Monkleigh Primary School

MONKLEIGH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 11 th May 2000

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MONKLEIGH PRIMARY SCHOOL

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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MONKLEIGH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Monkleigh Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Monkleigh Bideford Devon

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr M J Poole

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1996 Monkleigh Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs Kay Cornish Registered Inspector Mathematics Science Information technology Design and technology Music Physical education Equal opportunities Interpretation of the school’s results Teaching and learning Leadership and management of the school

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr Brian Sampson Lay Inspector The care the school gives to pupils Partnership with parents Mrs Jean Newing Team Inspector English Art Geography History Religious education Under-fives Special educational needs English as an additional language Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Curriculum and learning opportunities

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Evenlode Associates Limited 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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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 achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Monkleigh Primary School was established in 1875 and has had several building additions in recent years. Monkleigh village is situated in a rural setting about four miles south of Bideford in North Devon. The school has recently acquired an adjoining playing field of approximately two acres. The school takes pride in its links with parents and the community. Most pupils have had some pre-school provision and they are broadly in line with national expectations on entry to the reception class.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

At the time of the inspection there were 82 pupils on roll, smaller than the national average. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals at present is 9.75 per cent, which is lower than the national average. The percentage of pupils speaking English as an additional language at nought per cent, is low. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is 6.1 per cent, which is well below the national average. There are no pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need. The average class size is 27, which is broadly in line with the national average. There have been no exclusions of pupils in recent years. Admission is by a two-term entry: September and January. Pupils can be admitted on a part-time basis a term before they are due to start full time.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Monkleigh School is a very effective school that provides a good quality of education. It consistently helps pupils to achieve standards that are above the expected levels nationally. Teaching is good overall. A significant proportion of teaching is very good and impacts substantially on pupils’ learning. The significant strengths of the school outweigh those aspects in need of improvement. The school uses the principles of best value effectively and gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Teaching is a major strength of the school and has a significant impact on pupils’ learning. • Pupils’ standards in mathematics, science, design and technology and music are well above those expected nationally. Standards overall are good. • The leadership and management of the curriculum are good. The good influence has an impact on high standards. • The very good attitudes, behaviour and very good relationships in the school are ensured by all the hard-working and talented staff, who work well as a team to give good support. • There are good links with parents and the community. • Financial and daily administration are of a high standard.

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ standards in some aspects of writing. • Pupils have insufficient opportunities for gymnastics and for handling data through computer technology, although overall standards are satisfactory. • The Code of Practice for special educational needs is not fully implemented. • The school lacks sufficient learning support staff to help the needs of all pupils and teachers. • The lack of use of the school’s hall for its original purpose and other aspects of the accommodation create difficulties. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There has been good improvement since the previous inspection in 1996. The key issues have been rectified successfully. Standards have been raised in information technology and new computers have been purchased. Standards have risen in art. Planning of the curriculum has improved. The provision for Religious Education is better. The school has updated its assessment procedures and they are now satisfactory. Links with parents have improved with good consultation achieved. Pupils’ spiritual awareness and knowledge of minority ethnic groups have been better provided for. The monitoring of teaching and learning has improved. The school’s development plan now has detailed planning beyond the Monkleigh Primary School - 7 current year. The local education authority has provided an extra classroom and indoor toilets for a three- class organisation, although the accommodation and decoration still create difficulties. Recommended

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

requirements for reporting to parents are now fully met. A new sports field has been acquired adjoining the school. The school is now well placed to maintain standards and to continue its good improvement.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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schools

Key Very high A* 1997 1998 1999 1999 well above average A English A D D E above average B mathematics A A A A* average below average C D science A* A A* A* well below average E

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schools

Due to the fact that numbers of pupils in each year group are ten or below, comparisons between year group results should be treated with caution.

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schools

The above table shows that in 1999 national tests at the end of Key Stage 2, pupils achieved standards which were very high in mathematics and science compared with similar schools. Compared with all schools, standards were above average in mathematics; standards were very high in science, with the school being in the top 5 per cent of schools nationally for this subject. The school’s performance for English was below the average for all schools and well below for similar schools, despite a high proportion of pupils reaching Level 4, the expected national average. However, no pupils reached the higher Level 5 and the percentage of pupils achieving below the lower Level 3 was twice the national average. This resulted in the school’s average score for English being reduced. At both key stages, speaking and listening and reading attainment is mainly above the average. Pupils achieve high standards in mathematics and science at Key

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schools

Stage 1. Standards overall in information technology are in line with the national expected levels. Pupils’ attainment in Religious Education is in line with the standards expected in the locally agreed syllabus.

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schools

No subject is overall unsatisfactory. However, aspects of pupils’ writing, such as sustained fluency with more complex sentence structures, paragraphing and presentation, are unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2. Handwriting at both key stages is unsatisfactory. The lack of provision for gymnastics and data handling in information technology lowers standards in these subjects.

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schools

Pupils with special educational needs do not make consistently satisfactory progress in all lessons. Children under five achieve standards which are similar to the national early learning goals by the time they reach their fifth birthday. Overall, pupils make good gains in their learning throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils have purposeful attitudes to their work. They are enthusiastic about their studies. They are happy to come to school. Pupils’ attitudes to design and technology lessons are excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is overall good. A significant proportion of behaviour is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development is good. Pupils make maximum use of many varied opportunities to take responsibility, conduct independent research and use their initiative. Relationships are very good. Monkleigh Primary School - 8 Attendance Satisfactory overall, but slightly below the national average. Punctuality is good.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

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

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Teaching is good overall. Throughout the school a significant amount of teaching was very good. Occasionally teaching was excellent. There was good teaching seen in all classes. A very small proportion of teaching was unsatisfactory in English. Overall, this is a very good picture and a substantial improvement from the previous report. The impact of the high quality of teaching has a significant effect on pupils’ very good learning. As a result, there is very good achievement in mathematics, science and music. Achievement in design and technology at Key Stage 2 is excellent. Progress of learning in reading, speaking and listening, art, history and physical education is good overall, apart from gymnastics, which is unsatisfactory. Progress in learning for some aspects of writing is unsatisfactory. There are insufficient opportunities for data handling with information technology due to a lack of programs. The progress of

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

pupils with special educational needs is variable and inconsistent. The good teaching of children under the age of five provides a good start to children’s education.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broadly balanced. There is high quality planning in mathematics, science, design and technology, music and physical education. Provision for pupils with special educational needs All pupils with special educational needs are welcomed but the Code of Practice is not fully implemented and provision is not wholly satisfactory within whole-class lessons. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Overall good provision. The school is successful in developing values of fairness, honesty and respect for others. The school encourages a well- developed sense of mutual responsibility and is protective of people and the environment. Provision for cultural development is good. How well the school cares for its pupils There are satisfactory procedures to assess pupils’ attainment and progress at both key stages. Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’

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Aspect Comment

welfare are satisfactory. The quality of support is overall good, but there are insufficient helpers to support all pupils and teachers.

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Aspect Comment

Partnerships with the parents and the community are good. The school is held in high regard and is an orderly community with a caring atmosphere and warm welcome.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff The hard-working headteacher, who is about to retire, has dedicated nineteen years of service to the school. He is well supported by his conscientious and talented staff. Together they have successfully implemented a number of worthwhile developments which have raised standards. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is effective in fulfilling its responsibilities apart from implementing fully the Code of Practice for special educational needs. Governors give good support in all other areas. They are regularly involved in the life of the school, showing commitment and practical help. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is good at evaluating its own strengths and needs. All the key issues of the previous report have been rectified and new priorities, such as the need to improve writing, have been recently identified.

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Aspect Comment

Monkleigh Primary School - 9 The strategic use of resources The school uses its budget prudently. Financial and daily administration are highly efficient. The limitation of the building creates some difficulties and wastes precious time during the school’s day. The lack of a headteacher’s office, staffroom, library and hall is unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Although teachers are well qualified for the primary age, there are insufficient learning support helpers to meet the needs of all pupils. The accommodation is limiting for whole-school activities, such as assemblies and for activities such as dance, drama and gymnastics. The recent acquisition of an adjoining field has greatly improved outdoor activity areas and standards in team games.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The happy, family atmosphere of the school. • Approachable teachers who ‘talk to you as people’. • Very good discipline and behaviour. • The confidence of their children encouraged by the school. • The academic standards of pupils who are prepared well for secondary school. • Children like coming to school. • The extra classroom and indoor toilets provided by the local education authority. • The interesting curriculum. • Lack of space in the accommodation. • Another two classes built to replace the recycled classroom and accommodate pupils who are in the school’s hall for lessons. • Part of the new field surfaced with tarmac for outdoor play and car parking. • Extra activities out of school hours.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agreed with what pleases parents most. Inspectors considered that the accommodation was limiting for pupils’ uninterrupted learning and created difficulties, such as time wasting for lessons, problems of lack of space for meetings, storage, rooms for specialist teaching, and lack of teachers’ privacy for working. With regard to the extra activities, inspectors found that such activities were satisfactory for a school of this size and the number of teachers. Monkleigh Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and achievements

