Broadlands Primary School

BROADLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 th – 14 th March 2002

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BROADLANDS 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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BROADLANDS 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. Broadlands Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery, Infant and Junior

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Prospect Walk Tupsley Hereford Herefordshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Pastor D. C. Short MBE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 7 th July 1997 Broadlands Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

25509 J. A. Clarke Registered inspector Geography History Information about the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? 19430 E. T. Hall Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 22397 S. Fowler Team inspector English Music How well is the school led and managed?

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Aspect responsibilities

30144 J. E. Hastings Team inspector Religious education Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Areas of learning for children in the foundation stage How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

25577 W. Jefferson Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology Physical education 22831 C. G. Lewis Team inspector Art and design Information and communication technology Science Provision for pupils with special educational needs Equality of opportunity Broadlands Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Grasshoppers 1 Anglesey Close Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 8XA

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Broadlands Primary School - 6

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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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Broadlands Primary School is situated in the busy city of Hereford. It is larger than many primary schools, having 439 pupils (233 boys and 183 girls) aged four to eleven. There are significantly more boys in the school than there are girls. The school is about the same size as it was at the time of the last inspection. Most of the children start school in the nursery class. They move to the reception classes in the year in which they are five. The attainment for most of the present reception class is average. However each year group is very different and attainment is not always average. About 17 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is in line with the national average. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals has nearly doubled since the last inspection. The school has 100 pupils with special educational needs, which is broadly average and two pupils have a statement of their special educational needs, which is just below average. Most of the pupils

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

with special educational needs have moderate learning difficulties. The number of pupils with special educational needs has doubled since the last inspection. The majority of pupils are of white ethnic origin. Two pupils come from homes where English is not their first language. A significant number of pupils, ninety-one, (22 per cent) entered or left the school at times other than the beginning of the reception year or at the end of Year 6. This equates to nearly a quarter of all pupils. The school has a Sport England Activemark Gold Award, takes part in a “Teaching Talking” project and the safe routes to school initiative.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school of which parents are justly proud. Pupils achieve above the levels expected in music and well above the levels expected in physical education by the end of Year 6. In other subjects the pupils attain average standards, with the exception of information and communication technology (ICT) and writing, where standards are below the levels expected. Improvements in the quality of teaching, which is now at least good and sometimes very good and in the checking of improvements in standards, have helped the school to develop and focus on where further refinements are needed. The headteacher, with full support from a hard working staff, leads by example and gives very good leadership. The governing body provides effective help to the school. Pupils show very good attitudes towards school and behave well; those pupils, who find behaving well difficult, know that school works hard to help them. When all these factors are considered, along with

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

the high level of funding, the school is providing good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils achieve well and attain above the levels expected in music. They work very hard to achieve well above the levels expected in physical education by the end of Year 6 and above the level expected in Year 2. This is because the pupils receive specialist teaching and there are excellent extra-curricular activities, which help standards in these subjects to improve. • The vast majority of pupils work very hard and behave well. They have very good role models in their teachers who ensure that all the pupils feel valued and develop very good attitudes to their work. • All pupils are supported and guided by the provision the school makes to help them develop as rounded people. Their sense of independence, belonging, care and responsibility are promoted very well. • The headteacher provides very good leadership. He has a clear vision for the further development of the school and leads by example. His deputy headteacher ably assists him.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

• There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress enabling staff to build effectively on pupils’ previous learning. • The curriculum is rich and provides an interesting range of subjects for the pupils to study. Broadlands Primary School - 8 What could be improved • Standards in writing, which, although improving, could be higher throughout the school. • Standards in ICT throughout the school. • The behaviour of a very small number of pupils. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has responded positively to the last inspection in July 1997 and has made good progress in addressing the issues raised for improvement. The quality of teaching has improved and standards are beginning to rise. The School Improvement Plan is now a very effective tool for school development and the governing body is fully involved in planning for the future development of the school. The governing body use their wide range of expertise well. The school’s methods of checking pupils’ progress are now very good. The teachers make good use of this information to plan their lessons. Both parents and pupils are fully aware of what the child needs to do to improve further. The higher-attaining pupils are now effectively challenged in lessons and clear evidence for this can be seen in the end of key stage test results. Co-ordinators have a very clear role in checking teaching and learning in the school and there is a very good commitment for improvement. The leadership of the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

school has effectively led the school in building upon the secure foundations seen in the last inspection and has made good progress in addressing the key issues from the last report. It is well placed to build effectively on them.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: All schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Standards in the 2001 tests in Year 6 were average in English and mathematics, but well below average in science. The trend over time shows a generally improving picture. Although the pupils’ attainments in science have risen when they are compared against all schools it has not been a steady rise. The school has identified investigative and experimental aspects of science as areas for development and has modified the curriculum accordingly. When looking at the school’s performance over time there are various factors to take into account. Firstly the children’s attainment in the reception class varies. There are also a number of pupils in the school who have special educational needs. Approximately a quarter of the pupils in the school have transferred from other schools. These pupils need time to settle into a new school. The school sets itself challenging targets and met them in part last year. For

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STANDARDS

the present group of children in the reception classes, most will achieve the expectations of the Early Learning Goals for young children in all areas of learning. Standards in the present Year 2 and 6 are at the expected levels in English, mathematics and science. In writing the pupils standards are rising but as yet are not as high as they should be. Standards in ICT are below the levels expected at the end of Years 2 and 6. In music at the end of Years 2 and 6 Broadlands Primary School - 9 and physical education at the end of Year 2, standards are above the levels expected. In physical education at the end of Year 6, standards are well above the levels expected. In all other subjects standards are at the levels expected at the end of Years 2 and 6. Staff have clear expectations of the pupils. They take care to match their work to their individual requirements and this is leading to steady improvement, especially in the core subjects of

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STANDARDS

English, mathematics and science. The effective use of the newly in place computer suite is expected to improve the pupils’ standards in ICT.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. The pupils’ attitudes to the school are very good. The great majority are eager to come to school and are keen to work. A few in some classes, however, have a poorer commitment.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Behaviour in and around the school is good overall. For some very good. A few pupils have personal and social behavioural problems, which are the constant concern of staff.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. The pupils’ personal development is very good. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and all adults in the school are very good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Levels of attendance are satisfactory.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is good throughout the school. It is strongest in Years 3 to 6. There was no unsatisfactory teaching observed during the inspection. Overall the good teaching in the school enables the pupils to learn well. The standard in teaching has improved in the school since the last inspection, where a number of lessons were judged unsatisfactory and the numbers of good and very good lessons were lower. Weaknesses in teaching then revolved around the need to challenge the higher-attaining pupils. This is no longer the case, all pupils are fully included in all lessons. The higher-attaining pupils are well catered for and there is clear evidence for this in the end of key stage tests. The teaching of literacy and numeracy are good. The teachers plan closely to the National Strategies and their attention to the teaching of basic skills is good. The teachers have identified the need to extend the opportunities the pupils have to use their writing skills. They perceive this as an

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

area of the pupils’ work for further development. The recently completed computer suite with its’ new computers presents a very good facility for the teachers. The school has recognised that some of the staff will need training in its use. Broadlands Primary School - 10

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum for the children in the Foundation Stage is well planned. The curriculum for the pupils throughout the school is rich and broadly based. Extra-curricular provision in the school is outstanding.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The arrangements for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs are good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. At present there are two pupils in the school who speak English as an additional language. The school provides good help for them.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school provides very good opportunities for the pupil’s spiritual, moral and social development. Pupils are encouraged to work co-operatively, take responsibility for their work and to be as independent as possible. In this way they are very well prepared to take a constructive part as active, reflective, moral citizens.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school takes good care of the pupils. Teachers encourage a happy working atmosphere in which pupils develop as rounded individuals. Assessment and target setting help the pupils to improve their work.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well does the school work in partnership with parents Good. The school works hard to involve parents in their children’s work and most parents help their children at home. The Parent Teacher Association raises considerable funds, which benefits the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have a very clear vision for the future development of the school, with a clear focus on raising standards. Very effective management systems within the school help it to continually seek to improve. There are a good number of teachers and teaching assistants to meet the demands of the curriculum.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Led by the able chairperson, all governors demonstrate a clear commitment to the school. They carry out their duties well and use their wide range of expertise to promote the work of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school checks all of its work. The quality of teaching is closely scrutinised and decisive action is taken to bring about improvements.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The school’s finances are managed carefully and best value is sought in all expenditure. Specific grants are spent appropriately. Learning resources are good overall. The accommodation is satisfactory overall. The newly installed ICT suite and the library are very good resources for the pupils to use. Broadlands Primary School - 11

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school. • Behaviour is good. This is due to staff working hard to build up pupils’ self esteem. • Teachers expect the children to work hard and do their best. They provide interesting lessons. Consequently, the pupils make good progress. • The school is very well managed and led. Staff are approachable. They feel the school works closely with them. • The school helps their children to mature and be responsible. Consequently behaviour is good and relationships, amongst pupils and between pupils and adults, are very good. • A few parents feel they are not well enough informed about how their child is getting on. The majority, however, feel strongly that the school gives good information on progress

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agree with all the parents’ positive comments. They agree with the great majority that information on pupils’ progress is good. Broadlands Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The 2001 National Curriculum test results show that by the end of Year 6 pupils attained: • Average standards in English and mathematics; • Well below average standards in science. In comparison with pupils with similar backgrounds pupils’ performance was average in English and mathematics and well below average in science. When compared with schools of similar levels of attainment in the 1996 Year 2 tests, Year 6 pupils made satisfactory progress in English and mathematics and poor progress in science. The 2001 National Curriculum test results show that by the end of Year 2 pupils attained: • Below average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. In comparison with pupils with similar backgrounds pupils’ performance was: • Well below average in reading and mathematics; • Below average in writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The school’s results are affected by a number of factors, which impact upon the pupils’ attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6. The children who start in the reception class show a wide diversity of attainment with some year groups being average, whilst other group’s attainment is below average. This means that some year groups are more disadvantaged than others are. There are significantly more boys than there are girls in the school. In fact there is only one year group, Year 1, where there is a balance of boys and girls. In all other year groups there are notably more boys present. There are a number of pupils in the school who have special educational needs, with one pupil in four needing extra help with their learning. The numbers of pupils with statements of their special educational need is rapidly rising. The majority of the pupils who need to have extra help are boys.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The numbers of pupils who transfer from other schools to this school is very high. Pupils come to the school part way through their education. The school gives them good help and encouragement and puts into place a number of strategies to support them. Even so they take a while to settle, to learn the school routines and the school’s expectations. There are also a small number of pupils who find it difficult to manage their behaviour and to concentrate and persevere with their tasks. These many factors affect the overall standards attained at the end of Years 2 and 6. The standards achieved depend on the different levels of disadvantage in each particular group. Consequently, although the pupils are taught well and learn well, their achievements are satisfactory overall. This is because the membership of the group of pupils changes throughout their period at school. Progress can not be reliably charted by comparing the Year 2 test results against the Year 6 test results. For

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

example, in the present Year 6 group 40 per cent of the pupils did not begin their education in the reception class at this school. In the present Year 2 classes, 10 pupils have joined since the reception year and a quarter of the pupils have special educational needs. Whilst in Year 6, 15 per cent of the pupils have special educational needs. Although these pupils are well catered for and achieve and learn well they may not achieve at the nationally expected standards. The school therefore faces considerable challenges in its efforts to raise standards and has introduced a number of initiatives to bring about improvements.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. An area highlighted for improvement in the last inspection was that the higher- attaining pupils were not challenged sufficiently in their work. This situation has been rectified and now they are given appropriately challenging work. The results of this can be Broadlands Primary School - 13 seen in the 2001 tests for Year 6, where an above average number of pupils achieved at the higher than expected level in English and mathematics. Science has been perceived by the school as an area of weakness. An in depth study of provision in the school indicated where significant improvements could be made. As a result the teachers have focused on the investigation and experimental elements of the science curriculum. Year 6 pupils have also been placed into sets so that their learning can be specifically tailored to their needs. Because of these initiatives attainment in science is rising throughout the school. Progress

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

in this area has been rapid and now standards are at the levels expected. The school is also implementing a number of strategies to improve the pupils’ standards in writing. Although these strategies are in place they have yet to have a significant impact upon attainment. The teachers have ensured that no opportunities are lost in their efforts to develop the pupils’ skills in writing in other subjects. In this way the pupils have plenty of opportunities to practise their literacy skills. Alongside their literacy sessions the teachers have implemented a focused learning session at the beginning of the school day. In this session the pupils learn spellings, practise their handwriting or write descriptions of tools or illustrations. However, although standards in writing are rising, the school recognises that there is still more to do.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. On entry to the nursery early assessments have identified that many children have below average levels of attainment, especially in their development of language skills. As a direct result of this assessment the school has introduced the “Teaching Talking Project” to improve the children’s speaking skills. Consequently, children are now making good progress in improving their spoken language, and most children achieve the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning by the end of the reception classes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The current Years 2 and 6 are achieving average standards in English, mathematics and science. This demonstrates good improvement in science standards in the school. Standards in mathematics, especially for the higher- attaining pupils’ is a generally improving picture. The older pupils demonstrate a strength in problem solving work and the use of brackets, whilst less able pupils double and halve, 3 digit numbers. Standards in writing remain just below the levels expected, although the pupils’ standards are rapidly improving. This is a positive position when talking into account the numbers of pupils with special educational needs and the number of pupils who have transferred into the school. In Year 2 the pupils are able to write in simple sentences. They have a grasp of simple spellings and punctuation, but do not generally write at length. The pupils’ writing is generally neat and well presented. By Year 6 the pupils have developed an awareness of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the need to plan, draft and redraft their work. They write with attention to their punctuation but only the higher-attaining pupils use a good range of expressive vocabulary and accurate punctuation. Lower attaining pupils find it more difficult to express their ideas in writing. Pupils give good attention to their handwriting and their work is neat and well presented. As a result of consistently good teaching achievement is improving and is beginning to have a positive impact upon standards. Indeed the trend over time of the national curriculum test results confirms this improving position.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The school successfully identifies pupils who have special educational needs; tracking their progress and setting appropriate work, which promotes good achievement. Most learning difficulties are in literacy, where pupils find it difficult to understand or follow texts and answer questions. Pupils are placed into groups according to their levels of attainment and so the levels of help and work is well matched to their needs. Lower attaining pupils are taught in smaller groups where they get extra help and consequently make good progress and achieve well. Some pupils find it difficult to concentrate for a full lesson and they need help to keep them on track. Some of these pupils are not identified as having special educational needs and the school is looking at this situation especially in the light of the new Code of Practice. The pupils’ whose mother tongue is not English have good help in Broadlands Primary School - 14

