Silverdale St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th – 8 th May 2002

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ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ENGLAND 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. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Emesgate Lane Silverdale Carnforth Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 th September 1997 Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 10638 Mr M Newell Registered inspector 9981 Mr S Hussain Lay inspector 10182 Mr B Cooper Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Lynrose Marketing Ltd Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 21

Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the village of Silverdale in Lancashire, about 5 miles from Carnforth. The majority of pupils that attend live in close proximity to the school. There are currently 88 pupils on roll with a larger number of boys than girls. The school is much smaller than other primary schools. All pupils are of white ethnic origin and only a very small percentage of pupils speak English as an additional language, with no pupils at an early stage of learning English. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. The percentage of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs stands at approximately 19% and this is broadly in line with the average nationally. The percentage of pupils with a statement of special educational need is above the national average. Assessment data shows that attainment levels soon after children start school are

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

generally above average with a small percentage below this level.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with a number of significant strengths. The good quality of teaching together with the very good attitudes to learning that pupils have make a powerful combination that contribute much to the well above average standards that pupils attain in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave school. Throughout the school behaviour is often very good. The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities in which all pupils are very effectively included. This adds much to pupils’ personal and social development as well as their academic development. The quality of leadership and management is good which helps to ensure that all pupils achieve well. Taking all factors into account, this is a school that is providing good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening, mathematics and science by the time that they leave school. • Teaching is of a good standard. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning, behave very well and show a thirst for new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school makes for their personal development. • The school provides a good range of learning opportunities both inside and outside of the formal curriculum and through its links with a local special school celebrates the importance of inclusion in a most effective manner. All these factors bring an added dimension to pupils’ learning and their social development. • Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and tracking pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science. • The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

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What the school does well

effectively to provide a good quality of education for all pupils.

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What could be improved

• Standards in writing across the school. • Assessment procedures in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. • The marking of pupils’ work. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since the time of the last inspection. High standards have been maintained and in some instances improved, such as in music, which were found to be below average at the last inspection. The school has put in place better quality strategies for school development planning. Although there is now the need to develop good quality procedures for assessing the pupils' progress and attainment in the foundation subjects of the curriculum, good procedures are in place for assessing attainment in English, mathematics and science. Better quality procedures are now in place for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning and omissions in the school prospectus and the Governors’ Annual Report to Parents, have been rectified. Many of the strengths identified at the last inspection have been maintained and in some instances built upon and improved. The school is appropriately placed to sustain and where appropriate continue to improve the quality of

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

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

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schools

The table shows the school’s results at the end of Year 6 in the National Curriculum tests over a three-year-period and against similar schools for 2001. In 2001 the standards were well above average in English, mathematics and science when compared to all schools nationally. When the results are compared to similar schools attainment is well above average in mathematics and above average in English and science. The school has good procedures in place to track pupils’ progress and for setting targets in these subjects. Results over time show that the school’s trend of improvement is similar to that found nationally. Inspection findings indicate that standards continue to be well above average in English, mathematics and science with reading standards stronger than writing standards. Evidence suggests that standards are set to stay at this same high level in subsequent years, although the small number of pupils in each year group can sometimes make

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schools

comparisons with national results less accurate and reliable.

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schools

Inspection findings show that standards at the end of Year 2 in English, mathematics and science are above average, with writing not at the same level as reading. There are fluctuating levels of attainment in the test results at the end of Year 2 over the last three years. The difference in attainment between pupils at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and from year to year can be explained by the natural ability differences of pupils. The good quality of teaching and the very good attitudes of the pupils form a positive combination that ensures that pupils of all abilities throughout the school make good strides in their learning over time. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 8 The school sets challenging targets not only for the percentage expected to achieve the level expected of 7- and 11-year-olds but also the percentage of pupils expected to exceed this level.

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schools

The attainment of children soon after they start school is generally above average although a small number of children are not at this level. Children benefit from good quality teaching in the Foundation Stage and as a result make good strides in their learning. By the time that children start in Year 1 many have exceeded the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and to school in general. Pupils show a thirst for new knowledge and skills and are keen to do well. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The vast majority of pupils behave very well in class and around the school. Pupils are polite, helpful and show a high awareness of the needs of others. Personal development and relationships Relationships are of a very good standard. The school provides well for the personal development of pupils. These factors contribute significantly to the life and ethos of the school. Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance rates are in line with the national average. Pupils clearly enjoy coming to school.

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

Quality of teaching 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.

