Ellenborough and Ewanrigg Infant School

INSPECTION REPORT

Ellenborough and Ewanrigg Infant School Maryport

p.1

INSPECTION REPORT

Dates of inspection: 5 - 7 October, 1999

p.1

INSPECTION REPORT

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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

p.1

INSPECTION REPORT

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, 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.

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Victory Crescent, Maryport, Cumbria. CA15 7NE

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Albert Jackson

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1996

p.3

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs. E. Parry Mathematics Under fives English Attainment and progress Information technology Teaching Art The curriculum and assessment Music Leadership and management Mr A. Rolfe General support Equal opportunities Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Staffing, accommodation and learning resources The efficiency of the school Mr. R. Sharples Science Special educational needs Design and technology Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development History Support, guidance and pupils' welfare Geography Partnership with parents and the community Physical education Religious education

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Peak Education Partnership 19, Huddersfield Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE REPORT CONTENTS Paragraph

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents’ views of the school

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Characteristics of the school 1 - 5 Key indicators 6

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Attainment and progress 7 - 12 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 13 - 17 Attendance 18

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Teaching 19 - 25 The curriculum and assessment 26 - 30 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 31 - 35 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 36 - 41 Partnership with parents and the community 42 - 47

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The management and efficiency of the school

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Leadership and management 48 - 52 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 53 - 58 The efficiency of the school 59 - 63

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Areas of learning for children under five 64 - 72 English, mathematics and science 73 - 90 Other subjects or courses 91 - 126

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

PART C: INSPECTION DATA Summary of inspection evidence 127 - 130 Data and indicators 131

p.5

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• . Teaching is good or better in 63 per cent of lessons. • . It creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere. • . There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs • . Children make good progress, particularly in science, physical education and information technology. • . Spiritual, moral and social development are good. • . There are good relationships with parents who support the school strongly.

p.7

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

· WHERE THE SCHOOL HAS WEAKNESSES I. Standards in English and mathematics are too low in comparison with those nationally. II. Younger children need more time on activities which make their hand control better and older ones need to be encouraged to record their work more often. III. Staff and governors do not record their observations of what is happening sufficiently formally.

p.7

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

This is a school which has many strengths and has sound foundations on which it can build. The weaknesses will form part of the governors' action plan, which will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at the school. ·

p.7

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

· HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

p.7

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Progress has been made on almost all of the targets that the school was set at the previous inspection.

p.7

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school was set the target of raising standards in English for seven year olds taking the national tests. These results fluctuate each year depending on the number of children who have special needs. However, they have improved this year. Improvement appears small against the national figures but represents good progress when set against what the children were able to do when they started school. The work of the children is recorded carefully and the staff use a variety of ways to check individual children's progress.

p.7

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school has attracted local artists to support and raise the standards of children's work, which were criticised at the last inspection. The children experience a well balanced programme and are reaching a satisfactory level in some aspects such as sewing, clay work and printing but their drawing skills and control of paint are below what is usually found by seven years of age. However their progress in these areas is satisfactory when compared to the same skills when children first come in to the school.

p.7

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The role of the governors was criticised at the last inspection. The headteacher and the staff work together to plan the development of the school and are supported by the governors. Governors visit the school regularly and are more closely involved and better informed than before.

p.7

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Attendance, which at the last inspection sometimes fell below that nationally, is now close to the average and has improved significantly over the last year. Improvements to storage in the hall have been considered, but delayed until decisions about the school's future in a local rationalisation programme have been made.

p.7

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The table shows the standards achieved by 7 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

p.8

similar schools

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

p.8

similar schools

In making the comparisons with similar schools, Ellenborough and Ewanrigg Infant School's high percentage of pupils with special needs has been taken into account.

p.8

similar schools

The information shows that school's results when compared to those nationally are well below the average in reading, writing, mathematics and for science. The results are better when compared to similar schools where circumstances such as the number of children entitled to free school meals and those with special needs are considered. Those for science are above the average.

p.8

similar schools

Pupils' competence in information technology is average as is their knowledge in religious education. Pupils achieve good standards in physical education and satisfactory standards in other subjects. They often make good progress across the range of their work.

p.8

Teaching in: Under 5 5 – 7 years

Mathematics Good Satisfactory Science Good Information Technology Good Religious education Satisfactory Other subjects Good Satisfactory

p.8

Teaching in: Under 5 5 – 7 years

Teaching was satisfactory or better in 93 per cent of lessons. Of these, it was good or very good in 63 per cent. Teaching was less than satisfactory in 7 per cent. All of the teachers taught some lessons which were very good but the teaching for the youngest children was most consistent. Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses. · OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

p.8

Aspect Comment

Behaviour Good. Children who have problems are dealt with sympathetically and effectively. Attendance Satisfactory, and has improved significantly in the last year. Some children still arrive late. Ethos* Warm, welcoming and supportive. Children are encouraged to work hard. Relationships are good. Staff and governors are committed to raising standards. Leadership and management The headteacher provides calm leadership and a clear direction to the school. She is well supported by staff and governors. They monitor the work and development of the school, but more needs to be done on this. Curriculum Broad and balanced, additional emphasis needs to be given to writing skills in all areas of the curriculum. The reception class need better provision for outdoor play. Special educational needs Very good provision. Children are well supported and make good progress. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

p.10

Aspect Comment

Spiritual, moral and social development are good. Cultural aspects are less well developed. Staffing, resources and accommodation Staffing is good. There are sufficient resources of good quality. Accommodation is good for present numbers, although there are some problems with storage. Value for money Satisfactory. Teaching is good overall; the school's costs are high; standards are below those nationally. *Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

p.10

happy about

IV. The welcoming atmosphere. V. The care and attention given to their children. VI. Children with special needs are made welcome and make good progress. VII. The progress their children make in the school. VIII. No issues raised by more than

p.10

happy about

Parents at the meeting and through the questionnaire expressed strong approval for the school and for the commitment of the staff. They appreciated the efforts made by staff to make everyone welcome and felt that the warm and welcoming atmosphere was a strength of the school. Whilst parents generally expressed satisfaction with the standards that their children reach, one parent had concerns about standards of work and behaviour and about homework. Inspection evidence agrees with the parents' positive views. The team found that there is a homework policy and that it is suitable for the age and stage of development of the children.

p.10

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

In order to improve the standards that children reach and the quality of education, staff and governors should:-

p.11

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

1. Raise standards particularly in English and mathematics by:-

p.11

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

i) building on good practice seen in the raising attainment project, and the individual education plans, and extend the strategies to cover a wider group of children; paragraph 74

p.11

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

ii) reviewing the timing of different elements of the lessons in English and mathematics; paragraph 24, 76, 83, 111.

p.11

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

iii) developing a wider range of methods for children to record their work; paragraph 86, 100

p.11

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

iv) increasing the opportunities for the youngest children to develop their hand control, for example, through additional drawing and painting. paragraph 36, 68, 71.

p.11

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

1. Collect and record monitoring information more systematically. Paragraph 50, 56.

p.11

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

There are no further key issues but the governors may wish to include in their action plan, the minor issues which can be found in paragraphs 21, 35, 41, 55, 59, 64, 72. 2. INTRODUCTION

p.11

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

1. Since the previous inspection, the school has changed its name and is now known as Ellenborough and Ewanrigg Infant School to reflect the two main areas from which its pupils come.

