Summary
What we read, and from where
Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.
- Inspectorssingle source
Foundation Stage
- URN verified
121308
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
Join free to get a short, plain-English summary of any report.
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
In line with other reports of this type.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- The inspection strongly supports parents’ view that the very good behaviour goes hand in hand with the superb relationships. p.14
- The strong and supportive relationships pupils have with each other and their teachers create a very positive working environment. p.14
- Pupils respond very well to the good values that are consistently promoted by the school. p.13
- Children in the reception classes are very well behaved and enjoy their time at school. p.13
- In lessons pupils behave very well because they enjoy their work and want to succeed. p.14
Concerns
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- In the juniors, teaching is well balanced in terms of content in Year 3 and Year 4, but limited in the upper juniors by a lack of confidence in teaching pupils how to compose their own music and by the lack of time. p.46
- Planning for lessons was insufficient and inconsistent and pupils’ work was not assessed well enough. p.41
- Pupils’ achievements in the juniors are often limited by weak handwriting and spelling. p.44
- The lack of time for practice, as a follow up, in the juniors makes learning insufficient and therefore lessens the impact of the well- organised teaching. p.45
- This is clearly evident in the lack of high quality design plans in the junior age group and the absence of lessons for the oldest juniors. p.41
Next steps
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- When the school was inspected in July 1997 it was described as a good school with many strengths. p.8
- The school has made satisfactory improvements since it was last inspected. p.8
- It has maintained many of its strengths and improved them in some cases. p.8
- The teaching in 1997 was only very good in seven per cent of cases. p.8
- Now 25 per cent of lessons are taught very well. p.8
- Since 1997, the school’s leadership has focused its energies on preparing for its new accommodation and raising standards in English, mathematics and science. p.8
- The school has tackled the key issues from its last inspection satisfactorily on balance, with improvements in the planned provision for pupils’ personal and social education being very good. p.8
- The co-ordination of planning and assessment in subjects beyond English, mathematics and science has been tackled reasonably well, but so much time was devoted to this that standards have been overlooked in some cases. p.8
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 49
- Words of findings
- 22,571
- longer than usual (typical 1049)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 50, typical 45
- Average sentence
- 18 words
- Next steps
- 8
- typical 5
- Hedged sentences
- 9%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
APPLEGARTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
Dates of inspection: 11 th – 14 th March 2002
p.1
APPLEGARTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.
p.1
APPLEGARTH 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. Applegarth Primary School - 3
p.2
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Upwell Road Northallerton North Yorkshire
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: The Governing Body
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Name of chair of governors: Mr S. Wilson
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: 7 th July 1997 Applegarth Primary School - 4
p.3
responsibilities
4074 Mr R. Gill Registered inspector Foundation Stage Information and communication technology Art and design Music What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 8922 Mrs B. McIntosh Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with its parents? 4676 Mrs M. Griffiths Team inspector Mathematics Special educational needs Physical education Religious education 23204 Mrs C. Wojtak Team inspector English Design and technology How well are the pupils taught?
p.4
responsibilities
21993 Mrs D. Atkins Team inspector Science Geography History Equal opportunities English as an additional language How good are the curricular opportunities? Applegarth Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:
p.4
responsibilities
Independent School Inspection Services (ISIS) 15 The Birches Bramhope LEEDS LS16 9DP
p.5
responsibilities
Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:
p.5
responsibilities
The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division
p.5
responsibilities
Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Applegarth Primary School - 6
p.5
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
p.6
HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
p.6
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Applegarth Primary School is situated near to the town centre in Northallerton in North Yorkshire. Most pupils live close to the school, but a minority comes from the surrounding rural areas. The school has 258 pupils on roll and is therefore about the same size as most other primary schools. About seven per cent of pupils are eligible for free schools meals, which is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is below the national average. There are two pupils with a statement of special educational needs and this is below the national average. The majority of pupils with special educational needs have learning difficulties. The school caters for a small number of children, from Indian families, who are learning English as an additional language and a small number who are from travellers’ families. The former was not in school at the time of the inspection. Most
p.7
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
children enter the school with about average levels of attainment. The deputy headteacher is new to the school since the last inspection. The school achieved an Achievement Award from the Department for Education and Skills, in 2000, for its improved standards in national tests. The school’s building has recently been extended to alleviate very cramped conditions, but the new accommodation was not in use at the time of the inspection.
p.7
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
Applegarth Primary School provides an acceptable education for its pupils. The school provides very well for pupils’ personal development and as a result their attitudes to school, work and relationships are very good. There are effective methods to ensure that pupils reach standards that are above average in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6, except in writing where attainment is about average. Standards have risen recently due to improved teaching and better leadership that has focused on improving pupils’ performance in these subjects. However, this has had a limiting and sometimes detrimental effect on the standards reached in other subjects, making the overall achievement of eleven year olds broadly satisfactory. The school spends less than an average sum on each pupil and, in the context of its good and sometimes very good features, provides good value for money.
p.7
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
What the school does well • The school employs effective methods to improve standards in English, mathematics and science in Year 6. • The school’s leadership ensures that its aims are well implemented and that they have a strong influence on pupils’ attitudes to learning and the relationships that they form. • The school’s provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall and this has a very positive effect on pupils’ personal development. • Improvements since the last inspection in respect of pupils’ personal and social education and the provision for extra-curricular activities have been very good. • The school has been well managed during a period of upheaval during the building programme with the minimum of disruption to pupils’ learning.
p.7
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
What could be improved • The standards reached by pupils throughout the school in art and design and by the time they are eleven in information and communication technology (ICT), music and design and technology. • The effectiveness of current systems for recording pupils’ attainment and setting targets for future achievements. • The methods used to monitor teaching and to identify areas for development. • The role played by subject co-ordinators in assessing standards and in planning for improvement. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Applegarth Primary School - 8
p.7
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
When the school was inspected in July 1997 it was described as a good school with many strengths. The school has made satisfactory improvements since it was last inspected. It has maintained many of its strengths and improved them in some cases. The teaching in 1997 was only very good in seven per cent of cases. Now 25 per cent of lessons are taught very well. Since 1997, the school’s leadership has focused its energies on preparing for its new accommodation and raising standards in English, mathematics and science. The school has tackled the key issues from its last inspection satisfactorily on balance, with improvements in the planned provision for pupils’ personal and social education being very good. The co-ordination of planning and assessment in subjects beyond English, mathematics and science has been tackled reasonably well, but so much time was devoted to this that standards have been overlooked in some cases. Furthermore, the role of the co-ordinators has been under-developed
p.8
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
since 1997. They suffer from too little formal direction, which is exemplified by job descriptions that only mention the title of the post and which give no lead about what should be accomplished to fulfil the role. Since 1997, the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy have been successfully introduced to good effect. The school went through a period, since 1997, without a deputy headteacher. Now it has appointed a new one, the school is well placed to maintain its strengths and tackle its weaknesses.
p.8
STANDARDS
The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.
p.8
STANDARDS
Performance in: all schools similar schools Key
p.8
STANDARDS
English C B D E well above average above average A B
p.8
STANDARDS
Mathematics C A B C average below average C D Science E B C E well below average E
p.8
STANDARDS
The school’s results in national tests, in Year 6, have kept abreast of the national average since 1997 in English, mathematics and science. In 2000 the results shot up because a great deal of extra work had gone into improving standards, particularly in the weakest areas identified by the school in 1999: writing and science. The school’s achievement award was in recognition of the improvements made in 2000. Results were on course to be similar in 2001, but a sizeable group of pupils was admitted into Year 6, many of whom had special educational needs. This adversely affected the school’s average that year and the way that they were compared to similar schools.
p.8
STANDARDS
Current attainment, by eleven year olds, is higher than expected nationally in mathematics and science. This has successfully maintained the levels achieved in 2001 in mathematics and represents a step up in science. Pupils’ attainment in English is currently average. The school is working effectively to boost the achievements of borderline pupils who could achieve a higher level by the time of the national tests. The school has set ambitious targets, higher than the national expectations, in English and mathematics and pupils are course to meet or even exceed them. Thus, good levels of achievement in Year 2 are being successfully maintained in Year 6.
p.8
STANDARDS
Children achieve satisfactorily and are on course to reach expected levels at the end of their reception year, despite the constraints imposed on them by the very cramped accommodations. They will even manage to exceed the expected levels in physical development and personal, social and emotional development. Children could do better in knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development but are hampered by insufficient space in which to explore and play. Applegarth Primary School - 9 Beyond English, mathematics and science, attainment is satisfactory on balance by the time pupils are seven. In religious education, history, geography and physical education pupils are already above the expected levels. In ICT, music and design and technology they perform satisfactorily, but in art and design they fall below what would normally be expected. Attainment, overall, is not so high in the juniors. Pupils maintain the standards in religious education, history and geography found in the infants
p.8
STANDARDS
and reach expected levels in physical education. However, in ICT, music, art and design and design and technology there are not the opportunities, particularly in Year 5 and Year 6, for pupils, including those with special educational needs, to achieve high enough standards. The curriculum is too narrowly focused on English, mathematics and science in an attempt to raise and maintain standards.
p.9
STANDARDS
Pupils with special educational needs, those learning English as an additional language and pupils from travellers’ families and those capable of more demanding work make good progress in their learning in English, mathematics and science because they receive such helpful support from teachers and their assistants.
p.9
PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES
Attitudes to the school Pupils have good attitudes. They are enthusiastic and keen to learn.
p.9
PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES
Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave well throughout the day. They play happily together in their free time.
p.9
PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES
Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils develop very well despite the distractions caused by the recent building works.
p.9
PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES
Attendance Very good. Attendance is above the national average and there is no unauthorised attendance. Very few pupils are late for school.
p.9
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6
p.9
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Quality of teaching Satisfactory Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.
p.9
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Teaching is good throughout the school on balance with one in four lessons being taught very well. Teaching assistants provide effective support to the quality of the teaching. The relationships created and pupils’ responses in terms of interest and concentration are keynotes to success throughout the school.
p.9
TEACHING AND LEARNING
The teaching of reception-aged children is satisfactory in most areas of learning, and in physical development and personal, social and emotion development it is good.
p.9
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Teaching in English, mathematics and science is good throughout the school. This is largely due to the way in which the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy have been implemented. These are having a strong influence on the way pupils learn and their achievements.
p.9
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Lessons are often well taught in other subjects, particularly in religious education, history and geography throughout the school. Teaching in physical education in the infants is also good. However, despite some satisfactory and good teaching, the effect overall in some subjects is not strong enough to ensure satisfactory standards. In art and design the effect of teaching is unsatisfactory throughout the school. There is too little time for work in the upper juniors and the curriculum is too narrow in most cases. In Applegarth Primary School - 10 the juniors teaching is also unsatisfactory, on balance, in ICT, music and design and technology. In ICT, teaching is knowledgeable enough, but the computers are too spread out to allow effective teaching and therefore pupils’ achievements are restricted. In music the teaching, particularly in the upper juniors, lacks confidence in getting pupils to play instruments and compose their own music. In design and
p.9
TEACHING AND LEARNING
technology the subject is under-developed in the juniors and consequently teaching is carried out within a very limited framework. Time for these unsuccessful subjects is often clipped in Year 6 in favour of extra work on English, mathematics and science.
p.10
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum meets statutory requirements and also provides a wide range of additional opportunities for learning. However, the provision for some subjects is restricted due to the drive to raise standards in English, mathematics and science.
p.10
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils’ learning difficulties are identified quickly and they receive effective support from teachers and their assistants.
p.10
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. These pupils are confident in the use of English and make similar progress to other pupils.
p.10
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good, overall. Provision for social, moral and cultural development is particularly effective. Spiritual development is good; it takes place in lessons and during collective worship but there are some missed opportunities on these occasions.
p.10
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
How well the school cares for its pupils The school takes good care of its pupils. The assessment of pupils’ work is good, but the way that results are recorded and used to set targets for future learning is not developed sufficiently. A reasonable start has been made, but there is more work to accomplish in this respect.
p.10
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
How well the school works with parents. Good. The school works well with parents and they have a very positive opinion of the school.
p.10
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. Leadership is strong in relation to the school’s ethos, the development of the accommodation and raising standards in the core subjects. Strategic planning has improved since 1997, but senior staff lack direction, and subject co-ordination is not focused well enough on standards.
p.10
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. Governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses and work very well together to fulfil their responsibilities.
p.10
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The school’s development plan contains relevant priorities and these are well acted upon, but the monitoring of teaching is not managed well enough.
p.10
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
The strategic use of resources Good. Staff are well inducted into the school’s routines and teaching assistants are deployed well, particularly in helping pupils with special educational needs. Finances are used very well to support the school’s Applegarth Primary School - 11 priorities.
p.10
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
The school provides a satisfactory number of teachers and assistants, all of whom are well qualified for their responsibilities. Resources for teaching and learning are generally good. The governors make sure that the school gets the best value from its funds and their strategic role in school improvement is very good. They are well supported in this by the headteacher. Governors are not only concerned about financial implications, they are knowledgeable about the standards that pupils achieve.
p.11
PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
p.11
PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
• Children like school and are well behaved. • They are comfortable in approaching the school with problems or suggestions. • The school is well led and managed. • Teaching is good and children make good progress. • The school has high expectations for its pupils and helps them well in their personal development. • The amount of homework set. • The amount of information given about children’s progress. • The range of activities outside lessons.
p.11
PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
Inspectors agree with most of the parents’ positive views. Pupils make good progress in many lessons, but progress is limited in some subjects. The amount of homework set is typical. In Year 6 pupils receive usefully more to do at home in preparation for their secondary schooling. The lack of a consultation evening for parents in the spring term limits the opportunities for formal discussion about their children’s progress for many parents. Provision for extra-curricular activities is very good; a few parents seem to be more concerned about the lack of before and after school facilities. Applegarth Primary School - 12
p.11
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
1. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 has improved steadily since 1997 and kept up with national improvements. Pupils’ writing has always lagged behind their reading and in 1999 science results slipped because of the emphasis given to English and mathematics. The school has, since 1999, set about tackling these weaknesses by spending more time on English, mathematics and science and providing extra classes for pupils who need additional help. This strategy is paying off, as recognised by the national award presented in 2000. Results in 2001 fell because there were many more pupils with special educational needs in the year group. A similar pattern of improvement exists in the infants. At the end of Year 2 there was a dip in standards in 2000 due to the higher than normal number of pupils with special educational needs, but in 2001 standards were at an all time high, being well above average, in
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
reading, writing, mathematics and science.
