Bewsey Lodge Primary School

BEWSEY LODGE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Jean-Pierre Kirkland

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BEWSEY LODGE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 10 th March 2000

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BEWSEY LODGE 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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BEWSEY LODGE 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. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lodge Lane Warrington Cheshire

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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: Mrs. E. Rutter

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1996 Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities Jean-Pierre Kirkland Registered inspector Geography The characteristics and effectiveness of the school Music The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Special educational needs Teaching and learning Development unit for pupils with moderate learning difficulties Leadership and management

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

English as an additional language Key Issues for action

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Shirley Elomari Lay inspector Equality of opportunity Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers Maureen Sillifant Team inspector English Art Religious education Mike Wainwright Team inspector Mathematics Quality and range of opportunities for learning History Physical education Penelope Ward Team inspector Areas of learning for children in the foundation stage Science Design and technology Information technology Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Grasshoppers 1 Anglesey Close Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 8XA

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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 Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Bewsey Lodge Primary school is a community school with some children entering at three years old into the nursery, others before their fifth birthday into the reception class and leaving when aged 11 at the end of Key Stage 2. The school is larger than most primaries and there are currently 266 pupils on roll with approximately equal numbers of boys and girls. This includes fifty-two children who attend part time in the nursery. The school also has a Key Stage 1 development centre for pupils with special educational needs. Most of the pupils come from white family backgrounds, although a small percentage of pupils, about five per cent, come from ethnic minority families and two per cent are an early stage of language development. The school has a standard admissions number of forty, with most of its places taken up, although there is spare capacity in some year groups. A significant minority of pupils enter or leave the school between the beginning and end of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

both key stages. The school has thirty-five per cent of its pupils on the special educational needs register which is well above average. All but one of the statemented pupils attend the development centre, which regularly integrates its pupils with those in the main school. Almost forty per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals. Most pupils come from the immediate area where most of the housing is for rent from the local authority. Attainment on entry to the nursery is well below average, and below average when pupils reach the age of five.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school. Children enter the nursery and reception class with well below average levels of literacy, language and numeracy. As a result of good teaching for children under five, and very good teaching throughout the rest of the school, pupils make very good progress overall and achieve standards above national averages in English, mathematics and science when they leave at age 11. The school is very well led and managed, and all staff are committed to raising standards and improving the provision in all aspects of school life. The school uses its resources and accommodation well, and despite some recent staffing difficulties, it provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Standards are above national averages in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2. • Standards are above national expectations in art and music at the end of both key stages, above expected levels in information and communication technology at the end of Key Stage 2 and well above expected levels in geography at the end of Key Stage 2. • Overall progress and learning are good throughout the school with many instances of very good progress in a large number of individual lessons. • Teaching and learning are outstanding in the development centre for pupils with special educational needs. • Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language make very good progress in mainstream lessons throughout the school. • Teaching is good for children under five and very good throughout the rest of the school • Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning, and behaviour and relationships throughout the

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

school are very good. • The school is very well led and very well managed with a significantly good contribution from the governing body. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 8 What could be improved • Introducing a scheme for structured early language development for children under five • Ensuring more consistency in the planning of learning for children under five. • Improving the provision of visits and visitors to the school in order to enhance further the good curriculum. 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 very good improvement overall since the previous inspection. All the key issues raised then have been successfully tackled. There has been a significant improvement in the quality of teaching and as a result, standards have risen substantially in English, mathematics and science, especially as recorded in recent national tests. The role of co-ordinators has been strengthened. There is a full and effective programme of personal, social and health education throughout the school with good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, thereby helping to provide pupils with greater knowledge, understanding and independence of thought. Standards in music have also improved substantially, as well as in art, geography and information and communication technology. The school development plan is very good and it provides a very secure basis from which to improve further. The senior management team, staff and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

governors seek to obtain best value for money in all areas of the work of the school. Overall, the school is in a very good position to improve its standards and educational provision further.

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The results achieved by pupils aged 11 in the 1999 National Curriculum tests were well above average in mathematics and science and above average in English. Inspectors found that standards in all three subjects were above average and not as high as the results last year in mathematics and science. Much of this is due to the larger proportion of lower attaining pupils in the current Year 6. When the pupils’ achievements are compared to pupils from similar schools, results are well above average in English and science and very high in mathematics. These statistics and inspection findings show a significant improvement over the last three years in all three subjects. Children enter the nursery or reception classes with levels well below average. When children start the National Curriculum at age 5, they are below average in language, literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and numeracy, and have achieved expected levels in physical,

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STANDARDS

personal, social and creative development. By age 7, there has been considerable improvement, with standards close to national averages in reading, writing, numeracy and Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 9 science. Standards are above expectations across the school in art and music. Standards are above expectations in information and communication technology and well above expectations in geography at the end of Key Stage 2. Standards are close to national expectations in all other subjects at both key stages, including religious education.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils settle down to work quickly and concentrate well on learning. There are excellent attitudes to learning in the development centre for pupils with special educational needs.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good throughout the school at work and at play.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Personal development is good, and pupils show initiative on those occasions when they are given opportunities. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are very good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Below national averages, but showing some recent signs of improvement.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils love coming to school. Teachers capitalise well on these attributes, and motivate pupils very well so that learning is good and often very good. Although attendance is still below average, much of this is due to illness, more so at Key Stage 1.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall 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. Teaching overall is very good; eleven per cent is outstanding; forty-four per cent is very good; twenty-nine per cent is good and sixteen per cent is satisfactory. There are instances of very good teaching throughout the school. Teaching for children under five is good; however, there is inconsistency in the planning between nursery and reception and the absence of a clear early language development policy impedes the otherwise good progress made. Teaching is very good at both key stages and there are a significant number of outstanding lessons. This high quality teaching is characterised by: • very high challenges and expectations of what pupils might achieve, thereby helping to

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

raise standards • very good subject knowledge, especially in numeracy and literacy teaching, with very skilful questioning in lessons sharpening up pupils’ thinking • very good management of pupils so that teaching takes place in a positive learning environment • very good range of teaching strategies which keep pupils interested and on task • very effective deployment of support staff enabling all pupils, including those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs to make very good progress Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 10 Learning is good for children under 5, and very good throughout the rest of the school. Especially effective are the way in which pupils apply intellectual, physical and creative effort in lessons, and the eager way in which they work.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. There is breadth and balance and teachers make good connections between subjects in lessons. The school has successfully introduced the National Literacy and National Numeracy Strategies

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good provision in the development centre for pupils with special educational needs and throughout the school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good, with a strong focus on early language development.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall; the school has introduced a good scheme for personal and social and health education. Provision for moral and social development is very good. Assemblies make a very good contribution in this respect.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall, but with especially good levels of care applied sensitively at times of adversity. Parents spoke very highly of the care given to pupils and families.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has a good relationship with its parents, although only a few choose to come into school to help out on a regular basis. The school generally does not exploit the community, including the wider community as a source of resources for visits out or for inviting visitors into the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good overall. There is commitment and very clear educational direction set. The school fulfils its aims very well through commitment to improving standards and levels of learning.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good overall. Many governors are devoted to the school and support all aspects of school life very well. They have a good strategic overview of developments and act as a critical friend to the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good; above average standards are being achieved through realistic target setting.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good; especially good use is made of adult support in classrooms.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The site manager not only makes a very positive musical contribution to assemblies, but through care and diligence, ensures that all pupils have a very clean and very well maintained learning environment. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 11

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Children like coming to school. • Children make good progress. • Behaviour is good. • The head and staff are very caring. • Teaching is good. • The school welcomes parents and their comments. • Standards are very good. • There is a very good headteacher and the staff work hard. • An improvement in the number of extra- curricular activities. • Better information on progress

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors wholeheartedly agree with the positive views of parents, many of whom approached members of the inspection team privately to express their gratitude and praise for the support and care provided by the school. Inspectors found the lack of extra- curricular activities was due to staffing difficulties, especially affecting musical activities such as the choir and guitar tuition. Inspectors do not support parents on the issue of information on progress. Reports were judged to be of good quality, giving a clear picture of each child, while also setting targets for improvement. Staff are readily accessible at the start and end of the day and there are regular parents’ consultation evenings to discuss standards and progress. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and achievements

1. There has been a substantial improvement in the National Curriculum test results at both key stages since the previous inspection. Results at Key Stage 2 show pupils’ achievements well above national averages in 1999, with well above average results when compared to similar schools in English and science, and very high results in mathematics. The standards achieved within the school are a great strength.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Children enter either the nursery or the reception class with attainment that is well below expected levels for their ages. Although by the age of five, children have made good progress, their levels of attainment in language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world are below average. Most do not attain the desirable learning outcomes for children age five. The absence of a clearly structured language development scheme is impeding the otherwise good progress being made. However, there is better progress in the nursery and reception class in personal and social development, physical development and creative development, and most children attain the expected levels in these areas.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. By the age of seven, in the 1999 National Curriculum tests, pupils’ achievements were well below national averages in reading and mathematics, and below average in writing. When compared with pupils from similar schools, results were average in reading and mathematics, and above average in writing. In the 1999 science teacher assessments, the proportion of pupils achieving level 2 was close to national averages. No pupils achieved the higher level 3 resulting in well below average achievement at this level. The results in English, mathematics and science contain the achievements of pupils who are in the development centre for special educational needs, and therefore contain a much higher than average number of pupils on the special educational needs register. Inspectors judged standards to be close to the national average overall.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. At the end of Key Stage 2 at age eleven, standards in English are above average and inspection findings confirm the 1999 National Curriculum test results. Most pupils write well. Letters are correctly formed and handwriting is clear and legible. Pupils speak with confidence and use a wide range of appropriate vocabulary. Reading is above average. In Year 6, most pupils are free readers and they enjoy the books they select, talk about the characters and the plot and make predictions about the stories they read. They are familiar with encyclopaedias and other non-fiction sources of evidence and research. Levels of speaking and listening are above average. Pupils present ideas and research outcomes to the rest of the class with confidence in a range of subjects. They use a good range of vocabulary when speaking. They listen attentively in classes and in assemblies.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. In mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2, inspection findings show that pupils are generally above average for their age, but not as high in attainment as the 1999 National Curriculum tests showed. This is mainly due to the larger number of lower attaining pupils in this year group. However, these pupils have made very good progress since they last took national tests at the age of seven, which showed them to be well below average. By the end of the key stage, mental agility in computation of number is above average and pupils apply this successfully when dealing with decimals and fractions. When Year 6 calculate the areas of complex shapes, they work out the answers quickly. Pupils represent data on Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 13 different types of graphs and plot co-ordinates very well. Measuring skills are good and pupils construct a range of triangles accurately. They understand and investigate