p.12

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

2. There are slightly fewer pupils than at the earlier inspection; 62 now as compared to 70 then. At present there are 25 boys and 37 girls. There are no pupils from ethnic groups and no other languages than English are spoken. At the time of the inspection, 15 of the 18 children in the reception class were under five.

p.12

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

3. Over the last three years, as well as a decline in numbers, the school is able to show evidence of a decline in the standards of attainment at entry. In 1996, a third of the children were below the average levels of the baseline assessments used and in 1998, this was above a half with none of the children reaching the higher levels. This is reflected in the corresponding increases in the number of children who have special needs. The inspection team's view is that attainment of many of the children who have just started at the school is well below what is expected in key areas such as speech and language use, and writing and drawing skills.

p.12

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

4. The school is in an estate close to the centre of Maryport. Almost all of the children live in rented accommodation. The area that children come from has very high unemployment and almost three quarters of the children are entitled to free school meals. There are many other characteristics of social deprivation in the area resulting in European funding such as that for improving health care.

p.12

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

5. The school aims to provide a stimulating environment where the individual is valued and the full potential of each child can be developed. It has set targets for the coming year to raise standards further, sustain attendance levels close to the average and for eighty per cent of parents to come to the end of year meetings to discuss their children's progress. 2. 6. Key indicators

p.12

1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999(98) 9 8 17

p.13

Test/Task Results

Number of pupils Boys 4 4 5 at NC Level 2 or Girls 7 6 6 above Total 11 10 11 Percentage at NC School 65 (55) 59 (55) 65 (65) Level 2 or above National 85(80) 86(81) 90(84)

p.13

Test/Task Results

2. Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 4 5 6 at NC Level 2 or Girls 5 6 7 above Total 9 11 13 Percentage at NC School 53 (55) 65 (65) 76 (50) Level 2 or above National N/A(80) N/A(83) 91(85)

p.13

Test/Task Results

Teacher assessment scores for 1999 for English and mathematics are not yet available.

p.13

Test/Task Results

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed %

p.13

Test/Task Results

through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 6.92 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.3 Unauthorised School 0 Absence National comparative data 0.1 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year 2. Exclusions

p.13

Test/Task Results

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during Number

p.15

Test/Task Results

the previous year: Fixed period 2 Permanent 0

p.15

Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 17 Satisfactory or better 93 Less than satisfactory 7 2. PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

p.15

Quality of teaching

2. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

p.16

Quality of teaching

7. Standards of attainment in the tests and assessments of 1999 are well below the national averages in reading, writing, mathematics and science. The unusual number of pupils with special needs has been taken into account in making comparisons with similar schools. This makes results a little better in reading, writing and mathematics but still below the average. In the teacher assessment of science, results are still well below the national average but above those of similar schools.

p.16

Quality of teaching

8. Results have fluctuated in the last three years. However, a drop from 1997 to 1998 was matched by a significant increase in the numbers of children with special needs in Year 2 taking the tests and assessments. Improvement from 1998 to 1999 was made against similar numbers of pupils with special needs in the Year 2 classes. Other information from baseline testing shows that the figures are improving even as the skills and knowledge of the children starting at the school have fallen. In some years, boys have not done as well as the girls but this can be shown to be related to special needs as in 1999, for example, all of the children given special attention in the raising attainment project were girls.

p.16

Quality of teaching

9. Inspection evidence confirms that standards overall are below those expected for each year group. Children start the school from a low point in key areas related to language and literacy, drawing and writing skills. By the time they reach the age of five, only a few of the children will be performing at the expected level for their age in these areas. The majority are unlikely to write their name unaided and will be still at early stages of writing and drawing where they make marks. Although they are happy to talk, children's speech shows many characteristics of immaturity. Their use of the local dialect means that some children have to learn new words. Children are better at counting, using computers and in their physical development.

p.16

Quality of teaching

10. In the current Year 2, attainment in English, mathematics and science is wide. The most able are on course to each the higher level by the end of the year. They read capably, have sound writing skills, are competent with mathematics and investigate and remember facts well in science. However, half of the class have some degree of special need and inspection evidence agrees with the school's assessment that most of these are unlikely to achieve the expected level by the end of the year. The children make good progress although attainment overall is often well below that of schools nationally.

p.16

Quality of teaching

11. Attainment and progress in religious education are satisfactory. The children remember stories from the bible and are aware that prayer can take different forms. They can make simple comparisons between similar festivals in Christianity and Judaism. The children quickly learn to use the computer, make good progress in their tasks and achieve the standards in information technology which are expected by the time they are seven. Similarly in design and technology, music and art, standards are typical and progress is satisfactory. Good teaching in physical education ensures that pupils make good progress and that they often achieve well in this area. In history and geography, too little evidence was seen to make firm judgements about standards but planning shows a sound level of progression.

p.16

Quality of teaching

12. In the last two years, several children have been involved each year in a project to raise attainment. At the beginning of the project their measured attainment was very low in comparison to expectations for their age. At the end of the ten weeks of support, the data shows that, even though most of the results are still below the level for their age, most children have made gains and some have made remarkable improvement. 2. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

p.16

Quality of teaching

13. Overall, attitudes to learning are satisfactory. The majority of pupils are able to sustain concentration for reasonable periods of time, and enter into classroom discussion in a constructive manner. However, there is a significant number of pupils who have limited concentration spans. Unless the work given to them is visually or emotionally appealing, they lose concentration and interest in continuing their work. Younger pupils, many of whom enter school with quite low level social skills, have difficulty in sharing resources or working co-operatively together and often prefer to play by themselves. Effective strategies for personal and social education assist pupils to improve these skills.

p.17

Quality of teaching

14. The overall standard of behaviour is good. Pupils move about the school in an orderly manner, and respond well to the school’s rules and conventions, particularly the school’s system of rewards for good behaviour and work. They readily accept the principle of sanctions for poor behaviour. Overall, pupil behaviour in classrooms is good. However, there is a small minority of pupils, some of whom have special needs in relation to behaviour, who are, on occasions, restless and inattentive. One pupil has been excluded on two occasions in the last twelve months; the use of exclusion was appropriate in the circumstances. Parents have expressed their satisfaction with the standard of behaviour achieved in the school.

p.17

Quality of teaching

15. Generally, pupils work and play well together, for example, Year 2 pupils were observed co- operating well together when using the parachute in a physical education lesson. Pupils form constructive relationships with both teaching and non-teaching staff. They are courteous and considerate to each other, and show respect for other people’s property. Bullying is rare and the school reacts quickly and positively if it happens.

p.17

Quality of teaching

16. Pupils make good progress in their personal development. They are willing and able to reflect on their own beliefs, feelings and experiences. They talk in a cheerful and confident manner. They are constantly encouraged to listen to and consider the views of others. Whilst pupils are developing an understanding of other faiths and cultures, this is mainly related to Judaism.

p.17

Quality of teaching

17. Pupils show a willingness to take additional responsibility, for example, putting out equipment before lessons and tidying up after lessons, often with little prompting by the teacher. Pupils are given opportunities to use their initiative by freedom to choose and use learning resources.