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
2. Children’s attainment on entry to school is generally about what would normally be expected for their age. Children are on course to reach the expected levels in literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development by the end of the reception year. They are on course to go beyond expectations in physical development and personal, social and emotional development due to the very good teaching they receive in dance and gymnastics and the positive relationships and support that exists in both classes. The above average standards, in English, mathematics and science, at the end of Year 6, therefore, represent good achievement from this average level on entry to Year 1. However, on balance, pupils’ achievement in the juniors is satisfactory because the unsatisfactory levels attained in ICT, art and design, music and design and technology lower it.
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
3. Currently, pupils are achieving standards that are above average in English, mathematics and science by the time they are eleven. The school’s targets for 2002 are above those set nationally and pupils are on course to meet or even exceed them. The pattern of achievement throughout the school is uneven to the extent that teaching in Year 6 has to accelerate pupils’ learning rapidly in order to help them meet the targets. This takes time from other subjects to their detriment. Pupils’ individual test results and records of achievement have not been recorded in a systematic way to include targets for each year from Year 1 onwards. The school has identified this as a weakness and started to create a comprehensive record of pupils’ attainment that can be used to decide what degree of progress individual pupils should make in any one year. In essence the test results and other assessment information have not
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
been used well enough, in the past, to guide pupils’ progress. The lack of such a system has meant that teaching has not identified specific areas, clearly enough, in which pupils could make better progress and this has adversely affected standards.
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
4. Beyond English, mathematics and science, pupils’ attainment is above what is typical for their age in religious education, history and geography. These are subjects in which teaching confidently helps pupils to find out the information they need and record it coherently. Thus pupils achieve well in the infants and this level is successfully maintained through to the end of Year 6. Pupils also make sound progress in physical education and by the end of Year 2 attain above average standards. In ICT, music and design and technology pupils reach satisfactory standards by the end of Year 2, but fall below expectations by the end of Year 6 for Applegarth Primary School - 13 several reasons. The lack of an ICT room, until the new one is opened in April 2002, means that older pupils do not get enough time to practise the basic skills. There is a lack of curricular time allocated for music and design and technology, particularly in
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
Year 5 and Year 6. Standards are below the nationally expected level in art and design throughout the school because the elements of art beyond painting and drawing are not taught in enough depth. The curriculum is in place but not enough time is allocated to fulfil its requirements.
p.13
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
5. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school towards targets that are set for them. This is an improvement on the last inspection and is the result of the school having deployed additional staffing resources to areas where they are most needed. Improvement is also due to good quality support from teaching assistants and involvement of class teachers who match work and resources appropriately to pupils’ individual needs.
p.13
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
6. Currently, no pupils are at an early stage in learning English as an additional language, but those for whom English is not their home language achieve well. Pupils who are capable of higher attainment make good progress in reading, mathematics and science, but do not achieve well enough in those subjects in which standards are low. They could also do better in writing, particularly in handwriting and spelling. There is no significant difference between the achievements of boys and girls. Talented pupils do well in singing, but not so well in the compositional aspect of music. They thrive in all aspects of the extra-curricular sporting provision. The positive effect of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy is seen across the curriculum, for example in the content of written work related to history and geography.
p.13
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
7. Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, behaviour and personal development are a strength of the school. These very good features create a happy and harmonious community in which all pupils feel valued and this has a significant impact on the standards that pupils achieve. Pupils respond very well to the good values that are consistently promoted by the school. Pupils say that they are very proud of their school and its good reputation in the community.
p.13
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
8. Children in the reception classes are very well behaved and enjoy their time at school. In lessons the warm relationships between the adults and the children are a key feature and help them settle quickly and happily into the routines of the day. They eagerly set about their tasks and are enthusiastic about all the activities available. The children are especially well behaved during discussion and story-time and respond with great enthusiasm to number activities, including mental arithmetic. The children co-operate well in groups and confidently join in rhythmic games and show great delight in creating movements to music. At the end of lessons they are very independent in tidying things away. They do this without being told and with a minimum of fuss.
p.13
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
9. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, have very positive attitudes and have developed very good work habits. Girls and boys enjoy coming to school and when asked what they like about school, older pupils say that they like the way the teachers teach. They add elements of fun to the lessons that makes learning more exciting. Younger pupils like to see their friends and they have a very firm opinion that they are going to work hard so it will better their career prospects when they leave school. Pupils of all abilities concentrate well, try their best to please their teachers and support staff, and enjoy success. Pupils ask and answer questions eagerly, showing a great deal of interest whatever the focus of the lesson. They Applegarth Primary School - 14 particularly enjoy mathematics lessons and older pupils are very confident in using a range of strategies for achieving their answers. Pupils listen well to each other and
p.13
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
make good contributions to discussion. In a history lesson, Year 2 pupils were absolutely absorbed in their task of finding out about the past. They eagerly contributed to discussion using experiences of birthdays and memories of different family members. The pupils handled the range of old toys carefully and respectfully and sequenced them, classifying them by varying characteristics. Boys and girls in Years 3 and 4 showed a great deal of enthusiasm for science and explained in great detail about their experiments on plants. They consider that it is “cool” seeing how different conditions affect a plant’s growth.
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
10. Pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day is very good. Parents are very happy about the standard of behaviour in school. In lessons pupils behave very well because they enjoy their work and want to succeed. Pupils respond well to the school’s high expectations of their behaviour and have a good understanding of what is expected of them. They appreciate that their behaviour affects others and try hard to reflect the high levels of respect that the staff show to them throughout the school. Movement to and from lessons is quiet, considerate and orderly. At lunchtimes and playtimes the pupils get on well together and it is noticeable how all the various age groups socialise together. Pupils chat happily over lunch in a very friendly and mature way. In the playground they act sensibly, keeping their distance from the building work currently taking place. Parents and pupils do not consider bullying to be a problem in the school
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
and there have been no recent exclusions.
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
11. The pupil’s personal development is very good and arises from the many varied opportunities provided by the school. The strong and supportive relationships pupils have with each other and their teachers create a very positive working environment. This ensures there is an effective balance between pupils being able to ask for help when it is needed and being able to attempt a challenging task without fear of getting a wrong answer. The inspection strongly supports parents’ view that the very good behaviour goes hand in hand with the superb relationships. Pupils appreciate the trust adults place in them and as a result they become extremely trustworthy and behave in a very mature way. They co-operate well in group, class and individual activities. Staff take every opportunity to boost pupils’ confidence and raise their self-esteem by valuing and celebrating their individual efforts and achievements. Pupils who have
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
special educational needs are fully integrated into the life of the school. The pupils are open and friendly and enjoy chatting to adults about themselves, their work and their school. Older pupils are rightly given a range of more responsible duties around school but the building work has placed some restrictions on what they are able to do. Pupils say they are looking forward to having a school council and have already decided on some ideas they would like to be considered; for example, they think it would be fair to change the house captains each term to give more pupils chance of taking a lead role. Pupils develop an increasing maturity year on year. Older pupils show a great deal of respect for other cultures. They appreciate learning about faiths and point out that it is important to understand the different customs so they do not offend anyone. Pupils have positive attitudes towards people less fortunate than
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
themselves and they speak with pride about raising money for the various charities.
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
12. Pupils’ very good attitudes towards learning and school are reflected in the consistently very good levels of attendance. Unauthorised absences are rare and this is partly due to the good co-operation from parents over reporting absences. The majority of parents routinely inform the school of any absences but in the few cases where this is forgotten, the school promptly checks that the pupils are safely at home. Most pupils arrive punctually at school and are keen not to miss the start of the school Applegarth Primary School - 15 day. The few persistent latecomers are quickly reminded about the importance of arriving at school on time.
p.14
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
13. The school has successfully improved the consistency of teaching since the last inspection. The amount of teaching judged to be very good has risen from seven per cent to 25 per cent and no unsatisfactory teaching was seen. The result of this successful teaching is that pupils’ learning is of good quality. This confirms the parents’ view expressed in the pre-inspection meeting.
p.15
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
14. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, on balance, in the reception classes. Strengths are the effective teaching in the areas of physical development and personal, social and emotional development. As a result the children learn at a good rate and attain standards higher than typically expected in these aspects. For example, in a dance lesson, children made very good use of their knowledge about old toys to move like rag dolls. The praise they received had a strong influence on their sense of self- esteem. Though other teaching in the reception classes is sound, the cramped nature of the accommodation affects the quality of learning, particularly for the children who are taught in the library with Year 1 pupils. It is difficult to meet the needs of young children in such cramped surroundings. This increases stress on both teachers and children, particularly when children have to be quieter and more
p.15
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
contained than would normally be expected. Similarly, when teaching assistants take groups out of the class to read, the only quiet place is in a draughty corridor with people passing by. This makes it difficult for young children to sustain concentration. The school has endeavoured to put temporary arrangements in place so that children of the same age have some of the same experiences and these have been reasonably successful. Teachers’ planning is carefully based on the early learning goals for children of this age. Relationships are very good and the teachers have a good understanding of the needs of young children in these areas. One of the teaching strengths is the way questions are adapted to each group of learners and the way in which all staff motivate and include everyone.
p.15
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
15. In infant classes, the teaching is good. Careful preparation provides a good range of resources to support pupils’ learning and pupils are motivated well by praise and encouragement. The teaching staff have high expectations and the pupils respond enthusiastically. Lessons are well planned and organised, providing pupils with challenging tasks. An example of good teaching was in a Year 1 and Year 2 mathematics lesson when pupils were helped to concentrate on the task of counting in fives and tens by focusing on a line of numbers to aid their counting. Questioning was used effectively to promote and assess understanding and the teacher increased the challenge or reinforced the learning as the need arose. Similarly very good teaching in religious education in Years 1 and 2 used a very good question and answer session as the basis of a very effective start to a lesson focusing on Jewish celebration. The very good rapport between teacher and pupils provided the perfect
p.15
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
environment for discussions about different cultures.
p.15
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
16. In junior classes, the teaching is good. The best lessons are well planned, cater for the needs of all pupils, have clear purpose, include challenging activities and proceed at a good pace. This was the case, for example, in a very good Year 4 and Year 5 ICT lesson, when time was used well to revise and explain procedures needed to use a modelling program. Pupils were able to understand the use of particular icons and were able to apply their mathematical knowledge of angles. The very good management of pupils encouraged all to work hard, with positive results at the end of the lesson. Occasionally the timing of lessons is inappropriate and the topic loses Applegarth Primary School - 16 impetus because the lesson is too long and pupils’ concentration is lost or teachers talk too quickly and time allowed for reflection is lost. At these times pupils need extra time to digest information and to give a personal response.
p.15
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
17. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are taught well across the school. In the infants, the teachers have established clear classroom routines, which support the industrious working atmosphere. Teaching also pitches questions well for pupils in these mixed-age classes. In a very good Year 5 and Year 6 literacy lesson, pupils focused on controversial issues such as ‘should mobile phones be allowed in schools?’ with a view to writing a balanced report. The teacher used an effective range of teaching strategies and had high expectations of what the pupils could achieve and how they should behave. In this lesson, discussion and questions were used to challenge pupils’ thinking, to inspire ideas and to see alternative possibilities. All pupils responded very positively. This was effective in developing ideas and vocabulary such as ‘on the contrary’, and ‘moreover.’ Whole class teaching is
p.16
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
effective, but pupils also have the opportunity to work independently or collaboratively, which they do well. This results in pupils settling quickly to the task, working at a good pace and producing written accounts of good quality. However, in a minority of lessons, time is not gauged well enough for the pupils to consolidate their learning and on occasion the planning is not carried out in practice and pupils of all abilities are given work that is very similar. Numeracy lessons, particularly in the juniors, are brisk and teaching is most successful at getting pupils to explain what they are doing. The groupings for teaching literacy and numeracy skills are advantageous and, together with good planning, enable pupils to take an active part in the lesson, learn well and progress at a good pace.