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The school’s results and achievements

purposefully when presented with mathematical hypotheses.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. In science, by the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ achievements are above the national average. They have a structured approach to carrying out investigations and making accurate recordings. Pupils show good understanding of what is meant by a fair test. Pupils are good at predicting what they are likely to find out and use their scientific knowledge well to explain their findings. When investigating dissolving, they demonstrate a growing knowledge of the difference between solids, liquids and gases. They are able to classify changes as reversible or irreversible. The current group of pupils in Year 6, although above average, are not achieving as highly as the group last year, due mainly to the larger number of lower attaining pupils in the year.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Rates of progress over time have been good at Key Stage 1 and very good at Key Stage 2. Standards at Key Stage 1 have risen at a rate greater than the national rate over the past three years, and since the school was last inspected. At Key Stage 2, this rate of improvement has been dramatic, with results in the National Curriculum tests well below average in 1997, rising to well above average in the 1999 tests. Much of this is due to: • Stability of management over time • Significant improvements in the quality of teaching • Greater emphasis on analysis of pupils’ individual potential and performance • Strong emphasis on early intervention for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Overall progress in English, mathematics and science is good at Key Stage 1. Pupils begin to read more widely and use dictionaries effectively to check spellings. They form their letters when writing with greater confidence. Pupils listen well, but their levels of speaking are below average and forming longer sentences with an appropriate range of vocabulary has not reached average levels by the end of the key stage. Starting from a position of below average attainment, pupils acquire a good understanding of mathematical tables and are competent with addition and subtraction as well as knowing and understanding three-dimensional shapes. In science, pupils make good progress in investigation and in recording their work with care.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Progress at Key Stage 2 is very good in English, mathematics and science. Teachers build very successfully on the good progress made at Key Stage 1. Pupils’ vocabulary is extended and enlarged considerably, not just in English, but across the whole curriculum. Reading and writing show very good levels of improvement. Pupils make rapid gains in speaking, with many opportunities in other curriculum areas to rehearse and practice. In mathematics, rates of mental agility improve, with increasing degrees of accuracy. Pupils use numeracy skills well in other subjects, such as graph work in geography, and measurement in science.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. In science, pupils throughout the school, including those with special educational needs, make very good progress in their acquisition of knowledge and understanding of those aspects of science that they are studying. Older pupils make good progress in scientific investigation. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 14 11. Pupils’ achievements in art, geography and music are above expected levels by the end of Key Stage 1. Progress and the quality of learning are good in all these subjects. Pupils’ achievements meet national expectations in all other areas of the curriculum at age seven. Levels of attainment are above those expected from eleven year olds in art, information and communication technology and music by the end of Key Stage 2. Levels are well above expectations in geography, where progress in understanding map work, physical and human aspects of the subject has been very good.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress, especially when they are supported in classrooms, or given specialist lessons by additional teachers. This also applies to the relatively few pupils with English as an additional language. In both cases, there is a strong focus on language development, and on numeracy if and when required. The success of the support given, and individual work undertaken is evident in the ever-declining numbers of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs in the classes containing older pupils at Key Stage 2. This is also the case with the pupils who have English as an additional language. Through early intervention, good quality individual education plans, and high levels of integration and inclusion in all activities, the school meets with very good levels of success in promoting successful learning strategies for all pupils with special educational needs and those having English as an additional language.

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The school’s results and achievements

Such provision is a great strength of the school. The school has identified a musically talented pupil who is given frequent and regular opportunities to improve her performance in school and in public, thereby extending her learning effectively.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. The introduction of the National Literacy Strategy has been very good and very effective, with rising standards and improved rates of progress at both key stages. The more recent introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy has been good and effective, building well on the good practices already established.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. Targets set by the school have been met fully. Although setting lower targets this year, based on detailed analysis of pupils’ prior achievements and levels in earlier tests, the school is realistic about potential and likely results. Expectations are still high, and the school is constantly seeking ways of improving performance and learning by analysing areas of relative weakness and targeting these in lessons.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and respond very positively to all school activities. They show very high levels of respect for teachers and other adults. Parents report that their children love coming to school. Almost all pupils take an interest in their work and frequently enjoy it, as in a Year 4 art lesson, where pupils were enthralled as they decorated a Greek vase. Many pupils show a real enthusiasm for learning. Pupils sustain their concentration well and try hard to complete the work set. They respond very well when the work is challenging and when they have the opportunity to work with others in small groups, for example in information and communication technology lessons and in science. Pupils with special educational needs share the positive attitudes that pervade the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils respond very well to the high expectations teachers have of behaviour. They understand the system of rewards and sanctions, and enjoy earning stars. The rare incidents of bullying are dealt with promptly and firmly. In lessons, behaviour is usually very good. In none of the lessons observed during the inspection was behaviour less than satisfactory . In several lessons behaviour was exemplary. For example, when a group of Year 4 and 5 pupils went swimming they behaved impeccably both on the coach and while at the baths. Behaviour at breaks and lunchtimes is also very good. Pupils are almost Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 15 always polite to one another and to adults. They take good care of their own property and that of the school. For example, the excellent displays of work and artefacts around the school are very well cared for and in an immaculate condition. Almost all parents express

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

satisfaction with the high standards of behaviour of pupils. The very good behaviour is a significant strength of the school in enabling pupils to settle down very quickly and sustain their learning in lessons. There were four pupil excluded for a fixed period of time during the last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. The quality of relationships is very good and is a further strength of the school. Pupils form positive relationships with one another, with teachers and with other adults. In lessons, pupils respond well when asked to work together in small groups or to collaborate on different aspects of a task. Pupils learn very good levels of social skills and learn to share resources in a friendly way. They listen well to other pupils and to their teachers. They usually respect the views of others and consider their feelings. They offer help spontaneously when needed and applaud the good efforts of others. A good programme of personal, health and social education has been introduced since the previous inspection and pupils respond positively to the opportunities provided to explore their feelings. In Key Stage 2 they are often able to write with insight as, for example when writing about their best friends’ character in personal, health and social education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils are willing to take responsibility when they are offered the opportunity to do so. They put up the hymns on the overhead projector in assemblies, show visitors around the school and help each other in class. However, many of the responsibilities are mundane and do not give pupils an effective voice in the school community. Pupils work well independently when asked to do so, for example in information and communication technology lessons where they navigate through the program they are using with little adult help.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Attendance remains below the national average, as it was at the time of the previous inspection. However, the majority of absence is due to illness especially at Key Stage 1 where the incidence is particularly high. Levels of unauthorised absence have fallen this year. Most pupils are keen to attend school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. The very good attitudes to work and play, very good behaviour and very good relationships make a significant positive contribution to pupils’ learning and achievement.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teaching is very good, a very significant strength of the school, and a substantial improvement since the school was previously inspected. Eleven per cent of teaching was judged excellent, forty-four per cent was judged very good and twenty-nine per cent was good. Sixteen per cent was judged satisfactory. There were no occasions of unsatisfactory teaching in the school during the inspection. The very high quality teaching throughout the school is having a major effect on raising standards and promoting high quality learning in classrooms.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Children under five benefit from good teaching overall, some of which is currently in the hands of a temporary teacher in the nursery. Basic skills are well taught. Pupils enter the school with poorly developed skills in literacy and numeracy. Teaching focuses appropriately on the development of these skills. However, the absence of a clearly structured early language development scheme impedes the otherwise good progress made, especially in speaking and comprehension. There is also a need for more consistency in planning for all the children under five in different classes. Plans to rectify Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 16 this are on hold until a new permanent appointment is made in the nursery.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teaching at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is very good overall. Teachers are very well prepared, resources are laid out and very well organised in advance and classroom management is very good and occasionally excellent. Teachers know their pupils very well and use this information when placing pupils in groups, or when questioning them at the start or end of lessons. Time is used very well and classes are very well managed. In lessons where teaching is satisfactory, teachers do not always share the learning objectives with their classes and occasionally the pace is slower than it could be. However, all teachers, including the temporary teachers who have class responsibilities, have very good subject knowledge and strive their best to provide worthwhile learning experiences for their pupils. All staff are fully aware of the learning needs of different groups of pupils, and teachers are very careful to ensure that any learning needs identified on the individual

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

education plans are met as fully as possible, enabling very good progress to be made.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The very good quality of teaching is largely responsible for the very good progress made by pupils from entry to the school until the end of Year 6. It also accounts for the very substantial improvements made in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2 in particular, but also to the improvements in the Key Stage 1 tests and assessments as well. The very good and outstanding features of teaching which make the school so successful are: • Teachers have very good subject knowledge and understanding, including the teaching of basic skills. This is especially the case in English and mathematics at both key stages. At Key Stage 1, in literacy, very good emphasis is placed on the recognition of initial sounds, improving the clarity of pronunciation and acquiring a wider range of vocabulary. In numeracy, pupils are very well challenged in mental arithmetic sessions at the start of lessons, and in Year 6, the teacher focuses well on learning not fully grasped in the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

previous lesson, so that progress is not impeded. Standards of work are high and reach the expectations of the teachers. • In all very good and excellent lessons, there are high challenges and consistently clear expectations of what pupils might achieve. In music lessons at both key stages, all pupils are expected to take part in performance and appraisal. They are expected to be able to name their instruments, play them, and describe sounds, rhythms and pitch. Teachers integrate all pupils with learning difficulties and ensure there is equality of opportunity and access. In art at Key Stage 2, some lessons are very effectively linked to literacy, so that pupils consolidate their knowledge from another curriculum area very well, as they work with a different medium. • Teachers have very good, and occasionally excellent management strategies. Teachers apply the code of conduct fairly and justly. This signals high expectations of good

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

behaviour and provides a very good quality learning environment from the start, enabling good and very good quality learning to take place. Teachers often arrange pupils in groups by prior learning, in order to set work which is very well matched to their needs. At other times, they allow pupils to form their own groupings, ensuring a good social mix within the classroom. Larger groups, such as combined lessons for pupils from the special educational needs development centre and Key Stage 1 classes are very well managed. For example, teachers focus on the learning needs in physical education or music very well. Such combined classes contain a very good proportion of adults to pupils and staff plan together jointly so that each adult has a specific role and is used to maximum effect. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 17 • Teachers make the best use of classroom assistants and other staff. They very effectively integrate them into the planning so that assistant staff have a clear role, know

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

their tasks and make specific contributions when required. This is especially effective in the special educational needs development centre, in lessons at both key stages in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. • Teaching strategies are very good and extremely effective at both key stages. Teachers plan very carefully high quality opening sessions, which contain very good levels of questioning, drawing on their secure subject knowledge. This challenges pupils well; they are enthused and motivated from the outset. Teachers then organise appropriately timed group sessions with specific and clear tasks, which are well explained, thereby cutting down on any potential time-wasting. Pupils are engaged immediately and make very good progress, with resources carefully prepared to be at their fingertips as soon as they start. Lesson planning is better at Key Stage 2. There are some minor

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

inconsistencies in the planning at Key Stage 1, especially in the development of early language skills, which is an area for improvement. • Marking is generally very effective, setting clear goals for improvement as well as pointing out weaknesses and giving appropriate praise where it is due. Marking is also consistent between key stages and between classes. The information obtained from correcting pupils’ work is put to very effective use when organising groups in classes, or when assessing needs and identifying problems.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teaching of numeracy and literacy throughout the school is very good overall. The two major national strategies have been successfully introduced. Teachers follow the structures of both initiatives very well and target specific pupils very effectively through matching questions to the known levels of pupils’ attainment extremely well. As a result, pupils enjoy their lessons, respond with great enthusiasm, learn well and make very good progress in language development and numeracy throughout the school.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Homework is used to extend the curriculum appropriately at Key Stage 1. Reading, spelling and tables are regularly taken home. Homework levels are good at Key Stage 2, where additional research initiatives, supplementary reading and mathematics are regular features, extending the curriculum effectively and helping to consolidate learning well.

p.17

PUPILS?

