were observed during the inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

160. Standards in physical education (PE) achieved by the pupils in Year 2 and in Year 3 are above that normally seen in pupils of that age and are better than those reported in the previous inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

161. During the inspection, pupils were only observed in 4 games lessons and one gymnastics lesson. The full range of physical activity is undertaken over the year and Year 3 pupils have recently started to take part in swimming.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

162. The pupils in the reception class make good progress and begin to demonstrate good control as they gently move a beanbag with their feet towards a target. Pupils in Year 2 evaluate their performance when rolling and positioning a ball and through this are able to improve. Pupils in Year 3 understand why they first need to warm up; they know the effect exercise has on their bodies. Pupils in this class try very hard to move smoothly. When stretching they use all their muscles and hold their position for some seconds. Throughout the lesson they exercise good control over their bodies. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in developing their physical education skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

163. Pupils enjoy their PE sessions and respond with enthusiasm to the teacher’s instructions. Pupils in Year 2 respond well to the teacher’s questions. Pupils in Year 3 are very well disciplined and responsive and put great effort into improving their performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

164. In the lessons observed the quality of teaching was good in one lesson and very good in the others. All lessons begin with effective warm up activities before Kineton Green Primary School - 48 October 2001 introducing the developmental part of the session, and all end with the opportunity for pupils to cool down. Teachers dress appropriately. The pace is brisk and expectations are high and as a result pupils do not waste time but try hard to achieve more control of their movements. Relevant questions are asked about how the movements are made or how they could be improved and pupils listen carefully and respond well to suggestions. Relationships between the teachers and pupils are good and this has a positive effect on their learning. Teachers quickly establish routines in their physical education lessons, and even though the inspection was early in the school year, pupils were clear about the routines for getting out and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

165. Since the last inspection, the co-ordinator, who is a PE specialist, has updated the scheme of work and produced a new scheme for dance. Management of the subject is good. Some in-service training has developed teachers’ confidence and expertise. This time there were no unsatisfactory lessons, which is an improvement on the last inspection. Assessment opportunities are identified and records kept of pupils’ achievements but their use to guide planning is unsatisfactory.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

166. A Year 3 lesson was observed but it was not possible to watch any teaching of religious education for five to seven year old pupils. The only pupils' work available was in displays of topics currently being covered in the school. The work done in the lesson observed and of the displays and analysis of plans, together with discussion with teachers and the co-ordinator, indicate that standards have been maintained since the time of the last inspection and are at least satisfactory.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

167. Year 1 pupils sequence events in the story of Samuel. Year 2 pupils are studying Judaism and write knowledgeably about the Tallit and about the Feast of Succoth. Year 3 pupils are aware of the significance of sacred writing such as the Torah scrolls and of books such as the Bible to believers in the various faiths. There is an appropriate emphasis on making all topics relevant to the pupils' own experiences. For instance, after learning about Moses, Year 2 pupils made up their own rules that include not hurting other people and being kind.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

168. Teaching in the Year 3 lesson was good. Relevant and interesting tasks were set and the teacher intervened effectively to increase pupils' knowledge and understanding of sacred writing and of the Book of Kells. Resources were used well and the playing of Gregorian chants helped to establish a calm atmosphere and introduce an element of spirituality in keeping with the nature of the subject. There are effective links with literacy through discussions, through reading stories and when pupils write independently, composing prayers and writing accounts of their learning. The subject makes a good contribution to spiritual, moral social and cultural education in the school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

169. Co-ordination of religious education is good. The co-ordinator teaches in the school for only one day each week and does not have opportunities to monitor planning or observe lessons. However, she is very knowledgeable about the work being done by pupils in each class. She supports colleagues very well and has prepared a good scheme of work based on the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Pupils' progress is assessed at the conclusion of each series of lessons. A good range of resources includes artefacts to support the teaching of the religions studied. Pupils visit local Christian Churches, but do not at present visit places of worship of other faiths. The co-ordinator hopes to arrange such visits in the future. Kineton Green Primary School - 49 October 2001

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