Birdlip Primary School

BIRDLIP COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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BIRDLIP COMMUNITY 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. Birdlip Community Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 20 th May 1997 Birdlip Community Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 11608 Anna Dawson Registered inspector 19694 Moira Kerr Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Chase Russell Limited 85 Shores Green Drive Wincham Northwich Cheshire CW9 6EJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Birdlip Community 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Birdlip Community Primary School is a small, rural school near Gloucester. It mainly draws its pupils from the village of Birdlip and other surrounding villages. Most pupils have attended a nursery or a playgroup before they start the reception class in the year they become five. Pupils enter the reception class with a broad range of attainments which are overall above average in social and language skills. There are 80 pupils on roll in full time education; of these 41 are girls and 39 are boys. They are grouped in three classes. This is smaller than most other primary schools compared with the national average roll of 226. Twenty per cent of pupils are on the register for special educational needs. This is just below the national average of 23.7 per cent. There are no pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Need, which is below average. There are 1.2 per cent of the roll eligible for free school meals, which is well below the national average of 18.6 per cent. All pupils are

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

of white European origin and all speak English as their first language. The school generally has a stable population, although at 14 per cent last year, mobility was unusually above average. This is because several families moved in or out of the area. The characteristics of the school are broadly similar to those reported at the time of the last inspection in 1997.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. The quality of relationships within the school is excellent. Pupils enter the reception class ready and eager to learn. Because the quality of teaching is very good overall the pupils enjoy the challenge presented in their lessons and they make very good progress overall in English, mathematics, science by the time they reach Year 6. Most attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by Year 6. The headteacher, in post since September, has made a very good start to his leadership and is providing very clear educational direction. He receives full support from a hardworking staff and a very effective governing body. The parents make an excellent contribution to the work of the school by fundraising, running extra-curricular activates and helping their children with their work at school and at home. The school is oversubscribed. It is very well thought of in the community and gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The pupils achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave the school. • The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and assessment has enabled strategic improvement in the teaching and learning. • There is very clear educational direction set for the school. • Because there are excellent relationships within the school, the pupils have very good attitudes to learning. • The curriculum is rich and the school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. • The interaction and involvement of parents in the school is excellent and enhances the achieved standards of education.

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What could be improved

• Resources in information and communication technology and the development of a system to assess and record pupils’ progress to raise standards still further. • The planning of outdoor activities for children in the Foundation Stage and the provision of Birdlip Community Primary School - 7 resources for their physical development. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement overall since the last inspection in 1997. The school has successfully resolved or are addressing the key issues from the last inspection. The school was required to: improve the provision for and monitoring of reading to raise standards further for the older pupils; improve the pupils’ presentation of written work; extend curriculum provision for information and communication technology, music and cultural development. The quality of teaching, the curriculum and resources have improved in music and information and communication technology. However, more resources are needed for information and communication technology to raise standards even higher. Pupils’ presentation and neatness in written work is steadily improving as a consistency in handwriting style has been recently adopted. However, the full impact of this is not yet fully realised. There has been satisfactory improvement in pupils’ cultural development. Apart from

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

these key issues, there has been good improvement in the standards and progress pupils make, the quality of the leadership and management, teaching, the curriculum, learning resources, accommodation. The school has implemented the Foundation Stage curriculum for children in the reception classes and the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The school has improved the standards in English, science and mathematics since the last inspection in 1997 when they were average. Over the last five years, the pupils’ performance has risen at the same rate as the national rate except for last year when this was exceeded. The varying number of pupils in each year group and their individual attainments causes fluctuation in the overall standards that pupils attain. The results should be treated with caution as there are very small numbers of pupils taking the tests, which diminishes the statistical reliability of the data. For the current groups of pupils in Year 6, it is not possible to make an overall judgement on standards as there are only five pupils in this year group, all with differing attainments. However, individual pupils are achieving very well. Taking the Year 5 and 6 pupils as a whole, the pupils are attaining very high standards with approximately one third of pupils in Year 5 already working higher than the expected