27. Provision for children under five is good and meets national requirements. The school meets statutory requirements in all aspects of the National Curriculum and in religious education. The quality of the learning opportunities provided is good. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented very effectively and the quality of pupils’ learning in literacy lessons is very good overall. The more recent National Numeracy Strategy has been introduced effectively. Teachers use it confidently and this is reflected in the enthusiasm and application of pupils in mathematics lessons. Planning is satisfactory and is based on established schemes of work in all subjects except design and technology. In many lessons, good links are made between subjects so that they transfer and apply skills very well. Year 3 pupils construct wax tablets in design and technology, giving them a clear idea of an early form of writing. All pupils benefit from equality of opportunity; the provision

p.17

PUPILS?

for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language is very good. This is a strength of the school. Pupils from the development centre for special educational needs share some lessons with other classes very effectively and on a regular basis. These occasions provide good opportunities to extend all pupils’ personal and social development. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 18 The provision for these aspects and for health education, including sex and drugs education, is good, with specific time allocated weekly in each class.

p.17

PUPILS?

28. Teachers give additional time to provide pupils with extra-curricular activities, including residential weekends for Years 4, 5 and 6, which the pupils value very highly. At present these are restricted to sports activities. Various musical opportunities have also been available to pupils in the past, but these have had to be suspended temporarily due to staff illness. All pupils are included in educational visits. There are, however, relatively few visitors coming into the school to share particular expertise with pupils. This is an area for further development. Good links have been established with high schools, including regular meetings, visits by pupils and specialist lessons.

p.18

PUPILS?

29. The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development and very good provision for moral and social development. All staff are very good role models. They demonstrate to pupils through their everyday actions and relationships how best to treat others. They treat pupils with respect and are given respect in return.

p.18

PUPILS?

30. Provision for spiritual development is good. The quality of assemblies is good, and the quality of the music and hymn singing very good. All assemblies contain appropriate acts of collective worship which provide all pupils with appropriate opportunities to reflect on their lives and on how they can help others. Circle time, religious education and personal, health and social education lessons also provide effective opportunities for pupils to learn about and reflect on the world in which they live.

p.18

PUPILS?

31. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development, which are significant strengths. Teachers routinely reinforce appropriate moral and social codes and pupils are in no doubt of the difference between right and wrong. Teachers make very good use of praise and appreciation to promote good moral and social attitudes and to build pupils’ self esteem and confidence. In lessons, there are frequent opportunities for pupils to work together in pairs or small groups so that they learn to listen well to others and to share resources equitably. Assemblies, circle time and personal, health and social education lessons make good reference to social and moral themes such as honesty, friendship, kindness and thinking of others. There is very good provision for pupils from the development unit for pupils with special educational needs to be integrated into lessons such as music and physical education and all pupils respond very positively to these

p.18

PUPILS?

experiences. The excellent quality of display of pupils’ work throughout the school is very effective in raising pupils’ self esteem and aspirations as well as providing an uplifting and stimulating learning environment.

p.18

PUPILS?

32. The provision for cultural development is good. In religious education, pupils learn about major world faiths and begin to develop an awareness and understanding of religious and cultural differences. Children in the nursery are taught nursery rhymes and traditional stories and in both key stages pupils have a wide range of experiences in art, geography, music, English and history which enhance their cultural awareness. All pupils are actively included in the school productions. However, the school does not provide sufficient number or variety of visits to places of interest and the range of people who visit the school is small. For example, pupils do not have sufficiently regular opportunities to explore local history through visits into the community and there are few visits from artists or writers. These are relative weaknesses in provision and areas for further development. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 19

p.18

Development centre for pupils with special educational needs at Key Stage 1

33. The development centre, formerly designated as a unit for statemented pupils with moderate learning difficulties, provides very good educational facilities and learning opportunities for the eleven pupils who currently attend. It is a hive of purposeful activity, with highly committed and well-informed staff. As a result, progress is very good. With support assistants and other specialist teachers, the co-ordinator provides a very high standard of teaching. Lessons are very thoroughly prepared, and cover similar ground to the work done elsewhere in the school for Key Stage 1 pupils. This enables those pupils who are ready to return to mainstream classes to do so with relative ease. To help further in this process, there are frequent and regular opportunities for pupils at Key Stage 1 to join together for lessons in subjects such as physical education and music.

p.19

Development centre for pupils with special educational needs at Key Stage 1

34. Teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy is very good. One outstanding literacy lesson was observed where pupils began to extend their vocabulary very well and began to relate names of fruit to the real thing, laid out for them to touch and taste. Using a purposeful multi-sensory approach effectively, a very good rate of learning was established with pupils remembering and recalling technical names such as mango and guava by the end of the session. The high quality teaching results in very good levels of learning and progress. It also engenders in pupils a desire to learn. Attitudes of the pupils, including those with emotional and behavioural difficulties is very good and on occasions, excellent. Pupils are very well behaved, settle down quickly to lessons and are eager to learn and please the teacher and other staff. Rewards are used very effectively to motivate good behaviour and very good progress. Pupils enjoy their learning, which adds significantly to

p.19

Development centre for pupils with special educational needs at Key Stage 1

the very good rates of progress they make. On one occasion, during the lunch hour, a pupil selected a story-book and demanded that the inspector read it to him. Such an example of the love for learning demonstrates the high degree of success staff are having with their pupils.

p.19

Development centre for pupils with special educational needs at Key Stage 1

35. When classes are joined together, whichever teacher is responsible ensures that there is full social inclusion and a high level of integration. Lessons are planned jointly and staff share the teaching when appropriate. Questions put to pupils are matched very well to their capabilities, but never fail to challenge. High expectations of good behaviour in the enlarged classes is expected and fully realised. In music, the development centre pupils were so well integrated into the lesson that it would have been impossible to distinguish them from the mainstream class in the activities they undertook.

p.19

Development centre for pupils with special educational needs at Key Stage 1

36. Although rated as very good in the previous inspection, provision and standards have improved in a significant number of areas. Teaching now verges on the excellent. Displays, including all the major subjects of the curriculum, contain many very good examples of pupils’ work, and serve to support learning very effectively. Integration is very well developed and better than when previously reported on. The pupil with English as an additional language makes very good progress with the specialist support, and in other lessons. Planning is very thorough and resources are very well used to promote high quality learning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school provides a safe haven where pupils can work productively. It is a friendly and caring community. Teachers and other staff set high standards for pupils and act as very good role models. They have a clear understanding of pupils’ academic and personal progress and very effectively promote high standards of discipline and good behaviour. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 20 38. The school ensures that the welfare of pupils is very good. Arrangements for first aid and for medicines in school are good. There are good arrangements to ensure pupils’ health and safety. Regular health and safety checks are carried out and the site manager is vigilant in addressing any minor issues as soon as possible. There are no major health and safety concerns outstanding. Teachers pay good attention to safe practice in lessons and pupils are taught to be aware of their own safety and that of others. Procedures for child

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

protection are very good. The school has an appropriate policy and procedures comply with requirements. The headteacher is responsible for child protection and has received appropriate training. Liaison with outside agencies is good and effective.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school has a wide range of procedures in place to monitor academic performance and this is done well, particularly in English, mathematics and science, and for pupils with special educational needs. However, assessment data, including the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum test results, are not always used as productively as it could be. For example, the school has not yet reached the stage of analysing the National Curriculum test results by looking at strengths and weaknesses between the attainment targets. Day- to-day assessment procedures are very good and are used effectively to ensure that work matches well to pupils’ needs. This means that much of the work is relevant and suitably challenging, which leads to good learning by all pupils. Procedures for supporting academic progress are good. The school has a clear and appropriate marking policy and it is implemented consistently. Teachers provide pupils with effective guidance on how to

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

improve their work both through comments in lessons and in their books. Pupils appreciate the help and support they receive from their teachers. Each pupil has an ongoing Record of Achievement and in these, pupils have the opportunity to set themselves targets for improvement, which are reviewed regularly.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Procedures for monitoring behaviour and for promoting good behaviour are very good and there is a high level of consistency in the effectiveness of behaviour management. The school uses positive discipline strategies very well and teachers use them most effectively to motivate pupils. Staff have very high expectations of behaviour and pupils rise to them. Little bullying occurs and pupils are confident that there is always an adult to turn to in time of need. Parents state that any incidents of bullying are dealt with both quickly and effectively.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school monitors and promotes the importance of good attendance and punctuality extremely well. The expectations for the reporting of absence are made very clear to parents and almost all comply with them. Procedures for following up unreported absence are thorough and the school involves the educational welfare service appropriately in cases of concern.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Teachers know pupils and their families well and use this knowledge very effectively to guide their pastoral care. Pupils are confident to approach staff with any problems and feel that they are well supported. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language receive well targeted help and support. This enables them to make good and often very good progress. The high ratio of adults to children in many lessons allows all pupils to receive good levels of individual support and this ensures that they benefit fully from the educational opportunities provided. The weekly celebration assemblies are used effectively to praise academic and personal achievement, and are valued by pupils. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 21

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Parents express very positive views of the school and particularly value the high standards of work and behaviour, the good progress their children make, the provision for pupils with special educational needs and the caring and hard working staff. They also appreciate the fact that all staff, including the head teacher, are very approachable and deal quickly and efficiently with any concerns parents raise.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school provides very good information for parents, who have open access to the school. This accessibility of the head teacher and staff is a strength of the school. The prospectus and annual report of governors to parents both contain the full range of required information and are clearly presented. The school provides two formal opportunities each year for parents to discuss their child’s work and progress with the teacher, but parents are welcome to come into school at other times to discuss progress and look at their child’s books. Attendance at parents’ evenings is generally good. The annual reports are of good quality. They provide clear information about progress and, particularly in English, mathematics and science, tell parents about the strengths and weaknesses in their child’s work. Annual reports were criticised in the previous report for failing to identify areas for development consistently. This issue has been addressed

