Grinling Gibbons Primary School

GRINLING GIBBONS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 - 17 October 2001

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GRINLING GIBBONS 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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GRINLING GIBBONS 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. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Clyde Street Deptford London

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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: Mr P Williams

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 April 1997 Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

24326 Mrs M Fitzpatrick Registered inspector English History What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements. How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 9388 Anthony Mundy Lay inspector How high are standards? b) 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? 21103 Val Ives Team inspector Design and technology Music Physical education Foundation stage How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

8696 Abul Maula Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Art and design Equal opportunities English as an additional language 20877 David Pink Team inspector Mathematics Geography Religious education Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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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 Grinling Gibbons 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? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Grinling Gibbons is an average sized primary school with a rich cultural mix in its pupil population of 208. The school has a nursery which 42 children attend on a part-time basis. A very high percentage (48%) of pupils speak English as an additional language, with almost half at an early stage of speaking the language. The majority of pupils who attend the school are from Black Caribbean, African or Chinese heritages, with less than 10 per cent of the pupils from UK heritages. The percentage of pupils (54.8%) eligible for free school meals is well above average and many pupils are from economically deprived backgrounds. There are 37 pupils (16.2%) on the school’s special educational needs register, which is below the national average and, of these, three have statements of special educational need. The majority of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties to do with literacy. Overall the attainment of pupils on entry to the school is well below what is normally

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

found. The school is heavily over-subscribed.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Grinling Gibbons is a very effective, happy and vibrant school which provides good quality teaching for all of its pupils. The leadership of the headteacher has been outstanding in raising standards and in improving the quality of teaching. The school’s performance in national tests is well above the average achieved by similar schools 1 at the end of the infants and the juniors. Standards are below the national average overall but pupils achieve well. The school gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Achieves standards in English, mathematics and science in national tests that are well above the standard achieved by similar schools. • The headteacher provides outstanding leadership for the school; she is very well supported by the high quality management and expertise of the deputy headteacher. • Teaching in the school is good; teachers promote good attitudes to learning. Teaching in dance is outstanding. The contribution made by learning support assistants is very good. • The behaviour of pupils is good and supports their good learning. Relationships in the school are very good; they support good inclusion practices. • The school makes good provision for the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils. Provision for social development is very good. • The provision for extra-curricular activities is very good. The school’s links with the community and partner institutions are very good.

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What could be improved

• The use of assessment to provide even more challenge for higher attaining pupils in English and mathematics. • The use of information and communication technology in mathematics lessons. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good improvement since it was last inspected in April 1997. All of the key issues identified at that time have been tackled successfully. The school has made very good improvement in the standards achieved by pupils in national tests at the end of the infants and juniors. The quality of teaching has been much improved and there is now no unsatisfactory teaching and a high proportion of good and very good teaching. The provision for pupils who have English as an additional language, has improved and is now good. The development of procedures for assessing what children know has been very good and teachers make very good use of these to provide challenging work for most pupils. The provision for design and technology and music have both improved and so have the standards in these subjects. Given the very good systems that are in place for monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance and the very effective use made of

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1 This refers to schools with a similar proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 8 these by the senior management team and governors, the school is in a very good position to continue to improve.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

These results were above the results of similar schools in English and mathematics and well above them in science. Standards in these subjects have risen faster than the national trend in the last three years. On the basis of work seen, pupils in Year 6 are achieving below the national average in English; in mathematics and science their standards are in line with the national average. In other subjects, including information and communication technology and religious education, they are achieving the expected level for their age, except in music and dance where specialist teaching helps them exceed the expected level. There is scope for more use of information and communication technology skills in mathematics lessons to improve pupils’ understanding of the application of mathematics in other subjects. Junior pupils achieve well in all subjects because of the good teaching and their enthusiasm for learning. The performance of seven year olds in the national tests in 2000,

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Key

was in line with the national average in reading and writing and above the national average in mathematics. Compared with the average of similar schools these results were very high in reading and well above in writing and mathematics. In science, teachers’ assessment placed pupils above the national average. Pupils in Year 2 are achieving slightly below the national average in English and are in line with it in mathematics and science. In other subjects they achieve the level expected for their age, because of good planning and good support. Children in the foundation stage reach the expected standard in physical development, but do not achieve the early learning goals in other areas of learning. They achieve well during their time here because of the good teaching and good level of adult support. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils who learn English as a second language achieve well because of the good provision made for them. Higher attaining pupils

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Key

are not always sufficiently challenged to reach the higher levels in English and mathematics.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. They are keen to come to school and work hard in class and at extra-curricular activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils are very respectful and considerate. They show good care for their school and learning resources.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are keen to take the lead and accept responsibility. They are very supportive of each other in all contexts.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Pupils like coming to school and they are punctual. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 9 Unauthorised absence is higher than the national average, but lower than the local authority average, because parents take their children on extended holidays in term time.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching is a strength of the school. In all lessons teaching was satisfactory or better and in over one fifth of lessons teaching was very good or excellent. Teaching in literacy is very good, with particular strengths in teaching letter sounds in the infants and reading for understanding in the juniors. These strengths support pupils to achieve well in the subject. The use of learning assistants to support pupils who are learning English as a second language is another strength of literacy teaching. The teaching of numeracy is good. Pupils learn effectively because of the good planning and the support they are given in lessons. In English, mathematics and science pupils are very well supported by the teachers’ very good use of assessment to plan appropriate challenges. However, the extra support given to higher attaining pupils is not always enough to develop their work to the higher level 5 in English and mathematics, so fewer of them achieve this level in the national tests.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching in music is very good and leads to older pupils exceeding the expectation for their age. In dance teaching is outstanding and all pupils achieve well beyond the expectation because of this. The teaching of children in the foundation stage is well planned and based on a good understanding of how children learn. The school’s extensive use of learning support assistants and good provision for pupils with special educational needs and pupils who are learning English as an additional language means that all pupils achieve well.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. Pupils’ learning is enriched by good planning and very good extra-curricular activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils’ needs are well assessed and the amount and quality of learning support ensures they make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. In Years 2 and 6 well-targeted support enables pupils to achieve well in national tests. Children in the nursery do not have sufficient specific language support.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Pupils are confident and proud of their heritage. They are respectful of other cultures. The very good provision for their social development has made pupils aware of the needs of others and of their ability to make a contribution to the school community.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Teachers know their pupils well and make very good use of assessment to provide challenging work.

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Aspect Comment

The school has very good links with parents who hold the headteacher and teachers in high esteem. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Outstanding leadership by the headteacher who has convinced all who work in the school of their ability to raise standards and expect the best from pupils. She is very well supported, by an expert and committed deputy and a skilled senior management team.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors make a good contribution to the strategic management of the school. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. With the exception of a few omissions in the annual report to parents all statutory requirements are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has very good systems for monitoring and evaluating its performance. It is aware of what it needs to do to maintain and improve its performance in relation to similar schools.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The school makes good use of funds to raise standards and improve provision.

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Aspect Comment

The school is very well staffed, with a good range of expertise among its teachers and well-trained learning assistants. Learning resources are adequate and the school’s accommodation is good. The school makes good use of the principles of best value.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The school is well led and managed. • Their children make good progress. • The amount of homework their children receive. • How the school works with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors endorse parents’ positive views of the school. It is very well led and managed, children are happy to be there and enjoy working hard. Inspectors do not agree with the few parents who feel the school does not work closely with them. All parents have easy access to teachers and there are regular opportunities for parents to visit the school. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children’s attainment as measured by assessment on entry to the reception class covers a wide range and is well below average overall. They achieve well in the foundation stage and reach the expected standard in physical development. Despite good teaching in most areas of learning, children do not reach the expected standard in the other areas of learning. By the end of the reception year children’s standards in language and literacy and mathematical development are well below what is usually found.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the national tests for seven year olds in 2000, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected level in reading was above the national average and was very high in comparison with similar schools 1 . Overall, the pupils’ performance was very close to the national average when the expected level and higher levels are taken into account. In writing in the same tests, pupils’ performance was close to the national average and well above average compared with similar schools. Girls performed better than boys in both tests. Over the last four years the school’s performance in the national tests has improved at a faster rate then the national trend in reading and at the same rate as the national trend in writing. Results for the 2001 tests show that pupils’ performance has equalled that of the previous year. This very good performance is a result of the good teaching, very good assessment procedures and very well

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

targeted support that pupils have during their time in the infants.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The standards achieved by pupils who are currently in Year 2 are below the national average in reading and writing. In speaking and listening the majority achieve the expected level. They listen well and follow instructions carefully. They are developing confidence in answering in class, though a high proportion are hampered by a narrow vocabulary as they are learning English as a second language. Their knowledge of letter sounds is good because of the good teaching they receive and a large majority read at the expected level. All higher attaining and average pupils write in a well-formed hand and are able to punctuate their sentences. However, a significant minority have not yet mastered writing in a legible script and many of these pupils have little idea of punctuation. Overall, in the infants, all pupils are achieving well and reaching standards above those expected from their level of attainment on entry to Year 1,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

because they are well taught and well supported by the many adults who work with them.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The results for 11 year olds in the national tests in English in 2000, show that the percentage of pupils achieving the expected level was in line with the national average and above average in comparison with similar schools. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level was well below the national average but above the average of similar schools. Overall the performance of pupils in the tests was well below the national average. When compared with the results these pupils achieved when they were seven, these results show good progress. There was no significant difference between the performance of girls and boys in the tests. In the last four years results in English have risen in line with the national trend. Pupils currently in Year 6 are achieving standards below the national average in reading and writing. In speaking and listening they are achieving the expected standard. They listen well and respond to teachers’

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

questions promptly. The majority take an active part in class discussion and are eager to contribute their ideas. Most pupils read accurately and with sound understanding because they have been taught good strategies for reading and are expected to read independently in many subjects. The few higher attainers are keen readers who have favourite authors whose books they choose to read for pleasure. Pupils’ writing shows a good range of style because they are given frequent opportunities to write for different purposes. The majority write with a clear, neat hand with an appropriate use of punctuation. The weaknesses in writing come from a narrower than expected vocabulary for 11 year olds and some persistent mis-spelling of common words. These weaknesses are attributable to learning English as a second language and are most often seen in pupils who do not use English in the home. Overall, pupils’

