Christopher Hatton Primary School

CHRISTOPHER HATTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21-22 nd January 2002

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CHRISTOPHER HATTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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CHRISTOPHER HATTON 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. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 38 Laystall Street London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 29 th April – 2 nd May 1997 Christopher Hatton Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 3639 A C Davies Registered inspector 9798 V Ashworth Lay inspector 27677 D Davenport Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Focus Education 113-115 High Street Uppermill Saddleworth Oldham OL3 6BD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6-10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is a unique primary school situated near the centre of London. Of the 201 pupils attending, there are 102 whose main language is not English and there are 31 different languages being spoken by pupils. Many only stay for a short period of time, some for less than a year. Most of these will start school with very little knowledge of the English language. Over half the pupils are entitled to school meals free of charge, which is well above the national average. The number of pupils on the special educational needs register matches the national average although a larger number have statements. The school has a special language base (Language Resource Base) for 8 pupils with speech and language difficulties. The nature of the school makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly what the attainment of pupils starting in the nursery or reception classes is. Pupils display a very wide range of academic and personal skills when they start but mostly below that expected for their age.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school, which has many positive features. The vast majority of pupils achieve very well with particular attention being given to improving pupils’ oral and written English. The teaching is frequently outstanding or very good and this helps pupils to learn efficiently. The headteacher and deputy headteacher form a very effective partnership and provide excellent support to all staff. The school provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The staff ensure that pupils experience a real sense of joy and excitement about learning. • The headteacher has been responsible for creating a very positive atmosphere in the school and is well respected by pupils, staff, governors and parents. • The deputy headteacher is an extremely gifted teacher who works hard at raising the achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own practice. • Staff take full advantage of the rich diversity of cultural backgrounds that the pupils bring to school ensuring that there is a strong sense of racial harmony. • There is very good attention to helping pupils who have English as an additional language improve their written and oral English. • Very good use is made of the building to maximise opportunities for pupils to achieve and play in an environment that supports their learning and well-being.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in information and communication technology are not high enough. In addition to this main key issue the school needs to: • continue to develop the role of the co-ordinator, and • further develop the partnership it seeks with the community. 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 was last inspected in April 1997 and it has made very good progress since that time. At the time of the last inspection the school had only just opened and there were no junior-aged pupils Christopher Hatton Primary School - 7 attending. Since that time very good progress has been made with a strong emphasis on establishing the work ethos for older pupils.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has dealt with all the main issues identified at the time of the previous inspection. Many of the areas identified are now strengths in the school. The curriculum is well organised with plenty of opportunities for pupils to engage in problem solving activities.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English n/a n/a A A* well above average above average A B mathematics n/a n/a A A* average below average C D science n/a n/a A* A* well below average E

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STANDARDS

2001 was the first year that the school had a large enough number of Year 6 pupils to be able to make comparative judgements about standards attained by 11-year-olds. This set of results was very impressive and confirmed that older pupils, in particular, are making very good progress in English, mathematics and science. A large percentage of pupils are attaining the higher grades in the national tests. The present Year 6 is likely to maintain this good position with many pupils being able to express themselves very eloquently and use a wide-ranging vocabulary. On the face of it, it would seem that the national test results of 7-year-olds were not as impressive. However, this is not the case because many of the pupils taking these tests have only been in the country for a very short time and are at the very early stages of English acquisition. The number of pupils who achieve above the level expected

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STANDARDS

for their age matches the national average in reading and mathematics.

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STANDARDS

When children first start school they demonstrate a wide range of academic and personal skills. Many speak little or no English while others are confident when communicating in English with adults. During their time in the nursery and reception class every effort is made to match the needs of individuals to work and personal development opportunities that are appropriate for them. As a result all children, especially those with English as an additional language, make good progress. Pupils in the 5 to 7 age range maintain the momentum of good progress with very good attention focused on oral and written work. The vast majority of pupils who have been at the school for two years are attaining at the level expected for their age by the time they are 7. Pupils moving to Year 3 and beyond are provided with further opportunities to widen their use of English and to make use of their literacy and numeracy skills