1. The number of pupils in each year group is usually ten or less, which makes comparisons from one year to another difficult. Pupils’ attainment in National Curriculum tests in 1999 for Key Stage 1, was the same as the national average for reading and above the national average for writing. Results in mathematics were well above the national average. Results in science were well above the national interpretation, using teachers’ assessments. Although pupils’ scores in writing were 100 per cent at Level 2+, the expected level, which is very high, there were no pupils achieving the higher Level 3, which reduces the average point score significantly. In mathematics, 100 per cent of pupils scored Level 2+, but out of this percentage, 50 per cent of pupils scored the higher Level 3, which is very high in comparison with the national average, and quite exceptional.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. At the end of Key Stage 2 in the 1999 National Curriculum tests for English, the number of pupils reaching Level 4 was well above the national average. However, there were no pupils reaching the higher Level 5 and the percentage of pupils achieving below the lower Level 3 was twice the national average. Therefore, at the end of Key Stage 2, the school’s English average score was below the average in comparison with all schools. Standards in mathematics were well above the national average. Science results were very high in comparison with the national average. In mathematics and science, no pupils scored below Level 4, the expected level nationally. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 in mathematics was 43 per cent, well above the average. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 in science was very high at 71 per cent, an exceptional achievement.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Taking trends over time, from 1996 to 1999 inclusive, the school’s results at the end of Key Stage 1 in reading dropped, but were broadly in line with national averages in 1998 and 1999. Writing standards dropped slightly, but remained above the national average throughout, apart from 1998 when they were the same as the national average. Apart from a drop in 1998, mathematical standards have remained very high, and are well above the national average. Boys and girls performed equally well above the national trend apart from reading, when boys’ scores were close to the national average.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Trends at the end of Key Stage 2 over the same period of time show English results dropping from above to below national averages. Mathematical results, however, rose sharply and are well above the national average. Science scores rose sharply and were very high when compared with the national average. Boys’ and girls’ scores were consistently rising together, but girls’ results were better than boys in mathematics and science. The very good results in science reflect very good use of staff’s expertise. The same teacher teaches science throughout the whole of the Key Stage 2 and, as an ex-advisory teacher for science for the local education authority, has very good subject knowledge. Expertise for teaching in mathematics is strong throughout the school.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. There was some unsatisfactory teaching of English seen during the inspection. Teachers are less confident about the organisation for literacy lessons. There is generally insufficient adult learning support for pupils with special educational needs for literacy in lessons across the curriculum. Particular weaknesses were observed in the teaching of writing. At Key Stage 1, average and higher attaining pupils are not joining their writing sufficiently, but the school has introduced a new strategy this year to rectify this weakness. At Key Stage 2, standards in extended writing, in written presentation, and in the fluency of complex sentence structures are below the standards expected nationally. Thus, these factors of lower confidence of teachers for English, of insufficient support staff and lower standards in writing, account for the fact that standards in the subject are well below the high standards achieved in mathematics and science.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. During the current inspection, standards throughout show a marked improvement overall for all Monkleigh Primary School - 11 subjects since the previous inspection of 1996. Standards are noticeably higher where there is specialist teaching and the good sharing of expertise.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Children enter school in the under-five age group with overall skills which are mainly in line with national expectations. Children make satisfactory progress overall and good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world and in their physical development. By the time children commence their formal education at the age of five, they are in line with the national early learning goals.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. The attainment of the present pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in speaking, listening and reading is above national averages. Their standards in writing are in line, apart from handwriting which is below average. Mathematical and science standards are well above the national averages. Key Stage 1 standards in design and technology, music and physical education are above the nationally expected levels, with the exception of gymnastics, where pupils lack experience. Standards which are in line with the expected levels for their age are achieved for information technology, religious education, art, geography and history.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment in speaking, listening and reading is above the average. Writing standards are below the national average. Standards of higher attainers are below their expected higher levels in writing due to insufficient challenges. Standards in mathematics are above the national average by the end of Key Stage 2. Standards of the same age-range are well above in science, design and technology and music. Attainment in physical education is above national expectations, apart from gymnastics. In physical education, pupils are not taught gymnastics because of the lack of appropriate facilities. In information technology, religious education, art, geography and history, standards are in line with expected national levels, apart from insufficient programs for data handling. The whole picture for standards is positive. There has been good improvement since the school was previously inspected.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. Progress in learning, overall, is mainly good. There is very good progress in mathematics and science throughout, and music at Key Stage 2. Pupils make excellent progress at design and technology at Key Stage 2. Progress of the children aged under five is mainly good. When pupils receive specialist teaching by staff with very good expertise and knowledge of their subject, their progress is better. Apart from challenging higher attainers in writing at Key Stage 2, higher attainers in most other subjects are well challenged generally and attain appropriate high standards.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. The progress of pupils with special educational needs in English is unsatisfactory. They make good progress in mathematics and science. In other subjects, their progress is variable and reliant on receiving sufficient in-class support for their needs. Where their progress is satisfactory, it is due mainly to the organisational and management skills of the teachers in managing mixed-age classes with limited support. The withdrawal of pupils with special educational needs for infrequent sessions in literacy is not wholly effective. There are no pupils with English as an additional language.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Pupils’ literacy skills and progress are overall satisfactory, apart from the need to improve writing. Reading standards are above those expected nationally. Pupils make a good analysis of the text and read fluently with perceptive understanding. Pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar are mainly satisfactory and pupils write in simple sentences logically. Their style, fluency, handwriting and presentation are weak at Key Stage 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. Pupils’ numeracy skills are well developed and standards are high. Throughout, pupils are quick at calculating numbers mentally in their daily practices. Their written calculations are careful and accurate and pupils are confident to use a variety of strategies to arrive at their answers. They make accurate measurements and record them effectively in tables and graphs. Their skills in other subjects, such as design and technology and science, contribute very effectively to pupils’ high standards in numeracy. Monkleigh Primary School - 12

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils show very positive attitudes to learning in response to good and very good teaching and there are effective relationships between teachers and pupils. The previous report stated that attitudes were good, but that pupils lacked independent learning skills. The latter has improved considerably.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The attitudes of the children under five in the Key Stage 1 class are very good; children listen carefully, follow instructions and work independently. All the pupils in the Key Stage 1 class are fully engaged in the lessons; the good teaching captures and sustains their interest and makes learning fun with the result that pupils are well motivated and work hard. During a Religious Education lesson, when pupils were considering special books, they gave thoughtful answers to the two questions ‘Why’ and ‘To whom’ the book was special. They considered these questions in relation to an old school logbook, a photograph album of a special school event, a book of letters they had sent to two children visiting Australia, and a selection of Bibles.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. At Key Stage 2, pupils listen very well, for example, in the reading and the analysis of text sessions in the literacy lessons, so that they understand the lesson objectives and then settle to work independently or collaboratively, depending on the task. They concentrate well and persevere on the challenging tasks set. A group of Year 4 pupils co-operated very well when preparing a piece of text which they read to the rest of the class in the latter part of the lesson. During daily lessons in mathematics, pupils concentrate very well, listening to the teacher and to each other as they try to improve their mental calculation skills.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Behaviour throughout the school is very good. The parents agree with this view. Behaviour in most classes is very good overall. This is achieved by teachers planning interesting, challenging lessons that meet the needs of all pupils. Behaviour around the school at break times and lunchtimes, when there is less supervision, remains good. Older pupils working in classrooms, often on the computer, concentrate on the task well. There have been no exclusions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The pupils’ personal development and their relationships with each other, and with their teachers, are very good. Pupils enjoy working collaboratively, for example, in physical education. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 demonstrated a mature attitude when they continued working quietly while their teacher left the room to speak to a visitor. In the Key Stage 1 class, the older pupils work very well independently whilst the teacher is addressing the needs of the youngest pupils. Teachers and pupils treat each other with mutual respect. Older pupils are frequently seen helping younger ones. Older pupils take the responsibilities they are given seriously, for example, when serving lunches. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 move furniture very sensibly at the beginning and end of every morning. The opportunities for pupils to compete against other small schools, for example in running and Tag Rugby, enhances pupils’ personal development. Pupils are polite and courteous as they move

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Attendance at the school, for the current reporting year, has been satisfactory but slightly below the national average for similar types of schools. Attendance has fallen since the previous inspection, when it was judged to be good. However, this fall is almost entirely due to a very significant minority of pupils, taking unauthorised absences. The school has no unexplained absence trends. The majority of pupils come to school and into classes on time. Most lessons commence promptly.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. During the week of the inspection, the quality of teaching was overall good. In almost a half of lessons, teaching was very good or excellent. Teaching in over a third of lessons was good. Other lessons were satisfactory, apart from one lesson, which was unsatisfactory. This is a very positive picture and a significant improvement from the previous report when teaching was overall satisfactory. The impact of the high quality of teaching has been effective in raising pupils’ Monkleigh Primary School - 13 standards from the levels reported in 1996. Good teaching was seen in all classes. Where teaching was unsatisfactory, pupils were poorly motivated and managed and work was poorly matched to pupils’ previous learning. As a result, pupils became frustrated and disruptive.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teaching for under-fives is good. There is good teaching of reading, mathematics and science. Children are encouraged to take responsibility and to develop independence. Taught activities are well balanced between practical, written or drawn, and are relevant. When the learning support assistant is available, the use and direction of time and help for children to write and for their special, individual needs, are most effective. However, in a large class of over thirty pupils, including Years 1 and 2, assistance for the teacher is not always sufficient. This has an impact on children’s learning, for example, in writing. It is a credit to the teacher that children under five make such a secure start to their education within such a large class.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Overall the teaching of literacy is satisfactory, apart from some unsatisfactory features in teaching writing and supporting pupils with special educational needs within the class. Strengths are in high expectations for the way pupils read throughout all classes, so that most pupils clearly understand the text of their books and remember good phonic strategies when meeting new words. The teaching of sustained writing is insufficiently developed. There is insufficient teaching of joined handwriting. At Key Stage 2, the teaching of extended, sustained writing, fluency of style in using complex sentence structures, paragraphing, and general presentation of written work is weak. As a result, pupils' writing standards are not as well developed as are the high standards shown in mathematics and science. Teachers' confidence in using the National Literacy Strategy is less secure than is usually observed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The teaching of numeracy is very good throughout the school. Teachers ensure that pupils gain a firm foundation of skills and understanding in all mathematical areas. The high quality of teaching means that pupils’ learning for calculating mentally is very good. Written calculations are taught accurately and clearly. Higher attainers are well challenged so that by the time they reach the end of Year 6, their performances in numeracy are of a very high quality.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. There is very good teaching of science. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and lessons are planned well. When possible, good use is made of a classroom assistant to support pupils’ learning. Teachers provide for regular and interesting scientific investigations and this is a strength. At Key Stage 2, science is taught by the same specialist teacher who was an advisory teacher for the local education authority, and this strong subject expertise impacts significantly on the very high standards pupils attained in the 1999 National Curriculum test results at Key Stage 2.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The teaching of information technology is satisfactory overall. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the applications of computers. Their planning identifies which computer skills are to be taught. Their assessment and recording procedures for the subject are thorough. Teachers ensure that all pupils have enough time engaged in computer work in order to become independent users. However, insufficient opportunities and time are allowed to develop pupils’ skills in handling data and their skills are unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The teaching of religious education is generally good. When teaching was of a high quality, the lesson had a clear structure, contained opportunities for looking at and discussing special books, listening to a story, acting out the story and singing. This enabled very effective learning to take place. Good use of the local church was made at Key Stage 2 during the inspection to improve pupils’ knowledge and to gain their interest.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Good features of teaching in the non-core subjects include broad and informed knowledge in art, history and geography and good links made with other subjects. In design and technology there is good teaching reflected in high standards of work at Key Stage 1. At Key Stage 2, the teaching of design and technology is excellent on occasions and the teaching at Key Stage 2 shows excellent knowledge and expertise of the subject. Skills are demonstrated carefully and an appropriate technical vocabulary is used. Expectations of complex constructions and control-mechanisms are Monkleigh Primary School - 14 high so that completed products are of high quality and finish. There is excellent expertise in music to ensure high standards. Teaching of music is overall good and is exceptional at Key Stage 2. The high quality teaching of music enables pupils to play ensemble using a variety of instruments to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