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 This refers to school with a similar proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 12 achievement in English in the juniors is good because they are well taught, well supported and they work hard. For a few higher attaining pupils, there is not enough support to reach the higher level 5, for example in the teaching of paragraphs and attention to spelling.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In the national tests for seven year olds in 2000, pupils’ performance in mathematics was above the national average and well above the average of similar schools. Girls’ performance was better than boys’ in the tests, though in the previous three years boys have outperformed girls. Over the last four years the school’s performance in the national tests has improved dramatically and at a faster rate than the national trend. The results for 2001 indicate that the pupils’ performance is similar to the previous year. These results indicate that the school exceeded its targets for 2001. Pupils currently in Year 2 are achieving standards close to the national average. They have a sound knowledge of number and can add 10 to a number and most can add two digit numbers. Pupils recognise two-dimensional shapes such as a triangle and rectangle. They achieve well in mathematics because teachers’ planning is thorough and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

they are well supported by learning assistants.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. In the national tests in mathematics for 11 year olds in 2000, pupils’ performance was below the national average though it was above the average of similar schools. Boys’ performance was better than girls’ and has been so for the last four years. These results show that pupils have made good progress from the standards they achieved when they were seven. In the last four years the school’s results have improved dramatically and at a faster rate than the national trend in improvement. This is because of the well-planned teaching and very good leadership given to the subject by the co-ordinator. Pupils have sound numeracy skills using them well to see relationships between numbers. They use a range of strategies to convert fractions into decimals and percentages. All pupils achieve well in the subject because teachers make very good use of assessment to plan work that is appropriate for each pupil.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

While the achievement of higher attaining pupils is good, there is scope for them to reach even higher standards in most aspects of mathematics with more teaching in the use of computers to develop their understanding of mathematical applications.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. In the teacher assessments for seven year olds in science, the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level in 2000 was above the national average and the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level was below the national average. Pupils currently in Year 2 achieve standards in line with the national average. Pupils have good observational skills and are developing an understanding of how to keep healthy. The majority of pupils show an understanding of the life-cycle of humans and animals.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. The performance of pupils aged 11 in the national tests in science in 2000, was close to the national average and well above average compared with similar schools. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level was well above the national average. There was no significant difference between the results of boys and girls in the tests. In the last four years, the school’s performance in the subject has improved significantly and has risen faster than the national trend in improvement. These results also show that pupils have made very good progress in the subject from the standards they achieved when they were seven. Pupils currently in Year 6 achieve standards in line with the national average. They have sound investigative skills and make good observations when carrying out experiments. Higher attainers understand why soil types are different and lower attainers describe different soil types. Pupils achieve well in the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

subject because lessons are well planned and are based on regular investigations so that pupils learn form practical experiment and this adds greatly to their understanding of new concepts. Occasionally some pupils who use English as a second language have difficulty in demonstrating all that they know because of their restricted language.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Pupils achieve well in information and communication technology and reach the expected standard for seven and 11 year olds. This is because teachers have good computer skills and set pupils interesting tasks linked to their study of other subjects. Pupils who are seven have satisfactory keyboard skills and they manipulate the mouse effectively. They draw bar and tally charts to record their work in science. Pupils who are 11 work independently to draft writing, research topics and to mix text and pictures to design posters. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 13 10. In religious education, pupils reach the expected standards at the end of the infants and juniors. They know about different world faiths such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. They understand the similarities and differences between these faiths and can name special festivals in each one. Pupils in both infants and juniors would benefit from more

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

opportunity to write about their views of different religions in order to consolidate their learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. By the age of seven and 11, pupils reach the expected level in history and geography. They know about events in the past and how things change over time. Older pupils research the past using books and artefacts and are able to give their opinions of the impact of events on people’s lives, for example evacuation during the Second World War. In geography they can map their route to school by the time they are seven. By the time they are 11, they have sound knowledge of different regions in the world and have close knowledge of the differences between a Kent village and where they live in Deptford. They also have an understanding of how rivers develop.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. In art and design pupils reach the standard that are typical for their age when they are seven and 11. By the end of the infants, pupils select, cut and arrange pictures for a collage. By the time they are 11, they work in a range of media, producing work which shows they have mastered the skills of drawing and painting to a satisfactory level. They know about famous artists from different cultures and sometimes base their own work on the style of these artists. In design and technology pupils achieve the expected standard for eleven year olds. They design and make electric lights for a cupboard and evaluate their work with a view to making improvements. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about standards in design and technology when pupils are seven.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. By the time they are 11, pupils reach the expected standard in music. They sing in tune and keep good time in their singing. They play untuned instruments to create particular rhythms and show good listening skills. Pupils have many opportunities outside of lessons to take part in music making and older pupils are accomplished performers. There was not enough evidence to make a judgement about the standards of pupils who are seven. Pupils at the end of both the infants and the juniors achieve the expected standard for their age in physical education. Pupils in Year 6 exceed the expected standard in dance where the very good teaching supports them to achieve very well in lessons. Pupils who are seven learn to balance and move along apparatus and then work out a sequence for their movements.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

14. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good teaching individually and in small groups and they are given good support in class. As a result they achieve results that match the targets set for them in their individual education plans and make good progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

15. Progress made by pupils who learn English as an additional language is good overall and very good when specialist support is given on an individual basis or in small groups. Pupils respond well to the specialist support and make very good progress through this. Their progress slows down when specialist support is not available, particularly when they are at early stages of learning English. Lack of confidence in the use of grammar and punctuation holds back some pupils who are at higher stages of learning English and who appear to be coping with the everyday demands of the classroom.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

16. Literacy is well promoted in the school. In most subjects pupils in the infants and the juniors are given frequent opportunities to practise their reading and writing skills. This develops their confidence in writing for different purposes such as explanations of experiments in science and their point of view of events in history.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

17. Pupils are given regular opportunities to use their numeracy skills. They make accurate measurements in science and record their findings in charts and graphs. In geography older pupils use their knowledge of coordinates to read maps and younger pupils draw bar graphs of their study of Deptford High Street.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

18. The school has made very good improvement in pupils’ performance in national tests and to their achievement in lessons since the last inspection. The rise in standards and achievement is because of the strong lead given by the headteacher, who has been ably supported by the Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 14 deputy headteacher in establishing very good monitoring and assessment procedures. The findings of these have been used to very good effect to improve the quality of teaching and to set realistic but challenging targets for the vast majority of children. The headteacher has also used the evaluation of children’s needs to develop a very strong, well planned programme of support for pupils who have special educational needs and for those who have English as an additional language. The quality of this learning support is a significant factor in the success of most pupils. The headteacher’s determination that this support should be high quality has

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

been realised and its impact ensures that these pupils reach the targets set for them. The school exceeded its targets for performance in the national tests in 2000 and 2001. It has set similarly ambitious targets for the tests in 2002 based on thorough assessment of pupils who are currently in Year 6.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and they understand the importance of a calm and orderly working environment. The response of pupils during the inspection was often good or very good and rarely unsatisfactory. Ninety-four per cent of the parents who returned the pre- inspection questionnaire confirmed that their children like school. The inspection evidence, including many conversations with pupils, endorses the parents’ view. The good attitudes noted during the previous inspection have been maintained.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Children in the nursery learn positive attitudes by observing the good relationships between their parents, carers and teachers. They enjoy meeting other children, and are secure in classroom and school routines. The children relate well to adults, listen to them attentively and are very well behaved.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Pupils come to school enthusiastically and respond well to their teachers' high expectations of work and behaviour. They enjoy lessons and are learning to work independently, without needing close supervision. They usually listen attentively to their teachers and to each other, but are sometimes hesitant or brief when answering questions. In discussion with visitors, they are very good humoured, polite and proud of their achievements. Pupils who learn English as an additional language have positive attitudes to learning. They are well integrated in the school, relating to each other and their teachers with care and courtesy. This contributes to their progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. During the inspection, very good attitudes were seen in an excellent Year 6 dance lesson, where pupils of all attainments worked intensively to achieve high standards of performance. Similarly, in a very good Year 2 literacy session, pupils in groups helped each other to develop complex sentences, and waited patiently for the suggestions of lower attaining pupils. In all year groups, pupils readily exchange ideas and share materials. They often make good use of time, particularly when clearing away at the ends of lessons. Attitudes in extra-curricular activities are very good and the numerous after-school clubs are well supported.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23. In the single lesson where attitudes were unsatisfactory, pupils were talkative and did not immediately respond to instructions. Although teaching was satisfactory in this Year 2 physical education lesson, pupils' progress was limited because they were slow to put out and replace equipment.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

24. Behaviour in classes and in the open areas of the school is good, and has maintained the standard noted in the previous inspection. Pupils are thoughtful and mutually respectful. Pupils and parents confirm that incidents of bullying or serious aggression are uncommon, and are dealt with effectively when they do occur. Pupils' good behaviour contributes to their good progress because, without frequent pauses or distractions, teachers move lessons ahead at good pace. Brief rules for behaviour are displayed in most classrooms. Pupils conform cheerfully to the rules and, in all year groups, respond very well to teachers’ skills in class management. No pupil has been excluded from school within the past two years.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

25. Pupils’ personal development is good. They willingly carry out everyday classroom duties, and assume increasingly wide responsibilities in Years 5 and 6. All year groups are represented on the school council, where they discuss issues raised by their peers or suggested by teachers. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 15 In Years 5 and 6, pupils prepare the hall for assembly, and control the music. At lunchtime, they help to serve meals and clear away. Within the curriculum, opportunities for personal development are satisfactory. In mathematics, pupils of all ages learn to work in pairs and groups. During the inspection, in a Year 4 science lesson, pupils worked very well together in a playground activity to establish fair testing.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

26. Relationships in the school are very good. Pupils respond politely and confidently to each other and to adults. They are not afraid to be seen to make mistakes, and they are mutually supportive. Respect for others is central to religious education lessons. In all subjects, teachers develop pupils' speaking confidence by consistently questioning them, and inviting them to discuss activities. Each member of the diverse school community has equal status, and receives sensitive and effective support at work and play.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

27. Satisfactory attendance and punctuality have a positive effect upon pupils’ attainment and progress. Registration periods are efficient, and lessons begin promptly. Although attendance is close to the national average for primary schools, the number of unauthorised absences is much higher than the national average. Most unauthorised absences are attributable to families taking extended holidays in their countries of origin.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. Teaching during the inspection was all at least satisfactory in all lessons. Three-quarters of the teaching seen was good or better and, in a quarter of lessons, teaching was very good or excellent. There has been a significant improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection. The improvement has been brought about by the effective lead given by the headteacher in monitoring standards across the school, by developing and using very good assessment procedures, and by the action taken to ensure good quality staff training. The introduction and successful implementation of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy have also played a part in improving the quality of teaching and learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

29. The quality of teaching for children in the foundation stage is good overall. In both the nursery and the reception classes, teachers provide a wide range of interesting and challenging activities for children, which stimulate their thinking and encourage their independence. All staff work well together and collaborate very effectively to assess children’s needs and plan these activities.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

30. Teaching in the infants is good overall, with examples of very good teaching seen in English. Teachers in the infants have good subject knowledge, to which they add a lively enthusiasm, and this promotes pupils’ learning. They understand how young children learn and know which skills they need to be taught in order to develop independence as learners. These qualities lead to careful planning of interesting and challenging activities for the pupils. Teachers lead good discussion during lessons and use well-directed questions. It is clear from their phrasing of these questions that teachers have a good knowledge of their pupils and ask for responses they know that the children can give. Pupils’ responses show that they are learning to develop their ideas through talk. The emphasis that teachers place on pupils listening and taking turns to speak demonstrates the teachers’ understanding of the skills children need in order to learn,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

as well as giving all pupils a sense of their own value when they are asked to make a contribution. In all lessons, pupils are eager to begin work and settle to tasks quickly, well supported by the adults who work with them.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

