Clatford Church of England Primary School

INSPECTION REPORT

Reporting inspector: Elisabeth de Lancey

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INSPECTION REPORT

Inspection number: 197539 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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INSPECTION REPORT

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.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Goodworth Clatford Andover Hants SP11 7RE

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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 Christine Emeny

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22-25 September 1997 Clatford CE (A) Primary School-3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Elisabeth de Lancey Registered inspector English Art Special educational needs What sort of school is it? School’s results and achievements How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Mary Le Mage Lay inspector Equal opportunities How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Alan Morgan Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology Information technology Physical education How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Gillian Peet Team inspector Children under five Science Geography History Music Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Chase Russell Limited. 85 Shores Green Drive Wincham Northwich Cheshire CW9 6EJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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 SCHOOL

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Clatford CE (A) Primary School-4 REPORT CONTENTS

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 9

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 29

Clatford CE (A) Primary School-5 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Clatford CE (A) Primary School stands in the village of Goodworth Clatford two miles south of Andover in Hampshire. It is located in an area where unemployment is below the national average. Parents are engaged in a wide variety of occupations, many in professional work. Most families live in owner-occupied properties. Since the last inspection the proportion of children attending the school from the villages of Goodworth Clatford and Upper Clatford has decreased. The majority of pupils come from Anna Valley which is a developed area with new housing and from out of the school’s traditional catchment area. It is about the same size as other primary schools with a current roll of 208 pupils of whom 113 are girls and 95 are boys. The roll has increased by about a third since the last inspection. Pupils are admitted to the reception class at the beginning of the year in which they are five. At the time of the inspection there were seven children under five in the reception class.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Almost all the children benefit from some form of pre-school education. The children's attainment on entry represents a spread of ability, but it is above average overall. There are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. Almost all of the pupils are of white ethnic heritage. Four per cent of the pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals which is below the national average. Of the 36 pupils on the school's register of special educational needs, none has a statement of special educational needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The inspection of collective worship and religious education was carried out under Section 23 of the 1996 Education Act. The responsibility for that lies with the governing body which made arrangements for it to be undertaken at the same time as this inspection.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS This is a good school which provides an effective education for all its pupils and where standards of work and behaviour are high. The quality of teaching and learning are good. Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make good progress. By the age of eleven, 86 per cent of pupils attain at least the national standard in English and just over one third attain above. In mathematics, 93 per cent attain at least the national standard and half attain above. In science, 86 per cent attain at least the national standard and almost one- third attain above. The school is well led and managed and provides satisfactory value for money.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

What the school does well • The standards in English and mathematics at both key stages are high. • Children under five make a good start in the reception class. • There is a high proportion of good and very good teaching. • The school provides well for pupils’ personal and social development; it promotes good attitudes to work, very good behaviour and very good relationships. • The school has developed good links with parents. • The staff and governors demonstrate a shared commitment to improvement. • There are very good opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in speaking and listening.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

What could be improved • The range and quality of writing of a significant minority of pupils should be developed and their standards in handwriting, spelling and presentation improved. • The consistency of standards in science does not match those attained in English and mathematics. • There is no written guidance to staff on the school’s procedures for child protection and welfare and staff have not received appropriate training. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in September 1997. It was found to have serious weaknesses. Since then the school has made significant improvements. The curriculum is well managed, there are good procedures for planning and the effective procedures for assessment which help to raise standards. The school has implemented the national frameworks for literacy and numeracy successfully and this has strengthened the curriculum. Information technology now meets statutory requirements and all aspects of information technology are taught. The curriculum for children under five is well planned Clatford CE (A) Primary School-6 and the provision is good. The improvement in the quality of teaching is very good, especially for children under five and in Key Stage 1. The school has achieved substantial gains in standards in English, mathematics at Key Stage 1 and at the higher level in English and mathematics at Key Stage

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

2. Standards in geography, music, history, and games have improved at both key stages. The school has improved provision for higher-attaining pupils. The climate for learning is good. The school improvement plan is an effective strategic plan to secure further development. The senior management team monitors pupils’ standards and the quality of teaching well. The governing body is clear about its role and responsibilities and the importance of monitoring and accountability. This is a very good improvement since the last inspection. It reflects the increased confidence of staff, the success of in-service training and the effectiveness of the monitoring of teaching and pupils' work. The school no longer has serious weaknesses.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

STANDARDS The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests. compared with

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1997 1998 1999 1999 English A A A C Well above average above average A B Mathematics B A A A Average Below average C D Science C A C D Well below average E

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The results of the 1999 national tests for eleven-year-olds in English and mathematics were well above the national averages. The trends over the last four years show that although pupils’ standards in English and mathematics were consistently above national averages, standards in science remain variable. Inspection evidence indicates that the majority of pupils currently in Year 6 maintain these standards in English and mathematics and standards in science have improved. In comparison with similar schools, pupils’ attainment is well above average in mathematics, close to the average in English, and below average in science.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Baseline assessment indicates that children’s attainment on entry to statutory education is above average. The results of the 1999 national tests for seven-year-olds in reading, writing and mathematics were well above the national average. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils currently in Year 2 attain similar standards. Teacher assessment in science indicated that pupils attain standards well above the national average. The trends over the last four years show that pupils’ standards in reading, writing and mathematics were above national averages overall. In comparison with similar schools, pupils’ attainment is well above average in mathematics, above the national average in reading and writing, and matches the national average in science. Inspection findings indicate that at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' attainment in all three subjects is above average.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

At both key stages the differences in the performance of girls and boys match national trends. The school has attained the targets it set for pupils last year and has set appropriate and challenging targets for next year.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES Aspect Comment

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Attitudes to the school Pupils are keen to come to school and are eager to learn.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour is very good throughout the school. There have been no exclusions during the last year.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good. They show initiative and take responsibility for their own learning. Relationships are very good throughout the school.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Attendance Pupils’ attendance is very good. It is above the national average. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-7 Pupils’ very good attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and personal development, and the very good relationships they maintain with staff and with one another have a positive impact on standards and the quality of learning throughout the school.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Good 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 AND LEARNING