create mood, differing rhythms and pleasing harmony. Teaching in physical education has very good pace and careful introduction to new skills. Teachers give good opportunities in games and dance to improve pupils’ co-ordination and sequencing of movements. Pupils attain high standards in swimming, which reflects good teaching. There are good chances given for sports with other teams out of school hours, for which volunteers and staff give up their own free time. No teaching of gymnastics currently takes place, due to a lack of facilities. This is unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Pupils with special educational needs make variable progress overall. In whole-class lessons they have some occasional good quality support. However, the extra learning support given is insufficient in whole-class sessions because there are not enough support assistants employed, particularly for writing. This situation is unsatisfactory for pupils with special educational needs, particularly for English.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Outstanding features of the best teaching seen in all subjects include high expectations of behaviour, discussion and academic performance. Teachers are very good at teaching the basic skills and their explanations are of a high quality. Management of pupils’ behaviour is mainly very good. Teachers use imaginative methods and tasks to interest pupils in their work. Very good opportunities are provided for subject specialists to teach to their strengths. Teachers keep good, detailed records of each pupil at both key stages. Homework is managed well. Marking is generally good and regular. Marking gives clear guidance for pupils to improve, finish or correct their work before beginning new units of work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Teaching is a major strength of the school and is occasionally excellent.

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PUPILS?

31. There has been an improvement in the curriculum since the previous inspection, when it was identified as a weakness. It is now judged to be good overall.

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PUPILS?

32. The curriculum is sufficiently broad and balanced at both key stages and all subjects are allocated sufficient time over the year. The curriculum for children aged under five years is not specifically planned according to the Early Learning Goals but the high quality teaching ensures that the children in the three year groups receive satisfactory learning opportunities. The quality of the learning opportunities would be enhanced by full-time qualified learning support assistants.

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PUPILS?

33. Each subject has a policy and a scheme of work. Some of these schemes are beginning to incorporate the guidance from Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), for example, science. Pupils have equal access to the curriculum, apart from pupils with special educational needs.

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PUPILS?

34. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory. Although class teachers know their pupils well and provide learning opportunities well matched to pupils’ prior learning the school is not fulfilling its statutory requirements in this area. Some pupils receive extra support in a small group for about an hour a week. Individual education plans do not contain short-term specific measurable targets that can be monitored. They are not shared with class teachers, parents or outside agencies. The records do not show the date a child was put on a particular stage or the dates he/she was moved up or down on the register. There are no records of the statutory annual reviews for pupils on Stage 3. The role of co-ordinator for special educational needs is not being fulfilled.

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PUPILS?

35. The provision for literacy is mainly satisfactory, and often good for speaking and listening and reading. However, not all teachers at Key Stage 2 are confident when teaching the National Literacy Monkleigh Primary School - 15 Strategy. As a result, opportunities for sustained writing with good style are not fully provided. The National Literacy Strategy is implemented effectively at Key Stage 1. The provision for numeracy is very good and implements fully the National Numeracy Strategy.

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PUPILS?

36. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities. There are opportunities for pupils to participate in athletics training during lunchtime. There is football after school and at the weekend, which is organised by parents. The school participates in a swimming gala, the Merton Rally, Tag Rugby and other events organised by The Academic Council to give pupils from schools the opportunity to work in larger groups.

p.15

PUPILS?

37. The school recognises the importance of personal, social and health education. The school nurse has participated in the teaching of health education, including sex education. There has been good guidance given to pupils on drug awareness.

p.15

PUPILS?

38. The school’s ethos is very good and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. The mutual respect between pupils and teachers makes a significant contribution to the ethos of the school.

p.15

PUPILS?

39. Provision for spiritual development is good. The vicar takes an assembly each week and this makes a very positive contribution to the pupils’ spiritual development. He creates a worshipful atmosphere, imparts sound Christian teaching and gives time for reflection. Occasionally, visitors take an assembly. For example, during the inspection a representative from the NSPCC took an assembly very effectively. He involved the pupils and his visual aid captured their interest and they were able to understand the concept that some children are neglected. During Religious Education lessons pupils are provided with regular opportunities to learn about the spiritual aspects of Christianity and other world faiths. Provision for spiritual development has improved substantially since the last inspection, when it was judged to be weak.

p.15

PUPILS?

40. Provision for moral development is good. Most teachers are good role models and are successful in developing values of fairness, honesty and respect for others. Following an assembly taken by a representative from NSPCC, the pupils were enthusiastic about raising money for children less fortunate than themselves. Pupils clearly understand, and can explain, why an action is wrong. Teachers have consistently high expectations of behaviour and most pupils respond appropriately. Pupils are reprimanded for inappropriate behaviour, but praise is used well to encourage and re- inforce good behaviour. The school has maintained its good provision for moral development, which was recognised in the last report.

p.15

PUPILS?

41. Provision for social development is very good. Pupils are consistently well managed, teaching is lively and frequently inspiring, and this has a positive impact of learning. Pupils have many opportunities to work in pairs or small groups as well as larger groups. Pupils throughout the school work very well collaboratively in science and design and technology activities. They are polite and courteous and listen to each other’s views. Learning is fun and this leads to the good relationships which are evident throughout the school. Interesting curriculum visits are a feature of learning and make a good contribution to the pupils’ social development. Pupils visited the Appledore Museum while studying the Victorians and went to Cirencester and Chedworth during a study of the Romans. Key Stage 1 pupils visited Safeway Bakers when working on a food topic. The extra-curricular activities enhance social development. The school has improved the provision for social development

p.15

PUPILS?

42. The provision for cultural development is good. Stories from other cultures are developed well in the literacy hour in Years 3 and 4. Pupils were given good opportunities to think about the feelings of the characters in the story. The school arranges visits to the Art Centre at Beaford. The school has developed a pen-pal link with a London school with French-speaking children. Pupils from the London school have visited Devon and it is hoped to arrange a reciprocal visit. In religious education lessons, pupils learn about other faiths, and in music lessons they listen to music from a variety of cultures. There has been an improvement in the provision for cultural development since Monkleigh Primary School - 16 the last inspection.

p.15

PUPILS?

43. The contribution of the community to pupils’ learning is very good, a strength of the school and an improvement on the already favourable comments made at the previous inspection. Pupils’ learning benefits considerably from these contributions. The very close links with the neighbouring church and the local fire brigade ensure that children regularly visit it as part of their curriculum. In addition the vicar frequently attends and takes school assemblies. The local community policeman visits at very regular intervals to talk to the pupils about ‘Stranger Danger’, ‘Your Friendly Policeman’ or ‘Road Sense’, thereby helping considerably with the pupils’ personal development. There is a very productive link with a local firm which sponsors football and netball shirts for the respective school teams. The children are made very well aware of the needs of others who are less fortunate than themselves. They support various charities including: Shoe Boxes for Romania, National Children’s

p.16

PUPILS?

Homes, Pudsey Bear and Aid for Kosova. Recently, parents helped to purchase a field adjoining the school, which it now uses for sport and play times. In general the school uses the local environment very well. As the school does not possess its own library, very efficient and productive use is made of the fortnightly, visiting mobile library van.

p.16

PUPILS?