31. Teaching in the juniors is good overall with very good teaching seen in English and music. There is some excellent teaching in dance in Year 6. Teachers have very good knowledge of their pupils and plan work which is both challenging and requires them to work together. This is seen in science and history lessons where pupils support each other and discuss their work to expand their understanding. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils and these are reflected in the good concentration that pupils bring to their work, often showing reluctance to stop at the end of a session. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 16 32. The classroom assistants give very strong support to teaching and learning. They work very closely with teachers to ensure they have a good understanding of their role in each pupil’s learning. They form very good relationships with the pupils, who respond positively to their

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support and work hard to meet the targets that are set for them. In all lessons where learning assistants were observed working with pupils, they increased the pace of learning for the pupils and helped them to make good progress. The impact of their work on the standards achieved by pupils is very good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

33. Literacy is very well taught. In English lessons, teachers place very good emphasis on the teaching of phonics 1 in the infants. In the juniors, there is a strong focus on extending pupils’ understanding of what they read and in extending their vocabulary by teasing out the meaning of words. Teachers make good use of the literacy strategy to plan the learning for pupils. They make very good use of time and keep pupils working at a good rate. All pupils enjoy the challenges of their work in literacy and are eager to contribute what they have learned at the end of the lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

34. The quality of teaching in mathematics is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and a good understanding of the numeracy strategy. Mathematics lessons are conducted at a rapid pace, with teachers making very good use of questions that are designed to make pupils think hard. Pupils relish the demands put upon their mental agility in the opening part of these lessons and are as eager to hear the solutions of others as to put forward their own. As in English lessons, pupils are eager to get started on their work and most work at a good pace to meet the challenges set by teachers. At the end of lessons, pupils enjoy sharing their learning with others and celebrating each other’s success.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

35. Very good assessment procedures mean that teachers know what their pupils need to learn next and are able to plan work to meet the needs of all pupils. Because the work set is accessible to every pupil, they are able to tackle tasks with confidence and feel great pleasure in their success. The impact that this has on pupils’ self-esteem is evident when pupils of all abilities share their work at the end of lessons. In a Year 4 lesson, pupils were eager to share their continuation of the story they had heard, and all read with confidence and good expression.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

36. Teachers’ planning is very thorough and based on their assessment of what pupils are ready to learn next. Their careful evaluation of learning at the end of lessons forms the basis of their planning. The rate of pupils’ learning is positively affected by this planning, as pupils are provided with activities which are both achievable and challenging. Sometimes the results of assessment are not always used to set work at the higher levels for more able pupils. In many lessons, the care with which teachers plan leads to some very exciting learning opportunities for pupils. For example, in a Year 6 lesson on script writing, pupils were inspired to create lively dialogue between two characters because the teacher had provided excellent film clips to stimulate their imagination. Pupils were so excited by the sight of the characters that they struggled to find the precise words to fit the mood of the scene. Higher attaining and many

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

average attaining pupils eagerly referred to a thesaurus to find just the right word.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

37. There are very good relationships between teachers and pupils throughout the school. These underpin very good learning and very good support between pupils. Teachers have high expectations that their pupils support each other and plan the groupings to give pupils the opportunity to help and share their learning when they can. As a consequence, pupils relate very easily to each other and accept that sometimes they may give and other times receive help with learning. This leads to a good climate for learning in classrooms and, consequently, learning moves at a good pace.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

38. Where teaching is outstanding, in dance, pupils achieve exceedingly high standards, because of the excellent subject knowledge and planning of the specialist teacher. Her very high expectations and the rapid pace of lessons thrill the pupils, who derive great enjoyment from being challenged to reach higher and higher standards. They are delighted to be asked to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

1 Letter sounds from which pupils can build the sound of new words. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 17 evaluate their performance and always want to improve it further. The quality of this experience makes a considerable contribution to the pupils’ spiritual development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

39. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good because of the very good assessment procedures that all teachers use. These, and the individual educational plans, which are designed to meet specific weaknesses, give teachers a very good base from which to plan tasks that are well matched to the pupils’ learning needs. Teachers and learning support assistants are vigilant about identifying when pupils need support during lessons and have clear strategies and targets for supporting pupils. The quality of this provision ensures that pupils with special educational needs are able to make progress at the same rate as others while developing a degree of independence in their learning. Many achieve the expected standard for their age in most subjects. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs, in individual and small group lessons, is very good because of the careful planning that

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

40. Pupils learning English as an additional language are well supported by teachers’ careful planning, good interventions and high levels of adult support. The teachers all know their pupils well and, because of their very good assessment of the pupils’ progress, are able to target their learning precisely. They are also careful to arrange support from classmates for pupils so that those of a similar ability work together. The success of these strategies is seen in the school’s national test results, where pupils with English as an additional language perform well against the targets set for them. The teacher funded under the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant is fully aware of the need to provide the pupils learning English as an additional language with full access to the curriculum. She has established good 'partnership teaching' with the teachers of the pupils she supports. This involves her close involvement in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

planning, preparation and classroom organisation and management. Her lessons are well planned and relate to the main activities in the classroom. The support she provides in a one- to-one or small group situation is very effective; it accelerates pupils' learning and progress whilst addressing their specific language needs. Pupils observed on such an occasion gained a great deal in appropriate use of phrases in the context of developing more advanced reading and writing skills. This reflects an improvement since the previous inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

41. Pupils learning English as an additional language benefit from classroom strategies such as questioning employed by their teachers. They explain teaching/ learning points in a way that encourages all pupils to participate in activities.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

42. From the earliest age, pupils are expected to consolidate their learning at home. All are expected to read at home and, as they grow older, pupils have spellings, tables and eventually independent research into topics to extend their learning. Provision for homework is good and the school expects and gets good support from parents with this. The quality of partnership between teachers and parents is very good and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ learning.

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43. The provision for children in the foundation stage is good. A broad and balanced curriculum is provided throughout the infants and juniors. It includes all the relevant subjects of the National Curriculum, including religious education, and meets statutory requirements. All subjects have clear policies and schemes of work to effectively support the teachers’ planning. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when the majority of subjects lacked policies and there was insufficient guidance as to what was to be taught, when and to what level. Currently, information and communication technology is not sufficiently used to support mathematics.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

44. The Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs is firmly in place. These pupils receive work that is relevant to their needs and based on good and early assessment of their knowledge, skills and understanding. They have individual education plans that highlight their needs and specific learning programmes that set targets for improvement and are shared with both pupils and their parents. These plans are reviewed termly. The quality of the curriculum Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 18 for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported in lessons to ensure that they are fully included in the life of the school.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

45. Pupils coming from minority ethnic backgrounds have full access to the curriculum and other activities as was observed in out-of-school sessions. Specialist support for them is curriculum related whether it is given in-class or out-of-class. The level of support currently available is not, however, sufficient in terms of the nature and extent of pupils' needs. Currently, pupils learning English as an additional language in the foundation stage and in Years 4 and 5 have little access to specialist support because of the limits of current resources.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

46. The school has rigorously implemented the strategies for the literacy hour and the numeracy strategy. These are successful in developing the pupils’ basic skills and they have had a positive impact on the rising standards that have been achieved in English and mathematics. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection, when it was identified as a key issue for improvement. Planning and implementation of the curriculum is effectively monitored by the subject co-ordinators.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

47. The curriculum is enriched by the provision of a very good range of learning opportunities that take place before and after school and at lunchtime. Staff are generous in the time that they spend on these extra-curricular activities. They include many valuable activities such as a daily computer club before school, music clubs, homework, French, chess, drama, dance and sports clubs, including football and rugby and a singing club. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when extra-curricular activities were judged to be limited and did not enrich the curriculum. There is a good annual residential visit to the Isle of Wight, arranged to give pupils in Year 6 access to outdoor adventure activities. The school has bought in expertise to successfully raise standards in music and art. Visitors to school, who enhance the curriculum, include theatre groups, the local minister, artists, an international and other dance groups and

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musicians. There is a clear homework policy and homework makes a good contribution to the pupils’ learning.

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48. The curriculum prepares pupils effectively for the next stage of education. The school places a strong emphasis on the development of inter-cultural skills, creating a rich environment. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum and opportunities to learn and make good progress. The curriculum promotes tolerance, respect and appropriate behaviour. Teachers provide useful opportunities for pupils to listen courteously to each other and promote the pupils’ understanding of right and wrong. There is a positive atmosphere in the school, which secures a warm, encouraging and caring environment for learning.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

49. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good. There is an appropriate policy in place. Lessons make a good contribution to this area. For example, pupils in Year 5 are given effective opportunities to discuss topical issues, such as a Borough initiative to promote health and community development. Pupils are actively involved in the project and speak articulately about the steps they have accomplished so far. This successfully promotes their collaborative skills through group discussions and class debates. Pupils are taught about the dangers of drugs abuse. The governors have adopted an appropriate policy for sex education, which is linked to the science and PSHE curriculum. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when this provision was judged to be unsatisfactory.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

50. The school has very good links with partner institutions, such as the local secondary schools, which are most constructive. For example, pupils go to the local secondary school for specifically planned lessons and teachers from the secondary school work with the pupils in the juniors. In addition, Turkish-speaking students from the secondary school are encouraged to visit in order to support those for whom English is a second language. Several competitions are arranged between schools in the locality in which the school has been successful in achieving first prize, for example, for making a London banner and in receiving a London Bronco’s shirt for rugby. There are very good links with the community, through, for example, the provision of practical experiences for a large number of University teaching students, the presentation of inter-cultural music evenings, the support of local charities and having local

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

artists and musicians into school to work with the pupils on successful projects. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 19 51. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, and has improved since the previous inspection. Provision for spiritual development is good. School assemblies encourage pupils' spiritual awareness. They settle quickly in the school hall, and respond to the moods of a variety of music, selected by the staff. During the inspection, a minister from a local church led a good assembly for the whole school. In a relaxed but reverential atmosphere, pupils responded thoughtfully to the theme of God's family, defined as people, animals, plants and trees. They reflected on the difficulties faced by the people of Afghanistan. Good relationships are established with a local church and pupils visit other places of worship. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, have

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pride in their own work, are respectful of the work of others and are responsive to new experiences. For example, during the inspection, children in the nursery class were captivated by the movement of water through funnels and hoses. Many pupils in Years 5 and 6 have responsibilities within the school, including caring for younger children and maintenance of plant displays.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

52. Provision for pupils' moral development is good. All adults set strong moral examples and maintain positive relationships that encourage pupils' good behaviour and self-discipline. Pupils are encouraged to be aware of the needs of others, and teachers are skilled in explaining why some actions by individuals have wider effects within the community. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 1 learned how thoughtless behaviour to one child affected the whole class. Pupils care meticulously for the numerous artefacts and plants displayed in classrooms and the open areas of the school. A special assembly each week supplements the school's consistent celebration of group and individual achievement. Pupils know and respect the school rules. They have great pride in their school, and show respect for teachers and the other adults who help them every day. Instances of aggressive behaviour or

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bullying are rare, and are dealt with sensitively and firmly by staff.