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Key

standard for Year 6 pupils. Relative to pupils’ attainments on entry to the school, their achievements are very good. In information and communication technology, standards are average throughout the school. Pupils’ attainment has been hindered by a lack of resources. The school is currently working towards raising pupils’ attainments in writing and increasing its provision in information and communication technology. In the Foundation Stage, pupils make very good progress in all areas of Birdlip Community Primary School - 8 learning, except their physical development. They are on course to exceed well above the Early Learning Goals by the end of their reception year. In physical development, children in the reception class make good progress overall but their attainment is restricted by the lack of provision and resources for outdoor activities. The school has set challenging targets and is on course to meet its targets this

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Key

year. In 2001, the targets were significantly met for English mathematics and science. This was mainly due to the very effective teaching and high expectations of the staff and the pupils’ enthusiasm for learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are enthusiastic and eager learners. They concentrate very well during lessons. They enjoy school and take very good care of their resources.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in lessons and around school is very good. Pupils are welcoming and polite to visitors.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils respect the views of others and play and work happily together. This is evident in the excellent relationships between pupils, staff and other adults who work in the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Pupils are punctual and arrive on time. Attendance is average rather than good, due to a small proportion of parents taking family holidays during school time.

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Aspect Comment

The positive approach towards encouraging self-respect and respect for others, is central to the school’s aims and values. This is a very happy community where the pupils’ positive attitudes to learning are a major contributing factor to their very good achievement.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall and a strength of the school. The teachers’ high expectations of pupils and the excellent relationships within the school promote pupils’ very good achievement and pupils are learning very well. Emphasis is placed on teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics which is evident throughout the curriculum. Information and communication technology is being taught effectively through all subjects. Even though resources have improved, still more are needed to raise pupils’ attainment even higher in information and communication technology and physical development in the Foundation Stage. Teachers work successfully together, sharing their expertise, using time and resources very effectively. The support staff are well deployed and make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. In the very good lessons, the teachers apply the methods

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

advocated in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies very carefully and thoroughly and use a range of other teaching methods to maximise pupils’ learning. The staff take care to fully include all Birdlip Community Primary School - 9 pupils in lessons and all other aspects of school life. The pupils with special educational needs make very good progress overall. They are effectively helped by the teaching assistants. The higher attaining pupils are attaining as well as they should. The staff in the reception class use their assessments very effectively to plan a wide range of interesting and enjoyable activities for all pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum for pupils in the reception classes is well planned overall and leads effectively into the National Curriculum. The curriculum for pupils throughout the school is rich and broadly based. There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities for a school of this size.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. The teachers identify learning difficulties early. The pupils make very good progress in class when they are helped by the teachers and teaching assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good provision is made for pupils’ personal development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school takes good care of the pupils. There are very good procedures promote pupils’ good behaviour. Procedures for assessment are very good and the staff use assessments of pupils’ work very well to plan their lessons. Effective procedures are applied for child protection. The parents make an excellent contribution to the work of the school and their children’s learning. The parents think highly of the school and are appreciative of the care given to their children. The parents contribute significantly to school resources through fundraising. Most help their children to learn very well at home. A few parents and members of the community help pupils well in school or provide extra- curricular activities such as Latin and sports.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher has made a very good start to his leadership since his appointment in September. There is very good educational direction set for the school. The staff work together very well to achieve the aims of the school and improve standards.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are very knowledgeable and supportive of the school. They receive very good information from the headteacher and staff and work effectively to meet the school’s targets and fulfil their statutory duties.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of The school successfully evaluates its performance. All the staff work Birdlip Community Primary School - 10 its performance very hard to improve their practices and overcome any weaknesses. The headteacher and subject leaders have started to evaluate teaching and learning effectively to improve the quality of education provided.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes very good use of the building, time, staff and the budget to help children learn. The school has planned to spend the saved resources for a new suite and resources for information and communication technology. There are sufficient staff and teaching assistants. Their shared commitment and capacity to succeed are key to their success. The school constantly seeks to find best value for money and make the best use of its budget to raise standards. However there is a shortage of up-to-date resources in information and communication technology and for large outdoor play equipment for pupils in the Foundation Stage.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• That their children achieve high standards. • That the quality of teaching is very good and pupils are expected to do their best. • That the school is very well led and managed. • That there is a rich and varied curriculum. • That their children enjoy school and there are excellent relationships between pupils and staff. • That the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • That they feel comfortable about approaching the school with queries or concerns. • A few parents would like more information about the curriculum. • A few parents would like the provision for homework improved.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with the very positive view of the school held by the parents. The school has an excellent partnership with parents. The quality and range of information sent to parents are good. The amount of homework falls within the normal range expected nationally for pupils of this age. Homework is planned well by the school to consolidate and extend what their children have studied during the day. Birdlip Community Primary School - 11

