St Mary's CofE Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th - 22 nd May 2002

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SCHOOL

Inspection number: 196861 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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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. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 4

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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: Buckingham Road Cadishead Greater Manchester

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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: Rev Johnathan Tallon

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1997 St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

6642 Peter Hill Registered inspector Special educational needs English as an additional language Science Information and communication technology Art and design What sort of school is it? How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

9882 Alice Rea Lay inspector Children’s attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 1272 Ian Hocking Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology Physical education How well are pupils taught?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

16761 Melvyn Hemmings Team inspector English Geography History The school’s results and pupils' achievements. How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 30362 Jacqueline Henshaw Team inspector Music Religious education Foundation Stage The inspection contractor was: High Peak Educational Services Limited 19 Marple Road Charlesworth Glossop Derbyshire SK13 5DA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 6 Alexandra House 33 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN

St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 7

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 24

St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 8

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Mary's Church of England Controlled Primary School is situated in the centre of a large housing estate in Cadishead. There is a mixture of housing with most of the houses owned by the local council. Overall this is an area of social and economic need. There are 249 pupils on roll and most of the children live close to the school. Approximately 21 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a percentage broadly in line with the national average. A small number of pupils come from homes where English is not their first language and two pupils are at an early stage of English language acquisition. There are 47 pupils on the school's register of special educational needs. Three of these pupils have statements of special educational need. Overall, children enter the nursery with levels of attainment which are lower than that generally found nationally.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good and effective school providing good value for money. The school is well led and managed and this is having a very positive effect on the school ethos and on standards. The school has made considerable progress recently. Pupils are well taught in all areas of the school and during the inspection there was a high percentage of good and very good teaching. Very good teamwork between teachers and support staff considerably benefits all pupils. However, by the time they leave the school most pupils attain standards which, overall, are below the national average and those of similar schools. They remain well below average in English and mathematics and are average in science. Inspection evidence clearly indicates that standards are improving, especially over the last two years, and that most pupils are making good progress. The school is clearly disappointed by the results of 2001 and has taken effective action to raise standards. Pupils’ attainment in lessons indicates a

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

higher standard than those achieved in the 2001 tests for 11-year-olds.

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What the school does well

• The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher. • Teaching is good overall with a high proportion of very good and some excellent teaching. This is a substantial improvement since the last inspection. • Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision is good overall with the provision for pupils’ social and cultural development being very good. • Personal development and relationships are very good. • The curriculum is good with very good provision for additional activities. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good overall. • The National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies have been implemented very well and are impacting positively on the development of pupils’ basic skills.

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What could be improved

• The standards achieved by 11-year-olds in English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT). • The co-ordination of work in the foundation subjects and especially in music and religious education. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 9

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in June 1997. Since that time, and especially in the last two years, the school has made very good progress in addressing the key issues identified in the last report and in other areas of development. Teaching is good with appropriate coverage of the National Curriculum programmes of study. The school development plan is a very effective document and provides a good basis for future development and for measuring the impact that planning has on standards of pupils' work. Improvements in the accommodation, including the provision of an ICT suite, are very good with the exciting further development of the library imminent.

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

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Key

Over the last few years, the standards attained by pupils in the national tests for 11-year-olds in English have been rising but have remained well below the national average. In mathematics they have been declining and in 2001 were well below average. Science results have been improving and matched the national average. In comparison with similar schools, the results have been below average in English and mathematics but above average in science. The results of the 2001 National Curriculum tests for 7-year-olds were just below average in reading and mathematics, and matched the national average in writing. In comparison with similar schools, the results were close to the average in reading and mathematics and above in writing. In lessons, and in their work in books, pupils in both key stages are attaining higher standards than those indicated in the national tests and the majority of pupils are making good progress. Inspection evidence indicates a clear upward trend and an improvement in

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are enthusiastic in lessons and other activities, listening well to their teachers.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall, with very good behaviour in a significant number of lessons. A few pupils, especially older boys, are, on occasions, not as well behaved, having quite a negative attitude to lessons. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 10 Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils’ relationships with each other and with adults are very good and this is a strength of the school. Pupils respect others' values and feelings.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and their relationships and personal development are very good and strengths of the school. This makes a very positive contribution to the overall good rate of progress that pupils make and helps to create an environment where pupils enjoy learning, work hard and try their best.

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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

Overall, the quality of teaching is good with a significant amount being very good and some excellent. There is an impressive amount of good and very good teaching, resulting in good quality learning for all pupils. Less than satisfactory teaching was seen in just a very small percentage of lessons. Teaching is very good in mathematics and good in English and science. Literacy and numeracy are well taught, significantly improving pupils basic skills; for example, pupils’ writing is becoming well organised and structured. Teaching caters for the needs of all pupils, and those with special needs or with English as an additional language are well provided for.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. Besides a very good range of additional activities, the school is very committed to the development of the arts.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good, with very good organisation and support for individuals.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. There are only a small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language and they are very well catered for and have full access to all the school has to offer.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Good, with very good provision for pupils’ social and cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall, with very good procedures for assessing pupils’ progress and for monitoring and improving good behaviour. Pupils with statements of special St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 11 educational need are very well catered for.

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Aspect Comment

Links with parents are good and many have a very positive view of the school. The response in the Parents' Questionnaire was very positive with a very high percentage of satisfaction indicated in many aspects. The school provides a very good range of additional activities, considerably enhancing the curriculum. The school is good at providing and caring for all its pupils. Pupils' needs and strengths are well known and the school has very good procedures in place to monitor individual progress.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, who is very well supported by the strong teamwork throughout the school. The growth of this teamwork has been an extremely significant development recently.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are effective in fulfilling their responsibilities. They are beginning to play an important role in shaping future direction and have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. This is an area of significant improvement, especially in the last few years.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good.

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Aspect Comment

Overall, the school is well led and managed, with the headteacher providing very good leadership. She is well supported by governors and key staff and has high expectations and a clear view of the school’s future direction. She is determined to improve the school environment and provision in order to raise standards for all pupils. The principles of best value are appropriately applied and form an essential part of all the school's monitoring, analysis and planning. The leadership and management are fully aware of the standards throughout the school and how these compare both with similar schools and nationally. The accommodation is attractive and well used and is enhanced through very good quality display and decoration. It is well maintained and cared for. Learning resources are good for the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and very good for ICT. Staffing levels are appropriate and there is very good teamwork between all adults, to the considerable benefit of all

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Aspect Comment

pupils, including those with special and individual needs.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Over 90% of parents who returned questionnaires strongly agree, or agree, that: • Their children like school. • Their children make good progress. • Behaviour is good. • Teaching is good. • Parents feel comfortable approaching school about problems and suggestions. • The school expects children to work hard. • The information they receive about how their children are getting on. • The range of activities outside lessons. • Links with parents. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 12 • The school is helping children become mature.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Almost 30 per cent of parents returned questionnaires. The number of parents attending the Parents Meeting was very small. However, from these sources, and from meeting a number of parents collecting their children from school, it is clear that the majority are supportive of the school and are pleased with the quality of the education provided. The inspection found that the range of additional activities is very good and enriches the curriculum and that the information provided for parents is of high quality. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 Over the last few years, the standards attained by pupils in the national tests for 11-year-olds in English have been rising but have remained well below the national average. In mathematics they have been declining and in 2001 were well below average. Science results have been improving and matched the national average. In comparison with similar schools, the results have been below average in English and mathematics but above average in science. The indications are that the majority of pupils in the current Year 6 class are just below the national average in English and mathematics, and average in science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 The results of the 2001 National Curriculum tests for 7-year-olds were just below average in reading and mathematics, and matched the national average in writing. In comparison with similar schools, the results were close to the average in reading and mathematics and above in writing. Teacher assessments for science indicate that pupils’ performance was below the national average but above that of pupils in similar schools. For 7-year-olds, this represents improvement over time, especially in the last two years. The indications are that most pupils in the current Year 2 achieve average standards in reading and mathematics, and are above average in writing. As many pupils enter the reception class with below average language skills, this represents good progress and achievement throughout the school. The boys do not perform as well as the girls in reading and the school is currently exploring strategies, for example, providing more non-fiction books, to improve their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 The significant factors in the improvement in the standards attained by 7 and 11 year olds are the measures that have been put in place since the appointment of the current headteacher, two years ago. These are now beginning to bear fruit. Assessment procedures are now much more focused and enable teachers to set manageable targets for pupils to improve their work. Planning arrangements have also been improved and support teachers in setting work that effectively challenges pupils of all abilities. As a result they achieve well. The school has also successfully addressed the key issue from the last inspection of ensuring an appropriate time allocation for English through the school. More time has been given to the teaching of basic literacy skills and in letting pupils practise these in other subjects. There is now a clear view of the action needed to further improve standards and a shared commitment on the part of all staff to carry this out successfully.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 Children start school in the nursery with standards of attainment that are below expectations in all areas of development. They make good progress throughout the Foundation Stage and most achieve the early leaning goals by the time they reach Year 1. Some children achieve standards above expectations. Gifted and talented pupils are catered for within literacy or numeracy lessons with older pupils and children with special needs receive support in small groups.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 Pupils’ speaking skills are satisfactory throughout the school, with many opportunities for them to discuss and explain their ideas. Pupils use their speaking skills in an appropriate manner in other subjects, for example in mathematics lessons when discussing and explaining their strategies for finding solutions to problems. The listening skills of most pupils are satisfactory. This helps them to make relevant answers to the teachers’ questions and to gain an appropriate understanding of the work that they are to do. These skills are developed by the teachers, ensuring that there are opportunities for pupils to listen to the views and ideas of adults and other pupils. To further develop pupils’ speaking St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 14 and listening skills, the school has identified the need to provide more opportunities for pupils to take part in structured role-play and drama activities.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6 Standards in reading have been steadily rising and now match the levels to be expected, with pupils being able to read accurately and confidently from texts appropriate for their age. Teachers use the shared and guided reading sessions effectively to improve the pupils’ reading skills. By the time they are in Year 6 most pupils are able to recount stories, express their preferences in reading matter and talk in an informed way about their favourite authors. There is recognition of the need to provide more non-fiction books to improve the boys’ attitudes to reading, and to more effectively challenge the higher attainers by developing their comprehension skills and using higher order questioning related to texts. The loss of a central library has resulted in limited opportunities for pupils to develop their library and research skills, but the classrooms are word-rich environments, providing interesting surroundings