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53. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and staff, are very good. In the playgrounds, pupils in all year groups mix amicably and, at lunchtime, boys and girls to share tables. Older pupils are aware of the needs of those who are starting school in the reception and nursery classes. In lessons and extra-curricular activities, pupils work very amicably in small groups. They learn to co-operate, share ideas and equipment and to communicate quietly. Educational visits, school journeys and visitors to school contribute greatly to pupils’ social education. In all classes, pupils have responsibilities for tidiness and taking care of resources. They enthusiastically raise money for national charities.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

54. Provision for pupils' cultural development is good. They listen to a wide variety of music and participate in music sessions with drums, guitars and steel pans. A wide variety of western art is displayed in corridors and classrooms. Displays of African and eastern art are under- developed. As part of a local education authority initiative, a Chinese kitemaster recently helped pupils in Year 6 to make and fly elaborate kites. The school participates in local events, including Lewisham day and the mayor's annual concert. Each year, pupils enthusiastically design banners for the London Marathon and, in 1999, their banner won first prize. They have some understanding of the history of their area of London, and are enthusiastic, diverse readers. The school's has a very large collection of modern books, which is supplemented by displays of the lives and works of many authors. Pupils in Years 3 to 6

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have knowledge of a number of faiths and cultures. They have made attractive wall displays illustrating Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism. During the inspection, in an assembly for parents and visitors pupils in Year 5 skilfully performed a masque to celebrate Black History Month. The blend of music, song and dance represented many cultures while the quality of the performance held pupils from the youngest to the oldest enthralled. Activities of this kind are frequent in the school and demonstrate the standards that the school wants pupils to aspire to.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. All aspects of care have improved since the previous inspection. The quality of care has a positive effect on the standards pupils achieve because of the good procedures established for Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 20 child protection and pupils’ welfare. The teacher nominated as the responsible officer for child protection is conscientious, well informed and has received adequate training. The school has adopted the local education authority's child protection policy. All staff understand child protection issues and implement the school's procedures.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56. The school has implemented the local authority’s health and safety policy, including procedures for ensuring the safety of pupils on site and during out-of-school visits. Good health and safety practice includes daily patrols by the premises officer and regular site inspections by the governors' premises committee. One member of staff has a first aid certificate and all staff are sensitive to the needs of pupils. Care is good at lunchtime, when the playgrounds are supervised by well-trained and conscientious midday assistants. The programme for pupils' personal, social and health education is good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

57. Teachers and other adults know the pupils well. They are skilled in assessing needs and in providing individual care and support. The school’s teaching assistants are very well trained and are skilled in curriculum and personal support. They develop very good relationships with pupils. Procedures for monitoring pupils' personal development are good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

58. The care given to pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils are identified early in their school career and pupils move on and off the register of special educational needs in accordance with their needs. Those who remain on the register are closely monitored so that they have the same opportunities as other pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

59. The school's integrated approach to meeting the needs of the pupils who learn English as a second language is reflected in the commitment of class teachers and support staff. This enables pupils to integrate well into the school community. A pupil’s need for support is initially identified by the classroom teachers. The specialist teacher is also involved in their assessment leading to the preparation of plans. She maintains an up-to-date record which includes information on pupils' linguistic background, stages of their learning English and an analysis of their test results.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

60. A foundation stage prospectus and other specialised documents are part of the warm welcome offered to parents when their children join the nursery. Pupils joining other year groups settle quickly and happily into the school’s routines. Good procedures in Year 6 prepare pupils for transfer to secondary school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

61. A good policy promotes good behaviour in the school building and in the grounds. Parents receive a summary of the main points of the policy. In most classrooms, teachers and pupils have agreed everyday rules for good behaviour and mutual co-operation. In all classes, pupils' responses are closely linked to teachers' skills in setting and maintaining high standards of behaviour.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

62. Although teachers do not award merits or certificates, weekly 'achievement assemblies' celebrate pupils' good work and effort.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

63. Anti-bullying procedures are good. Pupils have few concerns about bullying. They know that staff are accessible at playtime and lunchtime to help resolve disagreements. Staff record all incidents of bullying in class behaviour books. In all respects, the school functions very well as a happy and orderly community.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

64. Systems for monitoring and promoting attendance are good, and the computerised registration system conforms to legal requirements. Full attendance in a term is rewarded with a certificate; full attendance in a school year gains a special certificate and a book token. The school is often unsuccessful in attempting to persuade families not to take extended holidays during term time.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

65. The procedures for the assessment of pupils’ learning are very good and the results of these assessments are very well used to plan appropriate challenges for all pupils. There are half- termly assessments, from which teachers set targets for further improvement. These are scrutinised by the headteacher and senior management team, who have a very good overview Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 21 of progress in the different classes. Teachers closely monitor the work of their pupils on a daily basis and, in English and mathematics, revise their plans to move on or revisit topics, depending on their assessment of pupils’ progress. Teachers all have a good understanding of the importance of assessment and this is reflected in the detailed evaluations they make of each day’s teaching and learning. However, there is sometimes not enough use made of assessment of the work higher attaining pupils in mathematics and English to set them work

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

which will prepare them to reach the higher levels in national tests. As a result performance at the higher levels is not as good as it might be. In the work seen in pupils’ books, there was some inconsistency in the quality of marking. Sometimes, teachers spend too much time correcting pupils’ work instead of asking pupils to do this so that they learn from their errors. Where marking is very good, pupils are given clear guidance on what they need to do to improve and the impact of the advice is evident in the pupils’ work. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 22

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

66. Parents’ views of the school are very favourable. In responses to the pre-inspection questionnaire, 98 per cent of parents indicated that they feel that their children make good progress. The vast majority indicated that the school is well led and that their children receive suitable homework. These positive views are endorsed by the inspection evidence.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

67. However, six questionnaire responses indicated that a small number of parents don’t feel that the school does not work closely enough with parents. The evidence of inspection does not support this view. Parents have ready access to class teachers and the headteacher, and parent-teacher relationships are very good. The school is exceptionally open in all aspects of its work. Homework is provided consistently in all classes and literacy sessions are available for parents during the school day. The deputy headteacher contacts all parents who do not attend termly open evenings to discuss their children's work. The quality of the school’s partnership with parents is a strength and is of increasing benefit to pupils' attainment.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

68. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are very well involved in the learning of their children. The school sets home targets for pupils and tries to ensure that these are met. Parents are fully involved in review meetings and maintain regular contact with the school. Parents of pupils with special educational needs understand the school's procedures for support and discipline. Parents are encouraged to work closely with their children. Good records are maintained by the special needs co-ordinator. He regularly invites parents to a daytime meeting to discuss their children's progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

69. The school is keen to develop its partnership with parents. To this end, the parents of some Year 3 pupils are invited to school to work with their children. A group for fathers encourages them to exchange views and to talk to pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

70. A governors’ committee is responsible for social and fund raising liaison with parents. The committee organises regular events and raises significant amounts of money each year to provide numerous 'extras' for classroom and whole-school use. Fund raising for a shelter in the foundation stage playground attracted a pound-for-pound contribution from the local education authority.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

71. The quality of information for parents is good. A termly letter for each year group lists the work planned in all curriculum subjects. Frequent newsletters inform parents about year group and school events, and important dates. The most recent governors’ annual report to parents omits a significant number of required statements. The school prospectus conforms generally with legal requirements.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

72. At three consultation evenings each year, parents are well informed of their children’s progress. Teachers' annual written reports to parents are of satisfactory quality, showing in some detail what children know and can do, but rarely setting targets or showing how attainment may be improved.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

73. Parents are well informed of the school’s routines and expectations when their children enter the foundation stage or join other year groups. Parents of pupils in Year 6 are well informed about transfer to secondary school. All pupils take home their reading books, and other homework is set regularly in all year groups. Parents are interested in their children's progress and, generally, make a good contribution to their learning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

74. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership for the school. She gives a strong and purposeful lead in meeting the aims of the school through the example of her own work and the very high professional expectations she has of all staff. Under her leadership, the school’s results have risen at a faster rate than the national trend over the last four years. Her strong commitment to the best education for each child is realised through very thorough systems for monitoring the pupils’ progress and intervening with appropriate support whenever a child Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 23 falters in his or her learning. All issues raised at the last inspection have been dealt with and the school has made very good progress in many aspects of its work since then. All developments are carefully considered and, in this process, the headteacher is most ably supported by the deputy headteacher. Together, they form a strong team with complementary

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

skills and expertise, which they have used very effectively to plan continuous improvements in the school. They have brought about improvement very well against a background of changing staff. The other members of the senior management team, who have responsibility for co-ordinating provision in the infants and juniors and for pupils with English as an additional language, provide very good leadership as well as setting a good example to colleagues through the quality of their work. They too have played a significant role in raising in standards since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

75. The headteacher is very effective in her delegation of responsibilities to staff. She and the deputy headteacher have set teachers clear objectives in their work and have provided them with very good systems to help them realise their objectives. All teachers have responsibility for some aspect of the school’s work. Their role in monitoring the standards of pupils’ work and teaching in their subjects is very well planned. They are given time away from classroom responsibilities to carry out these tasks, and provision is made for feedback to teachers and the whole staff where issues for improvement are found. The impact of this process is seen in the improving quality of curriculum provision and the improving standards found in the school. The very good strategies for monitoring teaching and standards have the full support of teachers and this contributes to the effectiveness of the programme for improvement.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

76. The management of special educational needs is good. Much has been done in the past year to ensure that identification and monitoring of pupils is effective. The targeting of resources to the areas of most need is good. The administration is good and makes sure that good contacts are maintained with support agencies outside of the school. The available provision for pupils who learn English as an additional language is well managed, though opportunities for professional development of mainstream teachers to meet the language needs of bilingual pupils are limited.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

77. The school is very successful in meeting its aims to achieve good standards in learning and to raise the self-esteem of its pupils. Throughout the school there is a strong sense of commitment to learning. Teachers make clear that pupils are expected to work hard and they plan lessons which motivate their pupils to try hard. The school is also successful in meeting its aims to provide a stimulating curriculum which will develop lively and enquiring minds. The enthusiasm that children of all ages bring to their learning reflects the success of teachers’ efforts to keep challenges high and goals attainable. The pleasure with which pupils celebrate their own and others’ achievements is a hallmark of the attitudes that the school develops in children. The school is a vibrant, happy community because all adults who work there share a very high commitment to developing the potential of the children. The very high levels of

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

respect seen between adults and children is central to the headteacher’s vision of a community in which everyone works for the benefit of others as well as for themselves.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

78. The governors have a good knowledge and understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are involved in the school’s strategic planning through the work of their committees and are well informed about the work of the school through the headteacher’s reports and by presentations from senior managers and teaching staff. Through their links with co-ordinators and their visits to the school, governors have a clear picture of how the school arrives at its priorities for development and they share the headteacher’s strong commitment to achieving very high standards in all areas of the school’s work. All statutory requirements are met.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