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

satisfactorily, all reports now contain targets for improvement. They provide space for both parents and their children to comment, and many take up the opportunity to do so.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. The school arranges a number of workshops for parents about issues such as literacy and numeracy but attendance at these is often disappointing. A series of workshops on parenting skills has also been provided, using a wide range of external speakers; again, attendance was not as great as had been hoped. Attendance at school productions is, however, very good. There is a local community action group to which many parents belong; the group has been successful in gaining local authority support over the parking outside school gates. Parents are kept fully informed of any reviews taking place for pupils with special educational needs, and many choose to come and discuss progress when invited.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Relatively few parents choose to become actively involved in the daily life of the school but those who do are well supported and make a very positive contribution. For example, parent helpers in an art lesson in the Year 1 and reception class enabled all pupils to achieve well in the new task of observational drawing. The school seeks to involve parents actively with their children’s work at home and most parents, particularly those with children in Key Stage 1, complete the reading record books regularly. The draft homework policy, due to be presented to the governing body, provides clear guidelines for parents on how to help ensure that homework is effective.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The school is very well led and managed. Between them, the headteacher and deputy headteacher have fifty years of experience in the school. Against this very stable background, senior management is knowledgeable about the needs of the pupils and the community. Very much appreciated by parents and governors, many of whom show great devotion to the school, the quality of management and leadership has had a significant and positive impact on the progress and quality of learning throughout the school. Current staffing problems due to early retirement, sickness and maternity leave, have temporarily robbed the school of three co-ordinators, in geography, music and religious education. Despite this, standards have been maintained in religious education, have risen in music and are well above expectations in geography since the school was last inspected, showing Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 22 very effective delegation and management overall.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. There is regular monitoring of teaching, which has helped to improve its quality dramatically since the previous inspection. Focusing on English and mathematics, with all co-ordinators monitoring longer-term planning, the school has successfully raised its standards and increased the rate of progress for all its pupils. Governors are knowledgeable and very supportive. They get to know the pupils well when they help in the classrooms on a voluntary basis. Governors have a good strategic overview of the work of the school, are fully involved in the production of the very good quality school development plan, and enter into full and productive dialogue with the headteacher on a regular basis. As a result, with commitment to improved provision and higher standards, there is very clear educational direction for the work of the school. Statutory requirements are met in full.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The aims and objectives of the school are met in full. The school very successfully enables its pupils to make very good progress and achieve standards above national averages and expectations, with more gifted pupils attaining even higher. The care and supportive welfare systems in place ensure that teachers and other adults focus effectively on meeting the needs of all pupils. Management of the development centre for pupils with special educational needs is very good. There are clear aims to guide the work of the centre and these are fulfilled in full. Through regular integration and assessment, pupils in the centre have a rich, varied and interesting curriculum, which enables a smooth subsequent transition back into main school classes. The special educational needs of pupils in the main school are very well met. The success of the individual education plans and other specific help given is shown to be very successful by the ever-decreasing

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

numbers on the school’s register of special educational need as pupils move through the school towards the upper juniors. There is also very good provision for pupils with English as an additional language. These pupils make very good progress as a result of the high quality support they receive. The few gifted pupils in the school are effectively challenged, supported and promoted wherever possible.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The role of the co-ordinator has not been developed to the full, although it is at a satisfactory level. In English and mathematics, co-ordinators fulfil their roles very well, monitoring and, with the headteacher, setting realistic targets for discussion with the local education authority. In other subjects, co-ordinators have opportunities to scrutinise long term planning. They do not currently monitor the teaching in their own areas of responsibility, as this is left mainly to the headteacher, a job he does very well.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The high profile of the headteacher in classrooms enables him to have a very realistic overview of teaching and learning. With wider consultation with key stage co- ordinators, the senior management and governors have a good picture of the strengths and areas for improvement within the school. Priorities for development, arrived at through wide consultation, are very clear and appropriate. Training has been linked strongly to these priorities, including governor training, and as a result, expert knowledge and understanding underpins the high quality teaching throughout the school.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. There is very clear application of the principles of best value. This is reflected in the very effective way in which all resources are used and in the very high quality of learning taking place. The highest priority is to involve as many adults in school as possible, the benefits of which are clearly evident in the very good teamwork in many lessons. The high number of pupils with special educational needs reduces through the school because of early intervention strategies and the emphasis on strong support for such pupils. The headteacher and governing body seek best value for money in all ways through careful financial planning and very good administration. This includes the use of specific grants, Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 23 such as funds for pupils with special educational needs. The headteacher and governors appoint only the best quality staff and ensure that money spent on materials and repairs is

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

spent wisely. Governors spend time in school and are aware of the impact of their financial decisions on the learning taking place. The quality of the teaching and learning in the new information and communication technology suite fully justifies the financial outlay. The large financial carry-over this year is being reserved prudently and purposefully for major repairs to the fabric of the building.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. There are sufficient qualified and experienced teachers for the number of pupils on roll who are very well supported in their work by the classroom assistants. Professional development is effectively linked to the needs of the school as well as to individual needs. The accommodation inside and out is spacious and meets well the needs of all the children, including those in the nursery. The very attractive displays of work create a very purposeful and stimulating learning environment and they are used very effectively to display a wide range of pupils’ work, celebrating well their individual achievements.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The headteacher and the governing body have a carefully managed maintenance and furnishing programme, which ensures that all pupils are situated in a clean, pleasant and safe learning environment. A great deal of thought has been given to the various improvements both interior and exterior. The success of these improvements is largely due to the efforts of the site manager who has given so generously of his time to skilfully carry out many improvements, including the creation of a communication technology suite, a music room and the food and design technology areas. These add significantly to the richness of the learning environment and provide teachers with very good resources for learning. The school has its own playing field, which is well maintained and enables pupils to participate in physical activities including team games. This excellent facility contributes significantly to the progress pupils make in their physical development and their standards

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school’s resources are good in terms of range of quantity and quality. The enclosed quadrangles, which have been landscaped by the site manager and groups of pupils, provide an extremely pleasant learning environment containing trees, bushes. Flowers, bird boxes and a well maintained lawn. It is a valuable resource where children can investigate and observe growth and the beauty of nature. There are plans to develop the other quadrangle into an area for use of Key Stage 1 pupils.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. Pupils enter the school with well below levels of attainment; through very good teaching, an effective curriculum and very good management, they make very good progress and achieve above average results in Year 6. Set against unfavourable socio- economic circumstances and a high unit cost per pupil, the school provides very good value for money. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 24

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

57. In order to improve the levels of educational provision and to raise standards and the quality of learning further, the school, with support from the governing body and local education authority should:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards of speaking and comprehension further for children under five by developing a more structured and progressive early years’ language scheme. (Paragraphs: 2, 62)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Adopt a more consistent approach to planning between the nursery and reception classes to ensure consistency of progress and learning. (Paragraph: 73)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Enhance the curriculum further by: • extending the range of school visits into the nearer and wider community; (Paragraphs: 32, 97, 106, 109) • inviting visitors into school more frequently so that they may share their specialities and experiences in specific areas of the curriculum. (Paragraphs: 32, 109) Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 34

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

11 44 29 16 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 240

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 22 76 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 12

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 10 84

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 12

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 25

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 34

p.25

Attendance

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. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 26

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 25 18 43

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 21 21 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 15

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 86 (76) 86 (81) 84 (66) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (85)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 18 23 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 16

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 79 (84) 91 (84) 88 (86) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 13 14 27

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 9 12 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 10 11

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 70 (59) 81 (70) 85 (89) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 9 10 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 11 11

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 74 (67) 78 (72) 85 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 27

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.5 Financial year 1998/1999

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.8

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 546 332

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Expenditure per pupil 1 851

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 180.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 9 957

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 46 996

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 47.5

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 8.6 FTE means full-time equivalent. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 28

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 62 35 3 1 1

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 53 37 3 1 3

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 40 40 7 4 3

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 31 12 4 1

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 75 21 2 1 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 73 21 2 1 2

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 57 34 4 2 3

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 73 23 1 1 1

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 60 32 2 1 2

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 39 10 5 12

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Many parents expressed privately their appreciation of the care and attention given to them by the headteacher and staff at times of difficulty. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 29

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. The school has a nursery class and two reception classes, which provide education for pupils under the age of five. Children are admitted to the part-time nursery at the start of the term following their third birthday and transfer to the reception class in the September prior to their fifth birthday. There are 52 places in the nursery overall. The facilities in the nursery and reception settings provide a happy, secure, safe environment and access to a good range of activities.

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. Assessments, which are undertaken when the children join the nursery, show that they start school with varying levels of attainment. The majority of children have very low levels of attainment. A small minority of children attain the average level. Although by the age of five, children have made good progress overall, their attainment in language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world is still below the expected learning outcomes. Their personal and social development, physical and creative development is better and most children attain the expected level.

p.29

Personal and social development

60. By the age of five, the majority of the children have made good progress and attain the desirable outcomes in this area of learning. Personal and social development is given high priority. Children are happy and friendly. In the nursery they have good understanding of the routines. They answer politely when their names are called during registration. They follow instructions well and sit quietly when in the school assembly. In the nursery and reception, children are encouraged to be patient and take turns. Most show consideration for each other; however, a minority find it difficult to share. Many children are growing in independence in their dressing skills and personal hygiene. At playtimes and home time, they make every effort to put on their own coats. In the nursery, they learn how to behave properly when eating their morning snack. In the reception classes, they sensibly carry out responsibilities, for example collecting and giving out resources. Children learn to work as

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Personal and social development

part of a group. They show respect for the equipment and work well co-operatively. Staff provide good opportunities for the children to learn about different cultural traditions, a good example of this being the harvest festival and the celebration of Chinese New Year. Children in both the nursery and the reception classes are well behaved and have a growing understanding of the difference between right and wrong.

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Personal and social development

61. Teaching is good. The clear expectations of children to grow in independence and to behave well enables the children to make good progress in their personal and social skills and to have a good understanding of the difference between right and wrong.

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Language and literacy

62. The language and literacy skills of the majority of the children are well below what is usually expected of children when they enter the nursery or reception classes. By age five, levels have improved, but are still below average. Many find it difficult to listen well and have a restricted vocabulary level, which makes it difficult for them when they try to explain their ideas and feelings. There is no sufficiently structured language development scheme in use at the moment and this is an area for further development. During the time they are in the nursery, the good progress that pupils make is due to the well-planned opportunities to recite rhymes, recognise sounds, to choose books and to write. In the reception classes, when writing, most children form their letters correctly although some still write their letters the wrong way round. Children attempt to write over and under the teacher’s script and

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Language and literacy

Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 30 write their name unaided. The higher attaining children write simple sentences and are beginning to use capital letters and simple speech marks. They recognise alphabet letters and some familiar words. In the nursery and reception classes, children have access to a good range of books and are encouraged to pick books up and to read them. In the nursery, children are encouraged to hold books correctly and turn pages from left to right; the more able retell stories using pictures. In the reception classes, the children are beginning to understand terms such as author, illustrator and front cover. All children take books home to share with parents. The stimulating displays and the carefully written captions promote the children’s reading and writing skills. There are a wide range of opportunities provided for children to extend their language, reading and writing skills

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Language and literacy

through role play in the travel agents and the home corner. Quiet areas are provided where children can sit on their own or with their friends to look at the good range of books that are available. The literacy session in the nursery and the reception classes is utilised effectively to encourage children to follow the text; good questioning skills are used to assess children’s understanding.