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

for pupils and so fostering an enjoyment of reading.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7 The school has put a lot of effort into improving standards in writing and as a result for pupils in Year 2 they are now above average. Basic skills are taught well and, consequently, the pupils’ writing is well organised with events and ideas in sequence. Pupils write in a variety of forms across the curriculum and their standards of handwriting and presentation are good, with words mainly spelt correctly. This shows good improvement since the last inspection and is supported by teachers having high expectations of what pupils can do and encouraging pupils to take pride in their work. The marking of pupils’ work is used consistently to inform pupils how to improve their writing. As a result, pupils are now making effective progress in developing their writing skills in literacy lessons and in other subjects. By the time they are in Year 6, pupils are beginning to choose vocabulary for interest

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and precision, and can enhance their work by using ICT to word-process their stories and poems.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8 Pupils use their literacy skills effectively to support their work in other subjects, for example in mathematics when they read questions and then discuss strategies for finding solutions. Pupils label diagrams in science, and record their ideas in a variety of written formats in religious education, geography and history.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9 Pupils throughout the school are making good progress in developing their recall of number facts and in mental manipulation of number. They are beginning to use correct terminology when explaining their methods of performing mental calculations. Pupils presently in Year 6 have broadly average levels of skill in written calculations and have a secure knowledge of multiplication tables. They can make sensible use of calculators and competently use mental skills of computation, for example, in doubling and halving amounts of money. They can apply mathematical formulae when calculating the areas of composite shapes and triangles.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10 Pupils are given opportunities to use and apply their numeracy skills in other subjects, for example in science when producing graphs from databases of planets; and pupils in Year 3 apply knowledge of three dimensional shapes to their design and technology work. All of these experiences bring 'real life' relevance to pupils’ learning in mathematics. The school now needs to plan for further similar opportunities across all the subjects of the curriculum.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11 In science there are many opportunities for pupils to be involved in structured practical investigations throughout the school, and as a result by the age of 11 most of them are confident in carrying out a fair test independently of the teacher. The provision for ICT has been much improved since the last inspection, with pupils now having enough time to develop the basic skills of using computers. Consequently all pupils are now making good progress and achieving well. In religious education most pupils, by the age of 11, meet the expectations of the Salford Local Education Authority’s syllabus, showing familiarity with the life of Jesus and an appropriate knowledge and St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 15 understanding of the main features of Christian faith. In most other subjects, pupils achieve the standards expected for their age by the time they are 11. The exception is in art in which pupils

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

achieve standards above those expected for their age. This is a result of the emphasis given to developing the pupils’ creative talents by enabling them to be involved in a wide range of rich experiences in the subject and the arts generally. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their prior attainment, and achieve well as a result of the well-structured support that they receive. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who are gifted and talented are also well supported and given challenging work that enables them to achieve to their full potential.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12 Pupils generally have good attitudes to school. They respond quickly to requests from their teacher and are keen to participate in activities and lessons. Pupils enjoy their lessons, listen well and want to please their teachers. However, a small number of older boys have a less positive attitude to school and this, on some occasions, affects their behaviour in lessons and around school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13 Behaviour in and around school is good. There is an emphasis on personal responsibility and consideration for others throughout the school and this has a positive effect on how pupils behave. Teachers almost always have high expectations for behaviour and pupils respond well to these expectations and to the reward systems that are in operation. On the odd occasion, where expectations for behaviour were not high enough, behaviour slipped to an unacceptable level, but there were many instances where behaviour was very good and, occasionally, excellent.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14 Relationships within the school are very good. Pupils respect their teachers, other adults in the school and each other. This is a result of the respect they are shown by the adults in the school. Pupils with special educational needs are respected and valued.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15 Pupils work well together and play well together. They co-operate in lessons and around school, often helping each other. Pupils are polite and helpful to visitors, taking the initiative in offering them chairs and hymnbooks, for example. The older pupils successfully and confidently undertake a range of jobs around school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16 Attendance has improved over the last two years and is now above the national average, with unauthorised absences being broadly in line with the national average.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17 The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and there has been an improvement in this provision since the last inspection. In particular there is very good provision for pupils’ social and cultural development which is well supported by the school’s strong promotion of the arts.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18 Collective acts of worship make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. There are planned themes and a calm, reflective atmosphere. In addition, some teachers provide some good opportunities in lessons through their use of language and by encouraging pupils to reflect. For example, Year 1 pupils were encouraged to see how wonderful a plant’s root system was by the teacher’s use of words, when talking about the plant. However there is no planning for pupils’ spiritual development within subject areas and no formal sharing of the good practice of some teachers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19 Pupils are helped to become well aware of the difference between right and wrong through the school’s consideration of issues in assembly and personal, health, social and emotional education lessons. Pupils are involved in developing their classroom rules and the school has clear, positive rules St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 16 that pupils are well aware of. The staff provide good role models for respecting and valuing all individuals and this respect is returned by the pupils, who respond well to the good examples set.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20 Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. They are helped to be independent and to take personal responsibility for the way they behave. Older pupils undertake jobs around school and there are many opportunities in lessons for pupils to collaborate and work together in pairs or small groups. Trips and visits, including residential visits, make a significant contribution to pupils’ social development, as well as to their cultural development. Similarly, the extra-curricular activities that are on offer and the range of visitors who come into school enhance pupils’ social development as well as their cultural development. Sports, dance, music and the homework club all contribute to pupils’ development of co-operative working and competing fairly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21 The strong promotion of the arts by the school enables pupils to develop an awareness of the richness of their own culture and of other cultures. For example, the potter working with Year 6 pupils helped to broaden their understanding of art whilst working on tile making. Many opportunities are taken to give pupils a wide ‘hands on’ experience of the arts. Furthermore the school has acknowledged the broadly monocultural nature of the school and has planned to widen pupils’ knowledge and experience of other cultures. The noteworthy success of the Japanese cultural exchange was evident and was just one part of a planned widening of pupils’ experience of other cultures. A similar awareness and planning for spiritual development would further enhance this provision for pupils’ personal development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22 Overall, the quality of teaching is good with a significant amount being very good and excellent. In 28 per cent of lessons teaching is satisfactory, in 35 per cent of lessons teaching is good, in 31 per cent it is very good and in four per cent it is excellent. This represents an impressive amount of good and very good teaching and results in good quality learning for all pupils. Less than satisfactory teaching was seen in just two per cent of lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23 Teaching, of all areas of development, in the Foundation Stage is good. In the Reception class it is often very good. Literacy and numeracy lessons are particularly well planned and all sections of the lessons are effective in raising standards. Other areas of development are very well catered for and teaching is in focused groups or provided within a continuous provision of activities made available to pupils. There are a few times when staff miss opportunities to develop previously taught skills within the continuous provision.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24 In Years 1 and 2 (Key Stage 1) teaching is satisfactory in religious education and is good in English, science, art, music and ICT. Teaching is very good in mathematics and physical education. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 (Key Stage 2) is good in English, science, ICT, art and physical education, and is very good in mathematics. Teaching is satisfactory in religious education and music.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25 During the days of the inspection, insufficient history, geography or design and technology lessons were observed for secure judgements to be made about the quality of teaching and learning in these subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26 Some good teaching was seen in each class and in virtually all classes there was some very good teaching. Amongst the many strengths of the best lessons the most notable and productive aspects are the teachers’ enthusiasm, high expectations and very good relationships with pupils. These features of teaching promote very good behaviour and high levels of motivation from the pupils, resulting in very good learning. By contrast, on the few occasions where teaching is not as successful, lessons are St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 17 punctuated by frequent interventions by the teacher in order to maintain good behaviour. This is especially disappointing when it involves the older pupils whose immature behaviour has to be managed firmly by teachers. The one instance of poor teaching resulted from the unsuccessful management of unsatisfactory behaviour that included disrespectful shouting out and poor work attitudes.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27 In almost all lessons teachers take care to make clear to pupils what they are to learn during the lesson. These objectives are usually revisited during the summary phase of the lesson to reiterate the key learning points made earlier. Such practice enables pupils to become more aware of their learning. Teachers’ lesson planning is very good and ensures that maximum use is made of available time and resources. Particularly effective use is made of the classroom support assistants whose very able work contributes significantly to pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28 The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies which, together with very good planning, result in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy being taught very well. In English lessons teachers use the shared and guided reading sessions effectively to improve the pupils’ reading skills. Staff have undertaken training to more effectively develop pupils’ creative writing skills and there are many opportunities for them to be involved in independent writing activities. The marking of pupils’ work is used consistently to inform pupils how to improve their writing. In the teaching of mathematics, teachers give appropriate emphasis to developing pupils’ mental skills and strategies, and to helping them express their mathematical thinking.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29 Very good systems of assessing and recording pupils' progress in English and mathematics provide an effective basis for planning future work. This means that teachers set work at levels that are appropriately matched to pupils' prior attainment and therefore enable them to build on what they already can do, know and understand. Thus, the needs of all groups of pupils, including those who have special educational needs, those who are gifted and those for whom English is an additional language, are met very well. Assessment procedures have been improved since the previous inspection, and are particularly effective in the Foundation Stage. The school recognises the need to extend record keeping to cover all subjects and is currently trialling appropriate systems.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30 Homework is set appropriately and in line with the school policy, and supplements well the work done in school. The school’s provision of a homework club, four evenings each week, is valued and utilised by a significant number of pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31 Teaching and learning are better now than at the time of the last inspection, especially in relation to the amount of very good and excellent teaching, which has increased significantly from 11 per cent to 35 per cent. Many of the teaching staff have changed since the previous inspection so direct comparisons are not possible. Nevertheless, the school has improved its planning systems, learning resources and the use of assessment data. These factors, together with a strong ethos of teamwork between support staff and teachers, are impacting positively on the quality of teaching.

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PUPILS?