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STANDARDS

in other subjects. The large percentage of pupils who achieve beyond the level expected at the age of 11 bears out that the school gives very good attention to the needs of more able pupils as well as those who are at relatively early stages of English acquisition. Pupils with special educational needs, including those in the language resource base, benefit from the early identification of their needs and from the quality of support provided for them in lessons as well as when they are withdrawn for specialist support. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 8 Standards in the creative arts are good with exceptional pieces of art work being produced by pupils throughout the school. Music is given a degree of priority with a specialist teacher working with all age groups on a weekly basis. However, partly as a result of limited resources, standards in information and communication technology are below the levels expected. This has been recognised and

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STANDARDS

developments are underway to address this issue.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils are keen to learn. They are quick to ask and answer questions and take pride in their achievements. They are confident when communicating with adults and there is very little time lost to unnecessary distractions.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The very good sense of caring for each other that exists throughout the school aids the quality of behaviour. Pupils are well behaved in classrooms and appreciate and respond positively to the ‘golden rules’ that have been created for their well-being.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils are encouraged to take on additional responsibility and to take decisions. This helps them to be very independent. The quality of the relationships that exists between pupils, and between pupils and adults, is first class.

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is very good overall, with particular strengths in Year 6 where it is almost consistently outstanding. The deputy headteacher, who is the teacher of the Year 6 group, is having a very positive impact on the many young and relatively inexperienced teachers in the school. This has helped to create a very strong sense of teamwork.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

In the nursery and reception classes the staff are very aware of the new national guidelines for teaching young children. They have created appropriate opportunities for children to learn through play and take advantage of aspects of the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies that are appropriate to this age group. One of the key strengths is the way in which all adults who work with these children share knowledge about the progress being made. The teaching of English and mathematics is good throughout the school. Very good attention is given to help pupils explore the English language both orally and in written form. This results in pupils in Year 6 being very eloquent and producing stunning pieces of written work. One of the main reasons for the success is that pupils are helped to understand what they are expected to learn and what it is they need to do in order to meet their targets. All teachers have created very stimulating and literacy-rich classrooms, which help pupils settle quickly

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

into daily routines. The staff all work to a common system when it comes to managing pupils’ Christopher Hatton Primary School - 9 behaviour and this has helped pupils to develop positive attitudes to learning and ensures that there is little time lost to unnecessary disruptions.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The expertise of the staff in the language resource base, and the additional staff employed to support pupils who have English as an additional language, is making a very positive impact on all pupils. These adults are able to share their specialisms with other staff and expand the good practice that exists across the whole school. Similarly, the pupils with special educational needs are particularly well supported because all staff are aware of their needs and work to a common purpose in helping these pupils make good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The school gives good attention to developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills with added attention given to oral English. There is also a strong emphasis given to the creative arts with music and art being very important subjects in the curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils’ needs are identified early and effective support is provided for them. Specialist staff working with pupils in the language resource base share their expertise with other staff and this is helping to improve the quality of support available to pupils throughout the school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language This is a very strong feature of the school. The quality of support for pupils who are at very early stages of English acquisition is very good. There is much attention given to oral work and many opportunities for pupils to speak out in front of others and to widen the range of their vocabulary.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development There are outstanding features to this area. The school embraces a strong inclusive ethos where each pupil is helped to value their own and others’ contributions. Pupils deal with difficult and complex issues in a very mature manner and learn to celebrate each other’s cultural heritage.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils This is another strong feature. Pupils are very well known to all staff and they are truly valued. There are good systems in place to track the progress being made by pupils and to focus on their next area of learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The vast majority of parents appreciate that the school does a great deal to help their children settle quickly to school life which is particularly important for those who are only at the school for a short time. They are also appreciative that the staff have time for them and their children and that nothing is too much trouble. Parents feel they are able to play a full and active part in the education of their children. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 10