p.16
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
18. There are lots of opportunities for pupils to use their knowledge of English and mathematics in other subjects. However, teachers place insufficient emphasis on pupils presenting their work well and spelling words accurately.
p.16
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
19. Very good management of pupils is a feature of the teaching across the school. Often it is so effective that it is unobtrusive. The best lessons get off to a brisk start and sustain pupils’ interest throughout because teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach. Throughout the school, the experienced teaching assistants work as valued members of the teaching team and are well deployed to help pupils with individual learning needs achieve well. Insufficient emphasis is placed on the teaching of ICT, however, and the basic skills of using computers are not taught well enough. There is insufficient challenge for the higher attaining pupils and for the least able too little time is allowed to consolidate their understanding. For example, the teaching provides limited opportunities for pupils to practise and extract information from CD-ROMs and to develop desktop publishing
p.16
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
and data-handling skills. 20. Methods of assessment are well established, but the use made of the results to record the individual progress of pupils, in English, mathematics and science, and set targets for learning is less well developed. This has a limiting effect on the way in which pupils talk about their own learning and understand what they need to do to improve. It also has a detrimental effect on teachers’ ability to use the information to plan further learning.
p.16
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
21. A few parents expressed concerns about the quantity of homework. Inspectors found homework to be useful and complementary to work carried out in class. The content of the work is appropriate and there is consistency in the amount set by different teachers in the same year group. It is particularly well integrated into daily activities in literacy lessons in the junior classes and the up-to-date reading journals are of a high quality. Applegarth Primary School - 17 22. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well in accordance with their individual education plans. The pupils are included in discussions, for example, those at the beginning and end of literacy and numeracy lessons. Teachers take time to allow pupils who have difficulties in expressing themselves to make significant contributions to whole class sessions. Classroom assistants are skilful in asking questions that allow pupils with special educational needs to gather their thoughts and
p.16
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
then offer sensible answers. Teachers prepare work that enables pupils to succeed most of the time. The relationship between adults and pupils is mutually respectful and this allows pupils to attempt new work without being afraid to make mistakes. Teaching assistants teach small groups of pupils experiencing difficulties, especially those associated with reading. Pupils enjoy their time in these groups where basic skills are taught very well. Excellent relationships between teachers and pupils also contribute to pupils’ achievement. The teaching of pupils for whom English is an additional language and for those from travellers’ families is good.
p.17
PUPILS?
23. The curriculum has a number of strengths. It also has some weaknesses, but overall it is satisfactory. It effectively supports the school’s aims and meets statutory requirements. The school has successfully adopted the national guidelines for a number of subjects, and this ensures that the curriculum is broadly based. Where there are shortcomings, they relate to the provision in art and design, music, design and technology, and ICT. The new nationally recommended curriculum guidelines have been satisfactorily introduced for children of reception class age, but the restricted accommodation prevents much of the educational play element to be practised. There are opportunities for some pupils to receive instrumental tuition and this broadens their education. Pupils with special educational needs participate in all class and school activities, giving them equal access to the curriculum.
p.17
PUPILS?
24. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are used well to promote good learning in English and mathematics. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 are taught English and mathematics in groups based on the pupils’ attainment. This grouping has a beneficial effect on standards of work in these areas. Good use is made of various national programmes to help pupils catch up in the basic skills of English and mathematics. Furthermore, in Year 6 effective use is made of extra classes for pupils that need a boost in order to attain the nationally expected levels.
p.17
PUPILS?
25. Planning has been adapted successfully to take account of mixed age group classes. Teachers plan well for lessons. These lessons challenge higher attaining pupils, while supporting those of lower ability. The school has an appropriate programme in place for sex education and for education about drug awareness. The planned provision for personal, social and health education, a key issue from the last inspection, is now very good as a result of the hard work that has taken place since 1997 in this aspect of school development.
p.17
PUPILS?
26. Staff have made good use of professional development opportunities to establish a consistent approach to special educational needs. There is good provision for pupils with special educational and other needs. Classroom assistants support pupils well and have a very good effect on their learning. These pupils have good access to the curriculum and to a full range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils are seldom withdrawn from lessons and receive the majority of their support within the classroom alongside their classmates. This has a positive effect on their learning and also enables classroom assistants to support other pupils when required. Applegarth Primary School - 18 27. Provision for out-of-school activities is very good. There are many opportunities for pupils to take part in a wide range of sporting activities including participation in inter- school competitions. There are clubs for music, computer and French. Pupils in Year
p.17
PUPILS?
6 experience a residential visit to Bewerley Park, which helps to broaden their horizons. Very good use is made of the local area. Theatre groups visit the school, as does a local historian. Every opportunity is taken to have visitors into school to help pupils understand the multi-cultural nature of society. There are links with local businesses and the school is involved in fund raising for charities both in this country and abroad. The school has strong connections with the local nurseries and also with the local secondary school, which provides support for Year 6 pupils through its provision of master classes for higher attaining pupils. Parents and pupils speak highly of this facility.
p.18
PUPILS?
28. The very good overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This is a strength of the school. It promotes high standards of personal development and enriches the curriculum. The caring and supportive ethos permeates the school and plays a key role in preparing the pupils for the opportunities and experiences of adult life.
p.18
PUPILS?
29. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. The school has developed a climate in which all pupils grow, flourish and are taught to respect one another’s beliefs and opinions. Pupils’ spiritual development is promoted appropriately through planned collective worship often involving Christian ministers from the local community who come into school to lead assemblies. Singing is a strong feature of the school, creating a very special atmosphere that makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. In some lessons such as religious education, pupils have good opportunities to explore and develop their emotions and feelings by discussing what makes them feel happy or sad. In other areas of the curriculum pupils often experience spiritual elements of joy such as the beauty of a fern in science or the delight in creating movements of a rag doll to well-chosen pieces of music. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is not monitored
p.18
PUPILS?
closely enough across the curriculum and there are often missed opportunities to promote spiritual awareness further, for example, the reading of poems is often too rushed and the range of feelings and emotions is not always fully exploited.
p.18
PUPILS?
30. Provision for pupils' moral and social development is very good and this makes day- to-day life in school pleasant and happy. There are very high expectations of good behaviour. The differences between right and wrong are clearly taught. Pupils show a respect and awareness for one another’s feelings and are particularly considerate towards pupils with special educational needs. Adults are very good role models and relationships between adults and pupils are mutually respectful. There are some very good links between lessons; for example, the trial of Jesus was skilfully put into a modern day context using two children to illustrate an example of a ‘whispering campaign’ in the playground. This idea was successfully linked to a personal, social and health education lesson where pupils discussed how bullying can lead to humiliation and despair and how they might react to an issue. The school offers many
p.18
PUPILS?
good opportunities for pupils to develop social skills. They often work together in pairs and groups in many lessons. Class and school responsibilities increase appropriately as pupils get older. Extra-curricular activities, sporting events, and a wide range of visits including a residential visit for older pupils, all enhance the provision for social development. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the wider world community and of people less fortunate than themselves are increased through a range of activities such as raising funds for worldwide charities. They explore aspects of citizenship such as what amenities are important in a local community. Applegarth Primary School - 19 31. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection. Pupils are helped to develop an understanding that people from a range of backgrounds and countries may have a culture that is
p.18
PUPILS?
different from their own. In religious education lessons pupils learn that people who follow different faiths other than Christianity have different customs and lifestyles from their own. For example, they learn about the Jewish Passover meal and the significance of the mezuzah. The school takes every opportunity to invite visitors into school to develop pupils’ awareness of their own and other cultures; for example, pupils have tasted Greek food and learned about life in India and Iran. A local historian provides very useful information about the immediate locality and the school. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of world cultures are broadened as they study other places in geography and other times in history.
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
32. This is a caring school that provides good support and guidance to all its pupils. Parents share this view and they are quite confident that the school looks after their children well. The very good community ethos promotes a caring environment where pupils develop a trust in their teachers. Pupils say that the adults in school are kind and caring and that they are able to turn to them for help whenever they need it. Relationships throughout the school are consistently very good which helps to create a very positive climate for learning and is further enhanced by the pupils’ good behaviour. Older pupils are supportive of the younger ones and pupils of all ages show spontaneous care and concern for each other. However, despite some improvements since the last inspection, there are some weaknesses in the monitoring and recording of pupils’ academic assessment.
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
33. Parents are complimentary about the induction arrangements to help the youngest children settle quickly and happily into the routines of the school. The procedures are effective in helping the children to familiarise themselves with the building, staff and other children, making the transition to the reception class easier for them.
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
34. The procedures for health and safety are good and have improved since the last inspection. The governors and staff are aware of making sure the school is a safe environment. They have been particularly vigilant in ensuring pupils’ safety during the recent building work at the school. The arrangements for child protection are good. Staff are aware of the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about the pupils in their care. The designated person has received relevant training and any issues arising are dealt with sensitively.
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
35. The school has very good procedures for promoting very good behaviour. The school’s behaviour policy is straightforward, recognising that most pupils behave very well and that parents and the school have a common understanding about acceptable standards. The teachers and other staff are very good role models and expect high standards of behaviour in and out of the classrooms. They maintain good discipline in a calm and effective manner and pupils respond well to their praise and encouragement. The success of the school’s methods is reflected in the very good behaviour of the pupils, which makes a good contribution to their levels of achievement and the very positive ethos that pervades the whole school community. Incidents of inappropriate behaviour are rare and there has been no cause to exclude any pupils from school recently. Pupils have a very good understanding of how the school expects them to behave. They say that the house system encourages them to
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
behave well and work hard to gain points and it lets everyone else know how well you are doing. Pupils and parents confirm that any incidents of bullying are treated Applegarth Primary School - 20 seriously and dealt with immediately. Pupils are particularly complimentary about the way in which the headteacher and deputy headteacher handle their concerns firmly and fairly. They all agree that it is good to be able to speak openly in lessons about issues such as friendships and ‘beat the bullies’.
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
36. The arrangements for monitoring and promoting good attendance are effective, ensuring that the attendance levels are consistently very good. The majority of parents are very good at informing the school when their child is absent and this helps to achieve the zero unauthorised absence rates. Staff are soon aware if a pupil is away without any reason and will promptly ring home to seek an explanation. Occasionally the school seeks the appropriate assistance from the educational welfare officer.
p.20
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
37. Procedures for assessing pupils’ academic performance are good. Within a few weeks of joining school the reception-aged children are assessed. These initial assessments are used effectively in setting individual targets and this information is shared with parents. However, there are no assessments at the end of the reception year to assess the children’s stage of development and to judge what progress has been made. Furthermore, there is no formal system that continues into Year 1 from the reception year. The school has a good range of test materials that are applied efficiently. Staff analyse the results of the tests well to provide information about individual pupils and what they need to learn next so that they make good progress. Recently the information has been used to set targets for individual pupils in writing and mathematics and to identify pupils who would benefit from extra lessons to raise
p.20
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
38. The last inspection found the assessment procedures for the subjects beyond English, mathematics and science to be unsatisfactory. Since then staff have made a satisfactory improvement and are currently testing a system for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment and progress in all subjects. The medium-term plans show assessment opportunities with reference to the National Curriculum levels and these are adopted into ‘parent friendly’ terms for use in end of year reporting to parents.
p.20
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
39. The systems for monitoring and recording pupils’ progress are unsatisfactory. The school is aware of this and is currently developing systems to tackle the weaknesses. There is no clear and consistent way of recording or collating assessment information to make it easy for pupils’ progress to be monitored from year to year and for setting overall targets for improvement. Individual teachers are at an early stage in this work, but there is no system that draws all the information together for improvement purposes. Pupils are often not involved enough in the assessment of their own learning. There are not always enough discussions, at the end of lessons, that require the pupils to talk about their learning, how well they have achieved and what they need to do to improve next time.
p.20
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
40. The pupils’ personal and academic development is supported well through the good knowledge that the teachers have of their pupils. The school recognises and rewards individual successes and these are celebrated weekly in assembly. Parents of children in Year 2 appreciate the meeting to talk about the standardised tests. They feel it helps them provide the right level of support for their children without pressurising them. The support staff in school are well deployed and work very effectively alongside the teachers and this has a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. The older pupils have lots of positive things to say about the good support they receive from the school. They say that the support from their teachers is good and they are always on hand to give them the right amount of encouragement to Applegarth Primary School - 21 work things out for themselves without telling them the answers. They enjoy the
p.20
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
booster classes and consider they are going to be well prepared for their tests and appreciate that the master classes help them advance in what they are good at.