p.17

Quality of teaching

18. Overall the attendance at the school is satisfactory. It has improved markedly since the last inspection, and is now broadly in line with national averages. Registers are completed morning and afternoon and generally lessons make a prompt and effective start. However, a significant number of pupils do not regularly arrive at school on time.

p.17

Quality of teaching

19. Teaching was judged to be satisfactory or better in 93 per cent of lessons and good or very good in 63 per cent of these. All teachers taught some lessons which were very good. In seven per cent of lessons teaching was unsatisfactory. These figures represent an improvement on those at the earlier inspection. 20. Teaching for the under fives is good overall and never less than sound. Lessons are well planned and carefully prepared using guidance from both the national curriculum and the desirable learning outcomes for under fives. More time could be given to developing children's fine motor skills through continuous provision. Literacy and numeracy strategies have been introduced with thoughtful adaptations to meet the needs of the children. This included shorter sessions with short interest breaks such as singing songs, and also ending the planned sessions so that children could choose their own activities when it was clear that they could not concentrate any longer. The teacher has a

p.17

Quality of teaching

lively and enthusiastic approach using her voice and resources well to engage the children's interest. Supporting adults know what they have to do and make a significant contribution to children's learning. There are opportunities for parents to help their children to learn to recognise their names as they find them in the self registration times and there are simple tasks they can do with their children at home.

p.18

Quality of teaching

21. Teaching in Key Stage 1 ranged from very good to unsatisfactory but was most often good. Planning and preparation of lessons are generally good, and learning objectives for the week are usefully displayed so that parents can help at the beginning of the day or at home if they wish to. Methods and strategies for the different groups are not always sufficiently explicit within the written planning. Subject knowledge is sound in all areas of the curriculum and the weakness which was identified in art previously has been addressed through staff development.

p.18

Quality of teaching

22. Teachers use many different techniques in their lessons, for example, modelling reading and deliberate errors. Wherever possible, there is a strongly practical approach using good resources such as real coins for mathematics, real fruit for art, the school environment for science and visitors who add interest and expertise to the children's learning.

p.18

Quality of teaching

23. Teachers are careful to ensure that questions are pitched at levels so that different groups of pupils can answer. There is a consistent approach to giving all pupils time and turns to answer and an insistence on politeness which makes the classrooms controlled and orderly. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and use appropriate techniques for managing difficult behaviour effectively.

p.18

Quality of teaching

24. The national literacy initiative has been introduced in its recommended form. The first sessions of these lessons are often very well introduced using expressive and entertaining reading. However well the teachers get the children to listen initially, children are not able to sustain the same quality of attention over a longer time and in the second parts of the lessons, they begin to lose interest. A similar problem occurs in mathematics where it is difficult to pitch whole class work for extended times. Group activities in both literacy and numeracy work reasonably well and are helped by the close attention that assistants are giving to some of the children who are most demanding in terms of the level of support they need at this time. Teachers usually explain what children are to do very clearly but on occasion this is not detailed enough. For example, in a mathematics lesson, the groups who did not have adult help, did not have clear enough guidance about what they were to do

p.18

Quality of teaching

before they began and they achieved little because of this.

p.18

Quality of teaching

25. Throughout the school, teachers assess their pupils continuously and keep suitable records of what they have achieved. They are aware of particular and general learning needs within the school. For example, strong emphasis is given to the development of language across the curriculum and to personal and social development.

p.18

Quality of teaching

26. The curriculum for the under fives is generally broad and balanced. The literacy and numeracy strategies have been sensibly introduced with adaptations to suit the needs of the children. There are two weaknesses in the present provision: there are none of the outdoor toys such as bikes usually found in nursery provision which can extend the range of outdoor play. There needs to be a much greater emphasis on fine hand control skills such as those used in painting, drawing and writing because of the low skills that so many of the children have in these areas when they come to the school.

p.18

Quality of teaching

27. The curriculum in Key Stage 1 is broad and balanced. Not all the subjects of the national curriculum were seen during the inspection but the planning shows that they are covered, include religious education and meet statutory requirements. Literacy and numeracy strategies have been introduced fully in the recommended format. They are planned for the targets specific to each year group but teachers also aim to meet the needs of children through additional support and simplified tasks where necessary. Children often take books home to read and teachers write out some of the key targets for the week so that parents can help at home if they wish. In order to provide more time for the curriculum, there is no afternoon break. The curriculum is extended by recorder lessons at lunchtimes for those who wish to learn and by a range of visits and visitors to the school.

p.19

Quality of teaching

28. Pupils with special needs have access to the whole curriculum and to the extra curricular activities. Well written individual education plans are used to meet their needs, reviewed regularly and assistants also contribute to the picture by keeping their own interesting records of pupils' progress.

p.19

Quality of teaching

29. Assessment for the under fives is good. In the first half term, a comprehensive baseline assessment of each child is undertaken but staff also keep daily assessments of how well the children are doing. Assessment of pupils in Key Stage 1 is also good. Teachers know their pupils well and maintain appropriate records. Samples of writing with well written annotation slips have been collected in the past and used as a basis to judge the standard of pupils' writing. However, there have not been any recent adjustments to these. Parents receive carefully written reports about their children which say what the children are weak at as well as what they do well.

p.19

Quality of teaching

30. An improvement since the previous inspection has been made in the way data from baseline, internal tests and national tests has been used. This is now collected and analysed with some depth. It is used for example, to look at patterns of attainment at entry, to predict results and check progress in Year 2 and to decide which children received the extra support in the raising attainment project.

p.19

Quality of teaching

2. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

p.19

Quality of teaching

31. The school's provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good and for cultural development is satisfactory.

p.19

Quality of teaching

32. Through the content of religious education lessons and acts of collective worship, pupils receive a range of spiritual and moral experiences. A theme of the `Millennium’ presented in a whole school assembly by a visiting theatre group successfully delivered a balance of spiritual and moral messages. The celebration of religious festivals, for example, Hanukah and harvest create an opportunity for pupils to reflect on a time for giving thanks. Their spiritual awareness is extended through learning opportunities in other subjects, such as, in science, where a display in the classroom encourages them to feel the textures of different stones and in the planting of trees to enhance the environment. Children are entranced by good quality of story telling and poetry.

p.19

Quality of teaching

33. Pupils are helped to have a clear understanding of right and wrong through the consistent approach of the staff to moral issues. A good example of this was seen in Year 1 when the teacher dealt very effectively with two incidents where children accidentally bumped into each other. One said sorry and the other did not want to do so but was encouraged to consider how she felt when it happened to her. Children are encouraged to listen to the ideas of others in the group and are given time to make their own views known. There is a caring relationship between everybody in the school. Simple rules, that emphasise the need to be polite, to share things and look after one another, are displayed in the school. 34. Pupils play well together at breaktimes and assist each other at lunchtimes; for example, an older pupil cuts up the food for a younger pupil. The personal and social education programme in

p.19

Quality of teaching

Year 1 encourages children to think about helping at home, for instance, tidying their bedrooms. Pupils with special educational needs are well-integrated into classes and take a full part in the school's activities including the recorder lessons.