32 The curricular and other opportunities offered are good, with all pupils having access to an assortment of interesting learning experiences, within a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. In the Foundation Stage of Learning the layout of bays to cater for each area of development allows for continuous learning away from focused group and class sessions. The outside environment is inviting and well kept and children have a range of opportunities to learn through play and direct teaching. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 18 33 The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies for pupils aged 7 to 11 have been successfully implemented. This is now having a positive effect on the standards that pupils attain in English and mathematics. The steady improvement in standards in English has also been brought about by the school successfully addressing the key issue of the last inspection of ensuring an appropriate time

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PUPILS?

allocation for this subject through the school. As a result, more time has been given to the teaching of basic literacy skills and in letting pupils practise these in other subjects.

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PUPILS?

34 The provision for ICT has recently been improved considerably by the creation of an ICT suite that allows for whole-class teaching of basic skills in this subject. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to use their ICT skills to enhance their work in other subjects, with the pupils using the Internet well to research information in science, history and geography. The establishment of the suite has meant that the school has lost the room for its library but a building programme, partially funded by the Seed Challenge, is scheduled to begin in summer 2002 to create a library/study facility on the site of the central garden courtyard.

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PUPILS?

35 All statutory requirements are met, as are the demands of the Salford Local Education Authority’s syllabus for religious education. There is also a strong commitment to the arts and to developing pupils’ creative nature and they are able to take part in a variety of rich experiences in art, dance, drama and music. There are visits to local art galleries and museums, while a range of visitors, including artists and drama groups, work with the pupils to develop a variety of skills. Recently, the pupils in Years 5 and 6 have worked with the Birmingham Royal Ballet. This culminated in them seeing a performance of ‘Swan Lake’ and working with a dancer in workshop sessions. All pupils in Years 3 to 6 have taken part in a music workshop on the theme of ‘Space’, run by the Schools’ Music Service. Currently, the pupils in Year 6 are working with a professional potter to develop their skills in this aspect of art. Pupils also take part in a variety of musical and dramatical performances for parents

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PUPILS?

and members of the community. The curriculum is enriched by involvement in national and local initiatives, as is exemplified by the school’s adoption of the Extra and Additional Literacy Strategies and booster classes for English and mathematics. Successful use has also been made of New Opportunities Funding to run breakfast and homework clubs to provide pupils with extra learning experiences.

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PUPILS?

36 The provision for the pupils’ personal, social and health education is good overall. They have many opportunities to relate to others, in a variety of situations, so that they learn to respect the values and beliefs of other pupils and adults. Their social development is well supported by a wide range of visits, including several residential stays during which they learn a variety of social skills, such as working together and caring for others. Personal development is fostered by pupils being given opportunities, in and out of classrooms, to show initiative and take responsibility. The younger pupils deliver messages between classes and get out and put away resources and equipment in lessons, while being looked after, in a caring way, by older pupils at various times of the day. ‘Circletime’ activities, in which pupils sit in a circle with their teacher and are helped to talk about any concerns they might have

p.18

PUPILS?

and such issues as the importance of caring for others, are effective. A good example of this was when pupils in Year 1 were considering to whom they had been kind to and who had been kind to them. During this session they co-operated well and listened to, and respected, other pupils’ ideas. Appropriate provision is made for sex education, and this has recently been enhanced by the introduction, after consultation with governors and parents, of a sex and relationships policy. The pupils are helped to develop good attitudes towards healthy eating and are made aware of the harmful effects of drugs, as part of their work in science.

p.18

PUPILS?

37 The school is successful in ensuring that all pupils have equal access to the curriculum. The planning procedures are good, effectively incorporating the national guidelines and providing teachers with clear information about the key learning objectives and skills to be taught. Consequently, pupils of St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 19 all abilities are given challenging work that enables them to achieve well. There are effective systems in place to support pupils with special educational needs, enabling them to make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. Teachers plan carefully for the needs of these pupils and classroom assistants are used well to support their learning. Good use is made of outside agencies to help with any specific difficulties that pupils may have.

p.18

PUPILS?

38 The provision for extra-curricular activities, including educational visits, is very good. Clubs for pupils to join include guitar, recorder, brass band, ‘popstardance’, football and judo. The school gives all pupils opportunities to take part in a wide variety of visits that enrich the curriculum by providing 39 further significant learning experiences. These include trips to nearby places of educational interest, such as the Museum of Science and Industry to develop pupils’ understanding of batteries and buzzers as part of their work in science. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have visited the Peoples’ Museum in Manchester to further their understanding of life in Britain during the Second World War. There are also residential experiences for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6. These are linked to various aspects of the curriculum and are effective in developing their personal and social skills.

p.19

PUPILS?

40 Good links with the community make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning. Links with the parish church have recently been strengthened by the appointment of a new vicar. He comes into school to take assemblies and work with pupils to develop their understanding of Christian faith and to support the spiritual development. The Reception class held a special day, inviting grandparents into school to talk about their childhood days. Parents’ workshops have been held, explaining the school’s methods used to teach reading. The purpose was to enable parents to help their children when they hear them read at home. Links with local businesses have resulted in them giving donations to help towards the building of the new library area. The school has strong links with the local secondary school, successfully preparing pupils in Year 6 for the time when they transfer at age 11. Close links have been developed with Manchester Metropolitan University and Salford College, with students

p.19

PUPILS?

coming into school to work with pupils and support their learning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41 The school cares very well for its pupils. They are well known by all the staff, with whom they have very good relationships. Pupils are respected and valued as individuals, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42 A key issue from the last inspection was for the school to put in place a child protection policy and procedures. This has been done and procedures are fully in place. Staff have been trained and good working relationships have been built up with the local social services department. Recent cases have been effectively dealt with.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43 Personal development is well supported through the very good relationships in the school. The personal, health and social education programme helps pupils learn about healthy and safe living. The sex and relationships policy has been well developed, through careful consultation with parents, and forms a part of the personal, health and social education programme. There is a consistent emphasis on respect for others; this permeates the school and underpins the personal development of the pupils. Opportunities for independent working, collaboration and undertaking jobs around the school are all planned for pupils, so helping them to learn to take responsibility. Initiatives such as the breakfast club and the homework club further support pupils’ personal development.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44 The school’s code of conduct is generally applied consistently and pupils respond well to the high expectations of their teachers. Very occasionally low expectations of behaviour result in a decline in the usually good behaviour of pupils. The reward system encourages pupils to be aware of how their St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 20 behaviour affects other people and to take a pride in their contribution to a reward for the class. The school is not complacent about its behaviour policy and is currently trying out a different approach to rewards with the younger children.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45 Many positive messages are given to the pupils to encourage respect and consideration for all and to eliminate any bullying or harassment. The few incidents that occur are well recorded, parents are involved and the effect of the perpetrator’s actions on the victims and the unacceptability of the behaviour are carefully discussed with the perpetrator.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46 Attendance is well monitored and a reward system encourages good attendance by each class. The school works closely with the educational welfare officer and the headteacher is fully involved in the monitoring process. Particularly effective is the identification of pupils who have had poor attendance as they move into a new class. This helps teachers to pick up any continuing problems quickly.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47 Pupils with special educational needs receive good levels of support, as do the small number of pupils for whom English is an additional language. They are included in the whole life of the school and are accepted and valued. Gifted and talented pupils have been identified and individual provision has been made for them, for example in mathematics lessons with a higher year group.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48 Since the appointment of the current headteacher, the school has developed very good procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic performance and tracking the progress that they make as they pass through the school. A whole-school system of assessment and record keeping is used effectively to determine pupils’ levels of attainment and set targets for improvement, especially in English, mathematics and science. Comprehensive measures are in place to analyse the statutory test results to identify areas of weakness and then set manageable targets for improvement for groups of pupils. Teachers use assessment information successfully to evaluate pupils’ performance on a day-to-day basis and then plan future work accordingly. Good use is made of assessment information for pupils with special educational needs, to plan future work. The information from the initial assessments, when children start school, is used very effectively to plan learning experiences in the Nursery and

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Reception classes. Good systems are in place to monitor the achievements of different groups of pupils, resulting in the school being effective in meeting the needs of pupils of different abilities. These improved assessment arrangements have been a significant factor in the improvement in the standard of attainment that is now being seen.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49 The last inspection found that the partnership with parents was developing well. This development has continued and there is now a good partnership. Parents are generally supportive of the school. The majority of parents value the work the school does and feel confident that their children attend a good school. Although the inspection team found that any concerns were unfounded, the school does now need to find ways of building the confidence of a minority of parents in the work of the school.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50 Parents are welcome in school. Some parents help regularly in school; parents listen to their children read at home and comment in their reading diaries and some parents attend courses run in school, aimed at helping them support their children’s education. Every fortnight parents are invited to attend assemblies and a number do so. Almost all parents attend parents’ evenings to discuss the progress of their children. The views of parents have been sought about the school, homework and the sex and relationships policy. These views have been taken into account. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 21 51 The written information that is sent home is of a high quality. Letters and newsletters are clear and well written and parents are kept informed about what their children will be learning through curriculum newsletters for each year group. The prospectus and the governors’ annual report to