44. The school has very good links with similar partner institutions. This is yet another strength of the school and an improvement on the previous inspection. The majority of children who come to the school have previously attended the village pre-school group. When interviewed, parents were very appreciative of the efficient way that the school links this facility with reception children coming into main school. The parents were similarly, very complimentary about the school’s arrangements for transferring Year 6 pupils to secondary education. The school is part of an academic council of several local primary schools. The schools share many ideas on curriculum, and compete vigorously in football and netball. Monkleigh School is very proud of its link with Charles de Gaulle School in inner London. Year 5 French speaking pupils from the school have visited Monkleigh School and entered various activities, such as sporting events, with the local children. This is, very rightly,

p.16

PUPILS?

regarded by the school as an excellent, additional learning situation for their pupils. Pupils on work experience from the nearby North Devon College are always well appreciated by the school.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school has satisfactory procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic performance. All pupils are assessed within their first few weeks in school in line with the local education authority’s assessment of children on entry. Pupils take the National Curriculum attainment tests and the end of both key stages. There are satisfactory day-to-day assessment procedures, which measure pupils’ achievement against the learning outcomes highlighted in the lesson planning. The assessment procedures give teachers relevant information about pupils’ learning, which helps them plan future lessons. A start has been made in target setting in reading for Year 2 pupils and plans are in hand to extend this good practice to other year groups and other subjects. The school has reviewed its assessment procedures since the previous inspection and they are now satisfactory.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The school has satisfactory procedures for child protection. The specifically trained, named person has ensured that all members of staff are made well aware of their relevant responsibilities. All relevant documentation is securely stored. Procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare are satisfactory. The school has efficient procedures for recording and reporting accidents. It deals caringly with specific pupil allergies and the administration of medicines. However, the school is aware that it does not have a specific medical room and this means that sick children have to stay in the classroom. The school does have trained first aid personnel and a good range of updated first aid boxes. Fire exercises are held termly, well recorded and all fire equipment is in date tested. The school generally has well marked and accessible emergency escape routes. However the classroom used by Years 3 and 4 pupils has a very old and not easily accessible entrance door, which has been identified by the

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

governors as a safety hazard for children. The school has a detailed and up to date risk assessment and health and safety policy and the headteacher is the trained representative. Monkleigh Primary School - 17 47. The school has satisfactory procedures for monitoring and improving attendance. However, although class registers are up to date, they are not always marked promptly after lunch. At the parents’ meeting, some parents stated that they were a little confused about their responsibilities concerning absence letters, as there was no written information from the school on this subject. This was not substantiated because the school includes this information in its prospectus. The school has very good links with the local education welfare officer.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school’s procedures for monitoring and promoting positive behaviour are good and contribute considerably to the overall very good behaviour witnessed in the school. The school’s policy contains a very good range of effective awards and sanctions, which are well controlled by the caring staff. The school also identifies its aims about behaviour in the prospectus and Home/School agreements to its parents. The school is also very conscious of its procedures to eliminate oppressive behaviour by pupils and these procedures are good. From meetings with parents, it was clear that the majority of them heartily agreed with the way that the school dealt with any problems. The staff are well aware of any impending incidents and do their utmost to eliminate them before they escalate.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Pupils with special educational needs are well integrated into the pastoral life of the school. They participate fully in all activities in the playground and in out-of-school activities. There is insufficient adult support for them in a significant number of class lessons.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. By listening to parents at the pre-inspection meeting, talking to them personally during the inspection and from reading returned questionnaires, the vast majority of parents think that Monkleigh School is a very good school. These views of the school are examples of its high reputation.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The school provides a satisfactory range of information for its parents as in the previous inspection. Parents are sensitively consulted both when their child joins the school and also when children move onto secondary education. All parents receive regular and informative newsletters, a copy of the current Governors Report, an updated Prospectus and an annual pupil’s report. All of the last three meet statutory requirements. The school has an open door policy for parents to come in and air any concerns but the school does prefer an appointment to be made to discuss important matters. Parents are very pleased with the two way communication enabled by home school reading books. The recent home/school agreements have been very well accepted and appreciated by the majority of parents.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. The school arranges regular open evenings for parents, and special ones to see teachers about pupils’ reports. These evenings are most appreciated by parents. At the pre-inspection meeting some parents said that they would prefer a homework book rather than loose leaf sheets. The school is now arranging this. All parents have signed homework agreements. However, as mentioned in the previous report and from talking to parents, they are still not receiving written documentation on the planned curriculum, for the term ahead. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are not currently consulted about their child’s individual education plan. There are no records showing whether parents are aware that their child is receiving extra support for special educational needs, or information about targets.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The contribution of parents to their children’ learning is now satisfactory and this has improved since the previous inspection. Parents are very willing to come into school whenever they are free and help with reading, cooking, sporting events and trips out, for example. During the most recent school pantomime a group of parents very enthusiastically helped with costumes and stage lighting. It is clear from talking to pupils during the inspection and parents at the pre-inspection meeting that a high percentage of parents help their children’s learning at home with joint reading and topics. The school is proud of its very enthusiastic and energetic Friends of Monkleigh School Association, which has, over the years, raised considerable amounts of money to help purchase new computers and other resources. The impact of parents’ involvement in the work of the school is good. Overall the school has satisfactory and effective links with its parents.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The quality of leadership and management of the governing body and the headteacher is overall satisfactory. The dedicated and hard-working headteacher, whose teaching commitment is very high, is well supported by his conscientious and talented staff. Together, they have implemented a number of worthwhile developments since the previous inspection. The headteacher is about to retire after contributing nineteen years of service to the school. All present staff work together well and are strongly committed to good relationships and equal opportunities for all the children in their care. There is a clear focus in the school’s work on raising standards and this has enabled significant improvements since the previous report.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The key issues from the previous inspection have been rectified successfully as follows:

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

• Standards have been raised in information technology. New computers have been purchased and the system has been linked to the Internet. Teachers have attended training courses and individual records for pupils have been introduced. • Standards have risen in art and pupils’ skills are developed systematically. • Planning of the curriculum has improved. Each subject has a policy and a scheme of work. Schemes partly incorporate guidance from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). Good progress has been made in the provision of Religious Education, following the attendance of teachers on appropriate courses and the purchase of new resources. • The school has updated its assessment procedures and they are now satisfactory. • Links with parents have been improved. Parents have been consulted about school procedures and their comments have been acted upon. Annual reports on pupils to parents have been

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

updated. The active Friends of Monkleigh School Association, which includes parents, has worked very hard to help purchase an adjoining field for sports activities. • Pupils’ spiritual awareness and their awareness of minority ethnic groups have been heightened, and is now good. The school has involved ministers of the local community well. Pupils from Monkleigh School and Charles de Gaulle School in Inner London have met for joint activities. • The monitoring of teaching and learning has improved. • The school’s development plan now has detailed planning beyond the current year. • The local education authority has provided an extra classroom and indoor toilets for a three- class organisation, although the classroom accommodation is still limited, of poor decoration and a class has to use a hall, thereby restricting opportunities for gymnastics and drama. This affects the management of time for actual lessons for the class using the hall.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

• Statutory requirements for reporting the general progress of pupils to parents are now fully met.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The governing body is effective in fulfilling its responsibilities and statutory duties, apart from the provision for pupils with special educational needs, which is unsatisfactory. In all other areas, the governing body gives good support. It is regularly involved in the life of the school, showing commitment and practical help. There are printed statements which reflect a shared commitment to improvement and the capacity to succeed. The interested Chair of Governors has had an honourable term of service as a governor to the school. Governors voice every confidence in the very good teaching at the school. They are generally well informed through the school’s development plan and have a clear role in helping to shape the direction of the school.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The organising of the special educational needs timetable is unsatisfactory. The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory. Although some pupils receive extra support in a small group for about an hour a week from the school’s special educational needs co- ordinator, the in-class provision for pupils in other lessons is inadequate. There are insufficient Monkleigh Primary School - 19 support staff to meet the needs of these pupils, particularly in literacy. Recommended documentation and the sharing of information with outside agencies, parents and teachers, lack clarity and guidance. Thus, the Code of Practice for special educational needs is not being fulfilled appropriately.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The delegation and contribution of staff with other managerial responsibilities are good. The school’s development plan monitors staff’s curricular and other duties. The monitoring of teaching and pupils’ learning is quite successful. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, the areas for development have been noted and discussed. There is very good management of special expertise for science, design and technology, music and physical education. Sometimes, this takes the form of exchanging classes to use the teachers’ strengths fully. At other times, the purchasing of part-time specialists’ teaching has proved very successful and, in the main, has had a very positive impact on raising standards.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Teaching staff are mainly well matched in number and qualification to the demands of the curriculum and age-groups of pupils. Classroom assistance is very good when available. However, there is an inadequate amount of support staff for the size of classes, particularly at Key Stage 1 where there are over thirty pupils of an age-range from four years to seven years in one class. All staff have participated fully in the school’s appraisal procedures. Despite being less staff than normally seen for a school which has expanded its pupil numbers considerably, the staff, including lunchtime supervisors, are diligent in their duties so that the pupils are supervised satisfactorily on the whole.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Due to the compact accommodation for learning, the lack of the use of the school hall, no school library, no headteacher’s office or staffroom, there are difficulties created for gymnastics, drama, whole-school assemblies and for meetings. Each day, mealtime arrangements necessitate the alteration of a classroom’s layout to accommodate school meals, thereby curtailing lesson time. Each time the school meets for assembly and collective worship, the room has to be re-arranged again. Although the pupils and teachers are very adept at moving furniture and as quickly as possible, the interruption to lessons are far from ideal. The school lacks good storage in order to make resources easily accessible to staff and pupils.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The provision of a new school field is a recent very good addition to the school and is helping to improve standards in physical education. However, much of the school’s decoration, inside and out, is in need of renovation. The mould on the large classroom/cum hall is in need of urgent treatment. The two outdoor toilets have fungi in profusion on the pipes, and are unhygienic. The requirements for new technology equipment and computers are met successfully in order to raise standards. Resources overall are satisfactory, apart from unsatisfactory gymnastic equipment and for aspects of literacy. Resources for mathematics, science and music are good.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The school’s financial and daily administration are most efficient, and the administrative assistant very effectively uses the new technology which is linked to the local education authority's computerised system. The implemented financial policy statement shows clear financial delegation. The school development plan’s educational priorities have financial implications, including staffing costs. Governors are fully informed about budget decisions by the headteacher and the local education authority. Specific grants, for example the Standards Fund, are well used for designated purposes. The school had a successful local education authority audit in July 1998 and the action plan drawn up has been implemented.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The school uses the principles of ‘best value’ effectively. Any previous shortcomings have been a major focus for the school’s development, for example, installing five new computers to raise pupils’ standards in information technology, and the gaining of an adjoining field. Appropriate steps are made to provide best value when making purchases or carrying out refurbishment.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The overall effectiveness of the school is good. Standards are overall good and at times, well above national averages or the expected levels for age groups. From the time they begin at school, when Monkleigh Primary School - 20 attainment is satisfactory, to the time they leave, pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning are good. The quality of teaching is mainly very good, with a significant proportion of excellent teaching. Costs of running the school are appropriate for the size of the school. The school gives good value for money. Monkleigh Primary School - 21