p.20

Quality of teaching

35. Through science, history, geography, art, music and religious education pupils gain a good insight into their own cultural heritage for example, they create Celtic patterns in art and in history they visit the local maritime museum. A range of visitors and visits to places outside the school further extends their cultural development. Musical instruments from other countries and occasional topics such as on foods make children aware of the different customs and traditions of life in other countries. There are books, posters and artefacts showing other ethnic groups on display around the school but they do not receive the same degree of emphasis within the teaching of religious education. Given that the school is in a very close community of white people, more could be done to raise children's awareness of the different ethnic groups in our society.

p.20

Quality of teaching

2. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

p.20

Quality of teaching

36. The school provides a safe and secure environment. Staff know their pupils well and have established good relationships with them and their parents and carers.

p.20

Quality of teaching

37. The monitoring of academic progress and personal development is thorough using a variety of recording systems. Parents felt that they were kept well informed through their daily contacts with school and were happy with the information given to them in their children's annual reports. The processes for pupils with special educational needs are well organised. Annual review reports and individual educational programmes provide clear targets and these are delivered in an effective manner by the teachers and the support staff.

p.20

Quality of teaching

38. There are good arrangements for monitoring attendance but the promotion of attendance is only satisfactory. There are limited opportunities to celebrate good attendance in an ongoing way, for instance, through a daily merit or points system.

p.20

Quality of teaching

39. Sound policies on promoting good behaviour and dealing with bullying are in place but a statement on the force and restraint of pupils has yet to be produced. Procedures for promoting positive behaviour are implemented consistently throughout the school and this is reflected in the generally good behaviour seen in classrooms, around the school and at breaktimes. Minor behavioural difficulties seen in the classrooms were effectively dealt with in a positive manner. Where pupils have recognised special needs in relation to behaviour, staff are very clearly aware of this and prepared to deal with disruptions in line with the pupils' individual education plans. The school receives an additional input from a learning support assistant for a pupil with specific behavioural problems.

p.20

Quality of teaching

40. Procedures for child protection, following local guidelines, are in place and are co-ordinated by the headteacher. Arrangements for dealing with such issues are good.

p.20

Quality of teaching

41. The health and safety policy is comprehensive and regular risk assessments are carried out involving staff, the headteacher and governors. Electrical and gym equipment is checked annually. A recent survey judged the volume of the fire alarm system to be insufficient. A request for a new system has been submitted to the local education authority but has been rejected at the present time. This ought to be pursued further. Similarly, the issues in the previous report about improving storage of equipment in the hall have been reviewed and decision suspended until the school's future under the rationalisation programme has been decided. As a result the problems related to storage still remain and still await a solution. 2. Partnership with parents and the community

p.20

Quality of teaching

42. The school works hard to develop a positive relationship with parents and to raise the school's profile in the community. It has sustained the quality of work recognised in the previous report. Parents at the meeting and through the questionnaire expressed strong support for the school's aims and work. They gave practical evidence of their commitment in the support they gave in attending a meeting about the school's future in a local rationalisation.

p.21

Quality of teaching

43. Considerable efforts are made by the staff to encourage parental involvement in the learning experiences of their children. Every morning each class has a stated set task, for example, to develop counting or spelling skills in Year 1 and Year 2, which the parents can do with their child when they arrive in school. The reception class teacher provides home/school books to give parents ideas about how they can assist their children at home. Parents and friends are encouraged to help in classrooms although very few take advantage of this. The parent teacher association organises social events and raises funds, for example, through a disco and a Christmas sale.

p.21

Quality of teaching

44. Parents of pupils with special educational need are encouraged to be involved in the annual review process and in the content and aims of the individual education programmes.

p.21

Quality of teaching

45. The school has developed good links with the people in the community who can help to extend the children's learning for instance, representatives of different faiths come to take assemblies and lead collective worship. A community nurse has a regular input and links with the teachers in order to deliver topics, such as, healthy eating as part of the science programme. She organises a health and safety day incorporating the help of the local coastguard and fire service. A mother and toddler group meet in the school hall for a session each week.

p.21

Quality of teaching

46. Speech and language therapists and a learning support assistant make valuable contributions in supporting the provision for pupils with special educational needs. Student helpers are used effectively to provide additional support in groups.

p.21

Quality of teaching

47. The school makes good use of visits into the community to places of interest, for example, the maritime museum, to provide the pupils with first hand learning experiences and join with community events such as the local flower festival. Staff have in the past been successful in attracting support from local businesses and there is planned support for the future.

p.21

Quality of teaching

2. THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

p.21

Quality of teaching

48. Management of the school is good overall. The headteacher provides calm and thoughtful leadership, and a clear direction to the work of the school. She is well supported by staff and by the governing body in their pastoral role. Several governors visit the school regularly, walk round the classrooms and talk to staff and children. This gives them a strong feel for the ethos of the school. The governing body receive and approve policies and are able to speak with confidence about these activities. This is an improvement from the judgement in the previous inspection when governors were described as not taking a sufficiently active role in management and monitoring. However, there are still some aspects of their monitoring role, such as linking the budget to their plans, which are not sufficiently well developed.

p.21

Quality of teaching

49. The school recognises that it has more children with special needs than is usually the case and makes a positive commitment through funding to provide more support than that provided by the local education authority. The process of assessment is well managed and support is effective. Statutory requirements are met.

p.21

Quality of teaching

50. Teaching and curriculum development have been monitored by the headteacher and co- ordinators in a variety of ways so that everyone has a good picture of their own responsibilities and a sound overview of what is happening generally. Recording of this evidence is not sufficiently systematic. Pupils' attainment is effectively monitored at school level so that trends, for example in lower attainment at entry, are spotted early and the school can make adjustments in its provision. There is a clear focus on raising standards through special projects such as the Raising Attainment Project and the target setting.

p.22

Quality of teaching

51. School development planning is sound. Staff work together to produce the plan and governors are involved once the plan is at the draft stage. The targets which have been set for the current term are on time for completion in line with the planned dates. The school has a sound base in which to build future developments.

p.22

Quality of teaching

52. Staff and governors take pride in creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Parents value this aspect of the school and describe it as a strength. The good equal opportunities policy is put into practice. This is evident, for example, in the commitment that staff and governors express for pupils with special needs.

p.22

Quality of teaching

2. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

p.22

Quality of teaching

53. There are sufficient teachers for the current number of pupils in the school. They are appropriately qualified and experienced and there is a reasonable match between qualifications and curriculum responsibility.

p.22

Quality of teaching

54. There is a good level of classroom support staff who are well deployed and used efficiently to support individuals and groups of pupils. They make a valuable contribution to the learning process. Classroom support staff are actively involved in the planning of lessons and the development of individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs. The school secretary provides a good level of clerical and administrative support which allows teachers to concentrate on their teaching and co-ordinating roles.

p.22

Quality of teaching

55. The school has a well established staff appraisal system, based on a two year cycle and it includes classroom observations. However, there has been some slippage in the appraisal programme, and a number of appraisals are overdue.

p.22

Quality of teaching

56. The school has appointed a member of staff to co-ordinate staff development training, and it subscribes to a local education authority training package. However, there are no formal procedures to ensure a balance of training to meet individual and corporate needs. Whilst there is some informal evaluation of the training undertaken, the school does not systematically assess the impact of staff development training on the quality of teaching or delivery of the curriculum.