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

lessons and so achieve well. The school sets challenging targets for all pupils and the school and pupils work hard to meet their targets.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. The average attaining and higher attaining pupils make appropriate progress. The pupils are taught well and are given good support in the class by the teachers and learning support assistants. The teachers are good at matching the pupils’ work to their individual needs and in all lessons and classes pupils have work, which is suitable. Because the pupils know what they have to do to improve their work and they have a clear picture of what it is they are learning they make appropriate progress. Teaching has improved through the many layers of monitoring and the determination of the teachers to improve their work. As a result the pupils learn well and standards are rising although the impact in terms of standards is in its earliest stages.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. In other subjects pupils work hard to attain standards that are above the national expectation at the end of Years 2 and 6 in music and at the end of Year 2 in physical education. By the end of Year 6 standards in physical education are well above the levels expected. In ICT pupils’ standards in Year 2 and 6 are below the levels expected. The new computer suite is still having its’ teething problems sorted out and so has yet to have an impact upon pupils’ standards. The teachers and the ICT co-ordinator have worked hard to keep pace with this rapidly developing subject. They have achieved this by using the computers in their classrooms. However the pupils’ computing skills have proved difficult to maintain through the limited amount of time available for them to develop their skills. The teachers have worked hard to ensure that the pupils have used the computers to support other curriculum areas. Standards in art and design, design and technology, geography,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

history and religious education are at the levels expected at the end of both key stages.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Since the last inspection standards have generally been maintained. Standards at the end of Year 6 in physical education have risen to well above the levels expected. Standards in art and design have not been maintained above the levels expected since the last inspection. Art and design has not been a focus for the school and, with an increasing amount of time being spent on literacy and numeracy, the time allocated for this subject has been cut but is still in line with national requirements. The staff have worked hard to step up the quality of their teaching and because of the good range of the curriculum, standards have generally been maintained. The pupils with special educational needs and those pupils whose main spoken language is not English are fully included in the life and work of the school. They take full part in any extra-curricular activities. There is no significant difference in the progress of boys and girls who attain equally well in lessons. This is a positive position

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

when the large numbers of boys in the school and the numbers of boys who have special educational needs are taken into account. There are no pupils identified by the school as being markedly above average and requiring specialist provision, although clearly in music and physical education there are a high level of specialist teachers in the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

What is done particularly well: • Most pupils show great interest in lessons and the wide range of activities the school provides, including extra curricular activities. • Behaviour in lessons is good overall and very good about the school. • Pupils are very willing to accept responsibility and are thoughtful of others. • Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are very good. Pupils speak cheerfully to everyone and are courteous at all times.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

What could be improved: Broadlands Primary School - 15 • A few pupils have poorer attitudes to their learning and sometimes display unsatisfactory social behaviour. They need the constant attention of their teacher to prevent them disturbing progress for others in lessons.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development are very good overall. They behave well. Their personal development is very good and relationships are very good. Parents wholeheartedly agree with this. They feel their children enjoy school and believe they make good progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attitudes are very good overall. Pupils are purposeful about their work and tackle their lessons with enthusiasm. This is most evident where teachers display very good management skills and provide interesting lessons. Pupils are willing to talk about what they are doing, happily correct mistakes, and readily explain how they arrived at their answers. They collaborate well, when encouraged to do so, often with a buzz of industry. They display good qualities of independent learning, particularly the older pupils. However, where there is a less structured approach, learning is often fragmented by a stop and start to accommodate those who have become disinterested. Nonetheless, the great majority of pupils settle down quickly at the start of lessons and maintain concentration very well to the end of the day. Pupils are very good listeners allowing space for one another's comments. They enjoy the short dialogues in lessons making constructive contributions. For example, in

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

a Year 3 literacy lesson, pupils made imaginative suggestions resulting in performances of poetry with clear voices, good rhythm and expression.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Behaviour is good overall. Self-discipline is very good for the great majority and sometimes is exemplary. This is spoilt by the small number in several classes, who can be unruly in lessons. This situation is rarely evident during breaks or over lunch. Pupils enjoy the systems of rewards and feel that sanctions, on the few occasions they are required, are fair. All pupils, including those few who misbehave, know very well what is expected of them and agree with the codes of conduct. Consequently there is a continuously improving situation. This is due directly to the patience and dedication of teachers. Self-discipline is strongly encouraged through the House Points System for improving behaviour, trying hard in lessons and for special achievements. The Gold, Silver and Bronze awards are earnestly sought after and valued. Where there are rare instances of aggression, or tendencies towards bullying, all know how very seriously they are viewed. There was one exclusion last

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. The pupils' personal development is very good. All pupils enjoy sharing in the daily routines, preparing for lessons or sharing in assemblies. They are orderly when moving around the school. They are tidy, respectful of property and even the youngest in the nursery know where things belong. Pupils smile readily and are courteous to adults and to one another, for example, by opening doors about the school and making way for one another in their classrooms. Pupils willingly enter into target setting for learning. Further they enthusiastically choose one target for their personal and social development each week. Class councils discuss a wide range of issues raised by pupils. They feel decisions are listened to and prompt action taken where appropriate. Pupils enjoy celebrating one another’s successes, such as for good behaviour, high standards of work, and endeavour, exemplified at the end of lessons or at assemblies. This contributes to the House Points

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

system with purposeful intent and friendly competition. Play is very good-natured with a broad mix of small and large groups absorbed in lively activities. Older pupils look after younger ones, as occasion arises, but regular interaction is limited due to the fragmentation of play areas. This, together with the separate building for the older pupils, does not generate a whole school atmosphere easily. Pupils engage in happy conversation over lunch. They readily co-operate with lunchtime supervisors who stimulate play with the younger pupils very well. A widening range of resources provided is well used. Broadlands Primary School - 16 15. Relationships are very good. There is happy companionship. The pupils are full of life and eager to speak first on meeting. They are eager to talk about what they have been doing or share any small concerns. For example, many impromptu conversations take place during breaks between pupils and staff. Consequently a very good rapport is evident

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

between pupils and between pupils and adults in school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Attendance is satisfactory overall. The school constantly promotes regular attendance and punctuality, as good habits to be fostered for the future. For example, during registration, through assemblies and individual reports. However, occasional days off and holidays during term time, are still too common. The great majority of pupils are early. They are keen to enter school and begin lessons. Registration is prompt and effective. Punctuality is good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

What is done particularly well: • The quality of teaching and learning overall; • The teaching of Literacy and Numeracy; • The quality of specialist teaching in music and physical education; • The way the teachers match the tasks set for the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

What could be improved: • The management of a small number of pupils; • The teachers expertise in teaching ICT.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school. In eight out of ten lessons observed during the inspection the quality of teaching was either good or very good. Two out of ten lessons were satisfactory, six out of ten good and two out of ten very good. There were no unsatisfactory lessons observed during the inspection. In the last inspection 14 per cent of teaching was unsatisfactory. This weakness is no longer present in the school. Teaching is now strong and plays a significant contribution to the effective way the pupils learn in all subject areas.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching during the inspection was good overall. In the Foundation Stage it was consistently good, with nine out of ten lessons being good and one in ten very good. In Years 1 and 2, four out of ten lessons were satisfactory, five out of ten lessons were good and one out of ten lessons were very good. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 was satisfactory in one out of ten lessons, good in six out of ten lessons and very good in three out of ten lessons. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is strong. Teaching is improving in all subject areas, as the result of a whole school drive to bring about improvements in teaching. Consequently standards are beginning to rise. All staff work hard to provide interesting, stimulating and challenging lessons in all areas of the curriculum. So that the pupils are well motivated to learn and are beginning to achieve well. Broadlands Primary School - 17 19. The teaching of literacy in English lessons and numeracy in mathematics lessons is

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

good and sometimes very good. The teachers have worked hard to implement both of the National initiatives and they have done this well. The texts chosen in literacy lessons are interesting. As a result pupils are interested, fully engaged by the teaching and learned well. For example, in one literacy lesson, the teacher used the poem “Conversation Piece” by Gareth Owens as a base for his lesson. Because of the high level of interest and humour in the piece, the pupils were interested and engaged and consequently they learnt well. The extra focused sessions in the mornings are used well by the teachers to provide extra support in handwriting, spelling and to give pupils extra opportunities to use their writing skills. The classroom environments are language rich, with words relating to different subject areas displayed well. This acts as a good prompt for the pupils. This is a good tool. Numeracy lessons have good mental warm up sessions. Teachers use a wide range of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

resources to motivate the pupils to learn and ensure that all are included in this very important session. Similarly in the activity session the pupils have access to lots of equipment to help them with their work. This helps the pupils to try hard and learn well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The teaching of literacy and numeracy effectively supports learning in other subject areas. For example, the pupils record their findings in science lessons. They take accurate measurements and use them in graph and chart forms. The school is at present working hard to make sure that pupils have many opportunities to use their literacy skills in other subject areas. The teachers are keenly aware of this as they plan their work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Throughout the school the teachers work hard to develop their teaching and to take on board new ideas. They evaluate their own work, take advice and help from other teachers and are keen to improve. There has been checking of the teaching in the school by the headteacher, senior management team and subject co-ordinators. This has enabled the school to look critically at its work and seek to improve teaching still further. Good practise is shared. Teachers work hard to improve. The class teachers have good support from the learning support assistants. They play a valuable role in supporting the class teachers and enable the pupils in their care to learn well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs through good quality support and, in most lessons, with tasks matched appropriately to their needs. The special educational needs co-ordinator and part-time support teacher liase well with teachers and support staff. The learning support teacher also provides good help to those pupils whose first language is not English. Learning support assistants work well with class teachers. They are informed of lesson content in advance of lessons, and contribute well to the checking of pupils’ progress. They provide pupils with an appropriate blend of help and challenge. Support for pupils with statements of their special educational need is good and they are very well included into the school community.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The teaching of the children in the Foundation Stage is good. The teachers and nursery nurses are committed, skilful and try hard to extend and develop the knowledge and understanding of the children. Planning takes into account the Early Learning Goals and the importance of developing the children’s speaking and listening skills. The “Teaching Talking” initiative is seen as being of vital importance in improving the children’s language skills. The needs of the children are carefully planned for and learning through play is a key feature of their work. Staff work hard to develop a wide range of learning opportunities, which help to promote good learning at a good pace. Broadlands Primary School - 18 24. Teachers throughout the school have good knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach. This means that the pupils are secure in their learning and development of skills. The teachers are effective in using the correct technical terms and appropriate

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

subject based specific language to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of each subject area. This is particularly evident in English, mathematics, science and music, where technical language is used accurately. For example, in a Year 6-science lesson, where the pupils learned about micro-organisms, learning was secured through the use of correct terminology. In music lessons the pupils in Year 4 learn about the pentatonic scale, with one of the pupils linking this learning to the “Pentagon”. The school has identified that some teachers will need additional support to fully implement the new ICT suite. Training is to be provided. The teachers place an accurate level of demand upon individuals, which ensures that all are fully involved. For example, in an outstanding physical education lesson, the class teacher ensured the learning was excellent. He did this by demonstrating extremely high expectations of the pupils’ development of quality physical movements throughout the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

lesson. Very good use of demonstrations inspired the pupils to improve their work. As a consequence the pupils showed very good control as they performed their balances with developing fluency. They were eager to demonstrate their developing skills and also respected other pupils’ work and without any prompting from the teacher they applauded each other’s performance.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers’ planning is good. They plan their lessons carefully and ensure that all pupils are well catered for. They make sure that those pupils who are new to the school and have transferred from another school can take part fully in lessons. For example, in a history lesson one pupil informed the class teacher that in her previous school she had not studied the Roman Gods. She could not therefore compare them to the Greek Gods they were now studying. The teacher swiftly allocated another pupil to work alongside her to fill in her missing knowledge so that she could take her learning forwards. Teachers plan their lessons well and at the beginning of lessons they generally share the intentions for learning with the pupils. However the teachers do not always refer to these as they progress through the lesson. Similarly at the end of the lesson the teachers do not always refer back to the learning objectives to ensure that the learning has been secured. However, in a Year 5

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

lesson, the teacher wrote a brief lesson plan on the chalk board so that the pupils were fully involved in every stage of the lesson and knew exactly where they were expected to make a contribution. The pupils responded well to this initiative. The pace of the pupils’ learning is ensured by carefully planned and structured work. Planning is tailored to include all the levels of attainment in the classes and those pupils who have come from other schools. Target setting and thorough assessments help significantly in this process. So that work is carefully planned for the individual needs of the pupils, with the lower-attaining pupils being given good support in their tasks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. Teachers’ expectations of the pupils’ and their work is good. Teachers questioning skills are good and work is matched to the pupils’ individual needs. In some lessons the teachers expectations are not quite as high as they should be. In a mathematics lesson for the Year 2 pupils, the class teacher had very high expectations of all the pupils’ behaviour and work. The pupils were asked to share a set number between different numbers. The pupils found this very stretching and the class teacher gave good support and constant reassurance and so their learning developed. The pupils got on with their work and persevered with the task. Some of the pupils found the fast pace of the lesson difficult but the teacher managed the class well and ensured that all remained interested and engaged by their learning. As a result all the pupils achieved and learning was secured. In all classes pupils are encouraged to work independently. Even the very youngest children are

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

encouraged to work on their own with the tasks they have been set. Pupils collaborate well in-groups and listen carefully to the input of others in the class. They are keen to hear what other members of the class have been doing and listen carefully to each other’s reports. The Broadlands Primary School - 19 pupils and staff have a very good relationship with one another and this adds significantly to the quality of the work that the pupils produce and the way in which they learn. The pupils feel their input is valued and this helps them to achieve in many ways and aids their personal development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. The management of the pupils throughout the school is satisfactory overall and in some cases good and very good. However, there are a small number of pupils in the school who find it difficult to behave well. These pupils cause problems for their teachers who spend time encouraging them and helping them to overcome their difficulties, which would be better spent teaching the class. In these cases, often in the last session of the day, the pupils find it difficult to sustain their concentration and application. As a result the pace of learning for the class drops, so that a lesson, which has the potential to be a good lesson, falls to satisfactory overall. However, it must be recognised that the vast majority of pupils work in a busy and interested manner. The supportive and sensitive teaching that the pupils receive throughout their years in the school enables them to make good gains in their learning in a secure environment. The school is recognised as giving good support to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. Lessons are well organised. Time and resources are used effectively to keep all the pupils on task. Lessons move along at an appropriate pace, but there is time for the pupils to consolidate their work and think about the tasks the teachers have set. Resources are used well to support learning in the classrooms. The teachers prepare good quality worksheets and they are used well in class to support the pupils’ different levels of attainment. Occasionally there is an over reliance on worksheets, for example in Year 1 science lessons, and here learning is not as successful. The learning support staff are not always used effectively in classes. There are occasions where they sit with little to do, or put out resources and tidy away at the end of lessons. In these cases they are not used enough to help pupils. The class teachers see the learning support staff as a valuable resource.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