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

65. No subject is unsatisfactory overall in the school. However, in order to ensure that subjects reach the same high standards throughout, the headteacher, governors and staff should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Providing better and more frequent opportunities for pupils to develop and join their handwriting. And, by the end of Key Stage 2:- • Improving the presentation of written work. • Improving fluency in extended, sustained writing and the use of more complex sentence structures. • Improving paragraphing in Years 5 and 6. • Providing further training for the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy in order to improve teachers’ confidence. • Providing better resources for literacy.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Refer to paragraph numbers: 2, 5, 9, 12, 22, 26, 35, 81, 87, 88, 89, 94)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

67. Improve provision for gymnastics and ensure that pupils’ data handling in information technology is improved by the provision of appropriate software.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Refer to paragraph numbers: 9, 25, 27, 129, 143, 147, 148)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

68. Ensure the Code of Practice for special educational needs is fully implemented in order to ensure that the information given to parents, teachers and outside agencies meets statutory requirements. In addition, re-organise the timetable and support given to pupils with special educational needs so that they have sufficient help in class.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Refer to paragraph numbers: 11, 28, 34, 49, 52, 56, 92)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

69. Ensure that there are sufficient staff to support the needs of all pupils and teachers, particularly for children under the age of five.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Refer to paragraph numbers: 21, 28, 49, 56, 59, 71)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

70. In consultation with, and gaining help from, the local education authority, seek still further to enhance the quality and amount of accommodation available.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Refer to paragraph numbers: 9, 25, 27, 46, 60, 61, 80) Monkleigh Primary School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 29 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 10 38 41 7 4 - - The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll – 1999 Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) - 77 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals - 8 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs – 1999 Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register - 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language – 1999 No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year – 1999 No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

p.22

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 7.0 School data 0.1 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Monkleigh Primary School - 23

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 9 1 10

p.23

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

p.23

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 100 100 100 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 3 4 7

p.23

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 86 100 100 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

p.23

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 71 57 100 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75

p.23

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Because the cohort of pupils sitting the Standardised Tests in each Key Stage was ten or less, the individual results for boys and girls are not published, thereby respecting confidentiality. Monkleigh Primary School - 24

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 3 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 67 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.24

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3.3 Financial year 1998/99

p.24

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.5 Average class size 25.7 £ Total income 129,670

p.24

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 128,111 Total number of education support staff 1 Expenditure per pupil 1,755 Total aggregate hours worked per week 22 Balance brought forward from previous year 9,048

p.24

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Balance carried forward to next year 10,607 Monkleigh Primary School - 25

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 58 36 3 3 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 39 3 0 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33 48 12 6 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 27 48 15 9 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 27 6 3 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 24 6 0 3

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 30 48 12 6 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 48 39 3 6 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 42 6 0 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 12 39 33 12 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views.

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides parents with a satisfactory range of information about their children. However, parents do not receive written information on the planned curriculum for the term ahead.

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

Parents of pupils with special educational needs are not consulted sufficiently.

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

Extra activities out of school hours are satisfactory in range and amount for a school of this size and the number of teachers. Monkleigh Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

71. The children who are under five are taught in a mixed Key Stage 1 class of 31 pupils. At the time of the inspection there were two children under five years. These two children are part of a group of eight children in their first year in school. Provision is good overall when extra, qualified adult support is available. It is not possible to compare the existing provision for children under five with the previous inspection, since this area was not reported on at that time.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

72. The quality of teaching for the children under five is good overall, and sometimes very good. The learning support assistant works closely with the class teacher to provide good learning opportunities for these youngest children. However, she is only part-time and this is a significant weakness in the otherwise good provision.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73. The high quality of the planning, which matches tasks to children’s prior learning and the teacher’s patient, encouraging style impact positively on the children’s understanding of the tasks. As a result of the good teaching the children develop good attitudes to learning. They are confident and co- operative and reach the standards expected of them for their age, and sometimes better.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

74. Assessment of children when they start school, shows that attainment on entry is in line with the county average. All the children have had pre-school experience in the local playgroup. There are good links between the school and the playgroup with a suitable programme of visits, which ensures a smooth admission to school. The majority of children reach the national Early Learning Goals by the age of five in language and literacy, mathematics and creative development. They reach standards above those expected nationally in their knowledge and understanding of the world and their physical development by the age of five.

p.26

Personal and social development

75. The teaching of personal and social skills is very good and the warm and friendly approach of the teacher and learning support assistant results in children feeling safe and secure in their learning. They are happy and eager to come to school. The very good class management ensures that they behave well, concentrating and persevering to complete their tasks. They respond very well in discussion to the interesting and exciting teaching. Achievement is constantly praised, as for example, when children observed similarities and patterns in a range of common creatures. Good learning is effectively nurtured by the good use of practical activities as when, for example, the children worked with the classroom assistant sorting objects into two sets – those that began with ‘h’ and those that did not. In a Religious Education lesson the youngest children listened very attentively to the teacher and looked at the ‘special books’ with real interest. They understood the

p.26

Personal and social development

significance of the special books to particular people. Children’s personal and social development is in line with national expectations by the age of five.

p.26

Language and literacy

76. The teaching of language and literacy is good and is imaginatively and appropriately linked to the objectives of the National Literacy Strategy, and children achieve standards in line with the expected levels at the age of five. This results in effective learning. However, the lack of another trained adult in this large class covering three age groups, means that these youngest children frequently experience more formal learning opportunities than is desirable at their age. As a result of the high expectations and skill of the teacher, most of the children in the reception group can read simple text accurately and with understanding, they form their letters correctly and listen attentively and speak clearly and confidently when answering questions. Monkleigh Primary School - 27

p.26

Mathematical development

77. Mathematical teaching is linked to the National Numeracy Strategy and is good. As a result, learning is good and children achieve standards in line with those expected. They confidently count forwards and backwards to ten and understand the concept of ‘one more’. They order numbers to ten know their colours and can recognise common shapes. They handle coins to 10p confidently and accurately. Most children understand addition to ten in practical situations.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

78. The teaching of knowledge and understanding of the world is good and results in standards that are above the expected levels of children at the age of five. Children participate in well planned scientific activities with obvious enjoyment and talk perceptively about what they see as they recognise correctly the shape of a cut-out cardboard creature from half of its symmetrical shape. They select materials and tools appropriately when making models. They use the computer competently.

p.27

Creative development

79. All children achieve standards in line with the national expectations as a result of consistently good teaching. They benefit from participating in well planned art lessons for the older pupils. Instructions are clear and there is a good variety of challenging activities, such as colour mixing to obtain an exact shade, observational drawing, and using wax-resist techniques. Children concentrate very well as they mix paint to create suitable shades to paint a sea. These youngest children have opportunities for structured play activities with sand, water and construction toys when the classroom assistant is available. The children enjoy singing and making music.

p.27

Physical development

80. The overall quality of teaching seen was good and results in standards which exceed the nationally expected levels. A secure outside play area is not available, but the teacher compensates for this by providing good teaching in physical education lessons. She provides good opportunities for games and dance by taking the children to the village hall. Great care is taken to ensure that children understand the importance of following instructions carefully so that they all arrive safely. The lack of a school hall is a weakness in the provision, as precious time is wasted walking to the village hall which has no facilities for gymnastics. Physical education lessons have a good structure, and praise is used well to give children confidence. This encourages them to work harder and meet the teacher’s high expectations. The teacher’s skilful use of a puppet to demonstrate a sequence of movements is an example of good, motivating teaching.

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ENGLISH

81. The results of the national assessments in 1999 indicated that, at the end of Key Stage 1, standards in reading were broadly average, whilst standards in writing were above average. It is difficult to identify clear trends in pupils’ achievement because of the small size of cohorts. Inspection evidence indicates that overall standards are above average in speaking and listening. Standards in reading are above average, whilst standards in writing are broadly average. This is particularly commendable considering that the teacher is responsible for a large class, with pupils of three age- groups, and without a full-time learning support assistant.

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ENGLISH

82. At the end of Key Stage 2, national assessments for 1999 show that standards are below the national average and well below the standards achieved in similar schools. The overall trend in pupils’ performance has been downward in recent years and goes against the national trend for improvement in English. Inspection evidence shows that overall standards are broadly in line with the national Monkleigh Primary School - 28 average, a similar situation to that reported in the previous inspection.

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ENGLISH

83. Standards in speaking and listening and reading are above average, whilst standards in writing are often below average. Although most pupils achieve the expected Level 4, higher achieving pupils are not reaching Level 5. Factors contributing to this are: the lack of learning support staff during literacy lessons in mixed-age classes, the amount of time wasted by pupils in Years 3 and 4 moving furniture at the beginning and end of every morning session, and the fact that some teachers at Key Stage 2 are not sufficiently confident in teaching the National Literacy Strategy. 84. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are good and above average. Pupils at Key Stage 1 build effectively on the good foundations laid in the reception year. They listen attentively when the teacher introduces new work or explains a task. They listen to stories intently and express their ideas clearly. At Key Stage 2, pupils mainly listen carefully to instructions and generally participate

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ENGLISH

enthusiastically in class and group discussions. In literacy lessons, pupils explain their work and give sensible reasons for their answers. In a literacy session, pupils in Years 3 and 4 were able to explain the feelings of the characters in the story ‘Gregory Cool’, and could suggest valid reasons for the changes in the characters’ emotions.

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ENGLISH

85. At the end of Key Stage 1, reading is above the national average and all pupils are reading at the expected level and some are exceeding it. Pupils make a very good start in their first year of school and most pupils starting at Key Stage 1 read simple, repetitive text, using a variety of early reading strategies. Most pupils read fluently and with expression. They remember main facts in a story they have read and predict what might happen. All pupils know how to find information in a non-fiction book and understand the terms, CONTENTS and INDEX. These good standards are achieved because of the teacher’s good skills in teaching phonics. This ensures that pupils read a wide range of texts with good understanding.