p.22

Quality of teaching

1.Overall, the accommodation is adequate for the number and age ranges of pupils currently in the school. The school has improved the use of the available accommodation since the last inspection, including the use of areas outside classrooms. However, the hall is still used to store dining tables and chairs, which to some degree still restricts the area available for physical education. The school is clean and well maintained.

p.22

Quality of teaching

58. Overall, the school’s resources are of a good standard, and meet the needs of the curriculum. The school library contains an adequate range of books to support the curriculum, including fiction and non-fiction books. However, there is no library classification system and the library is not really used as a children's learning resource.

p.22

Quality of teaching

57. The efficiency of the school 59. Since the last inspection, the governing body have made good progress in their involvement in the strategic management of the school. They have established a range of sub-committees including a finance committee. However, with the exception of the finance sub-committee, these sub- committees do not have written terms of reference, to ensure their responsibilities are clearly defined and limits of delegated authority established. They do not meet on a regular basis or produce minutes of their meetings. The governing body receive and approve a draft development plan but are not yet sufficiently involved in monitoring its progress, or in matching its declared staffing commitments to the budget. For example, in the current financial year they have approved a budget which commits all of the school’s financial resources, including significant balances from 1998/9 but

p.22

Quality of teaching

they do not have a clear vision of how the school will be able to sustain spending and staffing at these levels in the longer term.

p.23

Quality of teaching

60. Teaching and support staff are well deployed and used effectively. They work well together in planning lessons and producing and delivering learning programmes for pupils with special needs.

p.23

Quality of teaching

61. Generally the school makes good use of the available accommodation and learning resources to enhance the delivery of the curriculum.

p.23

Quality of teaching

62. Overall, there is effective day to day control of the school’s finances, however, some weaknesses were brought to the attention of the head teacher including the separating of functions in respect of the control of Standards funds. The school has addressed the majority of the recommendations contained in the latest auditor’s report. Administration procedures are well established and enable teaching staff to concentrate on their teaching and co-ordinating roles.

p.23

Quality of teaching

63. The cost of educating pupils is well above average. The backgrounds and attainment of pupils entering the school is well below average. The attainment of pupils is below average, however progress is good. Teaching is consistently good, pupils’ attitudes to learning are satisfactory and behaviour is good. Taking all these factors into consideration, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.23

Quality of teaching

57. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

p.23

Quality of teaching

57. AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

p.23

Quality of teaching

64. Provision for this area is given priority in planning, in the organisation of the classroom and in the teaching and learning. Children are well behaved although they still tend to play by themselves rather than co-operatively and they see their own needs as most important. The enthusiasm of the teacher and the good relationships they enjoy with other adults enables the children to settle in quickly. They move around the classroom and adjoining areas with confidence and are just as happy to learn with adults as to choose their own activities. There are some resources which help them to learn about people from other groups and countries as well as special times when they celebrate different religious festivals although since this is very much a white community, children would benefit from some additional regular input in this area.

p.23

Quality of teaching

65. Information from the nursery which the children have attended, from the teacher's baseline assessment and from inspection evidence shows that many of the children start from a low point in this area and that by the age of five, few of them will be reaching the learning goals. Most children talk confidently but one or two don't like to talk when they can use gesture. A few children use the local dialect. They say, for example, 'yan' for one and 'babby' for baby. Even though the words are closely related, to the children they are different which means that the children are learning new vocabulary when they come to school. Many of them, even when they talk confidently and correctly do not understand the concepts behind the words so they ask, for example what a robin is or what does the word 'object' mean. Speech is rarely extended and often functional.

p.23

Quality of teaching

66. The children are capable of listening very intently and with great interest when there is an accompanying strong visual or aural content such as when the teacher uses puppets to introduce phonics or when they sing songs together but without this multi-sensory level, their concentration span in more formal activities is much more limited.

p.24

Quality of teaching

67. Children are making good progress in learning to recognise their names as they find them each morning for registration. They enjoy sharing books with adults. The teacher puts a strong emphasis on letter and sound recognition throughout the day as well as during the literacy session. Children know which letter of the alphabet their name begins with and simple strategies, such as lining up by the order of the initial letters of their names, are establishing early awareness of alphabetical order.

p.24

Quality of teaching

68. Writing is one of the areas where children's skills are weak and the range of skill in this area is very wide. Some children will be able to write their names without help by the time they are five, but most will not. Some children do not hold pencils firmly so that their marks on paper are very faint and insecure. Some represent their names with scribble and others make distinct marks which represent the correct number of letters in their name but have no recognisable shape. Children are encouraged to write in formal and in informal situations and to make letters in sands and playdough. However, because of the limitations of children's skills, this is one area which needs even greater emphasis linked to creative skills to enable children to develop more rapidly.

p.24

Quality of teaching

69. Staff use many incidental opportunities to count and to let children see numbers as everyday things, for example in checking the register. The children's counting skills are in line with what is expected. They can count to 10 comfortably and some to 20 and beyond. However, few children count more than three objects correctly as they do not match the counting sequence to the objects. They can match shapes but are not secure about their names. Because they have recently learned about rectangles, many of the children use that to name any of the shapes. Sequencing and pattern making skills are weak. Children can match a sequence by placing similar objects underneath but do not see the pattern clearly enough to extend the sequence. The current focus on the language of length means that children are making good progress in understanding and can apply their learning within the activities.

p.24

Quality of teaching

Knowledge and understanding of the world

p.24

Quality of teaching

70. Children use the tape recorders to play stories and music for themselves and quickly learn that the mouse on a computer makes objects move around the screen. Their scientific skills were well developed in an activity led by the teacher where they considered how different gloves feel in water and how the materials they are made of make the gloves suitable for different purposes. They listened intently, experimented with the materials and could describe their reactions and observations. Questions such as ' Does the water roll off or soak through the gloves?' challenged them to observe and think about their answers. At this early point in the year there is little evidence of some aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world but children do consider the weather daily and some of the resources they are shown introduce them to the concept of other times. Planning shows that all aspects of this area of learning are to be covered in time.

p.24

Quality of teaching

71. During a week there is a satisfactory range of opportunities for the children to express themselves creatively. They made playdough with the teacher, learning to use words such as mix and texture as they worked. The completed product was used in play. Children rolled, moulded and cut out the mixture with concentration. The home corner provides scope for them to talk and play together and to develop social skills. They have musical instruments to play and displays on the walls give evidence of painting and drawing activities. The painting and drawing work gives useful clues about the children's skills. These are often at early stages of development showing very simple representations of people and animals and the large, experimental colour swatches of children who are enjoying paint but haven't had enough experience for good control. Because there is so much evidence of limited experience and skill in work which demands good hand and eye control, there is a

p.24

Quality of teaching

need for the curriculum in this area to be given greater emphasis.

p.25

Quality of teaching

72. The reception curriculum provides many opportunities for the children to work and play with small and large toys. They gain confidence in moving from one area to another. Even at this early part of the year, they move around the hall freely, beginning to show awareness of safety in looking for others as they move around. They are energetic and in their running, jumping and walking around the hall show skills which are typical for four and five year olds. The teacher provides suitable activities in the hall and outside. However, although there is good access to an outside area, there are none of the outdoor play resources which are commonly found in nurseries and which would still be helpful in developing the skills of these children.

