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Strengths
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- Here pupils made excellent progress in extending their knowledge and understanding of mechanisms through a very high quality practical lesson. 102. p.36
- Consequently, everyone feels valued, and the headteacher has been successful in building a committed team, which works very well together to meet successfully the aims and values of the school. p.20
- This good progress results from positive attitudes to learning which are encouraged by the school’s supportive ethos and well-targeted support during the literacy and numeracy sessions There was no evidence of significant variations in the attainment of boys or girls or pupils from differing backgrounds or ethnicity during the inspection. p.13
- They say their children like to go to school and make good progress and that the school has high expectations of academic achievement and behaviour. p.19
- During the inspection, in all lessons observed teaching was satisfactory or better; in 57 per cent it was good and in 14 per cent of lessons it was very good or excellent. p.9
Concerns
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- This weakness in planning also means that it is difficult for teachers to assess pupils' attainment and progress if it is not always clear what pupils are expected to learn. p.16
- However, this good practice is not always evident in other subjects of the curriculum and short-term plans in other lessons do not always clearly identify what pupils of different ages and abilities, including those with special educational needs, will know, understand and p.15
- Progress is limited because monitoring is not sufficiently rigorous to ensure that all children experience fully the range of activities on offer. p.30
- However, higher attaining children are not always challenged Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 29 and previous work reflects that their needs are not always met when all children are given the same p.28
- There are suitable systems to follow if there is any inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour. p.18
Next steps
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- Standards in religious education are not high enough. p.7
- The monitoring of teaching and learning, and the sharing of good practices in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. p.7
- The assessment and monitoring of pupils’ academic progress are not fully in place in all subjects. p.7
- The standards achieved by the more able pupils. p.7
- The fact that Addingham Primary School is a new school makes it difficult for valid comparisons to be made on the basis of the earlier inspection report of the first school in January 1997. p.7
- However, the school has successfully addressed nearly all the areas for attention previously identified. p.7
- The quality of teaching and learning and the provision for information and communication technology have greatly improved. p.7
- The school has invested wisely in computer resources to raise the level of pupils’ attainment, which is now in line with national expectations by the end of Year 6. p.7
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- 21,016
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Full report text
ADDINGHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL
Reporting inspector: Miss Savi Ramnath 21334 Dates of inspection: 15 th – 18 th January 2001
p.1
ADDINGHAM 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
ADDINGHAM 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. Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 3
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Type of school: Infant and Junior School
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Bolton Road Addingham Ilkley West Yorkshire
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: The Governing Body
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Name of chair of governors: Mrs Jenny Howarth
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: 14 th January 1997 Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 4
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
p.4
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Miss Savi Ramnath Registered inspector Foundation Stage What sort of school it is? Art The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? Mrs Susan Wood Lay inspector Pupils attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils?
p.4
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Mr Mervyn Ward Team inspector Science How well is the school led and managed?
p.4
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Information and communication technology Design and technology History Mr John Sangster Team inspector English How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? French Religious Education Physical Education Mr Andrew Williams Mathematics Music Geography Equal Opportunities Special Educational Needs
p.4
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
The inspection contractor was: Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 5 WES World-wide Education Service Canada House 272 Field End Road Eastcote Middlesex HA4 9NA
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:
p.5
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
The Registrar Inspection Quality Division
p.5
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 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 achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
p.6
AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 28
Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 7
p.7
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
This average size community school serves pupils aged four to eleven and was formed as a result of the reorganisation of first and middle schools in Bradford in September 2000. Eight weeks before the inspection the former first school moved to the previous middle school site to become Addingham Primary School. The school serves a rural area and almost all pupils come from stable and secure backgrounds in an area that is socially advantaged. There are 255 pupils on roll, organised in ten classes, and all except one include pupils of mixed ages. The school has seventeen more girls than boys. There are very few pupils from an ethnic minority background and four pupils come from homes where English is not the main spoken language. However, they are fluent in English and no additional support is provided. Approximately two per cent of pupils are known to be entitled to free school meals, a figure which is well below the national average. The school has identified 51pupils on its register of
p.7
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
special educational needs, five of whom have statements setting out the specific provision to be made. The percentage of pupils having special educational needs as well as those with statements is in line with the national average for schools of this type. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school reflects a national spread of attainment but with a higher proportion of more able children than normally found.
p.7
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
This is an effective and improving school, which develops pupils’ academic and social skills well. The headteacher provides good leadership and has a clear picture for the development of the new primary school. She is ably supported by staff and governors who all share a commitment to further improvement. Pupils make good progress because teaching is good. The school offers a welcoming environment, and has a productive partnership with parents, which leads to positive attitudes and good behaviour on the part of pupils. The school targets its resources effectively and uses specific grants well to increase the opportunities for pupils to achieve. The school provides good value for money.
p.7
What the school does well
• The headteacher provides good leadership and has rapidly established very good teamwork amongst staff and governors. This results in a clear direction for the school. • Pupils make good progress and reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science because teaching is good. • Relationships between teachers and pupils are very good and contribute to pupils’ hard work, good behaviour and their enjoyment of learning. • The school provides very good opportunities for pupils to develop moral and social awareness. • Attendance is very good, lessons start punctually and pupils enjoy coming to school. • There are strong links with the local community and a very good partnership with parents.
p.7
What could be improved
• Standards in religious education are not high enough. • The monitoring of teaching and learning, and the sharing of good practices in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. • The assessment and monitoring of pupils’ academic progress are not fully in place in all subjects. • The standards achieved by the more able pupils.
p.7
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION
The fact that Addingham Primary School is a new school makes it difficult for valid comparisons to be made on the basis of the earlier inspection report of the first school in January 1997. However, the school has successfully addressed nearly all the areas for attention previously identified. The quality of teaching and learning and the provision for information and communication technology have greatly improved. The school has invested wisely in computer resources to raise the level of pupils’ attainment, which is now in line with national expectations by the end of Year 6. The behaviour policy has been reviewed and its impact has been seen on pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes throughout the school. Although the role of some subjects co-ordinators has developed, and is more effective than at the time of the last inspection, there is still room for further training and guidance, Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 8
p.7
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION
as some are new to working in a primary school or new to their post of responsibilities. Overall, the school has made considerable improvements in all areas since the earlier inspection and is in a strong position to continue its move forward. The headteacher, who was appointed after the last inspection, is aware of the progress that still needs to be made and is in a strong position to achieve it. She has the commitment of staff and governors and the support of parents.
p.8
STANDARDS
The table shows the standards achieved by seven year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests. Addingham First School became a Primary school in September 2000. Consequently there are no end of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum test results for 2000 for eleven year olds .
p.8
STANDARDS
Compared with Performance in: all schools similar schools Key
p.8
STANDARDS
1998 1999 2000 2000 very high A* Reading A A A B well above average above average A B Writing A A B C average below average C D Mathematics A* A A* A well below average E
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STANDARDS
The table shows that pupils’ performance has been maintained in reading and writing for the past three years and that pupils did much better in these subjects than the majority of schools. Standards in writing have dipped slightly, but are still above average. Results are average in writing, above in reading and well above in mathematics when compared with those of similar schools, that is those with up to and including eight per cent of pupils who are eligible for free school meals. The school has recognised there is a need to provide more planned opportunities for children to develop early writing skills in the Foundation Stage, as well as to provide more time for extended writing for older and more able pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2. Teacher assessment for the same year showed pupils’ performance in science as well above average when compared with all, and similar, schools. The school has appropriate targets
p.8
STANDARDS
and is achieving them well. These are challenging but realistic in the light of the number of pupils with special educational needs in the present cohort.
p.8
STANDARDS
Evidence from the inspection shows that children make good progress in the reception year, so that, by the end of the Foundation Stage, most exceed the standards expected in nearly all areas of learning and enter Year 1 well prepared in the key areas of reading and mathematics, but not as well prepared in their early writing skills. By the time pupils leave school at the end of Year 6, standards are above average in English, mathematics and science. In most other subjects standards are average. In art and music there was insufficient recorded evidence to make secure judgements about pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6. In religious education standards are below the expectations of the local agreed syllabus by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make good progress in language and literacy where support is well targeted. However, in other subjects of the curriculum, when
p.8
STANDARDS
no additional support is provided, progress is satisfactory.
p.8
PUPILS’ ATTITUDES & VALUES
Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 9 both work and play and, as one said, “I love this school”. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Behaviour in and around the school and in the playground is calm and orderly. The school is free from bullying and aggressive behaviour; there have been no exclusions. Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is good. Older pupils help the younger ones. Very good relationships between pupils of all ages and with teachers and other adults are always in evidence. Attendance Very good. This is above the national average and there are no unauthorised absences. The pupils are punctual, which ensures a brisk start to the day. Pupils’ very good attitudes to school, behaviour and relationships with adults and children make a very positive contribution to their progress.
p.8
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years In all 63 lessons seen Good 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
The overall quality of teaching is good and this has a positive impact on what pupils learn. Teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection when 14 per cent of the overall teaching was judged to be unsatisfactory and one in five lessons in Key Stage 1 was less than satisfactory. During the inspection, in all lessons observed teaching was satisfactory or better; in 57 per cent it was good and in 14 per cent of lessons it was very good or excellent.
p.9
TEACHING AND LEARNING
The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are, in the main, well taught throughout the school. Teachers have a secure understanding of the national strategies and most provide a good balance between whole- class and group activities. Discussions at the end of lessons are used well to review the main points and to consolidate learning. The strengths in the teaching include the way teachers manage pupils, ask questions and share learning intentions with pupils, have resources ready for use and demonstrate good subject knowledge. For example, in one Year 6 English lesson the teacher’s enthusiasm for the subject and the secure subject knowledge ensured that pupils were challenged well and attained high standards.
p.9
TEACHING AND LEARNING
The planning in literacy and numeracy lessons is good. However, planning in other subjects does not always identify what pupils of different ages and abilities will learn and do by the end of the session nor make reference to the National Curriculum levels. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well in the literacy and numeracy sessions.
p.9
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 10
p.10
Aspect Comment
The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. A broad and relevant curriculum is provided for all pupils, enhanced by a good range of extra-curricular activities. There is a clear emphasis on delivering literacy and numeracy, which contributes to the improved standards. Provision for religious education does not cover the recommendations of the local agreed syllabus. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils who need extra support are identified early and are given appropriate support to help them make progress. There is a strong emphasis on improving literacy and numeracy, which ensures that pupils have full access to the curriculum. Support staff make an invaluable contribution. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development The school provides well for pupils’ personal development. In particular very good provision is made for pupils’ moral and social
p.10
Aspect Comment
development. It is good for spiritual development and satisfactory for cultural development.
p.10
Aspect Comment
How well the school cares for its pupils Child protection procedures are good. Although staff know their pupils well, the monitoring of pupils’ academic progress is not sufficiently rigorous to help plan the next stage of learning .
p.10
Aspect Comment
The curriculum caters for the needs of all age groups and meets legal requirements. The multicultural aspect of provision is not developed as well as other areas. Good care is taken of pupils. However, better assessment information is needed to help staff identify strengths and weaknesses in learning in subjects other than English, mathematics and science.
p.10
Aspect Comment
Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong and purposeful leadership. She has a very clear vision of the school’s potential and works conscientiously with her staff. The impact of co-ordinators is limited in terms of monitoring teaching and learning. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are keen and their contribution is improving. Several are new and most are aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They meet their responsibilities well.
p.10
Aspect Comment
The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. There is very good evaluation of the National Curriculum test results and this information, together with the results of optional and standardised tests, is used to set targets for pupils and to address weaknesses. The monitoring of teaching and learning is under-developed. The strategic use of resources Good. Educational priorities are supported through good financial planning. The principles of obtaining best value for money are applied well in order to make optimum use of available funding. The school is suitably staffed to teach the full curriculum. Support staff contribute well to pupils’ attainment and progress. The accommodation is used and maintained very well and there are sufficient resources to support learning in all subject areas. There is insufficient monitoring of teaching and learning, and the teachers’ management roles are under-developed in some areas. The application of
p.10
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 11 • The school has a positive effect on children’s values and attitudes. • Children like school and their behaviour is good. • The school expects children to work hard and they progress well. • The school has improved in many aspects since the earlier inspection • They can approach the head, with a question or concern, with ease. A significant minority of parents expressed concerns about particular areas, especially: • having too little information about what is taught and how well their children are progressing; • the amount and regularity of homework given to children not being consistent; • the unease about approaching the school with problems and that the school does not work closely with them; • the school provides too narrow a range of extra-curricular activities.
p.11
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
Inspectors’ judgements support the positive comments of the parents, who attended the pre-inspection meeting and the views expressed in the 83 responses to the parents’ questionnaire. In most cases the response of parents is positive, appreciative and constructive. There is much support for the school. However, the inspection team supports parents’ concerns about the inconsistency in the implementation of the homework policy. They found that the school provides a good range of activities to support the curriculum. Whilst the information provided about what is taught and pupils’ progress is satisfactory, the school agrees it must explore ways of improving these areas as well promoting a more welcoming atmosphere in the new school site.
p.11
HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?
Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 12
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
1. The school has been through significant changes since the previous inspection in 1997, including reorganisation as a primary school and changes in staffing. The earlier report indicated that standards overall were good in all subjects except information and communication technology (ICT) at the end of Year 4, which were unsatisfactory. Since then initiatives have been put into place to address this weakness and to improve overall standards. The development of an ICT suite, additional resources, staff training, the adoption of schemes of work in all subjects and the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, have all had particularly beneficial effects on overall standards.
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
2. The reorganisation of this school means that there are no end of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum results. In 2000 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected Level 2 or above was higher than the national average in writing and well above in reading and mathematics. Similarly, the proportion achieving the higher Level 3 was very high in mathematics, well above in reading but close to the average in writing. Overall, taking account of the full range of attainment, results were very high in mathematics, well above average in reading and above average in writing. When compared with similar schools, results are well above average in mathematics, above average in reading, and average in writing. Since 1996, standards have improved in mathematics and, although still above the national average, in reading and writing they have fluctuated. In 2000, teacher assessments in science showed well above average standards
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
when compared with all schools as well as with similar schools. The school analyses its assessment data carefully, sets appropriate general targets and is achieving them well. In the light of the number of pupils with special educational needs in the present cohort these targets are challenging.
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
3. The youngest children enter the reception class with average standards of attainment and receive good teaching so that, by the end of the Foundation Stage, most exceed expectations in all areas of learning except knowledge and understanding of the world, and creative development, which is average. They make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. They understand classroom routines well and develop good habits of work. This enables them to make good progress in all other areas of learning. In language and literacy, children listen attentively, and many are articulate when talking about their work. They show increasing interest and awareness of books with many children recognising easy words by sight. They learn to write their names using clearly formed letters and some write familiar words accurately. Children's work in numeracy shows considerable improvement. Most count beyond 20 correctly and use and understand mathematical
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
language such as ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ accurately when carrying out simple calculations such as adding two to a number. Children's knowledge of the world and their creative development increases, but progress is limited because the present system makes it difficult to ensure that all children have experienced the activities planned to meet specific learning outcomes. Despite this children recognise features in their environment, notice differences in the weather and learn about reflection and symmetry. They use their imagination when engaging in role-play, respond creatively when learning techniques such as printing with shapes and join in singing with enthusiasm. Their physical development is well fostered. Most children demonstrate good control when using small tools and equipment. Movements involving balance and agility are developing well. Overall, children are well prepared for the National Curriculum in Key Stage 1 in all areas of learning.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
4. Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 attain standards that are above those found in most schools in English, including literacy. Within this overall judgement, standards are above expectations in reading and speaking and listening, and average in writing. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils speak with clarity, using a wide vocabulary. They listen attentively to teachers' explanations and instructions and respond appropriately to questions.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have a wide and expressive vocabulary, share ideas and give well- considered reasons for their views. By the age of seven, most pupils read accurately and understand what they have read. They know about authors and illustrators, and about the index and contents pages. By the age of eleven, pupils tackle a wide range of texts confidently, make informed choices of books and show a good understanding of elements such as inference and deduction. Pupils in Year 2 write Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 13 independently with phonetic spelling and simple punctuation while the oldest pupils in Key Stage 2 produce varied and interesting writing which conveys meaning clearly. Pupils of all ages develop good handwriting and present their work well.
p.12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
5. In mathematics, including numeracy, standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 are above national expectations. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have a solid grasp of numbers. They add and subtract numbers to 20 and beyond, count forward and backwards in twos and tens and order numbers to 100. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils show good levels of numeracy skills. For example, they add and subtract two and three digit numbers mentally and are developing good methods for working things out and explain their methods with clarity and confidence. They measure accurately and draw angles to the nearest degree, understand the relationships between fractions and decimals and use their understanding of place value to multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals with accuracy.
p.13
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
6. When pupils leave school at the end of Key Stage 2 attainment in science is above national expectations. By the end of Year 2, pupils accurately identify and name the different parts of the human body and know that pushing and pulling are different types of forces. By the end of Year 6, most pupils have a good understanding of how to plan and conduct an experiment. They carry out investigations, make predictions about outcomes and use scientific vocabulary appropriately and with increasing confidence.
p.13
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
7. In ICT, attainment is average. Pupils in Year 2 are familiar with the computer keyboard; they use the cursor, number and letter keys and the mouse for selecting an icon and for moving items around the screen. They word process sentences onto the computer, delete and insert letters, and some use upper and lower case type with accuracy. In Year 6 some pupils extend their word-processing skills. They change the size and type of font and some confidently use CD-ROMs to access information to support their learning in other subjects.
p.13
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
8. Pupils’ attainment in religious education does not reflect the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. This is partly due to insufficient curricular time for pupils to develop an appropriate knowledge and understanding of the world's great faiths and not all aspects are taught. Pupils in Year 2 recall stories from the Bible but do not know the special significance for believers. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have an awareness of the importance of some Christian festivals, such as Christmas and Easter. However, they are insufficiently aware of key figures in religion, such as the prophet Muhammad and Guru Nanak and how beliefs can influence personal behaviour and responsibility towards the community.
p.13
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
9. Throughout the school, pupils achieve satisfactory standards in most other subjects. In music and art and design there was insufficient evidence to make secure judgements about standards. In the light of pupils’ attainment in the other subjects of the curriculum, standards in subjects other than English, mathematics and science are not high enough.
p.13
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
10. Throughout the school, pupils' achievement is good, especially in English and mathematics. This is due to their enthusiasm; they are always keen to learn. Achievement is strongest in English and mathematics; this is because of the benefits of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, in particular, in providing a secure framework for teachers. By the end of Year 2, pupils have acquired a satisfactory range of language and numeracy skills, which help them progress in other subjects. They also develop a range of knowledge and skills in other subjects
p.13
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
11. Higher attaining pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science but their work is not always challenging enough in other subjects because the same work is often given to all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are identified well and make good progress throughout the school. Their progress is particularly evident in English and mathematics. This good progress results from positive attitudes to learning which are encouraged by the school’s supportive ethos and well-targeted support during the literacy and numeracy sessions There was no evidence of significant variations in the attainment of boys or girls or pupils from differing backgrounds or ethnicity during the inspection. Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 14
p.13
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
12. The previous inspection report judged that the pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development throughout the school were good. These strengths were seen at the time of the last inspection and in many instances, particularly in lessons, have improved. This is having a positive effect on the overall attainment of pupils. The relationships throughout the school were also said to be good and are now judged to be very good. They play a significant part in the positive ethos of the school. Pupils obviously enjoy school life, both in lessons and around the school, at lunchtime and playing in the playground. In discussion with pupils at lunch, one commented that she “just loved school” and her enthusiasm was evident. This enthusiasm is reflected in the high attendance rate and low levels of unauthorised absence.
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
13. Children in the reception year make a positive start and quickly settle into school. Their personal and social skills are promoted well. They relate well to each other and play co-operatively. They listen carefully to adults, have good levels of concentration and follow instructions. In the classroom and play areas they behave well and are developing a sense of right and wrong. They show initiative in helping to tidy away resources in a sensible way and are becoming more independent. They have a happy start to school life.
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
14. In Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils’ attitudes to school are good. They are keen to come to school and show interest in their lessons where they settle quickly to task and activities. Pupils listen carefully in class sessions and eagerly respond to questions, giving answers that are sensible and pertinent to discussions. A good example was seen during a session with the West Yorkshire underwater police team who were visiting the school. Pupils were able to share their thoughts and ask well thought out questions in a sensitive and mature manner. Pupils clearly know what is expected of them and they are often eager to please the class teacher. They work quietly and generally sensibly, usually sustaining concentration whether they are working as individuals, in pairs or in a group.
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
15. The pupils clearly know that the school expects good behaviour and that they are encouraged to show respect to each other, the resources and the buildings. Pupils’ behaviour is good throughout the school day and often very good in lessons. It is the result of very good teaching that interests and inspires pupils to learn. The school is an orderly community and the majority of pupils move around the building sensibly. On the rare occasions when pupils behave inappropriately, teachers quickly address the problem without distracting from the focus of the lesson. Teachers are very sensitive to the needs of all pupils in the group and spend time explaining the reason for inappropriate actions of pupils with behavioural problems. The majority of pupils understand the impact of their actions on others and the resulting outcomes of inappropriate behaviour. There is good behaviour in the
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
playgrounds although there is currently little structured play or equipment provided for the pupils, particularly during the lunch hour. There are no recorded exclusions in the last academic year.
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
16. Relationships are very good throughout the school community. Pupils know the daily routines of the school and quickly respond to teachers' requests. All the adults who work in the school act as very good role models for the pupils. Pupils are provided with a range of responsibilities, such as being dinner-register monitors and preparing the hall for assemblies. They respond well to these opportunities when they are given. Pupils will often approach the headteacher with ideas for fund- raising events, such as The Blue Peter Appeal, which she allows them to organise and run.
p.14
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
17. The school's attendance figures are very good and well above the national average, having improved since the previous inspection report. The regular attendance of pupils enables teachers to plan and build on previous lessons with continuity and this has a positive impact on the overall attainment and progress of pupils. The vast majority of pupils consistently arrive at school on time to ensure that the school day starts promptly. The school does find that more families are taking holidays during term time but it regularly emphasises that missing school can be detrimental to pupils' learning. Absences are always quickly followed up. Registers are completed quickly at the start of each session.
p.14
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 15 18. A positive feature of the school is the good quality teaching, which has a positive impact on standards. During the inspection, 63 lessons or part lessons were observed. Of these, all lessons were at least satisfactory or better, 57 per cent of lessons were good, 14 per cent were very good and a further three per cent were excellent. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection report when 14 per cent of lessons featured unsatisfactory teaching and 20 per cent of the lessons observed in Key Stage 1 were less than satisfactory. Weaknesses identified in the teaching have been addressed and this is, in part, responsible for the improvement in pupils’ standards
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19. Good teaching is found in nearly all subjects. The core subjects of English, mathematics and science have good teaching in the majority of lessons which accounts for the good progress made by pupils. No overall judgement is made about the quality of teaching in art and music as too few lessons were seen. In all other subjects teaching is satisfactory except in religious education, which is unsatisfactory because not all aspects of the subject are fully covered.