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The pupils achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science

1. Pupils have achieved very good results by the time they reach Year 6. The quality of teaching and the pupils’ interest and involvement in lessons results in very successful learning. Consequently over time, pupils make very good progress in knowledge, understanding and skills. This applies in particular to the core subjects of English, mathematics and science.

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The pupils achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science

2. Very good improvement has been made in the standards of English, mathematics and science since the last inspection. One of the issues for development from the last inspection in 1997, was to extend the range and monitor the reading of the older pupils. Improved record keeping, the introduction of group reading carefully monitored by the staff and the improved book provision has resulted in a gradual sustained improvement in standards of reading. In writing, there has been satisfactory improvement in the neatness and presentation of pupils work. In 1997, 55 per cent attained the expected level in science. In 2000 this percentage significantly improved to 100 per cent. In 2001, this trend continued with 100 per cent of pupils gaining the expected level and 83 per cent attaining the higher level. Overall, the trend for school improvement has been above the national trend since 1997 for English, mathematics and

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The pupils achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science

science. In these subjects, pupils’ achieve very well to exceed the national averages at the expected and higher levels by Year 6. However, this is not at the expense of other subjects.

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The pupils achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science

3. Variations in national test results from year to year are largely because the groups are small. The attainments of individual pupils, greatly affects the overall scores for the whole group because each child represents a high percentage. This year there are only five pupils in Year 6. Although the individual pupils are achieving very well, their corporate attainments will not reflect the pattern of the larger group taking the tests in 2001. Because the school successfully identifies individual needs, all pupils make very good progress. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress when they are helped in small groups or individually by their teachers and the teaching assistants.

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The pupils achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science

4. In 2001, pupils attained well above average standards in English and very high standards in mathematics and science in comparison with all schools. Standards in reading are high throughout the school. The school is currently raising standards in the quality of pupils’ writing where not as many of the pupils attained at higher levels in comparison with reading, mathematics and science in 2001. Nationally, the attainment of all pupils is lower in writing than in mathematics or science. The scrutiny of pupils’ work throughout the school now shows that standards in writing have improved and pupils are achieving very well. The most successful strategies for raising attainment have been the detailed group and individual analysis of pupils’ work to identify areas where extra tuition is needed. The subsequent setting of targets, shared with pupils and parents, has resulted in pupils understanding how to improve

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The pupils achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science

their work. The clearly defined objectives set in lessons and the support from the additional learning resources and the teaching assistants are raising standards successfully as pupils readily apply themselves to their work.