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher has a vision of creating a jewel in the crown at the heart of the Local Education Authority’s education system. To this end she has worked unstintingly to provide pupils with every opportunity to succeed academically as well as personally. She is exceptionally well supported by the deputy headteacher and, together, they form a very effective management team.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are very committed and know the school well. They effectively support staff in further developing the work of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school uses good methods to help it evaluate its own performance. The senior management team has developed these good procedures. There are plans to further develop the role of the subject co-ordinators to help them play a more prominent part in checking on standards attained in their subjects.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very effective use of additional staff to support pupils with special educational needs, including those in the language resource base, as well as those with English as an additional language, is one example of the school consciously using its resources to improve standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s accommodation is very well used to help maximise the impact of the space currently available. The use of the library, and effective subdivisions of the playgrounds, are two examples of space being fully utilised for the benefit of pupils. The use of specialist staff to improve the skill level of all teachers and classroom support assistants is another example of the school making the most of available resources to help improve standards and provision.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The very good progress made by older pupils in the school. • The very good way that pupils from different backgrounds and cultures work and play together. • The friendliness of all staff. • The level of care provided for the children and the efforts made to help children settle in school. • More sporting activities provided for older pupils. • More after school activities. • More consistency about the homework arrangements. • More space on playgrounds

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with all the positive points made and confirm them as major strengths. The school is already dealing with the issue of after school activities and a new initiative is to be put in place in the near future. The homework arrangements are appropriate and the school makes the very best of the available space it has at present to help pupils enjoy their playtimes. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• The staff ensure that pupils experience a real sense of joy and excitement about learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1 The school successfully evokes a strong sense of joy and enthusiasm amongst the pupils. Parents confirm this. Ninety-nine per cent agree that their children enjoy coming to school and 90 per cent strongly agree that the school is helping their child to become mature. During the pre-inspection meeting with parents it was evident that the parents appreciated the way in which learning was made interesting and exciting for their children because staff went out of their way to present work in such a way as to stimulate maximum amount of enthusiasm.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2 In many of the lessons observed it was evident that pupils had confidence in being fully involved because the teacher had set up situations that made it easy for them to succeed, or at least made it possible for them to take risks. For example, in the nursery young children were using the book ‘Noisy Farm’ very effectively to look for unusual characteristics in the animals. The children have fun as they discover animals with large eyes, noses and mouths. The expressive way in which the teacher reads the story draws in the most reluctant of children, including those who have only just joined the class and those who are at very early stages of English acquisition.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3 In another lesson, a group of Year 1 pupils who have English as an additional language were being encouraged to act out a familiar tale. During the lesson pupils were being taped recorded and the excitement generated when the tape was played back helped the pupils to overcome any embarrassment about pronunciations that were inaccurate. In a Year 3 class the teacher successfully helps pupils to develop their vocabulary by using dramatic extracts from the book they are reading together. As a result pupils move into ‘make-believe’ mode as one dramatically expresses, ‘I wish, I wish, I wish I was at home.’ In a Year 6 lesson, pupils are encouraged to use the text they are studying to develop their own dramatic interpretation of the feelings of the main characters in a Greek mythology story. The pupils’ awareness that their presentation to the rest of the class was to be judged against a set of criteria outlined

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

before the session started, made them highly motivated and determined to ‘get things right’.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4 Pupils in the language resource base also benefit from this sense of joy and excitement. The adults working with the pupils have a great deal of expertise and have the necessary experience to enable all pupils to be included in all the school’s activities. When working in small group situations, the pupils benefit from the close and supportive relationship that they have with the adults that work with them. Learning is carried out with a strong sense of enjoyment that helps to promote enthusiasm. Often the work is organised at an individual basis and a heavy bias is given to promoting speaking and listening.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• The headteacher has been responsible for creating a very positive atmosphere in the school and is well respected by pupils, staff, governors and parents.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5 Seventy per cent of parents strongly agree that the school is well led and managed. This is a very high percentage and is an accurate perception when taking account of the clear education direction that the headteacher gives her staff. She successfully manages to link a rigorous Christopher Hatton Primary School - 12 determination to maintain standards at a high level with a friendly and supportive outlook to the pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6 One is struck by the positive atmosphere that exists in the school. Pupils clearly enjoy school and work hard. There is every expectation that they will do so. The headteacher puts everything that she does in the context of its impact on the pupils. For example, her own assemblies are prepared and planned in such a way as to take account of the pupils’ cultural heritage and to promote racial harmony. Her energy and vitality as she leads these assemblies helps pupils to feel proud of their own backgrounds and gives them a strong sense of belonging to a special place. All pupils call adults by their first name and this is done naturally, without any undue loss of respect or confidence. This informality does not take anything away from the care that is given to ensure all pupils are achieving to their full capacity. She wants the pupils to be fully involved in the developments that are happening and a school council exists