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

parents are very informative and well presented. To fully comply with the legal requirements the governors’ annual report to parents needs to show the school’s targets for achievement of pupils and the prospectus needs to show the number of pupils registered at the school. It would also be clearer if the prospectus showed the attendance rates rather than just the absence rates. Written reports for parents have improved and reflect the changes that have taken place in primary education since the last inspection. They are clearly laid out and give details of pupils’ achievement, including interim SATs results for pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5. Reports include targets for pupils for the next year.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52 Parents are keen to support their children and to be involved in their education. However, attendance at the meetings and courses that the school has organised to support them in doing this has often been quite low. The school is keen to look at ways to encourage more parents to attend as a way of further developing the partnership with parents and enabling more parents to feel confidently involved in their children’s education.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53 The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, who is very well supported by the strong teamwork throughout the school. The headteacher is determined to improve standards. The growth of this teamwork has been an extremely significant development recently. Management is an area with many strengths and is clearly a major reason that the school is making good progress. The good overall quality of leadership, teamwork and the commitment of all staff ensures that the school is successful in meeting its stated aims. The school has strength in its approach to inclusive education, equality of opportunity and fairness.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54 The headteacher and senior managers have a very good understanding of the inter-relationship and workings of all the initiatives and sources of funding that are so important to raising achievement, for example the use of Creative Partnership Initiative and funding from a range of other initiatives have been planned for and used creatively and very effectively to improve provision and raise standards across the school. The monitoring and evaluation of all aspects of performance are thorough and a strength and management is very effective in bringing about change based on very good analysis and planning.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55 The governing body is knowledgeable about the school and is beginning to play an important role in shaping its future direction and is determined, together with the headteacher, to further improve standards and children’s levels of achievement. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development and especially of the school context and the changes in the socio economic circumstances of the surrounding area. The governor’s committee structure is very effective and through this they have a good understanding of the workings of the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56 The school makes very good strategic use of its available resources, including the funding for pupils with special educational needs. The use of these various sources of funding contributes greatly to very good pupil achievement. Decisions made in setting the budget are appropriately taken in relation to the educational priorities, for example, in providing ICT suites, library etc. The school budget is closely monitored. The school’s use of ICT for day-to-day administration is very good and the efficiency of office and support staff is very good. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 22 57 The school is very well staffed with a good level of very effective support staff working very successfully with teachers to the considerable benefit of pupils. Staffing is well managed and leadership ensures that there is a shared understanding of the school's aims and ethos.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58 Accommodation is very good and improving in a well-structured and creative way with several exciting developments, for example the new library, being imminent. The school is well cared for with a high level of very good display. Learning resources are good overall and are very good in some areas, for example in ICT. The principles of best value are well applied to all aspects of school life. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 23

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the standards achieved by 11-year-olds in English, mathematics and ICT.

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In all three subjects there has been a significant recent improvement. The school needs to continue with the strategies it employs in English and mathematics and, in ICT, ensure all aspects of the National Curriculum are covered (i.e. the control aspect of ICT). (paragraphs 1, 93, 102, 144)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the co-ordination of work in the foundation subjects and especially in music by further developing links with other areas of the curriculum and by improving standards in composing and performing, and in religious education by further developing co-ordination and monitoring and evaluating across the school. (paragraphs 155, 173)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school has been very successful in developing the good quality co-ordination of the core subjects of the National Curriculum. This follows the national trend of emphasising and improving standards in numeracy and literacy. With this successfully in place and showing clear signs of raising standards, the school now needs to extend the good practice it has developed to the foundation subjects. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 22

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents almost two percentage point[s].

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y7

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 30 219

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 54

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y7

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 1 47

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 16

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 25 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 26

p.24

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 16 18 34

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 13 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 18 17 18

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (88) 88 (88) 91 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 13 13 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 18 18 16

p.26

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

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

p.26

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 2001 23 13 36

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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 17 14 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 4 11

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 64 (58) 50 (61) 92 (76) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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 16 18 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 5 6 11

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 58 (58) 67 (67) 94 (70) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.26

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 27

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9 Financial year 2001

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18.25

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total income 499006

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7.6 Total expenditure 507972

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 175 Expenditure per pupil 2028

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 41134

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 32168

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 46

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2.0

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4.0

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 St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 28 FTE means full-time equivalent. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 29

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 59 37 3 1 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 44 6 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 34 49 7 3 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 36 9 4 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 70 21 3 3 3

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 69 24 3 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 36 49 10 4 1

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 41 40 9 3 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 46 1 1 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 24 54 10 6 6 St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 30

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60 Children enter the nursery at standards of attainment below national expectations, particularly in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development. They make good progress and most children attain the early learning goals in all areas of development by the time they reach Year 1.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61 Foundation Stage children are taught in a separate nursery building and in the reception class. The outside play area is accessible to both classes and there are good links between the classes. The physical separation of the buildings and the limited space, particularly in the nursery, prevents the creation of a true Early Years Unit. This would support natural transition and cater better for differing rates of development across the whole Foundation Stage and areas of learning. However, joint planning and good communication mean that children are provided with a rich curriculum and differing rates of development are provided for.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62 Teaching overall is good and in the reception class it is often very good. All staff work as a team and make equal contributions to learning. Assessment and record keeping are very comprehensive and detailed. They highlight strengths and weaknesses and inform planning and provision needs. Teachers are able to focus learning and to assess success.

p.30

Personal, social and emotional development

63 Children start in the nursery with levels of attainment for this area of learning that are below national expectation. They quickly learn to develop confidence and to become independent. They learn to develop a sense of self as a member of the nursery and learn routines. While a few children take longer to gain confidence, caring and sensitive staff cater for their needs. By the time the children are in reception class they know what is expected from them. They move around school confidently and show respect towards the environment and other people. Children were heard praising one another whilst building models. They readily ask questions and contribute to discussions.

p.30

Personal, social and emotional development

64 Teaching is good and often very good. Provision for development is well planned and incorporated within all other areas of learning. In the reception class, children work in pairs during a numeracy lesson and are encouraged to take turns fairly and to share resources. Good behaviour is expected and children are reminded of the rules. They know why they should be good listeners and that they can learn from each other as well as the teacher. Nursery children went in search of ladybirds in the garden and were curious about their wings and spots. Their teacher helped them find some and provided magnifying glasses to encourage careful observation. Reception children are learning about other cultures from their Japanese visitor who has made very good contribution to their understanding.

p.30

Personal, social and emotional development

65 The limited space in the nursery prevents the development of snack time as an opportunity to further personal, social and emotional skills. Although it is not practical to seat children around tables, more could be done to use these times in a variety of ways. Staff use snack time on the carpet to teach phonics or for children to talk socially. Children were not seen helping to prepare snacks, cut up toast or to hand them out although they had helped to write the shopping list. Different seating arrangements for snack time may encourage more interaction between children. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 31 66 The nursery staff have worked hard to draw out some very quiet children and the bay layout of the room has helped to make the children feel more secure. Gradually these children have formed relationships and begun to talk to staff.

p.30

Personal, social and emotional development

67 In both areas, all equipment is very well labelled and children can select their own resources. They make choices and have quickly learnt to put everything away in the correct places.

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

68 Children start in the nursery with levels of attainment which are below those generally found in children of this age. They make good progress throughout the Foundation Stage and most achieve the early learning goals at the start of Year 1. The school has placed an extra emphasis on the gradual introduction and development of literacy skills from an early stage. Children in the nursery learn phonics and have opportunities to write and listen to stories.

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

69 As they progress through the Foundation Stage children demonstrate good reading skills and are well supported through their literacy lessons and reading at home. Children use texts to help them with other areas of development such as adding detail to models. Very good strategies are used to develop reading skills such as grouping counters to encourage blending. Children make obvious progress in reading words by using this strategy. Many are beginning to write independently and can use punctuation.

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

70 Teaching is good overall and it is very good in reception. Literacy lessons have a brisk pace with high expectations. Higher attaining children are achieving standards above national expectations. Relationships are always very good which results in full attention and rapid learning.

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

71 Lessons and provision within other areas of learning are very well planned and staff are aware of the importance of language development. Plenary sessions are used effectively to reinforce learning and challenge children’s thinking. In one language-based session in reception, the group work included altering texts, role-play within a wallpaper shop, illustrating books, and phonic games. An adult directly supported all but one of the groups. Resources are well used. In the nursery the children take on roles in their 'DIY shop' or behave regally whilst dressing up in their royal robes. Large bricks become a castle as they ride on their ‘hobby horses’. Children demonstrated their knowledge of rhyme through rhyming songs and games.

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

72 Staff read with expression and children are learning book language and behaviour from informal group story times as well as whole-class sessions. One child was delighted to show that the dual language books had ‘her language’ in them. She knew which way she would read both texts.

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

73 Throughout the Foundation Stage there are opportunities to write and read. For example, outside in the ‘DIY shop’ children write on prepared order forms and find their own names to collect milk or go outside. In the reception class many activities are child initiated, such as the registers in the writing area and work based around ‘The Bear Hunt’ poem. Listening centres allow children to listen to stories, music and poems.

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

74 Vocabulary and structures are developed and children’s growing confidence in using language is linked to the very good relationships that are formed.

p.31

Mathematical development

St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 32 75 When children start in the nursery, levels of attainment for mathematical development are below those generally found for children of this age. However, good teaching and planned provision for development ensure that most children achieve the early learning goal by the time they reach Year 1. There are a number of children who are working above national expectations.

p.32

Mathematical development

76 Children in the nursery copy patterns from pegs and make their own patterns using tessellating shapes. They count and tally wood in their 'DIY shop' and ‘charge’ for purchases. Children use language such as heavy, light, long and short whilst selling wood, pipes, nail and screws. The outside environment provides for number games, such as a numbered snake. Water play provides opportunities for children to learn about volume. Small world activities, construction and role-play are planned to include mathematical development, for example, to learn the vocabulary of position, shape, weight or measurement.

p.32

Mathematical development

77 In the reception class children are able to order numbers to 20 and higher attaining children can write much higher numbers. There are a few children who reverse numerals but are aware of which number they have written. The children can count in 10s and some are aware of place value. They can add, subtract and collect data. Interactive mathematical displays support class teaching and children enjoy using them and reinforcing their knowledge. Children used their knowledge of ‘The Bear Hunt’ to describe and illustrate the journey and to reinforce positional language. The children also used a walk around school to place directional arrows on a plan and to express opinions about their favourite parts.

p.32

Mathematical development

78 Teaching is good and often very good in reception. Numeracy lessons are very well planned with good links to literacy in that specific vocabulary is taught and written on card. Teaching is positive and children are encouraged to observe, discuss and to think. They can explain their reasoning. Children know what is expected and rise to appropriate and challenging work within their groups. A group of children learning about three dimensional shapes made obvious progress and were able to give details of the properties of shapes following their shape hunt around the school. There is a good level of quality support, which ensures good progress across all parts of a lesson and encourages persistence.

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

79 Although levels of attainment are below expectations at the start of the nursery, the Foundation Stage curriculum and good teaching provide for good development. Most children achieve the early learning goal by the start of Year 1.