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The pupils achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science

5. The provision is very good overall for pupils in the reception class. The staff plan a wide range of interesting and relevant activities to meet the needs of the pupils for all areas of learning. However in physical development, although there are weekly planned opportunities Birdlip Community Primary School - 12 for pupils to develop their skills, too few resources are available for frequent outdoor physical activities and insufficient use is made of the outside environment in other areas of learning. These areas have already been recognised for development in the school improvement plan. Pupils have good speaking, listening and social skills when they begin their reception year and are ready to learn. As a result of the very good teaching in the reception classes, pupils are making very good progress, particularly in their personal, social and emotional development and communication, language and literacy and mathematical skills. By the end of the

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The pupils achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science

reception year, most are exceeding the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning and working towards or within the first level of the National Curriculum. Most of the pupils for example, record and solve simple addition and subtraction problems. Most have learned letter sounds and names well and are reading simple stories. The teacher knows the individual attainments of the pupils very well and is skilled in identifying accurately pupils’ achievements and intervening when additional help is needed.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

assessment has enabled strategic improvement in the teaching and learning.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

6. The quality of teaching and learning are very good overall. The teaching was never less than good in the small number of lessons observed and 64 per cent of them were very good. This represents good improvement since the last inspection when the quality of teaching was good overall. Lessons are now better planned. The teachers’ assess pupils’ learning frequently and make very good use of their assessments to meet the needs of all the pupils. The detailed planning and the very good use made of assessment to inform individual pupil targets are major factors contributing to the success of the teaching pupils’ learning. In most lessons, the teachers effectively use the methods promoted by the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Lesson objectives are shared with the pupils. Very well prepared resources meet the needs of all the pupils. The summary at the end of each session secures pupils’ learning

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

and informs the teachers how well the lesson objectives have been achieved.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

7. In the very good lessons, teachers move learning along at a rapid pace. The pupils make very good progress because they frequently revisit their existing knowledge which they apply in their new learning. The teachers frequently and successfully question pupils to test their understanding. Because the expectations set by the staff are high, the pupils are challenged very well to meet the targets set and know how to improve their work. There is a good emphasis placed of the development of problem-solving skills. Pupils are continually challenged to question and develop their thinking to find out solutions to problem. The teachers question them closely to explain their thinking and make astute interventions to develop pupils’ ideas and initiative. The quality of pupils’ work reflects the high expectations of the teachers who effectively use marking and the setting of personal targets, to help pupils progress to the

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

next learning steps. The displays of pupils’ work around the school create a positive learning ethos as the pupils’ achievements are celebrated in the displays of work. This motivates pupils to do well as the staff take care in the presentation of work on display and pride in pupils’ achievements.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

8. English, mathematics and science are taught very well overall. In English, pupils are taught the basic skills of these subjects well which are often applied in other subjects. In reading, the access to good quality resources, promotes pupils’ very good attitudes to reading and enjoyment of books. The school encourages pupils to attain higher standards in writing. In mathematics, pupils are confident in their understanding of pattern and relationships between numbers and their operations. A good emphasis is placed on pupils understanding and explaining how to solve problems from an early age. In science, the skills of predicting, Birdlip Community Primary School - 13 observation, testing, recording and drawing scientific conclusions are very well developed throughout the school. Teachers have good subject knowledge. In subjects such as physical education, music and art and design, visiting speakers and specialist teachers or sports

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

coaching help to enhance further the curriculum and pupils’ learning.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

9. The teaching assistants make an effective contribution to the pupils’ learning because they are deployed well and consistently liaise with the teachers to plan their work. They most frequently assist the lower attaining pupils. The excellent relationships that the assistants have with the pupils are particularly effective in boosting pupils’ confidence in learning and answering questions. The assistants are skilled in interpreting the content of the lesson so that pupils are studying the same curriculum as the other pupils in the class. Consequently, these pupils are achieving as well as all others when they are helped this way. The teachers help the other pupils including the higher attaining pupils, ensuring they are learning as well as they can.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

10. Homework throughout the school is well used to extend what pupils have been learning in their lessons. As well as providing regular spelling, reading and number tasks, teachers ask pupils to carry out additional topic research. The activities help to consolidate their learning during the day and successfully promote research skills. Sometimes, pupils bring in their independent research irrespective of homework. This reflects the pupils’ positive attitudes to learning, which is celebrated and rewarded by the teachers.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