p.21
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
41. There are clear procedures for the early identification of pupils with special educational needs. Regular monitoring of these ensures that targets set for pupils are both realistic and achievable. The assessment of pupils with special educational needs is good and the learning goals are achievable and reviewed regularly. Pupils are given very good support and they achieve well. The additional literacy programme implemented in Year 3 is proving very successful.
p.21
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
42. The school’s work is enriched by its partnership with parents and this has a positive effect on pupils’ learning and personal development. Parents think very highly of the school. They recognise this as a good school that is well respected in the town. A good proportion of parents answered the questionnaire and gave opinions at the pre- inspection meeting. At the meeting, parents particularly praised the pastoral care given to the children, the attitudes and values that school promotes, the inclusion of all pupils in everything the school offers whatever their needs or ability, and an open door policy that really works in practice. The responses to the questionnaire show that the vast majority is extremely pleased with most aspects of school life. Parents have a clear view that staff are approachable and teaching is good. They see their children liking school, making good progress and working hard to achieve their best.
p.21
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
Inspectors share parents’ very positive views of the school. Some parents have reservations over the amount of homework their children receive, the opportunities for activities outside school, and the close working relationships with parents, tied in with the information they receive about how well their child is progressing. The inspectors judge that in practice the amount of homework given to younger children is appropriate and similar to that found in other schools whereas that provided for older junior children is good and well linked to the learning that takes place in the booster lessons. Extra-curricular provision is very good.
p.21
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
43. The information parents receive about their child’s progress is satisfactory. The annual reports on pupils’ progress provide a satisfactory summary of their attainment and progress. While the reports provide appropriate information on what pupils have done and can do, they do not provide parents with sufficient detail on how their children can improve their standard of work. Reports for children in the reception year do not give a clear picture of how well the children are doing in relation to the national early learning goals. Parents have two formal opportunities to find out how their child is getting on, one at the beginning and one at the end of the school year. This arrangement is a justifiable matter of concern for some parents and they would appreciate an extra meeting in the spring term because they would like to know how well their children are progressing towards the targets staff have set for them. Some
p.21
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
parents who have children in the Year 2 class were concerned that the higher attainers may be under challenged because this is the only class that does not have older children in it. Inspectors judge that the children are progressing well because teaching provides sufficient challenges for these pupils.
p.21
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
44. The quality of information provided to parents is satisfactory. The school prospectus is well written and contains the underlying message that the school is concerned for the children and their families. The governors’ annual report to parents is informative, providing good additional information about the school. Parents receive information about the school and its activities through the regular newsletters. The school has very good relationships with its parents that are developed through the open door Applegarth Primary School - 22 policy. Regular day-to-day contacts with parents and a willingness to listen and quickly take effective action in response to areas of concern are a positive feature.
p.21
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
45. The school enjoys the active support of many parents. Parents are interested in the school and they want their children to do well. Their involvement at home and at school has a positive influence on the children’s education. The school welcomes and appreciates the involvement of parents in the life of the school. Parents respond positively to requests for help with the children. They accompany children on visits, listen to them read and assist the teachers with various tasks. Parents support the school strongly through the parent and teachers association and help raise substantial amounts of money for the school funds. The headteacher also uses the association as a means of consulting parents about their views. Parents are happy to support their children when work is sent home and when asked provide a good range of resources and artefacts to support topic work. Parents like the mathematics information sheets that are provided each term. These contain useful information
p.22
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
about the work their children will be completing at school and include suggested activities for parents to help them with their learning at home. Opportunities to find out about the curriculum are well received and a very good number of parents attended the meeting to learn about the numeracy strategy. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are closely involved from an early stage and kept well informed about their children’s progress. There is good attendance at annual reviews. Most parents are happy with what the school is trying to achieve and they welcome the improved provision that is helping to meet pupils’ needs.
p.22
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
46. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher continues to provide strong leadership in ensuring that the ethos of the school remains very positive. Parents, rightly, have a high regard for the caring atmosphere in the school and know, among other things, that pupils acquit themselves well at the local secondary school. Management also has its strengths. Since the last inspection a great deal of effort has gone into planning for a large extension to the main school building. This is designed to alleviate the cramped conditions that have been a limiting factor on learning in the past. Furthermore, the school has implemented a very focused plan to raise standards in English and science in particular, ever since, in 1999, it was obvious that teaching was not always sharp enough to ensure that pupils fulfilled their potential in national tests at the age of eleven.
p.22
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
47. The school is an inclusive establishment and this is well recognised by parents. This is one of the school’s strengths; its aims are well implemented and all pupils develop positive attitudes towards learning and the relationships that they form. This sense of community within the school has been maintained very well despite the upheaval caused by the building programme. This applies equally to those pupils who are learning English as an additional language or who are from travellers’ families as it does to the vast majority. Those pupils with special educational needs are also catered for well. There are good systems in place to identify their needs and teachers and their assistants make sure that their learning is well supported in lessons. Learning resources are generally good for these pupils, but there is insufficient computer software to support pupils’ learning in literacy and numeracy. The needs of
p.22
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
gifted pupils are also treated seriously. They receive additional classes at the local secondary school, for example. Those with a talent for art, ICT and design and technology are currently disadvantaged. In music, pupils have opportunities to extend their learning in club activities and school productions. Applegarth Primary School - 23 48. Strategic planning has improved since the last inspection. In 1997 the school’s development plan did not have a long-term view and there were few criteria with which to judge the achievements made. Thus the school was not in a good position to judge the effect of any spending. This has now been remedied well. The current development plan incorporates an improvement section related to teaching and standards that is detailed in its approach to pupils’ achievements. The school has clearly prioritised the right things for future development and manages finances well to
p.22
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
49. Governors are particularly knowledgeable about the school’s strengths and areas for development. They were good at this in 1997 and have improved even further since then. They are particularly concerned that the valuable work undertaken in raising standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science may have caused achievements in some other subjects to slip. Governors are very conscious that the new facilities, to be opened in April 2002, will benefit ICT standards, but that action needs to be taken to address the other subjects. Older pupils are also aware that their learning has become narrowly focused and regret the reduction in exciting activities like art. The strength in management that has engineered a steady improvement in the core subjects has a weaker side to it in that attention has temporarily turned away from the provision of a broad curriculum.
p.23
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
50. The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection in the reported key issues. The most well managed aspect has been the provision for personal and social education. There is now a full programme to assist pupils’ personal development in this respect and it is well taught throughout the school. Pupils really enjoy the new lessons and state, for example, that the anti-bullying sessions have really helped them confront situations that worry them. The establishment of comprehensive lesson plans and an assessment system for subjects beyond English, mathematics and science has been achieved satisfactorily. Co-ordinators can now monitor curricular plans by using the shared files on their classroom computers, although this system is only in its infancy. However, the role of the co- ordinators overall has been under-developed since 1997. They suffer from too little formal direction, which is exemplified by job descriptions that only mention the title of
p.23
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
the post and which give no lead about what should be accomplished to fulfil the role. Consequently, without clear leadership they have not kept a check on what standards are like and what to do if they are not up to the expected level. Core subject co- ordinators have been largely informed by the national test results, but others have been working too much in the dark. This criticism of job descriptions also applies to senior managers. Nevertheless, the new deputy headteacher has made a strong impact in the school in a relatively short time.
p.23
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
51. The whole school system of assessing where pupils are up to in their learning, altering ways of teaching and learning in line with the findings of these assessments and setting new challenges for groups of pupils, has been led well by the senior management team. This has resulted in, for example, the establishment of extra classes in Year 6 to make sure that those pupils capable of higher attainment in national tests actually achieve it. What is currently missing, in this respect, is a complete picture, on paper, of what pupils have achieved in tests and lessons and specific targets for the next stage in their learning. Without this evaluation and system for incremental challenges, in the core subjects, from Year 1 onwards, too much is left until Year 6 in terms of catching up. It is this that is causing the current timetable restrictions in the upper juniors.
p.23
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
52. The leadership and management for children of reception class age are satisfactory. Children work in very cramped conditions and this, until the new extension is opened, Applegarth Primary School - 24 works against their achievement in all areas of learning. For example, in creative development children could do better if there was space enough for them to carry out a full range of educational play. These, however, are temporary drawbacks. Nevertheless, children are working towards the recommended goals in their learning by being taught through a combination of direct teaching and educational play. This balanced approach is more developed in the class solely for reception-aged children because space allows. The assessment of children’s work is managed well enough on a day-to-day level, but there is no clear method by which to judge how close they are to the recommended goals in the end of the reception year. This in turn makes it
p.23
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
difficult for teaching in Year 1 to set the correct challenges for children’s learning so that they can make maximum progress.
p.24
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
53. There was a system for monitoring teaching in place at the time of the last inspection. This has evolved since then in line with the national requirements for the management of teachers’ performance. However, the system is not comprehensive enough and is different in kind to the detailed and helpful analysis carried out by the local education authority personnel. The monitoring by the headteacher and senior staff concentrates almost exclusively on what the teacher does, and not enough on what pupils are learning and how they are achieving. Furthermore, monitoring does not formally cover all subjects. The system suffers from a lack of training for all relevant staff in monitoring techniques. Staff development is reasonably well managed, but is restricted by the limitations within the system of managing performance.
p.24
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
54. The budget is well managed by the governors, the headteacher and the secretary. The school is making good use of any grants given to assist the school’s development. It has used these grants and other monies to prepare very well for the new school building. Moreover, any surpluses are well accounted for in this respect. There are efficient administrative systems in place to support the governors in this respect. The school is not knocked off course by administrative demands from its local education authority or the government. All paperwork is prioritised in an efficient fashion. The regular meetings between the headteacher and chair of governors make sure that things run smoothly. The school always makes sure that money is spent wisely by always researching how to spend it and choosing the goods and services that represent the best value for the school. The school has clear plans for future spending contained within its plan of action.
p.24
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
55. In order to improve standards further, the governors, headteacher and staff with support from the local education authority should:
p.25
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
1. Improve the standards reached by pupils throughout the school in art and design and by the time they are eleven in ICT, music and design and technology by: • making the best use of time for these subjects; and • deciding what standards need to be like and monitoring to make sure that they are achieved. (Paragraphs: 2, 4, 6, 19)
p.25
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
2. Make more effective the current systems for assessing pupils’ attainment and achievement by: • recording pupils’ attainments more effectively; and • refining the target-setting procedures. (Paragraphs: 3, 20, 39, 51, 52)
p.25
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
3. Improve the methods used to monitor teaching and to provide areas for development by: • providing training for all relevant staff in evaluation techniques. (Paragraphs: 53)
p.25
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
4. Improve the role played by subject co-ordinators in assessing standards and in planning for improvement by: • providing them with job descriptions that state exactly what they need to do; and • training them in how to fulfil their responsibilities. (Paragraphs: 50)
p.25
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
Minor issues for improvement identified during the inspection were:
p.25
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
(i) pupils’ handwriting and spelling in the junior classes. (Paragraphs: 6, 18) Applegarth Primary School - 26
p.25
Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection
Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 43
p.26
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor
p.26
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents nearly two percentage points.
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 258
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 12
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 2
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 37
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
English as an additional language No of pupils
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7
p.26
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 25
p.26
Attendance
School data 3.5 School data 0.0 Applegarth Primary School - 27 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5
p.26
Attendance
Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Applegarth Primary School - 28
p.27
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 17 20 37
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
Boys 16 15 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 20 20
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
Percentage of pupils School 95 (85) 95 (90) 100 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
Boys 15 17 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 20 20
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
Percentage of pupils School 95 (87) 100 (87) 100 (79) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)
Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 20 25 45
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)
National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)
Boys 11 15 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 23 24
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)
Percentage of pupils School 73 (85) 84 (93) 96 (95) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)
Boys 13 15 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 23 23
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)
Percentage of pupils School 78 (83) 84 (90) 87 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)
p.28
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)
Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Applegarth Primary School - 29
p.28
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0
p.29
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0
p.29
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0
p.29
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.
p.29
Teachers and classes Financial information
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2000/1
p.29
Teachers and classes Financial information
Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25:1
p.29
Teachers and classes Financial information
Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total income 495275
p.29
Teachers and classes Financial information
Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 478051
p.29
Teachers and classes Financial information
Total aggregate hours worked per week 159.5 Expenditure per pupil 1575
p.29
Teachers and classes Financial information
Balance brought forward from previous year 43469
p.29
Teachers and classes Financial information
Balance carried forward to next year 60693
p.29
Recruitment of teachers
Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3
p.29
Recruitment of teachers
Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3
p.29
Recruitment of teachers
Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0
p.29
Recruitment of teachers
Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0
p.29
Recruitment of teachers
Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0
p.29
Recruitment of teachers
FTE means full-time equivalent. Applegarth Primary School - 30 Results of the survey of parents and carers
p.29
Recruitment of teachers
Percentage of responses in each category
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
My child is making good progress in school. 42 48 7 1 1
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
Behaviour in the school is good. 30 63 4 1 2
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 20 57 19 1 2
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 28 46 21 4 1
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 53 38 7 1 1
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 48 47 1 0 3
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
The school works closely with parents. 26 54 16 3 1
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
The school is well led and managed. 52 40 3 2 3
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 34 57 4 2 3
p.30
Recruitment of teachers
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 21 43 22 1 12 Applegarth Primary School - 31
p.30
AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
56. When the school was last inspected in 1997, the report judged that children exceeded the expectations for their age in all areas of learning. These good levels of attainment have been maintained in personal and social development and in physical development. Children are on course to be in line with the recommended levels, in the other areas of learning, by the end of their year in the reception class. There are clear reasons associated with the accommodation that have caused the changes in standards.