Teaching was excellent in five per cent of lessons, very good in 26 per cent, good in 62 per cent and satisfactory in the remaining seven per cent. The quality of teaching in English at Key Stage 2 is very good. At Key Stage 1, it is good. The quality of teaching in mathematics and science is good throughout the school. At Key Stage 2, examples of very good teaching in both mathematics and science were observed. The teaching of children under five is good and there were examples of very good teaching observed. Strengths in both key stages include the very good relationships staff sustain with their pupils, and their management of pupils. The effectiveness of their teaching methods and their high expectations of pupils is a particularly strong feature in the teaching of children under five and in Key Stage 2. Literacy and numeracy are both taught well throughout the school.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The school is successful in meeting the needs of all its pupils including those who have special educational needs and those who are able and gifted. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and they achieve well. They are keen to learn new skills, explore their ideas and to talk about their work. Pupils at Key Stage 2 have a good knowledge of their own learning. They work hard, sustain good levels of concentration and develop very good skills in independent learning.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL Aspect Comment

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

he quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum for children under five is good. Throughout the school the pupils follow a rich curriculum which is broad, balanced and meets statutory requirements. The range of extra-curricular activities is very good

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The effective provision for these pupils, especially the positive levels of support they receive from classroom assistants results in these pupils making good progress.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, mora social and cultural development The very good provision for personal and social education, informed by the school’s very good personal and social health education programme, has a positive impact on the pupils’ personal development and their achievements. Spiritual, moral and cultural development are good. How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a caring and supportiv environment. All staff value the children and treat the with respect. The good quality of provision for education visits, visitors to school, and an extensive programme of competitive sports enrich the school’s curriculum.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The staff work hard to ensure that all pupils feel secure and comfortable, so that they can make the most of their time in school and achieve successfully. Child protection procedures are informal and Clatford CE (A) Primary School-8 members of staff have not received appropriate training. Informal arrangements to promote pupils’ health and safety are good.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The school enjoys the support of the large majority of parents and carers and maintains good relationships with them. The school and parents and carers work effectively in partnership to promote pupils’ learning.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff The school is well led and managed by the headteacher, senior management team, and subject managers. All the staff work productively together as an effective team. The school benefits from its clear management structure and its direct link with the governing body through the chair’s membership of the senior management team.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil their statutory duties responsibly. They are effective in helping to lead the school’s continuing success. Individual governors support the school well through their regular involvement in its daily activities. They make good use of their visits to the school to inform the work of the governing body.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has well-structured procedures for evaluating pupils’ personal development and academic performance. The staff have established a good system for the monitoring and evaluation of teaching.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The strategic use of resources The school makes efficient use of its resources. Staff make positive use of the outdoor facilities for pupils’ education and recreation. The school is well managed. The senior management team plays a positive role in leading the work of other teachers. The governing body takes an active part in the school’s development. The subject managers are involved in evaluating the quality of curriculum planning and teaching. There are an adequate number of appropriately qualified teachers to meet the needs of all the pupils. The range of learning resources is good. Storage arrangements and the location of some, however, make accessibility difficult. This detracts from their use; it makes it difficult for pupils to choose and develop independence. Staff make full use of the accommodation but it is a limiting factor in the quality of educational provision. The school makes good use of the principles of best value.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The high standards the school achieves • The teaching is good • The attention the staff give to each individual child • The school’s high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour • The school’s good links with parents • The prompt way in which the school deals with parents’ concerns • The school is a happy community • The school is well led and managed • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible • No significant areas of concern

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with the positive views of the overwhelming majority of parents and carers. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-9

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Children under five make a good start to their education. They enter the reception class with a wide range of experiences and skills. The provision in all areas of leaning is good. The results of baseline assessment show that the attainment of children entering the reception class is above average in all areas of learning. By the time they are five most children achieve beyond the nationally agreed standards in personal and social education, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and physical development and are working at the early stages of the National Curriculum. They make very good progress in their personal and social development, in their acquision of language and literacy skills and their knowledge and understanding of the world and good progress in all other areas of their work. They achieve well. Children are helped to reach these standards by the high quality of

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The school’s results and achievements

teaching and the good adult support they receive.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The school’s results in the 1999 national tests for eleven-year-olds in English and mathematics were well above the national average in terms of the percentage of pupils attaining level 4, the expected level, and the higher level, level 5. The trends over the last four years show that although the percentage of pupils attaining level 4 in English and mathematics were consistently above national averages, there has been a relative decline in standards in English whilst in mathematics standards have continued to improve. There is greater variation in the school’s results in science and these are below those in English and mathematics. The percentage of pupils attaining level 4 in science was close to the national average. Over the last three years standards in science have dropped from the level in 1996, they improved in 1997 and these improved standards were maintained in 1999. Standards have varied in comparison with national standards. In comparison with

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The school’s results and achievements

similar schools, pupils’ attainment is close to the average in English, well above average in mathematics and below average in science. Inspection findings indicate that pupils' attainment is above average in all three subjects at both the expected and the higher levels. At both key stages the differences in the performance of girls and boys match national trends.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The school’s results in the 1999 national tests for seven-year-olds were very high in comparison with the national average in terms of the percentage of pupils attaining level 2, the expected level, in reading and writing, and well above the national average in mathematics. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher level, level 3, was well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Teacher assessment in science indicated that the percentage of pupils attaining level 2 was well above the national average and average at the higher level. The trends over the last four years show that pupils’ standards in reading, writing and mathematics were above national averages in three out of the four years, but in 1998 there was a dip in standards. In that year, the percentage of pupils attaining level 2 was average in reading and mathematics and below average in writing. Standards improved significantly in 1999. In comparison with similar schools,