There is very clear educational direction set for the school.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

11. The headteacher has made a very good start to his leadership since he took up his post in September. The school aspires to provide high quality education so that pupils receive a rounded education with the skills to become effective learners. The school is successfully achieving its aims. There is very clear, detailed direction set for the school for this year and in outline until 2005. All members of staff with responsibilities work together very well to carry out their roles. The governing body are very supportive of the school. They are very well informed by the headteacher and the staff and fulfil their statutory responsibilities very well. The parents and pupils are informed and consulted in the school development planning process.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

12. The school’s self evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses and the commitment of the whole school community to succeed are very good. Since the last inspection in 1997 there has been very good improvement. All the issues from the last report have been resolved or are presently being addressed. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the Foundation Stage of learning for pupils in the reception class. The staff have kept pace with the rapid changes in information and communication technology, ensuring it is taught in all subjects. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored very well in English and mathematics to ensure that staff meet the needs of all pupils. The results of the monitoring along with the teachers’ detailed assessments of pupils’ progress, aid lesson planning. Consequently, the teaching and learning are very good overall.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

In other subjects, the school improvement plans outlines the monitoring of teaching and learning and the further development of assessment procedures by the subject leaders.

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

13. There are rigorous procedures for assessing pupils’ work to find out if the standards are high enough and where improvements can be made in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ achievements are tracked through school year by year and help is placed where it is needed most. The school has been particularly successful in raising the attainment Birdlip Community Primary School - 14 of the pupils’ writing skills this year. The strategic planning is very good. The school’s improvement plan is based on raising standards. To this end, the governors are keen to make the best possible staff appointments to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. The system for performance management is fully in place. The headteacher is keen to find out about new initiatives and to train his staff in the most up-to-date methods. Thus the school improvement plan becomes an effective tool which is used well to aid the continuing

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The pupils learn very well because they are taught very well. Quality planning and

14. The school is continually seeking improvement. At present the school is aiming to maintain the existing staffing level of skilled experienced staff for the morning session so that the pupils are taught in small but flexible groupings for English and mathematics. The governors make careful considerations before expenditure. The school is seeking to extend the provision for information and communication technology and managing to balance carried forward monies carefully for this purpose. The best use is made of bids to increase the school provision. The school have recently benefited from the grant awarded to small schools in the surrounding villages to provide teaching in music, dance and sport. The school is currently seeking to develop the school grounds and European links with other schools.

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Because there are excellent relationships within the school, the pupils have very good

15. The excellent relationships within the school create a successful learning environment. The pupils know one another well and play and work happily together. The pupils are keen and eager to learn. They ask questions confidently when they want to find out information or do not know the answer. The staff are vigilant to ensure all pupils are helped very well in their learning. They take particular care to involve pupils with special educational needs in all the educational activities offered by the school. Any emotional or behavioural difficulties are resolved at an early stage. Because the pupils are happy, settled and valued by the staff for the contributions they make, they learn very well.

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Because there are excellent relationships within the school, the pupils have very good

16. The staff work very hard to give praise for effort throughout the day, recognising this as an important consideration for pupils’ success. They reward pupils for their response to questions or the effort put into their work. Consequently, pupils enjoy school and are motivated to learn. The positive attitudes towards their work are reinforced by the manner in which staff mark pupils’ written work. The staff generally write a positive comment with any points for improvement. This helps pupils to understand what they are doing well and where they need to improve while at the same time maintaining pupils’ motivation to succeed. This contributes significantly to pupils’ personal development as they reflect on the quality of their work. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they are becoming effective communicators, giving mature and well thought out answers to questions. For example, Year 6 pupils, in a literacy lesson were

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Because there are excellent relationships within the school, the pupils have very good

articulate, giving sensible answers as they discussed different ways of writing the same text.