p.25

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

73. Sixty five per cent of the pupils reached the expected level or above in the national tests and assessments in 1999. Some pupils reached the higher level (level 3) in reading but not in writing. All of the pupils who did not reach the first level have special needs. The results are an improvement on the previous year's figures of 55% but remain well below the national averages and below those of similar schools. Boys' and girls' attainment does vary from year to year but there is no pattern in this other than special needs. In the current statistics, for example, it is the boys who have reached the higher levels.

p.26

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

74. Raising standards in English was one of the key issues from the previous inspection. This has been achieved in the figures for this year. However, inspection evidence confirms a fluctuating picture of attainment which reflects the percentage of pupils within the year group who have special needs. In the current Year 2 class for example, half of the children are on the special needs register and half of these are likely to be in the most advanced stages of assessment. Predicted attainment in the year 2000 reflects this and overall figures will drop again quite significantly. The school has tackled low attainment well. Firstly, through the additional support assistants who work effectively with teachers and give close attention to small groups. Secondly, through the raising attainment project which focused mainly on language and literacy skills and improved the attainment of the poorest group of Year 1 and 2 children significantly even though their improvement may not have

p.26

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

been enough to move most of them into a higher national curriculum level.

p.26

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

75. The children in Key Stage 1 speak confidently to visitors and to each other but rarely do they extend their answers. When they listen to lessons where there is another stimulus such as the puppet theatre, they are capable of extended and concentrated attention. However, their concentration spans in other situations can be quite brief. The highest attainers in Year 2 are reading well and on target to reach level 3 by the end of the year; some are beginning to read simple texts slowly but confidently whilst the poorest group have very limited reading skill at this point of the year. Teachers' questions during reading times show that children can often decode words but do not understand what they have read. This includes individual words as well as longer extracts. Writing skills are similarly varied with some children in Year 2 beginning to write without help and at the other end, some children still forming letters poorly and unable to write any words correctly by themselves. However,

p.26

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

the pupils do make good progress in writing. This can be seen in the limited starting points in Year 1 in how children control and form letters and in the improvement by the time they reach Year 2 where children are beginning to spell simple words correctly and make sensible attempts at ones they do not know. A specific example of this good progress in the current Year 2 class, is a pupil who was unable to write his name at five years old, is now writing some words independently and is predicted to achieve the average level by the end of the year. Whilst some children are able writers, the limited skills of others show in the quantity and quality of what is written for example in science, history and geography. Handwriting is satisfactory by the end of Year 2. Most children write neat well formed letters and space out their writing neatly. Some higher attainers use a joined up script but the

p.26

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

76. The staff have implemented the literacy hour in its recommended form. Teachers model story reading very well and their reading of poetry can entrance the children. They use deliberate errors to test the children's attention and understanding and ask probing questions to check that children have understood the content. The children can show good listening skills in these sessions because of the dramatic quality of the teachers' introductions. However, children are not able to sustain attention to whole class work for long and teachers have to work hard to keep children focused on the second part of the lesson where they look at word level work together. The amount of time that is spent on these tasks is in line with recommendations but was observed to be too long for these children and is a weakness in the current approach. The exception to this is in the reception class where the teacher has used the flexibility suggested for younger children to adapt the approach

p.26

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

and timings to suit their needs. This works much better. 77. Teachers use computers well to support children's learning in English. Children practice reading and spelling programs and use text and graphics programs to make their own illustrated stories such as versions of Goldilocks and the three bears. 78. The co-ordinator has given good support to colleagues in the introduction of the literacy hour. Lessons have been monitored and issues such as addressing children's special needs through the strategy have been highlighted. There is a good supply of the big books and other reading material and no shortages to hinder the programme.

p.26

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

79. The results of the national tests and assessments in 1999 give attainment as well below that of schools nationally and slightly better although still below those of schools in similar circumstances. One pupil achieved the higher level and two pupils with special needs did not register on the first level. Although boys' and girls' attainment varies from year to year, this is affected by special needs rather than other factors.

p.27

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

80. Inspection evidence confirms a picture of below average attainment in Year 2. Review of work and discussion with some Year 2 pupils shows that the middle and higher attaining groups have a satisfactory knowledge of numbers. They can count singly and in twos, fives and tens both forwards and backwards. They have not yet recognised that there are numbers below zero. Pupils can read and write numbers to 100 although they are not secure with the place value of the numbers. Their knowledge of fractions is limited to a practical understanding of a half but not the written version. They know the names of two dimensional shapes but not those with three dimensions and are insecure with their properties. Pupils know that centimetres measure length and that we use miles for longer distances. Other units of measurement were not known. In a class lesson, the Year 2 pupils were able to identify coins. Higher attaining pupils could combine coins mentally and know that they

p.27

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

can offer more than the value of a shopping list in order to buy the goods. Lower attaining pupils struggle to combine coins of different values. In general, wherever the language of mathematics is involved, there are weaknesses which affect the children's understanding. Using the numeracy language as a guide, a large majority of the children in Year 2 are, at this point, about a year behind in their use and understanding of mathematical language.

p.27

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

81. The picture of strengths and weaknesses in attainment in mathematics is similar in Year 1 and in the reception class. Children are better with counting and straightforward computation but weaker wherever associated language is concerned. They can for example correctly answer 3 + 2 = but are puzzled if the sum is presented using different words.

p.27

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

82. Pupils are making steady progress in their work which is reflected, for example, in the fact that mathematical vocabulary is much wider in Year 2. They answer questions confidently and will try to answer even when they are not sure. They have positive attitudes and work hard under close supervision but will also work at a relaxed pace or do little when the teacher's attention is elsewhere. The support of assistants is particularly useful in ensuring that pupils with special needs understand the lesson, work at a pace which is suitable for them and make much better progress than they would on their own.

p.27

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

83. The numeracy strategy has been introduced in its recommended form in Key Stage 1 with teachers closely following the programmes for the age group and the suggested timing for each element. Teaching in the lessons seen ranged from unsatisfactory to good. A strength in all lessons is in the practical approach and the use of good resources, for example real money. Teachers are secure in their knowledge of what they are teaching and are careful to include questions suitable for all the pupils in the introduction and mental work. Planning and preparation are good. Assistants are given clear tasks and they provide very effective support to the small groups they work with. Where the teaching was judged unsatisfactory, this was because too little time was given to the most able groups in explaining their group tasks and since they were unsupported, they were unable to achieve the tasks set. This was recognised and the plenary session did attempt to address the situation.

p.27

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

84. Co-ordination of the subject is currently shared but is under review. There has been some monitoring of planning and assessment. Teachers know their pupils well and keep regular records of progress. Because there are so few teachers, constant informal discussions keep staff aware of issues. Resourcing is good and the materials pupils use are of good quality.