p.31
AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
57. All children start school and attend full or part-time in the September that follows their fourth birthdays. The younger children attend for half a day only until Christmas. They are taught in two classes. One class also has Year 1 pupils in it. When they start school, the children’s levels of attainment are about average for their ages. Most children have experienced some kind of pre-school education and this has given them a good start. The class with just reception children in it is taught in very cramped conditions with resources piled up around the edges of the room. The mixed age class is being taught in the school’s library, which is suitable for some lessons but does not allow children to carry out educational play to improve their communication and thinking skills. These arrangements will be radically different by April 2002 when the new building will be in use and reception-aged children will have ample space and
p.31
AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
properly designed rooms in which to learn.
p.31
Personal, social and emotional development
58. Most children are reasonably confident when they start school, and they quickly settle into the daily routines. Children respond in an enthusiastic, but controlled manner to their teachers when learning is being introduced. Puppets are often used to good effect. For example, in one lesson the teacher used a glove puppet to help children with their numbers causing children to co-operate well, show good attitudes and concentrate hard . They made good gains in counting because they were engaged and willing to have a go alongside the puppet. Some children get the opportunity to co- operate well together in role-play when they use the Applegarth Bear Hospital. They make bears better and at the same time practise reading, writing, talking and socialising together. Children in the other class are prevented from enjoying such opportunities at the moment and this has an adverse effect on their achievements.
p.31
Personal, social and emotional development
Nevertheless, these children take their lead from the older children in Year 1 and behave in a mature way that is good for their years. Parents appreciate the temporary difficulties with the accommodation, and like the way that their children are maturing. The teaching assistants also play a strong role in helping children to develop social and personal skills. Despite the difficulties encountered, most children are now on course to exceed the expected level by the end of the year.
p.31
Communication, language and literacy
59. Work in this aspect of the children’s learning is incorporated into every lesson. It is very common for children to be learning well when working in a group at mathematics with a teaching assistant, or talking to each other while playing in the hospital. They have good attitudes to their work that are developed by the positive relationships that exist in the classes. Most children are on course to reach the goals, set nationally, in this area of learning. However, the general lack of space restricts children’s opportunities to practise talking with each other and writing beyond the set time with Applegarth Primary School - 32 their teacher. For example, there is a table to write at in one class, but it is in such a tight space that children rarely choose to sit at it.
p.31
Communication, language and literacy
60. Most children are able to speak out in front of the whole class. For example, one higher attaining child said with complete confidence in a gymnastics lesson, “We must not wave at people when we are on the apparatus”, when discussing rules for the proper use of equipment. Others delight in some gruesome scenarios when playing on their own. For example, two children dressed as policemen took notes from a suspect, who claimed boldly, “I saw him fall into cement – and now he’s dead.” Sometimes this apparent confidence masks a paucity of language in more formal situations. For example, some average attaining children were enjoying the experience of feeling shaving foam with a teaching assistant. They were delighted with the activity, but were unable to offer descriptions beyond ‘slimey’ and ‘sticky’, words which were picked up from other children, despite some good prompting from the assistant.
p.32
Communication, language and literacy
61. The sound teaching of reading and writing is based firmly on those methods advocated in the National Literacy Strategy and children are making satisfactory progress. Children’s reading of single words and their ability to say the sounds that go to make up words is fostered well by the use of books with appealing pictures and a scheme to focus their attention on particular sounds within words. All children, including those that find learning difficult, have made steady progress in learning letter sounds by word association and a variety of hand signals. All children understand that writing conveys its author’s intention. The higher attaining children, in particular, can already write legible sentences like, “I play with a bike”. Even the lowest attainers can almost copy letters accurately, for example, “I went to get som new traners”, but they still struggle with forming their letters and getting them the right way round. Children’s
p.32
Communication, language and literacy
enthusiasm for writing and reading is widespread. They pay very close attention to what adults are saying and enjoy the process of getting things down on paper. Teachers know what children need to learn next and set targets. Teaching assistants support pupils with special educational needs very effectively. They know them very well and adapt the curriculum carefully to suit their particular requirements.
p.32
Mathematical development
62. Children are learning satisfactorily in this aspect of their development: their attainment is on course to meet expectations by the end of their reception year. Children’s achievement is sound, though a relative weakness is in applying their mathematical skills. This is because they have too little opportunity to practise what they have learnt through educational play. At the time of the last inspection, children demonstrated their facility with money in the class shop, but there is not room for this sort of activity at the moment. The teaching is satisfactory due to the current restrictions, but sometimes good when the accommodation does not limit learning, for example, when children are gathered around the magnetic number board or completing groups work with a teaching assistant. Teachers make learning fun and children have positive attitudes to their work, for example in the way that they enjoy simple mental arithmetic
p.32
Mathematical development
to give a quick answer. Counting is a daily feature and almost all the children can count to ten. Higher attainers are already working at a level beyond expectation in their number work. They can choose a given number accurately between 22 and 26, and add 2 and 7 in their heads. They are, however, no further ahead in the work on measurement and shape. Most children can add on one more to a group of passengers in a train carriage and say what two numbers make 5. These average attainers are easily on course to meet national expectations. Children with special educational needs get caught up in these class activities and learn well by being carried along with the flow. They can match numbers and objects correctly and know, Applegarth Primary School - 33 with the help of an adult, that 16 is more than 8. Sometimes higher attainers undertake well-matched tasks, but are not sufficiently supervised to see if they are
p.32
Mathematical development
learning correctly; this can limit their understanding.
p.33
Knowledge and understanding of the world
63. The children enjoy learning about the world around them. They learn satisfactorily in this area of their development as a result of sound teaching. Most children are on course to reach the expected levels in their learning by the end of their reception year. Children could achieve more if there was space to extend their learning. In 1997 children designed, made and sold spectacles in the class optician’s shop. There is not the room for this kind of work for all children now. Nevertheless, children make satisfactory progress in many aspects of this work. Some higher attaining children already have a good idea about the past and what toys are modern as opposed to old fashioned. Good teaching encouraged one child to say with confidence, in relation to some pictures of old toys, “When my grandma was born, none of the fire engines had lights or bells.” Most children can guess that a black and white photograph will depict
p.33
Knowledge and understanding of the world
an old-fashioned toy and relate this to their old rocking horse in the classroom. They also deduce that a teddy bear is modern because it is wearing a tee shirt. Their learning is enhanced by the fact that most have already, before they came to school, acquired a reservoir of knowledge to help them interpret information that they receive. For example, children already know a lot about greetings cards at Easter. However, many cannot quickly make the connection between eggs and new life; teaching has to probe this out of them. Children really enjoy practical learning and made quick progress when, for example, blowing bubbles in plain water and then mixing it with washing up liquid and then afterwards with shampoo to see the difference. Only one class has room for this kind of water activity at the moment and this restricts overall achievement within the year group. The same is true of construction and building
p.33
Knowledge and understanding of the world
materials. There just is not room in either class for children to design and make structures with large wooden bricks, for example. Children have a good knowledge about computers because they are given time to practise. Most children use the mouse effectively.
p.33
Physical development
64. The children are likely to exceed the goals set for the end of their year in reception. This level of attainment has been maintained well since 1997 despite the restrictions imposed by the lack of outside play areas. They have the chance to exercise fully in the school hall when dancing or using the gymnastics equipment, for example, but they lack the use of apparatus outside, which would help them to attain even higher standards. The school has already identified this as a priority and has begun to address it. Teaching is good on balance, despite the limited curriculum, because teachers work hard to provide experiences for children to develop physical skills. Teachers provide plenty of opportunities for the children to develop good control over pencils, scissors and glue. Children, for example, have good control when writing, drawing and cutting around pictures.
p.33
Physical development
65. Children receive very good teaching in dance and gymnastics. They expressed themselves imaginatively, in the hall, when pretending to be rag dolls, for example and some higher attainers even saw the link between this and their work on old-fashioned toys. One child asked, “Can we pretend to be old-fashioned dolls?” In gymnastics children control their bodies very well and hold stretches on the apparatus with the poise typical of much older children. They move, in the hall, with such grace and joy that there is a definite spiritual element to their work. The very good teaching only Applegarth Primary School - 34 lacks a concentration on the finer points of movement and advice to children about how they can add extra polish to their movements to make it excellent.
p.33
Creative development
66. The quality of teaching in this area of learning is sound and the children are on course to achieve the targets set for their attainment by the end of the reception year. This does not represent satisfactory achievement as children could do better if there was more space in which to work. Standards were higher in 1997 when there was slightly more space available. The quality of children’s imaginative play is satisfactory and children’s achievements are sound, but there is still room for improvement. Their development in this area of learning is limited, but where children are able to participate in role-play they make good headway with the good resources available, for example, in their hospital play with stethoscopes, whiteboards and clip boards on which to make notes about the patients. Painting is available, but this sort of work is very restricted and does not allow children to reach their potential at all. Children often
p.34
Creative development
sing together in the hall; the teaching and the quality of singing are good and they perform above expectations for their age. They learn complicated lyrics like, ‘Bright coloured tulips popping up their heads,’ and sing them with expression and verve. Children with special educational needs are very well supported at these times. At other times, when music takes place in the classroom, the restricted space prevents children moving to the music and achievement is not typical of their capabilities.
p.34
Creative development
67. Children are taught by two teachers who struggle bravely against the limitations imposed by the accommodation. They are well led by a co-ordinator who teaches in the infants; they all have suitable plans for using the new accommodation, but lessons have not been monitored by the co-ordinator to discover at first hand what standards are like. Despite the good and sometimes very good teaching that takes place, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall because of the limitations that are experienced. Children with special educational needs are often taught well even in the limited surroundings because teachers and their assistants support them in a very structured way. The school does its best to provide a broad and interesting curriculum and staff assess children’s effort well enough in lessons, but there is no system to record children’s achievements compared to the national expectations. Furthermore, there is no simple summary of how well children have achieved in their
p.34
Creative development
reception year. The strength of the teaching is the way in which children are organised and motivated in activities that are full of fun. Parents are fully involved in their children’s introduction to the school. The school provides some useful information for parents about their children’s attainments and achievements. Applegarth Primary School - 35
p.34
ENGLISH
68. Standards at the age of eleven are broadly average. While results have fluctuated since the last inspection they show an improvement from last year. Effective teaching ensures that pupils achieve good standards by the end of Year 2, with boys and girls doing equally well. This level of achievement has been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make similar progress to their classmates and very good progress, at times, when helped in lessons by teaching assistants. The effective implementation of the National Literacy Strategy has helped ensure that standards in speaking and listening and reading are above average throughout the school. Standards in writing are average by the end of Year 6. Pupils compose sentences well enough, but their attainment in handwriting and spelling is lower than expected for their age.
p.35
ENGLISH
69. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils achieve above average expectations in speaking and listening. Most pupils at seven are articulate and use well-formed sentences and an appropriate range of vocabulary. Their responses are considered and appropriate, reflecting the good quality of their listening skills, especially during the literacy hour. By the age of seven, pupils are skilled at questioning to discover new information. When Year 2 pupils take on characters’ roles from ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ they show in the quality of their questions that they are thinking about obtaining more information than one-word answers. A good example is one question directed to the woodcutter, “When you heard the little girl scream what did you do?” By the age of eleven, pupils listen attentively during lessons and express their feelings fully and confidently. In Year 6, for example, pupils enthusiastically offered their views on
p.35
ENGLISH
how well they think they are doing in various subjects like ICT and art and design.