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Language and literacy

63. The quality of language and literacy teaching is good overall. The literacy project has been introduced well. Teachers provide a good role model for clear speech and how to form letters correctly. Usually when children are playing, for example using the sand tray or in the role play area, staff engage children in discussion, question them effectively and challenge them to think.

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Mathematics

64. Many children have not reached the desirable outcomes by the time they are five. The attainment is very low when they join the nursery. During their time in the nursery and in the reception classes they acquire early mathematical vocabulary through discussion about well-planned mathematical activities. In the nursery the children are encouraged to count items, for example plastic bears which they sort according to colour. In the reception classes, children sort, match and count using a variety of items. They are beginning to recognise numbers and write numerals unaided and to use mathematical language such as in front of, bigger than and more. They can recognise and name numerals and recite to 20. The higher attaining children can count backwards from 20 and add two numbers together. Although progress in lessons over time is good, many children are still in the early stages of mathematical knowledge and understanding.

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Mathematics

65. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers and non-teaching assistants demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of how children learn mathematics. There are well-planned opportunities for children to develop their mathematical language and understanding of number. Children are encouraged to participate in counting games and to compare size. There are dedicated areas for mathematics in the classroom with a good range of resources, including water and sand for problem solving and number lines and blocks that are used successfully to encourage number recognition and counting skills.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

66. There are weaknesses in many of the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world on entry to the school. Although they make good progress from starting in the nursery to the end of their time in the reception classes, their attainment in this area is low and many are not likely to meet the desirable learning outcomes by the time they are five years of age. They are encouraged to talk about their families and a wide range of events, including where they live and when it was their birthday. In the nursery, staff talk about and give children the opportunity to feel the daffodils and bird’s nest as well as other interesting items connected with Spring, which are so beautifully displayed on the interest table. In reception, children investigate and question why things happen. They find out information Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 31 about themselves, and are gaining knowledge of space and also dinosaurs. In both

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

settings, children are beginning to explore information held on the computer, for example the farm programme. The majority are gaining in confidence in using the mouse to move pictures of animals to the area they wish. Overall most children are making good progress towards attaining the desirable learning outcomes.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

67. Teaching is good and at times very good. This was so in one lesson where children were introduced to the designs of Leonardo da Vinci. Lesson content and imaginative teaching methods encouraged investigation and exploration. In both settings, a stimulating learning environment has been created and good use is made of the school garden, which is a haven for living things such as a wide variety of plants and birds. A good range of resources is used to support the high quality staff interaction, which enables children to make good progress in knowledge and understanding. Plant displays encourage investigation and there have recently been good opportunities for children to learn about seed growth. Although there are some opportunities for children to explore the immediate vicinity, the range of visitors and visits is an area for further development.

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Creative development

68. Progress in creative development is good overall and children reach the expected levels by age five. In the nursery, children are provided with a wide range of experiences to enable them to explore colour and texture. They paint, draw, and model with increasing control. In reception, they are involved in design of modes of transport. They discuss how to join models and learn how to fold and crease paper for their paper planes. Their imaginary pictures of favourite characters from story-books demonstrate that they are using paint and brushes with increasing control. The children sing well together.

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Creative development

69. The quality of teaching is good overall. Staff encourage children to talk about their work. Good opportunities in all areas of the curriculum enable children to develop their creative skills. A good example is when learning to count, children have been involved in making papier-mâché bumble bees and in another lesson in making two-dimensional shapes. When looking at wheels they have been encouraged to print with them and in religious education, children have made effective use of collage in their life size picture of Jacob.

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Physical education

70. Attainment in this area is in line with the desirable outcomes, and the children’s progress is good. In the nursery, the children ride bicycles and scooters confidently. They push and pull wheeled toys and make good use of the climbing frame and the equipment in the inside soft play area. In the reception classes, they handle tools and modelling materials with increasing skill. They dance with confidence and agility, and in the playground run, skip and jump with increasing control. Photographs of their work in gymnastics show children warming up stretching completing a forward roll in a rocking and rolling sequence.

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Physical education

71. Teaching is good. Clear instructions and demonstration ensure children know what is required and good attention is given to safety. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported through good quality non-teaching assistants, who enable them to make the progress of which they are capable. There is appropriate attention given to safety; clear instructions and skilful questioning extend well the children’s understanding of what is required. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 32 72. Recently, the school has experienced staffing difficulties in the nursery and reception classes. There is one reception teacher on maternity leave and the experienced nursery teacher has recently left due to retirement. The governors and headteacher plan to appoint her replacement in the near future. The present temporary staff, another reception teacher, and the non-teaching staff are all dedicated to improving the standard of teaching

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Physical education

and learning. They have worked very hard indeed to overcome the difficulties the school has encountered. In both the settings, the teachers and non-teaching staff work very effectively as a team. The children receive appropriate small group and direct teaching linked to their individual learning needs; this enables them to make good progress and is having a significant impact on the standards pupils attain at the age of eleven.

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Physical education

73. At the moment, the nursery and reception classes are using a different planning format which is unsatisfactory and an area for development. However, the school intends to review this, in order to have a more consistent approach to teaching and learning. Another area that needs to be improved is the development of language for those children who enter the nursery with such a low level of attainment. The school acknowledges the urgency of the introduction of a more structured language programme, in order to develop children’s speaking and comprehension skills and to enable them to understand and receive the maximum benefit in all areas of the nursery and primary curriculum.

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ENGLISH

74. Pupils’ achievements in English are above the national average when they leave the school at age eleven years. This is a significant improvement on the findings of the previous inspection, and over the past three years there has been a substantial increase in the number of pupils attaining average and above average results. Current inspection findings confirm the 1999 Key Stage 2 National Curriculum test results, which recorded pupils’ attainment above that of all schools nationally and well above the results of similar schools. Standards at Key Stage 2 have been improved through a greater concentration on English activities, particularly towards the end of the key stage, when pupils undertake a long period of sustained creative writing each week. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy Strategy with a good selection of supporting materials and books; this is also helping to improve standards. The most significant feature of the

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ENGLISH

school’s improvement is the impact of the very good quality teaching.

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ENGLISH

75. Key Stage 2 pupils read well and standards are above average. This is particularly true of the higher attaining pupils who give their full attention to their reading, are very fluent and make no mistakes. Pupils have access to a very good selection of books in the school’s fiction and non-fiction library and also in their classrooms. Each week, pupils borrow books to take home and read. Vocabulary is good and pupils read, explain and spell words such as ‘oily’, ‘pneumonia’ and ‘guinea pig’ correctly.

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ENGLISH

76. Pupils’ listening skills are above average at the end of Key Stage 2, and are improved through reading their own stories aloud to the whole class. In this situation, concentration is high and the pupils’ critical listening skills are developed well through skilful questioning by the teacher.

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ENGLISH

77. Pupils’ handwriting, which is also above average at the end of Key Stage 2, develops rapidly throughout the key stage from printing in pencil in Year 3 to well formed joined writing in ink in Year 6. There is also a steady increase in the amount of written work produced, with further improvements in the content of the writing and the range of vocabulary used. Pupils often use their writing skills to good effect in other subject areas for example in pieces of good extended writing on composers in music or working children in Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 33 Victorian times in history. Often pupils will write on a word processor if their work is to be used as part of a display. This can be a collection of well-written limericks, notes on well- known children’s authors of this century or letters of protest about the destruction of our environment. Writing by Key Stage 2 pupils enhances most displays and is a strong feature

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ENGLISH

of the school. There are also collections of pupils’ writing and poems on topics such as daffodils, animals and winter. These are of a high standard and accessible for the pupils to read and to act as exemplars.

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ENGLISH

78. By the end of the Key Stage 1, pupils have reached a satisfactory level of achievement in all areas of English. When pupils begin the National Curriculum, their language development is below average. They have an unsatisfactory range of vocabulary. For example, they experience difficulty in naming common fruit or vegetables. By the time they reach the end of Key Stage 1, their listening skills are good and their speaking is satisfactory. This has been achieved through very skilful teaching, the support of teachers who specialise in English as an additional language, a visiting speech therapist who works with some pupils, special educational needs staff, nursery nurses, classroom assistants and voluntary workers. Good staff deployment and management is a significant feature in the pupils’ good progress in all areas of English at Key Stage 1.

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ENGLISH

79. Reading levels are close to national averages by the end of Key Stage 1. Most pupils read regularly at home, where they are supported by family members. All pupils, including many of those with special educational needs, talk about the plot and characters in the book they are reading. Higher attaining pupils predict what may happen next. All pupils show enjoyment and pleasure in their reading and this helps their progress. Writing is close to national averages by the end of the key stage. Writing skills are slower to develop with the greatest progress being seen towards the end of the key stage. By the end of Year 2, some pupils produce written work which is well set out, contains accurate spellings and is interesting. All pupils’ work is at least satisfactory, which is confirmed by the end of key stage national assessments and tests.

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ENGLISH

80. Teaching is very good. Teaching is never less than good and fifty per cent is very good or better across the school. This is a considerable improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. Good and very good features of teaching include: • teachers’ knowledge of their pupils and understanding of their needs, enabling work to be matched to individuals or groups extremely well; • their high levels of knowledge and understanding of the subject, enabling very good levels of thought-provoking questioning to take place during teacher-led sessions; • their very good class control through a variety of discipline techniques and the many techniques employed for keeping the pupils interested and on task. For example ‘deliberate mistakes’ in Key Stage 1 lessons which motivate the pupils to pay very careful attention and extends the use of their skills and enjoyment of the lesson; • high expectations of the pupils particularly towards the end of Key Stage 2, which

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ENGLISH

motivates them to aim for the highest standards; • high quality and careful planning of all lessons and very good preparation with all materials and books to hand. Pupils know exactly where to find support materials such as word lists and dictionaries and move very smoothly from task to task, making very good progress; • in Key Stage 2, the use of writing for many purposes and to support other curriculum areas and thorough on going assessment so that the lower attaining pupils are targeted and separate work planned for them. All work set is at a realistic level for all pupils and they are challenged and stimulated in every lesson. This is a considerable strength of the school; • the use of the plentiful supply of books and materials, which provide very good Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 34 reference materials for use in lessons • good use in lessons of non-teaching staff who support the pupils who experience

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ENGLISH

difficulties, enabling them to make very good progress as a result; • the good pace of the lessons and their prompt start, with no time wasted; • appropriate levels of homework which includes reading, spellings lists to learn, and research for writing, enhancing the taught curriculum effectively; • good informative marking, record keeping and assessment across the school, used effectively as instruments for improved performance by pupils;

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ENGLISH

81. There were no identified weaknesses in teaching.

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ENGLISH

82. Assessment procedures are good and assessment is used effectively as a tool for improvement. During the whole class part of the lessons, classroom assistants often observe chosen pupils who are identified as having special educational needs and record their achievements and note areas for improvement. Some pupils are withdrawn to receive good quality additional literacy support. Whole school assessment is carefully thought out and the results analysed and acted upon with a view to raising standards. The subject is very well managed by the co-ordinator and statutory requirements are met in full. She visits classrooms and monitors the teaching and looks at all teachers’ plans every half term. She co-ordinates all materials and book orders and ensures that the teachers in the school have everything they need for their lessons. The acquisition of English skills is a high priority in the school.