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The school’s results and achievements

pupils’ attainment is very high compared with the national average in reading and writing, well above average in mathematics and their attainment in science matches national averages. Inspection findings indicate that at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' attainment in all three subjects is above average at both the expected and higher levels.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. The school has attained the targets it set for pupils last year and has set appropriate and challenging targets for next year. The staff have introduced a number of tests in Key Clatford CE (A) Primary School-10 Stage 2 to help them monitor the progress of groups and individual pupils, and set personal, group and year targets for future performance.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Most pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science at both key stages and they make good progress as they move through the school. This reflects the high quality of much of the teaching observed. The school has made good use of the national frameworks for literacy and numeracy to help improve standards and to strengthen the provision for its pupils. There are good examples of pupils' competence in literacy and numeracy being transferred, reinforced and developed throughout the curriculum and of these skills supporting pupils’ development in other subjects. However, this was less evident in science and geography, where pupils do not practise the types of writing most frequently used in these subjects such as writing reports of investigations in science, or explanations in geography, and their written work in these subjects is weak.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Pupils learn to speak confidently, to listen well to others, to make valuable contributions to discussions and participate in drama and role-play. They enjoy reading and read familiar books accurately, respond to new literature enthusiastically and develop good information skills. They build effectively on their early writing skills and develop as independent writers but the spelling, handwriting and presentation of a significant minority are weak. Pupils develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematics through practical activities and they learn to apply their mathematics skills successfully in other subjects of the curriculum. In science pupils explore, investigate and relate their observations to the world around them and make use of their increasing knowledge and skills to describe their findings.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. By the ages of seven and eleven, pupils attain standards in information technology that are in line with national expectations. They learn to use information technology confidently, and employ their increasing skills to support their work in other subjects. They use a range of equipment appropriately and handle information and communication in text and pictures effectively.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make good progress towards the appropriate targets set for them. This is because the teachers plan the tasks effectively and the classroom assistants provide good support for each of the pupils.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Timetabling arrangements meant that it was not possible to see all aspects of physical education at each key stage, or a full range of lessons in history at Key Stage 1, or art, design and technology, and geography at either key stage during the week of the inspection. Evidence from the analysis of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions indicate that pupils continue to make sound progress in art. They experience a good range of media from a variety of periods, cultures and contexts and they respond imaginatively and practically to the ideas of others. No judgements were reached about pupils’ achievements in design and technology at either key stage. Pupils explore how familiar products work and broaden their construction methods in making a range of products with a variety of materials. They use their evaluations of their work to increase the quality of their products and to further refine their understanding and skills.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. Pupils’ attainment in geography, history, music and games has improved since the last inspection. In geography, it is now in line with expectations. Pupils build effectively upon their awareness of the local area and acquire a greater understanding of people, places and environments in the wider world. In history, it is now in line with expectations by the age of seven and above expectations by the age of eleven. Pupils demonstrate a good awareness of chronology and develop a sound understanding of the characteristics of different periods. They use a good range of historical resources to communicate their knowledge, skills and understanding of the past. In music, attainment is in line with the Clatford CE (A) Primary School-11 standards expected by the age of seven and well above the standards expected by the age of eleven. By the age of seven, pupils sing in tune with a good sense of dynamics and rhythm and perform with an awareness of others. By the age of eleven, pupils sing

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The school’s results and achievements

well and perform and compose a good variety of music using tuned percussion effectively. Pupils achieve well in games and make good progress throughout the school in their acquisition of knowledge, skills and understanding. Physical education is enhanced by regular extra-curricular activities and locally organised competitive sports.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils are keen to come to school; they speak enthusiastically about aspects they particularly enjoy, such as visits to places of interest. They have very good attitudes to their work and willingly contribute to discussion and shared activities; this has a positive impact on standards and the quality of learning. Pupils with special educational needs show positive attitudes to their work. Parents confirm that the staff of the school have high expectations of their children’s work and behaviour; they are very pleased with the standards that their children achieve. They confirm that their children enjoy coming to school. The pupils have maintained the positive attitudes reported in the last inspection. 12. The children under five settle quickly into the reception class. They are confident, eager to learn, and enthusiastic. They try hard in their lessons and they are keen to talk about their work. In a class assembly, children listened very well and displayed high levels of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

interest when talking about how they should look after living things. Children help one another with their work, for example when they work at the computer to make as many words as possible from the teacher’s name. 13. Pupils settle quickly at the beginning of lessons and they apply themselves diligently to their work. In all lessons, including literacy and numeracy pupils listen attentively and they concentrate well. Pupils are very interested in their work and they enjoy taking part in discussions. In a geography lesson, pupils enjoyed a debate about the siting of a hotel in a mountain resort. They work well in groups and in pairs, for example when researching the Ancient Greeks on the Internet or planning an investigation. They are polite and considerate both to adults and to each other. For example, when a boy in Year 6 declined an instrument in a music lesson because he had had one the previous

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

week. Achievement is celebrated in the school and pupils are given house points or rewarded with a treat when the class fill a jar with marbles which are awarded for effort. Pupils are nominated for special mention in achievement assemblies. In some classes pupils are rewarded at the end of the day if they have worked especially hard or been especially caring. Pupils with special educational needs try hard with their work and they respond well to additional help and support. 14. Standards of behaviour are very good. Pupils are polite and they move about the building in an orderly manner. In lessons, pupils work together effectively and they co- operate very well in group activities. During a Year 6 science lesson, pupils shared responsibility and worked together sensibly when observing plants. Pupils in Year 2 conducted themselves well when they went outside to observe plants in the school grounds. Behaviour at break and lunch times is very good. There are very few

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

instances of inappropriate behaviour or bullying and there have been no exclusions in the past school year. 15. Pupils’ personal development is very good. They are keen to take on helpers’ roles and they carry out these duties conscientiously. Older pupils act as assistants in the library, and on bus duty to tell the younger pupils when it has arrived; they take telephone calls at lunchtime and help teachers with specific jobs in classrooms. Younger pupils help by giving things out in class and in returning registers to the office. Independent research is a strong feature of pupils’ learning and teachers encourage pupils to find things out for Clatford CE (A) Primary School-12 themselves. Through regular homework tasks, pupils develop good levels of initiative and personal responsibility. Personal development is further promoted through the very good personal, social and health education curriculum.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The quality of relationships between all members of the school community is very good. Members of staff and pupils show their mutual respect and this contributes very positively to the strong, caring ethos within the school. Pupils are quick to show their support for one another; they show genuine appreciation and congratulate classmates who have performed well. Pupils respect the values and beliefs of others and in assemblies they discuss sensitively the plight of people in other parts of the world and the opinions of other’s are valued.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance rates are good. The rate of unauthorised absence is below the national average and pupils arrive promptly at school ready to begin their lessons. This regular and punctual attendance has a positive effect upon pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection; all areas of weakness identified then have been overcome. It is good throughout the school and makes a significant contribution to raising pupils' standards of attainment. The quality of teaching was judged to be excellent in five per cent of lessons, very good in 26 per cent, good in 62 per cent and satisfactory in seven per cent. Examples of excellent and very good teaching and learning were observed in English and music at Key Stage 2; and further examples of very good teaching and learning in science at both key stages, geography in Key Stage 1 and history in Key Stage 2. No unsatisfactory or poor teaching were seen during the inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The quality of teaching of children under five is good; it was judged very good in 40 per cent of lessons and good in 60 per cent. In Key Stage 1, the quality of teaching was judged to be very good in 13 per cent of lessons, good in 81 per cent and satisfactory in six per cent. At Key Stage 2, it was excellent in ten per cent of lessons, very good in 33 per cent, good in 47 per cent and satisfactory in 10 per cent. The teaching of children under five and in Key Stage 1 has improved significantly since the last inspection; the weaknesses identified in the last report have been overcome. During most lessons across the school, almost all of the pupils make good progress in their learning because of the good support and guidance they receive from the staff. The most effective teaching was observed in the reception class, Year 4 and Year 6.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching in English is good in Key Stage 1 and very good in Key Stage 2; it is consistently very good in Years 4 and 6 where great enthusiasm is shown in the subject and pupils are very interested and highly motivated to learn. Teachers' planning takes account of the national literacy framework, good focused questioning clearly pursues the lesson objectives and very good opportunities for speaking and listening are incorporated into lessons. The teaching of the basic skills of literacy is good overall. The exception is in writing where there are some inconsistencies in both key stages in the range of writing pupils cover, in the opportunities teachers offer to widen pupils’ writing in science and geography and in the standard of pupils’ handwriting, spelling and the general presentation of their work. Teachers challenge pupils' thinking and help them to develop their responses