29. The quality of day-to-day assessment is good. The teachers monitor the pupils’ work well in the class giving support and advice, as needed. They are clear to match the support and guidance they give to the needs of the pupils. The teachers’ marking of pupils’ books is generally good with good indications to show them what they have done well and where they need to improve. Assessment in questioning the pupils is used well to gain insights into the pupils’ levels of understanding and to develop their speaking skills. Homework provided is good and is generally completed well by the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

30. The vast majority of pupils throughout the school are keen and interested in their lessons. They are eager learners who enjoy coming to school and are interested by the lessons provided by the teachers. The pupils are motivated by the very good relationships they have with the class teachers. This ensures that they work hard during lessons. Higher- attaining pupils are well catered for and they are stretched and challenged in their work. Pupils who find learning difficult and those who do not speak English as their first language are given good support and guidance and so they learn well. Those pupils who transfer from other schools are speedily assessed by the class teachers and work is carefully tailored to their needs. The pupils who attain at the expected levels are given tasks to stretch their thinking and broaden their horizons. Those that find it difficult to behave well are helped to behave better in a calm and constructive framework and generally they work hard and try to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

complete their tasks. The teachers try hard to include all pupils in lessons. Pupils enjoy all lessons although they report that they have particular favourites. They acknowledge that the staff give them good support and encouragement in lessons. The pupils demonstrate good levels of independence in their work and concentrate well on the tasks set for them. They try hard and this is evident at all levels of achievement in all subject areas. Broadlands Primary School - 20

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What is done particularly well: • An enriched curriculum; • Provision for physical education and music is of a high quality; • An excellent range of extra-curricular activities;

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

What could be improved: • Ensuring that ICT curriculum is fully developed; • Continue to develop writing across the school;

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. The school teaches all National Curriculum subjects and religious education and provides a good quality and range of learning opportunities for the pupils. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. In ICT, although the pupils’ standards are below the levels expected, there are appropriate plans in place, which cover all the aspects of the curriculum. Whilst the school has increased its efforts to improve writing skills across the age range, there is a need for this to be continued if standards in writing are to be raised further.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The curriculum for the children in the nursery and reception classes is good. It is well planned and researched to meet their needs and covers appropriately the six areas of learning. The good quality provision allows children to build on and develop their early skills through the broad and balanced range of experiences they are offered. The early intervention in speaking skills through the “Teaching Talking” project provides some positive benefits for these young children. The strengths identified at the previous inspection in 1997 have been maintained.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. In main school, all subjects have policies and are supported by schemes of work drawn up by the curriculum managers and are checked and reviewed by them on a regular basis. The school has been developing ways of ensuring that there is an integration of subjects to provide links between, in particular, literacy and the foundation subjects. The National Strategies of Literacy and Numeracy have been well implemented and are having an impact upon standards. An extra focused activity session is taught each day and this allows the teacher to focus on mental mathematics or the teaching of handwriting and spelling. This is making a good contribution to the pupils learning. The school has also adopted the Additional Literacy Strategy and Springboard mathematics project for lower junior classes to support the effective strategies already in place for teaching literacy and numeracy. Pupils in Year 6 classes are set in ability groups for the core subjects to ensure

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that all needs are met, and the higher-attaining pupils receive additional support for mathematics. The curriculum provides good equality of access and opportunity for all pupils to learn and make progress.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. The music curriculum extends well beyond the national curriculum, with plenty of opportunities for pupils to learn to play a musical instrument, sing in the school choir, play in the school orchestra or recorder group, and participate in the local music festival. In physical education there are also broader opportunities to receive specialist coaching in a wide range of sporting activities, and to participate in sporting competitions in a good range of sports. The school uses its own swimming pool, in addition to those of the local authority, effectively to ensure there is a comprehensive programme of swimming instruction. In November 2001 the school was awarded the Sport England Activemark Gold Award in recognition of its commitment to the value of physical education and total commitment to extra-curricular activities. The breadth of provision for extra-curricular activities is considerable and

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

absolutely excellent. The wide range of sporting activities includes football, netball, rugby, Broadlands Primary School - 21 badminton, hockey and gymnastics and dance. There is a popular after school club, music including recorders, instrumental tuition, choir and orchestra, plus clubs for art and design, science, and mathematics.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. Arrangements for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs are good. A detailed and comprehensive record of special educational needs is kept by the special educational needs co-ordinator and appropriate individual educational plans are provided for pupils. They are written by the part-time special needs teacher after consultations with pupils, teachers and parents. The provision of additional support for pupils with statements of their special educational need is of good quality. Although there is some withdrawal of pupils for support, this is almost entirely for literacy support and pupils withdrawn from lessons receive an equivalent “literacy” lesson at their level. Pupils who do not speak English as their first language are given good support by the learning support teacher. The positive atmosphere of the school and the very good relationships promote the effective inclusion of pupils with special educational needs into every aspect of the school’s

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. Pupils have an opportunity to go on a residential educational visit to Belgium and this visit helps to develop the pupils’ social and cultural development as they have opportunities to learn to communicate in a foreign country and live in harmony alongside their peers. Good use is made of visitors to the school and visits out of school to places of interest. The school has good links with the high school and the playgroup and these links add to the pupils’ experiences.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. The school has introduced personal social and health education that includes citizenship, drugs misuse and sex education. This allows pupils and staff together to consider their place, responsibilities and roles. “Circle time” is used as a class time where pupils effectively explore their own feelings and listen to others thoughts and feelings. This helps to raise and to explore areas that may cause pupils worry or concern. The school has been pro-active in introducing “reflections books” in which older children privately record their own personal feelings or reflections on matters of particular concern to them.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. The school makes very good provision overall for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This constitutes good improvement since the last inspection when provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education was described as “good”.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual development. The school provides pupils with knowledge and insight into values and beliefs and enables them to reflect on their own and others’ experiences through the religious education programme, the well-planned rolling programme of weekly assembly themes which embody clear, consistent values. For example, “Things that are precious” during the week of inspection and cross- curricular links through the personal, social and health education curriculum and the citizenship curriculum. Older pupils’ “reflection books” contain their responses to world events and are about their values and beliefs, with, for example, pupils writing sensitively about occasions when they have “stood up for” their own beliefs. Pupils are encouraged to make up their own prayers, with examples in Year 2 of pupils writing Mothers’ Day prayers and Year 5 pupils writing “Celtic” prayers.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

40. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. There is a strong, positive, whole-school ethos and a clear moral code for good behaviour, which is promoted consistently throughout the school by all school staff, who provide very good role models. This prepares the pupils very well for their later life so that they can see what is right and just. The programme of themes for assemblies and sensitive discussion of issues allows pupils time to reflect and consider their behaviour. Through class discussions pupils are Broadlands Primary School - 22 encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions and understand the consequences of actions beyond the confines of the school, such as recent international breaches of the “moral code”.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

41. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. From the time they enter the school, pupils are encouraged to work co-operatively, take responsibility for their work and for others and be as independent as possible. Responsibilities increase significantly as pupils get older - for example, Year 5 pupils play at lunchtimes with younger pupils. Pupils assist with displays of their work around the school, engage in the democratic process through the fledgling “class councils” and set “personal targets” and make evaluative comments on a range of issues in their “reflection books”. In this way pupils learn to get on with other people and become increasingly socially aware.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

42. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. Pupils are taught to appreciate their own cultural traditions, taking part in a range of local events and visiting local historical and cultural sites. Pupils are given regular opportunities to develop an understanding of the diversity of other cultures through stories from other cultures in literacy lessons, studies of art from other cultures and the consideration of other faiths and beliefs in religious education lessons. In this way the pupils are very well prepared for life in a culturally diverse society. During the school year a good range of visitors talk to, perform for and work with the pupils. Music is very highly valued in the school: the school choir and orchestra regularly perform in the community and, during the inspection week several groups of pupils competed, successfully, in the local music festival competitions.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

What is done particularly well: • The school provides a caring and purposeful atmosphere. • Procedures for monitoring and promoting self-discipline are good. • Procedures for eliminating oppressive behaviour are very good. • Procedures for promoting attendance are good and successful. • The system for setting targets for pupils – involving them, their parents and teachers – is very beneficial to their progress. • The high quality of the structure and use of assessment to identify school performance and trends over time. • Good improvement since the last inspection in the assessment of higher achieving pupils and increasing challenge in their work. • Individual support for the pupil’s personal development is very good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

What could be improved: • A small number of health and safety matters have been accepted by governors for their prompt attention. • Individual support to build up pupil’s self esteem is clearly evident and very largely successful. However, a review of structures of management is needed for the few pupils with regular problems of ill discipline. • Use of day-to-day assessment of pupils’ work in some classes.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare overall are good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Teachers have a good rapport with pupils. They encourage a happy working atmosphere in which the pupils can grow into rounded individuals. Staff are aware of the strict criteria to be observed in child protection. The school has good access to educational, medical and social agencies when required. A small number of health and safety matters have been accepted by governors for their prompt attention. Broadlands Primary School - 23 45. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good. Overall monitoring is thorough. The Education Welfare Officer works well with school as necessary. The criteria for absence are clearly stated in the school prospectus and the governors' annual report. Governors are aware of current levels throughout the year.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. Procedures for monitoring and promoting self-discipline are good. The comprehensive behaviour policy is shared fully with parents and pupils. A very wide range of strategies is used daily to promote high standards of behaviour for the very different needs of the pupils. These are very conscientiously implemented by staff. However, there is variable success in some classes, where management is less secure. Procedures for eliminating oppressive behaviour are very good. Tendencies towards bad behaviour and occasional name-calling are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Parents are involved in any cases of unworthy behaviour at an early stage. Bullying is dealt with quickly and efficiently.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The procedures for the assessment of pupils’ attainment are good. Using the local authority’s initial assessment procedures, young children are tested within seven weeks of arriving in school. In addition to statutory testing at Year 2 and 6, pupils are tested in Years 3, 4, and 5 in mathematics and English. Reading tests are administered to pupils from Year 2 onwards twice every year. The science co-ordinator meets with teams of year teachers to set assessments for science every half term. In the none-core subjects, year group teachers consult the national subject guidelines before assessing and planning the next stages of learning for their pupils. Because of this impressive bank of testing, those pupils who come to the school part way through the year are quickly assessed and work that is appropriate is set for them.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The use the school makes of the results of these assessment procedures is very good. Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Following very detailed scrutiny of test results, all pupils have individual targets that are set and agreed by pupils themselves, teachers and parents. They are reviewed regularly. Groups of pupils are targeted for work at different levels of difficulty to support them in achieving, and in many cases surpassing, national standards of attainment. A pupil’s position in a particular group is flexible. Pupils are moved between groups according to their progress. Teachers use this information well to plan for teaching and learning. However, in a small number of classes the quality of marking does not match up to these very high levels of assessment. This slows the rate of pupils’ progress. Individual subject portfolios of work are maintained. The pupils’ work is matched against national curriculum standards and agreed following whole staff

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are very good. Staff are very caring. They know the pupils well and have natural rapport with them. They promote a calm workmanlike atmosphere where raised voices are uncommon. They have high expectations of the pupils and are very respectful of individual needs. The introduction of “reflection diaries” has significantly enhanced pupil’s attitudes to one another, those around them and the needs of their environment. Parents realise this and are pleased the school helps their children to mature. They are confident that teachers expect their children to work hard and do their best. The headteacher and teachers are available to parents at the end of the day. They are willing to discuss immediate problems or make appointments for more formal matters. Parents appreciate this and feel they are listened to. A wide range of daily opportunities is created for pupils to take initiative and responsibility.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

These are integrated into the personal, social and educational schemes to consciously enlarge and deepen the pupils’ experience as they move up the school. Good work and effort are fairly appraised at the end of lessons and in assemblies, especially when Broadlands Primary School - 24 significant personal achievements in learning are made. Assemblies are very well used to promote responsible attitudes to work, behaviour, relationships and decision making.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

What is done particularly well: • The school prospectus and governors’ annual report are of an exceptionally high standard. • Information to parents about their children’s progress is good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

What could be improved: • Links with parents to encourage parents to help with their children’s learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Parents view the school highly. They have confidence in the headteacher and in all areas of what the school provides and achieves for their children.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. There are very regular letters covering all activities of the school year. There is an extremely comprehensive school prospectus covering all aspects of school life in great detail. The governors’ annual report is equally comprehensive and informative. It gives lively insight into governors’ time spent in school during the day and a clear indication of areas discussed, decisions made and how they impact on the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. A few parents indicated through the questionnaires that information about their children’s progress was insufficient. The inspection team found the quality of information provided to parents about their children’s progress is good. There are ample opportunities for parents to speak to staff. Teachers are available at the end of the day. Appointments may be made readily for more formal matters. Consultation evenings are well attended. A few parents, however, do not always take up these opportunities despite additional appointments being offered. Written reports are individual to the pupils, detailed and include a clear indication of levels of achievement. Target setting and progress are shared with parents at consultation evenings.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The school constantly endeavours to build constructive links with parents in order to strengthen their contribution to their children’s learning. The Behaviour Policy and many other aspects to build up pupils’ esteem are shared with parents through the school prospectus. The home, school agreement has had a good response. Home, school reading records are variably used. Attendance at after school curricular related sessions is encouraged by the school and many parents find them useful. Occasions when parents may attend full assemblies are limited due to the size of the hall. A small number of parents seem reluctant to become involved in their children’s learning. Forums are set up to assist and inform parents of children with special educational needs, and of pupils having emerging difficulties during the year. Some parents are perceived to encourage and help their children at home, particularly in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. A number