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MATHEMATICS

83. By the age of 11, standards in mathematics are above the national average. In the 1999 standardised tests of attainment, pupils at Key Stage 2 were well above the national average for attaining level 4 and level 5. This was as a result of the high number of pupils attaining the higher level. When compared to similar schools, attainment was very high. Standards in mathematics are a significant strength of the school. In the current Year 6, a larger proportion of pupils is working at the lower level and current standards are above average and not as high as the previous year. At the end of Key Stage 1, inspection findings confirm that standards are broadly in line with the national average. The 1999 test results showed that attainment was well below the national average, although it was close to the national average for pupils attaining the higher level 3. When compared with similar schools, results were in line with the average. It must be noted that these figures included a

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MATHEMATICS

number of pupils from the development centre who have specific learning difficulties. Over the last four years, results have risen steadily, with significant improvement in 1999. Results at Key Stage 2 over four years have increased remarkably. Very good improvement has taken place since the previous inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

84. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are competent in simple number operations of addition and subtraction. Most are beginning to understand place value and higher attaining pupils correctly order to 100 with confidence. Pupils know the names of three- dimensional shapes and calculate correctly the number of corners and faces. Higher attainers draw bar graphs and carry out simple investigations. They test and prove statements about, for example, the outcome of adding two even numbers. Lower attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, develop confidence with simple numbers and patterns although some of them still reverse number symbols. Progress by pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, is very good overall. By the end of Key Stage 2, mental agility in computation of number is above average and pupils apply this successfully when dealing with decimals and fractions.

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MATHEMATICS

When Year 6 understand the process of calculating the areas of complex shapes, they Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 35 calculate the answers quickly. Pupils represent data on different types of graphs and plot co-ordinates effectively. Measuring skills are good and pupils construct triangles accurately. They understand and investigate purposefully when presented with mathematical hypotheses.

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MATHEMATICS

85. Teaching and learning are good across the school. In a significant minority of lessons, at both key stages, it is very good. Bearing in mind the attainment of pupils on entry to the school, overall progress by the age of 11 is very good. Teachers understand and apply the National Numeracy Strategy well. Their awareness of the need to give pupils opportunities to calculate mentally is seen in every lesson. They challenge them to think quickly and pupils respond very well so that they make very good progress in this aspect. Teachers use this part of lessons very imaginatively. In an outstanding lesson with a Year 1 and reception class the teacher fully motivated the pupils with the range and suitability of oral activities. This, allied to the excellent relationship between teacher and pupils, resulted in a good pace being established and pupils learned very well. A strong feature of the lesson was the very good support and teamwork of all the adults in the room so that all

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MATHEMATICS

pupils were closely supported in their tasks. This is a strength of the school. All teachers have good knowledge of the subject, present pupils with challenging tasks well matched to their ability and have high expectations of pupils’ performance and behaviour. In the best lessons, very effective use is made of questioning, so that pupils are required to explain their understanding. This was noted in a Year 4 and 5 lesson when the teacher ensured that the pupils understood fully before working at individual tasks to test and reinforce their understanding. In some lessons insufficient time is allowed for both the plenary activity and opportunities for pupils to explain their understanding and share it with others. Although there is strong emphasis in all classes on pupils recognising and using key vocabulary, they are not always required to use it in its appropriate context to show their full understanding

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MATHEMATICS

of it. Pupils enjoy mathematics lessons. They like the challenges presented and teachers make it interesting. A Year 2 pupil said clearly "this is fun!.” Overall progress in mathematics since entry to the school is very good and a significant strength.

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MATHEMATICS

86. All aspects of the mathematics curriculum are covered and statutory requirements are met in full. Whilst good examples of investigations are seen, as in a Year 3 and 4 investigation of Pascal’s triangle, opportunities such as this are less frequent than they might be. Marking of work is carried out efficiently and encourages pupils, but not all teachers follow the practice of posing questions to encourage pupils to re-think and re-visit their work. These are areas for further development. Pupils apply their skills successfully in other areas of the curriculum. They use knowledge of co-ordinates in geography mapwork, counting rhythms in music, measuring in design and technology, and also in aspects of information technology. Literacy is supported by pupils’ acquisition of a secure mathematical vocabulary. Good monitoring of the subject by the co-ordinator has ensured the full and successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy.

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SCIENCE

87. Standards of attainment in science at the age of 11 are above the national average and a strength of the school. These findings during the inspection week generally reflect the 1999 standard assessment tests where the percentage of pupils attaining the expected level at the age of 11 was close to the national average and the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level 5 was above the national average. In the 1999 results it was shown that boys were attaining higher than girls. This was not evident during the inspection. The school’s targets for the present year are lower than last year. Inspectors noted that there are a higher number of lower attaining pupils in the present cohort of pupils in the Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 36 Year 6 class.

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SCIENCE

88. Teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999 were close to the national average at level 2. There were no pupils attaining the higher level 3. Trends over time between 1997 and 1999 show consistent improvements in science and at a greater rate than the national figures. Findings during the inspection reflect this improvement.

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SCIENCE

89. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ achievements are above the national average. The younger pupils show good knowledge of the difference between plants and bulbs. Older pupils make good progress in investigation. There is a structured approach to carrying out investigations and making accurate recordings. When considering different examples of friction in everyday life, pupils in Years 3 and 4, when using a force-meter to measure forces, show good understanding of what is meant by a fair test. This is also secure in Year 5 when investigating sound. Pupils are good at predicting what they are likely to find out and use their scientific knowledge well to explain their findings. Older pupils, when investigating dissolving, demonstrate a growing knowledge of the difference between solids, liquids and gases. They are able to classify changes as reversible or irreversible. Pupils throughout the school, including those with special educational needs make very

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SCIENCE

good progress in their acquisition of knowledge and understanding of those aspects of science that they are studying.

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SCIENCE

90. By the end of Key Stage 1, the standard of pupils’ work is in line with national averages. The results of investigations are recorded and are discussed effectively in order to make further predictions. Work in their books demonstrates that they have completed a good range of work. The simple recordings of their work using writing and labelled drawings are presented with care. Classroom displays include their work on simple circuits. When asked about their work, pupils accurately recall information from previous lessons. They show that they have a growing scientific vocabulary and are acquiring a good range of investigative and experimental skills. Good opportunities, which have been provided for this development, include sorting materials into groups on the basis of simple properties, testing the rate at which ice melts, and investigating which shapes float and sink. During a lesson where pupils investigated reflecting light, they demonstrated good understanding that light

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SCIENCE

contains colours and also good knowledge of the difference between natural and artificial light. They successfully recorded their findings in chart form. A significant minority of younger pupils have a restricted language level which hinders their capability in verbal description, and also their written accounts.

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SCIENCE

91. In both key stages, the quality of teaching is very good and towards the end of Key Stage 2, there are instances of excellent teaching. Teachers in both key stages show very good subject knowledge. Lessons are carefully prepared to match the requirements of the National Curriculum which are met in full. Activities are clearly defined. Effective use is made of investigative work. Where teaching is best, tasks are challenging, pupils are encouraged to find things out for themselves, skilful questioning enables them to check understanding and successfully develop knowledge and skills. Occasionally, when pupils are involved in carrying out experiments, there is some over-direction by the teacher and this limits the opportunities for development of pupils’ independent learning skills. Pupils with English as a second language receive good quality support to enable them to learn alongside their peers and pupils with special educational needs are well supported by

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SCIENCE

teachers, non-teaching assistants and voluntary workers. There is excellent team work. Quite correctly, teachers are careful to ensure that proper safety measures are in place. This high quality teaching has a significant impact on the quality of learning. It is reflected in the attitudes of the pupils who are eager to learn, handle equipment and resources with Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 37 care and respect, help each other, take care in the presentation of their work and demonstrate interest, enthusiasm and excitement when involved in investigation.

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SCIENCE

92. There is a satisfactory policy statement and scheme of work. At Key Stage 1, work is based on a topic approach. At Key Stage 2, the school has recently started to use a published scheme of work which is beginning to be used well and assists teachers in their planning of lessons. The school acknowledges the need for a scheme of work in order to have a whole school approach to teaching and learning to ensure that existing knowledge and skills are appropriately built on and unnecessary repetition is avoided. This is already in the development plan to commence in the summer term 2000. The co-ordination of the subject is effective. The co-ordinator has been involved in the formal monitoring of teaching and learning within classrooms and the headteacher tracks pupils’ progress as they move through the school. These good initiatives are beginning to have a positive impact on the standards that pupils attain and in ensuring that they make the progress of which they are

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ART

93. Attainment is above expected levels at both key stages and art is a strength of the school. This is an improvement on the previous inspection. The improvement is mainly a result of the very good teaching of art throughout the school.

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ART

94. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils can draw well showing a good knowledge of the techniques and materials used in art. They make good choices of colours for their pictures and select the most suitable media. They produce good figures using small wooden models to achieve the correct body shapes and then follow written instructions on a character from Harry Potter’s ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’ to complete the figure. This is a valuable link with literature and increases the pupils’ interest in the characters in the book. They gain a good knowledge of artists’ technique when they paint pictures after the style of Van Gogh and when they try to produce pictures after the style of Henri Matisse’s ‘L’Escargot’ using pictures of creatures and coloured squares. Pupil’s knowledge of colour and their observation skills are extended well at the end of such lessons when they make colour match cards for a selection of Matisse paintings. There are effective links with information

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ART

and communication technology in the form of computer drawn insects of good quality. The very good displays in the school show that pupils have learnt to print a variety of pictures on fabric including flower patterns and a realistic picture of a dog and its kennel. Pupils have made a good quality patchwork quilt from pieces of material, have extended well a small cut- out part of a picture into a water colour scene, and have painted to a good standard imaginary views through a window. All the pictures show a good knowledge of colour and good fine hand control. In one lesson in Key Stage 2, pupils decorated Greek urns or vases very well with effective linkages to their history topic. Pupils show a good knowledge of form and their finished pictures are varied and attractive. Medusa monster faces, surrounded on display by suitable adjectives and produced earlier by this class show a good link with English.