79. The school has a generous number of staff, with a good balance of experience and expertise. The school’s commitment to high standards for every child is reflected in the generous support staffing that is provided from within the school’s budget. Teachers and support assistants have clearly identified roles and they work together very well to make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. The school has very good links with the local institute of higher education and has very good procedures for the induction of new teachers. The role of mentor is undertaken by the deputy headteacher, who is skilled at sharing his expertise with colleagues while giving Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 24 them scope to learn for themselves. The appointment of art and music specialists to teach all classes is a very effective way of providing non-teaching time for staff to carry out other responsibilities, whilst at the same ensuring good provision for these subjects. The work of

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

non-teaching staff in the school is of a similar high standard to that of the teachers. Administrative staff are expert and efficient, making a very good contribution to the smooth running of the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

80. The accommodation is good. Classrooms provide a stimulating environment in which to learn. Teachers work hard to maintain very high quality displays and pupils work hard to provide them with the materials for these. The school has a good-sized playground, a wild area to provide habitat for birds and insects and a good-sized grassed area. Play areas are provided with interesting activities and there are trees to provide shade. There is a good outdoor play area for children under five, which provides ample space for activities to support pupils’ physical development. All accommodation is very well cared for and cleaned to a high standard.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

81. The school has a good range and quality of learning resources in English, music, design and technology and information and communication technology; in other subjects resources are satisfactory. The provision of a separate room for computers provides a useful resource for teaching information and communication technology to half classes at a time. All resources are well used to promote good learning.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

82. Financial planning is very good. The governors’ finance committee has well defined terms of reference and discharges its responsibilities well. The headteacher and governors make very effective use of funds, through careful planning and thorough research of supplies and services. They are careful to seek the best value in what they do and what they buy. Spending is carefully monitored and developments are evaluated. The school’s development plan is well formulated and identifies those areas which have the highest priority. All spending is based on raising standards. To this end, the headteacher is careful to analyse the school’s performance alongside that of similar schools and all schools to ensure that the school maintains its very good performance in national tests. Specific funding for special educational needs and for pupils who have English as an additional language is supplemented from the

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school’s budget and is very well used to ensure that these pupils achieve well.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

83. In order to continue to raise standards, the headteacher, staff and governors of Grinling Gibbons school, should:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) Make further use of the very good assessment procedures to provide even more challenge for higher attaining pupils in English and mathematics. (paragraphs 4, 6, 36, 65, 98, 103 and 106).

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) Improve the use of information and communication technology in mathematics lessons. (paragraph 6, 43, 108, 136)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition, the governors should also consider the following les important weaknesses for inclusion in their action plan:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3) Improve the links between the foundation stage and Year 1 to ensure that teachers have similar expectations of pupils. (paragraph 84) Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 33

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 4 17 55 25 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 21 208

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 114 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 37

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 122

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 4

p.25

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 26

p.25

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 2000 11 20 31

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.26

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

Boys 9 9 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 19 20

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (97) 90 (87) 97 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.26

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 9 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 20 20

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (100) 97 (100) 97 (77) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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

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

p.26

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 16 15 31

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 12 12 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 10 13

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 74 (53) 71 (80) 87 (73) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.26

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 3 8 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 7 8 12

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 32 (45) 52 (73) 68 (77) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 27

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 31 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 49 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 33 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.8 Financial year 2000-2001

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.6

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 704812

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9.0 Total expenditure 694638

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 192 Expenditure per pupil 2982

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 31607

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.0 Balance carried forward to next year 41781

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2.0

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 40

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 7.0 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 7

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 28

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 62 36 0 0 2

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 64 34 0 2 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 48 46 4 2 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 38 8 2 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 66 22 8 0 4

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 70 22 4 0 4

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 54 28 8 4 6

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 58 38 0 2 2

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 60 30 4 2 4

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 42 42 6 4 6 Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 29

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

84. The provision for learning for the children in the foundation stage is good. There has been improvement in links with the infants since the last inspection, but the appointment of new teachers in the both the nursery and the reception class has created a need to strengthen these links and ensure that teachers have a shared understanding of what is expected of pupils by the time they are five. The clear and thoughtful planning and organisation in the foundation stage includes an effective system to assess the children’s progress for each area of learning, appropriately focusing mainly on literacy, numeracy and personal and social development.

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

85. There is a phased intake of children into the nursery and reception classes in the first three weeks of term. Most children starting in the reception class have attended either the school nursery or one of a number of local pre-school centres or nurseries. There are suitable induction procedures for settling the children sensitively into school. For example, a coffee morning is held, during which the parents have good opportunities to meet the staff and find out what the school wants the children to achieve during their time in the foundation stage. The children are assigned to an adult and gradually introduced to the class routines and expectations.

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

86. Children’s attainment, measured by assessment on entry into the reception class, covers a wide range, and is well below average overall. A significant number of children starting school have under-developed English language and social skills. The children in the nursery make good progress overall, because they have effective opportunities to broaden and consolidate their knowledge in all areas of learning. The children with special educational needs are identified quickly and fully integrated into the class. They make progress at the same rate as the other children. Appropriate use is made of assessment. The information gained when the children first join the nursery and reception classes is used effectively to plan activities for them. Continual observations and assessments are made of each child’s progress to ensure that work continues to match their needs and build on their previous learning. Concerns are

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

identified for those children who might have special educational needs and English as a second language. All the staff, including the nursery nurses and learning support assistants, work very well together and collaborate very effectively to plan activities and assess the children’s needs.

p.29

Personal and social development

87. By the end of the foundation stage, the majority of children do not achieve the expected goals in their personal and social development. When they enter the nursery, many children are very reluctant to talk to each other or the adults. They are content to play alone and need constant reassurance and patient understanding in order for them to gain enough confidence to speak. By the end of the foundation stage, they are beginning to form more positive relationships and to communicate suitably with one another and with adults. Relationships are good and the staff are effective in creating a warm, caring and stimulating learning environment in which the children develop suitable attitudes to learning and become more self- confident. They are taught the difference between right and wrong. Clear routines are being taught in which the children thrive and good progress is made. For example, one child, before

p.29

Personal and social development

playing with water, put on an apron from the apron trolley without being told. The children move sensibly to their table activities and share resources quite well. They have many effective opportunities to select from a wide variety of activities. This very successfully develops the children’s social and personal skills, particularly their understanding of individual responsibility, and is a direct result of the good teaching they receive. The majority of children remain interested in tasks until completed, particularly when working with an adult. Currently, they have difficulty in sharing equipment and do not yet collaborate appropriately during group work, for example, when using salt dough and construction kits. The children come from a wide diversity of ethnic groups and cultures and good provision is made for them to learn about Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 30 one another’s cultures through religious education and the visitors who are invited into the

p.29

Personal and social development

88. Overall, the quality of teaching is good in this area of learning. The classrooms have clear routines which makes the children feel secure and confident. The teachers plan short, but worthwhile, opportunities for the children to learn and to concentrate on a given task. Staff have high expectations that children will learn how to give and take, to share and to begin to understand what they may expect of others and others of them, for example, during snack time. In reflection time in the nursery, the children are sensitively encouraged to think about what they liked doing during the morning and to share this information with everyone. They are appropriately encouraged to show respect when others are talking. Praise and encouragement are used effectively to raise the children’s self-esteem and give them confidence.

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

89. By the end of the foundation stage, the majority of children achieve well below the expected standard in communication, language and literacy. They make satisfactory progress from entry into the nursery to the reception class and are developing their skills suitably in English. Adults use thoughtful questioning to encourage the children to express their ideas and increase their vocabulary. Throughout each activity, they are provided with many additional opportunities that are suitably supported by an adult to develop their speaking and listening skills. For example, children in the reception class are beginning to successfully identify rhyming words in well-known nursery rhymes. Children are slowly developing skills in writing, starting with mark-making activities, which are appropriate for their ability. By the end of the foundation stage, many children cannot write their own names or copy letters in recognisable

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

script. The majority of children understand how books are written and know that pictures tell a story and that words have meaning. However, many of them do not have a large enough vocabulary to talk about books or the confidence to tell the story from looking at the pictures. Teachers encourage all children, after they have settled into the class, to take their books home to share with their family, and most do this regularly. Information technology is used appropriately to support this subject. Those children identified as using English as an additional language would benefit from additional support to help them to extend their vocabulary more quickly.

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

90. Overall, the quality of teaching in this area of learning is good. The good teaching has a positive impact on the children’s learning. Lessons are well organised and good cross- curricular links are made with all the other five areas of learning. For example, adults interact well with the children, particularly in discussion, to exploit any opportunities to increase children’s vocabulary. All of the staff use praise well to build up confidence and self-esteem. Appropriate and challenging work is suitably planned, which makes children think and keeps them focused on the activities provided. The aims of the lessons are appropriately shared with the children, so that they know what they are going to do.

p.30

Mathematical development

91. In this area of learning, the majority of children enter the nursery with a well below average attainment in number skills. They make good progress, but do not achieve the expected standard by the end of the reception year. In the nursery, the children are beginning to recognise numerals one to five and are developing their knowledge of numbers to 10. They use well chosen number rhymes and practical equipment to reinforce their understanding and to keep them focused on the activity. In the reception year, the appropriate use of mathematical language, such as ‘more’, ‘less’, ‘how many left?’, helps the children to understand the concept of numbers. The reception children count and sort numbers to 10 orally and are beginning to compare, sort and match everyday objects. They are introduced to the idea of taking one away. Information technology is used effectively to support mathematics through carefully selected number programs and in listening to counting rhymes

p.30

Mathematical development

on tapes. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 31 92. In the nursery and the reception classes, the quality of teaching is good overall and has a positive impact on children’s learning, as well the good progress they make in this area. Good teaching is characterised by clear and precise exposition and instructions, so that the children know what is expected of them. Work is effectively planned to meet the needs of all the children and clear objectives ensure that the children progress well. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 32

p.30

Knowledge and understanding of the world

93. By the end of the foundation stage, the majority of children do not meet expectations for their age in their knowledge and understanding of the world. Scrutiny of the children’s past work shows that they are beginning to show an awareness of the changes in the natural world through, for example, growing cress, making sandwiches, experimenting with water and using food colouring to create changes. They talk appropriately about the established class routines and personal events in their lives. The children gain an understanding of the wider community through visits, for example, to the dentist and the fire station. Effective opportunities are provided for the children to develop their understanding of different parts of the body through, for example, putting the features on a teddy before dressing it. While in the reception class, the children successfully make salt dough to create the different body parts of a teddy. Their

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

computer skills are satisfactory: they are developing eye and hand co-ordination through controlling the mouse when following programs.