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20. The quality of teaching for the Foundation Stage is good in nearly all areas of learning. In particular, children's personal, social and emotional development is given very good emphasis. This plays a significant part in helping them take a more active part in other learning activities. Teaching is sound in knowledge and understanding of the world and in creative development. All staff understand how young children learn and relationships are very good. Activities, including those using the hall or outdoor areas, are well managed and lead effectively to attaining the goals identified in the Foundation Curriculum. Most lessons have a good structure and sufficient opportunities are provided for the children to build on earlier learning in most areas of the curriculum. A very good example was seen in the numeracy lesson where children used their developing mathematical knowledge to solve
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
simple ‘sums’. However, monitoring of individual children’s experiences is not sufficiently rigorous in providing a balanced curriculum and challenge for more able pupils. Overall children are well prepared for the next stage of learning especially in the key areas of reading and number.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
21. The teaching of English and mathematics is good and has benefited from the introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. In the whole-class sessions, most teachers lead discussions well and manage pupils effectively by using a range of strategies to promote learning. Discussions at the end of lessons are used well to review the main points of the lesson and to ensure that pupils have a secure understanding of the work before moving them on to the next stage in their learning. The skills of literacy, particularly in reading, are successfully built on as pupils move through the school and they make good progress. In numeracy, the very good mental mathematics sessions move at a brisk pace, which the pupils enjoy immensely. This leads to very good acquisition of new mathematical skills and knowledge. The use of pupils' literacy and numeracy skills in other curriculum areas is good. Pupils explain their findings to each other succinctly and in a manner that
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
encourages discussion and the formulation of further questions.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
22. Teachers have a secure knowledge of most of the subjects they teach, with the exception of religious education, enabling them to make effective and pertinent teaching points and providing pupils with accurate and relevant information. This was superbly demonstrated in a Year 5/6 design and technology lesson on mechanisms using cotton reels where the teacher’s very good subject knowledge and questioning technique led to pupils making very good progress during the lesson. Teachers often use questions well; in particular they carefully target questions to meet the needs of pupils. Good examples were shown during a mathematics session in Year 5/6 where the teacher's effective questioning about co-ordinates helped pupils to learn well and consolidate what they had been taught while it was fresh in their minds. Teachers manage pupils very well and the positive relationships between teachers and pupils have a significant effect on pupils' attitudes to work. For
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
example, in a Year 4 literacy lesson on identifying descriptive words from the text ‘’The Iron Man’, the good relationship between the teacher and pupils played a significant part in giving less able pupils the confidence to suggest and discuss descriptive words. Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 16 23. Overall planning is sound. Although the school has introduced a common planning format, the quality of teachers’ short-term planning is variable. The best and most detailed planning is prepared for the literacy and numeracy sessions. Learning objectives are often clear and plans mostly identify the provision for pupils of all abilities. However, this good practice is not always evident in other subjects of the curriculum and short-term plans in other lessons do not always clearly identify what pupils of different ages and abilities, including those with special educational needs, will know, understand and
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
be able to do by the end of the session. As a result, the same work is set for all pupils and high attainers are not always sufficiently challenged. This weakness in planning also means that it is difficult for teachers to assess pupils' attainment and progress if it is not always clear what pupils are expected to learn. Planning for covering the requirements of religious education is unsatisfactory, as not all aspects are taught and not enough time is allocated to teaching the subject. Overall, while standards achieved are broadly average, they are not as high as they could be and do not reflect standards achieved in English, mathematics and science.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
24. Teachers use a wide range of methods effectively. In a Year 6 English lesson on investigating humorous verses, the reading aloud of verses with expression encouraged a high level of involvement by pupils, so that by the end of the session pupils developed an appreciation of the use of words in humorous writing. Teachers are well organised for lessons and have suitable resources available for pupils. During the literacy hour, teachers group pupils around them well, so that everyone can see the board or the book being read. Teachers in both key stages usually maintain a brisk pace during lessons, which helps to keep levels of challenge and pupils' work rate high. They make effective use of time at the end of lessons to check on the extent of pupils' learning and to relate the activities back to the objectives of the lesson. In both key stages teachers make good use of support assistants in
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
classrooms, involving them fully in the main part of the lesson, so that pupils have constant help from adults. This support enables pupils to seek advice and develop confidence in their own abilities. ICT is not always well used to support learning in other subjects of the curriculum.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
25. Teachers' ongoing assessment of pupils' work is good. Most teachers are skilled in using well- focused questions to check and challenge pupils’ thinking and understanding. They make good use of the conclusions of the lessons to revisit the learning objectives and discuss with pupils the extent to which they have been achieved. This practice helps pupils to know how well they are acquiring new knowledge, understanding and skills. It also gives teachers an opportunity to evaluate their own teaching and pupils’ learning, and to know what to plan for the next lesson. Most pupils have a good idea of how they are learning. For instance, teachers throughout the school respond well to their pupils and help them to improve the quality of their work by giving helpful feedback and praise which motivates and encourages them. Throughout the school teachers mark pupils’ work. As yet, however, the value of the teachers’ written comments is limited. It provides insufficient help to pupils
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
on how their work might be developed or improved. Whilst there are some good examples of helpful marking, these are not typical.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
Homework begins in the reception year, partly to encourage links with parents, and increases as pupils move through the school. A few parents are critical of the inconsistent way homework is provided throughout the school. Inspection evidence shows that homework is not used consistently to extend the work being done in the classroom.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
26. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils with special educational needs, including the appointment of two new classroom assistants from the school budget. Class teachers write individual education plans and these are monitored and reviewed by the recently appointed special educational needs co-ordinator. Plans are followed in classrooms to enable pupils to have full access to the National Curriculum. Although the individual education plans are satisfactory they are not specific enough to ensure that pupils can see the progress they make in small steps. The grouping of pupils for literacy and numeracy and the concentration of support for these subjects are having a positive effect on the progress made by pupils with special educational needs. Teachers, support assistants and parent helpers work closely together to assist pupils in their learning by providing relevant support.
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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?
Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 17 27. Both the quality and range of the opportunities for learning the school offers its pupils are sound, a similar judgement to that of the previous inspection, but since then the school has been converted from a first to a primary school with additional two-year groups. The school meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum and in addition offers French to pupils in Year 6. Although the school follows the local authority’s syllabus for religious education, it does not meet the times recommended in the syllabus for both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, and the standards achieved by pupils suffer as a consequence. Provision for physical education is good, with all classes having two sessions a week, supported by a range of extra-curricular activities.
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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?
28. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage in the reception year is broad and relevant and good in many respects. It prepares children well for starting more formal education in Year 1 in the key areas of reading and number. However, opportunities to promote children’s early writing skills are not always seized.
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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?
29. Pupils with special educational needs are fully integrated within the school. Opportunities for pupils with statements to learn and make progress are appropriate and provide for these pupils’ learning needs. Pupils’ individual education plans relate to their particular needs and the plans are regularly reviewed. Pupils’ targets, however, are sometimes too complex. Teachers provide suitable support for pupils with special educational needs and work closely with support assistants to ensure pupils have access to the full curriculum. Learning aims for pupils with special educational needs are not always identified clearly in teachers’ written plans.
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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?
30. The school is implementing well both the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to develop the basic skills of pupils. It is now following national guidelines for planning in other subjects, but teachers do not always make adequate provision for more able pupils in their planning. Otherwise there is equality of access for all pupils, boys and girls and regardless of ethnic origin. The school has established good links with other schools in the Wharfe Valley and the receiving secondary school at Ilkley, both for sporting competition and to ensure a smooth transition for pupils to secondary education.
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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?
31. Parents raised concerns about the range of activities provided after school. However, the school’s provision for extra-curricular activities is good. Visits to places of interest, such as Ingleton Cave or the Beamish Museum, are planned well to support pupils’ learning in school. Pupils have access to individual music tuition both during and outside school hours, and there are lunchtime or after-school clubs for activities such as basketball, netball, football, art and natural history. Pupils in Year 6 take part in a residential visit to Ingleborough Hall.
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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?
32. The school provides sex education and teaching about the misuse of drugs, and it currently treats as a priority the need to develop a programme of personal, social and health education to meet the needs of the extended age range. Teachers of infant pupils use ‘circle time’ well, a period in which pupils are able to discuss personal and general issues, with agreed conventions which ensure that they are not interrupted. These opportunities contribute well to their personal development.
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33. The school has established good links with the local community, which contribute well to pupils’ learning. There are strong links with local churches, whose ministers contribute to assemblies and the school involves the village in the production of its pantomime. During the inspection the West Yorkshire police underwater search unit visited the school to talk to older pupils about water safety, evoking an excellent response from pupils to the serious issues raised. The school is also in the process of developing a consortium for teacher training with other local schools; it already receives trainee teachers from Leeds and Bradford.
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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?
34. The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is good. Provision for moral and social development is very good. Provision for spiritual development is good and provision for cultural development satisfactory. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, when this area of the curriculum was judged to be satisfactory, although provision for cultural development was good at that time. Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 18 35. Although insufficient time is allowed, pupils do have opportunities in religious education to appreciate some of the diversity of religious beliefs, and there are opportunities for them to visit places of Hindu and Muslim as well as Christian worship. In assemblies there are moments for reflection, for instance when pupils admire special books such as the Bible or the Qur’an. In a history lesson the teacher skilfully handled artefacts from the Second World War to evoke a response of wonder from
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pupils in Years 3 and 4, and in areas such as science and geography pupils are encouraged to reflect on the wonders of the natural world.
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36. The school also promotes pupils’ social development very well. Pupils have good opportunities to work together in class and in extra-curricular activities. Pupils are encouraged to share their achievements outside school in the celebration assemblies, and older pupils have very good opportunities to develop a sense of responsibility, both in helping in administrative tasks, such as preparing the hall for assembly and answering the telephone at lunchtime, and looking after younger pupils during playtimes. Pupils also become aware of their responsibilities to the wider world through raising money for charities such as Lepra, the NSPCC, and Children in Need. Some of these initiatives, such as baking biscuits to raise money for Childline, have come from the pupils themselves.
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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?