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7 The headteacher has worked hard at building up parental relationships. She has prioritised including parents in all the school’s work. When she took up her post there had been a problem regarding parental confidence in the school. She has ensured that parents now have full confidence in the school. Parents are included in events, including assemblies and have an open invitation to see their child’s teacher at any time. The headteacher wants parents to know that they have made the right choice. To this end she encourages prospective parents to look at other schools as well as hers before making up their mind which school to choose. She desperately wants the school to be at the centre of the community and her ambition is to create ‘a jewel in the heart of Camden’.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8 She has kept a careful eye on standards, especially the achievement of different groups of pupils. This, together with a full and supportive programme for monitoring the teaching and learning, has helped her to create the right atmosphere where staff are clear about their role in raising or maintaining standards. She has used the expertise of the Local Education Authority in helping her create this ethos. Staff appreciate the direction they are given. The school is situated in an area that traditionally finds it difficult to attract teachers because of the high costs associated with living and transport. She has therefore had to set out to make it attractive for staff to work here. She has done this very successfully with all staff being very committed to the principles of inclusive education. The same principles apply to the staff working in the Language Resource Base. They are made to feel very much part of the school and have

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

responsibilities that help them have a whole-school perspective.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9 She is very aware of the strengths that her deputy headteacher and senior staff have. She uses the specialist skills of her deputy to help set standards for others to follow. For example, the deputy is an exceptional classroom practitioner and the headteacher makes use of the deputy’s skills to set high standards in her own classroom as well as to be a mentor for others. The deputy has the major responsibility for curriculum development and for sharing good practice across the school. The headteacher is a strong believer in ‘Taking care of your teachers will help the children blossom.’

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10 When meeting the headteacher, one would not necessary appreciate the depth of thinking that has gone behind the combining of staff selection with focusing on the needs of pupils. She is not someone who necessarily wears her authority on her sleeve but she has an unshakeable faith in the way she wants her school to operate. She does this through a range of methods, which include; raising staff confidence, making people feel valued, celebrating the diverse Christopher Hatton Primary School - 13 range of cultures that the pupils bring to school and involving parents to the full. She is exceptional in her role and a headteacher that is just right for the school she leads.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• The deputy headteacher is an extremely gifted teacher who works hard at raising the

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

11 The deputy headteacher complements the headteacher. She has skills that help the headteacher put into practice her beliefs and values. The deputy headteacher is a full time teacher working with the oldest pupils in the school. These pupils are mainly in Year 6 but there are a few older Year 5 in the same class.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

12 In a literacy lesson the teaching was outstanding as she modelled story-telling in a very dramatic way successfully using voice, tension and gesture to make telling points. She had already helped the pupils to draw up a set of criteria against which good quality story telling should be judged. In this lesson she moves from the modelling to helping the pupils to dramatise their own stories. The success with which the pupils carried out this task was testament to the way in which the teacher had gained their confidence. There were many features that helped the teaching be outstanding. Her probing questions helps pupils give clear explanations. For example, in response to the question, ‘What is the difference between myths and legends?’, one pupil explains that, ‘A myth usually has a God and legends usually have heroes’. The teacher works at generating the pupils’ confidence levels and they were prepared to respond

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

to challenging questions knowing that their responses were valued and respected. The pupils use the prompts to consider the storyteller’s use of gesture, emphasis on certain words, pace, use of props, involvement of the audience and lowering and raising her voice.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

13 The teacher is very clear about what she wants the pupils to learn. She shares her own notes very successfully to aid the pupils’ thinking. In so doing she is able to make the task accessible to all her group. The quality of relationships is first-class. The teacher gets fully involved with the group and helps to deepen their understanding through the range of questions she poses. The teacher ensures that pupils use themselves as response partners. This helps the pupils when it comes to performing their story in front of the others in the class. The very good subject knowledge of the teacher is used very effectively in deepening the pupil’s understanding.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