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

94. Overall, the quality of teaching in this area is good. Good relationships have been established between the teaching and support staff. The nursery nurses and support assistants make a valuable contribution to the children’s learning by skilfully reinforcing their understanding and effectively supporting them. Teachers plan activities that develop and increase the children’s skills, particularly of observation. Plans plainly set out appropriate aims for lessons. The activities are well matched to the needs of the children and they are clearly explained and demonstrated. Resources are well prepared prior to the lesson and the stimulating displays effectively support this stage of learning.

p.32

Creative development

95. By the end of the foundation stage, the children have made good progress in their creative development, but do not meet the expected goal for their age. Children have daily opportunities to express themselves by drawing, painting, engaging in imaginative play. Scrutiny of their past work shows that they produce pictures using a wide range of techniques and materials to print hands and feet, to create collage pictures of chickens and to make blow paintings. They are also introduced to the works of famous artists and draw a water colour interpretation from this. In music, the children join in the action songs with enthusiasm. The reception class has memorised the words of a number of nursery rhymes and songs. They can keep a steady beat while singing a song and are given a number of worthwhile opportunities to play percussion instruments. Although the role-play area of a ‘home corner’ provides

p.32

Creative development

stimulating opportunities for the children to play co-operatively and to develop their imaginative and speaking skills by enabling them to take on the various roles and jobs, it is not always chosen for these reasons, as the children still enjoy playing alone.

p.32

Creative development

96. Overall, the quality of teaching is good in this area of learning. Creative development is well fostered through a wide variety of activities. Teachers and support staff are well organised and use stimulating resources which are well prepared. They constantly talk to the children and ask relevant questions to enlarge their vocabulary and support their efforts. The staff work closely together and make positive contributions to the children’s learning. For example, they participate in role-play situations and help the children to select the most appropriate materials for their models.

p.32

Physical development

97. By the end of the foundation stage, the majority of children make good progress and reach the expected goals for their age in their physical development. In the nursery, the children experience difficulty in controlling small tools such as pencils, glue spreaders and paintbrushes. However, the teachers plan many effective opportunities for the children to develop these skills successfully. By the end of the reception year, the majority of children can control and manipulate small objects such as pencils, construction apparatus, modelling tools, scissors and paintbrushes, which they handle safely. In the nursery and reception, the outdoor play area provides a good range of equipment to develop the children’s ability to control and co-ordinate their bodies and gives them an awareness of space. In addition, the reception class has extra opportunities to develop their physical dexterity through the use of the school

p.32

Physical development

Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 33 playground for their wheeled toys, as well as the use of the hall, where they develop their awareness of space through appropriate floor exercises.

p.33

Physical development

98. Overall, the quality of teaching is good in this area. Teachers, make good provision for the children’s physical development. Good teaching is characterised by clear and precise exposition and instructions so that the children know what is expected of them. Lessons are well planned and structured, including a clear development of skills. The nursery nurses and support assistants are well-deployed, fully active role models who join in gymnastic and dance activities to encourage the children. The teachers have a sound understanding of how young children learn and provide a rich learning environment in which the children develop well physically. All staff have a very sensitive awareness of the children’s safety.

p.33

ENGLISH

99. In the national tests in 2000, the percentage of pupils achieving the expected level in English at age eleven was close to the national average and above average compared with similar schools. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher level was well below the national average and pulled down the school’s overall performance. The school could use its assessment of pupils more fully to ensure that higher attainers reach the higher levels in national tests and reach their full potential. There was no significant difference between the performances of boys and girls. In the same tests for seven year olds in 2000, pupils’ performance in reading was above the national average and very high compared with similar schools. Their performance in the writing tests was also above the national average and well above the average of similar schools. Girls’ performance was better than boys’ in these tests. Results for the tests in 2001 show a slight drop in performance compared with the 2000 results.

p.33

ENGLISH

Pupils with special educational needs performed well in the tests, as did pupils who learn English as an additional language. This is because of the very good assessment procedures used by the school and the very effective intervention programmes used to support pupils who are not reaching the expected standard for their age. Progress in improving standards, in both infants and juniors since the last inspection, has been very good.

p.33

ENGLISH

100. Children who are seven are achieving standards which are below the national average but their progress is good. In speaking and listening, many achieve the expected level, following teachers explanations closely and answering appropriately when asked questions. While many are eager to answer questions, all do not yet have a sufficiently well developed vocabulary to answer in full sentences or to add to the ideas of others. The majority have a good range of reading skills, can read along with the teacher and read accurately from familiar stories. Their knowledge of the alphabet and letter sounds is at the expected level and this is put to good use when children encounter unfamiliar words. Most pupils are keen readers, and sound out words that are displayed in the classroom or when reading instructions for their work. By the time they are seven, children have well formed writing and more than half use capital letters and full

p.33

ENGLISH

stops accurately. Higher attaining pupils are able to use more advanced punctuation, such as exclamation and question marks, correctly in their writing. Children are given many opportunities to write and have good levels of confidence as a result. They are able to write their own versions of traditional stories, their news and to describe their observations in science lessons. A good proportion of pupils need support with their writing because they are learning English as a second language and are not familiar with correct written forms. However, the very good level of support given to children in the infants is effective in reducing the impact of this by the end of Year 2.

p.33

ENGLISH

101. Pupils currently at the end of the juniors achieve standards below the national average. This is because of the higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the Year 6 class. The school is aware of this and has adjusted its targets for the national tests in 2002 to match their assessment of pupils who are eleven. By the time they are eleven, most pupils have developed satisfactory speaking and listening skills. Higher attaining pupils exceed the expected standard and are fluent in their responses in class. All pupils listen closely and follow instructions well. This is demonstrated by the speed with which they settle to independent tasks, showing that they fully understand what is expected. Some pupils restrict their answers to a few words, often because they lack the vocabulary to speak at length, but all are confident Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 34 and eager to join in class discussion. The majority of pupils read at the expected level, but

p.33

ENGLISH

there is a sizeable minority who have not reached this, though they are well supported and are provided with reading which matches their needs. Higher attaining pupils have clear preferences in their reading and are able to explain why they prefer one type of book to another. All pupils read with understanding and many read with good expression. Pupils’ writing is well formed and the majority reach high standards in their presentation of work. They write for many purposes, such as to entertain, inform, ask questions, or to give opinions, and they have mastered a range of different styles to suit the purpose of their writing. Higher attaining pupils, whose vocabulary has been well developed by good teaching throughout the school, make exciting word choices which gives their writing a lively quality. Pupils in the juniors are given many opportunities, within the wider curriculum, to apply their writing skills.

p.34

ENGLISH

For instance, Year 5 write well constructed letters describing their life as one of the wives of Henry VIII.

p.34

ENGLISH

102. Pupils have an enthusiasm for language because their teachers place strong emphasis on finding out meanings in words and in stories. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection and is very good in half the lessons seen and good in the remainder. Teachers take great care with the planning for their lessons and make very good use of assessment to ensure that all pupils have work which they find interesting and can do. In a very good Year 2 lesson, for example, where they were asked to write complex sentences, pupils were very well prepared for their tasks by the teacher’s careful reinforcement of what a complex sentence was. As a result, all were able to create appropriate sentences, even if some could only record them on tape. Teachers ensure that pupils are very well supported to do their work by carefully planning what classroom assistants will do with each group. The

p.34

ENGLISH

high quality support given by classroom assistants thoroughly reinforces pupils’ learning and increases their confidence. In a Year 1 lesson, the impact of classroom assistants was marked, as all pupils received the attention they needed to help them make good progress in their learning about letter sounds and how to spell simple words. Pupils learn to expand their vocabulary as they move through the school, because teachers are careful to pick out words whose meaning they may not know. This was well illustrated in a Year 4 lesson, where the teacher was concentrating on verbs and how they communicate the mood in writing. Her frequent and skilful miming of words delighted the pupils, as well as showing clearly what they meant. Year 6 pupils achieved very well in an exciting lesson on script writing. The teacher’s very well judged use of film clips, combined with the pupils’ reading of an extract from ‘Great

p.34

ENGLISH

Expectations’, gave pupils the exact stimulus required for imagining what each character felt and how they would express this in words and gesture. Pupils worked at a rapid pace to produce some very effective dialogue, were keen to compare their efforts with those of their friends and were eager to present to the class at the end of the lesson. Their reluctance to stop at the end of the lesson was a clear indication of the pleasure they were deriving from such imaginative and well-structured teaching.

p.34

ENGLISH

103. The subject is very well led and managed. The co-ordinator has high levels of expertise, both in the implementation of the literacy strategy and in developing the language skills of all pupils, including those who use English as a second language. She sets a very high standard in the quality of her own work and has convinced colleagues that they can attain similar standards. The co-ordinator and senior management team monitor standards in teaching and in pupils’ work. The findings of these are used to set new targets in the subject and to provide support for further improvements. In this way, the school has made very good improvement in the subject since the last inspection. The National Literacy Strategy has been very well implemented, very good assessment procedures have been developed and resources for the subject have been much enhanced, especially the quality and range of reading materials.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

104. The standards of attainment of pupils are in line with the national averages at the age eleven and close to the national average at the age of seven as measured by pupils’ performance in national tests. These standards are supported by evidence from the inspection. Pupils with English as an additional language attain standards comparable with their peers. The school achieves these results because teachers have high expectations of pupils. This is coupled Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 35 with effective planning. The assessments of pupils' achievements are very well used to plan work which challenges and motivates pupils. Pupils whose attainment is below average make good progress, as do other pupils including higher attainers. However, the number of pupils achieving above the national average by the age of eleven in the national tests could be improved further.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

105. There has been a dramatic improvement in pupils' attainment over the last three years. The trend exceeds that of improvement in standards of attainment nationally. This is because strong leadership and management in the school have raised the teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve. Very good use is made of planning courses of lessons, assessment of pupils' progress and the monitoring of teachers' work. This has helped to create a positive, committed and consistent approach amongst all staff, which drives the effective learning of pupils. Emphasis is placed on developing English language in the school and this has contributed to the improvement in attainment in mathematics, especially of girls.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

106. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good. Standards of attainment have improved significantly. The National Numeracy Strategy has been successfully deployed and the structure of lessons supports effective teaching. Pupils now have opportunities to develop their mathematics in the solving of everyday problems. Good opportunities have been created for assisting pupils across the whole ability range. This is most marked amongst the lower attaining pupils and those with English as an additional language. Whereas standards for higher attainers have also improved, they could improve further if teachers used the results of assessment to set work at the higher levels for those pupils who were ready for it.