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

do come into school to help in lessons. Their service is valued. Parents attend concerts and other events in large numbers.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. The Parent, Teacher Association is of exceptional benefit to the school. It is small but very well run and enthusiastic. All parents are automatically members and invited to join in the host of activities when their children join the reception year. A large number of fun and fund raising events are organised. These are very well attended by parents and teachers are thoroughly involved. For example, Christmas Fair, Summer Fair, Bingo and a Leavers Disco. A major event is the Broadlands Bonfire when extended family and the local community come along with families of the school in very large numbers. The very significant sums raised have made and continue to make a very valuable contribution to the Broadlands Primary School - 25 resources of the school. Of special note is the splendid donation towards creating the new ICT suite and library, conveniently sited alongside each other.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

What is done particularly well: • The leadership qualities displayed by the head teacher and deputy headteacher; • The many layers of effective management in the school demonstrated by the headteacher and key staff; • The checking of the effectiveness of teaching and pupil performance; • The quality of the School Improvement Plan and other school documentation; • The effectiveness of the Governing Body.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

What could be improved: • The quality and tidiness of some parts of the accommodation.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The overall quality of the leadership is very good and there are some significant improvements since the time of the last inspection.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. Overall, the improvement since the last inspection has been good and the school has tackled its key issues well. The most notable improvements have been in the quality of teaching. There are now established procedures for the senior management team and subject co-ordinators to work along side staff to improve standards of teaching and learning. As a result during the inspection, there were many more good or better lessons seen than in the last inspection and there were no unsatisfactory lessons at all. Improvements to the quality of teaching are noticeable and staff are willing to reflect on their own practice. Unfortunately, standards of attainment have not risen as fast as they might have done. The significant reasons for this, are the unusually high numbers of pupils who join the school mid way through their primary school years, high numbers of special educational needs pupils and the considerable variation in pupils’ attainment on entry to the school. However, the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school has been very successful in extending the higher-attaining pupils and they performed above national expectations in both English and mathematics in the 2001 Year 6 tests. Attainment for the other pupils with additional strategies in place is well placed to rise further. The headteacher, senior staff and subject co-ordinators have improved assessment and recording arrangements and there are now very good systems in place for checking the school’s performance which feed directly into the school improvement plan. This is an improvement since the previous inspection when the school improvement plan was criticised for lacking rigour.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Subject co-ordinators have continued to develop their roles and now fulfil their responsibilities very effectively. All co-ordinators regularly feed back information related to their subject area, through written termly reports to the headteacher. They have developed portfolios of pupils’ work which allow staff to see agreed standards of work at each level of the National Curriculum. The appointment of a “floating teacher” has enabled subject co- ordinators to be released to check standards of curriculum delivery within their subject area and this has had a positive influence on standards of teaching within the school, their impact on standards is beginning to have an effect.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The improvements evident in the school are the result of the clear educational vision demonstrated by the headteacher to lead the school forward. He has focused clearly on developing values and a strong sense of belonging so that he has effectively built a very strong team. In this respect he is ably assisted by his deputy headteacher. The senior management team commits to the ideals of the headteacher and carries out its duties energetically. The School Improvement Plan is a very thorough document containing clear Broadlands Primary School - 26 educational direction for the school. All school documentation is well presented and there are policies and schemes of work for all subject areas. The school shows its commitment to equality of opportunity through a well-formulated policy and additional support is provided for pupils who require it. The leadership provided by the special educational needs co-ordinator

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

is good. She works effectively with the special needs support teacher. There are appropriate procedures, records and organisation for pupils with communication and language needs, but the needs of some pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties are not always dealt with as effectively as they could be. The school is fully inclusive and manages effectively those pupils who transfer from other schools.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. As at the time of the last inspection, the school has a very supportive governing body. It is proud of the school, and its members show an active interest in all aspects of its work. They liaise closely with the school, offer support and watch developments in provision and standards. Governors are properly involved in the work of the school, both as members of various committees, and as individuals, properly undertaking their responsibilities for literacy, numeracy, special needs and other link activities. They are provided with very comprehensive reports from the headteacher which inform them very well about the school’s activities and the opportunities open to it. As a result, they are in a good position to judge the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Governors fulfil their statutory duties fully, helping to shape the direction of the school in a quiet, supportive way. They have addressed

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the issue of non-compliance highlighted in the last report as they now liaise closely with the headteacher in the production of the annual report to parents.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. It is part of the school’s planned development to enable all co-ordinators to have the opportunity to monitor teaching within their subject areas. The school’s procedures for performance management are very thorough. As a result of its monitoring program, the school is looking much more critically at all aspects of school life and has identified the most important areas for development. The school uses a good system for drawing up the school improvement plan, in which aspects are identified for maintenance, improvement or change, and which helps the school to identify its main priorities. The action taken over the last few years to develop the school has been good. With the positive approach shown by the staff, the school has good capacity for further improvement.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school has good procedures for ensuring that the financial resources available to it, which are higher than the national average for primary schools, properly support the educational needs of its pupils. There is a clear cycle of financial planning, linked to the school’s improvement plan, and the checking of expenditure is secure. Overall, the picture is better than when inspected previously, when financial planning and control were said to be sound.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. Planned financial reserve levels are appropriate and represent between four and five percent of the schools’ budget overall. The governors, advised by the headteacher, have proper regard for the use of reserves. They are aware of the implications of falling numbers of pupils on roll, and their decisions are taken against this background. They are taking a variety of actions, such as the introduction of the “After-School Club”, which provides child- care facilities to promote the number of pupils on roll. These actions, and the prudent contingency planning that is in place, aim to make sure that, as far as possible, the school’s finances will be sufficient to ensure the continuation of its present strategies. The school receives excellent financial support from the very active Parent Teacher Association. Expenditure has been targeted to benefit pupils’ attainment and progress directly by maintaining staffing levels, providing additional learning support assistants, improving

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

learning resources and creating an improved working environment. Broadlands Primary School - 27 63. Governors, especially those directly involved in financial matters, feel ownership of the budget. There is a satisfactory identification of priorities related to improving the quality of education and raising standards. The last report criticised the finance committee for failing to keep full and formal records of decisions and recommendations raised. This weakness is not now evident as full records of all meetings are shared with all governors. The chair of finance works closely with the headteacher and the rest of the committee to develop effective financial strategies for the school. He is clear how budget proposals have been arrived at and the strategies behind them and has developed comprehensive contingency plans for financial management over the next three years. The governors’ involvement in the school’s annual strategic planning day enables them to be fully involved

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The use of the specific funds element of the school’s finances, and other additional funding, including a grant from the New Opportunities Fund, is well focused. It makes a positive impact on the quality of learning provision for the pupils who are supported, such as those who receive extra support to address special educational needs.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The school’s overall administration arrangements, and the day-to-day control of its finances, are good. It was a strength of the school when last inspected and it remains so. The school office is well equipped and makes very effective use of new technology to support its work. Appropriate use is made of the information available from the school’s computerised management system for monitoring and there are good financial and administrative procedures in place. There were only minor recommendations made as a result of the school’s most recent audit, none of which remain a matter of concern. The school secretary and bursar provide a very welcoming and helpful first impression of the school. They carry out their duties in a pleasant and very efficient manner.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. Within the governing body, effectively supported by the headteacher, the principles of best value are applied in a satisfactory way. The proper implementation of these procedures means that the school’s spending is evaluated and targeted to ensure that the quality of education provided for the pupils is consistent with the school’s development planning. Governors have made good progress in their understanding of the principles of best value since the last inspection reported that they were not always sure that major decisions were cost-effective. They are now playing an increasingly effective role as a “critical friend”. Governors question the school’s performance using a variety of data to inform them about how the school’s performance compares with what is expected and what is achieved elsewhere. They are aware of the need to obtain best value in purchasing services and resources and have good procedures for ensuring that value is obtained.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Governors are aware of the need to challenge what is going on and they are beginning to do so with increasing rigour.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum has improved since the last inspection and is now good. There is a good balance of experience and gender within the staffing establishment. The school places a high priority on the provision of teaching and support staff. The teachers are appropriately qualified with a suitable range of teaching experience, to properly support the needs of all pupils in the school, including those with special educational needs. Staff are deployed well, and the school is fortunate in being able to employ a very able “floating teacher” allowing its very capable deputy headteacher and other staff to provide focused support wherever needed. The school gives very good help and guidance to newly qualified teachers. The local initial teacher training provider sees the school and the university as a very effective partnership. The school employs a large number of suitably qualified learning support assistants who

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

generally provide good support for pupils with special educational needs. All members of staff are committed to the well being and support of the pupils. They work well as a team Broadlands Primary School - 28 and, in their various ways, make a contribution to the effective running of the school that enhances the quality of education it provides.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The accommodation is satisfactory and adequate for the delivery of the National Curriculum. The school presents a welcoming and generally stimulating environment that facilitates learning. Provision for the disabled is satisfactory. The exterior of the building is beginning to appear a little shabby and is in need of painting. The interior of the building is generally well maintained by the school caretaker who, together with the cleaning staff, works hard to provide a clean, tidy and attractive environment in which learning can take place. However, some areas of the building appear very cluttered and the floor in the Infant hall is of a very poor quality. Classrooms are of reasonable size, generally bright and airy, and provide adequate facilities for the effective delivery of the curriculum. However, the practice of having the older and younger pupils in a separate building restricts the opportunities for them to play, eat and generally socialise with each other. The standard of

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

display work is variable. In some classes, there are very stimulating displays that promote learning well. The newly installed computer suite and school library provide excellent learning opportunities and complement each other well. Two classes are housed in temporary buildings with one class at the back of the hall and, although teachers cope well, the quality of their accommodation is not as good as in the remaining classrooms.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. There is sufficient playground space, divided into lower and upper school areas, for the size of the school, although no playground is sufficiently large to enable pupils to play together as a whole school. Children in the Foundation Stage have satisfactory access to outdoor play facilities. There are extensive and well-maintained grounds that enhance the appearance of the school and its educational provision. There is a covered outdoor swimming pool, although this can only be used in the summer, is a target for vandalism and does require a considerable financial commitment from the school.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. Recent expenditure on learning resources has been well directed and is now good overall. No subject is under-resourced and there is very good provision for physical education, English, mathematics and ICT.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

71. To raise standards and further improve the quality of education the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in writing throughout the school by: • ensuring writing remains an area for improvement throughout the school • providing the pupils with more opportunities to use their writing skills. (Paragraphs: 4, 6, 19, 20, 31, 82, 83, 91, 92, 95, 108, 123, 128, 132, 155)

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Raise standards in ICT throughout the school by: • fully implementing the use of the new computer suite • implementing the new scheme of work; • supporting teachers in their use of the new suite; • providing training for staff so that they can make best use of the suite. (Paragraphs: 9, 24, 31, 102, 106, 116, 122, 127, 132, 134, 135, 136,140, 152, 156)

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the behaviour of a small number of pupils who find it difficult to behave well by: • providing additional training for staff; • sharing staff expertise; Broadlands Primary School - 29 • enabling the pupils concerned to take ownership of their behaviour. (Paragraphs: 3, 7, 12, 13, 27, 30, 46, 58, 94, 99, 109, 114, 141, 148)

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school has highlighted, in the School Improvement Plan, the development of the newly installed ICT and the need to raise standards in writing. There has also been a recent initiative in the school to support a positive approach to discipline. Broadlands Primary School - 30

p.29

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 47

p.30

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.30

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 1 18 61 20 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.

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 23 439

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 73 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 100

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 59

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 32

p.30

Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Broadlands Primary School - 31

p.30

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 2001 39 19 58

p.31

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.31

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

Boys 26 26 34 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 19 18

p.31

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

Percentage of pupils School 78 (85) 78 (89) 90 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.31

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.31

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

Boys 28 35 34 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 18 19

p.31

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

Percentage of pupils School 81 (89) 91 (85) 91 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.31

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

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

p.31

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 29 33 62

p.31

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.31

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

Boys 21 20 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 28 24 27

p.31

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (68) 71 (74) 84 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.31

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.31

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

Boys 19 20 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 28 24 28

p.31

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

Percentage of pupils School 77 (74) 72 (78) 79 (72) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Broadlands Primary School - 32

p.31

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.32

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.32

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 17.6 Financial year 2000/2001

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.6

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 810 326

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13.0 Total expenditure 807 762

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 196 Expenditure per pupil 2 257

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 32 339

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.0 Balance carried forward to next year 34 903

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1.0

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 23 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 8

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.6

p.32

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Broadlands Primary School - 33

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 53 44 3 0 0

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 45 51 1 0 3

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 49 8 1 6

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 45 43 10 1 1

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 28 3 0 1

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 70 29 1 0 0

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 55 40 4 0 1

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 72 26 1 0 1

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 57 41 2 0 0

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 60 33 2 0 5 Broadlands Primary School - 34

p.33

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

What is done particularly well: • The quality of teaching; • The quality of learning; • The effective teamwork and management of learning; • The overall good quality of provision for children who are under five.

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

What could be improved: • To put in place procedures for the early identification of children with special educational needs and their subsequent support in the Foundation Stage.

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

72. The school provides a welcoming, stimulating and secure learning environment for all the children in the Foundation Stage. The well-planned range of activities provided is designed to match and to provide the right level of challenge for the varying needs of the children of differing abilities. By the time they are ready to transfer to Year 1, most children are on course to achieve the expected levels of attainment in all six areas of learning. The good quality of provision and of teaching has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73. Children are admitted to the nursery after their third birthday on a part-time basis. At the time of the inspection forty-six children were attending either the morning or the afternoon session. They transfer to reception in the year in which they are five. Currently, forty-five children attend the two reception classes on a full time basis. On entry to the nursery, early assessments have identified that many children have below average levels of attainment, especially in their development of language skills. The school is addressing this issue through the introduction of the “Teaching Talking Project”. Consequently, children are now making good progress at improving their spoken language, and most achieve average levels of attainment by the time they complete their year in the reception classes.

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

74. Children in the nursery and reception classes are well provided for and are taught well. During the inspection the vast majority of the lessons observed were of good or better teaching quality. There is good team spirit, where all adults plan effectively and work together in a mutually supportive way. This ensures that children build upon their acquisition of skills and make steady and sometimes good progress. The quality and range of learning opportunities provided is good, and there are in place thorough assessment and recording procedures that help to guide a structured step by step approach to learning.