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

Teaching over time is consistently good across the school and this makes a significant contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning and to the good progress that pupils of all abilities make. In the Foundation Stage the teaching has placed an increasing and important emphasis on providing opportunities for children to learn through practical, investigative, ‘’hands on’’ and role play activities as well as more formal and structured activities in areas such as literacy and numeracy. This good practice has enhanced children’s learning. In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 teaching in English and mathematics is generally of a good standard and impacts well on how well pupils learn. Reading skills are taught in a systematic and rigorous manner throughout the school. Writing skills are being increasingly taught in a systematic manner with pupils being directly taught the skills to enable them to write for

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

different purposes and audiences. This good practice is more prevalent at Key Stage 2. Opportunities are missed throughout the school to extend pupils’ writing skills in other areas of the curriculum. Good and at times very good teaching in mathematics and science is characterised by challenging and demanding tasks which stretch pupils of all abilities and by opportunities to learn through investigative and problem solving activities. There is some very good practice, for the older pupils in school, of the marking of pupils’ work being used to clearly outline what pupils need to do to improve. This very good practice is not as consistent across the school as it should be. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 9 Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a satisfactory curriculum overall that is enhanced by a good range of learning opportunities outside the formal curriculum. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs is of a good standard. The pupils are well supported and this ensures that they progress at a similar rate to their classmates. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is good and the manner in which the school embraces and celebrates the concept of inclusion adds much to pupils’ personal development. Provision for pupils’ moral and social development is of a high standard and spiritual and cultural development at an appropriate level. How well the school cares for its pupils Appropriate procedures are in place to ensure the safety and

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Aspect Comment

well-being of pupils. Good procedures are in place to assess, track and set targets for pupils in English, mathematics and science. The school has accurately identified the need to develop effective assessment and tracking procedures in other subjects of the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher provides good leadership and management and has played an important role in the continued development and improvement of the school. He is well supported by a committed teaching and non-teaching staff who share his desire to provide a good quality of education for all pupils. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The Governing Body fully meets its statutory requirements and has proved increasingly effective in holding the school to account for the quality of education it provides. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school has a good grasp of its strengths and the areas for development. Appropriate procedures are in place to monitor the quality of teaching and learning. Good procedures are in place for analysing test and assessment data in English, mathematics and science and for setting targets for school

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Aspect Comment

improvement. The strategic use of resources Good use is made of the skills of individual teachers and support staff to enhance pupils’ learning. Financial planning is of a good standard and the principles of best value are applied well when purchasing goods and services. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 11

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The fact that their children enjoy school. • The good teaching, the school’s high expectations and the good progress that children make. • The good behaviour in school and the way in which the school is helping children to become mature and responsible • The approachability of the school • How the school is led and managed. • The amount of homework. • Information relating to how their child is getting on. • The range of activities outside of lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The parents are generally very supportive of the school and appreciate the good quality of education that the school provides. Parents play a very important role in supporting and enhancing their child’s education and the school greatly appreciates the role that parents play. Inspection findings support parents’ positive views. The amount of homework that pupils are set is similar to that found in the majority of primary schools and is therefore judged to be satisfactory. The school holds three parents’ evenings each year when parents can discuss their child’s progress. In addition parents receive good quality written reports that include targets for pupils’ improvement and projected levels of attainment. Parents are welcome to come to school to discuss any concerns they have about their child’s academic or personal development. These factors suggest that the school provides a good quantity and quality of

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

information relating to pupils’ progress. The school provides an appropriate range of extra- curricular activities given the small size of the school. Activities after school are more restricted in the winter months because the school runs a very popular and well-attended before and after school club in the school hall which restricts other activities taking place. The club however is much appreciated and valued by many parents. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 12

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

mathematics and science by the time that they leave school.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

1. The school is committed to achieving and sustaining high standards. The school often achieves results that are well above the national average and pupils achieve well when compared to similar schools. Inspection findings show that the consistently good teaching and the very good attitudes that pupils have to learning form a powerful combination that help to ensure that by the time that pupils leave school they consistently attain well above average standards in mathematics and science. Pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve their potential. Evidence suggests that standards are set to stay at this same high level in subsequent years, although the small number of pupils in each year group can sometimes make comparisons with national results less reliable.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