37. The appreciation of music is promoted well in assemblies, where each week a teacher introduces a favourite piece of music, and pupils have an opportunity to reflect on it. The school has also had visits from an Asian music group and Indian dance workshop. Opportunities to appreciate art are less well developed, and there was little evidence in the school of art from non-western cultures. An understanding of another European culture is promoted through the teaching of French, and pupils learn about the local culture through some of their visits. Overall provision for cultural development is satisfactory, but more opportunities could be created for pupils to appreciate the diversity of cultures in the society that surrounds them.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
38. The previous report stated that the school provides a safe and happy working environment in which pupils could learn. Good procedures were in place to support pupils in all aspects of their life in school. The school has built on many of its good practices and has improved its monitoring practices for attendance and behaviour. Other aspects are provided for although currently there is an inconsistent approach to the formal recording of individual progress and personal needs.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
The headteacher is responsible for child protection and ensures that all staff are aware of relevant procedures. All the staff in the school have recently undergone training on child protection. All pupils are well known to staff and pupils feel confident to approach any adult if they have worries or concerns. There are clear practices that are followed to report and record accidents. All aspects of health and safety in the school are well documented and regular fire evacuation practices are held. The school provides a safe and caring environment in which pupils and staff can work.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
39. The school monitors attendance carefully and parents are clear about the procedures they have to follow if their child is absent from school. This has resulted in the improvement of attendance figures since the previous inspection. The school has very effective systems in place to support all pupils’ needs during their time at the school. Pupils’ academic and personal development needs are met through staff knowing each individual child well and they quickly recognise any change in behaviour or attitude. There are some samples of very good practice in formally recording academic and personal development although this is not consistent practice throughout the school.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
40. The monitoring of behaviour throughout the school is excellent. Pupils are regularly reminded of the school’s code of conduct and class rules. The school has introduced displays to remind pupils to be polite, kind and many other positive actions. The school clearly does not tolerate anti-social behaviour, such as bullying. There are suitable systems to follow if there is any inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour. The parents are also aware of the school’s expectations through the home school agreement. Since the last inspection the school has introduced a behaviour policy which Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 19 places an emphasis on aspects of good behaviour, and this is promoted positively by all staff and reflected in the ‘Do be’ signs which pupils look for around the school. Adults in the school set a very good example to pupils, and relationships are very good. Issues about behaviour are discussed
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
individually with pupils when they arise. Provision for personal, social and health education is good.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
41. The quality of support and guidance for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. Staff identify the needs of pupils with particular emotional, behavioural or learning difficulties and take action to support such pupils. There are good links with support agencies such as the educational psychology service and the local special educational needs teaching service. Targets in individual education plans are regularly reviewed. The governors place provision for special educational needs high on their list of priorities. This priority is demonstrated by agreeing to a request from the special educational needs committee of the governing body to appoint two additional special educational needs teaching assistants, paid from the school’s budget. This extra support enables good progress to be made by pupils with special educational needs in English, mathematics and science and satisfactory progress in the foundation subjects.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
42. The school has a good assessment policy and procedure. The school carries out baseline assessments in the reception year within the first half term of children’s entry into the class, and also at the end of the year. The data on this information allows the school to measure and report progress to parents. A standardised reading test is carried out on all pupils in Year 1. The school also carries out Durham University’s Performance Indicators in Primary Schools assessments from the reception year to include both key stages. Statutory tests in English, mathematics and science are carried out in Years 2 and 6 and optional tests from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) in English and mathematics in Years 3,4 and 5. This information is used well to analyse strengths and weaknesses and trends over time, to monitor pupils’ performance, identify under-achievement and provide information to parents. Teachers make satisfactory use of day-to-day assessments in
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
English, mathematics and science when planning their lessons but this is unsatisfactorily developed in the foundation subjects and religious education where assessments do not always result in work planned for groups of higher attaining pupils or for those pupils with special educational needs.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
43. The partnership between the school and its parents is good and has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. This is similar to the previous inspection. The vast majority of parents continue to have positive attitudes to the school and are supportive of the work it does. They say their children like to go to school and make good progress and that the school has high expectations of academic achievement and behaviour.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
44. A significant minority of parents have concerns that the school does not work closely with parents, and they are not informed about their children's progress and do not feel comfortable about approaching the school with suggestions or problems. The inspection team found that the school provides well-presented documents, has regular parent/teacher consultations and produces good quality written annual progress reports. The school clearly offers opportunities for parents to visit, take part in activities and has an open-door policy. It is felt, however, that since the school moved to its new premises that parents have not been as comfortable in entering the new building to talk.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
45. A number of parents feel that the school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons. The school has a range of extra-curricular activities, which include a natural history club, art club, and a range of sports clubs. Currently the school choir and the recorder group are not running because of the relocation, but are due to restart shortly. There is also a wide range of trips out of school that enhance the pupils’ learning experiences. The inspection team’s judgement is that the enrichment through extra-curricular activities is good. Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 20 46. The school provides parents with considerable opportunities to become involved in their children's learning. Parents receive regular good-quality information through newsletters and curriculum information. These enable parents to support their children's learning by sharing first-hand
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
experiences or artefacts. The school holds curriculum information evenings for parents, which have included numeracy and literacy. The parents are well informed of their children's progress through the annual written reports. These tell parents of the areas their children have studied over the year and the progress they have made. Also included are the targets set for pupils in areas in which they are experiencing difficulty. An informal open evening is held during the first term with two further parent/teacher consultations in March and July. Parents of children with special educational needs are kept fully informed of their children's progress and are involved in regular reviews. They are consulted at all stages to ensure a full understanding of their children's needs.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
47. The Friends of Addingham Primary School organise a range of social and fund-raising events to help purchase additional resources for the school. They have recently provided a selection of prizes for school events. The school fully appreciates the hard work and dedication of the group.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
48. The school aims to encourage parents to help in school in a variety of capacities. It also aims to make parents feel comfortable and valued for their work for the school, its pupils and staff. The school is working very hard to achieve these aims and to keep parents fully informed about their children's academic and personal development though a wide range of documents and invitations.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
49. The special educational needs co-ordinator seeks to establish good links with parents of pupils identified as having special educational needs. Communication is good and arrangements for review meetings are well organised. Parents are kept well informed of the progress their children are making towards their targets in their individual learning plans. All parents are satisfactorily informed about special educational needs in the school by way of the governors' annual report to parents.
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
50. During the intervening two years since the headteacher’s appointment the school has been through a period of considerable change. Initially there was a change in status from a first to a primary school. This was swiftly followed by a move to the redesigned site of the old middle school. Alongside there have been numerous national and local initiatives. Throughout this period, the headteacher, governors and staff have provided clear educational direction for the school. They have successfully maintained and developed standards through setting priorities and carrying out actions to improve teaching and learning, for example, the move towards setting of pupils for the teaching of English and mathematics in Key Stage 2. In particular, the headteacher has provided good leadership in establishing the school ethos and by being a calming influence during the transition period. She is resourceful, enthusiastic, caring, and has developed good relationships with teachers, governors,
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parents, and pupils, during this time of disruption. For example, when the pupils moved into their new school, staff members and parents had spent a lot of time preparing the school with displays that reflected pupils’ work in order to ensure a smooth transition and a minimal disruption to the pupils’ learning. Consequently, everyone feels valued, and the headteacher has been successful in building a committed team, which works very well together to meet successfully the aims and values of the school. The headteacher, the deputy headteacher, both the key stage and the Year 6 co-ordinators form the new senior management team. They are positive in their shared commitment. Currently, everyone takes pride in the developing environment of the school.
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
51. The governing body is skilful, competent, and well versed in its knowledge of the school. Governors carry out their duties with increasing effectiveness. They have a well-defined plan for future improvement. Strengths and areas for improvement in the school are well known to most governors and they are beginning to shape the direction for the school. Initial efforts to promote and support the Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 21 work of the staff and pupils have begun. The chair of governors has regular supportive and effective visits to the school. New initiatives and statutory requirements are adopted and established well by the governors. Issues raised in the previous report have been satisfactorily addressed. School improvement plans are well organised, indicate budget implications, and are implemented effectively. Governors readily undertake professional development in relationship to their role on the governing
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
body. They regularly visit the school, but they have yet to be involved in effectively monitoring teaching. There is a good relationship with the headteacher.
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
52. Staff take a very keen interest in the professional development of each other. Through support and guidance, the headteacher encourages all staff to consider the next stage of their professional development.
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
53. Apart from English, mathematics, and science further improvement in the teaching of subjects is hampered because the monitoring of teacher and learning is under-developed, due to time constraints and priority given to establishing a new school. Despite the recent upheavals, co- ordinators are given support in the enhancement of their subject within the school, and in their own professional development. Currently, emphasis has been placed on raising standards in English, mathematics and science, but there are plans for the further improvement of other areas of the curriculum as well as special educational needs. The school recognises that these are areas for greater improvement. Where co-ordinators are having a positive impact is in the preparation of action plans, which are then used in the school improvement plan. This is a good quality document that strongly reflects the aims of the school and its great desire to improve. It sets out the way forward in
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
the long and short term. However, it does not indicate the demands inherent for the whole school made by the implementation of the recent National Curriculum initiatives. There is an insufficient overview of a whole-school approach to curriculum development, to ensure a consistent and effective implementation of curriculum planning, in order that pupils make the best progress. Due to this lack of cohesiveness, there is no consistency in the establishment of challenging tasks for pupils in relation to their level of attainment.
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
54. The school has sufficient well-qualified teachers to teach the subjects of the National Curriculum, religious education and children in the Foundation Stage. Since the previous inspection, the staff from the first school have remained stable with the addition of five staff from the middle school as a result of the amalgamation of the First and Middle schools. The staff are adjusting well and good management has ensured that they are able to adjust, with support, to teaching the full primary school curriculum. All the staff work as a team and their commitment has resulted in the smooth and successful joining of the two schools. The work of administrative staff is unobtrusive and very effective, allowing other staff to concentrate on teaching and learning. The school’s staff handbook is currently under review. Provision for students and newly qualified teachers working in the school is
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good and they are well supported. The accommodation is good overall; although there is currently no separated secure play area for the reception year, plans are in place to provide one in September 2001 and its absence is the result of the recent relocation. The move has provided the school with a large library, computer suite and additional teaching areas, which are well used, for teaching small groups of pupils. The site is well maintained by a hard-working caretaker and his staff. Learning resources are well organised and accessible. They are sufficient to meet the needs of the curriculum and of satisfactory quality. Resources to support pupils with special educational needs are satisfactory.
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
55. The day-to-day organisation of the school is effective and the secretarial team provides a good supporting service to staff, pupils, and parents. Support staff are caring people who provide a sound level of support for the teachers, but they have varying degrees of experience. Consequently their effect on pupils’ learning also varies. The caretaker and his assistants provide a good standard of maintenance.
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
56. Financial planning is good. The school makes good use of the allocated funds to meet the needs of both the whole school and of the individual. Funds have been earmarked to provide additional support in classes and resources for building developments. The school's administration is very efficient and Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 22 members of staff ensure that procedures are accurately followed, enabling the financial and other administrative work to be carried out unobtrusively. Additional funds, available for the school’s work in supporting pupils with special educational needs, are used effectively. The school uses new technology appropriately to support the administration. The school is aware of and effectively applies the principles of best value. There is a regular review of comparison of costs and results with other schools and the governing body invites formal tenders for major expenditure. This was exemplified
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
very well recently in the establishing of the new school.
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
57. The leadership provided for pupils with special educational needs is good. The special educational needs co-ordinator manages provision in an efficient and effective way through systematic assessment procedures and good communication. The school’s management structure allows her to be released from classroom teaching for one day per week. This time allows her to maintain contact with parents, review individual education plans and maintain contact with outside agencies that support pupils’ needs. The governor with responsibility for special educational needs is very knowledgeable and well informed, and maintains frequent contact with the school. The school’s policy and practice for special educational needs satisfactorily conform to the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs.
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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
In order to build upon the many strengths of the school and further improve the standard of work and quality of the education provided, the governors, headteacher and staff, in co-operation with the local education authority, should:
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1. Raise standards in religious education by:
- ensuring that religious education lessons more fully meet the recommendations of the locally agreed syllabus; (paragraphs 8, 131) - reviewing the time allocated to the subject; (paragraphs 8, 131) - developing assessment procedures and a clear scheme of work, which ensure that pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding are built upon from year to year. (paragraphs 42, 135)
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1. Raise standards in religious education by:
2. Establish rigorous whole-school management procedures, involving headteacher, governors and staff with management responsibilities to : - develop suitable assessment procedures in subjects other than English, mathematics and science and ensure that the information gained is used consistently to assist planning to meet the needs of all pupils, including higher attaining pupils; (paragraphs 11, 23, 42, 99, 102, 108, 125) - review the current assessment procedures in the Foundation Stage to ensure that all children experience fully the wide range of well-planned activities on offer, in order to prepare them better for the next stage of learning; (paragraphs 20, 59) - provide clear guidance, time and training to curriculum co-ordinators, which will enable them to fulfil their role in the development, monitoring and support of their areas. (paragraphs 53, 99, 102, 108, 112 )
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improve:
Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 23 - Pupils’ understanding of other cultures within British society; (paragraph 37) - Consistency in the quality of teachers’ marking of pupils’ work so that comments encourage pupils and inform them about ways to improve their work. (paragraph 25)
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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection
Number of lessons observed 63 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 52
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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 3 11 57 29 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.
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Information about the school’s pupils
Pupils on the school’s roll YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 255 Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 24 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 4 FTE means full-time equivalent.