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75. Children are provided with a stimulating environment through bright and lively classrooms, and attractive displays. This has a positive effect upon their interest and upon their desire to learn. Learning resources in the nursery and reception classes are of good quality, and resources for outdoor play are adequate.

p.34

Personal, social and emotional development

76. Children enjoy coming to school and feel very secure. Due to the good and skilful teaching most children will achieve the early learning goals in this area of their development. From the start of their time in nursery class they are taught about sharing, consideration for others and to take turns and these behaviours are constantly reinforced. Most children behave well and they are frequently praised and rewarded for their good behaviour. They learn to say “please” and “thank you”, to say “sorry” if they have offended or hurt another child, and to care for one another and to consider each others’ feelings. For example, when Broadlands Primary School - 35 a new boy to the school was standing alone and feeling rather lost in the playground, two children came and took him by the hand and went off with him to play. When playing with toys they are encouraged to negotiate with others if they want to change. In circle time

p.34

Personal, social and emotional development

children develop an awareness of their own needs and feelings and learn to be sensitive towards the needs and feelings of others. Children are keen and responsive in all the activities provided for them and enter into tasks with enthusiasm. Most are able to dress and undress independently for physical activities. They work together on tasks harmoniously, and engage each other and adults in conversation during snack or lunchtime. Very good relationships exist and children are valued and made to feel confident about what they can achieve. Children sit quietly and listen well during lessons and observe class protocol by putting up their hands when they wish to contribute to the discussions.

p.35

Communication, language and literacy

77. Children in the nursery class make good progress in the development of their speaking and listening skills due to the good quality of the teaching they receive, and the additional support from the “Teaching Talking” project. This effective provision is continued when the children move into the reception classes and they build well on their previous levels of learning. Teachers are good role model users of spoken English and take every opportunity to develop and extend children’s language skills. In “show and tell“ sessions children bring in toys or objects of interest to show to the class and to tell the other children about them. Teachers use these opportunities to extend vocabulary as is evident in the case of a child who brought in a toy dinosaur and he told the class “dinosaurs are extinct”. During group activities children discuss why they would or they would not keep a zoo animal at home, and provide interesting and logical explanations. In both the nursery class and the

p.35

Communication, language and literacy

reception classes children share books and enjoy stories with each other and with adults. Reading is made an enjoyable and rewarding experience and interest is stimulated by some skilful teaching activities. The National Literacy framework has been adopted, and children are developing a good knowledge of phonic sounds through word, sentence and text level work to enable them to sound out words in both reading and writing activities. Most reception children are confident in the their letter formation, and in their ‘having a go’ writing efforts. Steady and at times good progress means that most children are on course to achieve the early learning goals by the time they are ready to move into Year 1, and some to exceed them.

p.35

Mathematical development

78. In this area of learning, most children are in line to reach the early learning goals because of the good quality of the teaching they receive. All children in the reception classes can count to ten and many count well beyond this number. They use mathematical language like “larger or smaller” or “more or less” confidently when comparing two numbers. Their mathematical skills and knowledge are developed through a good range of practical activities. Every opportunity to use mathematics in the daily routines is exploited, included the calculation of children present during registration by subtracting the number of absentees. Teachers skilfully link other topics into mathematical lessons, as was the case during the inspection in the literacy topic of wild animals. Children were replicating the number of animals by tallying, whilst others were comparing the number of dinosaurs using the correct mathematical terminology. These activities enable children to see for themselves

p.35

Mathematical development

and to develop their understanding of mathematical concepts. In the nursery class, children are provided with enjoyable mathematical experiences through play, and in a whole class session a number of concepts were very skilfully taught. Using soft toys with a variety of different and similar characteristics the children sorted them by colour into sets, and counted the number in each set. They were able to identify when the total was the “same”, and they Broadlands Primary School - 36 knew the empty set was nought or zero. Many nursery children are confident in counting to ten.

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

79. The planning of the curriculum for the Foundation Stage ensures that it is tailored to the needs of the all the children. It is the case in this area of learning where the children are provided with a range of appropriate experiences that are taught effectively, and should ensure that most children will achieve the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. In the nursery and reception classes all children have the opportunity to develop their computer skills, using the mouse to complete a jigsaw or manipulate numbers on the screen. They develop their observational skills and their knowledge of the natural environment through watching the wild birds that visit the school grounds during the day. They know that wagtails are aptly named because of the way they move their tail feathers. Their knowledge is further reinforced through the stimulating displays they have helped create through the construction of spring flowers, including daffodils. Their awareness of

p.36

Knowledge and understanding of the world

wildlife in the extremities of the world is developed through study of animals and creatures that live in the Polar Regions of the Arctic and Antarctic. In the reception classes they begin the scientific process of hypothesising and then testing materials that will keep Teddy dry. They express their preferences for fruits they like and don’t like, and demonstrate their understanding of their own family by drawing pictures of family members including their grandparents. They design their own gingerbread men and cakes for Mother’s day, and write about the processes of pancake making. All children use a range of construction equipment to build models of buildings, vehicles and aircraft. They are aware that the emblems for the countries of England and Wales are the flag of St George and the Welsh dragon.

p.36

Physical development

80. The outdoor area is used imaginatively by the nursery class to allow the children to make good progress in the development of their physical skills. They are developing an awareness of the use of space when using wheeled toys, and they play together well and with confidence. In the reception classes the children build on this previous learning well and demonstrate the ability to move around the hall in different modes and at varying pace. They show developing control of equipment, and move a ball forward with a bat as they move around the space. Working co-operatively in pairs, children keep the ball under control well. In the cool down part of the lesson children show increasing body awareness by curling up like a turtle, and stalking like a lion. Their finer physical skills are developed through a range of experiences including building with construction kits and three-dimensional shapes, using

p.36

Physical development

play dough for modelling, and developing skills in cutting with scissors, and fixing shapes to a board with a hammer and small nails. Effective teaching ensures that most children are on track to reach the early learning goals by the end of their time in the reception classes.

p.36

Creative development

81. Most children are also on course to reach the early learning goals in this area of learning because the teaching provides a good range of experiences to ensure their development. Colour mixing features strongly and by the time the children are in the reception classes they are able to produce shades of colours competently. Children work together to produce collage pictures of the rainbow, and in the nursery children have painted pictures of animals entering Noah’ Ark. All children have frequent opportunities to develop their painting skills covering a wide variety of topics, including the natural environment and the seasons. They make daffodils by gluing and sticking petals and trumpets. Role-play features strongly with pupils using well-organised props and equipment with some Broadlands Primary School - 37 imagination to re-enact life at the veterinary surgeons. Children show a developing ability to

p.36

Creative development

use percussion instruments to make the sound of animals and birds by varying the rhythm.

p.37

ENGLISH

What is done particularly well: • The quality of teaching; • The quality of learning; • The use of assessment; • Subject leadership; • Support for pupils with special educational needs.

p.37

ENGLISH

What could be improved: • The standard of writing throughout the school.

p.37

ENGLISH

82. Although standards of attainment in reading and speaking and listening are average throughout the school, standards in writing are slightly below average.

p.37

ENGLISH

83. Since the last inspection, standards in reading and writing at the end of Year 2 have been variable. This reflects the variation in the ability of pupils on entry to the school, the high numbers of boys in each year group and the high numbers of pupils, who join the school, after the reception year. The results in the National Curriculum tests for reading and writing, in 2001, were disappointing as they were below the national average for all schools and for similar schools. However, when these results are compared to children’s attainment on entry, they are judged to be consistent with satisfactory progress.

p.37

ENGLISH

84. Standards in English at the end of Year 6 have risen steadily over the past two years and are now in line with national expectation, as they were at the time of the last Inspection. The National Curriculum test results at the end of Year 6 indicated that, in 2001, the school’s performance in English was close to the national average when compared to all schools and to similar schools. However, the percentage of pupils achieving higher than expected grades was above the national average and this is a significant improvement since the time of the last inspection and represents good progress.

p.37

ENGLISH

85. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. They have detailed, realistic individual action plans and do well in achieving their targets. This is due to the provision of appropriately planned work by teachers within lessons, good support from learning assistants and the good support that they receive from the special educational needs support teacher. The few pupils who speak English as an additional language have good support and make good progress. All pupils have access to a fully inclusive curriculum.

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ENGLISH

86. By the end of Year 2, pupils have made satisfactory progress in their speaking and listening skills and achieve standards that are typical for their age. Most pupils in Years 1 and 2 speak in clear sentences and listen attentively to their teachers’ instructions. They possess a sufficiently wide vocabulary to enable them to be able to express their ideas effectively. Most teachers in Years 1 and 2 are very good at planning opportunities for these pupils to practise and develop their speaking and listening skills. For example, when pupils in Year 2 were asked to read out their food poems to the rest of the class. Another positive feature is that in the majority of lessons in most subjects, lessons conclude with an opportunity for pupils to share their work with the class. In one assembly, pupils from Year 1 were given an opportunity to perform the biblical story of Zacchaeus to a wide audience and

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these opportunities enable pupils to enrich their language skills. This area of the school’s work is set to improve as the positive impact of the “Teaching Talking” scheme in the nursery and reception classes is felt in the school. Broadlands Primary School - 38 87. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are also at an average level by the end of Year 6 because teachers encourage pupils to share their work with others as individuals, in pairs and in-groups. Almost all lessons conclude with an opportunity for pupils to read out examples of their written work. During a whole-school assembly, two Year 3 pupils confidently performed their imaginative poetry, whilst the rest of the school listened attentively. Teachers use questioning skilfully to involve all pupils in their lessons and most insist that all pupils listen attentively to the response. Many pupils speak fluently and with confidence. The least able communicate their ideas satisfactorily.

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88. Inspection findings are that standards in reading are close to the national average at the end of Year 2 and improving. The higher-attaining pupils demonstrate an enjoyment of reading and respond well to humour or interesting content. They read fluently and expressively and talk about the aspects of stories that they particularly like. One pupil in Year 2, for example, talked of her enjoyment of funny poems, whilst another thought stories were far more interesting. Pupils of average ability are more hesitant in reading but are able to use a range of reading strategies such as their knowledge of letter sounds, informed guesses, picture cues and whole-word recognition. Almost all pupils know the meaning of “title”, “author” and “illustrator” and welcome the opportunity to take books home from the class and school libraries. Below-average readers have a basic sight vocabulary and can recognise a few words but find difficulty in using their knowledge of phonics to tackle

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unfamiliar words. Although parents are encouraged through the home-reading record diaries to participate in helping their children to make progress, not all parents take the opportunity to add their comments in the appropriate section. Class teachers make effective use of the good quality and range of “Big Books” within their classrooms and provide good role models during class reading sessions. All pupils including, those with special educational needs receive appropriate support and make satisfactory progress.

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89. Throughout Years 3 to 6, there is variation in pupils’ reading abilities, although standards are average overall by the end of Year 6. The highest-attaining pupils read very well indeed. They convey meaning when reading aloud, pronounce unfamiliar words with ease and work out their meaning from the context. They understand the significant ideas from passages in books and have well-developed skills in retelling stories and predicting outcomes. They share their ideas and preferences and one reader had selected her reading book solely on the recommendation of her classmates. Most pupils have reading books at home and complete their own reading records. A few pupils, however, still struggle with reading, and show some insecurity in their ability to apply their knowledge of sound patterns when faced with unfamiliar text. However, they are receiving appropriate levels of support. Literacy lessons are generally well resourced and pupils are introduced to a good range of

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texts. Texts to interest boys are used to ensure that they are motivated to learn. In Year 3, for example, the class teacher had used ”Where The Forest Meets The Sea” to initiate high quality work in a series of cross-curricular lessons linking English, geography, religious education, art and design and ICT.

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90. During the last inspection, it was noted that although resources were generally adequate, the central library lacked a sufficiently wide range of fiction and non-fiction books and that it was under used for reference purposes. This is no longer the case. The newly developed library is a colourful, attractive and stimulating environment for learning. It is very well resourced and contains a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books that are suitable for all ages, as well as tapes, videos, CDs and computers. All pupils have opportunities for regular access to this excellent facility and many older pupils are able to act as library monitors. They know how to scan books electronically, are aware of the significance of bar codes and know their way around the coding system with assurance. The school library does much to encourage pupils to appreciate the value of books and to develop their Broadlands Primary School - 39

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enjoyment of reading for both pleasure and for information. The decision to place the school library next to the ICT suite improves opportunities for pupils to engage in independent research.

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91. By the end of Year 2, most pupils achieve below the average standard expected in writing and, at present, only high-attaining pupils produce good-quality writing of any significant length. The rate of progress that pupils make through Years 1 and 2 varies considerably. The written work produced by pupils in Year 1 is very basic and, although many show a genuine desire to write, they do not have a sufficiently wide vocabulary to enable them to produce imaginative writing and they struggle to spell words correctly. The most able pupils display a better grasp of spelling conventions and are able to use basic punctuation, such as capital letters and full stops. Some good stimulation for writing is provided, such as when pupils produced their own books based on “Rosie’s Walk”, in which some had retold the story whilst others had adapted it to their own school. However, the pupils need more opportunities to extend their writing skills. In Year 2 the pupils write using

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a range of styles and much work is done to encourage the development of writing skills by drafting and redrafting their work. In an imaginative writing session on skylines the pupils produced descriptive phrases such as “glittering moon” and “shimmering lake” showing a good awareness of powerful language. Often pupils are invited to say what is good about their own and others’ work and to offer suggestions for how it might be improved further. The conventions of English are developed satisfactorily by the end of Year 2 and pupils are generally aware of proper punctuation. Spelling is encouraged by concentrating on specific letter groups and word patterns and regular handwriting practice has helped more able pupils to write in a clear and legible style. There is a need to ensure that more opportunity is provided for pupils to develop their writing skills within the context of literacy and other lessons.

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92. By the end of Year 6, the standard of pupils’ writing remains below the level expected for their age. Some pupils of above-average attainment produce good-quality writing, which is just above the level expected for Year 6 pupils. They write in well- formulated sentences, using a good range of vocabulary and reasonably accurate punctuation and spelling. Some tasks capture their imagination well, such as the humorous writing based on “Where Have All The Teachers Gone?” that was displayed in a Year 6 classroom. Also the many examples of poetry writing, including that based on “The Commentator” by pupils in Year 5 and “From Our Window” in Year 4. During the literacy hour, pupils make good progress in learning to write for different purposes. For example, pupils in Year 5 were attempting to write modern versions of traditional stories, whilst those in Year 3 had successfully imagined what it would be like to be placed in the middle of a

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tree. An awareness of the importance of planning before writing and the opportunity to work together in pairs, during the drafting and re-drafting stage, helps pupils to improve their work. In one good lesson in Year 6, pupils worked together in planning, discussing and improving stories in the style of a flashback. Although writing standards are improving, they remain below the level that is expected and there is a need to ensure that pupils are presented with regular opportunities for extended writing and that there is an improvement in the contribution to writing standards within other subject areas.