2. Standards in speaking and listening are well above average by the time that pupils leave school. From an early age pupils are encouraged to listen attentively and to value the contributions made by their classmates. This occurs as early as the reception class where the teacher clearly respects and values the contributions of all children. This does much to build up children’s confidence and as a result children talk animatedly about their own experiences. Pupils continue to develop their speaking and listening skills at a good rate as they move through the school. Pupils thoroughly enjoy the question and answer sessions that are a feature of many lessons and take part with high levels of interest and motivation. Teaching ensures that pupils have the chance to discuss far ranging issues such as prejudice, pollution and conservation and this provides pupils with golden opportunities to frame persuasive and emotive

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

arguments to support their point of view. Throughout the school pupils are expected to listen attentively and pupils show that they do this by quickly getting on with their work after a whole class introduction knowing full well what is expected of them. In the best lessons the teachers expect pupils to use a good level of technical vocabulary in different subjects of the curriculum and also expect pupils to use an expressive vocabulary when justifying their views and opinions. Pupils invariably rise to the challenge.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

3. Standards in reading are at a high level by the time pupils are 11. In the Foundation Stage and at Key Stage 1 pupils are taught a good range of reading strategies to help them tackle unfamiliar words and phrases. Pupils put these to good use and tackle quite complex texts with ease. Pupils are encouraged to read with fluency and expression and they do so, often making very effective use of punctuation to make the text come to life. Pupils are provided with lots of opportunities to read aloud and pupils thoroughly enjoy doing this showing high levels of confidence. Pupils at Key Stage 1 show a good level of understanding when reading and are able to re-tell the main events of a story and explain why they like a particular character in a book. The school operates a system of ‘’reading partners’’ where the older pupils read with younger pupils in school. This is very effective as younger pupils have very good role models

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

and see that reading is still very important for older pupils. The initiative also does much to promote pupils’ personal development and strengthens the concept of the school as a community. Pupils throughout receive high levels of support from parents, which enhances their reading skills. Throughout Key Stage 2 pupils continue to develop their reading skills. By Year 6 pupils are very confident and expressive readers. Teaching in Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 13 Key Stage 2 continues to introduce pupils to a wide range of writers and pupils have developed a genuine interest and love of literature. Pupils may read and study the work of modern writers such as J K Rowling but are as likely to be reading classic novels or the work of Shakespeare. The strong element of teaching is that it continues to develop pupils’ reading skills. Teachers teach skills such as skimming and scanning and this

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

enables pupils to locate required information at speed to get the gist of the text without a full laborious read. Pupils are expected to use these skills in other subjects of the curriculum such as history and geography. Teaching for the oldest pupils is effective in drawing pupils’ attention to how writers use nuances in the text and this heightens pupils’ awareness to try and understand text beyond the literal level. Pupils continue to be provided with lots of opportunities to read out loud as well as reading silently to themselves. Pupils continue to recognise the importance of punctuation in text and they respond to it, helping the text to leap off the page and hook and maintain the attention of the listener.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

4. Standards in mathematics are well above average by the time that pupils leave school. Pupils’ numeracy skills are well established from an early age and as a result pupils are confident and accurate when handling numbers. In the Foundation Stage the children are provided with opportunities to engage in practical as well as formal mathematical activities which allow them to gain a good grasp of number and shape in everyday life. The considerable emphasis that the school places on developing pupils’ numeracy skills results in pupils of all ages being able to check the reasonableness of their answers using their impressive knowledge of number facts. Many lessons throughout the school start with quick fire mental calculations. The pupils thoroughly enjoy these sessions and the good quality of teaching is effective in encouraging the pupils to explore and explain how they arrived at their answers. These strategies are then often

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

used by pupils to solve more complex written problems which they tackle with high levels of interest and success. Pupils are expected to use their numeracy skills in other subjects such as science and geography. The teaching ensures that all elements of mathematics are covered in depth which means that by the age of 11 pupils not only have very good number skills but they also have attained high levels of understanding of probability, data handling and draw and measure angles accurately.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

5. Standards in science are well above average by the time that pupils leave school. From an early age children are encouraged to find things out for themselves and in the Foundation Stage children take part in practical scientific investigations and learn about life cycles and healthy eating. As pupils move up through school much emphasis remains on developing pupils’ ability to carry out investigations alongside the acquisition of scientific knowledge. Pupils enjoy their role as scientific enquirers and their very positive attitudes to learning together with the consistently good quality of teaching help to ensure that pupils of all abilities make good progress. All elements of the subject are covered in depth at both key stages. By the end of Year 6 pupils predict, confirm and draw conclusions. They have a very good appreciation of what constitutes a fair test. Pupils have a very secure knowledge base of what is needed to keep fit and healthy.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