p.35
ENGLISH
70. Reading standards are above expectations at the age of seven and eleven. By the age of seven, average and higher attaining pupils are independent, fluent and confident readers of both fiction and non-fiction. They have a good understanding of the text and are beginning to recognise the structure of stories and use the correct vocabulary to evaluate the book. Pupils use a wide range of strategies to read new words and to self-correct more difficult ones. Materials to support the literacy hour, and particularly the use of books with large print, result in increased enjoyment in reading and are increasing the pupils’ ability to read with expression. By the age of seven pupils have a good understanding of alphabetical order in using indexes. Higher attaining pupils use a thesaurus competently. By the age of eleven, the best readers are able to discuss the text they read with clarity and understanding. The majority are
p.35
ENGLISH
fluent and articulate in their reading, and read with appropriate expression. Pupils read a wide range of texts, often taking up recommendations from others. The reading journals log each pupil’s unique, exciting journey through different authors and varying styles of writing. Many of the girls enthused about the humour and insight in ‘Jacqueline Wilson’ novels, and books from a similar genre as ‘Lord of the Rings’ were also popular. Lower attaining pupils are more hesitant in reading a new text, but most have a sound knowledge of strategies to use and are gaining confidence and independence in their reading through the high profile given to reading and the good level of parental help. The library is of limited use for developing study skills or for pupils to make use of a catalogued system because it currently houses a class of pupils. Pupils’ higher order reading and research skills are sound and used well in
p.35
ENGLISH
other areas of the curriculum, although the opportunities for using computers for research are limited. 71. Pupils’ attainment in writing by the age of seven is above national expectations and currently matches national expectations by the age of eleven. By the age of eleven, most pupils use good expressive language in a variety of well-structured and planned Applegarth Primary School - 36 work that includes letter writing, book reviews, poetry, newspaper articles, environmental surveys and science experiments. In their extended writing higher attaining pupils, in particular, demonstrate a very good awareness of the structure and sequencing of events in a story. Their ideas are imaginative, varied and clear. However, pupils in Year 6 still have some difficulties with handwriting and spelling. Handwriting is not always clear or well formed and few pupils confidently use a cursive style. Eleven year olds are still misspelling some basic words. Pupils are
p.35
ENGLISH
better, by comparison, in presenting their work in Year 1 and Year 2. The above average standards in writing in Year 2 are demonstrated, for example, by the clearly written stories retelling and explaining why the Frog Prince left the princess crying and what happened in the end.
p.36
ENGLISH
72. The quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils make good progress, particularly in speaking and listening and reading. Their achievement in writing is good as far as getting ideas down on paper is concerned, but not enough attention is paid to handwriting and spelling. Staff have worked hard to improve strategies for the teaching of the literacy hour. A particularly good example was in a shared writing activity that captured the imagination of Years 3 and 4 pupils when they followed up a discussion of the poem ‘The Visible Beast’ by focusing on building descriptive phrases. The teacher had high expectations of pupils and had prepared exciting guidance to stimulate creative thinking and to motivate lower attaining pupils to attempt the task by slotting phrases into manageable sections. This resulted in high quality work. Good teaching ensures that most pupils have positive attitudes to learning and work hard with enthusiasm and interest to complete their work
p.36
ENGLISH
successfully. Relationships are very good and pupils give help and encouragement to anyone who has a problem with their work. In less effective lessons the management of time is not well established and pupils’ concentration wanders away from the task. Sometimes lessons are too long or teachers focus for long periods on a narrow aspect of literacy. The pupils, though well behaved, are compliant and not inspired to produce their best work. Questioning is often used effectively to promote and assess understanding, but sometimes pupils need more time to talk together. Teaching assistants are skilled at intervening and using their initiative. The value of the concluding plenary in re-emphasising points from the lesson is variable. In some lessons it is rather rushed because the introduction has taken too much time. Parents provide valuable support for their children with homework that aids the progress made at school. Homework is used particularly well in the junior classes
p.36
ENGLISH
where it is often brought into the literacy hour in a meaningful way.
p.36
ENGLISH
73. The co-ordinator provides good support and guidance for staff. Areas for improvement are identified well through the monitoring of lesson plans and evaluating the quality of teaching. There are good systems for assessment in place that provide a clear picture of pupils’ achievements. An early start has been made on providing the pupils with individual targets for improvement, but there is much more work to be done in this respect. A portfolio of assessed work usefully links particular samples of work to a level of the National Curriculum and this helps to inform staff about the standards they should expect of their pupils. There is a wide range of resources of good quality. Applegarth Primary School - 37
p.36
MATHEMATICS
74. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is above the national average for their age. In 2001 over 80 per cent of pupils who took the national mathematics test achieved the level expected of them. Of these, a third achieved a higher level. These results are above the level of most other schools and are close to the national average when compared with similar schools. Over the last four years there has been a steady improvement in results apart from in 1999 when uncharacteristic fluctuations were due to a poorer cohort. Current standards at the end of Year 2 are similarly above average. There was no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls at Year 6 or Year 2. The school is well on the way to achieving its targets for the coming year.
p.37
MATHEMATICS
75. Standards by the end of Year 6 have improved since the last inspection. This is undoubtedly due to a greater focus on learning objectives following the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy. Teachers have also become more confident to select and amend their work to suit the objective taught. Less reliance upon one mathematics scheme and more productive discussion, with a focus on the vocabulary used, have seen an improvement in pupils’ work, particularly in mental exercises. This has led to an overall improvement in pupils’ confidence, particularly at the lower level of ability. The grouping of pupils by attainment for teaching has had a positive impact upon standards, as work can be better aimed at the needs of individuals. This is because pupils of all abilities are now able to work on objectives which do not necessarily match their chronological age. The potential of higher achieving pupils can be realised while pupils of lower attainment can be challenged in
p.37
MATHEMATICS
line with their capabilities. Other effective features are the extra classes that have been set up and the special classes at the local secondary school.
p.37
MATHEMATICS
76. Throughout the school pupils receive a daily mathematics lesson in line with the recommendations of the National Strategy for Numeracy. Sufficient emphasis is placed on pupils being able to calculate mentally. This they do well from an early age, becoming very competitive about being the first to arrive at the correct answer. Their basic knowledge is well established through being taught a range of strategies for solving problems. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well. By the end of Year 2 they have made good progress. They satisfactorily maintain high standards through to the end of Year 6. Average attainment of least able pupils is, for some, a real achievement. Many pupils find mathematics exciting due to its varied presentation and flexibility of approach. A high level of parental support, both in class and at home through homework, enables pupils to have a good command of
p.37
MATHEMATICS
mental mathematics. Mature attitudes towards mathematics and the way that pupils work are also significant factors in the progress that they make. An effective working atmosphere is a feature of many lessons as pupils work hard. All pupils are capable of working independently or in small groups once the preparatory work has been done. Not only do they collaborate well but they are also very supportive of one another.
p.37
MATHEMATICS
77. By the end of Year 6 pupils confidently handle data and are able to interpret graphs while converting kilometres to miles and back again. Decomposition skills are good and more able pupils can successfully use a line of numbers to find the correct answers to problems such as 563 – 254. Many pupils have the skill to test out their answers by using inverse operations. Clear understanding of halving and doubling multiples is a feature of pupils’ early work and many average and above average pupils achieve standards that are at least in line and often above what would be expected. Although pupils’ attainment was only average in a number of lower set lessons observed, this was still a positive feature when considering their starting Applegarth Primary School - 38 point. Pupils have a good grasp of measuring and calculating angles. Imperial and metric weight was used as part of a survey to calculate the weight of Sunday
p.37
MATHEMATICS
newspapers. Work on decimals, percentages, fractions, multiplication and division is well developed as pupils build on their initial skills. They know their multiplication tables well and this aids their calculations. Much of their work is done in their heads, but they also take opportunities to use calculators to check their answers.
p.38
MATHEMATICS
78. There are many positive features in the teaching of junior classes. To begin with, sound, factual teaching, often interspersed with good humour, makes for a happy working atmosphere in which pupils are eager to learn. Secure subject knowledge enables teachers to present a range of calculation strategies to pupils which not only reinforces their learning but gives them the confidence to admit, “I didn’t do it that way”. Teachers constantly remind pupils, “What do we already know that will help us to reach the answer?” Resources, including books and worksheets, are effectively used to enable mixed year groups to work on the same topics but at a level they are capable of. Time at the end of lessons is effectively used to test pupils’ understanding of what they have been doing and how they have reached their answers. Day-to-day assessment is a positive feature and clearly informs pupils how they are progressing
p.38
MATHEMATICS
and which areas require greater concentration and care. Regular testing provides opportunities for the pupils to reinforce particular concepts and provides teachers with a clear assessment of the progress pupils make. Very good class management ensures that pupils remain attentive. Some time is lost though when pupils wait for an adult’s help rather than first asking another pupil. This is an unsatisfactory feature of a minority of lessons. More often than not, teachers will urge pupils, “If someone on your table gets stuck, help them out”.
p.38
MATHEMATICS
79. By the age of seven pupils are counting into the hundreds, step by step, up and down in twos, threes, fours, fives and tens. When sorting and matching shapes they can also identify an increasing range of shapes. They can estimate and measure length and height accurately. However, it is evident in lessons that initially many pupils are reluctant to estimate. They want to be exact. They can order and sequence numbers and round numbers up and down. Basic skills of addition, subtraction, division and multiplication are soon acquired and developed. Almost all Year 2 pupils can quickly say which numbers add up to ten without using fingers or counters. Higher attaining pupils are very capable at arithmetic and can juggle confidently with numbers up to 20 and beyond in some cases. Average and higher attaining pupils understand the concept of time and are familiar with the days of the week, months of the year and
p.38
MATHEMATICS
seasons of the year. When investigating favourite pets they can record their findings as graphs.
p.38
MATHEMATICS
80. The teaching of infants is good with some very good elements. By making mental mathematics into a timed game, teachers strike the right note in stimulating the interest and thinking of pupils. Very good staff relationships with their pupils encourage the pupils to want to work. Pupils are often excited by the prospects of what is in store for them. Teachers’ insistence that pupils experiment with a variety of calculation methods from an early age enables them to develop independence, which they build on throughout their time in school. Many pupils have the ability to cross- check their answers, occasionally making declarations such as, ”The answer should have been 15, but I got 17 when I checked it, and this is where I went wrong”. Very clear and simple planning determines what is to be done and by whom. In this way, pupils can be appropriately challenged. By matching tasks to individual needs
p.38
MATHEMATICS
teachers are able to make the topic accessible to the whole class while challenging pupils at each level of ability. Applegarth Primary School - 39 81. The strengths in the pupils’ learning and achievement apply equally to all pupils, including those with special educational needs. These pupils consistently make good progress because the curriculum is tailored to their individual needs and levels of support are well structured and of good quality. In their final year at school they are involved in a mathematics challenge at the local secondary school. They are encouraged to think for themselves and to make decisions about how they make calculations or solve problems.
p.38
MATHEMATICS
82. Good extension of the mathematics curriculum through other subjects extends their opportunities to work with numbers and shapes. In geography, for example, pupils are taught to collate information using graphs and to work out their results as percentages. In physical education, terms such as symmetrical and asymmetrical are part of their shape vocabulary in gymnastics, and in science, pupils regularly use weight, length and volume as systems for measuring. The use of ICT to support mathematics is developing but is not yet a strong feature of lessons. There is only a small amount of software to support pupils’ mathematical skills. Striking displays of mathematical vocabulary and symbols appear on the walls of most classrooms to serve as a reminder when pupils are engaged in other activities.
p.39
MATHEMATICS
83. Procedures for the monitoring of teaching and learning have been introduced and have been well supported by a local education authority adviser for the National Numeracy Strategy. This has enabled the co-ordinator to work with a number of staff to see how well the strategy was operating. Analysis of test results has given teachers a clear picture of the areas of weakness, which has enabled them to reverse matters. For example, problem solving was a weakness and after having been identified and the necessary action taken, it is now a strong feature. Increasing improvements in mathematics are part of the significant developments made by the school, which have been recognised through an achievement award.
p.39
SCIENCE
84. Pupils’ standards of attainment are well above the national average at the end of Year 2 and above average at the end of Year 6. Teachers’ assessments in 2001 showed pupils to be attaining very high standards at the end of Year 2. National tests, in 2001, for eleven year olds showed that pupils’ attainment was close to the national average. Standards are higher now because the proportion of pupils with special educational needs is broadly average unlike in 2001 where it was above average. Furthermore, the extra classes for Year 6 pupils are having the desired effect.
p.39
SCIENCE
85. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve high standards as a result of the good teaching they receive and by the extra support they receive through the provision of extra classes. Pupils in Year 6 apply intellectual effort to their work, sustain concentration and think for themselves. These qualities have been gradually built up over the years by teaching that has reinforced the need for pupils to behave like scientists: asking appropriate questions, predicting, making fair tests and drawing conclusions. Younger pupils in Years 3 and 4 are encouraged to observe closely, compare, make sensible predictions and record results. A good example of this was observed in a lesson on plant growth. By the time they are in Year 6, average attaining pupils are able to plan an investigation in a highly logical manner as was observed in a lesson on reversible and irreversible changes. Higher attainers are very confident at using technical
p.39
SCIENCE
vocabulary to discuss scientific ideas, for example, in a lesson on electrical circuits.
p.39
SCIENCE
86. By the end of Year 2, pupils are developing good scientific habits. They are encouraged to use accurate scientific vocabulary. They know that materials can be classified into various groups, natural and manufactured. They can describe what Applegarth Primary School - 40 happens when materials are heated or cooled. They know that plants require water and light for growth. Pupils engage in an appropriate range of work and have good knowledge and understanding of each aspect of science. Higher attainers are particularly confident in predicting the outcome of tests and show their findings well in drawings as well as in written form.