14 In a mathematics lesson, where the teaching was equally as outstanding. Her teaching is again used to good effect to challenge individuals. Her organisation and methods ensure that pupils of different ability are provided with appropriate tasks. The pace of the lesson is very demanding with all pupils being fully engaged. There is ‘no hiding place’ here for any pupil. One of the key features is the way pupils are capable of organising themselves. The strong relationships that exist between the teacher and the pupils results in pupils being prepared to ‘take risks’ and make mistakes without feeling demoralised.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

15 In a science lesson, the same teacher shows very good subject knowledge as she helps pupils to set up investigations related to insulating sound. There is again careful consideration given to the needs of pupils of different ability. During the discussions it is the pupils’ ideas that are taken on board and the teacher does not impose her own ideas on them. The teacher makes continual reference to the learning objective ensuring that the pupils are keeping on task. She encourages pupils to form hypotheses, explore them against previous knowledge and then test Christopher Hatton Primary School - 14 them practically. There is very good use of the resources that have been carefully prepared before the lesson starts.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

16 There is additional evidence of the teacher’s positive impact on pupils’ learning when scrutinising the work completed during the academic year. The pupils’ writing shows that they have explored different ways of creating images. They use metaphors very successfully in creating ideas, such as, ‘The man’s tangled bird’s nest of a beard’. Opening paragraphs draw in the reader, ‘ Zeus gazed over his newly created world. It was fresh and perfect, blooming with love and joy. In the distance Demeter and Aphrodite were seen to be nourishing the flowers, giving them beauty and long life.’ In contrast to the peace and serenity created in this extract of writing the same pupil has the confidence to write of Poseidon, ‘He loathed his brother, Zeus’s paradise, hated the nature and chirping birds. He trampled on the flowers and strangled the animals’. The teacher has enthused pupils and has given them the confidence to

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

explore writing and use descriptive terms that they would not otherwise have considered.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

17 In each lesson the teacher is able to help the pupils move on their learning. The pupils are very highly motivated, enjoy the tasks despite their demand and have a great deal of pride in their achievement. The teacher is very gifted. She has the ability to make pupils feel that they can achieve things, which they found difficult at first. She is a superb role-model and the headteacher makes sure that she makes very good use of her talents to bring on other teachers.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

• Staff take full advantage of the rich diversity of cultural backgrounds that the pupils bring to school ensuring that there is a strong sense of racial harmony.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

18 One of the most impressive feature of the school is the way in which pupils from a range of different backgrounds play and work together in harmony and friendship. The staff are quick to seize on this and to promote opportunities for pupils’ work to represent a range of cultures. In Year 5 /6 the focus on the Greek myths is an example of pupils being engaged in discussions about an ancient culture or civilisation that has its own set of values. These discussions allow pupils to make remarks that will not prejudice their or other pupils’ cultural values.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

19 Assemblies are also used as important times to promote a sense of living together in harmony. One assembly taken by the headteacher focused on Martin Luther King. She manages to captivate all the pupils and their parents as she movingly refers to Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech. She successfully uses this to bring a strong sense of unity to pupils. She makes the link between the famous speech and the school’s ‘buddy’ system referring to the will to make sure that everyone feels important and equal.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

20 At playtimes pupils have opportunities of staying in or going out. The library has become a very popular place for many pupils. The diversity of books in this area helps all pupils have access to authors from many different backgrounds. Many pupils share books quite informally. During the inspection, two pupils were seen to share a book that included poems written in an Afro-Caribbean style. One of the pupils was helping the other cope with rhythm of the poem and was reading it aloud to his friend. This resulted in both of them laughing enthusiastically before they eventually chanted the poem together in the style that it was intended. Other pupils play in one of the two playgrounds. There is evidence of pupils new to the school quickly being helped to settle. The playgrounds offer pupils the opportunity of sitting down in a quiet area to draw or read or to be involved in more physical activities like playing football or running.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

Christopher Hatton Primary School - 15 • There is very good attention to helping pupils who have English as an additional language improve their written and oral English.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