They fully understand what happens to the body after exercise and record their findings very well with the use of computers. Pupils’ knowledge of food chains and germination is impressive and they are very secure in their work on forces. Pupils record their results from different experiments using both written, tabular and graphical formats and make good use of their numeracy skills to measure and record accurately. The good quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 ensures that pupils use their very good scientific knowledge to help them predict what might happen and to explain clearly and lucidly why things happen as they do. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 14 Teaching is of a good standard.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

6. The overall good quality of teaching makes a significant and important contribution to the high levels of attainment and to the good progress that pupils of all abilities make. The good teaching helps to ensure that pupils make good strides in their learning and achieve well. During the week of inspection teaching was very good in about one fifth of lessons, good in just over seven out of ten lessons and satisfactory in only a small percentage of lessons. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

7. Teaching is good in the Foundation Stage. The children are provided with lots of practical learning opportunities. Each activity that is set up has a specific learning focus and this enhances children’s learning. Teaching encourages children to learn through investigative and practical activities as well as more formal activities. The teacher is currently capitalising on opportunities for the children to learn through structured play activities both inside and outside and this is enhancing children’s learning. All adults in the Foundation Stage work very well together. Adults circulate around the room prompting and questioning the children in an effective manner. Whether in role-play, practical tasks or more formal tasks staff are always looking for ways to extend children’s literacy and communication skills and ensure that children are working towards the learning objective of each particular task. Lots of opportunities are provided

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

for independent learning alongside the direct teaching of specific skills such as calculating, reading, writing, cutting and drawing. The close liaison that the school has with a local special school where children work together in music significantly enhances children’s personal, social and emotional development as well as developing their creative skills in music. The high expectations of the teaching, the good quality planning and management of children together with the recognition that every activity is a learning opportunity all help to ensure that children get a good start to their educational lives in the Foundation Stage.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

8. The teaching and learning in literacy and numeracy are of a good standard in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The good quality of teaching ensures that from an early age pupils are directly taught the skills to enable them to become expressive and fluent readers. Lots of opportunities are provided within lessons for pupils to read out loud and teachers stress the importance of reading expressively. For example in Year 1 pupils were encouraged to look at how different punctuation is used to bring the text to life. Pupils quickly picked up on this and as a result the quality of expressive reading improved. Pupils are taught the importance of how to use contents and index pages to locate information quickly and use these skills not only in literacy lessons but also across other subjects of the curriculum. This good quality teaching continues in Key Stage 2.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

9. Teaching ensures that pupils are equipped with the ability to skim and scan which means that pupils locate information quickly and accurately. The school has helped to create a high quality reading culture where the value of literature is recognised and appreciated. This occurs because teachers introduce pupils to a wide range of authors, poets and playwrights. Throughout the school children receive very good support from their parents who clearly value and recognise the importance of developing reading skills and a love of literature. Teaching throughout the school ensures that pupils are provided with a wealth of opportunities to write for a wide range of audiences and purposes. Pupils are asked to write creatively, write letters, take notes, write reports, compose persuasive arguments and chronological and non-chronological texts to name but a few. Increasingly over the last year pupils have been directly taught the

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

specific skills that are necessary to write for these differing purposes. In a very good lesson for pupils in Year 6 the teacher directly taught the pupils, through high quality Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 15 computer software, how to structure a story to have the biggest possible impact on the reader. The lesson zipped along at a cracking pace and pupils were under no illusions as to what was expected of them. The pupils responded to the challenge and by the end of the lesson had a better awareness of the type of story structure that would hook the interest and attention of the reader.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

10. The teaching in numeracy is good. A strong feature of lessons is that they are divided up into effective sections. The introduction to lessons is often characterised by mental warm up activities. These are often successful because they present pupils with a range of tasks that test their mental agility to the full. The pupils thoroughly enjoy these sessions which often set the tone, pace and expectations for the rest of the lesson. The teachers often share the learning objectives of the lesson with the pupils and this is effective because it more actively involves the pupils in taking responsibility for their own learning. Lessons usually end with a summary session where the best teaching assesses what has or has not been achieved and the information is then used to guide and inform future curriculum planning. Where teaching is at its best, for example in Years 3 and 4, the teacher’s subject knowledge is used very effectively to enthuse the

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

pupils and well-targeted questioning makes sure that pupils of all abilities are fully included in oral sessions. Pupils are asked to explore and examine the different strategies they use to solve a particular problem and the different methods are then shared with the rest of the class. This advances the learning of all pupils which they then put to good use when solving problems later on in the lesson. In science much attention is paid across the school to developing pupils’ scientific knowledge across all elements of the subject and by the time that pupils leave school they have acquired a very good level of scientific knowledge. Teaching however ensures that pupils learn through practical and investigative work. Pupils are expected to use their scientific knowledge to good effect to hypothesise, to explain why things happen as they do or to set up and carry out a fair and accurate test.