p.39
SCIENCE
87. Teaching is good throughout the school, resulting in good achievements by pupils. Throughout all age groups, pupils are consistently developing the skills of planning, carrying out and recording results of investigations. When given the opportunity to contribute to discussion or engage in practical work, pupils offer sensible answers and show positive attitudes to learning and very good behaviour. Pupils with special educational and other needs are effectively supported in their lessons, enabling them to make good progress. All Year 6 pupils benefit from revision classes to boost their attainment. Higher attaining pupils are challenged well through extension work and from special enrichment classes held at the local secondary school. Science teaching is enriched by well-planned educational visits.
p.40
SCIENCE
88. The co-ordinator manages the subject very well and supports colleagues effectively, working hard to encourage an investigative approach to the teaching of science. Assessment data is used effectively to gain an understanding of progress overall, but checking the progress of individual pupils and setting them targets is not yet fully co- ordinated throughout the school. Although some monitoring takes place, it does not, as yet, include opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor the quality of teaching and learning throughout the school, as this is not a requirement stated in the co- ordinator’s job description.
p.40
ART AND DESIGN
89. Current standards, by the time pupils are seven and eleven, are below expected levels. This represents a drop in attainment since 1997. This change in standards is caused by less time being spent on the subject, particularly in the upper juniors, and the school’s concentration on providing a thorough scheme of work and assessment system. The latter has diverted the spotlight from attainment and how well pupils achieve. At the time of the last inspection teaching was satisfactory throughout the school and pupils reached expected levels. Now pupils’ attainment is below expected levels and they could do better. Therefore teaching is unsatisfactory despite the occasions when individual lessons are taught well. This does not mean that pupils do not enjoy the lessons; they invariably have good attitudes and state their preferences clearly. One pupil in Year 6, for example, wrote, “Our picture is of a landscape. We
p.40
ART AND DESIGN
like it because first you look at the bold pattern of the pebbles then your eyes get to the castle and the crashing waves.”
p.40
ART AND DESIGN
90. In some cases the standards of work and pupils’ achievements are as they were in 1997. This is particularly true in painting and drawing. In Year 5 and Year 6, for example, pupils talked about the artist Paul Klee’s abstract art with feeling. One pupil in Year 6 wrote that one of the paintings depicted “patchwork fields that looked like gravestones.” Pupils used their sketchbooks well to collect detail from around the school and presented it in compositions that resembled Paul Klee’s work. Higher attaining pupils, in particular, enjoyed the possibilities of making choices and using the famous artist’s ideas.
p.40
ART AND DESIGN
91. Pupils’ achievements are better in the lower juniors, although too narrowly focused. Pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 have achieved work of a high standard when interpreting Aboriginal art and making their own pictures of imaginary journeys using pencil, paint, tissue paper and coloured sand. The keynote of the lessons devoted to this work was Applegarth Primary School - 41 the detail that pupils produced. In turning their rough sketches into finished pieces they used good skills of decision making to change and reinterpret the original pictures. Their sketchbooks showed annotated jottings related to the Aboriginal stories, demonstrating how well the lessons contributed to pupils’ cultural development. Similarly, these pupils have studied, in the same fashion, the more modern work of Jackson Pollack.
p.40
ART AND DESIGN
92. In Year 1 and Year 2 there is quite a wide range of work on display. Pupils study the work of famous artists like Seurat when making felt-tip pen dotted pictures and they experiment to see what happens when primary colours are mixed together. However, despite one or two pieces of imaginative fabric collage, the work produced is limited and does not show that skills are built up and then used to produce really imaginative or expressive work. As in the juniors, there is a lack of printing, textiles and three- dimensional work. Furthermore, the lack of practice in close observational drawing has a detrimental effect on pupils’ development in other aspects of art.
p.41
ART AND DESIGN
93. The use of computers for art is a positive development and one that was not present at the time of the last inspection. Pupils in both the infants and the juniors can now use software to produce colourful pictures using shapes and colours. However, pupils in Year 6 have little time to use computers for art.
p.41
ART AND DESIGN
94. The co-ordinator has worked productively since the last inspection, trying to remedy the weaknesses identified. Planning for lessons was insufficient and inconsistent and pupils’ work was not assessed well enough. There is now a comprehensive plan for teachers to use and a system of assessment. However, lessons have not been monitored to see if these innovations have been successful. There is also a lack of guidance for the co-ordinator on evaluating standards and this has meant that the developments from the last inspection remain somewhat apart from the reality of too little time allocated to the subject, particularly in Year 6, and pupils’ achievement which could be better. The closest match between plans and achievement is in Year 3 and Year 4. Despite the new assessment methods, there is no system of saving examples of pupils’ work to use as exemplars for standards or to show that work has
p.41
ART AND DESIGN
actually been accomplished. The co-ordinator recognises these new weaknesses and understands that they are in need of development.
p.41
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
95. At the last inspection standards of attainment were reported to be at the expected level for infant and junior pupils. This situation has been maintained for the infant pupils who achieve satisfactorily. Standards that pupils achieve by the time they leave the school have fallen and achievement is unsatisfactory for junior pupils, including those with special educational needs, because development is hindered by the amount of time given to individual lessons. This is slowing progress, in every aspect of the subject. The subject has not kept pace with change and has not been a priority for urgent action in recent years. The cramped space available has also impeded the making and finishing of products. This is clearly evident in the lack of high quality design plans in the junior age group and the absence of lessons for the oldest juniors.
p.41
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
96. By the age of seven, pupils are beginning to develop their ability to use simple tools to cut and shape materials such as felt, paper and card. In Years 1 and 2, pupils take great pride in the quality and finish of their clown characters. Although this is an appropriate focused task for learning about joins and moving parts, the use of templates, coloured in by pupils, limits individual artistic creativity. There is insufficient time for experimentation with the design aspect or practice with the making aspects. This is because the topic approach of integrating the subject into other subjects, while Applegarth Primary School - 42 resulting in greater breadth of study, limits the progressive development of skills. This makes it difficult, for example, for Year 1 pupils to handle needles with dexterity. The testing, evaluating and improving aspects are also not consolidated throughout the project because of the limited time allocated to the subject. Pupils have the chance to
p.41
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
develop their skills in a particular aspect in a short time period although the help from parents with small groups is invaluable. The thematic approach limits the depth of evaluations, which rely heavily on the final presentation of the product and insufficiently on the assembly and joining. The time allocated to evaluation is in general rather short.
p.42
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
97. Making skills in the lower juniors are satisfactory and pupils make products to a reasonable standard. For example, Years 3 and 4 pupils made a Christmas tree that lit up, using their knowledge of simple circuits. The individual creativity was limited to decorating a photocopied tree. This could have been improved by more scope for creativity in the designing stage. Years 5 and 6 have baked bread, but cannot remember the process with clarity.
p.42
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
98. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in the infants and unsatisfactory in the juniors. Features of good teaching include skilful questioning and intervention used to spark ideas, effective classroom organisation and well-established routines. Teachers also pay particular attention to developing pupils’ personal and social skills by expecting them to work together and co-operate in making. This was seen in a Year 1 and Year 2 class in which some pupils worked together, helping each other to choose colours, pin fabric, cut and sew, in pairs and groups. This allows teachers and teaching assistants to give time to individuals and they patiently demonstrate techniques. Unfortunately, this is extremely labour-intensive and often results in pupils having to depend on adult help to progress. In one lesson several pupils were sitting and waiting for help for some time. This is eased when parents work with small groups, but if
p.42
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
pupils were given additional time to improve their skills they would be more independent at an earlier stage. The difficulty of teaching two year groups is also emphasised. There is no time to develop pupils with more aptitude for the subject because of the need to give time to lower attaining pupils. The link to other subjects is emphasised in the choice of topics for the infant and lower junior pupils. For example, Years 1 and 2 pupils make a mezuzah and are able to outline its function and importance in Judaism. There was little evidence of opportunities to use computers in the design process and this practice is not emphasised in the planning overview.
p.42
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
99. Subject leadership and management are unsatisfactory because the approach to the subject is not coherent and the co-ordinator is uncertain about standards in the junior classes. No monitoring of teaching has been undertaken, for example, and the co- ordinator receives no guidance through the post-holder’s job description. A promising start has been made in the form of a whole-school audit of the curriculum, which retains those elements that have proved to be successful in terms of engaging pupils’ interest. This has been used to inform a long-term plan that breaks down each unit of work into designing, making and evaluating skills but this needs to be developed with staff and linked to the teaching and assessment of skills. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 report that they have had very few opportunities to develop their technological skills over the last seven months and would welcome more experiences to develop their
p.42
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
knowledge. At present, their gains in knowledge and understanding of the designing and making processes are extremely limited. Pupils’ achievement is being checked at the end of the year, but the information gained is not being used to promote higher standards.
p.42
GEOGRAPHY
Applegarth Primary School - 43 100. At the time of the last inspection standards at seven and eleven were judged to be in line with national expectations. Currently, attainment by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is above average.
p.43
GEOGRAPHY
101. By the age of eleven, pupils know a great deal about their local area. A good example of this was an extensive investigation related to the problem of traffic in the local High Street. This very effectively developed pupils’ fieldwork and enquiry skills, and enabled them to make good use of the skills taught in the literacy and numeracy lessons. Throughout the juniors, pupils consider environmental issues related to sustainable development. They are developing their knowledge of a wider geographical context. Most pupils can use local, regional and world maps of various scales. Pupils with special educational and other needs are effectively supported in lessons enabling them to make good progress. Higher attaining pupils are suitably challenged through extended activities. For example, in Year 6, they showed versatility in recording the results of the local traffic survey in various ways, using graphs, charts and statistical
p.43
GEOGRAPHY
102. By the age of seven, pupils are aware of the physical and human features of their environment. Most pupils are able to identify some differences between their own locality and a contrasting place. They can identify the countries of the United Kingdom and are able to use maps to indicate where they or their relatives live or have been on holiday. Higher attaining pupils are particularly adept at interpreting aerial photographs, making maps with keys and writing at length about topics like the one on St Lucia.
p.43
GEOGRAPHY
103. Teaching is good across the school. Teachers use their subject knowledge well to plan activities that engage the interests of pupils, with good development of first-hand enquiry skills. Highly effective use is made of the local environment. As a result there are positive attitudes to the learning of geography and pupils’ make good gains in the knowledge they acquire. The subject is enhanced by the use of day and residential visits.
p.43
GEOGRAPHY
104. The co-ordinator manages resources effectively and supports colleagues well. Assessment of pupils’ learning is, however, at an early stage of development throughout the school, and does not yet indicate how individual pupils are to progress. Furthermore, the monitoring of teaching is not undertaken. The job description does not mention the co-ordinator’s evaluation role at all.
p.43
HISTORY
105. At the time of the last inspection, standards were described as being in line with national expectations in both Year 2 and Year 6. Standards in both Year 2 and Year 6 are now above average.
p.43
HISTORY
106. By the age of eleven, pupils are extending their factual knowledge and understanding of periods of history well and can use this effectively to describe sequences and events. Many pupils are handling historical sources with increasing confidence to select information, to give reasons for and consider results of main events and changes. In Years 5 and 6, pupils are able to evaluate a range of sources to find out about life in Ancient Greece. In Years 3 and 4, the work on a study of the Tudor period is wide-ranging in content and includes many examples of carefully structured writing. In all classes, pupils with special educational and other needs are supported well, enabling them to make good progress. More able pupils are challenged well. For example, higher attaining pupils in Year 6 wrote at length about the differences between Sparta and Athens after extensive research into the issues. Applegarth Primary School - 44
p.43
HISTORY
107. By the age of seven, pupils are developing a good understanding of the difference between past and present, for example by comparing their own toys with those from the past. In a lesson observed, pupils sat absolutely absorbed while watching a video about life in past times. They were later able to compare many aspects of their own lives with those in the more recent past.
p.44
HISTORY
108. The quality of teaching and learning is good across the school. Pupils, particularly in the juniors, successfully develop historical skills. Subject knowledge is good. Teachers draw effectively on their subject knowledge and use resources very well to try to bring the subject alive. This has a positive effect on learning, as pupils are very responsive, and have a good level of interest in the subject. Teachers are good at engaging pupils and extending their knowledge, with the result that pupils put a lot of concentrated effort into their work. The teaching uses a wide range of approaches, which engage the pupils in enquiry. Effective links are made with literacy through appropriate use of vocabulary. Pupils record their findings in a variety of ways including well-organised extended writing. Pupils’ achievements in the juniors are often limited by weak handwriting and spelling. Visits to places of historical interest
p.44
HISTORY
and visitors to the school are well used to support learning.
p.44
HISTORY
109. The co-ordinator has only recently taken over responsibility for the subject, but already has a good understanding of the role despite the lack of formal guidance. Effective support is provided to colleagues and resources are managed well. Systematic and consistent procedures for assessment, which would indicate how individual pupils are to progress, are not yet sufficiently in place throughout the school. The quality of teaching is not monitored to identify strengths or areas for development.
p.44
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
110. Standards in ICT are below what is expected nationally of pupils in Year 6. At the time of the last inspection, in 1997, standards were as expected. Since then the curriculum has become more demanding in line with the greater power of computers and the wider possibilities for their use, but the school has not been able to keep abreast of developments. The very cramped conditions in school have prevented the establishment of a room for computers in which pupils can practise more frequently the basic skills.