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Information about the school’s pupils
Special educational needs YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 5 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 51
p.24
Information about the school’s pupils
English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2
p.24
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 11
p.24
Authorised absence Unauthorised absence
% % School data 3.5 School data 0.0 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.
p.24
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1
Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 25 16 41
p.24
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
Boys 23 24 24 Numbers of pupils at Girls 15 15 15 Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 25 NC level 2 and above Total 38 39 39
p.24
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
Percentage of pupils School 92 (91) 95 (93) 95 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)
p.25
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
Boys 23 23 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 15 15
p.25
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
Percentage of pupils School 93 (94) 93 (94) 93 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
p.25
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
No of pupils Fixed period Perman ent Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0
p.25
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0
p.25
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 2 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 213 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0
p.25
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. Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 26
p.25
Y6
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12 Financial year 1999/20
p.26
Y6
Number of pupils per qualified teacher Average class size 25 £ Total income 348430 Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 348432 Total number of education support staff 12 Expenditure per pupil 1606
p.26
Y6
Total aggregate hours worked per week 317 Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year
p.26
Percentage of responses in each category
Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
p.26
Percentage of responses in each category
My child is making good progress in school. 46 43 6 0 5
p.26
Percentage of responses in each category
Behaviour in the school is good. 40 49 2 2 6
p.26
Percentage of responses in each category
My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 30 55 10 5 0
p.26
Percentage of responses in each category
I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 17 23 49 10 1
p.26
Percentage of responses in each category
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 38 41 20 1 0 Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 27 The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 46 49 4 0 1
p.26
Percentage of responses in each category
The school works closely with parents. 18 49 27 4 2
p.27
Percentage of responses in each category
The school is well led and managed. 40 44 9 5 2
p.27
Percentage of responses in each category
The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 38 48 9 2 4
p.27
Percentage of responses in each category
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 16 35 27 9 14
p.27
AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
58. The overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good, and prepares them well for work in the National Curriculum in the key areas of reading and mathematics. All children start school on a full-time basis in the year in which they are five and their overall attainment on entry is generally higher than expected for their ages. However, the assessment of their early writing skills needs to be more thorough in order to prepare them better for Key Stage 1. During their time in the reception year most children make good progress and are on course to exceed the nationally agreed outcomes in all areas except in creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world, which are average. Children with special educational needs are identified quickly and they are fully integrated into the class and in most cases make progress at the same rate as the rest of the class.
p.27
AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
59. Staff know the children extremely well and good use is made of the information gained from the baseline assessment and the formal assessment in mathematics in order to plan work to meets the needs of all children. Records are sometimes kept for children who have taken part in the adult- directed activities. However, there is no systematic method of recording children’s use of, and progress in the different areas, for example, the sand and water tray or the role-play area. Whilst many informal observations are made, few are written down, so it is difficult for staff always to remember which children have had experience of the activities planned. This is essential in order to make sure that children have a suitable balance of activities and that they build on what they already know. Consequently, staff cannot always plan work to build on earlier learning or ensure that children receive a balanced curriculum.
p.27
AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 28 60. Induction procedures are good and parents are kept well informed about their children’s progress. They have opportunities to visit the school formally but are welcome to discuss problems and concerns on a day-to-day basis. All staff who work with the children are well qualified and sensitive to their needs. Resources for children in the reception class are generally good. The provision for the Foundation Stage is satisfactorily managed but monitoring of the teaching and learning is under- developed.
p.28
Personal social and emotional development
61. The high priority given to children's personal and social development is very effective. New children are settled in thoughtfully and successfully. They behave very well and are helpful and responsive. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children exceed the expected standards in their personal and social development. They are taught the difference between right and wrong. Through sharing things about themselves during a ‘show and tell’ session the children are encouraged to relate to one another and think about how they should co-operate and take turns. Clear routines have been established in which the children thrive. For example, when walking into the hall for physical education they understand that they must walk quietly and sensibly so as not to disturb other children. They are becoming confident and thoughtfully follow instructions and politely ask for help to spell words during the literacy session. Children work well both independently and as part of a group and
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Personal social and emotional development
remain focused on a task until it is completed, particularly when working with an adult, for example, participating in a well-organised numeracy lesson or investigating which objects float or sink. Teaching is good in this area and has a positive impact on children’s learning. Adults act as very good role models for them, helping them to form positive relationships with one another and to have positive attitudes towards coming to school and learning.
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Language and literacy and communication
62. The provision for this area is good and by the end of the reception year most children exceed the recommended goals in speaking and listening and reading. However, their early writing skills are average and do not prepare them sufficiently for work in Key Stage 1. By the end of the Foundation Stage, nearly all children are fluent, articulate speakers who are keen to talk about what they have done. They respond quickly to instructions and often reply to questions by answering in sentences and using suitable vocabulary to convey meaning. All children listen well for extended periods. They enjoy listening to stories such as ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’ showing by their comments that they understand the plot. During class discussion most accurately recall the sequence of the story and some know the difference between a story and a poem. The children have a good understanding of books and handle them competently. When reading, they know that print gives meaning, and that the
p.28
Language and literacy and communication
pictures usually help them to tell the story. Several can pick out initial letters of words, and nearly all know the letters of the alphabet. Most read a number of familiar words accurately, whilst higher attaining children use a number of strategies to read the text correctly; for example, they sound out the letters and look at the pictures to make sense of the story. Teachers encourage all children to take their books home to share with their families and most do so regularly. These children are making good progress in their reading skills. Children know that writing carries the message and all recognise and write their names. The majority of them write their letters correctly whilst less able children copy the teacher’s model with developing control. Children write ‘silly’ poems after reading ‘Little Miss Muffet’ and a few, more able, children write independently about the animals they love in
p.28
Language and literacy and communication
complete sentences, using full stops and capitals letters accurately.
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Language and literacy and communication
63. The quality of teaching and learning is good but there are missed opportunities to extend children’s early writing skills in other areas of the curriculum, for example, through play opportunities in 'writing' postcards, shopping lists and letters. Teaching is good in the literacy sessions where challenging work makes children think and keeps them focused with interest on the activities provided. All staff are aware of the importance of speaking and purposefully intervene to engage the children in conversation and increase their vocabulary in every area of the classroom. This has a positive impact upon the rate of children's learning and helps them to learn effectively. Staff use praise well to build up confidence and self-esteem. However, higher attaining children are not always challenged Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 29 and previous work reflects that their needs are not always met when all children are given the same
p.28
Mathematical development
64. Children exceed the national expectations for standards in mathematics by the end of the Foundation Stage. Most recognise numbers up to and often beyond ten. Many handle numbers competently, being able to work out answers in their heads, for instance, in identifying a missing number between one and 20. Children match numbers and shapes and sequence patterns, and most correctly orientate numerals. They learn to sort equipment according to criteria such as colour, shape and size and explore concepts of capacity and measures when they use sand and water and fill containers with various items. However, these activities do not always include sufficient intervention by adults for children to apply their developing mathematical skills. Children know and accurately describe simple shapes such as triangles, circles and rectangles and are developing the correct use of mathematical language, such as ‘altogether’, ‘less than’ and ‘more than’. The use of a numeracy
p.29
Mathematical development
hour is having a significant impact on their attainment and progress in mathematics.
p.29
Mathematical development
65. Teaching is good in this area and this has a strong impact on children’s learning. This is seen in the good progress they make from entry into the reception year and what they have achieved by the time they move into Key Stage 1. Expectations are high, and those who are capable are encouraged to do work that is planned for children who are covering the National Curriculum programme of study. As a result, some of the reception year children have advanced skills in carrying out and recording simple addition and subtraction. Well-managed classrooms mean that children are secure and confident to try new experiences.
p.29
Mathematical development
Teaching is clear and precise so that the children know what is expected of them and work is effectively planned to meet the needs of all the children. Adults make good use of incidental opportunities to reinforce learning in mathematics. They alert children to the properties of shapes when they are rolling out clay, for example, or help them to calculate how many children are present if two are absent when calling the register. The very good collaboration between the teacher and the learning support assistant effectively reinforces the children’s learning.
p.29
Knowledge and understanding of the world
66. Provision in this area of learning is satisfactory. Children make sound progress and reach the national expectations of the early learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. Analysis of the children’s work on display and in their books and scrutiny of teachers’ planning show, for example, that children begin to understand the needs of living things by planting bulbs. They know that certain elements, such as light and water, are necessary for successful growth and know that roots grow underground and that stems and leaves grow above. Good foundations are being established for later work in science when children investigate materials, which float and sink. They learn about the different types of foods eaten at Christmas and Eid and know the significance of the different artefacts used by Jews. Their computer skills are appropriately developed for their age. Most know the function of the buttons on the keyboard. They use the computer mouse confidently and independently
p.29
Knowledge and understanding of the world
to click on an icon, and, with support, are learning how to use the different functions in the paint program, such as pencil, brush and spray to create attractive and bold patterns. Good opportunities are provided for the children to develop eye and hand control and to become familiar with technology through construction materials; towers and imaginative structures are created successfully with friends or individually. This also promotes personal and social development when children share resources and work together. They start to develop their geographical vocabulary in the course of following directions, when making routes in the outside play area and when using an atlas and a globe to identify Scotland, the last country that ‘Gary from Gatwick’ (a teddy bear) visited in his travels. Children talk willingly about the past and present in the context of talking about their families and about things they have done.
p.29
Knowledge and understanding of the world
67. The teaching and the provision for children to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them are satisfactory but not good, because monitoring is not sufficiently rigorous to ensure that all children experience fully the planned activities. The support staff are very well deployed and Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 30 uses skilful questions to probe the children’s understanding. Their sensitive use of praise and encouragement raises the children’s confidence and self-esteem and results in them having a positive attitude and response to learning.
p.29
Creative development
68. Children’s creative development is fostered satisfactorily through a good variety of activities and they attain the nationally agreed outcomes by the end of the Foundation Stage. Progress is limited because monitoring is not sufficiently rigorous to ensure that all children experience fully the range of activities on offer. Children know how to mix paints to produce other colours and realise that the paint must be of a certain consistency for printing, for example, when using sponges of different sizes and shapes. Collage work is well featured and is linked to the investigation of different types of materials. Children enjoy music and participate enthusiastically in singing a wide range of songs and rhymes and during assemblies they are not daunted when they are asked to sing unaccompanied. They use percussion instruments to investigate different sounds and are beginning to understand the difference
p.30
Creative development
between loud and soft. Imaginative play is satisfactorily fostered through activities in the play area where children undertake different roles with confidence in the ‘Chinese Restaurant’ and ‘Office’
p.30
Creative development
69. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in this area. There is constructive support for children, and good demonstrations by support staff and other adults enable children to acquire appropriate skills. High expectations lead children to produce work of quality. This is valued and displayed attractively in the classroom. Where intervention by adults is particularly well judged during imaginative role-play situations, children make good progress in developing their social and language skills.
p.30
Physical development
70. Good provision is made for the children’s physical development and they exceed expectations by the end of the Foundation Stage. Most make good progress in developing the skills of cutting, sticking, joining, threading and modelling. By the time they are ready to start Year 1 they are able to manipulate tools such as pencils, crayons, glue spreaders and brushes appropriately and with increasing precision. Good opportunities are provided for children to paint with different sized bushes, mould clay and play dough, and balance bricks. Children confidently take apart and build with construction toys, manipulate jigsaw pieces, pour water and sand into containers and place items accurately when engaged in small world play. During physical education lessons children behave very well, and listen and respond to instructions. They understand the purpose of a warm-up activity and they are reminded how to use the apparatus safely. They identify a number of different ways of
p.30
Physical development
moving, such as sliding, jumping, skipping and hopping when using apparatus in the school hall. After physical education activities, they practise fastening buttons and putting on shoes. All these activities help children to develop fine muscular control.
p.30
Physical development
71. Overall, the quality of teaching in this area is good and this has a positive impact on the children’s learning. All staff have a very good awareness of the children’s safety. Clear routines have been established in which the children’s confidence is developed. In physical education lessons the teachers effectively ensure all children are fully involved and make use of the whole hall space, moving in different ways and in different directions. Good use is made of the children to demonstrate during the lesson their ways of moving across the apparatus to the class.
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ENGLISH
72. In National Curriculum tests in reading at age seven pupils have consistently achieved results well above the national average since 1996; in 2000 they were also above average when compared with schools where pupils are from a similar background. Results of the teacher assessments for speaking and listening were also above the average in 2000. Results in the writing tests were above average in 2000, after being well above from 1996 to 1999, and they were close to the average for schools of a similar background. The number of pupils achieving the higher levels was below the Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 31 average for all schools. This is a similar picture to the standards achieved at the time of the last inspection, when results in writing were also below the level achieved in the other aspects. The school has recognised the need to increase the number of pupils achieving the higher levels in writing
p.30
ENGLISH
at the end of both Key Stages 1 and 2, where there are no test results for previous years. The evidence of the inspection broadly confirmed these findings with pupils achieving standards above the average in speaking and listening and in reading at the age of seven and eleven, but only average in writing.
p.31
ENGLISH
73. Standards in speaking and listening are good throughout the school. Pupils listen well in introductory sessions to literacy lessons and make good contributions to discussion, for instance when a Year 2 pupil related the word ‘rusk’ to his own experience as a child. Pupils in Year 6 participated well in a discussion on the use of humour in poetry, stimulated by good examples selected by the teacher. They express their ideas clearly, with well-chosen vocabulary, in both formal and informal discussion.