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Pupils attain well above average standards in reading, speaking and listening,

11. Teaching in other subjects is often characterised by enthusiasm and good subject knowledge. When teaching art and design, music or information and communication technology teachers set clear learning objectives and high expectations. This together with the lively teaching style, the direct teaching of specific skills and the good management of pupils and high quality of relationships all lead to good strides in pupils’ learning. The school makes good use of the local environment and the skills of people within the local community to enhance pupils’ learning. The good quality of teaching together with the very good attitudes to learning displayed by pupil’s impact significantly on the quality of learning and the good progress that pupils of all abilities make.

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new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school

12. The pupils have very good attitudes to learning and to school in general. They show a thirst for new knowledge and learning and are keen to do well. The attitudes that pupils have and their desire to do well play a very important part in the high levels of attainment that are achieved by pupils.

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new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school

13. In the Foundation Stage children quickly adapt to the routines of school life. The teacher, support staff and other adults set high expectations both in terms of behaviour and the amount of work children are expected to complete. Many opportunities are provided for children to learn through practical activities and play as well as more formal activities. The children are provided with opportunities to enquire, to share Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 16 resources and to help put them away at the end of sessions. Children respond well to these expectations and are often seen working very productively and showing good levels of concentration. Once children have had a task explained to them they are eager to get on with their work and take a real pride when they have completed a task successfully. They respond well to the praise and constructive criticism that is provided by staff. The children often work together well and are always ready to help one another

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new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school

when the need arises. The children are increasingly keen to do things for themselves and recognise this as an important part of their learning.

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new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school

14. Pupils in Years 1-6 continue to have very positive attitudes to learning. Many pupils recognise the importance of a good education and many are ready to play their part in ensuring that they fulfil their potential. Pupils take a full and active part in all lessons. They are always prepared to join in the question and answer sessions that are a feature of most lessons. The pupils are confident in doing so because they know staff and classmates alike will respect their views and opinions. Pupils work well in groups or individually and are willing to help one another if the teacher is dealing with other pupils or issues. Pupils take a pride in their work. In many lessons the teaching is interesting and enjoyable and the pupils respond with high levels of interest, enthusiasm and motivation. The teaching also provides opportunities for pupils to learn through investigative activities. The pupils clearly enjoy these activities and are more

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new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school

than happy to experiment, investigate or simply find things out for themselves. The pupils are equally enthusiastic about more creative activities and show good levels of creativity and imagination in their artwork. Pupils need little prompting to use a dictionary or a reference book to find a word or retrieve a certain piece of information. The pupils are often so fired up by the tasks and activities that they have taken part in at school that they carry out additional unprompted work at home. The very positive attitudes and strong work ethic displayed by pupils contribute significantly to the quality of life in the school.

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new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school

15. Behaviour across the school is very good and makes a significant contribution to the ethos of the school. The school makes it clear from an early age what is required in terms of behaviour. The school stresses the importance of self-discipline and that pupils must be responsible for their own actions. Pupils have a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong and a good appreciation of the impact of their actions on the well being of others. The overall quality of behaviour makes a powerful contribution to the quality of learning. Inspection findings indicate that pupils are very well mannered, polite and always willing and eager to talk to visitors.

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new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school

16. The atmosphere in school is one where the individuality of the pupils is recognised and valued. Staff and pupils treat one another with respect. The pupils value the trust and responsibility that staff place in them by working productively and by carrying out jobs around the school in a sensible and mature manner. The pupils are given the chance to go on a residential visit to France and the school is twinned with a school in Yorkshire which has a high percentage of ethnic minority pupils and pupils from both schools spend time in each other’s school. The visit to France involves pupils spending a week in French homes and then the visit is reciprocated.