p.44
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
111. Despite some good direct teaching, using laptop computers for presentation purposes, in the juniors, pupils reach Year 6 having had too little experience. Pupils themselves recognise that their knowledge is patchy. They jokingly admit to being more familiar with calculators, paper and pencils than with computers. They do, however, have some skills. They can, for example, design a greetings card, use a CD-ROM for practising work in English and complete simple word processing. This work is, however, at a similar level to that usually tackled by younger pupils because Year 6 pupils do not have the background knowledge to tackle more advanced work. Pupils’ achievements are unsatisfactory because of the lack of resources for teaching and learning. The under-achievement applies equally to all pupils.
p.44
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
112. The achievement of pupils in the infants is similar to that found in 1997. Standards are as expected for seven year olds because the tasks that they need to perform take less time. This means that the entire class can use the two computers in the classroom relatively quickly to complete the week’s work; they are rushed and it is not ideal, but satisfactory progress is made. Applegarth Primary School - 45 113. By the time they are seven, pupils can, for example, write some text inside a border of pictures that they have drawn themselves and design a greetings card with characters and speech bubbles. Higher attainers can use encyclopaedia CD-ROMs to research information about the Jewish faith. All pupils can use software for art to draw and colour Easter eggs with a decorated ribbon. Pupils with special educational needs succeed well at this type of activity due to the good support that they receive.
p.44
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
The restrictions imposed by the lack of time for individuals at the computer means that lengthy word processing is not possible. This is a disadvantage that affects those capable of more demanding work in particular.
p.45
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
114. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in the infants, but unsatisfactory on balance in the juniors. Some good lessons take place, throughout the school, which include demonstration and clear instruction. The lack of time for practice, as a follow up, in the juniors makes learning insufficient and therefore lessens the impact of the well- organised teaching. For example, in a Year 5 lesson, pupils were taught well about Internet searches and the school rules that apply, but had too little time to extend their knowledge in this respect. Similar short, sharp teaching takes place in the infants to better effect. In a lesson for Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, for example, they learnt how to draw and colour an Easter egg as a result of a confident and well-pitched demonstration.
p.45
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
115. Teaching in the juniors is more balanced in favour of the younger pupils. In Year 6, learning is curtailed because pupils have to spend additional time on extra coaching for their national tests in English, mathematics and science. Consequently, Year 5 pupils’ learning is broader based. They can cut and paste information from a CD- ROM to make a word-processed presentation on the Greek god Zeus, for example. They are reasonably well versed in finding their way around a computer using toolbars, drawing facilities and short cut keys on the keyboard. They are also beginning to use computers to learn in history and geography. However, even the younger pupils suffer limitations in their learning. There is currently only one computer capable of accessing the Internet and therefore pupils in Year 4, for example, cannot practise emailing.
p.45
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
116. The very new co-ordinator has a complete understanding of the issues involved. Staff have almost finished their nationally funded training and are well placed to use the new computer room when it is opened. The resources for ICT are currently insufficient to ensure satisfactory standards by the age of eleven. There is some use of computers and other technology in a range of subjects, such as history, but the computers are not yet used as an integral part of all subjects as effectively as they should be. The methods of assessing pupils’ work are unsatisfactory. This was an issue for development identified in the last inspection report and it has not yet been tackled. The co-ordinator has a very clear idea of what needs to be done in this respect, despite a complete absence of guidance in the job description, and has usefully monitored teaching in some lessons.
p.45
MUSIC
117. Attainment by the time pupils are eleven, which is currently below expected levels, represents a fall in standards since 1997. Achievement by the end of Year 2 is similar to that found at the time of the last inspection. The drop in standards, by the end of the juniors, is due mainly to the lack of opportunities, in Year 5 and Year 6, for composing and performing. This is caused by time being diverted into raising standards in English, mathematics and science and by teaching that lacks confidence in this aspect of music. Applegarth Primary School - 46 118. Standards in singing throughout the school are as high as ever. They are, in fact, above the nationally expected level, which is due largely to the high quality work carried out in hymn practice and school productions. Pupils of all ages experience a wide range of opportunities to sing for pleasure, which go some way to make up for any limitations in lessons in Year 5 and Year 6 caused by the restricted timetable.
p.45
MUSIC
Overall, pupils are achieving as well as they might in the infants, but achievement is unsatisfactory by the end of the juniors.
p.46
MUSIC
119. Standards in singing are higher than when pupils play their own musical creations or when they listen to and discuss recorded music. However, pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 receive a satisfactory diet of playing and listening. Therefore standards are as expected for seven year olds. They can compose their own pieces after listening to famous music like ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’, draw pictures to represent their compositions and listen well to recorded music, recognising the instruments used. However, lessons are too short for pupils to make faster gains. Satisfactory teaching is grounded in specialist knowledge, but the timetable arrangements mean that pupils have too short a time to sing, play and listen to music. Despite the well-planned lessons, that use the helpful published scheme of work, singing, for example, is not as good as when pupils have longer to practise and improve their performance in
p.46
MUSIC
120. In the juniors, teaching is well balanced in terms of content in Year 3 and Year 4, but limited in the upper juniors by a lack of confidence in teaching pupils how to compose their own music and by the lack of time. In the lower juniors, where teaching is satisfactory, pupils are very keen to compose music of their own. In one lesson, they experimented well in groups, making sounds to represent a school sports’ day. One group, in particular, thought deeply about how to depict the rough and tumble of the egg and spoon race using well-chosen instruments to represent the wobble, fall and scooping up of the egg. This sort of lively, spirited approach is not continued throughout the school and consequently teaching is unsatisfactory overall, because standards are below expectations. 121. The two, very organised, music co-ordinators have tried to tackle the lack of confidence in teaching by implementing a published scheme of work to help teachers
p.46
MUSIC
plan lessons. This scheme is working well where there is enough time to develop its ideas. They have also made sure that there are enough instruments for pupils to use, which was a shortcoming at the time of the last inspection. The school’s productions are very good; parents and pupils are very proud of these events. They provide a good opportunity for pupils who learn instruments, including the recorder, to perform in front of a large audience. The singing in acts of collective worship has a strong spiritual feel to it. Pupils try very hard and create a sense of magic in the sounds that they make. This was particularly apparent when pupils sang ‘The trees of the field’, which is a Jewish song with a joyful swing to it. Pupils’ achievements in lesson are assessed regularly, but the gaps in experience in Year 5 and Year 6, identified by these assessments, have not yet been tackled. Computers are not yet used widely to
p.46
MUSIC
create music. The lack of monitoring of music lessons, by the co-ordinators, means that they do not have first-hand experience of the drop in standards in Year 6. The co- ordinators are without direction concerning their role in raising standards because they lack an explicit job description.
p.46
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
122. Despite an improvement in standards by the time pupils reach the age of seven they remain the same as at the last inspection by the time pupils reach eleven. This is undoubtedly due to the lack of facilities available in the limited accommodation. Present building arrangements are also seriously impeding outside provision, both on Applegarth Primary School - 47 the playground and on the school field. Under these conditions pupils and teachers do well to maintain average standards of work, although until the accommodation improves, juniors are not achieving as well as they could. All pupils in the school continue to swim and reach satisfactory standards.
p.46
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
123. Despite the difficulties, pupils have very positive attitudes to their work. Their behaviour is almost always good, even when there are difficult concepts for them to grasp. This was clearly seen in a lower junior dance lesson where pupils were trying to reproduce the movements of animals before and after the environment was polluted. Some younger pupils managed to reach standards, which were above what would normally be expected, applying their movements with co-ordination and control. However, the majority of pupils were self-conscious and their freedom of movement was affected by the fact that others might be watching them. By the end of Year 6, pupils have developed into competent performers in gymnastics. Here, knowledgeable teaching ensures that pupils work in safety and are responsible for each other. Good preparatory work lower down the school results in basic skills being further developed along with the pupils’ self-knowledge and understanding of what
p.47
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
they are doing. Most pupils have learnt to share space and apparatus, which avoids the need for queuing and therefore they make the best use of the time available. Pupils can put together sequences of movements involving as many as five different movements, appreciating that starting and finishing positions are of equal importance in their overall performance. Hands and feet are used sensibly when travelling on apparatus. One area where pupils do not reach high enough standards is in the finer quality of their movement . Teachers do not always appreciate that this is an area that needs constant reinforcement. There are valiant efforts to maintain some sort of normality in the teaching of games, despite the constraints of building work but when balls are mis-fielded in throwing and catching games, they are often temporarily lost under the safety netting.
p.47
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
124. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ skills in gymnastics are above what would normally be expected for their age. When handling apparatus, set routines are closely followed with safety to the forefront of pupils’ minds. At the beginning of lessons pupils are well aware of the necessity for warming up their muscles prior to activity. They are able to balance in a variety of ways, sometimes selecting and applying their skills in adventurous ways, particularly when transferring them to higher levels on apparatus. Since the last inspection the school has improved its climbing equipment and this has been instrumental in raising standards in some areas of gymnastics.
p.47
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
125. The school is receptive to the needs of all pupils and they are encouraged to participate fully. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress through open-ended tasks, which enable them to work within their own capabilities. Here again, good teaching ensures that pupils of all abilities are appropriately challenged and well supported. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular sporting activities.
p.47
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
126. The subject is satisfactorily managed, but with little guidance from the co-ordinator’s job description. Due to other priorities there are insufficient opportunities for the co- ordinator to monitor teaching. There are no systems in place for checking continuity and progression throughout the school. This was the position at the last inspection and is largely due to the fact that there is insufficient guidance about what is to be taught, particularly by teachers who have limited knowledge and understanding of the subject. Despite this, the enthusiasm shown by a large majority of teachers is infectious and ultimately influences the positive way pupils respond to lessons. The recording of pupils’ progress is in its infancy, although in lessons, teachers’ ongoing Applegarth Primary School - 48 assessment clearly informs pupils how well they are doing and how they might improve.
p.47
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
127. Standards of attainment are good when compared to the requirements of the North Yorkshire locally agreed syllabus. Pupils make good progress throughout the infants and satisfactory progress by the age of eleven. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers have high expectations of them to learn about the same things as others in the class, but obviously at a level they are comfortable with. Their contributions to discussions are always valued. Emphasis is given to the teaching of Christianity, but the school has a strong commitment to teaching pupils about other faiths and beliefs. Close links with the personal, social and emotional development programme enable teachers to link pupils’ everyday experiences with biblical stories. For example, when ideas such as friendship, injustice and endurance are introduced they positively encourage discussion. A statement often introduces the
p.48
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
sensitive handling of any personal disclosures, “Would anyone like to share….” And of course they do!
p.48
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
128. By the time pupils reach Year 6 they produce well-organised written work of high quality. It is therefore surprising that teachers are sometimes inclined to provide worksheets that require one-word answers for all pupils to complete in lessons. While these are occasionally ideal for pupils with special educational needs, they are insufficiently challenging for higher attaining and average ability pupils. On the other hand, teachers do well to expand pupils’ knowledge and understanding in other ways. For example, good teaching ensured that pupils clearly understood from where the term “I wash my hands of you” came. Although pupils are familiar with events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus as part of the Easter story, they are unable to offer explanations of why Jesus was betrayed. Nevertheless, pupils are particularly good at discussing ideas, which makes a positive link with pupils’ moral and social
p.48
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
development. They listen well and respect the views of others, including those with special educational needs. When presenting written work some pupils use their word- processing skills effectively.
p.48
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
129. Pupils are given experience of different faiths and they are able to compare them with some in-depth study of Christianity. They begin this at an early stage and by the time they have reached the end of Year 2 they have a good understanding of harvest, Christmas and Easter and can make simple comparisons to festivals in the Jewish faith. Linked to the Passover one group made a Seder plate display. They were able to recall after the lesson what foods had been used in the original display they had been working from. The teacher even made some unleavened bread for them to taste. Lessons such as this are valuable in that the school’s artefacts can be used to add authenticity. Good reinforcement and use is made of pupils’ literacy skills to ensure that written work supports pupils’ learning. This leads to some impressive, independent writing in Years 1, 2 and 3. Thus teachers encourage pupils to think for
p.48
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
themselves and record their accounts in their own words. In Years 4, 5 and 6 there is less written work and pupils’ handwriting and spelling is not always satisfactory for their age. By the end of the juniors, most pupils can recount the Easter story and say what food is traditional at this time.
p.48
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
130. The school is part of a small network of local primary schools, formed in order to create a collection of artefacts and resources to be shared by schools. This arrangement is successful in supporting the teaching and learning and enriches the curriculum. The school is fortunate to have a number of different churches in the locality that pupils can visit. Teachers make very good use of this provision in order to Applegarth Primary School - 49 present a more varied and stimulating curriculum to pupils. The co-ordinator works with enthusiasm, but without clear direction and has had no opportunity to monitor teaching to discover what standards are like at first hand.
p.48
Discuss this inspection
Members compare notes on inspectors and inspections here. Join free to read and post.
Join the discussion