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93. Teachers work hard to raise levels of attainment in literacy, and most have a good understanding of the National Literacy Strategy, which is beginning to raise standards. Generally, teachers take good account of pupils’ needs and ensure that work is sufficiently differentiated to meet the needs of all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs now receive good support and they make good progress. During the inspection, no unsatisfactory teaching was seen and this is an improvement since the last inspection. Overall teaching standards were judged to be good. The good elements of teaching occur Broadlands Primary School - 40 when teachers plan effectively explain the lesson objectives, maintain good pace and give clear instructions and, as a result, pupils make good progress.

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94. In the very good lessons observed, the teachers had very high expectations, challenged the pupils effectively and they responded accordingly. For example, a Year 3 lesson began with an interesting exchange between the class teacher and his classroom assistant who gave a string of excuses for her late arrival. The lesson focus was for pupils to work in pairs to produce a question and answer scenario and they had the opportunity to perform these at the end of the lesson. The pupils’ use of whiteboards, used for brainstorming, planning and drafting purposes, helps pupils to write confidently, knowing that mistakes can be erased and easily rectified. Most teachers make use of ICT to support literacy and there are good examples of word-processing in displays around the school. Pupils in Year 3 had experimented with font size and colour to produce their attractive displays and a Year 6 teacher made excellent use of the adjoining library and ICT suite to

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deliver a lesson on story writing. Teachers’ expectations and use of marking varies considerably. In some classes, the teachers demand high standards, ensuring that pupils set out their work carefully and use their time productively. Written work is then marked effectively and pupils are given suggestions and targets for improvement. However, in some classes, the presentation of work is of a lower standard and marking is brief and unhelpful. However, the behaviour of a small number of pupils does have a negative impact on learning. The vast majority of pupils respond positively to English lessons and are eager to learn, but a small minority of pupils in some classes are disruptive and their behaviour has a negative effect on their learning and on the capacity of others to learn. This is a particular problem in those few classes where teachers do not possess an adequate range of behavioural strategies to be able to deal with them effectively.

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95. The leadership of the subject is very good. The two English co-ordinators work well together and have a shared vision for success. They have implemented a series of improvements, which are having a positive effect on the quality of teaching in English. One of the most important developments is the introduction of a very detailed system of assessment and data analysis, which allows teachers to cater for the individual needs of all pupils. This is particularly important to cater for the needs of the pupils who come to the school part way through a school year. A careful analysis of pupils’ results in national tests is shared with all staff and governors and enables support to be targeted appropriately and teachers to become more aware of the appropriateness of standards of work. The co- ordinators check both curriculum planning and delivery and produce detailed action plans for future developments. They have also implemented target-setting procedures and all pupils

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now have individual targets for all aspects of their work in English, which are reviewed by pupils, parents and teachers during the course of the year. The co-ordinators have improved resources for the literacy hour, led in-service training and delivered model lessons for their colleagues. In this way they have had a positive impact upon the quality of teaching in the school. They have developed a list of future priorities for raising attainment in English and have identified the improvement of writing standards throughout the school as their immediate priority.

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MATHEMATICS

What is done particularly well: • Over time, standards are improving; • The quality of teaching is good overall; • More able pupils are given challenging tasks that enable them to make the progress they should; • The quality of leadership in the subject is very good; • The overall, well-developed implementation of the National Numeracy strategy. Broadlands Primary School - 41 What could be improved: • The use of the very good but very newly in place ICT suite to promote further the pupils’ skills in data handling and probability. • Management of a few pupils’ behaviour.

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MATHEMATICS

96. Inspection evidence identifies that standards are average for pupils in Year 2 and also for those in Year 6. Overall pupils make satisfactory progress.

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MATHEMATICS

97. In last year’s national curriculum tests, the proportion of Year 2 pupils achieving the expected standard was below the national average. In the Year 6 national tests, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard was about average.

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MATHEMATICS

98. At the time of the last inspection, standards in Year 2 and in Year 6 were judged to be average. The higher ability, older pupils were under achieving. This has now been rectified as almost one third of all pupils achieved higher than expected in last year’s national curriculum tests. This represents good improvement. The school works hard to extend and cater for the higher attaining pupils. In those same tests, a significant number of average achievers missed the expected grade by only one or two marks. Well above national average numbers of pupils, of all ages, join or leave the school at varying stages of their education and at different times during the year. This creates significant problems for teachers and has a negative impact on progression of learning and therefore on overall standards in mathematics. There is also a high proportion of pupils on the special educational needs register and, although these pupils are well supported in their work and

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they make good progress, they do not achieve at the nationally expected levels. The pupils who do not speak English as their first language are given good help in lessons and so they make good progress in their tasks. The trend of improvement is in line with the national trend.

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MATHEMATICS

99. The quality of teaching seen in mathematics was at least satisfactory, with the overall quality being good. This represents good improvement since the last inspection, when it was judged to be satisfactory. However, given the number of pupils with special educational needs, the significantly larger number of boys than girls in most classes and the high transfer rate of the pupil population, good teaching is essential to motivate and challenge the pupils. The teachers know the pupils well and, with effective use of assessment, make sure that those pupils who are new to the school are quickly assessed and are given work that matches their particular needs. Clear lesson objectives are consistently shared with the pupils at the beginning of the lesson but, in a small number of lessons, these are not always revisited during the summing up session, to identify the learning that has taken place. The start of lessons is well used to develop the pupils’ mental

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MATHEMATICS

agility but in some lessons, insufficient attention is paid to varying questions to extend pupils of all abilities. Where lessons are good or very good, group tasks of differing levels of difficulty are set to challenge all levels of ability. Class management skills are also very well developed, which means that the teacher concentrates on the lesson in hand. Most teachers evaluate and adapt their lessons effectively as they progress. They identify those pupils who are experiencing difficulty and give immediate support. This is very good practice. However, in one lesson inspected, insufficient assessment of the work that a small number of pupils had completed incorrectly the previous day, meant that these pupils would not be able to make satisfactory progress until their errors were noticed and speedily rectified. In some classes, a small number of pupils are not well managed and the teacher spends time

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MATHEMATICS

ensuring these pupils remain on task and maintaining discipline. In such lessons the pace of learning drops for this very small number of pupils and they do not do as well as they should. Broadlands Primary School - 42 100. In a very good Year 3 lesson involving the handling of data related to healthy eating, all pupils were challenged throughout the very well planned lesson. High expectations and inspiring teaching helped to create an industrious atmosphere. All pupils listened avidly and by the end of the lesson they showed great pride in their achievement. This same group of pupils made very good progress in a related ICT activity. Here the pupils working in pairs, input data to a commercial programme. In this way their developing computing skills were used well to support their mathematics learning. Due to an unforeseen staff absence, two Year 6 sets of widely different abilities were amalgamated and taught as a unit by the

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MATHEMATICS

headteacher. Great care was taken to spread the level of questioning during the mental start to the lesson to ensure that all pupils were included. The teacher managed to alternate the teaching input for each group well. In this way he was able to ensure that the learning in the two very different mathematical topics was extremely well developed. As a result, the pupils made significant gains in their learning. The most able pupils made very good progress in constructing a conversion graph for inches and centimetres. At the same time, the least able pupils made good gains in knowledge and understanding in a practical activity, when they identified the capacity of several different sized containers before locating their measurements on a zero to 2 litre, number line. This was very good teaching in a difficult and unexpected situation.

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MATHEMATICS

101. The quality of marking is good overall in most classes, with clear guidance written in a positive and encouraging style. When marking is of a high standard, it shows pupils what they should do to improve. In a small number of classes, these qualities are less consistently applied.

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MATHEMATICS

102. The use of ICT to develop mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding is as yet underdeveloped. The class-based computer is regularly used in most lessons to support the learning of small numbers of pupils, using software appropriate to the lesson content. This is good provision. However, the new information and communication suite has not yet been operational long enough to have an impact on extending further the pupils data handling skills.

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MATHEMATICS

103. Tasks presented in an interesting way invariably lead to good, and more often very good, attitudes and behaviour. Most pupils enjoy mathematics and are keen learners. Many say that “maths is fun”. Their work is neat and well presented; this is an improvement since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

104. The quality of leadership and management is very good. The co-ordinator is recognised, within the local authority, as a high quality teacher and promoter of mathematics. She is well qualified and lectures to prospective teachers in their college. She encourages parents to become involved in their children’s education by holding mathematics evenings to develop parents understanding of the new ways of teaching mathematics. She monitors teaching and learning by observing lessons, examining planning and helps staff to improve their work. She gives demonstration lessons to her colleagues to support their professional development. She demonstrates a clear love of mathematics and a desire to foster similar attitudes in her pupils towards mathematics. Assessment in mathematics is very thorough and is used well by the teachers to plan the pupils work. The co-ordinator receives very good, positive support from the designated numeracy governor, who has

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attended a 2-day numeracy course and has monitored a number of lessons to ensure that learning objectives identified in individual teacher’s planning are supported by effective teaching.

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MATHEMATICS

105. Resources for mathematics are very good. Given that the pupils’ starting point is average, their achievements are satisfactory. Standards of the more able pupils are Broadlands Primary School - 43 improving significantly. The overall quality of teaching is improved. With these factors in mind, the subject has developed well since the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

What is done particularly well: • The strong emphasis in most years on practical, investigative science; • Improving standards throughout the school; • Good teaching.

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SCIENCE

What could be done to improve: • Overuse of worksheets; • The behaviour of a small minority of pupils; • The use of ICT in science

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SCIENCE

106. Based on lesson observations and a detailed scrutiny of pupils' work, standards in science are judged to be satisfactory overall. This is a similar position to that at the time of the last inspection. The pupils are judged to be on track to reach the national averages at the end of Years 2 and 6. Observations of work produced during the current school year indicates that pupils undertake a range of appropriate science activities covering all the required elements of the science curriculum. Provision in experimental and investigative science is good in some classes and years. However, the scrutiny of work reveals an over reliance in worksheets for some of the youngest pupils, which is a hindrance to their progress.

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SCIENCE

107. In Year 2, pupils learn about “forces” and comment that gravity “pulls you down” and that forces are “pushes and pulls”. Using a ramp and a model car, pupils are, with help, measuring the distance each car travels after leaving the ramp. Most realise there is a reason for things speeding up or slowing down. Suggestions include the height of the ramp, the size of the car’s wheels, the weight of the car and the amount of push given to the vehicles. Most are responding at an appropriate level to suggestions on how to find things out. They use simple equipment and make appropriate task-related observations. One pupil proclaims, “It’s actually a function of the tyre – some cars have smooth tyres.” However one pupil also offers, “If you pushed it, it would be fair”.

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SCIENCE

108. In Year 3, pupils test materials to see whether or not they are magnetic and are surprised to find, after making the prediction that all metals are magnetic, that this is not necessarily so. Pupils are comparing the properties of everyday materials, carrying out systematic observations – including the use of ICT for entering data onto a computer – and testing materials, making predictions and ascertaining whether they are correct or not. Pupils in Year 4, learning about circuits, are developing an understanding that a switch can be used to make or break a circuit. They are learning how to show series circuits by means of drawings and conventional symbols and most can explain the difference between a diagram and a drawing. Year 5 pupils, studying the disappearance of water by evaporation, are able to explain the phenomena in scientific language – with the majority predicting, accurately, that a boiling kettle will lose weight. Pupils in Year 6 are “set” by ability for

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science. Pupils in the higher-attaining group learning about micro-organisms know that they can be “good or bad” and that they “live inside and on you”. They record their observations of biodegradable and non-biodegradable objects found around the school in table form. This supports their numeracy learning well. Pupils in the middle set are developing their knowledge and understanding of the properties of mould and understand that bacteria can travel on air if not kept in a sealed container. They demonstrate developing skills in planning experiments, making careful observations and, through observing the growth of mould, are able to draw accurate conclusions related to requirements for food, heat and moisture. The Broadlands Primary School - 44 pupils in the lower-attaining set observe the growth of yeast, understanding that the yeast is feeding on the sugar. A significant minority find it difficult to put their understanding into

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words or record their findings. Although a small proportion of pupils in the higher-attaining set are working at levels above those expected for Year 6 pupils, a number of pupils in the lower ability set, consisting largely of pupils with special educational needs, are working below national expectations and overall, attainment is satisfactory. The pupils have many opportunities to use their literacy skills in their science lessons and this helps their writing skills to develop further.

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SCIENCE

109. The quality of learning in Years 1 and 2 ranges from good to satisfactory and is satisfactory overall. In Years 3 to 6, learning ranges from very good to satisfactory and is good overall. However, in a number of lessons seen, the teacher had to work very hard to maintain a satisfactory rate of progress due to the attitudes and behaviour of a small minority of pupils. Where learning was very good, in one lesson in Year 6, very clear progress was made, due to the very good classroom management and subject knowledge of the teacher and the high level of pupil motivation generated. Pupils with special educational needs and those few pupils for whom English is an additional language are supported well and make good progress overall in science lessons. Pupils' attitudes and behaviour in lessons observed were satisfactory overall in Years 1 and 2 and good overall in Years 3 to 6. In the best cases, pupils show great interest in the activities and are very keen

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SCIENCE

to answer the teacher's questions, replying with enthusiasm and confidence. Most work quietly and conscientiously, clearly enjoying their science lessons. Where attitudes and behaviour were inappropriate, in one Year 5 lesson observed, pupils were very restless, finding concentration difficult, chatting when the teacher was “talking to the class”, for example. This had an adverse effect upon their learning, which could have been better.

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SCIENCE

110. The quality of teaching in lessons observed was satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and ranged from very good to satisfactory in Years 3 to 6, where it was good overall. In most lessons, teachers give clear explanations and are confident in their subject knowledge. They motivate pupils well, maintain a brisk pace throughout the lesson, have a good rapport with their pupils and appropriately high expectations of work and behaviour. In the one lesson where teaching was judged to be very good, the teacher used questioning very well to probe and direct pupils learning, made very good use of scientific vocabulary and motivated pupils very well so that very good progress was made during the lesson.