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ENGLISH

86. At the end of Key Stage 2, reading is above the national average, although a lower than average number of pupils achieve Level 5. Pupils enjoy reading. Many read for pleasure at home and discuss the books they have enjoyed with good insight. In Years 3 and 4, pupils read with sustained concentration, look for answers to specific questions, and discuss issues arising from their research well. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils use their research skills well in other subjects, such as when studying history. Their dictionary skills are very good overall. Reading opportunities are limited because the school lacks a central library. However, pupils choose two books each from the mobile library van that visits the school fortnightly, and this has a positive impact on reading. Each class has a small selection of books, but in some classes many of the books are old and need replacing.

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ENGLISH

87. Attainment in writing is in line with the national average at the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils receive good teaching in literacy lessons and make good progress. They read texts carefully, looking for ‘ea’ and ‘ee’ phonemes and suggest suitable objectives when writing a story set under the sea. Year 2 pupils can write an interesting story using correct punctuation and a range of descriptive words. However, standards in handwriting are currently below expected levels.

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ENGLISH

88. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ writing attainment is below national expectations, although a higher standard is emerging in Year 5. At Key Stage 2, pupils have a good grasp of punctuation and change statements into questions or orders by altering the punctuation. They use dictionaries competently to extend their written vocabulary. Their writing covers an appropriate range of poetry, letters, stories and accounts. Spelling is taught conscientiously throughout the school and pupils pay good attention to spelling in their writing. However, most aspects of writing at Key Stage 2 are weaker. The presentation of written work is untidy. There is a lack of fluency in sustained writing and in using more complex sentence structures. A significant number of pupils do not join their letters when writing. In Years 5 and 6, paragraphing is not developed sufficiently.

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ENGLISH

89. Teaching at Key Stage 1 is good overall. The planning is very thorough. Lessons are interesting and motivate pupils well. The teaching of joined writing has already been identified as an area for development and teachers have begun to address the problem. Teaching at Key Stage 2 is good for reading, but is unsatisfactory for sustained writing and improving pupils’ styles. The teaching of Monkleigh Primary School - 29 neat handwriting and good presentation is weak. The teaching of paragraphing at Years 5 and 6 is unsatisfactory. Where teaching is unsatisfactory expectations are low, class management is weak and teachers lack confidence when implementing the National Literacy Strategy.

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ENGLISH

90. When teaching is good, relationships are very good, class management ensures good behaviour, and lessons, particularly for reading and analysing the text, have clear structures. When teaching is less successful, work is inappropriately matched to pupils’ individual needs, pupils are poorly motivated and disciplined, and progress in learning is unsatisfactory as a result.

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ENGLISH

91. Pupils’ progress in learning is good in speaking and listening and in reading at both key stages. This reflects the better teaching they receive. Progress in developing a mature style in handwriting is slow and affects pupils’ presentation skills. At Key Stage 2 there is unsatisfactory learning in sustained, fluent writing, and in using complex sentences with interesting phrases and an enriched vocabulary. Progress in the development of paragraphing in Years 5 and 6 is unsatisfactory.

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ENGLISH

92. Pupils with special educational needs and lower attaining pupils are not appropriately supported for their written work in class lessons, and receive inadequate specialist support. As a result, they do not make sufficient progress in their learning and do not achieve appropriate standards in English. Higher achieving pupils make good progress in their reading but have unsatisfactory achievement overall in their writing standards by the end of Key Stage 2.

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ENGLISH

93. In the main, pupils show very good attitudes to English. They listen very well when the teacher introduces new texts and tasks. When tasks are interesting and challenging, pupils show sustained concentration. Pupils show good confidence during whole-class discussion times and when chosen to read aloud in front of their fellow pupils. When the teaching of writing is less confident, pupils’ attitudes are less confident.

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ENGLISH

94. The school has invested a considerable sum of money in literacy resources but they are barely adequate. For example, there are no book stands and teachers have to balance the ‘Big Books’ on unstable easels. The absence of a central library does not promote a celebration of beautiful books. The management of implementing the National Literacy Strategy has not been effective at Key Stage 2. There is insufficient time allowed for extending pupils’ writing skills at Key Stage 2.

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MATHEMATICS

95. Standards in mathematics by the end of Key Stage 1 are well above national averages. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ standards are above the national averages. Pupils’ attainment in Year 5, as they approach their final year at primary school, is well above national expectations. This shows that pupils’ high attainment during the previous report has been maintained. The National Curriculum test results for 1999, when comparing this school with other schools, and in comparison with schools of a similar social context, verify the picture of high standards throughout. The small number of pupils in each year group, makes a year-on-year comparison of results difficult. However, there is a clear trend over time that shows consistently maintained higher-than-average standards.

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MATHEMATICS

96. Pupils gain a secure foundation of skills and understanding in all mathematical aspects. In their daily practices of calculating numbers mentally, they are very secure and they explain accurately a variety of strategies to arrive at correct answers.

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MATHEMATICS

97. When using and applying their mathematical knowledge, at Key Stage 1 a significant number of pupils work at a higher than average level. Their organisation of data is very good. Pupils are confident when presenting their findings in a tabular form. At Key Stage 2, pupils make careful and sensible collation of facts and check their results accurately. They use symbols and diagrams confidently. Pupils’ investigations in mathematics are frequent and confident. This flexibility is due to a very good understanding of place value. Monkleigh Primary School - 30 98. By the end of Key Stage 1, in number and algebra, a significant number of pupils understand the value of numbers to one thousand and make very good use of approximations. They count in tens to 1000, subtract two numbers from a given number, and sequence correctly, hundreds, tens and units. They are confident in using decimal notation to record pounds and pence and have very good mental

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MATHEMATICS

recall of adding and subtracting numbers to 20. They know their 2, 3, 5 and 10 times tables and solve simple problems accurately, using correct mathematical terms confidently. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils understand place value in all four operations with decimals to two places. They calculate accurately fractions and percentages. They understand commutative law when applying their knowledge to their times tables. They use brackets correctly and begin to recognise formulae, using letters instead of digits.

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MATHEMATICS

99. In their work on shape, space and measures, pupils’ measuring skills are very good, reflecting their very good skills for design and technology. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are very confident when using standard units to measure length and mass. They have good memory of two and three- dimensional shapes and correctly describe properties of shapes. They use reflective symmetry well and are quick to recognise a whole shape from a given cut out half. Many are able to reflect simple shapes in a mirror-line. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils accurately draw and measure angles to the nearest degree. They estimate correctly using a range of methods and recognise easily two- dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects.

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MATHEMATICS

100. When handling data, by the end of Key Stage 1, pupils extract information and interpret expertly figures in simple tables and lists. They are able to understand and construct bar graphs. Their skills reflect the very good influence of their science investigations. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils interpret well a range of graphs from block to pie graphs. Approximating skills are good. They understand very well that different outcomes may result from repeating experiments, although work on probability is not so evident. Throughout both key stages, pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to handle data when using computer technology and this is unsatisfactory.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

101. Pupils’ overall learning of mathematics is very good throughout the school and reflects the often very good teaching of the subject. Progress is consistent and never less than good. Pupils at both key stages benefit from the school’s policy of grouping according to pupils’ needs, so that each group has work and targets set accordingly. All pupils are, therefore, well challenged so that the needs of higher attainers and of those pupils with special educational needs are well catered for and progress is at least good.

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MATHEMATICS

102. The teaching of mathematics at both key stages is often very good. It is never less than good. Good teaching is exemplified by lessons in which planning reflects good knowledge of the subject and of the National Numeracy Strategy. The National Numeracy Strategy is implemented very successfully. Teachers provide work that is closely matched to pupils’ prior attainment. Good teaching is further distinguished by high expectations and well structured lessons with clear learning objectives and explanations. Teachers are very good at using the required vocabulary and in encouraging pupils to use the correct mathematical terms to explain their understanding. Record keeping and assessment procedures are used well to inform and support planning. Resources are sufficient, appropriate and well managed, but there are insufficient programs to support information technology applications within the subject, particularly to support pupils’ handling of data.

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MATHEMATICS

103. The results of the very good teaching have a significant impact on pupils’ high standards and their positive attitudes to mathematics. Pupils are enthusiastic and concentrate well. The relationships between pupils and staff and amongst groups of pupils are good. They generally take pride in the presentation and accuracy of their work. Standards of behaviour are very good.

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MATHEMATICS

104. The subject is well led by a capable co-ordinator who monitors both pupils and teachers to ensure and improve pupils’ attainment. Mathematics is celebrated throughout the school and is well supported through good resources. However, there is insufficient extra adult support to help in classes, particularly in the large class at Key Stage 1 of over thirty pupils. Monkleigh Primary School - 31

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SCIENCE

105. Standards in science throughout, and at the end of both key stages, are well above national averages for all schools and for schools of a similar social context. This is an improvement from the previous report’s judgement. The small size of each year group at the end of each key stage, makes a year- on-year comparison of test results difficult. However, there is a clear trend over time that shows high standards have been maintained. This is clearly supported by the National Curriculum test results for 1999.

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SCIENCE

106. Throughout the school, pupils’ investigations for scientific enquiry are a strength. There is strong evidence that pupils think creatively and establish clear links between causes and effects. There is very good testing of ideas using evidence from observations and measurement. Pupils plan well, ask relevant questions, predict sensibly, compare, communicate and review accurately. Investigations are frequent and challenging, such as when young pupils in Years 1 and 2 searched for the warmest place in their classroom to melt their ice cubes.

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SCIENCE

107. By the time they are about to leave school, pupils have a very secure knowledge of life processes and living things. They understand clearly about nutrition, circulation, growth, reproduction and health. Pupils recognise accurately the conditions needed for the healthy growth of plants and recall easily, pollination, seed formation, dispersal and germination. Pupils have a very good understanding of the human senses.