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

80 Teaching is generally good and sometimes very good. In the nursery there is a wide variety of natural and man-made materials for children to use and investigate. Magnifying glasses are provided for close observation. The outside environment is stimulating and plants are used to encourage wildlife such as butterflies. The children enjoy exploring and ask questions about what they find. When a ladybird was ‘spotted’ in class it caused children to talk about other ladybirds and they set off in search of more. In the garden the group spent some time watching the ladybirds and observing their behaviour.

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

81 Planned and incidental opportunities for the development of the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world have ensured good progress. Recently the Foundation Stage has benefited from a Japanese visitor who has supported children in class and taught them about her culture. She held a tea ceremony and wore traditional clothes. The children tasted the tea and watched her demonstrate origami. The children made their own objects from folded newspaper. In the reception class a Japanese display and music from Japan has interested the children who like to talk about the St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 33 things they can see. When the visitor wrote all the children’s names in Japanese characters, they were intrigued.

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

82 Visits and visitors add to the children’s understanding and develop first-hand experiences. A successful Grandparents’ Day was linked to a history topic. Grandparents taught children the games they used to play, talked and played with them and stayed for tea. A Diwali party with parents allowed children to try different foods, dress and cultural activities such as fireworks for celebration. Children have visited a garage and car wash and the local library.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

83 ICT skills are developing but there is limited appropriate software for Foundation Stage children to make full use of the computers. The children use the listening centres themselves.

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Physical development

84 Children begin school in the nursery at standards which are generally below those expected for their age. However, the school provides many opportunities to develop physical skills. In the reception class children use both the outside environment and the hall for physical education sessions and dance. The structure of the lessons and the opportunities to use equipment result in children mostly achieving the early learning goal by Year 1.

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Physical development

85 Teaching is good. Children in the reception class get out their own light equipment such as mats and small tables and learn to use space and control bodies. Outside, all the children are given opportunities to run, climb, catch, bounce and throw balls with confidence. More challenging riding toys such as two-wheeled bicycles are required to further develop skills of higher attaining children. Nursery children were observed using climbing equipment confidently and sensibly and joining in circle games. Although teaching points are made, there are times when staff miss opportunities to improve children’s skills.

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Physical development

86 The outdoor environment is stimulating and there is a range of challenging and interesting equipment including a climbing frame and different sized A-frames. Large and very large tyres, a decked walkway with islands and a house on a barked surface provide children with opportunities to develop physical skills alongside all other areas of learning. In the winter or very bad weather, the grassed area is not available so the space becomes more limited. There is, however, a covered area to allow children to go outside even in the rain.

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Physical development

87 Fine motor skills are developed through activities such as making teddy bears and joining with split pins, using a variety of pencils, crayons and brushes and through design and technology bays. Children are able to select from a wide variety of tools, materials and fixers. Children made dancing dolls with their Japanese visitor and crowns for the Jubilee party.

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Creative development

88 When children start in the nursery standards of attainment are generally below those expected for children of this age. By the time they reach Year 1 most children attain standards which are in line with expectations.

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Creative development

89 Overall, teaching is good and there is a good provision across the stage for creative development. There are occasions when opportunities for developing skills are missed. Although one-to-one teaching takes place in the nursery and children learn basic skills, staff need to be more aware of incidental opportunities to reinforce these skills when children are working independently. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 34 90 Children in the nursery use their imagination as they create a machine from blocks or set the table for a party. In the reception class the role-play area of a wallpaper shop developed into pasting paper and borders onto the fence outside. Children used large brushes and paste and selected toning colours for their borders.

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Creative development

91 Art areas are very well resourced and labelled and children are able to choose from materials and tools. In the nursery, children are given an example of the picture they might paint, such as a rainbow. Some children began singing the ‘Rainbow Song’ when they saw it. Foundation Stage has its own selection of suitable musical instruments and these are available for children to use. Nursery children enjoy singing their phonic songs and circle game rhymes.

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Creative development

92 Co-ordination of the Foundation Stage is very good. The co-ordinator has a very good overview of the needs of the children and how to raise standards. She is also the Key Stage 1 co-ordinator and is very aware of the targets for the children. In spite of some physical limitations the Foundation Stage curriculum is well planned and resourced and is constantly monitored and reviewed.

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ENGLISH

93 The standards of attainment of the majority pupils in Year 6 are below those expected for their age, but this is an improvement on last year when standards were well below the national average. The standards attained by 7-year-olds are also improving and most pupils in the Year 2 class show standards that match the national average in reading and above it in writing. Much of this improvement has come in the last two years and is a result of a variety of strategies introduced since the appointment of the present headteacher. Assessment procedures, including the use of cohort profiles to track pupils’ progress, are now much more focused and enable teachers to set manageable targets for pupils to improve their work. Planning arrangements have also been improved and help teachers in setting work that effectively challenges pupils of all abilities, so that they achieve well. The school has successfully addressed the key issue from the last inspection of ensuring an appropriate time allocation

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ENGLISH

for English through the school. As a result, more time has been given to the teaching of basic literacy skills and in letting pupils practise these in other subjects.

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ENGLISH

94 There has been an improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection and this is now good. Teachers plan their lessons thoroughly and work effectively with the classroom assistants to ensure that pupils have a high proportion of direct teaching. As a result, the pupils are able to maintain their concentration and have a good work rate, so that they produce a good amount of work. Teachers recap effectively on work from previous lessons, ensuring that pupils are able to use their prior knowledge to support their learning. They give good explanations so that pupils are clear about what they are to do, and set motivating work that captures their interest. Teachers use assessment information successfully to evaluate pupils’ performance on a day-to-day basis. This enables them to plan future work accordingly. Most lesson introductions are effectively used to develop pupils’ speaking skills, which are satisfactory throughout the school. There are many opportunities for pupils to

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ENGLISH

discuss and explain their ideas as was seen in a literacy lesson for pupils in Year 6 when they were discussing the features of language used in advertising and in Year 5 when the pupils were talking about the kind of words and phrases that could be used as a means of persuasion. The teachers gave all the pupils the opportunity and confidence to take full part in a class discussion that effectively developed their communication skills. Pupils use their speaking skills in an appropriate manner in other subjects, for example in mathematics lessons when discussing and explaining their strategies for finding solutions to problems. The listening skills of most pupils are satisfactory, helping them to make relevant answers to the teachers’ questions and to gain an appropriate understanding of the work that they are to do. These skills are well developed by the teachers, ensuring that there are opportunities for pupils

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ENGLISH

St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 35 to listen to the views and ideas of adults and other pupils. To further develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills the school has identified the need to provide more opportunities for pupils to take part in structured role-play and drama activities.

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ENGLISH

95 Standards in reading have been steadily rising and now match the levels to be expected with pupils being able to read accurately and confidently from texts appropriate for their age. Most pupils use an appropriate range of strategies to determine unfamiliar words, including the use of phonics.

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ENGLISH

96 The teachers use the shared and guided reading sessions effectively to improve the pupils’ reading skills. This was evident in a very good lesson for pupils in Year 2, in which their reading skills were very effectively developed as a result of the teacher explicitly modelling the behaviour of an effective reader. The chosen text, ‘How to Choose a Pet’, provided good material to meet the learning objectives and was at a challenging level for all pupils. The teacher used questioning skilfully to develop their understanding of how to use a contents page and an index to locate information in a book. In a lesson for pupils in Year 3 on reading the text ‘How to Trick a Tiger’, the expertise of the teacher enabled them to make good progress in their skills of reading with expression, taking note of different punctuation marks.

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ENGLISH

97 In these lessons, as in others, the pupils had positive attitudes to their work, showing interest and enjoyment in what they were doing and having a good work rate. Their behaviour was good, which helped them to maintain their concentration for lengthy periods of time. Pupils were willing to listen to and appreciate the views and ideas of other pupils and worked well collaboratively in small groups.

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ENGLISH

98 By the time they are in Year 6 most pupils are able to recount stories, express their preferences in reading matter and talk in an informed way about their favourite authors. To promote more positive attitudes from some of the boys to reading, the school has recently bought a wider selection of non- fiction books. There is recognition of the need to provide more of these and to more effectively challenge the higher attainers by developing their comprehension skills and using higher order questioning related to texts. The establishment of an ICT suite has meant that the school has lost its library, which has resulted in limited opportunities for pupils to develop their library and research skills. However, a building programme is scheduled to begin in summer 2002 to create a library/study facility on the site of the central garden courtyard. The classrooms are word rich environments, with books

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ENGLISH

attractively displayed, and provide interesting surroundings for pupils to foster an enjoyment of reading.

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ENGLISH

99 The school has put a lot of effort into improving standards in writing and, for pupils in Year 2, they are now above average. In this class and in Year 1, pupils are taught how to use an interesting range of vocabulary and show an awareness of the reader in their writing. Basic skills are taught well and, as a result, the pupils’ writing is well organised with events and ideas in sequence. Pupils write in a variety of forms across the curriculum and their standards of handwriting and presentation are good, with words mainly spelt correctly. This shows good improvement since the last inspection and is supported by teachers having high expectations of what pupils can do and ensuring that pupils take pride in their work. Staff have undertaken training to more effectively develop pupils’ creative writing skills and there are many opportunities for them to be involved in independent writing activities.

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ENGLISH

100 The marking of pupils’ work is used consistently to inform pupils how to improve their writing. As a result, pupils are now making effective progress in developing their writing skills in literacy lessons and in other subjects. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are taught how to construct the main features of a story and how to identify settings and develop characterisation. In a lesson for pupils in Year 4, they showed appropriate ability to sequence a series of events to retell the story that they had been studying in the shared reading session. Pupils in Year 5 showed that they could correctly structure a letter in response to an article in a magazine. By the time they are in Year 6, pupils are beginning to choose St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 36 vocabulary for interest and precision, as is evident in the following extract from one of their poems to show personification: ‘Night is a soundless intruder pinching daylight away’. There is satisfactory use

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ENGLISH

made of ICT by pupils to word-process their stories and poems.