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new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school

17. The pupils are provided with opportunities to develop a sense of responsibility by carrying out tasks around the school. Throughout the school the pupils are expected to play a pivotal role in putting out and putting away resources and the older pupils help prepare the hall for assembly. They contribute much to the community feel of the school by helping and caring for the younger pupils and through initiatives such as ‘’reading partners,’’ to support their learning. Pupils act as library monitors, dinner time and subject monitors and classes have a rota of jobs, which all pupils carry out Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 17 enthusiastically and productively. The pupils organise and take part in fund raising coffee mornings in the local community. The pupils are only too ready to help those less fortunate than themselves and this shows in the different charitable causes that

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new knowledge and skills. This is enhanced by the good provision that the school

they support. Pupils sponsor a child in Ghana, they regularly raise money for Comic Relief, have raised money for victims of Chernobyl and also initiate their own fund raising activities as part of the ‘’Blue Peter Appeal.’’ All of these initiatives bring an added dimension to pupils’ learning as well as doing a great deal to enhance their personal development.

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the importance of inclusion in a most effective manner. All these factors bring an

added dimension to pupils’ learning and their social development.

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the importance of inclusion in a most effective manner. All these factors bring an

18. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes pupils’ learning effectively. All subjects are covered in sufficient depth and the school is effective in the way in which it seeks to promote pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils are expected to use their literacy skills to good effect in subjects such as history and to use their numeracy skills in subjects such as science, geography and design and technology. Pupils gain a good knowledge of the work of famous artists and composers through their studies in school, and in the case of art their learning is enhanced further by work with students from a local college. In the Foundation Stage many opportunities are provided for children to learn through practical and investigative activities as well through more formal tasks. Children are encouraged to find things out for themselves and a new initiative that the teacher is

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the importance of inclusion in a most effective manner. All these factors bring an

working on is to capitalise on the opportunities for learning through structured and unstructured outdoor play. This is an exciting innovation which is adding much to the children’s quality of learning.

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the importance of inclusion in a most effective manner. All these factors bring an

19. The school is quick to capitalise on learning opportunities that people and initiatives from outside of the school may bring. For example, during the inspection women from the local community came into school and worked with pupils, teaching them how to carry out the traditional technique of felting. The pupils were spellbound, listened intently and put their new found skills to good use in pieces of work of their own. As well as adding much to pupils’ art and design skills this activity brought a further dimension to their personal and social development. The school is eager to contribute to the life of the school in the community, and these opportunities often enhance pupils’ learning as well as their social development. Pupils sing at various events and venues within the community as well as taking part in numerous fund raising and community based activities. The older pupils are involved in a very good conservation project which

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the importance of inclusion in a most effective manner. All these factors bring an

involves pupils visiting a local reed land beauty spot. The pupils measure the growth of reeds that are cut and those that are allowed free growth and compare the habitats that are produced for different animals and birds. The project has produced golden opportunities for pupils to record their findings on the computer and enhance their computer skills, extended their scientific and geographical skills in a very positive manner and has heightened their awareness of conservation issues within the community in which they live. The school is in a rural setting and the headteacher is keen to extend pupils’ awareness of the wider area and the wider world. With this in mind the school makes good use of visits and visitors and takes part in inter-school competitions. In addition to exchange visits to France and a school in Yorkshire, the school is involved in a very exciting and innovative project on video conferencing which

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the importance of inclusion in a most effective manner. All these factors bring an

is to put pupils in contact on a face to face basis with pupils in schools around the country. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 18 20. The school is situated close to a special school which caters for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. The schools have established tremendous links which have done much to recognise and celebrate the concept of inclusion in a truly meaningful manner. Younger children from Silverdale School visit the special school on a regular basis, and pupils from both schools take part in music lessons together. The schools worked together on projects for the BBC’s National Music Day.’’ Reciprocal visits are made when pupils from the special school come to Silverdale and take part in art, music and geography projects. The involvement does not stop there. Whenever opportunities arise such as visiting magicians, Easter parade, Christmas fetes, music

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the importance of inclusion in a most effective manner. All these factors bring an

projects out of school time, opportunities for teachers to share teaching expertise or teaching resources and links with the governing bodies, the schools seize the moment. The relationships between the two schools are excellent and all the initiatives that the schools take part in add considerably to the quality of pupils’ personal and social development.

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the importance of inclusion in a most effective manner. All these factors bring an

21. The good balance that the school strikes between the formal curriculum and the capitalising of learning opportunities from other sources does much to advance the knowledge, understanding and personal development of all pupils.

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Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and

tracking pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science.