p.28

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

85. The teacher assessments in science show attainment by the age of 7 to be well below the national average and above those of similar schools. Inspection evidence finds that pupils' written work is limited but their knowledge in science when assessed through discussions is much closer to what is expected. When considering where the children have started from when they arrive at the school, progress is good

p.28

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

86. In Year 2, pupils are using smell, taste and touch to distinguish between different fruit. Higher attaining pupils can predict what type of seeds are inside a particular fruit before it is cut open. For example, that a melon has a large quantity of seeds and a mango has a single large stone. There was obvious progress in the Year 2 pupils’ knowledge about seeds when comparing what they knew at the end with what they knew at the beginning of the lesson. Discussions with some higher attaining pupils from Year 2 reveal that they can describe the difference between living and non-living things, name materials, such as, plastic, wood and metal and identify objects made from these materials and know the difference between equipment running on battery or mains electricity. Their attainment is in line with what is expected for Year 2 pupils at this point of the year. The teacher assessments predict

p.28

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

that they should achieve the expected level at the end of the year. All pupils show development in investigatory skills as they move through the school because of the practical approach. However, there is a weakness in their ability to record their findings. Many do not yet have sufficiently well developed writing skills to do this independently and their knowledge of science is revealed more clearly in discussions.

p.28

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

87. In a Year 1 lesson pupils learn that plants need certain conditions in which to grow. They are fascinated when a small chestnut tree is taken out of the plant pot to show the roots and stem growing from the seed. Their numeracy ability is extended by counting plant pots when planting the acorns and chestnuts and by estimating the number of seeds in a fruit.

p.28

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

88. Progress in science is good and this is owing to the effective planning of lessons, the use of challenging questions and the practical nature of the teaching, for example, the visit of a supervisor of a local garden project bringing in saplings for the pupils to plant in the school grounds. Visits into the local environment, for instance, extend the use of the pupils’ senses and further extend the range of learning experiences.

p.28

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

89. Pupils’ attitudes to their work are good. They show good observational skills, for example, when describing the properties of fruit. Pupils are keen to answer questions and work well in groups, for instance, carrying and preparing the equipment to plant the trees. Lower attaining and pupils with special educational needs are well supported in lessons by the support attachment welfare assistants and enabled to take a full part in lessons.

p.28

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

90. The subject is well co-ordinated and there are adequate resources.

p.28

Art

91. The school has responded to the issues within the previous inspection by providing a stimulus to the art curriculum through local artists and through a well balanced programme of art activities. One lesson was seen in each class and other evidence from work on displays was considered in reaching judgements. By Year 2, children achieve standards which are typical for their age in areas such as printing, sewing and clay work but many still show visual immaturity in the way they draw, paint and colour people, animals and objects. Progress is satisfactory.

p.29

Art

92. Year 2 pupils in a lesson showed a wide range of skill in drawing and painting fruit. The most capable artists observe carefully and improve the level of detail in response to the teacher's comments. Some still use a generic shape for all the fruit. When painting, some of the children mix colours to match well whilst others struggle. In applying the paint, some children still hold the brush too tightly and use a scrubbing technique rather than let the paint flow. Mixing palettes are very small for the large brushes children were using and do not help those who have limited control. In their self portraits on display, Year 2 children produce a satisfactory match to skin colours and faces which are of reasonable size and proportion. The level of detail they record is variable with some including close observation such as shape of eyes and eyelashes and other children still recording simplistically. Control of the media is also varied and the way they have applied the paint shows that

p.29

Art

while some children have sound control over thickness and texture and awareness of the effects of applying second layers to wet paint, others are still at early stages of development. There are some good examples of how the pupils consider and reflect the work of famous artists such as Renoir, Lautrec and David Neal in their own endeavours.

p.29

Art

93. Pupils in Year 1 have produced simple collage self portraits. Their drawings of themselves are very simplistic and typical of children about a year younger. In their art lesson, they were given time to practice specific techniques using charcoal and pencil before attempting the observational work. This gave them a better foundation and level of skills in using the materials provided and resulted in some well finished work.

p.29

Art

94. Children generally work with concentration. They can be a little noisy and unsettled but clearly enjoy the activities. Teaching was at least satisfactory. Teachers' subject knowledge was criticised at the last inspection but was found to be sound this time. The art work was taught with, in the best lessons, a clear focus on helping children to practise and apply skills.

p.29

Design and technology

95. During the inspection, limited direct observations were made which included one lesson of design and technology in Year 1. Additional information was gained from the scrutiny of written records, pupils' work and photographs. From this there is evidence to confirm that the national curriculum requirements are being met.

p.29

Design and technology

96. In the lesson in Year 1, pupils were challenged to make a shopping trolley using large construction materials. The lesson was planned to encourage pupils to work with minimal supervision and to work co-operatively. They were interested in the task, selected their own materials from the shelves and were able to join the units together satisfactorily. Teaching was through occasional intervention which was effective and helped pupils to improve their first attempts through the use of challenging questions for example, 'Could the design of the trolley be improved by using one handle instead of two?’

p.29

Design and technology

97. Completed work in Year 1 showed that pupils can use different materials, such as, balsa and cardboard and different joining techniques to make a wheeled vehicle. They design and make a model house and the furniture to go inside the house. Year 2 pupils design a light and switch system for the house during science lessons. They bake cakes and make a fruit salad as part of their science lesson on the study of seeds in fruit. Pupils design and make machines to measure wind speed. All of which show satisfactory levels of skill in different aspects of design and technology.

p.29

Geography

98. As there were no observed lessons during the inspection, firm judgements cannot be made about the standards that pupils reach or the quality of the teaching. Information was gathered from looking at pupils’ work, talking to pupils and the scrutiny of planning documents. From this evidence, it is possible to say that pupils receive an appropriate range of learning experiences in geography and make satisfactory progress in their learning.

p.30

Geography

99. Topics involve the pupils studying the use and the scales of maps. They look at the way food is produced in different countries. Displays around the school illustrate work on the recording of weather conditions using charts. Teachers use short times at the beginning of the day to observe weather patterns with the pupils and pupils know that symbols can represent different types of weather. They make appropriate choices and record their information on graphs. Work on display shows that pupils have planned routes from home to school. Environmental visits, such as, a study of the river Derwent are used to increase the pupils’ knowledge of their local environment. Pupils in Year 2 who were questioned can explain that a compass and a map can be used to find the way and that London is the capital city of England.

p.30

Geography

100. Pupils' written work in geography is relatively limited and few of them have sufficiently well developed writing skills in Year 2 to write independent information.

p.30

Geography

101. There is no policy statement for geography but there is a sound scheme of work. Resources for geography are satisfactory. 57.

p.30

History

102. As no lessons were observed during the inspection period, judgements on the teaching and attitudes towards learning cannot be made. However, based on the time spent gathering information from looking at pupils’ work, talking to pupils and studying topic planning documents, it is evident that pupils receive appropriate learning experiences in history.

p.30

History

103. Teachers use an interesting range of first hand material through topics, such as family photographs to illustrate the process of change and how one can begin to construct a family tree. Topics such as autumn and festivals such as harvest and the festival of light show the importance of food, how it has changed through the ages and what a Victorian Christmas was like. Pupils in Year 2 were able to talk about the difference in clothes between the present and a hundred years ago and how household equipment has changed.

p.30

History

104. Visits to the maritime museum in Maryport extend the pupils’ understanding of the history of their local area. Posters of a painting of a 17 th Century family are used to show that in that period of time portraits could not be taken by a camera.

p.30

History

105. There is no policy statement for history but there is a planned scheme of work. Resources are satisfactory.

p.30

Information technology

106. Only a few children were observed using computers and evidence for judgements takes into account their work on display. From this evidence, children are reaching suitable standards by the time they are seven and making good progress. In Year 2, they can use the mouse and direction keys well as they complete response programs. They can enter text and information. Children know that material can be saved and retrieved at a later date so that more work can be done. They have produced graphs in various forms from data they have collected and entered.