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ENGLISH
74. Standards of reading are good. Pupils in Year 1 know about the contents page of a book and the significance of capital letters. They recognise common words. By the time they are seven more able pupils read fluently and with good expression. Pupils of average attainment sound out new words and read them correctly, and lower attaining pupils have a satisfactory understanding of the text, although they have difficulty reading more complex words such as ‘laughed’. All pupils have not yet had the opportunity to develop library skills; however, most can make a clear distinction between fiction and non-fiction texts. By the age of eleven pupils have developed the skills of finding information through the contents and index pages of books. The majority read independently, higher attainers fluently and with good expression, and have no problem with words such as ‘disconsolately’. All pupils are able to
p.31
ENGLISH
retell confidently a story they have read. Lower attaining pupils read with some hesitation but know how to sound out a word such as ‘bluish’.
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ENGLISH
75. Standards of handwriting are good. At the age of seven higher attaining pupils have developed a neat, joined-up style, and by the age of eleven pupils are writing fluently and clearly. The quality of pupils’ writing is broadly as expected for their age. At the age of seven they have a good awareness of different spelling patterns, and higher attaining pupils use a good range of adjectives. Most pupils use capital letters and full stops accurately, although they do not all use speech marks appropriately. By the age of eleven they know how to plan a story, and higher attaining pupils do it well. They write effective poetry, for instance in the style of Shakespeare or on topics such as ‘Travelling’. A few higher attaining pupils confidently write in a range of forms, including autobiography and book reviews. However, pupils of average and below average attainment do not yet do this effectively. The school
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ENGLISH
has identified writing in both key stages as an area of further development and is devoting some literacy sessions to extended writing. However, this has not yet had an impact on the standards achieved.
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ENGLISH
76. The overall quality of teaching is good at both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Teachers are implementing the literacy strategy well. In Key Stage 1 they plan lessons well, usually with clear objectives, which means that pupils’ learning has a good focus. They establish good relationships with pupils and have high expectations of their behaviour, which lead to a good level of response from their pupils. They use resources well; for instance in a mixed Years 1 and 2 class the teacher used a glove puppet called Hilda imaginatively to reinforce spelling patterns. In Key Stage 2 teachers have a good understanding of the subject and teach basic skills well, using humour to increase the impact on pupils’ learning. Lessons are conducted at a good pace, so that pupils’ concentration does not flag. The use of a degree of setting for pupils in Years 5 and 6 means that lower attaining pupils in these
p.31
ENGLISH
years receive very good support both from the class teacher and from two learning support assistants in a small group, which enables them to make good progress, for instance in adding suffixes to form words such as ‘lovely’. In this lesson the teacher also used both the opening part of the lesson and the plenary at the end well to assess what pupils knew at the beginning and what they had learned by the end of the lesson. In a class of mainly higher attaining Year 6 pupils the teacher inspired them to write humorous poetry about their own teachers by carefully introducing them to a Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 32 range of humorous poetry and by the good relationship and relaxed but purposeful atmosphere which she engendered in the class.
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ENGLISH
77. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are very good. In Key Stage 1 they settle well to tasks and higher attaining pupils are able to work independently. In Key Stage 2 they have very positive attitudes, behave well and are keen to learn. These positive attitudes are a direct consequence of the good quality of the teaching they receive.
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ENGLISH
78. The school uses regular assessment of pupils’ attainment and individual targets are set for them. Opportunities are taken to reinforce literacy across the curriculum, for instance when pupils write up their science investigations or write with empathy as an evacuee in their history lessons. Literacy lessons sometimes reinforce other curriculum subjects, as when older pupils read the Hindu story of Rama and Sita as their shared text. Limited use is made of ICT, for instance to help pupils in drafting their writing.
p.32
ENGLISH
79. Standards are broadly similar to those found at the time of the previous inspection. The literacy strategy has been introduced successfully. With the change from primary to first school, the library has not yet been re-established, and older pupils have not been able to develop independent reference skills. Overall, the improvement since the previous inspection has been satisfactory.
p.32
ENGLISH
80. The English co-ordinator has made a positive impact in relatively short time by gaining information regarding the subject within the school and in leading its future development. As yet she has not had the opportunity to monitor teaching in Key Stage 2 but has looked at teachers’ plans in all classes except Year 5/6.
p.32
MATHEMATICS
81. The good results of the year 2000 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were above the national average. Indeed, over 60 per cent of pupils reached the higher Level 3, which is very high, compared with the national average. Results were similar at the time of the last inspection and because of the school’s successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy they have remained consistently high, being well above the national average.
p.32
MATHEMATICS
82. In the year 2000 the school did not have a year group at the end of Key Stage 2. Classroom observations, talking to pupils and looking at the work of pupils in Key Stage 2 indicate that the school’s levels of attainment for the majority of pupils are above those expected nationally. As stated, the successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy is helping to maintain the high standards. For this year the school has set the challenging but realistic target of 85 per cent of pupils achieving Level 4 at the end of Key Stage 2 in the light of the number of pupils with special educational needs. The 2002 target has been increased to the more challenging 94 per cent reaching Level 4.
p.32
MATHEMATICS
83. Pupils of all attainment levels make good progress in both key stages. In Key Stage 1 pupils have a good knowledge of number bonds and they count confidently forwards and backwards in tens and 100s from a given number. They use appropriate language when describing the position of a number, such as ‘after’ ‘before’, and ‘between’. In Year 2 most pupils add and subtract numbers to 20 accurately. Higher attaining pupils in Year 2 order three-digit numbers with accuracy and explain what they are doing. Pupils use their time well in a registration period when they use number squares to add.
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MATHEMATICS
84. In Key Stage 2, pupils are good at carrying out mental calculations and explain how they arrived at an answer. Pupils in a Year 3/4 class, which has a significant number of pupils with special educational needs, confidently make ten using cubes, number sticks and stamp pens. In a Year 5 class pupils suggested suitable metric measures for measuring the height of kangaroos, penguins and ants. This they do well, demonstrating their knowledge of the metric system and knowledge of decimal notation. In another Year 5 class pupils accurately read and plot co-ordinates in the first quadrant. They know Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 33 the correct names of different types of triangles such as isosceles, equilateral and right angle. In Year 6 pupils develop this work and use the language of angles, such as ‘reflex’, ‘obtuse’ and ‘acute’ and confidently recognise these angles, and draw them to the nearest degree. In another class pupils
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MATHEMATICS
have a good knowledge of decimal fractions and explain the value of each number with confidence.
p.33
MATHEMATICS
85. Pupils’ attitudes towards mathematics are very positive. Their behaviour is good and they work well together when necessary, for instance when sharing mathematical games or when working in a group. Pupils are very keen to respond to teachers’ questions.
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MATHEMATICS
86. The quality of teaching is good in both key stages and some of it is very good. Teachers have secure knowledge and understanding of the subject. Lessons are well planned along the lines of the National Numeracy Strategy, and include clear learning intentions, although these are not always well communicated to pupils. There are examples of the good use of end of lesson plenary sessions when teachers explain points of difficulty and use opportunities well to reinforce learning.
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MATHEMATICS
87. In Key Stage 2 pupils are usually in mixed year group classes but for mathematics they are grouped differently. For mathematics Year 5 and Year 6 are taught as single year groups with the exception of two groups of pupils from Year 5 and 6 who benefit from being in a smaller class where they are well supported by classroom assistants and the work is more closely matched to their needs. A similar arrangement takes place in Years 3 and 4. This sensible arrangement and the good working relationship between teachers and classroom assistants means pupils with special educational needs make good progress in mathematics. Good features of the teaching observed include good classroom control, brisk lessons that are conducted at pace and use of effective questioning to make pupils think more deeply about mathematics and to extend the challenge of activities. Daily ongoing assessment of pupils’ work is satisfactory although there are missed opportunities for using marking
p.33
MATHEMATICS
to feed back to pupils on how they can improve their work. Homework is used effectively to allow pupils to consolidate their understanding and to develop their skills. The quality of teaching and learning is considerably better now than when reported during the last inspection when the majority of teaching was satisfactory.
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MATHEMATICS
88. The mathematics co-ordinator has provided satisfactory leadership in the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy and delivered the staff training that was necessary. She has carried out an audit of resources, the level of which is just satisfactory, and has ordered more mathematical equipment for which the school is awaiting delivery. These will add considerably to the resource base and provide much needed resources for Years 5 and 6. Resources are stored in classrooms and near each key stage area and are easily accessible. Some monitoring of teaching has been carried out and this needs to be developed further. The school analyses data from school-wide testing in mathematics and makes good use of it to monitor pupil progress, help set targets and pinpoint areas of weaknesses. The ongoing monitoring of pupils’ attainment and progress is inconsistent.
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SCIENCE
89. Due to the recent establishment of this primary school, there are no national test results to indicate pupils’ standards of work at the end of Key Stage 2. Teachers’ assessments of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2000 indicate standards that were close to the national average at Level 2 and well above average at Level 3. When these results are compared with those in similar schools, those pupils attaining Level 2 are below average, and those at Level 3 are well above. Inspection evidence, drawn mainly from pupils’ written work and lesson observations, finds the present Year 2 and Year 6 pupils’ attainment is above national expectations.
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SCIENCE
90. When recording and describing their findings in experimental and investigative work, pupils use worksheets to establish ways of recording in Key Stage 1. In the work sample this was evident in the tasks undertaken on forces and the human body. It was also evident in the class investigation on light and dark. There is limited evidence of the elements of challenge and initiative in the presentation of results. However, in Key Stage 2, there is clear evidence of experiments and investigations, although at times teacher-directed, being recorded with due regard to hypothesis and conclusion. This was evident particularly in work samples from Years 5 and 6, on materials and forces. As well as extensive and supportive work in experimental and investigative science, pupils are covering an Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 34 appropriate range of topics within a two-year rolling programme. At the time of the previous report, it
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SCIENCE
was noted that pupils did not have a secure understanding of a fair test. In lessons and in discussion with pupils it is evident that they now have a clear understanding. Through this programme, work is carefully planned to ensure that all pupils develop knowledge skills and understanding in all areas of the subject. This scheme is relatively new. Currently, it does not always take account of the assessment of pupils’ work. As a result those pupils with special educational needs, and those pupils with higher levels of attainment, are given inappropriate tasks. Progress by these two groups of pupils is therefore only satisfactory, whereas a significant majority of pupils make good progress in lessons and from year to year. Previously, it was recognised that pupils with special educational needs made good progress; now it is only satisfactory.
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SCIENCE
91. In all the five lessons observed the quality of teaching was good. Lessons are well planned and with some detail in both key stages. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and use this well to help pupils develop their understanding and basic skills in the subject. Activities, as already mentioned, are not always related to the ability of the pupils, and this affects their learning development. A good variety of teaching methods is employed to help pupils develop in their learning. Good pupil management, a good pace to the lesson, and carefully prepared resources, ensure that pupils are motivated and keen to learn. Pupils’ knowledge is increased through well- focused practical activities, carried out with a sense of clear enjoyment. All these positive features are creating a love of science on the part of the pupils, as was evident in the discussion with them. Further to this it leads to pupils doing their best to complete their work in line with the expectations set
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SCIENCE
by the teacher. This was clearly evident in all the lessons observed, but especially in Key Stage 1, where pupils were investigating what was inside a darkened box. Also it was evident in a Key Stage 2 lesson where pupils were investigating how to keep things cold. Presentation of work is of a good standard in both key stages. Occasionally, in Key Stage 2, presentation is enhanced through the practice of redrafting initial thoughts before presenting work. However, time is wasted when pupils spend too much time redrafting work.