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ART

95. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is also above expected levels. Pupils undertake object drawing when they look at a real daffodil and use thick paint to create blossom. All the younger pupils achieve a recognisable flower or picture by the end of the lesson and this is celebrated during the plenary session. These pupils have also painted vehicles as part of a transport display in the classroom. Year 2 pupils link design and technology and mathematics with their art when they make cones and cylinders, which they then decorate to represent people. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 38 96. The teaching of art is very good in both key stages. Teachers plan their lessons very well and preparation is well thought out so that all the materials are readily available to pupils. Materials including paint are used sensibly by pupils and shared equitably. Teachers offer suggestions and advice throughout the lessons and show a very good knowledge of

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ART

the use of materials and techniques. They extend the pupils’ learning and skills and encourage them to take a pride in their work. Pupils love their art lessons and apply themselves diligently. In Key Stage 1 the wise deployment of staff and voluntary workers enables all lessons to run smoothly with no spillages or disappointments through spoilt work. Art is a valuable tool for developing language at Key Stage 1 and for building the pupils’ confidence.

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ART

97. Insufficient use is made of visits outside the school, although some pupils have visited the Salford museum to see works by Lowry. The CD-ROM is used effectively to gather information on artists such as Michaelangelo and the pupils record their findings appropriately. Assessment is mainly to record information for end of year reports to parents. However, teachers know their pupils well and activities are well matched to pupil capability involving the classroom assistants fully.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. Judgements are based on the work displayed, teachers’ planning and discussion with pupils as there was very little direct teaching planned for the week of the inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. By the end of Key Stage 2, the majority of pupils achieve standards that are generally in line with those expected of pupils of primary age. In Years 4, 5 and 6, the pupils build appropriately on the skills acquired in earlier years and apply them to more challenging and adventurous activities. These include an exciting project where pupils produced Victorian artefacts out of every day objects. Their large-scale designs and models of bridges using paper and glue are of good quality. The pupils were successful in completing the challenge set so that the finished bridge could hold a weight of 1 kilogramme. When discussing their work on bridges and also their models of standing scarecrows, pupils identify the main stages of making, and describe what worked well and what did not. Pupils are introduced to an appropriate range of stitching and printing techniques. This is evident in their samples of fabric printing and the patchwork quilt, which

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

has been carefully completed and is very effective. Each year, pupils are involved in an interesting cooking project involving costing items as well as making. Tasks generally meet the requirements of the National Curriculum, but are lacking in challenge and in individuality of design. Work on more complex mechanisms is in the early stages of development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

100. By the end of Key Stage 1, there is every indication that pupils are attaining standards expected of their age. They use a good range of construction materials to design and make a variety of models such as wheeled vehicles. Some opportunities are provided for pupils to learn basic cooking skills and in one class they have designed the decorative toppings for their ice buns. The younger pupils are developing skills using scissors and other basic tools, working with a range of materials including fabric, card, and construction toys. They are taught the skills of folding and creasing and are able to explain how they have joined their models. Prior to designing a mode of transport, they look at some of Leonardo da Vinci’s designs, and discuss with their teacher what they intend to do in their own designs. They are beginning to use appropriate vocabulary for naming and describing the equipment used and they are appropriately aware of safety issues.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. In the one lesson seen, teaching was very good, with very careful planning; the activities were extremely well organised and the pupils were well managed. The effective Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 39 questioning techniques used enabled the teacher to check pupils’ understanding of what they were required to do. The good support from non-teaching assistants and voluntary workers promoted successful learning. In both key stages the opportunities that are provided for pupils to design and make has a significant impact on the pupils’ quality of learning. Pupils say they enjoy design and technology. Pupils throughout the school show keen interest and talk readily about their work. They take pride in what they make.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. The co-ordinator for design and technology has a good understanding of the subject. As stated in the previous report, there is no whole school scheme of work for the area. The reason for this as explained by the school, is that the priority for staff development has recently been linked to the areas of literacy and numeracy. The co- ordinator is eager to introduce a structured scheme in order to assist staff in their planning for the development of pupils’ skills and knowledge in an organised manner. There is monitoring of teachers’ planning, however as yet, there has not yet been any formal monitoring of the co-ordinators effectiveness or the quality of teaching and learning within classes. The school is well aware of these areas for development.

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GEOGRAPHY

103. Standards are well above expected levels at the end of Key Stage 2. This is a substantial improvement since the previous inspection. Geography is a significant strength of the school.

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GEOGRAPHY

104. Progress in learning is very good overall. Pupils begin to develop good map reading skills and a very clear understanding of technical terms at Key Stage 1. This knowledge is built on effectively by well-informed and committed teachers. By Year 6, all pupils are competent in explaining how volcanoes erupt, they are able to draw very good quality cross-sections from sets of contour lines and they have very good knowledge of erosion by rivers and the process of the water cycle. Higher attaining pupils develop very effective cross-curricular skills, relating their work on rainfall very well to the scientific principles of evaporation and condensation. All pupils make sustained and good use of information technology. They use the CD-ROM effectively as a source of information as well as specially designed programs which test their understanding of the water cycle. Lower attaining pupils and those with English as an additional language also make very good

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GEOGRAPHY

progress. They begin their studies by learning about the area in which they live, gaining in knowledge and understanding of their routes to school, direction and modes of transport. They produce simple diagrams and plans of the classroom, and through the good and often very good teaching, they build effectively on this, for example, by learning the skills of creating good quality designs for improvements to the school environment in Year 3. All pupils learn how to use maps and atlases in Key Stage 1, and by the end of Key Stage 2, they are familiar with a range of different types of maps, explaining very well the usefulness and purpose of these.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. The high quality learning and high standards are generated by very good levels of teaching overall. Teaching shows a significant improvement since the previous inspection. The staff have very good subject knowledge and they use this to very good effect in lessons by having high expectations of what pupils might achieve. Questioning at the beginning and end of lessons is challenging and effective. One-word answers are not accepted. Teachers demand full explanations, which force pupils to think before replying. Resources are very effectively used and classrooms contain good quality displays of pupils’ work, as well as photographs, maps, globes and atlases. These provide a rich visual resource and effective celebration of work and achievements. Many lessons incorporate appropriate amounts of research, and there is a very good balance between individual Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 40 research and teacher led activities. Pupils respond very well at both key stages. They love

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GEOGRAPHY

learning and there is a buzz of excitement in many lessons. They concentrate on designing good quality diagrams, labelling them accurately and appropriately, thereby learning another very important geographical skill. Teachers encourage the use of language very effectively, and also extend pupils’ numeracy skills well as due attention is paid to scale, space and measurement when drawing maps or diagrams. Teachers demand high standards as is evident from the quality and quantity of work in books, and from the high standards of presentation at both key stages.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. The curriculum is not well supported through field visits. The local area is used effectively at Key Stage 1, but the field studies established are not built on effectively at Key Stage 2.

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HISTORY

107. Standards in history by the time pupils leave the school are similar to those expected of pupils of this age and broadly similar to the findings of the previous inspection. They have a sound factual knowledge of the aspects of history studied. Pupils know about landmarks from the past and some of the more notable personalities. They are aware of a range of sources of evidence. For example they know about diaries and talk about information found in those of Samuel Pepys and Anne Frank. Pupils have a secure knowledge of time and Year 6 pupils are able to discuss when the Romans were in Britain, studied when they were much younger. They understand about change and development, sometimes through personal experiences. However pupils have little knowledge of local history as there are insufficient opportunities provided to explore the local area or to listen to local people who have historical knowledge of the area. This is an area for further

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HISTORY

108. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Some good lessons were seen in Key Stage 1. The youngest pupils think about themselves and create their own timelines using photographs of when they were babies and comparing themselves with now. A very good lesson in the reception class saw pupils progressing from their own timelines to comparing old and new cars. The teacher worked hard to draw from them the differences observed and asked them to explain why. With very good management based on her relationship with the pupils and her high expectations of them, which they understood, the lesson was most purposeful and pupils learned very well. Teachers prepare well for lessons and make good use of resources. Year 3 and 4 pupils used a wide range of books and also the computer to research information about life in Ancient Greece. The teacher had grouped the books to match the reading ability of the pupils so that all were able to benefit fully. A good selection

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HISTORY

of artefacts was available in a Year 6 lesson so that pupils were able to compare childhood in the 1950s with their own lives. Some good learning takes place in Year 4 when pupils write about how Catherine of Aragon must have felt at certain points in her life. They empathise well. Teachers make topics interesting, and they extend and reinforce understanding through other subjects. This is a strength of the school. Year 5 pupils construct a very realistic kitchen range modelled on those of Victorian times. Year 3 pupils make wax tablets, which they can write on with a stylus, as used by the Ancient Greeks. Work is recorded neatly and, at times, uses and reinforces literacy skills well in the form of extended writing. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 41 109. Pupils enjoy talking about history and learn well, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. Year 6 pupils

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HISTORY

remember many aspects of their visit to Liverpool Maritime museum. Overall, the lack of visitors into school and the visits made to support the teaching of history have insufficient impact on the pupils. This is a further area for development and the subject co-ordinator is anxious to remedy this.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

110. By the age of 11, pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology is above the nationally expected level. The majority of pupils are computer literate and are well used to adding to, amending and seeking information from the computer. They make full use of word processing facilities to present work clearly and to edit work. They change the font style and size and import graphics effectively. Most pupils obtain information from a CD-ROM and are adept in accessing and using the internet. Overall, pupils make very good progress in developing their knowledge, understanding and skills, and show good awareness of the potential of software to handle information, and for information retrieval.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

111. Pupils in Year 3 have been introduced successfully to files, records and fields by comparing computer based data. During the inspection they use the data-base file ‘insects’ to generate bar charts and interpret data. They discuss well and show good understanding of the advantages of information and communication technology to draw graphs and to carry out searches. Year 4 pupils use the spreadsheet of the Ancient Greek god database, effectively compiled by themselves in a previous lesson, to devise, ask and answer relevant questions to identify subsets. Year 5 and 6 pupils search the internet effectively for other school’s work on Harry Potter, import a picture from the web site to the word processor and add a text.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

112. Attainment by the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with the nationally expected level. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have been introduced to the big books program on the internet. They also demonstrate that they are capable of producing a plan of a route through a town. By Year 2, pupils have become familiar with computers as an integral part of their daily work. They are developing appropriate keyboard skills and are competent in using the computer for word processing. Pupils know how to use the mouse to select and move words and pictures, choose options on the screen and print their work. Many pupils are familiar with reading, counting and matching programs. They use these skills to record their work in other subject areas. Most pupils have an appropriate awareness of the potential of information technology to communicate ideas in different forms, such as text, tables and pictures.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