21 The scrutiny of written work shows that pupils with English as an additional language make good progress. The progress made by the following pupil is typical of many others. This pupil joined the school late in Year 1 has made remarkable progress in a short time. The pupil spoke little English when he joined the school and his written work consisted of little more than a series of marks with very few letters being formed correctly. Within three months he was beginning to convey some meaning. His writing was still difficult to distinguish but he is attempting to write sentences like, ‘I like Cinderella because she is pretty.’ which he can convey verbally to an adult. By the time he is in Year 2 there are good examples of the same pupil being able to construct a sentence that can be read. For example, he is now able to write, ‘ First I went to the zoo.’ Much work remains to be done on the secretarial aspects of the

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

writing. He does, for example, run words into each other and the handwriting and spelling are poor. However, he is able to keep a sequence going.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

22 Another Year 5 pupil, who has been at the school for less than a year, is able to write at quite a sophisticated level and shows a willingness to try and experiment with new words. Occasionally, simple words are mixed up as is seen in the following example. ‘My hand got sucked in side and my body. (‘and’ used for ‘of’). In another example he mixes up ‘as’ for ‘us’. The writing shows evidence of a sequence being followed. It is easy to read but very few punctuation marks are used.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

23 Another Year 1 pupil who started at the reception after moving to the country from Africa, is now using words like ‘cunning’, ‘outside’, ‘found’ when less than six months ago he was still at the stage of only just beginning to write letters in a string that did not make sense and just concentrated at filling in whole lines. In this case, as with many others, the amount of progress made in a relatively short time is most impressive.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

24 The improvement seen in the writing over a period of time can be directly associated with the way teachers and support staff work with these pupils. For example, there were many occasions when very good support in lessons ensured that pupils at very early stages of English acquisition were fully included. Pupils were encouraged to participate fully and during reading sessions they often added a word as in, ‘woken up’. However, from early on, they put great expression into their reading because they hear the adults read with flair and drama.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

25 In one session one of the support teachers is working with a group of five Year 1 pupils. She uses a familiar story ‘The Three Little Pigs’ to help the pupils be confident in making responses. The main aim is to improve the pupils’ oral contributions. She does this successfully by ensuring that all pupils are fully involved and can choose the character they want to play. A tape recorder is used so that the pupils can hear themselves and make adjustments to their story as necessary. The teacher working with the group is particularly good at intervening at just the right moment so that the pupils do not get stuck or lose confidence. They are helped to search for appropriate phrases. The teacher guides the discussions expertly. Her questioning allows time for pupils to develop their contributions and quickly moves beyond the story line to consider why they chose to play the character that they did. There is also encouragement for

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

the pupils to use their first language. ‘Ask a question in Bengali?’ Christopher Hatton Primary School - 16 26 This type of session is repeated across the school with different age groups and for pupils at different stages of English acquisition. This, together with the very good level of classroom support, is helping pupils to develop confidence in speaking out in front of others. This is a prominent feature. In a Year 2 class, for example, pupils who are working with a support assistant are very quick to put up their hands and make contributions.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

27 The support for pupils with English as an additional language is very well managed. A well- documented action plan is in place to ensure that the very good standard of practice in the school is maintained and further developed. All staff are committed to the plan and to being fully involved in future action.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

• Very good use is made of the building to maximise opportunities for pupils to achieve and play in an environment that supports their learning and well-being.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

28 Another impressive feature of the school is the way in which all space is very well utilised. The school has only relatively recently been refurbished after a period of time when it was not used as a school. The refurbishment has been done extremely well and takes account of the needs of the young pupils who attend. The youngest pupils are housed in the bottom floor so that they do not have to encounter too many stairs. They also have easy access to a very spacious outdoor area. The playground on the bottom storey runs underneath the main road. This allows the pupils to play outside at any time and for large equipment to be permanently stored in a safe and secure place.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

29 The old school house has recently been refitted and is just at the stage of being used by the school. This additional facility offers the school the opportunity of greater involvement with the community. On the top floor of the schoolhouse is the new computer suite which is now fully equipped but at the time of inspection not yet in full use. The computer suite will offer an excellent additional resource to the school. There is room for a full class to have a computer each, with enough room for pupils to sit in comfort in a large and airy room.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

30 The library is a central room making access to it easy for older and younger pupils. The well- equipped library is very much the hub of the school during lunch and playtimes. The pupils love this room and it is very well organised so as to allow pupils to sit and browse as they wish. It is also used as a small working group room during teaching time.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

31 The older pupils play on the roof. Again this playground has been carefully thought about so as to allow for the maximum use of space. The pupils can choose between a very physical playtime and a quiet playtime and there are areas in the upstairs playground to help pupils make the choice. This helps enormously to make playtimes a very harmonious time for all.