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and use technical terminology correctly. As a result pupils make gains in their learning and acquire a broad range of literacy skills. Teaching methods display an appropriate balance between direct and group teaching. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-13 21. The quality of teaching in mathematics is good throughout the school. Pupils have good opportunities to explain their thinking and justify their strategies. One pupil in Year 4 successfully proved the hypothesis he raised following his observations of apparent relationships in a series of number sequences. The teaching of the basic skills of numeracy is good. Teachers' planning makes good use of the national numeracy framework with a challenging opening session of mental and oral work. This is followed by designated group activities appropriately matched to the full range of pupils' abilities, and concludes with a class session to carefully review pupils' achievements. This process has been effectively

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

established throughout the school and is making a positive contribution to the improvement in teaching and learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The quality of teaching in science is good throughout the school. Teachers make effective use of a commercial scheme to inform their planning, and devise well-structured activities. Teachers build usefully on pupils' previous learning to consolidate and extend their knowledge. Teachers offer good guidance and clear instructions. They help pupils to successfully develop useful skills to help them observe carefully and analyse their findings. Teachers stress the need for sensitivity and respect in handling animals and plants. For example, Year 6 pupils considered that their investigations into plant life had resulted in the death of living things.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. At both key stages teaching and learning in information technology are good. The weaknesses identified in the last report have been overcome. Teaching and learning in music in Key Stage 2 are very good, in Key Stage 1 they are satisfactory. A significant number of pupils benefit from very good quality peripatetic music teaching and instrumental tuition and this accounts for the high standards in music at Key Stage 2. Teaching and learning are good in physical education at both key stages, and in history at Key Stage 2. Learning in art is sound. There was insufficient evidence to make judgements about teaching and learning in design and technology, and geography at both key stages, and in history in Key Stage 1; and about teaching in art in both key stages.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. In consultation with the school's special educational needs co-ordinator the teachers write the individual programmes for the pupils in their class who have special educational needs and determine the appropriate strategies to help them. Classroom assistants help in this process and as a result they are well briefed and fully integrated into the school's teaching programme. They regularly report to the teachers to inform them of the work of specific individuals or groups within the classes. Consequently, pupils with special educational needs are effectively supported and make good progress in their learning towards their identified targets.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Throughout the school all staff relate very well to their pupils and manage them successfully. All staff succeed in helping younger pupils and those with special educational needs feel secure and this is reflected in the positive attitudes the pupils have to their work and the confidence with which they pursue set tasks. The calm and sensitive manner through which teachers manage their pupils helps each of them to recognise how much they are valued. This is the significant contribution which instils positive self-worth in pupils with learning needs, and helps pupils with challenging behaviour settle to their tasks and supports them at times of need. These are strengths of the teaching and enhance the quality of education for all the pupils. There is consistency across the school in teachers' expectations of high standards of behaviour. Teachers set the tone for their lessons by stressing pupils' learning and clearly explaining what is expected of them. For example,

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

during a mathematics lesson pupils returning from working elsewhere were greeted on arrival and given a brief update of the lesson. The teachers' relaxed accompaniment of the pupils to and from the classroom helps them settle quickly into lessons after periods of recreation. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-14 26. Teachers manage their resources very well to assist pupils' learning. Support staff make a significant contribution in helping specific groups of pupils. They participate effectively in planning, in exchanging information and in completing well-designed, formal records to identify individual pupil achievement or need; for example, the use of 'the pink book' to detail support staff briefings. Time is very well used and lessons are conducted at a brisk pace; this is a significant improvement since the last inspection. Teachers' experience of the literacy and numeracy frameworks is used imaginatively to add challenge and

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

momentum by imposing time constraints on pupils' activities. For example, one teacher used an egg-timer to time limit pupils' preparatory work in collating information. Learning resources are very well used and carefully deployed to assist pupils' learning. Their collection, distribution and return are operated effectively to develop positive work habits and establish co-operative routines amongst the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils; this is a particularly strong feature in the teaching of children under five and in Key Stage 2. They make good use of question and answer techniques to involve pupils of all abilities, challenge their ideas and develop their thinking. Teachers ensure that all work is modified appropriately to engage all pupils and help them build effectively on their previous learning. Across the school teachers provide pupils with opportunities to shape their own learning and develop independent study skills. For example, pupils draw readily on word-banks, dictionaries and the thesaurus to support their writing, they select and deploy resources to help their work in mathematics and attend to their work without close supervision. The sustained challenge and increasing demands placed on all pupils denote a significant improvement since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Teachers' knowledge and understanding are good and their lesson content and coverage reflect this. They have confidence in their ability to develop pupils' questions, extend their learning and guide their discussions. For example, in mathematics lessons teachers ask pupils to justify their answers; and in physical education they invite them to indicate how they and other pupils could improve their performance. Teachers introduce specialist vocabulary confidently and insist pupils use it appropriately to develop their knowledge and understanding. This is particularly in evidence in English, mathematics and music; for example, in English, teachers talk about a range of text types and pupils are expected to define the characteristics of a particular genre such as a narrative or instructional text. Teachers consolidate leaning and check pupils understanding before moving on in their lessons; this ensures pupils respond effectively and make good progress in their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. The school has responded positively to the planning issues raised in the last inspection and established a uniform approach within which teachers plan effectively. Planning for children under five is good; it integrates successfully with the early stages of the National Curriculum and takes account of those children who are ready to make accelerated progress in their work. Teachers' planning for English and mathematics is based on the recommendations of the national literacy and numeracy frameworks which gives a consistent structure to their planning. In other subjects, teachers draw usefully on clear curriculum guidance that enables them to plan, in both the long and short terms, for consistency in coverage and continuity across the school in pupils' learning programmes. Lesson planning identifies clear objectives for learning reflecting the pupils' different rates of development. They direct