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SCIENCE

111. The co-ordinator for the subject is well-qualified, provides good leadership and is very enthusiastic. The school has adopted the government-recommended scheme of work for the subject. Results of annual tests have been analysed and, as a result, changes made to the curriculum to stress experimental and investigative activities. There is good use of assessment in science; regular assessment tasks are undertaken and the results recorded on a science assessment form. Resources for the subject are good and well-utilised.

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ART AND DESIGN

What is done particularly well: • Good subject leadership with high expectations; • The introduction of a “sketch book” throughout the school; • Well-attended twice weekly after school art clubs.

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ART AND DESIGN

What could be improved: • The implementation of a whole-school scheme of work.

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ART AND DESIGN

112. As only one art and design lesson was observed in Year 2, judgements on the quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 are not possible. Two lessons were Broadlands Primary School - 45 observed in Years 3 and 5. Scrutiny of work on display around the school confirms that all pupils are fully included in artwork and all have appropriate opportunities to undertake a variety of art and design activities. Printing repeated patterns, making collages, drawing using a variety of materials including pastel and charcoal, working in three-dimensions using clay and making pencil studies are all examples of the pupils’ work all of a satisfactory quality. Pupils in all year groups are working at appropriate levels, attaining standards expected of their age group and making satisfactory progress in the skills and knowledge of the subject as they move through the school. Standards are not as high as at the time of the

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last inspection, but less time is available for the subject and a new co-ordinator is determined to see standards improve.

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ART AND DESIGN

113. Year 2 pupils, in a continuation of a project on Chinese art, were decorating plastic masks, marking out their previously drawn designs in pencil and colouring with paint. Others were undertaking similar work, using material and fabric paint to make a wall hanging. A number of pupils demonstrated good brush control, indicating these skills had been taught well in previous lessons. Pupils in Year 3 were continuing their investigations into Aboriginal art, researching art and design, craft and design in a range of styles and traditions. Having previously made design notes and symbols in their sketchbooks, pupils were adding Aboriginal symbols and patterns to their “rain sticks”. In a Year 5 lesson observed, pupils were listening to music and using this as a stimulus to create a series of pictures of the sea. They were compiling visual and other information to assist with the development of their

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ideas, including the use of a sketchbook, and exploring a variety of starting points for their practical work, including music and the work of famous artists’ work. Pupils also use the computers to produce pieces of artwork. Some pupils discuss colour in terms of “warm” and “cool” colours and pupils’ sketchbooks demonstrate that they have been recording and trying out their ideas. Some pupils use fine brushes and watercolours sensitively.

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ART AND DESIGN

114. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour during their art and design lessons ranged from inappropriate (in one Year 5 lesson) to satisfactory but were satisfactory overall. Most pupils demonstrate pride in their work and work well together, sharing materials and clearly enjoying their work. Where attitudes and behaviour were inappropriate, however, a minority of pupils were determined not to take a full part in the lesson and this both slowed the pace of the lesson and reduced the quality of learning for the majority of the pupils in the class. The quality of learning in lessons seen was satisfactory overall, however. Teachers plan and resource their lessons well. In a number of cases, and most evidently in the Year 5 lesson observed, the need for the teacher to constantly admonish and pause for a significant minority of pupils to regain attention, slowed down the planned pace of the lesson. This reduces the progress that can be made during the lesson by all pupils.

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ART AND DESIGN

115. The new co-ordinator for the subject is very enthusiastic and well qualified and has appropriately ambitious plans for the subject, including the further development of the use of ICT in the subject. At the time of the inspection the co-ordinator was adapting the government-recommended scheme of work for the subject and was utilising a previous scheme of work, which provided broadly satisfactory continuity and progression in the key skills as pupils move through the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

What is done particularly well: • The curriculum is carefully planned to offer stimulating and imaginative tasks; • There are very good links between subjects, so pupils understand better; • Work is monitored to ensure proposed progression of topics.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

What could be improved: Broadlands Primary School - 46 • Co-ordination by a subject specialist to keep teachers informed and supported; • Use of ICT to support the design element of the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. Standards are in line with those expected nationally at the end of both Years 2 and 6. This is a similar position to that at the time of the last inspection. All pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and the very few pupils who have English as an additional language make satisfactory progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117. Good use is made of a nationally recognised scheme of work to plan tasks appropriate for pupils’ ages. It is adapted to incorporate work being undertaken in other curriculum areas. This demonstrates good planning, because pupils’ new learning in one subject, reinforces and extends their learning in others. However, within the design and technology elements of the pupils work there appears to be much greater emphasis on making than on giving pupils the knowledge and understanding of the use of materials they are using. In some classes there is little evidence of a clear planning strategy being undertaken.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

118. It was only possible to inspect two lessons during the inspection. Judgements have been made on the basis of these lessons, scrutiny of pupils’ work, and a number of interviews with the co-ordinator, pupils and teachers and observations of samples of pupils’ work. In a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils were to design a bridge for a specific task and the teacher gave the pupils a free rein to progress their ideas. The lesson was one in a series of very well planned lessons. The teacher’s very good subject knowledge meant that he knew the appropriate development of the concept. The pupils’ response was very positive but their progress did not match up to the teacher’s aims. This was because they had insufficient experience in detailed planning. The class teacher ensured that good results were achieved because he gave detailed and effective support to the pupils. The very good pupil-teacher relationships in the class had a positive impact upon the way that the pupils

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. In a good Year 3 lesson, pupils develop their work in science by considering ways to design and make a magnetic game. The lesson is part of a developing topic and the pupils remembered well the work previously covered and responded to questions enthusiastically. Initial ideas about a prototype were discarded following good considerations of practicality. Pupils became more objective and described and explained simpler plans. They considered whether the resources required were practical and clamoured to talk about the discussions they had had in their pairs. Each pair was allowed to speak and the lesson ended with everyone well satisfied.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

120. Scrutiny of displays of pupils’ work identifies much satisfactory and good quality work. Year 1 pupils designed their wall tiles on paper before they made them from clay. They copied the design and colour carefully. The pupils made good quality model rooms from shoeboxes, card, paper and junk materials showing careful modelling with good attention to detail. Year 2 classes make their own “Joseph’s Technicolor Dream-coats” by making paper patterns before pinning to fabric and sewing onto the coat. These sets of work added significantly to the quality of classroom displays.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

121. Year 3 pupils have been busy making aboriginal rain sticks, Diwali pots and puppets, to give effective support to their geographical and cultural development. Pupils in Year 4 design, make and evaluate the effectiveness of Greek purses, household pressure mats and “pop-up” information books. Those in Year 5 make moving toys and in the near future they are to design and make their own biscuits from their own recipes. Examination of teachers’ planning shows that following their work on bridges, Year 6 pupils are to design Broadlands Primary School - 47 and make either fairground rides or controllable vehicles. The wide range of work seen and planned fully satisfies requirements of the design and technology curriculum.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

122. The co-ordinator is not a subject specialist. He monitors planning and reports to the governing body. There is evidence of links with the ICT co-ordinator to develop the subject to incorporate control technology and so widen the existing scheme of work. Resources are satisfactory to support learning. There are good opportunities to promote the development of social skills in the subject, as pupils’ work effectively together in-groups sharing tools and materials.

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GEOGRAPHY

What is done particularly well: • Good teaching providing interesting tasks for the pupils; • The teachers make good use of the locality; • There is good use of items in the news to promote understanding of global issues; • The younger pupils enjoy studying the places that Bella and Barnaby bear visit.

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GEOGRAPHY

What could be improved: • To provide further opportunities for the pupils to practise their writing skills during lessons.

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GEOGRAPHY

123. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 are on course to achieve standards expected in geography for pupils of their age. All pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and the very few pupils who have English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. This is a similar position to that at the time of the last inspection. The standards achieved by the pupils’, reflect the opportunities available to them and the careful planning throughout the school. The teachers place a clear emphasis on developing the pupils mapping skills and extending their use of correct geographical terms. The teaching of geography in the small number of lessons observed was generally good; judgements have taken account of observations of the pupil’s work on display and in books.

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GEOGRAPHY

124. Pupils in Year 2 have a good understanding of travel and the different clothes they might need to take with them on different kinds of holidays. The pupils take Bella or Barnaby Bear away with them when they go on holidays. They are well-travelled little bears and have visited many places. Bella has been to Walt Disney World in America, where she enjoyed meeting her hero Pooh Bear! In this way the pupils widen their knowledge and understanding of places beyond their own locality as they study the travel arrangements and locations on the world map that these bears visit. These pupils are at present studying Hong Kong. They clearly understand that summer is not the time to visit- as it rains all the time. They recognise the pressure on the land in this highly populated city and that one way of dealing with the problem has been to build tall skyscrapers. The pupils, as they wrote their postcards to the headteacher, talked about the impressive buildings that could be seen in

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GEOGRAPHY

the city. For example, the Bank of China. These impressive buildings “nearly touch the sky”, one pupil commented.

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GEOGRAPHY

125. By the end of Year 6, the pupils study a wide range of maps. They have followed the progress of a river from its source to the sea, and its different features. They have drawn diagrams of the river’s course and recognised the importance of using specific geographical language to describe different sections. In Year 5, the pupils examined a potential development of a leisure complex in Llandudno. The pupils have considered the impact of building such a facility in this area. They thought about the views of a wide range of people and the different perspectives they would have had. The pupils are very interested in this topic and consequently they co-operate well in discussions and their behaviour reflects the Broadlands Primary School - 48 very positive way the class teacher manages the class and the high levels of commitment of the pupils. The pupils demonstrate good levels of understanding of the concepts of

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GEOGRAPHY

conservation of the environment. In a very good lesson in Year 3, the pupils had a genuine commitment to learning about different places in the world and different items in the news. For example, the pupils have had a visit from a Member of Parliament from Australia and after locating Australia on a world map, they are able to locate where he came from.

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GEOGRAPHY

126. The pupils have also been studying the local environment. They were particularly upset by all the litter they observed as they walked around the locality. They resolved to ask a local councillor who also happened to be the Chair of the Governors, plus some of the other governors and parents to come to school to discuss the problem. In this lesson the pupils thought how they could improve the situation and came up with a number of ideas for the councillor to take back to the local council. In this way the pupils are developing an understanding that they can have an impact upon their environment. They listened to each other’s suggestions and worked together effectively, so promoting their social development well. The good attitudes shown by the pupils to learning were a reflection of the energetic and enthusiastic teaching they received. As a consequence the pupils worked hard and achieved well in the lesson. Good levels of praise and tasks well matched to the needs and

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GEOGRAPHY

abilities of the pupils ensured that they made good gains in their learning and all remained on task. In a later lesson in the new ICT suite the pupils constructed a graph to show the results of their litter survey. The pupils however did reflect upon the benefits from encouraging people to use the litterbins provided and thought that more bins would be an advantage.

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GEOGRAPHY

127. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and provides good leadership. She is keen to promote the subject throughout the school. She has monitored lessons and has worked alongside her colleagues. She has helped them to develop stimulating and exciting lessons, which will interest and excite the pupils. In this way she has brought about improvement in teaching which are expected soon to have an impact upon standards in the school. ICT is beginning to be used effectively to support the subject. Resources for geography are satisfactory overall.

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HISTORY

What is done particularly well: • The development of enquiry skills; • The good use of art and design lessons to promote historical understanding; • The pupils are beginning to understand how people from the past lived and felt about their lives; • An interesting curriculum.

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HISTORY

What could be improved: • To provide further opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills during lessons.

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HISTORY

128. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 are on track to achieve the standards expected nationally for their age. This is a similar position to that at the time of the last inspection. However the progress the pupils make in their historical enquiry skills is more secure now than it was at the time of the last inspection. The standards the pupils achieve reflect the interesting and stimulating curriculum available to the pupils; consequently all pupils including those pupils who have special educational need and English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. Broadlands Primary School - 49 129. Judgements are based upon interviews with pupils, observations of the pupils’ work and an interview with the subject co-ordinator as only two lessons, both in Year 4, were observed during the inspection.

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HISTORY

130. By the end of Year 2, the pupils develop their knowledge and understanding of people in the past and how they lived. They study the lives of famous people from the past and how their lives affected those of other people in their time. For example, the pupils learn about Guy Fawkes and what he and his friends tried to do to the Houses of Parliament and why. They recognise that Guy Fawkes was prepared to see a lot of people die for what he believed. They sequence events and articles, showing how things have changed over time. For example, the pupils in Year 1 have studied castles and recognise that these buildings from the past were very different to homes of today. They look at pictures of early vehicles and think how methods of transport have changed over time. Occasionally there is an over reliance on work sheets and this detracts from the quality of the pupils’ learning and the clear emphasis in many classes of systematic enquiry.

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HISTORY

131. By the end of Year 6, the pupils have a good knowledge of different periods of British history and how people lived in very ancient cultures. In Year 3 the pupils have been studying the effect that the Romans had upon the lives of people in Britain. They realised that they had learnt quite a lot about Queen Boudicca. The pupils said that she was indeed a formidable lady, who was very fierce. She had long red hair and wore a torc around her neck. In Year 4 the pupils are studying the ancient Greeks and their Gods and Goddesses. The pupils were researching the different symbols associated with each of the Gods. In two good lessons the pupils were encouraged to research, using CD-ROM’s and reference books, to find out as much as they could about the many Gods. At the end of the lesson the teacher asked the pupils to identify different Gods by giving them pertinent clues. In this enjoyable way the pupils consolidated their learning through trying to interpret the clues.

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HISTORY

Older pupils have been studying the life and times of King Henry VIII. They recognised that he brought about significant changes to the way people worshipped during his reign. Changes that indeed affect us today. Studying portraits commissioned during his lifetime enables the pupils to consider what kind of person he was and what was important to him.

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HISTORY

132. The teaching throughout the school is effective and develops pupils’ enquiry skills through the good use of documents from the relevant periods of history. The teachers have an appropriate understanding of the subject they are teaching and organise their lessons systematically. History is being used by the teachers to support and improve the pupils’ literacy and extended writing skills. For example, the pupils in Year 6 wrote questions to ask a person who came to school to talk to them about evacuation during World War 2. Mathematics is also used effectively by the teachers to show the passage of time in using timelines. The teachers are also using ICT to support the history curriculum.