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achievement of pupils and provides teachers with an excellent model for their own

32 The headteacher’s room and the staff room have also been organised so as to make the most effective use of available space. The headteacher’s room has space for small group meetings and the staff room is able to accommodate areas for relaxing as well as areas for staff to work. Each classroom has been very carefully organised so that there is no wasted space. The quality of display as well as the very high levels of organisation is a feature in each room. There is clearly a standard that is expected from the staff and each one rises to this by ensuring that books are set out in such a way to make them attractive and accessible to pupils. Work is presented in such a way as to celebrate each pupils’ achievement. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 17

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• Standards in information and communication technology are not high enough.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

33 The school has not, until very recently, had the resources it needs to develop work in information and communication technology. The new computer suite has only just been completed and the school has only just taken possession of a number of computers it has been given through a connection with a local authority organisation. When pupils are working on the computer they are very enthusiastic and show a range of skills. However, because of a limited number of computers being available until the recent past, it has been difficult for the school to help develop their skills at the rate they would like.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

34 There are many incidents of pupils using information and communication technology to support work in a variety of ways. This is very evident with older pupils when they use a variety of programmes to support work in English, mathematics, science, history and geography. Younger pupils are frequently using computers to consolidate their knowledge of key words and mathematical understanding. However, it is in the area of pupils’ skills level that the school is not as advanced as it should be. The lack of a facility to teach pupils as a whole group has hampered progress. Pupils therefore do not have the skill levels expected for their age. However, this is a situation that will soon be remedied. The new computer suite is an excellent facility and one that will help the staff to teach the basic skills to a class at a time.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

35 The school does have an action plan. This is very full and detailed and has the capacity to help improve the standards being attained by pupils throughout the school. The action plan deals with the training needs of staff as well as putting emphasis on improving the progress that pupils are able to make.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

36 In addition to this main key issue the school needs to: • continue to develop the role of the co-ordinator, and • further develop the partnership it seeks with the community.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Both the minor issues are recognised in the school’s improvement plan. The inspection team is confident that actions outlined in the plan will help to develop both areas to the levels necessary. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 18

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

37 The school has many strengths. In order to maintain these strengths and to improve still further the governors, headteacher and staff now need to work on the following issue:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve standards in information and communication technology and ensure that pupils are using their information technology skills in other subjects. (Paragraphs 33-35)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

38 In addition to this main key issue the school needs to: • Continue to develop the role of the co-ordinator, and • Further develop the partnership it seeks with the community. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 26

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. [When the total number is substantially less than 100, add] Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one [two, three, etc] percentage point[s]. [Where the total is close to or greater than 100, use only the first sentence.]

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 32 169

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 88

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 30

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 102

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 23

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 14

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Attendance

% % Christopher Hatton Primary School - 20 School data 7.8 School data 0.6

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 21

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 18 10 28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 11 13 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 8 10 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 68 (79) 82 (75) 93 (75) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 12 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 8 9 8

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

Percentage of pupils School 71 (71) 82 (58) 79 (67) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 11 5 16

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 11 9 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 4 5 5

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (n/a) 88 (n/a) 100 (n/a) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 8 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 4 4 5

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

Percentage of pupils School 75 (n/a) 88 (n/a) 94 (n/a) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (n/a) 74 (n/a) 82 (n/a)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 22

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 5 Black – Caribbean heritage nil

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 20 Black – African heritage nil

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 6 Other minority ethnic groups nil

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.5 Financial year 2000-2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 666,646

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 630,515

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 211 Expenditure per pupil 3,336

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 42,227

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 78,358

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 50

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Christopher Hatton Primary School - 23 FTE means full-time equivalent. Christopher Hatton Primary School - 24

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 63 28 5 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 35 8 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 35 13 2 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 55 32 5 2 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 63 20 2 0 15

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 25 3 0 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 65 28 2 2 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 70 25 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 60 30 7 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 38 30 20 2 10

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