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the lesson and ensure there is sufficient challenge for all pupils so that they all make effective gains in their learning.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Teachers use a good range of methods well to develop pupils' learning, including grouping pupils by ability or in pairs or by setting individual tasks. Direct teaching forms a significant part of most lessons. This ensures pupils are clear about the lesson's purpose, and that previous work is revised. As a result lessons are well established for pupils to make their own contributions and take responsibility for aspects of their own learning. This is a Clatford CE (A) Primary School-15 significant advance in teaching since the last inspection. As a result, pupils have a clear understanding of their own achievements; this is a notable feature at Key Stage 2. Questions are used effectively to engage all pupils and move them on in their learning. They provide well-structured opportunities for pupils to proffer their views and refine their thinking. This provision for speaking and listening is a notable feature of teaching

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

throughout the school and it makes a significant contribution to pupils' attainment of high standards in these areas. This is evident in the many examples of co-operative work which teachers promote in English, mathematics, science, history and information technology; for example, Year 5 pupils collaborate to investigate census data to aid their understanding of social change.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Teachers make good use of their day-to-day assessments of pupils' work. During group and individual activities teachers engage with pupils to assess their understanding and support them in their learning. For example, if the teacher identifies significant concerns the class is called together to clarify matters and, when necessary, further work is provided. These are appropriate responses to day-to-day assessment, which is used effectively to inform future planning. This is a further improvement since the last inspection. Teachers mark pupils work regularly, indicating errors and offering encouragement. There are examples, in some years, of teachers giving written guidance to help pupils improve their work and develop their learning. However, this is not consistent practice within those years or across the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. Throughout the school, teachers regularly set useful homework tasks in literacy and numeracy and activities related to pupils' current work. For example, Year 6 pupils undertake further studies of plant life by researching photosynthesis. This is in line with the school's clear homework procedures. Completed work is marked and discussed within the class. This acknowledges its value and the positive contribution it makes to pupils' learning. All pupils are required to complete homework tasks by prescribed dates. Homework offers a useful link in the school's successful promotion of parent participation in their children's learning. At the parents' pre-inspection meeting this participation was acknowledged by those present. They cited the homework timetables issued at the beginning of the year and the formal opportunities they had to comment on homework as examples of this.

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PUPILS?

33. The school provides a curriculum which is broad, balanced and relevant and successfully promotes the intellectual, physical, moral, social and personal development of all its pupils, including those with special educational needs. It complies with statutory requirements and meets the school aims. The weaknesses identified in the last inspection have been systematically overcome. The curriculum for children under five in the reception class is good and results in the children making very good progress in their personal and social development, their language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world, and good progress in all other areas of learning. Additional time is allocated to the teaching of the literacy and numeracy to raise standards further. The staff have worked hard to implement the guidance in the frameworks and they have developed effective strategies for teaching the key skills of literacy and numeracy; these

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PUPILS?

skills are strengthened when there are opportunities for pupils to use these skills in other subjects. There is a good structured programme to develop pupils’ information technology skills which supports their learning in other subjects. Despite the reduction in times available for some subjects, the school is successfully maintaining access to all areas of the curriculum. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-16 34. The personal, social and health education policy is good and well integrated into the curriculum. Sex education is taught through appropriate topics and themes and due attention is given to substance misuse through the drugs education programme, which is supported by the local police.

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PUPILS?

35. Curricular planning is good. The school has responded to the issues found in the last inspection and established a clear, uniform framework within which the teachers can plan effectively. Planning for pupils under the age of five is good; it integrates successfully with the early stages of the National Curriculum and takes account of those children who are ready to make further progress in their work. All policies, many recently updated, are now in place and reflect the school’s aims. They are supported by well- constructed schemes of work, which reflect national guidelines and have relevant objectives, which reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum. The staff use the detailed objectives in the frameworks for teaching literacy and numeracy and plan the pupils’ work appropriately. The school’s schemes of work provide a clear framework for planning, they are well adjusted to suit the school’s needs and give good guidance for

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PUPILS?

teachers’ short and medium-term planning. They identify the progression of skills and understanding to be developed in each subject as pupils move through the school. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education .

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PUPILS?

36. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. There are very good procedures for identifying such pupils at an early stage in their education. Individual educational plans are written for all pupils on each stage of the special needs register and contain relevant short-term targets linked to appropriate strategies. Class teachers and special needs support staff work closely together and ensure that pupils who are withdrawn from classes for extra support are covering the same subject work at a level appropriate to their needs. Provision fully meets the requirements of the Code of Practice and statutory reporting requirements.

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PUPILS?

37. The school is fully committed to equal opportunities and has regard to all statutory requirements. The staff ensure that all pupils have equal access to all aspects of the curriculum. They plan their work to provide for the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are gifted and talented. They are concerned to develop pupils' abilities whether academic, artistic or sporting. Girls and boys are encouraged to take part in all activities. Pupils with special educational needs enjoy equal access to the full curriculum and the total range of the school's activities; this is enhanced by the quality of the support from classroom assistants.

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PUPILS?