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Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and

22. The headteacher and staff have put a great deal of effort into establishing effective procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science. In addition to the National Curriculum tests the school carries out a range of reading, number and other tests. Good use is then made of the data that these tests produce. The headteacher analyses all available test and assessment data and looks for any patterns of weakness in elements of subjects, by gender, for groups of pupils and for individual pupils. Any whole school issues become a focus on the school development plan and action to address the issue becomes embedded in school practice. The information is also skilfully used to help set targets for individual pupils and the school then very carefully tracks pupils towards the stated targets. If a pupil looks like he or she may not reach a particular target then additional support is provided. If a target

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Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and

looks like it could be exceeded then the teacher ensures that additional and more challenging activities are provided that will enable the pupil to achieve at an even higher level. The detailed records that are kept of pupils’ progress mean that teachers can see at a glance if progress is as good as expected. The targets that the school sets in literacy and numeracy are challenging and realistic. A feature of this good practice is that the school not only sets targets for the percentage of pupils that are expected to reach the level of 11-year-olds but also the percentage of pupils that are expected to achieve the next higher level. The governors are fully involved in this process and this enables them to have a consistently good grasp and awareness of the standards that the school achieves.

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Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and

23. The school has also put effective procedures in place for assessing children’s attainment when they start school. The information is used well to identify at an early stage children that may have special educational needs and also to guide and inform curriculum planning in the Foundation Stage to ensure that the activities that are planned carefully match the needs of children of all abilities . Good procedures are also in place for assessing and tracking the progress of pupils with special educational needs. The information is used to set targets that are both challenging and realistic in pupils’ individual education plans and progress towards these targets is carefully Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 19 monitored. There is little doubt that the procedures for assessing, tracking and target setting are strengths of the school and have played an important role in the high

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Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and

standards that pupils of all ages and abilities attain.

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The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

effectively to provide a good quality of education for all pupils.

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The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

24. The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are of a good standard and he has played an important and significant role in the school’s successes and the good quality of education that the school provides. The school has gone through staff changes in recent times. The headteacher managed the process well and through his endeavours has still retained a good sense of team spirit where all staff work together well and share the common desire to sustain the high standards that the school consistently achieves. The positive ethos of the school, its high achievement and the nurturing of pupils’ personal development alongside their academic development owe much to the good quality leadership and management of the headteacher.

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The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

25. Under the guidance of the headteacher the school has made good progress since the time of the last inspection. Importantly the school has maintained and in some instances built on the strengths in attainment identified at the last inspection. The headteacher and staff have worked hard to improve procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress and for putting in place effective strategies for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning, whilst recognising the need to develop assessment procedures still further. School development planning has also improved. The school is appropriately placed to continue the cycle of improvement and development.

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The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

26. The headteacher has played an important role in putting in place procedures to monitor the quality of teaching and learning. Through lesson observation, the monitoring of teachers’ planning, the scrutiny of pupils’ work and through talking to pupils, the headteacher has gained a good grasp of the quality of education that the school provides. Informal feedback is given on a regular basis and through the performance management process more formal targets for teachers are set. The headteacher is eager to celebrate what it is that teachers do well but equally so to identify areas for improvement that impact most positively on pupils’ learning and progress. The small size of the school means that there is no specifically defined role for subject leaders to monitor teaching and learning in a formal sense. However, staff meet on a regular formal basis and constantly discuss standards, teaching and learning. Staff are only

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The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

too willing to discuss and act upon areas for improvement which come out of these meetings, both individually and as a school. Pupils’ progress, teachers’ planning and scrutiny of work are constantly evaluated and any areas for improvement are identified and become a focus for further monitoring by the headteacher. These procedures have proved effective in continuing to improve the quality of teaching that the school provides and owes much to the readiness of staff to reflect critically on their performance in order to provide a good quality of education for all pupils. This whole process is helped by the effective manner in which the headteacher carries out analyses of test and assessment data. His careful analyses enable areas for improvement, either as whole school issues or for individual pupils, to be recognised. The information is then fed back to staff and used well to guide and inform curriculum planning or to identify areas for

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The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

improvement that are then clearly articulated in the school development plan.

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The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

27. The Governing Body is very supportive of the work of the school and fulfils its responsibilities in an effective manner in holding the school to account for the quality of education that it provides. All governors are provided with opportunities to take an active Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 20 role in the management of the school. Many governors visit the school while it is at work and this provides them with an excellent insight into the quality of education that the school is providing. Other governors put their professional skills to good use for the benefit of the school. Governors for literacy, numeracy and special educational needs, amongst others, have visited lessons and have regular meetings with the teachers that have responsibility for these areas of school life. The quality of relationships between the staff and the Governing Body is very good and this adds much to the ethos of the

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The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

school and the sense of community that pervades the life of the school. The headteacher and the Chair of governors meet on a regular basis and both parties welcome and value these meetings which provide opportunities to discuss issues pertinent to school management and development. The governors have a good awareness of the strengths of the school and areas for development, are actively involved in target setting meetings and discuss and debate any new policies or initiatives in great detail before they become embedded in school practice. Governors, have in the past and continue to do so, regularly attend training sessions on issues such as performance management, target setting, special educational needs and child protection. This enables them to effectively set school issues in a wider regional and national context.