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MATHEMATICS

107. Pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 make good advances in their learning. In Year 1, pupils add two single digit numbers and can recognise triangles, squares and rectangles. Almost a half of the class is assisted in this operation by support staff. By Year 2, pupils are adding 10 to a number and are beginning to add two digit numbers. About one third of the pupils are assisted in this operation by learning support assistants. The average and higher attaining pupils can work independently and are confident in their learning. By Year 3, pupils are beginning to recognise patterns when adding odd and even numbers and by Year 4 they are confidently adding two digit numbers. They are also becoming familiar with standard and non-standard measurements. By Year 5, pupils can estimate an answer to three and four digit numbers and check their work by using a calculator. The higher attaining pupils are effectively setting their

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MATHEMATICS

own problems for others to solve. By Year 6, pupils can convert improper fractions to whole numbers and fractions and are beginning to analyse and convert data using a range of strategies. About a third of the pupils are working below national expectations, but these are very well supported in the classroom. About a quarter of the group is achieving above national expectations. The attitudes and behaviour of pupils is good and supports their effective learning. Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported by classroom assistants and extra specific teaching. The achievement of pupils with English as an additional language is similar to that of other pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

108. The quality of teaching and learning is good. In over seven out of ten lessons the quality of teaching is good and there is no unsatisfactory teaching. The quality of teaching and learning is similar for pupils in both the infants and the juniors. Pupils learn effectively, because of the planning and support given by their teachers. Teachers know their pupils very well because of the assessment information they collect. This information is used very effectively to target particular pupils so that those pupils can improve their attainment. Pupils are interested and keen about their work and respond well because teachers challenge them in their learning. Teachers plan their lessons well and this ensures that pupils build upon their knowledge in a consistent way. The teachers' management of pupils is good and so, from an early age, pupils have simple, established routines. This means that pupils have a clear idea of what is

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MATHEMATICS

expected of them. Relationships between pupils and their teachers are good and this creates a pleasant yet purposeful atmosphere in which pupils feel comfortable about learning. Learning support assistants provide very good support to lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. This support enables these pupils to achieve well in lessons. Some extra support is also given to higher attaining pupils to develop their capabilities in mathematics. However, this is not sufficient to develop the abilities of all the pupils working at the higher levels in all aspects of the subject. The use of information and communications technology to Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 36 support pupils learning is under-developed and opportunities are lost to use this to support pupils in their learning. Homework, after-school and holiday clubs are used effectively to engage pupils in their learning and to give them opportunities to consolidate their learning.

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MATHEMATICS

109. The co-ordination of mathematics is very good. The co-ordinator provides clear leadership and direction for the teaching in order to raise standards. Planning of courses is good and pupils' progress is regularly assessed. This information is used to target particular pupils who may be falling behind. The monitoring of teaching is very good. It is constructive, critical and contributes to the positive way in which teachers are committed to the school. The co- ordinator raises the expectations of teachers and pupils respond accordingly. The co-ordinator is central to the drive to raise standards and has a clear idea about the next steps needed to raise standards even further.

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MATHEMATICS

110. The opportunities for developing mathematics across the curriculum are satisfactory. Pupils make accurate measurements in science, compile tally charts and, in geography, use and analyse data in bar graphs.

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SCIENCE

111. Standards of pupils' attainment in science are in line with the national average in both key stages, with higher attainers exceeding the expected level. This is consistent with the last inspection findings and reflects the 2000 test results, when the performance of higher attaining pupils exceeded the national average for the higher level in the tests. The 2001 test results show further improvement in standards of attainment in the subject. The school has addressed most of the issues raised by the previous inspection, relating mainly to the juniors, with particular reference to their lack of knowledge and clear guidelines to support progression, as well as inconsistency in assessment procedures. The trend in the subject since the previous inspection has been one of very good improvement.

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SCIENCE

112. Many pupils in the current Year 2 demonstrate a developing understanding of how to keep healthy. A minority of high attaining pupils know and can write the names of common fruits and vegetables. The majority of younger pupils show an understanding of the life-cycles of humans and animals as part of their 'Ourselves' topic. In their work on investigating soil, higher attaining pupils at the end of the juniors, show an understanding of different types of soils and their suitability as habitats. Less able pupils, and those learning English as an additional language, carry out experiments, but not unaided. Some younger pupils are unsure of the names of certain fruits and vegetables.

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SCIENCE

113. The quality of teaching observed was satisfactory throughout the school and sometimes good in the infants and very good in the juniors. Teachers have secure and good subject knowledge, and this enables them to use questioning effectively to promote pupils' learning. This was evident in the majority of lessons observed. Teachers also encourage pupils to explain their activities. Many place an emphasis on investigative learning and use a wide range of resources to hold pupils' interest. Some have high expectations that pupils should work hard and behave well in lessons. However, insufficient emphasis is placed on planning work to meet the needs of different ability levels, particularly the higher attainers. This aspect, raised by the previous inspection, remains to be addressed fully.

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SCIENCE

114. Teaching impacts well on the quality of learning. Pupils in both key stages respond to investigative work with enthusiasm and practical activities are especially beneficial to pupils with special educational needs, as well as those learning English as an additional language. High motivation on the part of many older pupils enables them to develop their scientific knowledge and understanding in other subjects. This was observed when Year 5 pupils brainstormed the effect of a balanced diet and exercise on health. Pupils in Year 3 learn about the properties and usage of different types of paper, and Year 4 pupils learn to carry out investigations in the context of fair testing. There is no significant difference in the learning of boys and girls, but some pupils learning English as an additional language lack confidence in explaining their work. Pupils are co-operative and many show well-developed collaborative

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SCIENCE

Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 37 skills. They relate well to each other and their teachers, demonstrating good standards of behaviour.

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SCIENCE

115. The co-ordinator provides good leadership for the subject. The adoption of national guidelines has enabled the school to offer a broad and balanced science curriculum. The focus on investigative science has improved since the last inspection, though there is room for further improvement in this aspect. There is evidence of cross-curricular links with mathematics. Resources are sufficient and the subject is well managed. However, differentiation does not always prepare pupils for the higher levels. While the co-ordinator monitors teaching in the subject opportunities are somewhat limited for in-service training. These aspects, and a review of policy, have rightly been included in the development plan.

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ART AND DESIGN

116. Standards of pupils' attainment in art are in line with national expectations for pupils who are seven and 11. Only two lessons were observed - one at the end of the infants and one in the juniors. Judgements are additionally based on an analysis of pupils' previous work - particularly that on display, teachers' planning and discussion with staff and pupils. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection and improvement in the subject is satisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

117. By the end of the infants, pupils demonstrate developing drawing skills and techniques in collage making. They have started using viewfinders to isolate images in magazines and show appropriate skills in cutting them out for their collage. Some high attaining pupils use their imagination, as was observed in the picture of a day in their life, drawn in preparation for their collage. Some pupils in the juniors show appropriate brush skills. This was observed in Year 4 when pupils painted a school of their dreams. Sketching and the use of colour by higher attainers reflect good imagination and attention to detail. Their work reflects the use of a range of media, including pencil, charcoal and paint, though, as yet, their concept of composition is not well developed.

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ART AND DESIGN

118. The quality of the teaching observed was satisfactory in the infants and good in the juniors. Generally, the teachers' secure subject knowledge is reflected in their planning and imaginative use of resources. In the good teaching, learning objectives are clear and the explanation and demonstration of the task to be done often enhance the pupils' understanding and involvement. Similarly, teacher intervention draws pupils' attention to detail and enables them to communicate ideas. Pupils are also encouraged to take ideas from works of famous artists from a variety of cultures. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. However, opportunities for pupils to share and appreciate each other's work are limited.

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ART AND DESIGN

119. The quality of learning reflects the impact of teaching. Younger pupils interact well, showing a great deal of enthusiasm in selecting pictures for their collage. Older pupils are well-motivated and contribute to discussion. The majority demonstrate some independent learning skills. They get inspiration from works of famous artists from different cultural backgrounds. This enables them to consolidate their skills and techniques in the use of a variety of media. There is no significant difference in the learning of boys and girls in art lessons. Pupils to whom English is an additional language and those having special educational needs display the same enthusiasm for art activities as their peers and make good progress. Pupils are well behaved and often inspired by their teachers' interest in art.

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ART AND DESIGN

120. The development of a policy and the adoption of the national guidelines for the curriculum have ensured breadth and balance in the art curriculum. It has some strong cross-curricular links and makes a good contribution to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The display of pupils' work around the school enhances the learning environment and has an impact on pupils' attainment and progress. The subject is now sufficiently resourced. Visits to art galleries enrich the pupils' experience. Formal assessment and monitoring procedures are yet to develop, an aspect identified by the previous inspection. The presence of an artist in residence and an art room has enhanced the profile of the subject. For example, the school has won the first prize in the Flora London Marathon Poster Design contest and is involved in a number of international art projects. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 38

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

121. The structure of the timetable meant that no lessons were observed in design and technology during the inspection period. Evidence has been collected from the examination of teachers’ planning, scrutiny of photographs and pupils’ past work and discussions with the subject co- ordinator. From the scrutiny of the available evidence, pupils’ attainment is close to the expected standard by the time they are eleven and they make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make progress similar to their peers. This is an improvement since the last inspection when a key issue was to raise standards.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

122. Scrutiny of the pupils’ past work shows that planning and evaluation skills have been appropriately developed. This is an improvement since the last inspection when these were identified as weaknesses. For example, in Year 6, pupils design torches to produce a light that will illuminate a dark coat cupboard. Good opportunities are provided for the pupils to record the process, evaluate their results and give some points for improvement. For example, one pupil wrote, “My switch can be both manual and automatic, but my bulb is not very secure.” From the scrutiny of photographs of pupils in Year 5 working at a local secondary school, all are seen to be engrossed in the task of going through the appropriate processes for making cookies. They have positive attitudes and enjoy the subject. They are interested and work well in collaboration, as was seen in photographs of past work and in the ‘thank you’ letters that

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

were sent to the teachers at the secondary school after completing the projects there. There are good cross-curricular links with information and communication technology, including creating posters, accessing information on the Internet and gathering data to record, for example, favourite fillings in sandwiches.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

123. The subject is skilfully managed. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable, thoroughly organised and makes a very significant impact on the subject. Very good opportunities have been provided for the co-ordinator to scrutinise and give feedback on the pupils’ work, to review the teachers’ planning and to work alongside them to eradicate the lack of confidence that was identified at the last inspection. There is a suitable policy in place and an appropriate scheme of work that closely follows national guidelines. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when teachers’ planning was not supported by a scheme of work. Assessment opportunities are usefully identified in the planning and are usually implemented at the end of each unit. The school is well resourced to meet the demands of the curriculum.

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GEOGRAPHY

124. Standards in geography are in line with those expected of pupils at the age of seven and eleven. The improvement made since the last inspection is satisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

125. Teaching is satisfactory. Teacher's planning is effective and allows pupils to build upon knowledge and skills they have learned previously. There are good opportunities for the pupils to practise map reading and to study a village locality when they make regular visits to a field centre. Pupils are encouraged to present their findings to the class, thereby using and so developing their language skills.

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GEOGRAPHY

126. Pupils relate well to their teachers. Pupils become confident in their learning because of the support and opportunities provided by their teachers. By Year 2 pupils have mapped their route to school and made a study of their local high street. As part of this study, they conducted a traffic survey and will use their results to organise and analyse the data. Pupils in Year 4 compare a village on the outskirts of London to their own locality and begin to explore issues relating to transport, trade and population. By Year 5, pupils are making an area study of Greece, and in Year 6, exploring the development of rivers. Current issues related to place and space are explored throughout Years 4-6.

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GEOGRAPHY

127. Co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory. Overall co-ordination is vested with the headteacher and an experienced teacher provides support. This ensures the teaching is consistent and that resources are sufficient to support effective teaching. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 40

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HISTORY

128. By the time they are seven, pupils’ knowledge and understanding in history are typical for their age. They recognise the differences between the past and the present and can give examples of how things have changed over time. In Year 1, pupils record their ideas about old and new things in a pictorial form, showing that they can select objects that are new or old. They can say which toys are new and which are from the past and understand that some members of their families are older than others.