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ENGLISH

101 Leadership is effective with the co-ordinator having a clear view of areas for development. The curriculum is broad and balanced and is enhanced by the use of initiatives such as the Additional and Extra Literacy Strategies, which are well delivered by support staff. Pupils are given opportunities to use their literacy skills to support their work in other subjects, for example, in mathematics when they read questions and then discuss strategies for finding solutions. Pupils label diagrams in science, and record their ideas in a variety of written formats in religious education, geography and history. There is recognition of the need to review the plenary sessions, as they are not always used effectively to review and take forward pupils’ learning. The planning procedures are good, providing teachers with clear information about the key learning objectives and skills to be taught. There are very good

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ENGLISH

procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic performance and tracking the progress that they make as they pass through the school. There are comprehensive measures in place to analyse the statutory test results to identify areas of weakness and then set manageable targets for improvement for groups of pupils. The current provision shows there has been good improvement made since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

102 The school’s 2001 national test results for 11-year-olds are well below average both when compared to all schools and when compared to schools of a similar nature. These results continue the downward trend of recent years. However, evidence from the work of the present Year 6 pupils, lesson observations, and predictions made by the school on the basis of recent tests, indicates that the pupils are attaining significantly higher standards than those of last year. Current standards are close to the national average. The school is firmly committed to improving pupils’ attainment in national tests and has implemented a well-considered action plan to bring about the required improvements.

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MATHEMATICS

103 The school’s 2001 national test results for 7-year-olds are below average when compared to all schools nationally but average when compared to similar schools. These test results continue an upward trend of recent years. Scrutiny of work from Year 2 pupils and lesson observations show that standards are better than those of last year’s Year 2 and they match the national average. When taking into account the pupils’ below average starting point when they began in nursery, this represents good achievement.

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MATHEMATICS

104 Pupils in Year 2 show secure knowledge, understanding and skill when working with number, for example in identifying odds and evens, and in counting on in 2s, 5s and 10s. They understand the concept of place value, know about basic properties of shapes such as spheres, pyramids, cubes and cuboids, and use appropriate measures associated with time, length and weight. Higher attaining pupils can round any two-digit numbers to the nearest ten and several pupils can do so with three-digit numbers. They are adept at explaining their strategies when solving problems, for example, in identifying the missing number in a sequence of three-digit numbers.

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MATHEMATICS

105 In Key Stage 2, pupils further develop written computation skills, including manipulating fractions, decimals and percentages and learn how to apply these, for example, in the context of solving money problems such as finding one eighth of £504. Year 6 pupils can make sensible use of calculators and competently use mental skills of computation, for example, in doubling and halving amounts of money. They can apply mathematical formulae when calculating the area of composite shapes and triangles. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 37 106 As a result of a range of measures taken by the school to address falling standards in national test results for 11-year-olds, teaching is now very good. Overall, teaching is very good in almost all lessons, the exceptions being one lesson where teaching was satisfactory and one where it was excellent. As a result, pupils make very good gains in their acquisition of knowledge, skills and

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MATHEMATICS

understanding. Very good teamwork between teachers and support staff, and careful matching of work to pupils’ prior attainment, ensure that the needs of all groups of pupils are fully met.

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MATHEMATICS

107 Staff have very good relationships with pupils and appropriate expectations of what pupils can achieve, thus providing a positive climate for learning. As a result, the vast majority of pupils listen well and co-operate fully with the adults who teach them, showing eagerness and growing confidence to answer questions. In most lessons, pupils’ behaviour and concentration are very good and exemplary in the two lessons involving Year 4 pupils. The vast majority of pupils clearly enjoy mathematics and respond well to both the work they are set and to the adults with whom they work.

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MATHEMATICS

108 In all lessons positive aspects of teaching and learning include: very good planning of lessons; clear identification of the intended outcomes for learning; very good class control founded upon high quality relationships; good involvement of pupils, for example when individuals explain their methods; and, clear explanations and good use of resources by staff.

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MATHEMATICS

109 The many occasions when pupils are involved in mathematical discussion with teachers and support staff are an effective feature of learning that also contribute to the development of pupils’ speaking and listening skills. Teachers take care to emphasise new words but more might be done towards helping pupils retain mathematical vocabulary.

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MATHEMATICS

110 Pupils throughout the school are making good progress in developing their recall of number facts and in mental manipulation of number. They are beginning to use correct terminology when explaining their methods of performing mental calculations. Pupils presently in Year 6 have broadly average levels of skill in written calculations and have a secure knowledge of multiplication tables. Pupils are given opportunities to use and apply their numeracy skills in other subjects, for example in science when producing graphs from databases of planets; and pupils in Year 3 apply knowledge of three dimensional shapes to their design and technology work. All of these experiences bring 'real life' relevance to pupils’ learning in mathematics. The school now needs to plan for further similar opportunities within other subjects of the curriculum.

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MATHEMATICS

111 Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs are very well supported and make good progress towards their precise and realistic individual targets. Those who speak English as an additional language, and those who have been identified as gifted and talented, are also given suitably challenging work which enables them to make good progress on a par with their peers.

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MATHEMATICS

112 Teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly and positively, giving praise where appropriate and, in best practice, giving guidance as to how pupils might improve their work. Assessment and record- keeping systems are good and provide clear information on pupils’ progress. The requirements of the National Curriculum are met. Homework is set regularly and contributes well to learning.

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MATHEMATICS

113 Good leadership of mathematics has resulted in good improvements in provision since the last inspection. Significant improvements have recently been made in the quality of teaching and, as a result, there is evidence that standards are rising. Teachers’ planning and pupils’ work are systematically monitored; professional development needs have been identified and met through training and demonstration lessons by leading professionals in the local education authority. All of these factors are contributing to recent improvements in standards, especially for older pupils. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 38 114 The school is adequately resourced for mathematics. There is some very good use of the ICT suite to support mathematics, for example, in a lesson involving pupils, in a Year 3/4 group, learning about properties of two-dimensional shapes. However, the school recognises the need to acquire

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MATHEMATICS

appropriate software in order to provide greater opportunities for younger pupils to use computers.

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MATHEMATICS

115 Teachers provide good quality displays that support pupils’ learning and, in some classrooms, celebrate pupils’ achievements by including examples of their work, for example 'an investigation of the nets of three-dimensional solids'.

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SCIENCE

116 The 2001 national test results for 11-year-olds are average when compared with all schools nationally and above average when compared with schools of a similar nature. The school’s 2001 teacher assessment for 7-year-olds indicate standards were only just below average when compared to all schools nationally. Scrutiny of work from the present Year 2 and Year 6 pupils, and lesson observations, indicate that standards are broadly in line with the national average. Pupils' standards in science have been consistently improving for a number of years indicating that this subject is now one of the strong areas of the school's work.

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SCIENCE

117 Pupils in a Year 6 lesson clearly demonstrated the strengths of science and the depth of their knowledge and understanding. Engaged in investigating the size of shadows and effect of the distance of the object from the light source, they showed that they were well organised, being used to conducting investigations, recorded their results carefully, and were able to confidently draw conclusions and then present a hypothesis based on their findings.

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SCIENCE

118 In a Year 2 lesson learning about plants and animals in their local environment, pupils had clearly understood information from a previous lesson and applied that knowledge to the current lesson. They plainly demonstrated their understanding of the need for accurate recording of observations. Pupils were actively involved in the investigations and have sound organisational skills and knowledge and understanding of the topic.

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SCIENCE

119 In both key stages, pupils' attitude to their work is good. They are well behaved and enjoy their work, listening well to their teacher and to each other. Pupils, in all classes, confidently explain why they think something is about to, or has, happened and they make good use of appropriate scientific vocabulary. A small number of pupils in Year 6, mostly boys, have less than satisfactory attitudes to their learning, and on occasions, this spoils the atmosphere in the class. As pupils get older it becomes more obvious from their response to the teachers and the lesson content, that learning is good. They are able to apply their previous scientific knowledge and understanding to new contexts and they make good and effective links between topics and different areas of science. In all classes pupils make good use of their literacy and numeracy skills with clear writing and good use of mathematics, for example

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SCIENCE

120 All pupils have equal access to the science curriculum. Those pupils with special educational needs are well catered for and as a result make good progress. They are able to take a full and active part in lessons and are provided with additional resources, where these are required to meet their needs. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 39 121 The teaching of science is good throughout the school. In both key stages teachers plan their lessons well and in detail and ensure that the content excites and challenges pupils. Teachers have a good scientific knowledge of their topics. For example, in a very well taught Year 4 lesson, the high level of the teacher's planning and her clear expertise in the topic, air resistance and forces, allowed her to present the lesson content in a very clear and unambiguous way. As a result pupils had a very good understanding of the topic and were very involved in the lesson. Questioning is well used in most

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SCIENCE

classes to develop pupils' understanding, to involve them in the lesson and to check out what they know and can do. Relationships between teachers and their pupils are very good and this considerably enhances pupils' learning, allowing them to be confident when asking questions and putting forward ideas. In many lessons special needs and teaching assistants play a very valuable part and considerably enhance pupils’ learning. This is a strong aspect of teaching. Teachers make good use of key vocabulary and scientific terminology and the school is aware of the need for a continued emphasis on this, including an emphasis on correct spelling of scientific terms and names.

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SCIENCE

122 Science is very well co-ordinated by a well-qualified teacher. She has ensured that the scheme of work provides clear direction for colleagues, has reviewed what is taught in all classes and has carried out an evaluation of all aspect of the subject and especially standards. The school makes very good use of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) scheme and a commercial scheme and has combined aspects of both to ensure good and attractive coverage of the science National Curriculum. The co-ordinator has carried out a careful survey of pupils’ levels of attainment and identified areas to further improve standards and especially to provide a curriculum which will allow higher levels to be attained. The majority of the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and coverage is through the review of teachers' planning and through collecting in samples of pupils' work. Through these strategies the co-ordinator has gained a very accurate view of standards, of what works well

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SCIENCE

123 Resources are good for science, and especially for investigations. The use of computers in science is limited, partly because the school has only recently the improved the ICT provision. However, there remains a shortfall in the amount of good quality software available to support science. The school is aware of this situation and has plans to improve it.

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SCIENCE

124 There has been a very good improvement in science since the last inspection. Much of the work has centred on developing a relevant scheme of work and ensuring the resources are available to match the scheme. The monitoring of standards and coverage of the science curriculum is having a significant and positive effect on the development of the subject.