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The headteacher provides good leadership. All staff and governors work together

28. School development planning is of a good standard. Regular staff meetings ensure that staff are consulted about new initiatives and are fully involved in drawing up the identified priorities in the school development plan. Governors are afforded every opportunity to contribute to the process and do so. The plan is an effective document and is seen as a working document where the targets and aspirations of the school are clearly articulated and priorities are carefully costed. Appropriate timescales are set and effective procedures are outlined to help ensure targets are met. A particular strength is the fact that success criteria are often linked closely and consistently to maintaining or improving standards and the quality of teaching and learning. Taking all factors into account, this is a school that is providing good value for money.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

29. The school already achieves good standards in writing by the time that pupils leave school, but is rightly assessing what needs to be tackled to more closely align reading and writing standards and for standards in writing to be higher. The school has recently put in place procedures to ensure that over time pupils are directly taught the necessary writing skills to enable them to write extended pieces of work that retain the interest of the reader and use a more adventurous vocabulary. These procedures are proving effective and when they become more embedded in school practice they will play an important role in helping to further raise standards in writing. The main area for development is ensuring that writing in other subjects of the curriculum is used more often and consistently as an opportunity to extend and enhance pupils’ writing skills. Although there is some limited evidence of this good practice it is not consistent and

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

opportunities are missed in subjects such as history, geography and religious education. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 21 Assessment procedures in subjects other than English, mathematics and science.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

30. The school has worked hard to develop assessment procedures in English, mathematics and science. Assessment information is then used most effectively to guide and inform future planning and to set targets for improvement. These effective procedures enable teachers to have a good grasp of what pupils are achieving and the progress they have made. However, the school has been less effective in developing good quality assessment procedures in other areas of the curriculum which would enable the school to accurately track the progress that pupils are making in the foundation subjects as they move through the school. Effective procedures would also provide teachers with guidance as to which elements of particular subjects may need to be covered in more depth or for elements of subjects that the school as a whole may need to address to improve. The school has already identified this as an area for improvement in its school development plan.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

31. Teachers mark pupils’ work on a regular basis but marking is not being used effectively enough to enhance pupils’ learning. Marking does not always make sufficiently clear to pupils what they need to do to improve or why a piece of work is of a good standard. There is some very good practice in school, where the marking is of a high standard. The pupils are always ready to take on board constructive comments, and by doing so there is an improvement in their work. This very good practice needs to be disseminated across the school.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

32. In order to build upon the school’s many strengths, high standards and the good quality of education it provides, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.21

1) improve standards in writing further by:

• Ensuring that teachers continue to directly teach specific writing skills which enable pupils to write effectively for a wide and varied range of audiences and purposes; • Ensuring that opportunities are consistently and fully exploited to enhance and extend pupils’ writing skills in other areas of the curriculum.

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2) further improve assessment and tracking procedures by:

• Devising and implementing procedures to assess and track pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science.

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improve their work or when it is of a good standard the reasons are clearly

stated. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 22

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 20

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching] Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one [two, three, etc] percentage point[s]. [Where the total is close to or greater than 100, use only the first sentence.]

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR-Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 88

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 17

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Attendance

% % Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 23 School data 5.6 School data 0.0

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 24

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 13 5 18

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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

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

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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

Percentage of pupils School 89(83) 83(83) 100(83) at NC level 2 or above National 85(84) 89(88) 89(88)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. School totals only are given here as the number of girls taking the tests in this cohort was fewer than 10.

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

This table has been omitted as the number of pupils taking the tests in this cohort was fewer than 10 Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 25

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.1 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17.6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 187785

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 185007

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 71 Expenditure per pupil 2534

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year -1439

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 1339

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 26 FTE means full-time equivalent. Silverdale St. John’s Church of England Primary School - 27

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Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

p.27

Questionnaire return rate

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

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Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 39 55 3 0 3

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Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 57 2 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 25 61 11 3 0

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Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 45 16 5 0

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Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 34 2 1 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 36 3 2 2

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Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 36 54 5 3 2

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Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 43 54 3 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 41 2 2 3

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Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 39 34 2 2

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