38. The curriculum is enriched by educational visits and visitors to the school. Regular speakers talk about dental health, railway safety, the local library, air transport and the fire service; these experiences enhance pupils' learning. Pupils visit the garden of a school governor and use his conservation pond for their habitat study. Education in the arts is well provided for, through visiting theatre, dance and music groups. Pupils of all ages gain valuable learning experiences from educational visits to sites of local interest. For example to the nearby river, the Parish church as well as following the local village trail. Visits further afield include Andover, Old Portsmouth, Montacute House and Southsea. Pupils in Year 6 benefit from an annual residential visit to the Isle of Wight which extends the curriculum and promotes pupils’ access to more adventurous activities.

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PUPILS?

39. There is a good extra-curricular programme, which includes art, first aid, nature, sporting, musical, dance and drama activities. Pupils have worthwhile opportunities to develop their special interests and talents: In sport, through clubs and competitive team games and in music, through instrumental tuition in clarinets, guitars and recorders. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-17 40. The school provide a significant number of opportunities for pupils to perform with others and pupils develop a good sense of audience and occasion. The school is proud of its productions in which all pupils take part. Parents report they are of a high standard. Recent productions have included ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Ali Baba’. Pupils participate in local community events, for example, they sing at the local Parish Church, at the village carol service, with local bands and at the ‘Country Schools’ Music Festival. This provision

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PUPILS?

makes a very positive contribution to pupils' personal and social development.

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PUPILS?

41. The school's links with the local community and beyond make a significant impact on the pupils' learning. There are links with the local Parish Church, and the pupils visit the church once each term. The contribution of visiting speakers and attendance at local events makes a considerable impact on the pupils’ learning. For instance, pupils gain immensely from ‘The Junior Citizen Event’, ‘The Getting it Right Pantomime’ and these events effectively support the pupils’ personal, social and health education. The pupils visit the local area in connection with their studies in geography and history. They also benefit from support for tennis coaching and basketball training. Donations from local businesses are used appropriately by the school to secure additional learning resources.

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PUPILS?

42. The school maintains sound links with local schools, especially the secondary schools to which the majority of pupils transfer. Appropriate arrangements are made to help the pupils in their transition to secondary education with preparatory visits in the summer term and opportunities to join in recreational activities. Close, formal links are maintained in English, mathematics and science and for pupils with special educational needs.

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PUPILS?

43. The school’s provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, and cultural development has improved since the last inspection. It creates an environment which fosters good social attitudes and respect for moral values and all pupils are encouraged to contribute to the life of the community. There is a positive working atmosphere engendered by the staff's care and consideration for their pupils as well as the clear values they promote.

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PUPILS?

44. Through many, well-planned opportunities, the staff help children under five to reflect on the world around them and on the wonder of life. They foster an understanding of Christian festivals and traditions and those of other faiths. They encourage the children to participate appropriately in school acts of worship. All staff help the children to discuss their feelings and the care of others. Staff place a high priority on the children's personal and social development. They provide a secure environment and are particularly successful in helping children settle into the routines of school life. The staff's good provision and high expectations establish firm guidelines which successfully promote good behaviour. They offer the children a wide range of opportunities for them to learn to work together and the children respond well, working harmoniously in pairs and small groups.

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PUPILS?

45. The school makes good provision for the spiritual development of its pupils. From their early days in school pupils are given opportunities to reflect on their lives, their relationships and their place in the world. Prayer has a prominent focus in the daily routines of all pupils and they are helped progressively to develop an understanding of their own beliefs and a perception of the beliefs of others. In science pupils consider the range and variety of living things and wonder at the extent of the universe. The school is successful in developing pupils' aesthetic awareness through literature, art and music and providing opportunities for pupils to reflect on their own experiences and empathise with that of others. For example, pupils in Year 4 reflect on the school’s strengths and weaknesses and record their evaluations sensitively. During one act of worship, pupils were encouraged to imagine they were in a room with a door, which when opened

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PUPILS?

revealed a pleasant world which compensated for all that is unpleasant now. They Clatford CE (A) Primary School-18 reflected upon the childhood of the author C.S. Lewis and considered how it related it to the children’s experiences in his novel ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’.

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PUPILS?

46. The school makes good provision for moral development and succeeds well in helping the pupils to acquire a sense of right and wrong, a concern for others and the will to do what is right. The school's ethos is firmly based on honesty and fairness, and respect and care for others. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated well into all aspect of school life. Staff encourage pupils to think of others beyond their families and friends and to show concern for others. They help pupils to understand the importance of care and respect for the environment through well-chosen activities. By their own courteous and caring behaviour, all staff provide very good role models. They set clear expectations for pupils' behaviour by rewarding their good conduct, and valuing their contributions to the school community. They encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own behaviour by involving them in setting class rules which are prominently

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PUPILS?

displayed. These rules, and their good behaviour throughout the school, demonstrate clearly the pupils’ understanding of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Teachers plan good opportunities for pupils to discuss a range of moral issues through the careful selection of poetry and stories, through debates and discussion. Older pupils show a good understanding of the consequences of bullying and greed upon individuals and communities, and explain how their behaviour may affect others. This depth of understanding contributes significantly to the very good relationships which are displayed throughout the school. Circle time, when pupils gather together to share experiences, provide further occasions for pupils’ feelings and concerns to be addressed in a secure atmosphere.

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PUPILS?

47. The school's provision for pupils' social development is very good. Staff encourage pupils to take care of others. Parents report that older pupils are sensitive to the needs of younger ones and that pupils of all ages work and play well together. Teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to recognise and affirm the achievements of others and value and respect one another's contributions. Pupils are successfully encouraged to contribute to the school community and staff provide good opportunities for pupils to show initiative in the daily routines of the school. Through these responsibilities pupils develop an understanding of society. For example, pupils help in the classroom, act as telephone receptionists at lunchtime and distribute and collect registers. Class assemblies and school productions offer pupils further opportunities to work together and to perform to a wider audience. Pupils take part in a wide range of

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PUPILS?

activities and experiences which enhance the school curriculum and help to foster pupils’ co-operation, team spirit and sense of fair play. These activities include music groups, school productions and residential visits, all of which engender the idea of collective responsibility. Staff help pupils to develop a sense of citizenship and community by providing them with opportunities to contribute to local and national charities, for example; participating in ‘The Mozambique Appeal’ and ‘Shoe Box Appeals’ for Croatian children, entertaining senior citizens and singing with the local community. Such activities help to nurture pupils' confidence and positive self-esteem.

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PUPILS?