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The curriculum is rich and the school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral

17. All subjects are being taught well from a rich broad curriculum. Because the curriculum is very well planned, the pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are consistently well developed as pupils become older. The teachers’ and governors’ aim for pupils to ‘have a rounded education’ is very well developed. This is good improvement from the last inspection. The visitors and specialist staff who come in to teach art-and-design and music or to help take the pupils on visits to places of interest successfully contribute to pupils’ learning. Provision Birdlip Community Primary School - 15 for extra-curricular activities is very good and a strength of the curriculum. Considering there are so few pupils, the activities are wide-ranging, and contribute very well to pupils’ learning. Pupils are encouraged to take part in a range of extra-curricular activities to further their skills and interests and support the clubs well. Pupils have opportunities for learn to play a range of

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The curriculum is rich and the school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral

instruments including the violin, fife, flute, recorder, clarinet, saxophone and keyboards. Additionally there are clubs for drama, music, art, netball, cross-country, rounders, swimming, Latin, environmental projects and information-and-communication technology. Pupils take part in competitive sports and coaching is available from the local rugby, cricket, athletics and dance clubs.

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The curriculum is rich and the school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral

18. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. The Christian ethos of the school is strongly represented in the everyday life of the school. The staff set a good example to pupils in their relationships with pupils and other adults. Praise and rewards for good work, behaviour and thoughtful acts of helpfulness and kindness are key to promoting good attitudes to work and responsible and caring attitudes to others. The teachers encourage pupils in lessons, to reflect on moral and social issues that concern them in whole- class discussions known as ‘circle times’. Pupils’ discuss and resolve issues that concern them with the help of their teachers.

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The curriculum is rich and the school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral

19. There are excellent relationships at playtimes. Anti-social behaviour or bullying is rare and promptly acted upon by the headteacher. There are shared high expectations of behaviour are upheld by the whole school. The pupils feel responsible for their actions and know their opinions and concerns are valued. Year 6 pupils as the oldest pupils, have a particular responsibility to help others abide by the school rules and to help with the smooth day-to-day running of the school. For instance they act alongside the staff to help with the management of school assemblies. Pupils’ social development is extended through residential visits organised for Years 4,5 and 6 and annual events such as drama and music festivals or maypole dancing where the pupils mix with pupils whom they do not usually meet. These experiences make a significantly positive impact on pupils’ personal and social development.

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The interaction and involvement of parents in the school is excellent and enhances the

20. The parents think very highly of the school and are appreciative of the high quality education their children receive. Parents are keen to support the work of the school and help their children learn. There is a very active parent association, which raise significant amount of monies annually for a school of this size. Events held include children and the community and are very well supported and help to cement relationships with the community and contribute to pupils’ social development. The funds raised have improved the quality of the resources and hence the learning opportunities the school provides. The extra-curricular clubs and activities are supported very well by the pupils. Some parents freely give their time to run sporting activities after school for example or to help transport pupils to activities held in the locality. Other parents and some members of the community run clubs such as Latin at lunchtime and

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The interaction and involvement of parents in the school is excellent and enhances the

help to support teachers’ work in classes. Because parents are clear about the expectations of the school, they feel welcome in the school and know the staff respond to their concerns. The majority of parents help their children with work at home by hearing them read, helping them to research topics and find solutions to set tasks. This contributes effectively to pupils’ learning and promotes pupils’ good attitudes to learning. There is a willing and immediate response to other requests made by the school. Both parents and the community seek to improve the quality of the accommodation by helping with gardening and building improvement projects. Birdlip Community Primary School - 16

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Resources in information and communication technology and the development of a

system to assess and record pupils’ progress to raise standards still further.