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SCIENCE

108. When studying materials and their properties, there is well-considered grouping and classifying of materials. Pupils recognise very clearly the differences between solids, liquids, gases and how materials change. They understand about temperature control, how certain solids dissolve in liquids and heat, and have experimented with evaporation and filtering with good results.

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SCIENCE

109. In their studies of physical forces, pupils know how to construct simple circuits, understand how differing forces affect motion and have designed and made simple torches, evaluating their efforts well. Good results have been obtained when studying colour and light and in floating and sinking experiments. Pupils’ recording skills in science have had a positive impact on their mathematical understanding and recording.

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SCIENCE

110. Throughout the school, pupils make very good progress in their learning to attain well above average standards from a satisfactory level when beginning school. In their experimental and investigative science, pupils make good progress in making predictions based on scientific knowledge and understanding. Their observations and measurements are precise and they show good learning in their explanations of cause and effect. Conclusions are consistent with their evidence findings. As they progress through the school, the recording of observations and measurements are systematically improved upon. Higher attainers make very good progress because they are well challenged. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress towards their individual targets due to good class teaching.

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SCIENCE

111. At both key stages, the quality of teaching is very good. Very good subject knowledge and effective planning by teachers ensure that experimental and investigative work supports, develops and builds upon knowledge and understanding as well as improving investigative skills. Teachers give very clear, accurate explanations so that pupils are confident in their tasks. A good balance of practical demonstrations and skilful questions and interesting tasks are consistent features of very good teaching. Teachers keep detailed assessments of pupils' progress which help towards planning new units of work.

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SCIENCE

112. The very good teaching impacts significantly on pupils’ high attainment and positive attitudes towards science. Pupils are enthusiastic and interested. They enjoy practical activities and finding out about science in everyday life. They work with sustained concentration and co-operate well in Monkleigh Primary School - 32 group investigations. Pupils have a good appreciation of safety issues and most show a marked respect for living organisms and the world around them.

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SCIENCE

113. The knowledgeable co-ordinator is fully committed to high achievement. She works closely with colleagues which results in knowledge and expertise being disseminated very efficiently. There is very good use of her specialist skills to teach all of the Key Stage 2 classes, not just her own class. As a result, monitoring of the subject is maximised. The linking of the subject with design and technology is most effective and ensures high standards in both subjects. The subject of science has a high profile in the school and has very good leadership and management, with the co-ordinator drawing confidently upon her previous experiences as an advisory teacher for the local education authority.

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ART

114. Observational drawing and the use of sketchbooks is a positive feature of the work completed. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 draw recognisable symmetrical pictures using charcoal whilst the oldest pupils competently sketch animal faces.

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ART

115. At Key Stage 1 pupils learn to mix powder paint to the exact shade required, for example, when painting a sea scene. They use soft pencils skilfully when drawing seashells. At Key Stage 2 pupils further develop their skills in observational drawing by considering tone. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 mix paint carefully to produce accurate leaf colours which they used to print patterns carefully.

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ART

116. The quality of teaching is good at both key stages and has a very positive impact on the learning which takes place and the high standards achieved. Lessons are planned carefully so that pupils acquire a range of knowledge and develop an appropriate range of skills as they move through the school. Class organisation and management of pupils are good in art lessons, enabling pupils to work purposefully on the carefully chosen tasks. Sound teaching ensures that pupils enjoy art lessons. They work quietly and independently showing good concentration and a pride in their work. The provision for art has improved since the previous inspection and pupils now develop skills systematically. Pupils have good experiences in using computer programs to create printed pictures. There is worthwhile art produced in history topics.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117. The provision for design and technology is very good and is a strength of the school. Provision is very good. There are examples of high attainment and the pupils make very good progress in their learning throughout the school. By the end of Key Stage 1, standards are above the expected national levels. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards are well above the expected levels nationally. Pupils are expert at using a wide range of malleable and resistant materials, reclaimed resources, textiles, food and construction kits.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

118. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ designing skills are good. They generate ideas well from their own experiences. Good opportunities have been given so that through discussion, pupils’ ideas are clarified. There is good development of design through freehand drawing and modelling. Pupils explain clearly how to proceed in their designing and making, and are confident in identifying strengths and weaknesses in their models. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ making skills are well developed. They are confident in selecting tools, materials and measure, mark out and cut correctly. Assembling skills are good. High standards are reached in joining and combining materials and components. Finishing techniques are imaginative. These standards are evident in pupils’ moving caterpillars of card and brass fasteners, in their models of butterflies and in three-dimensional spiders on string webs. Even young pupils have a good knowledge of mechanisms and structures and of

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

how products are made in the retail industry, such as when they recall a visit to a local bakery.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have very good expertise in developing, planning and Monkleigh Primary School - 33 communicating ideas. They work independently and expertly with tools, equipment and a range of materials to produce items of high quality, such as puppets, winding-up mechanisms, moving toys, and controllable model vehicles. They are very adept at evaluating processes and products, making designs and prototypes and adapting plans and models before constructing a final product. Pupils have very good knowledge and understanding of the properties of materials and the best use of wheels, axles, joints, levers and cams.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

120. The quality of teaching reflected in pupils’ work is good at Key Stage 1, and excellent at Key Stage 2. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding are excellent at Key Stage 2 and good overall. Teachers demonstrate skills carefully and they generate enthusiasm, using an appropriate technical vocabulary. Expectations of the standard of finished products are high. Teachers’ planning is closely linked to the National Curriculum. Precise lesson objectives are shared with pupils. Lessons are well organised, with resources ready for pupils to make their independent choices. The teaching ensures that pupils develop their ideas, sketch, design, make prototypes if necessary, and finally evaluate their products and processes. Teachers know their pupils well and make ongoing, formal assessments of tasks completed, ensuring that periodically, pupils write their own evaluations.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

121. The impact of the high standard of teaching has resulted in high quality items produced by confident pupils with very good skills. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ learning and attitudes to the subject are often excellent. For example, pupils talk perceptively to each other about how to improve the vertical lever action controlled by a rotational movement of a cam. Design and technology is a subject that is obviously enjoyed by pupils. Their enthusiasm for the subject is evident in the way they patiently explain the minute details of designs and give reasons why they need to place small pieces of plastic tubing either side of a horizontal doweling rod in order to direct, more precisely, the action of the cam onto the lever. Pupils show great perseverance to overcome any difficulties encountered and offer constructive suggestions to help other pupils. They share materials and tools amicably and without fuss.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

122. The subject is expertly planned for by the co-ordinator. There is a clear progression of skills throughout so that all pupils are highly challenged in all activities. There is very good adherence to correct safety procedures whilst pupils work with tools. The subject contributes very successfully to numeracy through the practising of careful measuring in millimetres, and to literacy, by pupils discussing and writing step-by-step instructions and their evaluations. The very good provision and standards are exceptional. The excitement generated by highly focused pupils, obviously enjoying their tasks and with well informed application, is a pleasure to observe.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

123. Standards in geography and history, by the end of both key stages, are in line with the nationally expected levels for the age groups. This is a similar situation to that found in the previous report. Pupils make satisfactory progress in history and geography as they move through the school. The acquisition of knowledge is more secure than the development of skills.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

124. No history or geography lessons were seen at Key Stage 1, but teachers’ planning and work on display shows that, from the topic on Australia, pupils know the differences in climate between the northern and the southern hemispheres. They compare the temperatures in Devon with those in Australia. They look at maps to gain some understanding of the relative size of Australia and England. They know about the indigenous people of Australia, and know that Captain Cook sailed in his ship, The Endeavour, and landed in Australia.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

125. The geography lesson seen in Key Stage 2 provided pupils with suitable opportunities to use atlases to follow Captain Cook’s journey. Teachers’ planning and previous work shows that pupils in Years 3 and 4 compared the climate in Devon with that in Tenerife and drew bar charts to show the temperatures recorded over a week. Previous work shows that the oldest pupils have a reasonable knowledge of other countries, including The Netherlands and India. Monkleigh Primary School - 34 126. In Years 3 and 4, pupils’ learning in history about the Tudor period is secure. They access appropriate reference material and work in groups to discuss the text and the illustrations, developing good enquiry skills. Planning and previous work show that pupils have a reasonable knowledge of the Romans, Victorians, Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt. Pupils’ sense of chronology is less secure and several were unsure whether the Romans came before the Victorians

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

127. The teaching of history and geography is satisfactory overall. Where teaching is better, lesson planning shows clear learning outcomes, tasks are challenging and well matched to pupils’ prior learning and instructions are clear so that pupils are well motivated and learn effectively.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

128. Pupils show positive attitudes to history and geography. They listen attentively as the teacher introduces the lesson, participate in discussion and work hard independently writing in their topic books. When given the opportunity, pupils work very well in groups finding information and making notes. Visits are a feature of the learning in history and geography at this school and they enhance the curriculum and motivate the pupils.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

129. The provision for information technology is much improved since the previous inspection, resulting in pupils’ higher attainment and better progress in learning. During the current inspection, pupils’ standards were similar to those expected nationally for their ages by the end of both key stages. The skills of information technology are now more systematically taught and there are appropriate links with other subjects, apart from the handling of data generated during pupils’ scientific and other investigations.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

130. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils correctly use the mouse, and a keyboard to enter text, and can print their own work. They open files and select accurately from menu options. With some support, most can save text to disk. They confidently use models or simulations to explore, on screen, aspects of real and imaginary situations.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

131. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils confidently use word processing software, entering text and controlling its style, size and colour, before printing their work. Pupils confidently open and access a document. Each pupils has a personal word processing file. Some can input pictures from a picture bank and place them correctly on screen. Pupils access CD ROMs to investigate information about a range of subjects. They have composed music and produced art on screen, saved the work and printed it. Most pupils have used simulation programs and are confident about recognising the emerging patterns and relationships as the program progresses, predicting accurately the outcomes of different decisions and possibilities for the resolutions of problems posed. Pupils have recently learnt to access the Internet correctly, but not all pupils are confident in this field yet. Pupils throughout both key stages are confident about how to give commands to control a floor robot.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Overall, standards are satisfactory, apart from a lack of sufficient opportunities in handling data and creating graphs and tables on screen.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