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HISTORY

129. By the time they are eleven, pupils have a sound knowledge of different eras in history. They achieve standards that are typical for their age. They use their improving literacy skills to find out information for themselves and write their views of past events. Throughout the juniors, pupils explore the past through a range of resources, including books, CD ROM, pictures and artefacts. Older pupils spend time looking specifically at Black history and develop a good knowledge of key figures in Black history and evaluate the contribution they have made to historical development. As they grow older, pupils learn to evaluate the past and to distinguish between fact and opinion. Year 5 pupils consider the wives of Henry VIII from a personal perspective and give a good insight into their feelings when they write in role as one of them. Pupils record their learning in history in different ways and the extensive store of history folders

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HISTORY

demonstrates the range of writing, which is of good quality, they undertake in the subject during the course of a year. They also produce some very good artwork, which reflects the pain children and parents felt when they were separated by evacuation during wartime.

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HISTORY

130. In the lessons observed, teaching was good. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and they use this to plan interesting and challenging activities for pupils. Where teachers use good questioning, as in a Year 1 lesson, then the children respond with enthusiasm and are clear about how to use what they know in their written work. Very good links with literacy allow pupils to produce writing of a good quality, because the teacher makes clear the targets for their writing. Where teachers expect pupils to read independently, as in a Year 5 lesson, then this allows pupils to practise their skimming skills as they search quickly for relevant information for their writing. Teachers have high expectations of pupils, who enjoy the challenges set and the opportunity to show what they have done at the end of the lesson.

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HISTORY

131. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection and the quality of teaching has improved. All pupils achieve well in the subject because teachers are careful to plan work that they will enjoy and can do. Pupils who have English as an additional language are given support with reading and writing when they need it. This ensures that they make similar progress to others in the class.

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HISTORY

132. Leadership in the subject has been sound and the new co-ordinator has already identified areas for review. The monitoring of standards in the subject has been well managed and developments have been based on the findings of these. The school continues to make good use of the local community and museums, as well as trips further afield to enhance pupils’ understanding and enjoyment of the subject.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

133. Judgements are based on limited evidence in that no lessons were observed in the infants or at the end of the juniors. Judgements are based on some lessons seen in the juniors an analysis of previous work, on teachers' planning and on discussions with staff, pupils and other members of the inspection team.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

134. Standards of attainment are in line with those expected nationally for pupils who are seven and 11, occasionally exceeding them in the juniors. Most pupils in the infants display appropriate mouse and keyboard skills. Younger pupils have started making bar and tally charts on computer to record the results of their investigative activities in science. Many pupils in the juniors know how to manipulate the main function keys. For example, a group of Year 3 pupils were observed designing the layout of a room. They locate selections through program choices and drag items to explore different layouts. Higher attainers can overcome difficulties posed by Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 41 objects facing the wrong way and can move between 3-D and plan view to alter arrangements. Some pupils in Year 5 were observed using multimedia to design a poster about bread, combining text and pictures. They have also used a database to present the results of their

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

tasting of different types of bread in block graphs. Many pupils, throughout the school, use word processing in the context of writing for different purposes. Higher attainers develop speed and accuracy in the use of mouse and the keyboard.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

135. The teaching observed was good. Teachers' levels of subject knowledge vary, but often reflect well-developed skills. The approaches used by teachers enable pupils to pay attention and keep on task, though teachers’ planning does not always incorporate activities which are appropriate for the different levels of the pupils’ abilities. Opportunities to practise skills are built into work in some subjects, encouraging pupils to apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful activities. Effective use is made of resources, and pupils are managed well. All of this impacts on learning, which was good in the lessons observed. Most pupils are enthusiastic about using computers. They collaborate well in sharing equipment. They are well behaved and benefit from well-established relationships. Pupils' positive response contributes to their learning. They often work at their own pace, and there is no significant difference in the way

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

boys and girls develop their computer skills. The pupils learning English as an additional language and those having special educational needs make good progress in developing their computer skills. Those who have access to computers at home make relatively more rapid progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

136. The information and communication technology curriculum is broad and balanced. The school has started to deliver the element of control technology, an issue raised in the previous inspection report. The information and communication technology suite has the potential to make a good contribution to pupils' progress and attainment. The availability of computers in classrooms is having an impact on teaching and learning. The subject is well managed, though the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum is not yet fully in place in mathematics; nor are procedures for monitoring and formal assessment. The co- ordinator's awareness of these aspects needing immediate attention is evident in her action plan.

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MUSIC

137. It was possible to observe only two lessons during the inspection, due to the timetable arrangements. No lessons were observed in the infants. Further evidence has been gleaned from an observation of an assembly, singing and dance practice in Year 5, extra-curricular musical activities, scrutiny of pupils’ past work in Year 1 and an interview with the co-ordinator and music specialists. From this evidence, it is judged that the music provision is good, that the pupils’ attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 is above expectations and that they gain a number of positive experiences as they move through the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Monitoring of the subject has led the school to appoint a part-time specialist to meet the demands of the curriculum and to support the pupils in their learning.

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MUSIC

138. Many good learning opportunities are provided to develop the pupils’ performance skills. For example, through practising and creating Samba rhythms in Year 6, the pupils show the very good progress they have made. Listening and appraising skills are appropriately developed in singing practice, in lessons and through assemblies, where many pieces of music are chosen to reflect the cultural and multicultural aspects within the curriculum.

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MUSIC

139. The majority of pupils sing tunefully and maintain the rhythm of the songs, as was seen in the whole-school assembly. Older pupils learn the words of the songs quickly, while younger pupils need support. Teaching here provides the pupils with very good role models, strong and confident. In the lessons observed, the teaching was very good. The lessons were well balanced and skilfully organised. Teaching is stimulating and motivates the pupils, for example, to explore complicated rhythm patterns. As a result of the teacher’s expertise and very secure knowledge and understanding of the subject, the pupils in Year 6 are well challenged through the teachers’ high expectation of performance and the introduction of new skills. The pupils are very responsive, keen to learn and sustain concentration throughout the Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 42 lesson. In both lessons, the pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and

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MUSIC

those for whom English is an additional language, made very good progress. This is a direct reflection of the very good teaching they receive.

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MUSIC

140. Music makes a positive contribution to the pupils’ cultural and social development, through the different types of songs learned, through their collaboration in composing rhythm patterns and through the visiting music specialists from different ethnic groups. Specialist instrumental tuition is provided for a number of pupils to learn to play the guitar, steel pans and Samba drums. The inclusion of these and extra musical activities greatly enhances the music curriculum and effectively supports the very good progress the children make.

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MUSIC

141. The subject is thoughtfully managed by the co-ordinator. The school follows a clear, detailed scheme of work with identified opportunities for assessment. The co-ordinator has accurately identified further areas for future improvement. Resources are good and are kept in the music room. Information technology is not currently used to support the curriculum in music, which, otherwise, is very broad and balanced.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. Only lessons in dance and a swimming lesson were observed in the juniors, while a dance and a gymnastics lesson were observed in the infants. Pupils’ attainment in physical education has been maintained at the same level as at the time of the last inspection. It is only possible to give a judgement for dance in Key Stage 2. This has improved since the last inspection. It is now judged to be above national expectations. This is a direct reflection of the excellent teaching that has a strong impact on the pupils’ learning and the very good progress they make.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143. Dance is well taught to all pupils and they are acquiring a good range of physical and expressive skills. Teaching is lively and stimulating and the lessons move forward at a good pace. Pupils, including those who have special educational needs, achieve well and make very good progress when taking account of their prior learning. Pupils are encouraged to be bold and enthusiastic in the movements they undertake. This enables them to develop self- confidence. The excellent teaching ensures that they build successfully on what they already know and can do. Pupils understand the necessity for warm-up and cool-down routines and carry them out conscientiously and enthusiastically, as was seen in all lessons.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

144. Pupils in Year 1, can remember, reproduce and explain simple actions of a six-part dance phrase. They show increasing control of their body movements, through, for example, holding a position. In Year 2, pupils travel safely along the apparatus and are beginning to practise sequences to consolidate their learning. In Year 5, consolidation of learning takes place through a performance by pupils in a class assembly to demonstrate their skills in both music and dance, while in Year 6, pupils effectively collaborate in groups of two, three and four to refine their skills and practise their movement sequences. Good provision is made for the pupils to evaluate their performances and that of others. This is handled skilfully and sensitively, which results in a positive response from the pupils in their evaluations when they consider the improvements to be made in their work. Both boys and girls demonstrate their

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

enjoyment of dance by responding very positively, for example, in taking an active part in the lessons and behaving well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

145. Teachers intervene appropriately to emphasise key skills and very effectively demonstrate what they want pupils to do. They are very good role models. Teachers enable pupils to build skills progressively and encourage them to work together. Dance makes a very good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development, for example, through expression, interpretation of music and good collaboration between pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

146. Progress since the last inspection has been good. The physical education curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant. It provides very good access to competitive games and swimming for all pupils in the juniors. Many extra-curricular activities are provided to enhance the curriculum and staff give generously of their time to organise them. The subject is competently and Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 43 enthusiastically managed. The scheme of work is well structured to ensure that skills are built on from year to year and it effectively supports the teachers’ planning. Assessment is used appropriately to identify the pupils’ aptitude and progress in the subject. There is a good range of equipment that is well stored and easily accessible. There is suitable outdoor accommodation, including a hard surface and a field, which enhances the subject.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147. Pupils' knowledge and understanding of religious education are in line with those expected of pupils of seven and eleven. The requirements of the locally agreed syllabus are met.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148. Improvement since the last inspection is good. Planning for the subject is good. It has been carefully thought out in themes which allow pupils to widen their knowledge of world religions throughout the infants and juniors. Pupils are able to regularly compare practices and beliefs and relate these to their own religious beliefs as they mature.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

149. Teaching is satisfactory overall. In Year 1, lessons are conducted at a brisk pace so that pupils sustain interest in the different ways in which Sikhs, Muslims and Christians pray. Their knowledge and understanding are constantly tested so that the teacher is confident about their learning. In Year 4, pupils begin to understand the significance of the Bible, Torah and Koran as sacred texts. Good use is made of visiting speakers to explain what religion means to them. Pupils are encouraged to share their own experience of religious belief with the class. Pupils are given the opportunity to reflect upon religious experience. However, opportunities for pupils to explain their feelings in writing, and thus extend their written language, are sometimes missed.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

150. Learning is satisfactory. Pupils relate well to their teachers. They show respect and interest in the beliefs of others. They listen carefully and are considerate when other pupils speak. The teaching of religious education makes a significant contribution to the spiritual, moral and cultural learning of the pupils.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

151. The co-ordination is good. The programme of study is planned thematically from Year 1 to Year 6. Teaching is supported by a good range of visits to local places of worship: synagogues, mosques and gudwara, as well as churches of different Christian denominations. Grinling Gibbons Primary School - 44

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