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ART AND DESIGN

125 The level of pupils’ attainment in art is above average when compared with schools nationally. An increasing number of pupils are working at levels which are well above average. In both key stages pupils are able to work and express themselves well in a variety of media and in two and three dimensions. The amount and quality of work on display testify clearly to the overall quality of work and to pupils’ above average level of attainment. They also clearly indicate the amount of work being done in all areas of the school and the importance of art and design in the curriculum. In a well-taught Year 6 lesson where pupils were engaged in producing a banner for the nursery, they examined how stories could be represented in textiles, produced good quality preliminary sketches, using secondary sources to inform their designs, and then selected materials for the construction of the banner. The overall

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ART AND DESIGN

quality of the work was above average with pupils thinking hard about the images and what they were trying to achieve and communicate visually. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 40 126 Teaching is good in both key stages. Lessons are well planned and organised and teacher expertise is very evident in the introductions to lessons and in the support provided for individual pupils as they develop their work. In some classes, for example where there was a higher proportion of pupils with special needs, there can be two or three support staff, including a support teacher, working alongside the class teacher. In one such lesson, a Year 5 lesson where pupils were making models of Australian reptiles, teamwork was excellent and, as a result, pupils made very good progress in the development of their art skills and their knowledge and understanding. The pace of lessons was good and the work challenged pupils. Learning was good as a direct result of good teaching. The quality of

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ART AND DESIGN

pupils' work was above average with well-formed shapes and confident and skilful use of material. Pupils made good use of colour and showed good levels of observational skill.

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ART AND DESIGN

127 The range of work covered throughout the school is extensive and clearly meets the requirements of the National Curriculum programmes of study. Teaching puts a high and appropriate emphasis on the development of pupils’ skills as well as their knowledge and understanding and as a result work is of a high quality and carefully finished.

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ART AND DESIGN

128 Good teaching results in good learning in both key stages. The emphasis on art skills is clearly paying dividends and pupils are able to confidently work with media and materials and are increasingly developing good and often very good manipulative skills, for example in the use of brushes and pencils. Teaching also challenges pupils’ thinking and this is a good and important part of their learning. Many pupils critically consider their work and, with advice, modify it to express their intentions. Attitudes and behaviour in art lessons are good with lots of concentration, enjoyment and consideration of other pupils.

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ART AND DESIGN

129 Teaching and the art curriculum is enriched through visits to galleries etc. and through teaching by a visiting professional potter. These sessions, besides being of very high quality, clearly enthuse and interest pupils who are eager to learn and produce high quality work. This is a regular feature of art teaching and contributes considerable to the art curriculum. Besides the regular involvement of the potter, the school has had workshops and visiting artists for other aspects of art and design, for example, one-day workshops on illustration, on three dimensional modelling, and a stained glass workshop.

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ART AND DESIGN

130 Co-ordination is good. The headteacher is currently art co-ordinator. A policy is in place and an audit of the provision has been carried out. The QCA scheme of work is used with modifications to meet the school's needs. Co-ordination is ensuring that art has a high profile throughout the school with a range of additional activities, including the use of artists in residence, extending art into the community and a range of visits and visitors. The arts are a very important and significant part of the life of the school and of pupils’ education.

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ART AND DESIGN

131 The school has recently been awarded Artsmark by the Arts Council of England in recognition of the commitment it has shown to providing opportunities across all the arts. It has also secured involvement in the Creative Partnership Initiative, a pilot scheme funded by the DfES, which will bring into the school a substantial amount of extra funding for the arts.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

132 During the inspection it was possible to observe only one lesson, namely in Year 5. Therefore there is insufficient evidence to make secure judgements about teaching and pupils’ learning across the school. However, the school provided sufficient evidence for secure judgements to be made about standards of pupils’ work. St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 41 133 On the basis of photographic evidence, it is clear that standards attained by Year 6 pupils match those expected nationally. Pupils in Year 6 have undertaken an investigation of shelters as a basis from which they planned and made their own versions, using appropriate levels of manipulative skills. Year 5 pupils were observed planning and making musical instruments. They show appropriate levels of skill in their designs and include pertinent detail such as their choice of materials to be used. They successfully use manipulative skills such as sawing, cutting and gluing, though a significant number

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

require further guidance with the use of tools, such as handsaws. This lesson was well prepared and resourced by the teacher and an appropriate length of time was allowed for pupils to develop their skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

134 Standards attained by 7-year-olds also match the level expected for their age. Examples of work completed by Year 2 pupils indicate that pupils are able to plan, make and evaluate their products to a level expected for their age. For example, pupils are able to use skills of accurate measuring before cutting and fixing wheels and axles to chassis (i.e. egg boxes) to make moving vehicles. Year 2 pupils have also designed and made some glove puppets by cutting and stitching felt and decorated these by gluing on sequins. Pupils’ accurate drawing and cutting skills have enabled them to produce good quality work, which they subsequently evaluated by making sensitive comments.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

135 Design and technology tasks provide relevant contexts for pupils to apply learning from other subjects. Examples include, use of mathematical skills such as measuring nets to construct containers and weighing ingredients when making pizzas, and application of scientific knowledge of electrical circuits when making a variety of illuminated artefacts, such as a clown’s face, a flower and a model of a Kenyan hut.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

136 On the basis of pupils’ work displayed around the school, photographic evidence and teachers’ plans, it is clear that all pupils, including those who have special educational needs, are provided with sufficient and relevant opportunities to learn about design and technology.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

137 Satisfactory co-ordination of this subject has resulted in satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection, especially in terms of improving resources for pupils’ use. There is now a secure basis for long and medium-term plans that ensures a consistent and cohesive approach to lesson planning and ensures that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

138 The school recognises the need to introduce an efficient and effective system of recording pupils’ progress and to develop the use of ICT within the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

139 By the time that they are 11, most of the pupils attain the national expectations in both subjects. Not enough lessons were seen to make a secure judgement on the quality of teaching in either subject.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

140 In a history lesson for pupils in Year 4 on finding out about Viking Longships, the teacher’s good subject knowledge enabled her to clearly explain how the ships were built. Questioning was used effectively to probe the pupils’ understanding and to stimulate discussion. The activities were interesting and enabled pupils them to maintain their concentration. Pupils have positive attitudes, being well behaved and willing to listen to the views and opinions of others. They had appropriate ability to research a variety of sources to find out information about the Vikings. Pupils in a Year 5 lesson showed a satisfactory understanding of the main events of Francis Drake’s voyage around the world. The pupils in Years 1 and 2 are helped to develop their understanding of time by listening to stories about the past and of famous people. Pupils' previous learning is consolidated through the use of books,

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

photographs and historical artefacts and pupils are taught how to recognise similarities and differences St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 42 through the years. This was seen in the work of pupils in Year 2, who have used photographs to find out how holidays have changed over time. As they pass through the school, the pupils are taught how to use evidence to find out about the past, as in the work of Year 4 pupils who have used different sources of information to find out about Boudicca, the Queen of the Iceni tribe. Pupils in Year 6 show they understand the differences between classrooms in Victorian times and now.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

141 In geography, the pupils in Years 1 and 2 have a satisfactory understanding of the differences in clothing in hot and cold countries. They can make a map of the route from home to school and recognise the difference between physical and human features in the local environment. Pupils in Year 4 have an appropriate understanding of the differences in the way of life of children in Kenya, from that of their own. In Year 6, the pupils understand the effect of water on the landscape and the main features of river systems. They can highlight the advantages and disadvantages of environmental change, and know how vandalism, litter and pollution can damage the environment.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

142 The leadership of both subjects is secure, with the co-ordinator having prioritised areas for development, such as in reviewing policy statements and further developing resources to enhance cross-curricular provision. The curriculum is good, with all pupils having access to a variety of relevant experiences in both subjects, including visits to places of educational interest to provide further learning opportunities. To support their work in history, pupils in Years 1 and 2 have visited the Peoples’ Museum in Manchester to develop their understanding of life in Britain during the Second World War. In geography, a residential stay for older pupils at Castleton develops their understanding of the features of a contrasting locality. The pupils’ literacy skills are appropriately developed, as incorrect spelling and punctuation are highlighted. Pupils use their numeracy skills in history to create time lines

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

and in geography to use co-ordinates to locate features on maps. Assessment arrangements are successful in enabling teachers to set work that is challenging for pupils of all abilities. The accommodation and resource provision are adequate in both subjects, and include a collection of interesting historical artefacts.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

143 The development and improvement of ICT has been a recent major initiative and one of the school’s main priorities for development. The expansion is wide ranging and includes the provision of a new ICT suite, school networking and staff training to further develop expertise.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

144 ICT is improving rapidly throughout the school and the level of pupils’ of attainment is getting better. All of the aspects of ICT are being taught, although there is a pressing need to improve the provision for the control aspect of the National Curriculum. The level of pupils’ attainment in Key Stage 1 is average and in Key Stage 2 below average. However, pupils are making good overall progress. The level of attainment of the pupils in Year 6 is below average when measured across all the strands of ICT, but in some aspects pupils are confident and competent and have good and at least average levels of skill, knowledge and understanding. An obvious example of this is in word processing. Standards have improved considerably since the last inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

145 Teaching is good overall in both key stages, with some excellent teaching. Teachers’ planning is good and often very good, clearly identifying not only what is to be covered but also interesting and exciting ways of delivering the information. Relationships between adults and pupils are very good and, in the lessons observed, teachers had a good level of personal expertise. In a Year 5 lesson, excellent teaching resulted in pupils very confidently using an interactive whiteboard to demonstrate and explain to the rest of the class what they had done. A number of pupils demonstrated ‘new’ methods of accessing and manipulating information, for example by using shortcuts they had discovered. Attainment in this lesson, as a direct result of excellent teaching, was well above average. Again, in a St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 43 very well taught Year 3/4 mathematics lesson with a significant number of lower attaining pupils,

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

teaching was so good that it ensured that learning was very good and pupils made very good progress in relation to their level of attainment. The lesson was very well planned, once more, not only in content, but also in identifying strategies especially well linked to pupils’ individual needs as well as the needs of the whole group. Overall, good planning meets the needs of all pupils, and, in all classes, those with special educational needs are very well provided for.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

146 Pupils of all ages clearly enjoy their ICT lessons and are well behaved and concentrate hard, often for extended periods of time. They are able to use prior knowledge and understanding and make use of skills and concepts from other subjects areas, for example in writing, mathematics and art. A very noticeable strength of pupils’ attitudes in a number of ICT lessons is the way in which they help each other and share. Pupils who have a good understanding of what they are doing will very confidently and sympathetically help other pupils with their work. Good learning is often typified by the speed with which pupils are able to learn new aspects and applications of the software with confidence and accuracy and apply them to new situations, for example the Year 5 lesson demonstrating using the interactive whiteboard.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

147 There are two ICT co-ordinators: one manages the systems, hardware provision etc, and the other manages ICT across the curriculum. The school buys technical support in on a regular weekly basis. This is a considerable help to the co-ordinators who can, as a result, concentrate on ensuring the curriculum is delivered and monitor and evaluate all aspects of ICT including the levels of pupils' progress and their standards. The standard of co-ordination is very good and teachers are provided with clear direction and support. This is having a very positive and significant effect on the development of ICT in all areas of the school.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

148 Resources are now very good with up-to-date machines and a good range of additional equipment. Besides the ICT suite every classroom has at least one computer and there are a number of laptops available for staff use. The planning for the new library includes ICT as an integral component.