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SCIENCE
92. A good contribution is made to pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills by the range of opportunities that reinforce learning. This was clearly evident in the Year 5 and Year 6 groups where pupils were investigating evaporation and condensation, with the appropriate terminology correctly used. Graphs are regularly used to record results throughout the school. Due to the relocation of the school, the practice of the use of ICT in science has yet to be re-established. Through collaboration on task and discussions, where the opinion of others is respected, this subject is making a good contribution to pupils’ personal development.
p.34
SCIENCE
93. Currently the raising of standards in the subject is one of the school’s priorities for development. This has included a new school policy and scheme of work and resource management. Despite the upheaval, this has been achieved successfully due to the hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm of the co-ordinator. Alongside these developments she has had to support staff who had not previously taught science. Consequently, due to her efforts, the school is planning a curriculum that has an appropriate breadth, and which the staff feel confident to teach. Resources are readily available and are of good quality and quantity. The co-ordinator has a clear vision for further developments that includes improving the assessment of work, and providing the appropriate level of task and challenge for all pupils. At present the assessment procedures are satisfactory, but they are not an effective
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SCIENCE
tool to help the future planning in the subject.
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SCIENCE
94. The previous report referred to activities in the first school, which was on another site, with a different staff, and pupils staying in school only until Year 4. Despite all this change the school has maintained all the good features of the previous report.
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ART AND DESIGN
95. The previous report suggested that standards were in line with expected levels. Due to the reorganisation of the school and the move to a new site there was limited evidence of previous work to make secure judgements about pupils’ attainment at the end of both key stages and the improvements made since the earlier inspection. However, evidence, from a thorough scrutiny of Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 35 pupils' work, discussions, and observations of some lessons and display work, indicates that pupils are given a satisfactory range of opportunities to develop artistic skills, express ideas and feelings, and use a variety of media.
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ART AND DESIGN
96. By the end of Year 2, pupils successfully blend colours together for their self-portraits. These are expressive and show their developing skills in the observation of facial features. Art is one of the few subjects where pupils apply their ICT skills well and pupils in Year 2 use bold colours imaginatively when using a paint program to produce work in the style of Jackson Pollack. Younger pupils, in Key Stage 1, experiment with a range of techniques and gain experience of using a variety of drawing materials, which includes crayon, pastels, pencil and felt-tip pens for printing, painting and drawing. They weave paper to achieve pleasing designs and use a variety of simple stitches when making their bookmarkers.
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ART AND DESIGN
97. In Key Stage 2, pupils continue to develop their skills so that by the end of the key stage most show a good eye for detail and give sensitive responses to an increasing range of media and stimuli. Some pupils in Year 6 recognise important features of the style of several famous artists including Paul Klee. Their accuracy in recording what they see is good, and their current work in the style of Van Gogh shows a good use of well-matched colours and tones, using the dabbling technique to capture the essence of his style. Pupils use a variety of containers from different cultures for inspiration and produced detailed work of their own. Previous work in their sketchbooks show a development of ideas with good attention to detail, line, pattern and form. Overall by the end of the key stage, many pupils have learned how to evaluate their own work and make appropriate changes to improve the quality.
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ART AND DESIGN
98. There was insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement about the overall quality of teaching and learning in art. However, some good and very good features were common in the few lessons observed. In these sessions the very good organisation of pupils, the teaching of skills and the clear instructions given by the teacher had a positive impact on the good progress made by pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs. Teachers clearly set out what is to be learned in each lesson and share this with pupils so that they know exactly what is expected of them. Most activities are correspondingly purposeful and challenging and pupils respond well to the teaching. They listen carefully when techniques are being explained and join in discussions willingly, giving sensible opinions on questions about their own or other pupils’ work. This was well demonstrated in a Year 3/4 lesson on drawing figures using the correct proportions. In the session
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ART AND DESIGN
observed the teacher had secure control and discipline, which enabled pupils to work at a good pace in a relaxed and purposeful manner. Support staff were well deployed so that constant support was provided for less confident pupils. Finished work is highly valued by both teachers and pupils and is displayed prominently throughout the school. 99. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable about the subject and able to advise and support colleagues informally. However, she has yet to work alongside colleagues across the key stages to share expertise and gain a greater knowledge of the work undertaken with pupils outside of the year group in which she works. Currently there is no systematic evaluation of planning or a system of recording progress and attainment against National Curriculum criteria. The scheme of work provides a good framework for teachers’ planning and ensures a steady progression in the teaching of skills
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ART AND DESIGN
throughout the school. Art is well integrated into many subjects across the curriculum. Good examples were seen in history, science, geography and literacy, where pupils have incorporated detailed drawings of their favourite Christmas presents into their writing. Resources for the subject are adequate, accessible and satisfactory in quality. The use of materials and artefacts from other cultures and traditions to inspire work in art is developing. Art contributes well to pupils' cultural and spiritual development. Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 36
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
100. Standards are in line with those seen in other schools nationally. Previously, standards were higher in both key stages. Since the time of the previous report there have been numerous changes in the organisation, leadership, and siting of the school. Additionally to this the emphasis and position of the subject in the National Curriculum has changed twice.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
101. During the week of inspection only three lessons were observed, all in Key Stage 2. Evidence from these lessons, discussions with pupils and the limited amount of work either displayed or photographed, show that pupils' skills in designing, making and evaluating are developing satisfactorily. In two of the lessons observed the teaching was good and in the other it was excellent − a similar situation to that reported previously when teaching was very good and always satisfactory. In the lessons observed pupils made good progress in their development of skills, due to the good quality planning of the lessons and the variety of teaching methods used. Lessons are well paced and resources well prepared and beneficially used. Apart from good quality questioning, there was no formal assessment of pupils’ work. Challenge for higher attaining pupils was not evident apart from by the standards of the questions that they answered. Excellent teaching was observed in a
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
Year 5/6 class where pupils were designing a system of cotton reels to show the movement from one axle to another with regard to speed and direction. Here pupils made excellent progress in extending their knowledge and understanding of mechanisms through a very high quality practical lesson. 102. Due to the quality of teaching, pupils showed good attitudes in these lessons, concentrating on task, working hard and collaborating well. This positive attitude was reinforced when talking to a group of pupils. Pupils in Key Stage 1 were particularly enthusiastic about the houses that they had constructed. In the previous report it was noted that pupils' attitudes were also good. However, due to a change of emphasis in the National Curriculum the subject is not yet sufficiently promoted in the curriculum, and pupils do not have enough opportunities to generate their own ideas, and to make and evaluate their products. There is no formal monitoring and assessment of pupils’ progress and
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
achievement. The co-ordinator recognises the need to develop the subject further. Currently, the school is adequately resourced with a variety of equipment, which is beginning to have a positive effect on the teaching of the subject and enhancing the curriculum.
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GEOGRAPHY
103. Three geography lessons were seen during the inspection, pupils’ exercise books were scrutinised and discussions were held with pupils and teachers. From this evidence pupils are in line to achieve satisfactory standards by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 and higher achieving pupils will attain better standards than this. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection.
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GEOGRAPHY
104. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 learn about the effect of man on the environment, one pupil exclaiming, “They’ve ruined the environment”, when looking at pictures showing man increasingly developing an area of what was once open space. Other groups of pupils raise concern about loss of animal habitat, noise pollution and the dangers of traffic. The pupils express a mixture of anger and sadness when they see the damage done to the area.
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GEOGRAPHY
105. Pupils in a Year 5/6 class identify how and why places change by preparing for role-play on the topic of building a by-pass around a village from the point of view of the various protagonists. The pupils collect information from traffic surveys and enter the data into the computer to print charts showing traffic density. When describing the environment all pupils in Key Stage 2 use correct geographical language and terminology.
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GEOGRAPHY
106. A range of visits, locally and beyond, including a Year 6 residential visit, helps pupils acquire further knowledge and contributes well to the development of pupils’ understanding and geographical skills. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their visits and the activities they were involved in. A large photographic display of the Year 6 residential trip shows the wide range of activities they experienced. Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 37 Pupils with special educational need make satisfactory progress and achieve their targets. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and sometimes very good. They work with enthusiasm and respond positively to teachers’ questioning and they respect other pupils’ points of view when different from their own, for instance during the role-play about the bypass.
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GEOGRAPHY
107. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations of pupils. Teachers’ planning is satisfactory but the plans do not cater sufficiently for high achieving pupils or for pupils with special educational needs. Where planning is good these issues are addressed, learning aims and opportunities for assessment clearly identified.
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GEOGRAPHY
108. The subject co-ordinator, appointed since September 2000, manages the subject satisfactorily. She has carried out an audit of resources matched against the new scheme of work and is now seeking to extend resource provision. Links have been formed with the ‘Wharfedale Partnership’, the group of local schools, and this allows the sharing of information, good practice and resources. Resources are adequate and meet the demands of the curriculum. There is an appropriate scheme of work, closely linked to national guidelines, which successfully supports the teachers’ planning and ensures that pupils build on learning as they move through the school. There has only been informal monitoring of the subject through looking at displays and being available with advice to colleagues. Assessment in the subject is inconsistent across the school.
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HISTORY
109. Little teaching of history was seen during the inspection, but evidence was drawn from scrutiny of work and from discussions with pupils and the co-ordinator. Overall attainment for the majority of pupils is in line with national expectations by the end of both key stages.
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HISTORY
110. At the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils have a good sense of chronology. They can make sensible observations using historical sources. Most pupils have ideas about why people in the past acted as they did or how the past can be represented in different ways. This was well illustrated in a Year 1/2 class where pupils were sensibly discussing the Great Fire of London as they viewed past and present pictures of London. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils' factual knowledge is developing well. They talk confidently about periods they have studied and recognise significant changes between them, such as the role of democracy in ancient Greece. Higher attaining pupils are given limited opportunities to choose and link information from different sources in their own research. They are, however, developing the skill of recognising different interpretations and representations of the past.
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HISTORY
111. Only three lessons were observed. Two of these were good and one was excellent. As was previously reported, in these lessons teachers had a secure knowledge and understanding that helped them introduce the use of sources well, well demonstrated in a Year 3 /4 class where pupils were introduced to Roman artefacts in a lively and formative way. Here the teacher showed the pupils the artefacts related to a Roman soldier, whilst dressing up a pupil. Pupils were then asked to use their knowledge and understanding to relate the function of a variety of objects from their mystery box. Lessons are planned with clear introductions, and a concluding session that allows pupils to talk about the ideas and for the teacher to consolidate their learning. Teachers make good use of a range of resources and visits, including that to Brigantium, for their Roman studies. All these positive elements in teaching combine to ensure that the majority of pupils make satisfactory progress in their
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HISTORY
studies. Tasks undertaken during the main part of the lesson are planned as class lessons with little due regard for the different levels of attainment in the class. Individual research is still developing to help pupils produce their own projects in individual ways, using a variety of sources. Teachers' assessment of pupils' work is not well recorded and is limited to testing at the end of a topic. They do not use assessments well to plan the future work of the class. Throughout the rest of the school, higher attaining pupils are not challenged enough to think about what may lie behind the presentation of secondary sources. Pupils with special education needs are well supported and make satisfactory progress in recalling their ideas and discussing them in groups. At the time of the previous inspection Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 38 teaching was also regarded as of good quality. Despite the importance of the subject in the National
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HISTORY
Curriculum being reduced, this quality has remained.