113. The quality of teaching in both key stages is very good overall. Most teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject and those who do not are well supported by the co- ordinator and colleagues on the staff. Teachers’ planning makes appropriate reference to information and communication technology opportunities and sets clear objectives that they wish to achieve. Teachers have high expectations in relation to pupils’ learning and this enables all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and also those who have English as an additional language, to make the progress of which they are capable.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

114. Teachers ensure that computer skills are used during lessons across the curriculum. Teachers are enabling pupils to make effective use of CD-ROM when they are involved in carrying out independent research on topic work. Pupils were observed using computers in many lessons, including English, mathematics, history and geography. In the best lessons, Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 42 teachers have a good grasp of pupils’ existing skills and knowledge and set tasks to extend these and provide opportunities for pupils to investigate and find out for themselves what works and what does not.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

115. The teachers introduce new procedures or software by demonstrating them to the whole class effectively before setting individual tasks. Since the introduction of the new facilities in the information and communication technology suite, together with the expertise of the technician and the specialist teacher, staff are growing in confidence. They use the facilities effectively and also assess pupils’ skills well. Staff are careful to design tasks to challenge pupils of differing attainment levels. There are close links with the information and communication technology department of a local high school where Year 5 and 6 pupils spend time and are taught by the secondary school teachers. This is not only extremely beneficial in the development of their skills in information and communication technology, but also in their preparation for the next stage of their education. The pupils are presently working on multi-media presentation of their topic.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

116. As a result of the high quality teaching throughout the school, the pupils enjoy using computers. They are well motivated and work with enthusiasm. They work well together and help each other when it is appropriate. They listen to instructions and are eager to develop their skills. Most show a confident approach and respond well when faced with new software. These positive attitudes make a significant contribution to the progress that pupils are making. Pupils with special educational needs have many opportunities to use computers and make very good progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

117. There have been significant developments in the curriculum for information and communication technology since the previous inspection. There is a new computer suite, which is very well equipped. Classes are time-tabled to make full use of this facility; they also have regular access to computers in their class bases within other lessons. A very effective scheme of work is now in place that clearly outlines the knowledge skills and understanding pupils are to acquire as they move through the school. Resources including hardware and software have been greatly improved. The subject is well led by an effective co-ordinator who has the opportunity to monitor colleagues’ planning and to work with pupils from all classes. Her expertise and enthusiasm have enabled other members of staff to increase their knowledge and skills in the subject and thereby has improved the provision across the school. There has been careful monitoring to assess the levels of individual

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

pupils. This has assisted staff in their planning of the next learning steps and ensured that pupils are making consistent and steady progress. The commitment the school has to raising standards, to increasing resources and to further develop teacher knowledge indicates that it is well placed to move forward in this area of the curriculum.

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MUSIC

118. The quality of music provision, teaching and learning are very good, and the standards of achievements of pupils are above average throughout the school, and this represents a very significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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MUSIC

119. Teaching is very good across the school with examples of outstanding practice at both key stages. The knowledge, enthusiasm and very competent levels of preparation are responsible for motivating pupils into very good levels of performance, learning and appraising. The school has adopted successfully a national commercial scheme since the previous inspection, which has helped significantly in giving staff the confidence to prepare and teach consistently well at both key stages. Resources, including a wide range of tuned and untuned percussion, piano, music cassettes and compact discs are very effectively Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 43 used in assemblies and lessons. The ethos for learning in classrooms is very good. Teachers present pupils with high challenges. They expect pupils to know and say out loud the names of instruments when performing in rotation in groups. This extension of language is a very significant factor in giving pupils good quality practice in speaking and

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MUSIC

listening, extending literacy skills very well. Classes are very well managed. The teaching of basic musical skills such as listening, recognising pitch, steps and leaps in scales, and changes in rhythm is outstanding at both key stages.

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MUSIC

120. Pupils have very good knowledge of the instruments of the orchestra. They name two-toned blocks, tambours, claves and different sorts of beaters with ease. In assemblies and lessons, singing is clear and entries are precisely on time. Pupils adopt an appropriate posture when singing and they have learnt to project their voices effectively, as well as how to control them well in order to emphasis the intentions of composers and songwriters. The school makes very good provision for its musically talented pupil who is a regular solo performer in assemblies and in public. The school promotes very positive attitudes to, and achieves very good behaviour from its pupils in musical activities throughout the school. Pupils are interested in singing and performing, they listen very attentively and they develop sharp skills for recognising particular aspects, such as solo instruments, changes in rhythm and changes in mood.

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MUSIC

121. Progress and the quality of learning are very good across the school and a very significant improvement on the previous inspection. Pupils with lower prior attainment, English as an additional language and special educational needs make very good progress. Teachers ensure that they are fully included in lessons by using questioning which matches the levels pupils have reached. Especially successful is the complete integration of the development centre for special educational needs pupils with mainstream classes of pupils of similar ages. Expectations are high and staff have very successfully achieved a very high degree of social inclusion in lessons. Of particular note is the excellent behaviour and attitudes achieved by pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. They are fully included in all activities and they participate with energy and enthusiasm. Higher attaining pupils make very good progress in their knowledge and

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MUSIC

understanding of the life and work of the great composers. Books have extended paragraphs outlining the styles and major life events of composers such as Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Tchaikovsky and Dvorak. This work makes a significant contribution to extending literacy skills very successfully.

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MUSIC

122. Despite the absence of the co-ordinator, music has retained a high profile within the school. It is very well resourced and teachers capitalise well on these resources. Assemblies also set a very positive tone for the rest of the day. The site manager is a regular performer in assemblies, where pupils are treated to a range of styles of music on entry to the hall and when leaving. Experiences range from ‘Jesu, joy of man’s desiring to songs by ‘Boyzone’. It is normal good practice to sing hymns twice in each assembly, giving regular opportunities for pupils to supplement the very good work done in the classrooms.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

123. Only a small cross-section of activities was seen during the inspection but these show that standards overall in the subject are in line with what is expected by the age of 11. Standards and provision are similar to those reported in the previous inspection. Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 44 124. Over ninety-five per cent of pupils attain the basic National Curriculum requirements and can swim 25 metres or more. Around thirty per cent of them swim beyond 50 metres. Good provision is made and standards are above average.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

125. One lesson of gymnastics was seen in Key Stage 1. The teacher had a high awareness of the need for firm pupil management and safe practice. She encouraged pupils to improve their performance and they learned satisfactorily. Photographs of gymnastics activities in other classrooms confirm that teachers expect high standards in this element.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

126. Two lessons of dance, one in each key stage, showed good and very good teaching, with high expectations and an awareness of quality of performance. A positive feature of the Key Stage 1 lesson, in which pupils from the development centre were successfully integrated, was the high quality of teamwork from all the adults involved. This allowed a very competent teacher to maintain a good pace to the lesson so that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, made very good progress. All listened well, tried hard to respond and used space sensibly.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

127. The only games lesson seen, a rugby skills lesson in Key Stage 2, was well planned, with progression in practices and teaching of key skills. Year 4 pupils showed secure catching skill but varied ability in passing, although about twenty-five per cent of them passed the ball very confidently. Good learning of skills and of the need for teamwork took place. A feature of all physical education lessons seen is the way in which pupils are expected to work together and share. They do this very well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

128. Teachers aim for high standards in the subject. Their high expectations of pupils in all aspects are a strength of the school. An appropriate example is set in teachers’ dress and personal involvement, and pupils mirror this. Older pupils speak very highly of their opportunity to make residential week-end visits to an outdoor educational centre. In addition, teachers provide further opportunities after school in clubs and in competitive matches against other schools. In lessons, pupils observe the performance of others but are rarely given the opportunity to comment on what they see. Speaking opportunities are missed. This was also noted in the previous inspection report and is still an area for development. However good progress has been made since then in the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress at Key Stage 1. There are good facilities for the subject but a few resource shortages - benches and tables particularly suitable for Key Stage 1 pupils, and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

small games equipment. The co-ordinator has already noted areas for development. Ongoing records are maintained of attainment of skills in all elements.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

129. Attainment in religious education meets the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and this is a similar finding to that of the previous inspection. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils talk about the main tenets of the Christian faith appropriately. They name the main Christian festivals, know the difference between the Old and New Testament and, for example retell the stories of David and Goliath and Joseph and know the story of Jesus walking on the sea. Pupils have sung in the parish Church, but cannot identify the main features found in it. They have not visited any other place of worship and know nothing of either synagogues or mosques. This is a weakness in the provision. Judaism and Islam are identified in the Cheshire locally agreed syllabus, which the school follows, as the two main non-Christian faiths to be studied in the school. Evidence in pupils’ books show that pupils in Key Stage 2 have studied both these topics and in Year 6 there is some good writing on

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

the early history of Islam and a large volume of work on Judaism using technical terms Bewsey Lodge Primary School - 45 such as ‘challah’ bread and the ‘sofar’ trumpet. Good links are made between their religion and the Jewish way of life and the pupils know that the Old Testament is a link between Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

130. One lesson was seen in Key Stage 2 and in it the pupils’ knowledge was satisfactory. It was a well thought-out lesson linking with the school assembly themes for the week which were parables and miracles from the New Testament. The teacher had prepared good visual aids and he used them well. The lesson moved briskly along and although the pupils were a little noisy they kept on task and showed enjoyment and involvement. Very good moral development occurred in this lesson when the teacher skilfully led the pupils away from their materialistic wants. He encouraged them to think about their personal development and how to become a better, less selfish, person.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

131. The locally agreed Cheshire syllabus for Key Stage 1 places an appropriate emphasis on the development of personal qualities such as honesty, respect and care and promotes high moral attitudes. In the lessons seen in Key Stage 1, the pupils showed that they were acquiring these values. The pupils clearly understood that Lent is a time for self- sacrifice and they made good suggestions, mainly food and sweets to give up for Lent. They also very much enjoyed the pieces of cold pancake provided by one teacher and were very mannerly when they received them. They understand clearly the story of Jesus’s time of temptation in the wilderness and are gaining some idea of the meaning of Easter. The moral tone is good in classrooms and pupils listen well and show enjoyment in all their religious education lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

132. Teaching is satisfactory throughout the school. Teachers prepare their lessons carefully but very few pictures are used and the teachers themselves supplied most of the visual aids in lessons seen. Teachers have enabled the pupils to make large figures of the Old Testament characters such as Jacob and Esau, and two large statues of Joseph, each wearing a coat of many colours, which are used effectively as covers for a book about his life. Lessons are most successful when they are linked to a craft activity, such as a Key Stage 1 lesson when pupils used a cut out chick hatching from a sticky paper egg to decorate the cover of a book about Easter and new life. One Key Stage 2 display on Christianity is particularly effective, showing a communion chalice, crucifixes, a bottle of holy water, an Easter candle, an icon, a small model of the Last Supper and many other items. All were labelled and of interest to children and were extending their knowledge

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