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MUSIC

149 Standards of attainment in music at the end of Key Stage 1 are in line with national expectations. At the end of Key Stage 2 standards are generally in line with national expectations but below for some aspects such as composing and performing. There are a number of pupils, receiving specialist instrumental lessons, who reach standards of attainment that are above and well above expectations.

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MUSIC

150 Pupils have a good attitude towards music and behave well. They obviously practise on their instruments and many are confident singers when they know the songs. A group of pupils were very happy to demonstrate their musical abilities during their break.

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MUSIC

151 Teaching of music at Key Stage 1 is good and at Key Stage 2 it is satisfactory overall. Only limited observation of class lessons was possible but evidence was gained through discussions and observations of performance. Pupils in Year 2 are able to hold a pulse and create musical patterns using instruments. Key Stage 1 pupils sung enthusiastically and tunefully during a very good hymn practice. More confident pupils volunteered to sing solo or within a duet.

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MUSIC

152 The teacher leading the hymn practice has very good subject knowledge and high expectations of performance. Vocabulary is emphasised and pupils are encouraged to articulate words clearly. This St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 44 is reflected in their improved singing performances. Other staff, within the hall, need to take a more active part in these sessions to develop their own confidence and to support the teaching.

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MUSIC

153 Observations of Key Stage 2 performance were limited to singing in assemblies and instrumental lessons. The standard of singing is satisfactory and pupils who have lessons from peripatetic teachers learn to play instruments well. All pupils listened to music played during assemblies but opportunities were sometimes missed to develop knowledge and understanding of the pieces or use the music to acknowledge feelings.

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MUSIC

154 Teaching by peripatetic staff is very good. As a result, pupils develop very good relationships with staff and each other and are well motivated. They enjoy their lessons and make rapid progress.

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MUSIC

155 Discussion with the co-ordinator, who has a good knowledge of the subject's demands, highlighted areas for development within the music curriculum and the development of teaching through staff training. Although the school has several musicians on the staff, this expertise does not appear to be used effectively to improve standards throughout the school. The school needs to develop teachers’ knowledge of the standards required for composing and performing within Key Stage 2 and to make better use of teachers’ subject knowledge to support non-specialists. There is a school- identified need to improve pupils’ knowledge of musical terminology and to develop a system for recording and assessing progress.

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MUSIC

156 Although there have been some links with other curricular areas, such as extended writing and art, these links need to be developed further. There have been a number of extra-curricular music- based activities, which have enhanced the music curriculum and developed pupils’ interest. Visits, for example, to the Birmingham Royal Ballet, workshops, dance groups and a very successful dance club in school have succeeded in developing pupils’ interest in the arts and paved the way to develop the planned cross-curricular links with music.

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MUSIC

157 The music co-ordinator runs out-of-school guitar and recorder lessons. Parents are also showing an interest in learning the guitar alongside pupils. There is a small, but enthusiastic, brass band, which rehearses after school. There have been improvements in provision for learning about multicultural music. Foundation Stage children listen to music from Japan to develop understanding of the culture of their Japanese visitor.

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MUSIC

158 There have been some recent additions to music resources. The school funds much of the peripatetic teaching and the purchase of some tuned instruments. However, there is a need for further development in the quantity and range of resources to ensure that all pupils achieve their full potential within all aspects of the National Curriculum for music.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

159 Pupils in Year 6, who are nearing the end of Key Stage 2, attain standards that match those expected nationally. They show appropriate levels of skill in their gymnastic performance, especially in their ability to demonstrate aesthetic awareness when balancing. Pupils are also able to identify this quality when observing each other’s performance and suggest improvements, such as extending feet or fingers. In games, pupils show the expected levels of skill when handling a rugby ball and show that they have learned strategies of attack and defence. The vast majority of pupils learn to swim to the standard required by the National Curriculum.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

160 On the limited evidence of one games lesson in Year 2 it is evident that pupils approaching the end of Key Stage 1 exceed the level expected for 7-year-olds. Pupils are confident and competent in St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 45 performing a variety of bouncing, catching, dribbling and striking actions. Pupils show levels of skill above those expected of 7-year-olds when working in pairs throwing and catching a ball. They are able to make sensible use of available space, showing good awareness of others, for example when using hockey sticks alongside their peers.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

161 Throughout the school, pupils are aware of the need for warm-up before physical exercise and have a basic understanding of the effect of exercise on the body.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

162 Teaching is good overall. Very good teaching in a Year 2 lesson resulted in pupils making very good gains in their ability to throw, catch, bounce and strike a variety of balls. The lesson was very well planned and directed by the teacher. Her commentary on well-chosen pupils' demonstrations, allied to excellent relationships, contributed greatly to the very good learning, high level of respect and exemplary behaviour shown by pupils. A similarly very good lesson was observed in Year 3 where pupils were enacting a dance related to the theme of farming. As a result of extremely perceptive planning and the uninhibited personal example of the teacher, pupils showed imaginative and expressive movements whilst collaborating very successfully with each other.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

163 Strengths in teaching, common to all lessons include: good lesson planning; brisk pace; and good organisation of the class. An aspect of teaching that needs improving, even in some lessons that are nonetheless good, is the need for teachers to ensure that the entire class are kept in view.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

164 Pupils with special educational needs are fully integrated within lessons, usually as a result of the work of staff whose one-to-one support ensures the safety and progress of individual, targeted pupils. Those pupils who are gifted and talented are given ample opportunity to demonstrate their skills and to attend extra-curricular activities, such as football, where two very skilled pupils were observed.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

165 On the evidence of almost all lessons it is clear that there are good relationships between adults and pupils. This underpins the very good control teachers have of their classes. In the vast majority of lessons, pupils demonstrate sensible behaviour and very good attitudes. However, there are a significant minority of boys in Year 6 whose attitudes are not good enough, as evidenced by their behaviour in the two lessons observed. In all lessons, pupils make safe use of equipment and are aware of the needs of others.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

166 The well-qualified co-ordinator for physical education provides good leadership, especially in terms of enriching the quality of provision in the subject. The school has made satisfactory improvement in the subject since the last inspection, especially in teaching and in resource provision. Planning documents provide evidence that National Curriculum requirements are fully met. Currently, the school is trialling a system for recording pupils’ progress in the subject. It is important that a simple and effective system is implemented as soon as possible. Games teaching in the hall would benefit from line markings on the floor, thus facilitating groups working in designated spaces.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

167 Visits to the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s performance of 'Swan Lake' and water sports activities at Salford Quays enrich the physical education curriculum and also bring both cultural and social benefits to pupils’ learning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

168 Pupils benefit from the school’s involvement of visitors such as ballet dancers and professional rugby players. Similarly, extra-curricular activities, such as football, dance, netball and cricket, and, in previous years, a residential adventure activity week for Year 6 pupils, contribute significantly to pupils’ personal and physical development and reflect teachers’ high commitment to their pupils.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

St Mary's Church of England Primary School - 46 169 Standards of attainment, at the end of both key stages, are generally in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Work in books is well presented and demonstrates understanding. Pupils in Year 6 use research skills to develop their knowledge and understanding of the Bible and there is evidence of a good use of literacy skills within religious education lessons. Pupils in Year 2 are able to draw and label items observed during their church visit.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

170 In most lessons pupils behave well and show a good attitude towards their learning. Where the pace of a lesson slows, pupils begin to lack concentration and lose attention. However, behaviour became poor in one lesson when pupils were given very little initial guidance or explanation of the task. Expectations of behaviour and presentation were low.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

171 Overall, teaching throughout the school is satisfactory with some good features within most lessons. However, in one lesson teaching was poor. Although the religious education aspect of the lesson was well planned and the introduction was interesting and relevant, the lesson deteriorated when rude behaviour was tolerated. As a result the standard of attainment in this lesson was well below expectations for this age group.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

172 Sound lessons were epitomised by good relationships and good listening. In a Year 1 lesson, pupils were able to recall their learning and listened to each other. In spite of a wide ability range, all pupils know what is expected and can work independently. In learning about Joseph, pupils are able to express feelings such as jealousy. In Year 3, well-prepared resources ensure that all pupils are included. Captions on an interactive Judaism display are presented for different reading abilities and appropriate games challenge pupils of all abilities.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

173 The co-ordinator is fairly new to the position and the subject is not on the school development plan. Planning is checked termly to ensure coverage of the syllabus but at the moment standards are not monitored and assessment is very informal.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

174 There are improving links with the church and the vicar visits the school regularly. Some classes visit the church or the vicar will help with a specific topic in one class. The whole school attends the church at Harvest Festival and Year 6 annually attend a Buddhist workshop. Church, other places of worship and community links need to be further developed.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

175 Resources are good and there are books, artefacts and tapes for each of the faiths studied. The school makes use of the multicultural centre in Salford. The co-ordinator has identified a need to link religious education to other areas of the curriculum such as literacy, history or geography. When literacy links are made, the work is well presented and literacy skills become relevant to pupils.

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