132. The progress pupils make in information technology throughout both key stages is consistent, with steady improvement. The extra new computers are confidently used. The school’s planning identifies the sequence of skills pupils are expected to develop to meet National Curriculum requirements and these are reflected in classroom practice and in colourful displays of pupils’ printed work.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

133. The quality of teaching is overall satisfactory, with good aspects. Teachers give effective support and planned sessions in which they provide good role models and teach pupils new skills and applications. Their own subject knowledge is sufficient to enable them to solve simple problems. Monkleigh Primary School - 35 Teachers plan the activities to link appropriately with other subjects, for example art and music. They manage the timetabling of the use of the computer effectively, so that all pupils have opportunities to practise their skills and to observe the teaching of new skills. Very good use is made of the learning support staff’s good expertise to help pupils further. However, the use of information technology to support pupils with special educational needs is underdeveloped. Higher attainers are well challenged and make appropriate progress.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

134. A result of the effective teaching is that standards are improving and pupils’ attitudes towards information technology are very positive. Pupils enjoy using the audio-visual equipment and the computers during assemblies. They work well together in pairs and groups, sharing ideas and supporting each other when there are difficulties. They are keen to demonstrate their capabilities and confidently answer questions about most uses of information technology.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

135. Resources and the professional development of staff have been improved significantly since the previous inspection. There are plans to update software further, and extra courses have been earmarked for teachers as soon as the local education authority’s advisory team is available.

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MUSIC

136. Standards of the present pupils are above the national expected levels by the end of Key Stage 1, and well above by the end of Key Stage 2. This is a significant improvement from the previous report, when pupils’ attainment was in line with expected levels nationally. There is very good use of a specialist teacher who teaches music in all classes and has a very good impact on pupils’ learning overall.

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MUSIC

137. Throughout the school, pupils sing well in an expanding repertoire with good rhythm, clear entry to each phrase and correct duration of notes. Pitch is very good and diction is clear. Pupils have a good memory of melody and high standards are reached when singing in four-part harmony.

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MUSIC

138. Rhythm work is successfully developed throughout. Pupils imaginatively layer sound effects in rhythm work, using a variety of tuned and unpitched percussion instruments. Older pupils maintain a very good ostinato pattern in groups by clapping or when using instruments. Strengths of music are in the high standards reached when pupils perform ensemble. By the end of Key Stage 2, all pupils perform together William Salaman’s ‘Encore’, blues and marching songs, using recorders, electronic keyboards, harmonicas, melodic and untuned percussion, plus a violinist and guitarist. This is an exceptional standard for Years 5 and 6. By the time pupils are about to leave the school, almost fifty per cent are skilled at reading formal notation.

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MUSIC

139. Pupils have very good understanding throughout both key stages when listening to and appreciating music from other cultures as well as their own. They have a sharp awareness of dynamic effects created through pianissimo and fortissimo music. Pupils give perceptive descriptions of ‘pictures created in their minds’ when appreciating the relayed ‘Flight of the Bumble Bee’ music, and a contrasting German Lieder lullaby.

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MUSIC

140. Pupils make very good progress in their learning overall. They make excellent progress in the upper years of Key Stage 2, particularly in whole-class performance of groups playing different instruments for the same piece of music. Higher attainers are well challenged and achieve their potential through solo performances. Pupils with special educational needs lack sufficient adult support in lessons, but attain satisfactory standards due to the skill of the music teacher.

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MUSIC

141. Teaching is overall very good. It is excellent at the end of Key Stage 2. The planning ensures that pupils have a wide experience of all elements of the National Curriculum Programme of Study for music, that is for singing, performing, composing, listening and appraising. As a result, pupils have a very good understanding of how to use percussion instruments to produce different dynamic effects and layering of apposite sounds. The very good teaching enables pupils to reach high standards Monkleigh Primary School - 36 using a variety of instruments to create mood, differing rhythms and pleasing harmonies. Pupils’ efforts are praised well with patient encouragement. As a result, pupils’ attitudes to music are good and most respond in an alert manner. Pupils show good self-control when handling instruments carefully and in returning them to their places. They are self-disciplined, co-operative, respectful of

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MUSIC

adults and the performances of other pupils.

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MUSIC

142. The management of the subject by a specialist music teacher who has excellent knowledge and expertise, is very good. Pupils have benefited considerably from a broad repertoire of musical activities. The lively school concerts ensure that music plays a significant part in the strong links between the school and the community.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143. Provision overall for physical education is good, apart from gymnastics which is poor. By the end of both key stages, standards overall are above the expected national levels in most aspects of physical education. Pupils make good progress throughout in their learning, which includes swimming. The poor gymnastics’ provision is due to the fact that the school lacks the use of a hall with specialist equipment. The school has not yet developed the possibility of using other venues, such as the gymnasia of other schools or the local leisure centre. Apart from gymnastics, there has been good improvement since the previous report. This is mainly due to the employment of a part-time specialist physical education teacher and the extra-curricular provision for sports, including the help of volunteers after school and at weekends.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

144. Throughout both key stages, pupils show considerable control, co-ordination and balance. They move naturally at different heights and speeds and in different directions in order to create, practise, refine and improve simple sequences of movements. At Key Stage 1, pupils dance with good, outstretched arm movements to aid direction and balance, and are graceful when using different levels in space. They interpret the mood of the music well in dance and their whole bodies and expressions reflect sensitive responses. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have refined ball skills in order to develop and perform complex movements to a high standard. They run, throw, catch and dodge well. This was particularly noticeable in Tag Rugby lessons. Pupils are alert when taking part in team games and are quick, agile and well co-ordinated. Their progress in learning to swim is good. All pupils confidently swim the required distance by the end of Key Stage 2.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

145. Teaching is good at Key Stage 1 and very good at Key Stage 2. Teachers act as good role models, joining in with warm-up activities and communicating their enthusiasm freely, resulting in a significant impact on the standards that pupils achieve. Knowledge and understanding of the subject are very good. Lessons are planned precisely and teachers give praise appropriately. Discipline is very good and based on sensible routines, which are well known to all pupils. Teachers often choose pupils to demonstrate for others, in order to improve standards and to make informed assessments. As a result, higher attainers are well challenged. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall; they have very good support from a learning support assistant at Key Stage 1.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

146. The impact of teaching ensures that standards and pupils’ attitudes are above the expected levels. Pupils show high levels of enjoyment and enthusiasm for the subject. Their responses are positive and confident. They work sensibly with a good awareness of safety routines, such as when they partner each other in dance or carry games equipment together. The combination of swimming, dance, games and athletics makes a significant impact on pupils’ physical, social and moral development. Behaviour is often good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

147. The management of the subject, apart from gymnastics, is overall good. Very good use is made of a skilled part-time physical education specialist provided by the local education authority. Games, such as football, netball, cricket, rounders, hockey and rugby are well provided for. Dance takes place in the village hall. Canoeing and abseiling activities are offered periodically, and there are Monkleigh Primary School - 37 good links with other local primary schools for sports, including athletics.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

148. Apart from the lack of a hall for gymnastics, the other resources for physical education are satisfactory. The school has recently purchased an adjoining spacious, flat field, which is well used. Swimming takes place regularly, for pupils in need of extra tuition, at the area’s local leisure centre. The headteacher and governing body have identified already the lack of provision for gymnastics. They hope that if extra classrooms are built on the site, the original school’s hall will be released for one of its intended purposes, as a resource for gymnastics. There are plans to tarmac part of the new field for a new, hard surface playground, when funds are available. This will enable the front playground to be used for parking when necessary.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

149. Pupils’ attainment in Religious Education is in line with the standards expected in the locally agreed syllabus at the end of both key stages.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

150. This is good improvement since the last inspection when Religious Education did not meet statutory requirements.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

• There is now a policy for Religious Education • Religious education is taught as a subject in its own right. • The school has invested in a series of books, which enables teachers to cover the scheme of work.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

151. Pupils make satisfactory progress in religious education at both key stages. Pupils at Key Stage 1 know the main facts about the life of Jesus. They re-tell some of the parables He told and explain their meaning. They can write a Buddhist prayer about forgiveness.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

152. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils know some stories from the Old Testament, some of the healing miracles of Jesus and the significance of baptism, communion and marriage. They have some knowledge of the leaders of Sikhism and Islam.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

153. Teaching is generally good, but one lesson seen at Key Stage 1 was excellent. The focus was ‘special books’ and the teacher captured the pupils’ imagination and interest by showing them a really interesting range of special books. These included a very old school logbook, a photograph album about a special school event, a book of letters they had written to two children who had visited Australia, and a variety of Bibles. The lesson was challenging, requiring the pupils to relate two questions to each book, ‘Why is the book special?’ ‘To whom is it special?’ The lesson had a clear structure, contained a wide variety of learning opportunities, for example, looking at and discussing the special books, listening to a story, acting out the story, and singing and this enabled very effective learning to take place. The teaching seen at Key Stage 2 was good. Lessons are well planned and prepared. The teacher has sufficient knowledge and understanding to make the visit to

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

the local church really interesting. Good questioning encouraged the pupils to observe carefully the various features of the church.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

154. Pupils show good attitudes in Religious Education. The pupils at Key Stage 1 listened spellbound to the story of Blind Bartemaeus and were able to talk thoughtfully about blindness, recalling sympathetically previous learning about Helen Keller. Pupils at Key Stage 2 behaved very well when then visited the church and asked relevant questions. They moved about the church quietly, looking at and discussing the features. Through learning about other faiths, as well as Christianity, pupils are being encouraged to show respect for other people’s opinions and beliefs. Monkleigh Primary School - 38

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