48. The school's provision for cultural development is good. Teachers help pupils acquire a knowledge of their own cultural traditions and to develop a respect for the culture of other peoples. The staff draw imaginatively on the stories of many lands and traditions. After listening to an aborigine story about a dream catcher, pupils weave dream catchers of their own. Pupils explore patterns in other cultures and the youngest pupils print bold patterns using wooden tiles from India. The school offers a good range of books which reflect pupils' own and other cultures. Pupils in Year 4 design attractive posters for ‘Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters’, ‘Abdulla’s Butterfly’ and other books to promote a love of literature from a diverse range of cultures. Pupils' knowledge of their own culture is enhanced through studies in many areas of the curriculum. All pupils gain valuable Clatford CE (A) Primary School-19

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PUPILS?

learning experiences from visits to sites of local interest and further afield; for example, they visit The D-Day Museum at Southsea, Corfe Castle, Winchester Cathedral, and the Archaeological Centre in Gosport to look at Roman artefacts. Visitors make a valuable contribution to pupils' cultural experiences. They include a folk singer from Liverpool and an instrumentalist from the Cameroon. These activities enrich the curriculum and help pupils to develop positive attitudes to learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The school provides a caring and supportive environment. All staff value the children and treat them with respect. Pupils are confident to approach any member of staff with their concerns and they receive sensitive and effective guidance. This has a beneficial effect on pupils’ attitudes to their work and helps to develop their self-esteem and to support their progress. Parents agreed that all the staff had a genuine desire to help all pupils and particularly mentioned that they thought the administrative staff were very caring and helpful.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Informal arrangements to promote pupils’ health and safety are good. Teachers recognise the importance of safety and several subject managers have produced guidelines on safety in their subject, for example, in music. First aid arrangements are good and parents are notified if their child becomes unwell during the school day. Pupils with specific medical problems are cared for well and photographs of children with severe allergies are displayed prominently in the staff room. The school secretary assists with delivery of the health education programme and the school arranges regular safety talks for pupils. Members of staff work hard to ensure that pupils feel secure and comfortable, so that they can make the most of their time in school and achieve successfully. Child protection procedures are informal. There is no written guidance to staff on the school’s procedures for child protection and members of staff have not

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. There are effective systems in place to promote discipline and good behaviour. Pupils are fully aware of the high expectations that members of staff have of them and great emphasis is placed upon rewarding positive behaviour. There is a school code of conduct of which all pupils are aware. There is a house points system designed to encourage good behaviour, good manners and consideration for others. Bad behaviour is recorded in a behaviour book and the school works closely with parents in cases of inappropriate behaviour. Bullying is uncommon but any isolated incidents are dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils’ absences are monitored and attendance registers are checked regularly. Parents are contacted promptly about any unexplained absences.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. Since the time of the last inspection the school has improved the assessment and monitoring of pupils’ performances and this is now good. Good and detailed records are kept of pupils’ attainments in English and mathematics and the results of assessments are used to monitor pupils' progress. Good use is made of standardised assessment tests to evaluate pupils’ progress throughout the school. In science, art, design and technology, geography, history, music and physical education assessments are made at the end of each module of work and these are used to identify when pupils have done better or less well than expected. Assessment is good in information technology. Targets are set for all pupils. They are discussed with pupils and their parents and are regularly reviewed.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and they benefit from the additional help that the school provides. Individual education plans have clear targets for improvement and these are regularly reviewed. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-20 54. The personal development of pupils is monitored regularly by class teachers through observations in lessons or at break times. There are good arrangements for children starting the school and parents and children have several opportunities to visit the school before formal entry. Class teachers liase closely as pupils progress through the school and there is a good exchange of information. Pupils are well prepared for their move to secondary school and appropriate records are transferred. Members of staff know their pupils well, relationships are very good and this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. Parents are very satisfied with the school’s provision and achievements. Since the time of the previous inspection the way in which the school works in partnership with parents has improved markedly. Parents who responded to the questionnaire, or attended the parents’ meeting are unanimous in thinking that the school expects children to work hard and achieve their best. Almost all parents believe the teaching is good, behaviour is good, the school is well led and managed and they feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or concerns. The inspection endorses the positive views of the parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The school has very effective links with parents. The school prospectus is comprehensive and clear and parents are well informed about school events through a weekly newsletter. The Parent Teacher Association is very active. It raises significant funds for the school, bids for additional funding from a variety of sources and helps maintain and develop the school building and its environment. The school is sensitive to the wishes of parents and introduced a graded home reading scheme after consideration of parental requests.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. The impact of parental involvement on pupils’ learning is good. Parents are informed of their child’s progress in a number of ways. Annual reports are comprehensive and give very good descriptions of what the pupil knows and understands across all the subjects of the National Curriculum. Reports frequently indicate the way ahead for the pupil. The school holds a parents’ evening each term when parents are involved in reviewing and setting targets for their child. In addition, each term, parents have the opportunity to comment on their child’s Record of Achievement which covers English, mathematics and science. These Records of Achievement are of a very high quality and enable parents to see the actual progress made by their child in these subjects.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. The contribution of parents to children’s learning is good. The school’s use of homework enables parents to be involved in their child’s learning. Some teachers extend this involvement by sending a clear curriculum overview to parents each term, indicating ways in which they can further support their child’s learning. The number of parent helpers in school is good and they are used effectively to listen to readers and support group activities.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The leadership and management of the headteacher and senior managers are good. This is a very significant improvement since the last inspection. It has been achieved by the establishment of a clear management structure with a direct link to the governing body through the chair's membership of the senior management team. This has involved the appropriate delegation of defined responsibilities to staff, improved strategic planning and the introduction of effective evaluation procedures. Members of the senior management Clatford CE (A) Primary School-21 team are very effective in their roles as senior staff, key stage co-ordinators and curriculum managers. All staff work closely together as a fully integrated team. They have strong links with a confident, well-informed and active governing body. Together they have been successful in giving the school a clear direction for development. The school management