p.30

Information technology

107. Children in Year 1 can enter text such as lists of fruits and some are able to cope with the standard keyboard with capital letters as well as one where the letters are written in lower case format. A child in Year 1 was observed working at a high level in using a spell check to correct a word he had entered.

p.31

Information technology

108. Very little teaching was observed but where it was seen it was of good quality with adults helping children to understand the technical vocabulary such as icon, mouse, delete key by using the words naturally themselves. They also encourage children to be independent in their use of the computer.

p.31

Information technology

109. Resources are good. The school expects to be connected to the World Wide Web shortly and to extend the curriculum further when this happens.

p.31

Information technology

110. One lesson was observed in each class. Other evidence considered included teachers' planning, taped extracts of the children's work and some written samples. From this it is possible to say that the children have a broad and balanced experience of music based on a published scheme. By the age of seven, the children's skills are in line with what is expected for their age and they are making satisfactory progress. Some children are able to extend their skills and knowledge by learning to play the recorder. In these lessons, they are challenged by learning to read conventional notation and given a different experience of learning music in a more formal way. A good feature of this provision is that it open to all and children with special needs are equally welcome.

p.31

Information technology

111. In all classes, children sing with enthusiasm. A good example of this was when they joined in a hymn in the special assembly. They stay in tune and manage to remember quite complex words and rhythms. They are able to clap or tap in time to the music. Children in Year 2 have recorded their choice of instruments in simple graphic scores. Taped performances show that they use instruments capably. In Year 1, the children were following a formal activity in developing their capacity to listen attentively to music. Their answers showed that they had learned something about the instruments of the orchestra in earlier lessons and also some words by which they can describe what they hear such as " marching" music. However, the listening activity as it was presented, was too long and made more complicated by a worksheet so that the children made little progress in musical skills within the lesson.

p.31

Information technology

112. Teaching ranged from very good to unsatisfactory but is satisfactory overall. The scheme ensures adequate coverage and teachers have sufficiently secure knowledge to deliver the content. Sometimes the activities are not well enough balanced between listening and performing skills for the learning needs of these particular children.

p.31

Information technology

113. Resources are sufficient and of good quality. There are some instruments from different countries which help children to become aware of differences in people's experiences.

p.31

Physical education

114. A selection of physical activities were seen in each class and from this evidence pupils’ attainment and progress in physical education is good.

p.31

Physical education

115. In Year 1 pupils explore ways of moving a ball using different parts of their body and can produce a range of jumps and balances. In Year 2 they show close control when dribbling and bouncing a ball and display accuracy when throwing a beanbag into a hoop. In a gymnastics lesson, pupils are able to move in different directions, for example, backwards and sideways and create various shapes under a raised parachute.

p.31

Physical education

116. Pupils make good progress through effective teaching. For example, warm-up and relaxation periods in lessons are used make pupils aware of the purpose of these periods and attention is drawn to what happens to the rate of breathing during exercise. Pupils are given clear explanations of how and why they can improve their work, for example why they need to bend their knees when landing after a jump and that using their arms in a swinging motion increases the distance of a jump. Good use is made of pupil demonstration to show what can be achieved, for example, a pupil performing a long roll with finger tips and toes stretched. Year 2 pupils increase their speed in dribbling a ball at the same time as maintaining control when completing a slalom course through cones.

p.32

Physical education

117. Pupils show a positive attitude in lessons. They display imagination when exploring different jumps and balances, co-operative teamwork when holding and making a `mushroom’ shape with the parachute and an enthusiastic approach to all activities.

p.32

Physical education

118. Numeracy and literacy skills are promoted well in physical education lessons, for instance, listening carefully to instructions for safety reasons and the reinforcement of shapes and the length of the sides when using individual mats.

p.32

Physical education

119. Resources are good with a variety of bats and balls and gymnastics equipment.

p.32

Religious education

120. By the end of Year 2, pupils show that they have learned a variety of information which is in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. They make satisfactory progress in their studies about Christianity and Judaism.

p.32

Religious education

121. In a Year 2 lesson pupils were encouraged to learn about the purpose of prayer. They composed their own simple prayer to decorate the rim of a paper plate they are designing to celebrate harvest festival. Higher attaining pupils create their own prayers while lower attainers do so with more adult assistance.

p.32

Religious education

122. Pupils learn about the different festivals in the Christian faith, such as the festival of light at Christmas. They compare this with a similar celebration in Judaism and good use is made of a Jewish member of the local community, who visits the school to show costumes, artefacts and food involved in the festival of Hanukah.

p.32

Religious education

123. Effective use is made of visitors from different faiths; for instance, a local vicar demonstrates the service of baptism and talks about communion. A member of the Catholic Church describes the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes.

p.32

Religious education

124. Acts of collective worship are successful in developing an awareness of a range of religious issues, for example, a theatre group from local churches using puppets captivated the pupils with a presentation entitled the `Millennium’. The performance linked stories about the life of Jesus with a wider moral issue of the importance of helping one another. In their answers to questions, the pupils showed that they had remembered some of the key information presented in the performance.

p.32

Religious education

125. The pupils concentrate well on their learning, especially when the experiences are presented in a practical way, as in the assembly taken by the theatre group. 126. Resources are adequate, including a range of books and artefacts. 57. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

p.32

Religious education

127. The inspection was undertaken by a team of three inspectors who spent a combined total of seven days over a three day period gathering first-hand evidence about the school. Thirty teaching activities were observed for a time amounting to around 25 hours. Additional time was given to looking at evidence of children's work in their personal folders, in photograph albums and on the displays. In addition, inspectors attended assemblies and extra curricular activities.

p.34

Religious education

128. Interviews were held with the headteacher and teaching staff with the chair of governors and with other governors.

p.34

Religious education

129. Pupils’ records of attainment and samples of reports to parents were looked at. A wide range of documentation and information provided by the school was analysed by the team.

p.34

Religious education

130. Eighteen replies to questionnaires issued to all parents were analysed. These, and the views of parents who attended a meeting before the inspection, were taken into account. 57. 131. DATA AND

p.34

INDICATORS

57. Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals

p.35

INDICATORS

57. Qualified teachers (YR - Y2) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 3.4

p.35

INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 17.1

p.35

INDICATORS

57. Education support staff (YR - Y2) Total number of education support staff: 3 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 46

p.35

INDICATORS

£ Total Income 182666 Total Expenditure 166858 Expenditure per pupil 2924.69 Balance brought forward from previous year 1657 Balance carried forward to next year 23465 57. PARENTAL SURVEY

p.35

INDICATORS

Number of questionnaires sent out: 58 Number of questionnaires returned: 18 Percentage return rate: 31.0

p.36

INDICATORS

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

p.36

INDICATORS

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 83 11 6 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 83 17 0 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

The school handles complaints from parents well 56 28 11 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 56 44 0 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 72 28 0 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 78 22 0 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 67 28 6 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 78 17 6 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 67 33 0 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 61 39 0 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

My child(ren) like(s) school 89 11 0 0 0

p.36

INDICATORS

There were no other issues raised by parents.

p.36