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Resources in information and communication technology and the development of a

21. Since the last inspection, the school successfully installed a suite for the teaching of information and communication technology. Pupils are taught new skills in the suite and are able to apply their skills in other subjects as they use the computers in the classes. The pupils are learning skills well but limited resources restrict their attainment at a satisfactory rather than good level. The teachers are undertaking the national training programme for information and communication technology and are becoming more confident in teaching the subject. Because information and communication technology is planned and taught in all subjects, the pupils are succeeding in learning and applying new skills. Many of them also use information and communication technology to do their homework. Teachers make good use of the resources available to enable pupils to practise and consolidate their skills. Despite the good

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Resources in information and communication technology and the development of a

improvement of resources since the last inspection, there is a lack of an interactive teaching board and up to date computers so the staff can demonstrate quickly and effectively the appropriate skills. By Year 6, pupils are confident in learning and practising new skills. They write a simple program to command the computer to draw regular shapes and use CD-ROMs to research the topics they study. The incompatibility of a range of computers, some of which are outdated, further restricts the pace of teaching and learning. The action plan for the subject is very well thought out by the knowledgeable subject leader. There is no school assessment system to record the development of pupils’ skills. This is an area prioritised for development.

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The planning for activities outdoors and the provision of resources for physical

development for pupils in the Foundation Stage.

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The planning for activities outdoors and the provision of resources for physical

22. At this school, the Foundation Stage refers to the pupils in their reception year. The pupils are developing their coordination skills well as they manipulate and play with small equipment such as puzzles, pencils and games. For the development of physical co-ordination on a larger scale, pupils have a weekly lesson in the hall. However, the children do not have regular and frequent access to a secure outdoor area where they can continue to develop their physical co-ordination and practise physical skills such as skipping, hopping, climbing and balancing. This is unsatisfactory. Because there are fewer opportunities for physical development, the teaching is not as focused in physical education on developing key concepts, skills and vocabulary as it is in other areas of learning. Consequently, this lack of frequent physical activities limits children’s progress. This results in their achievement being good overall rather

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The planning for activities outdoors and the provision of resources for physical

than very good, as in the other areas of learning. The curriculum is well planned for indoor activities. However, the curriculum is limited in other areas of learning besides physical development for regular and frequent outdoor opportunities to promote learning such as exploration of the natural environment. Well-planned activities both indoors and outdoors is a key way in which children of this age confidently learn to explore, develop concepts and ideas to help them make sense of the world around them. Birdlip Community Primary School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The governors, headteacher and the staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology by: • Working towards improving the existing teaching resources by providing an interactive teaching board and up-to-date computers so that pupils may practise, evaluate and apply their skills and knowledge confidently; • Implement a system for recording pupils’ progress in information and communication technology skills and clearly communicate to pupils the skills they need to improve their work.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the provision for the pupils in the Foundation Stage by: • Providing a secure area for outdoor activities and large outdoor resources and wheeled vehicles to develop pupils’ physical skills; • Plan regular and frequent outdoor opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in all areas of learning. Birdlip Community Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 21

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 80

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 16

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

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Attendance

School data 6.5 School data 0.1 Birdlip Community Primary School - 19 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Birdlip Community Primary School - 20

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 6 11 17

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys - - - Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls - - -

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys - - - Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls - - -

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 5 7 12

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys - - - Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls - - -

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

Percentage of pupils School 92 (80) 92 (73) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys - - - Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls - - -

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (80) 92 (87) 100 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. . Where the number of boys or girls taking the tests and assessments at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 were ten or fewer in 2001, only to total of pupils numbers and the percentages of their results are reported.. Birdlip Community Primary School - 21 Birdlip Community Primary School - 22

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4 Financial year 2000/01

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 214 015

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Total expenditure 205 342

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30 Expenditure per pupil 2 566

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 22 319

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 30 992

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5.9

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 80 15 0 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 59 41 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 56 34 10 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 59 31 10 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 17 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 78 17 0 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 56 39 5 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 78 22 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 73 27 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 70 27 0 0 3 Birdlip Community Primary School - 25

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