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HISTORY
112. The school has started to adapt the optional national planning guidance to match their current plans for a two-year rolling programme. As a result teachers are planning for the progressive teaching of this subject. Attention is now being paid to the development of historical skills and understanding across the whole school and this is aiding progress. Pupils enjoy history lessons and in discussion are willing to relate historical events. Currently, the development of history is not a school priority. However the subject co-ordinator is keeping provision under review and is aware that the monitoring of teaching and learning is under-developed.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
113. Information and communication technology (ICT) was a key issue in the previous inspection report in terms of the low standards achieved by pupils by the end of Key Stage 2. National Curriculum requirements were not met and progress was unsatisfactory because pupils were not given a sufficiently broad experience. Since then, the school has made good progress. An ICT suite has been established, the optional national scheme of work has been adopted and teachers’ confidence is improving. Consequently, standards in ICT by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are now in line with those expected nationally. However pupils' attainment varies between different aspects of the National Curriculum. For example, standards in word processing and use of graphics are above national expectations at the end of both key stages. In other aspects, such as storage and analysis of information, controlling, monitoring and modelling, the level of attainment cannot be commented on
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
114. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils learn how to control the movement of a floor robot along a particular route using a sequence of commands. Many are confident users of computers. They log on and off the computer, skilfully use the mouse for pointing, selecting, dragging and moving items around the screen and some print and save their work without adult support. In word processing work, they use simple tools, such as the ‘space bar’ and ‘delete’, to correct and present their work. They show familiarity with the icons on the screen and the keyboard functions, such as the ‘return key’ for a new line and ‘caps lock’ for a capital letter. Pupils successfully use a graphics program to produce attractive pictures in the style of Jackson Pollack and are becoming familiar with using the computer to sort and classify information to produce simple bar charts.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
115. In Key Stage 2, younger pupils learn to construct graphs and understand that bar and pie charts are used for different purposes. As pupils move through the school there is some extension of the work on word processing. They become a little more sophisticated about what they do with the appearance of text. For example, they successfully delete and insert letters, and easily change the font, size and colour to enhance their work as seen in the presentation of poetry in the Year 5/6 classes. Most save, amend and print their work independently. By the end of the key stage, some pupils have well-developed skills in ICT and use the computers with great confidence. They know the difference between accessing information from a hard disk and CD-ROM programs, which they successfully use to extract information linked to their topic. Pupils skilfully merge text and graphics. In discussion with them, it was clear that pupils understand that computers use text and pictures to
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
convey information and many use appropriate technological language to talk about their past work. Examination of pupils’ work showed that the use of ICT is beginning to make an impact on pupils’ learning in other subjects of the curriculum. This was well demonstrated in the graphs in mathematics for presenting information on a traffic survey and opinion polls in geography. Later in the year pupils will have the opportunity to create, manipulate and interpret spreadsheets. All pupils have access to some other aspects of ICT including data, photographs, television and video. A digital camera was used during the visit to Brigantium as part of the history studies. Pupils confidently locate an appropriate search engine and search for information on the Internet. Due to the upheaval that the school has had to deal with especially in the last 12 months, not all pupils have had Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 39
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
consistent use of computers. However, this is now being addressed and all pupils have regular access.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
116. Previously the subject was not taught as a separate subject and the ICT skills were not covered. There were no links with other areas of the curriculum and lack of organisation and use of computers hindered progress especially in Key Stage 2. Skills are now taught in small groups by the classroom assistant or as the opportunity arises with the introduction of a new program that is to be used for pupils’ tasks. This was seen in the Year 3/4 class when the Crystal Rainforest II program was introduced. Since the earlier inspection staff have put a lot of time and effort into improving their own knowledge and understanding of the subject. This conscientious attitude is now beginning to have a beneficial effect in the teaching of the subject, which is satisfactory. However, short-term planning does not always cater for the range of pupils’ attainment. Arrangements for assessment are inconsistent. Work is not systematically planned from what pupils already know, understand and can
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
do, especially for the higher attaining pupils. All these issues are currently under review by the school.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
117. The co-ordinator gives good leadership in the subject and has a clear vision for the future of ICT in the school. She manages the subject well and offers advice and support to colleagues in planning and teaching and has had the opportunity to visit other classrooms to observe the teaching of the subject. The range of hardware is good because there has been a significant purchase of equipment in the last two years. A useful scheme of work has been introduced to help guide teachers in their planning. The next area planned for improvement is the ongoing assessment of pupils’ skills and progress. This is currently unsatisfactory and rightly identified by the co-ordinator as an area of development. Plans are in hand to provide ongoing training to ensure that teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject are further developed.
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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
118. Although it is not a National Curriculum requirement, all pupils in Year 6 have been learning French since the reorganisation of the school from a first school to a primary. They are achieving the standards which would be expected from pupils of their age who learn French.
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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
119. They understand and respond to a range of questions about themselves and their family, such as the date of their birthday or how many brothers and sisters they have. They speak with a satisfactory accent, following the good model provided by the teacher. In the lesson observed there were few opportunities for pupils to put the questions themselves, for instance working in pairs, but this does happen in other lessons. They know numbers, at least up to 20, with confidence. They have done an appropriate amount of writing in the language. They copy vocabulary mostly accurately but have some difficulty writing plurals where the ‘s’ is silent. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and are keen to contribute in lessons. They behave well.
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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
120. The specialist teacher takes the Year 6 pupils in two groups for 35 minutes each a week. She has a sound knowledge of the language and uses a good range of methods, such as using a beanbag to direct questions or a game of ‘Lotto’ to reinforce the learning of numbers. Resources, such as the overhead projector, are used well. Pupils’ learning is limited by the fact that they have only one session a week and there are no opportunities to consolidate their learning at other times, such as in registration or through other areas of the curriculum, where for instance mental arithmetic could be done in French. Pupils were observed working in pairs listening to a compact disc, which reinforced their learning, and more use could be made of recorded material to provide pupils with a wider range of models of speech. Within these constraints, teaching and learning are satisfactory.
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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
121. Teaching a foreign language gives an extra dimension to the school’s curriculum and prepares pupils well for the next stage. The co-ordinator has established good links with other local schools and the receiving secondary school to ensure that what pupils have already learned is valued and that Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 40 the transition to language learning at secondary level is smooth. The subject contributes well to pupils’ social and cultural development.
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MUSIC
122. Only one singing lesson was seen during the inspection and no judgements can be given on pupils’ overall attainment in music. At the time of the previous inspection attainment in both key stages was in line with those expected nationally.
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MUSIC
123. Pupils were heard singing in hymn practice and in assemblies. This was done enthusiastically, unaccompanied and the singing of the hymn ‘Love is like a magic penny’ was both in tune and in time. Pupils listen well to music of different composers as part of each assembly.
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MUSIC
124. The school’s provision for music is enhanced by a number of visiting specialist music teachers who provide tuition in a variety of instruments including guitar, saxophone, clarinet and keyboard. Although tuition is only available to pupils who pay for the lessons, the school ensures that no pupils are denied access if finance is an issue. During a lesson where two pupils were receiving tuition in clarinet and saxophone, the pupils played with skill, knowledge and vigour, had a good attitude to their learning and made good progress. A peripatetic piano player is employed for one afternoon per week to accompany singing for Key Stage 2 pupils. The extra music provision enables pupils to experience a wider range of musical opportunities to extend their musical knowledge. The school arranges for musicians to visit the school to play for pupils including an Asian music duo, which enriches pupils’
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MUSIC
125. The management of the subject is satisfactory. The co-ordinator has identified assessment of pupils and teachers’ planning as areas that need improvement. Teachers use the QCA exemplar schemes of work from which to plan their lessons, although the plans do not cater sufficiently for higher attaining pupils nor for those with special educational needs. There is a satisfactory range of resources and these are readily available to pupils and teachers. In the school improvement plan music is not identified as an area for development.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
126. During the inspection it was possible to observe only games at Key Stage 1 and games, gymnastics and dance at Key Stage 2, but the school’s planning shows that all areas of physical education are catered for. Overall the standards achieved by pupils aged seven and eleven are average for their age.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
127. In the Years 1 and 2 games lesson, pupils showed the skills at catching and throwing which are expected for their age. They are also able to suggest rules for their own defending game. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils in Years 5 and 6 show satisfactory skills when striking a ball with a racket, and they are developing an awareness of tactics in a game. In gymnastics they show good skill in developing and refining a sequence of movements and also in evaluating the performance of others when given the opportunity. In the only dance lesson observed with a class from Years 3 and 4, pupils made good progress by analysing their own response and those of others to the music. Although swimming was not observed during the inspection, the evidence indicates that the majority of pupils meet the expectation of the National Curriculum to swim 25 metres with recognised strokes by the age of eleven.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
128. Pupils have good attitudes to physical education. They dress appropriately, come quickly and quietly to lessons, and behave well. Junior pupils watch each other well and appreciate the achievement of others. All pupils co-operate well in getting out and putting away the equipment for lessons.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
129. The quality of teaching is good at both key stages. Teachers manage pupils well, so that good use is made of the time available. They have a good understanding of the subject and evaluate Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 41 pupils’ work well, enabling them to improve their performance, although sometimes they do not give sufficient opportunity for pupils to evaluate their own work and that of others. All teachers ensure that pupils warm up before and cool down after a lesson, and that they understand the reasons for this.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
130. The time allocated to physical education is above average, with each class having two sessions a week, and this is supplemented by a range of extra-curricular activities, such as basketball and netball. The school is establishing good links with other local primary schools for inter-school competition. It participates in a swimming gala and cross-country event, as well as a football tournament organised by Bradford City Football Club, who also provide coaching sessions after school. A residential trip for Year 6 pupils provides good opportunities for a range of challenging outdoor and adventurous activities. Accommodation for the subject is good, with a large indoor hall and extensive field. The recently appointed co-ordinator has a good understanding of the subject and has begun to monitor teaching, giving good feedback to colleagues. There has been good improvement since the previous inspection, when teaching was only satisfactory and there were no
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
opportunities for organised competitive sport.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
131. The standards achieved by pupils aged seven and eleven are below those expected by the local authority’s agreed syllabus, which the school is required to follow. The school does not allow sufficient time for teaching the subject, and is not meeting the recommendations of the agreed syllabus. Equally it does not have long-term plans which ensure that pupils develop their knowledge and understanding as they move through the school, although in the lessons seen teaching was satisfactory.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
132. Although some satisfactory and good features are common in the teaching and learning of religious education at the school, overall teaching is unsatisfactory because not all aspects of the syllabus are fully covered. Consequently, pupils make too little progress over time. Pupils learn about the food that Muslims eat to celebrate Eid. Teachers use a good range of resources, including a range of foods which pupils were able to look at and smell. However, younger pupils in Year 1 do not clearly associate these foods with religious practice. Older pupils in Year 2 have difficulty recalling earlier learning, for instance what they were learning about in the lesson. There is little recorded work at this key stage; pupils retell the Old Testament story of Noah in picture form or recount the New Testament birth stories, but they do not have an understanding of the significance of these stories in
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
their religious traditions. Pupils from the two reception year and Year 1 classes are taught as one group of over fifty, and this does not allow the teacher to assess what individual pupils have understood.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
133. There was no opportunity to observe lessons in Key Stage 2, as these all took place on Friday afternoon, after the inspection had finished. However, from discussion with pupils in Year 6 and examination of their books, there was no clear development in their understanding of the significance of such practices as fasting or what it means to belong to a faith community. Pupils cannot always distinguish, for instance, between forms of worship in Judaism and Islam. The lack of any planning to ensure that their understanding develops as they move through the school, or of any systematic check on what they already know, lead to their unsatisfactory achievement.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
134. Pupils’ attitudes are positive. Younger pupils behave well in lessons, even in a large group. Older pupils understand that there is a diversity of religious belief and practice in their own society. Although there is no evidence of the subject being used to develop literacy, the teaching of literacy does support religious education through the shared reading and discussion of stories such as the Ramayana as part of the topic of myths and legends in Years 5 and 6.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
135. Improvement in the subject since the last inspection has been unsatisfactory. The school makes some use of visits, for instance to the local church, the mosque at Keighley and a Hindu temple, and it has acquired a satisfactory range of artefacts, but standards have not been maintained, because the need for the school to produce its own scheme, identified in the previous report, has not been addressed. Provision, including the time allocated to the subject, is not monitored sufficiently. The local authority is now revising its agreed syllabus, but the school should ensure that its provision meets the current requirements. Formal procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment are not in Addingham Primary School – January 2001 - 42 place. There are plans to improve. Monitoring to ensure that pupils are receiving the full breadth and balance of the curriculum does not take place.
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