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HISTORY

133. The subject co-ordinator is enthusiastic and has good ideas for the further development of the subject throughout the school. He has begun to monitor teaching and learning in history and has a clear view of the standards of work the pupils achieve. Resources are satisfactory and give effective support to historical enquiry in the school.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

What is done particularly well: • Very good, new resources in the form of a brand-new “ICT suite” which, at the time of inspection had only very recently been fully operational and a newly-published fully comprehensive scheme of work which provides very clear guidance and support for teachers; Broadlands Primary School - 50 • Good co-ordination with a clear overall view of improvements needed in the quality of teaching and curriculum; • Renewed staff expertise and enthusiasm through whole staff training.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

What could be improved: • Pupils’ attainment in all the elements of the ICT curriculum; • Implementation of the new scheme of work throughout the school, with weekly timetabled lessons for all age groups; • Full utilisation of the very good resources by all teachers and pupils.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

134. In ICT the pupils are unlikely to achieve standards expected of them by the end of Years 2 and 6. Although it appears that standards have fallen since the last inspection, expectations in this subject have increased significantly and the school has found it hard to keep pace with changes. As a result all pupils, including those pupils who have special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, are at present making insufficient progress. The new suite will allow the school to address these shortcomings. A number of independent “extension” activities at the classroom computer were observed during the inspection. These were in English, mathematics and science lessons. A few lessons were observed in the very new computer suite, which linked well to other subject areas. For example, to support mathematics, literacy and geography lessons. No discrete ICT lessons were undertaken during the inspection thus providing insufficient

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

evidence on which to make secure judgements on pupils’ attitudes or behaviour in lessons or on the quality of teaching and learning in the subject. The limited examples of pupils’ work around the school and in exercise books consisted largely of word-processing and drawings made using “paint” packages.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

135. ICT has not been taught or planned for as a discrete “timetabled” subject, and at the time of inspection, there was still only a limited amount of direct teaching in the subject. Although resources have been improved very significantly since the last inspection, there has been a number of significant “teething problems” with the new equipment, effectively leaving the suite unusable with a class until the week prior to the inspection. Although a minority of “ICT-literate” and -confident teachers made good use of the suite and associated equipment during the inspection, the majority of teachers have not yet resolved how best to utilise the equipment. All classrooms are now equipped with a new multi-media computer and printer and these were observed, in use, during the inspection usually to support the lesson objectives – writing directly onto the computer instead of on paper, for example.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

136. The headteacher and the subject co-ordinator are very enthusiastic about the subject and are determined to improve both curricular provision and attainment. The school is aware of these shortcomings in provision and teacher-confidence and has detailed plans in place to address these – at the time of inspection a number of teachers had undertaken, and the remaining were booked to undergo further ICT training.

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MUSIC

What is done particularly well: • Good subject leadership; • Good level of resources; • An outstanding range of extra-curricular opportunities

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MUSIC

137. At the time of the last inspection, standards of attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6 were judged to be above what is expected nationally. These standards have been maintained and all pupils make good progress throughout the school. Broadlands Primary School - 51 138. The school has developed a scheme of work, which has been revised in line with national recommendations and guidelines from the local authority. This provides teachers with a good structure for their lessons and ensures coverage of all aspects of the music curriculum. The teachers have the necessary skills to enable them to use these plans effectively to provide quality worthwhile lessons for their pupils. Only one lesson was observed in Year 2 during the inspection and the teaching was judged to be good. The lesson was well planned, organised and resourced. Some pupils are beginning to use musical terms, such as “pitch”, and to respond to different musical moods. They listen

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MUSIC

attentively and are eager to perform. In the lesson observed, for example, they sang “The Chinese New Year” both with and without accompaniment and were able to explore and appreciate how sounds can be arranged and used expressively. They selected percussion instruments and worked together to develop sounds to represent passages and characters within the story of “The Monkey and The Water Dragon”. Pupils co-operated well with partners and in groups and were appreciative when watching others perform.

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MUSIC

139. Four lessons were observed in Years 3 to 6 and teaching was judged to be good in all of them. Pupils in Year 3 were able to create, perform and portray the atmosphere of a poem and to experiment with instruments in order to create their own accompaniments. In one Year 5 lesson, the pupils worked collectively to create a story sequence in sound, using only parts of their body. The class teacher managed the pupils’ learning in this lesson very effectively. Year 6 pupils were beginning to understand the composition of chord sequences and use a wide range of instruments, including keyboards and chime bars to perform their chord accompaniment to “Hey Baby”. Whilst not all of the pupils were totally accurate in their performance, this part of the lesson proved great fun for all concerned!

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MUSIC

140. Teachers encourage pupils to listen to and appreciate music. Pupils have an opportunity to listen to music at the beginning and end of each assembly and a number of teachers use background music within lessons to maintain a calming influence within the classroom. Teachers have good subject knowledge and encourage pupils to become increasingly aware of musical terminology. Year 6 pupils could identify the difference between discords and concords, whilst Year 3 pupils used words such as “tempo” and “timbre”. In all lessons observed during the Inspection, teachers provided pupils with access to a range of good quality musical instruments in order to stimulate musical awareness and appreciation. All pupils are encouraged to use tape recorders, CDs and computer programs as part of the music curriculum. In Year 2 and 6 pupils are introduced to a range of computer software and in one lesson, Year 6 pupils had access to five keyboards.

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MUSIC

141. Pupils generally respond enthusiastically in music lessons. They enjoy the subject and most behave well, listen attentively, and enjoy demonstrating the skills that they have acquired. They sing with enthusiasm in lessons and school assemblies, and most pupils are appreciative and encouraging towards each other when performing in class. They enjoy opportunities for performance and are able to evaluate performance and give suggestions for improvement. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and the few pupils who do not speak English as their first language, make good progress throughout the school. However, the behaviour of a small number of pupils in some classes limits the progress that they and others could make.

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MUSIC

142. An excellent range of extra-curricular opportunities enriches the curriculum in music. Peripatetic musicians provide pupils with the opportunity to play a range of instruments, including cello, flute, clarinet, drums, violins and guitar, whilst members of staff organise recorder clubs, an orchestra and a choir. The school provides pupils with a range of opportunities for performance and pupils participate in events such as the Hereford Music and Dance Festival. There are regular concerts within school, including a Sunday afternoon Summer Concert, and groups of school musicians regularly visit the local church and the Broadlands Primary School - 52 local pensioners’ club. The large number of pupils participating in this extensive range of musical opportunities helps to make music a strong feature of the school curriculum.

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MUSIC

143. The enthusiastic music co-ordinator leads the subject very well. She has implemented a scheme of work that helps staff to feel confident in the teaching of music and has purchased good resources to support its delivery. Although she teaches music to some classes in addition to her own, she is well supported by other colleagues who have good subject knowledge and teach the subject well. She monitors curriculum planning and delivery, has delivered training in the delivery of practical music to her colleagues and developed pupil self-assessment sheets. In this way she has had a positive impact on helping the teachers to improve their work. She has identified clear aims for future development, which include the purchase of a new sound system for the school hall and an extended range of instruments for music lessons. Broadlands Primary School - 53

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

What is done particularly well: • Much high-quality teaching • Commitment of many teachers to provide an excellent range of additional clubs • Standards in swimming • High quality resources • Very good subject leadership

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

What could be improved: • The physical condition of the floor surface in the infant hall, which is used for physical education activities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

144. Overall standards in physical education are above national expectations at the end of Year 2 and well above national expectations at the end of Year 6. All pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and for whom English is an additional language, make good progress. This indicates an improvement since the last inspection, when standards were judged to be above average at the end of both key stages.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

145. The school modifies the nationally recommended scheme of work to suit the needs and direction of the school. Planning of the subject follows a cross-curricular model that brings positive benefit to the pupils. For example, when Year 6 pupils study river development in geography lessons, their understanding is strengthened when they discuss how their routines in their dance lessons could best mirror the sequences of change in pace and direction of water, in relation to volume of water and gradient of river-flow. This is very supportive and good provision. All required strands of physical education are included in teachers’ planning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

146. Teaching seen during the inspection was generally good, with one Year 3 lesson judged to be excellent. A significant number of lessons were judged to be very good. Teachers dress appropriately to allow them freedom to demonstrate movements and to motivate pupils to dress correctly themselves. Pupils are given the opportunity to use a very good range of apparatus to practise and hone their skills. Very high expectations, from an unusually large number of subject specialists teachers who use their subject knowledge and facility to demonstrate, provides the very secure foundation upon which, high standards are built. Teachers use pupils well to demonstrate good quality movements to the rest of the class. Some of the physical education specialist teachers take other lessons for other classes. This allows these teachers to make good use of their particular skills and expert tuition for their pupils. This demonstrates good management and a commitment to drive up

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

standards. In all effective lessons, teaching is supported by relaxed, friendly but purposeful relationships. In the one satisfactory lesson in Year 1, the pace of teaching was slow and the teacher did not manage the pupils’ behaviour well. However, most pupils improved their control of movement related to rhythm and speed and achieved appropriately.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

147. Pupils have sound knowledge and understanding of the effect of exercise on their bodies. They can explain the importance of warming up and cooling down. They enjoy gymnastic, dance and games activities and perform to good and very good levels. An exceptional example of the pupils’ commitment was seen in a Year 6 lesson. In this class, numerically dominated by boys, all were totally involved in preparing a dance sequence. They then performed group presentations with great pride and seriousness. The quality of movement shown was to a very good standard.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

148. Pupils demonstrate very positive attitudes in lessons and during after school club activities. The standard of behaviour in lessons reflects directly the quality of teaching. A Broadlands Primary School - 54 pupil observed being disruptive in a classroom based lesson, was seen working the following day in an extremely hard, well-behaved and effective manner. Most pupils respond well and enjoy their lessons. They co-operate happily in paired activities and also in small, team game situations.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

149. Arrangements for swimming are good. Discussions with pupils and teachers confirm that a large majority exceeds the minimum expectations of the National Curriculum to swim unaided for 25 metres, before the end of Year 5. In the two most recent years, the school has won and been runner-up in the Hereford Schools’ Swimming Gala. The school recognises progress in swimming with valued systems of certificate awards. A Water Safety Officer visits school to run a “Wye Drown” initiative. The school subsidises the payment for this course. This is very good provision, particularly in an area where, only recently, the valley immediately below this rural facing school was completely flooded.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

150. The physical education programme is supported superbly, through a very wide range of extra-curricular activities. The school’s commitment to sport and physical exercise has been rewarded by the presentation of a “Sport England Activemark Gold Award”. As the only primary school in the County of Herefordshire to hold such an award, the school is to be congratulated on its achievement. The extra-curricular activities that are well supported and at times over-subscribed, include gymnastics, hockey, football, netball, mini-soccer for Years 2, 3 and 4, dance, cricket, rounders, badminton, athletics, rugby, “tag” rugby and skipping. The school competes against other schools and has been particularly successful in “tag” rugby as Hereford champions and taking part in the West Midlands Finals. The school represented Hereford Football Club when competing against sixteen other schools and the 6-a-side rugby side was joint Hereford champions.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

151. The curriculum co-ordinator has been in post for a number of years. He is a subject specialist and is justifiably proud of an extremely interested and totally involved staff which has a direct bearing upon the standards the pupils’ achieve. They demonstrate a commendable commitment to the subject, giving so freely of their time after school hours. The co-ordinator monitors teaching and has written units of work for the reception children. He keeps the headteacher and the governing body fully up to date with developments in his area of responsibility by means of a written report every term. Resources to teach all elements of physical education are very good with the exception of the floor surface in the infant hall, which is very worn. Outdoor hard-surface playing areas are well maintained and the extensive grassed areas are well drained. They provide excellent accommodation for playing team games and other outdoor activities. The school has a swimming pool, which it

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

What is done particularly well: • The quality of the teaching; • Effective co-ordination; • Use of resources.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

What could be improved: • To improve further the use of ICT to support the subject.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

152. Standards in religious education meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus for Hereford by the end of both Years 2 and 6. Evidence of work done previously shows that pupil’s learning is satisfactory overall and standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is their second language make satisfactory progress as they have extra help during lessons. Broadlands Primary School - 55 153. In Years 1 and 2 pupils are introduced to some of the stories from the Bible such as the story of Joseph and his coat of many colours, and some of the parables told by Jesus, including the “Prodigal Son”. They learn about how Christmas is celebrated in other parts of the world, and the Christian celebration of harvest. Learning about other religions helps to broaden their knowledge and they begin to know about Judaism and how some of their

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

comparable festivals are celebrated and why. They learn about the Jewish harvest festival of “Sukkot” and design a shelter called a “Sukkah”. Special people like Moses and Jesus are discovered through stories, and they learn of the creation and to appreciate the world they live in.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

154. In Years 3 to 6 pupils continue to study stories from the Bible, including that of Saul of Tarsus, and produce a diary of the important events in his life. There is a greater the focus on the different faiths including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism, and in particular what people believe, how they express and celebrate their faith, and how their beliefs influence their lifestyles.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

155. It was not possible to observe any teaching in Years 1 and 2 during the inspection and consequently no judgement can be made on the overall quality of teaching. In Years 3 to 6 in the lessons seen, the teaching was consistently good and sometimes very good. Lessons are well planned and delivered with good use of resources to illustrate and increase the impact of the lessons. In a Year 6 lesson on founders and leaders the teacher had invited the vicar from the local parish church to come and answer questions carefully prepared by the pupils in a very mature way. In this lesson the pupils had a good opportunity to practise their writing skills. The vicars’ responses to the pupils’ questions were very illuminating for the pupils. As a consequence the pupils’ preconceptions of the vicar as a faith leader were positively changed. The feelings and emotions of Christians at Easter featured in Year 5 lessons, with the teaching focusing on the extremes of sadness and joy.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

The lesson enabled the pupils to feel a deep sense of empathy by allowing them to reflect upon and compare experiences in their own lives. Pupils learnt about Easter and developed a clear understanding of how Jesus’ friends must have felt at that time. In Year 3, pupils are confronted with the task of understanding the difficult concept of Easter and of how death can lead to life. The pupils make blossoms from tissue paper, on which they have written their concerns, to make a dead tree come to life. They understand that everyone needs a place to be at peace and how troubles can be shared.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

156. The subject co-ordinator has been industrious in developing the scheme of work for religious education, and linking it to the Hereford Agreed Syllabus that she helped to write. Her role is well developed as she monitors the curriculum regularly and observes teaching of the subject. Resources are of good quality and include artefacts reflecting the multi-faith approach taken by the school. Teachers make good use of local resources, particularly places of worship, and a number of faith leaders. ICT is at present under-used to support the subject.

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