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

is very well placed to lead the drive for further improvement.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The school's carefully-planned approach to the implementation of the literacy and numeracy frameworks is an example of this drive for improvement. The well-judged decision to pilot each of them before implementation enabled the staff to evaluate the programmes and enter their training with that experience and knowledge behind them. The effectiveness of this well-conceived approach is demonstrated in the positive contribution the frameworks make in raising standards in literacy and numeracy.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school has recently reviewed its mission and aims statements to affirm its commitment to developing 'each child's talents, their independence and their knowledge and skills for the next stage in their education'. They are clearly set out in its publications and very well reflected in the life of the school. The school is a community with a clear emphasis on the care and happiness of pupils and which has a strong commitment to their welfare and academic progress.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The governing body fulfils its statutory duties well and has active committees, with clear terms of reference, and to which appropriate responsibilities have been delegated. Governors have successfully reviewed their procedures, appraised their own performance and identified their training needs. Individuals have accepted the role of nominated governor for various aspects of the curriculum; for example, literacy and special educational needs. They liaise closely with staff and maintain good working relationships with them, especially the headteacher to whom they look for support and guidance. They have every confidence in his day-to-day management of the school, the senior management team's oversight of the curriculum and the regular curriculum reports they receive from subject managers. They have agreed academic performance targets with staff that are appropriate and challenging.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Many governors are fully involved in the daily life of the school, as members of staff or volunteers; other governors are regular visitors to the school. Governors make good use of their time in school and after designated visits they submit reports to the governing body to further inform its practices. They bring wide expertise and experience to the school and are very involved in formulating school policies in many areas, including the provision for literacy and numeracy. For example, the numeracy governor identified the need to review provision in mathematics for pupils with special educational needs. They know the school very well. Through their successful fulfilment of their roles as 'critical friend' and in their oversight of standards they are fully aware of the school's strengths and weaknesses and its commitment to the provision of equal opportunities. They have a clear vision of the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school as a family and have set appropriate priorities to improve educational provision and raise standards further.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. Since the last inspection the staff have made good progress in establishing effective procedures to improve the quality of teaching throughout the school. A comprehensive programme for lesson observations is in place which includes written evaluations of teaching, prompt feedback and support to teachers and, with the help of the local authority, the assessment of the effectiveness of the process. The staff have designed this well- judged programme so that all subject managers have direct responsibility for assessing the strengths and weaknesses in their own subject areas. In addition to lesson observation, for which they have designated time, this includes the examination of teachers' planning and the scrutiny of pupils' work. The latter is effectively complemented by the teachers' participation in work of the local authority's school clusters in reviewing provision and Clatford CE (A) Primary School-22

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

standards in curriculum subjects. The school is to host its cluster's forthcoming review of design and technology. The school collates a wide range of data including the results of national tests to help staff track pupils' progress and improve their attainment, and identify priorities. To help their analysis staff make very good use of information technology to ensure their assessment systems are manageable. This reflects the school's positive and efficient approach to the use of information and communication technology systems to support its management. The newly-developed internet website is used well to highlight the school's successes to promote it as a positive place of learning.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. Pending the outcome of the national review for teacher appraisal, the headteacher offers support to staff through an annual professional development interview to help individuals review their work. These meetings are carefully planned and organised to an agreed agenda. They are well received by the teachers who are helped to confirm appropriate personal targets for the year ahead, and identify priorities for the school's improvement plan. In addition all staff benefit form an extensive programme of training carefully targeted to the school's priorities and the staff's individual needs. The inclusion of a member of the administrative staff on information technology training for data analysis means that pupils' records are kept up-to-date and the assessment co-ordinator is relieved of routine administration. The school does not have formal systems in place to evaluate its training programme and determine its effectiveness.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The school improvement plan offers a strategic overview for development and maintenance and identifies relevant priorities for the current year which inform the setting of the budget. It is a well-structured and effective plan compiled through extensive consultation. The headteacher, senior staff and governors are involved effectively in evaluating the outcomes of the plan and are helped in this by each target's useful success criteria. The school takes appropriate measures to support these targets. All staff are aware of the school's priorities and teachers ensure that support staff recognise the needs of all pupils. The school follows the local authority's induction scheme for newly qualified teachers and all staff take part in a useful induction programme. The staff handbook offers valuable induction support to new staff who are well integrated into school life; and the school is fully capable of providing for

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The leadership and management of the Early Years co-ordinator are good and the provision for early years has improved very significantly since the last inspection. She works effectively in partnership with parents and ensures that all the children are secure and valued. She provides a stimulating environment for learning and plans a carefully structured curriculum that builds appropriately on what children know already and extends their interests. The early years assistant is well briefed and gives good support. The special educational needs co-ordinator manages the provision for pupils with special educational needs effectively. The school shows a strong commitment to supporting pupils with special educational needs and provides extra classroom assistants to help these pupils. The quality of this support is good.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. Day-to-day organisation and administration are carried out effectively and the school's finances are well managed. The spending implications of school priorities are carefully considered and targets are funded appropriately. Subject managers complete an annual review of their areas of responsibility to identify necessary areas of expenditure and this leads to a clear overview of the school's educational provision. In consultation with staff they have responsibility for identifying priorities and spending their budget allocations. This is an appropriate extension of their management function. The school's administrative officer collates all financial information. This ensures that the governors' finance committee and the headteacher have ready access to up-to-date information and that the headteacher is relieved of routine financial administration. The attendance of the administrative officer

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

as minuting secretary to the finance committee offers additional support to governors in Clatford CE (A) Primary School-23 their regular monitoring of the school's budget and their reviews of their cost-effectiveness measures.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The school's financial planning is sound. The headteacher and governors are aware of the value in predicting likely school income and financial trends, but their systems for collating information are informal. All the recommendations of the most recent auditor's report have been implemented and specific grants have been spent wholly and exclusively for eligible purposes. Governors fully comply with best value principles; in particular, they consult widely and make good use of local authority and national tables to compare the school's performance with that of others. The Parents and Teachers' Association has raised money to improve the school's educational provision; for example, increasing learning resources for literacy and numeracy.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The school has an adequate number of teachers who are suitably qualified and experienced to teach the National Curriculum, children under five and pupils with special educational needs. Support staff are effectively deployed and they make a valuable contribution to the quality of educational provision. They are appropriately experienced and work closely with the teachers to ensure a consistent approach in their teaching; this has a beneficial effect on the pupils' good progress. The work of staff with responsibility for administration, lunchtime supervision, the kitchen, premises and cleaning is effective. All staff work together as a mutually supportive team for the benefit of all the pupils. This teamwork contributes significantly to the warm and caring ethos of the school and the improved performance of the pupils.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. The school’s modern buildings are light and airy and maintained to a high standard. There is no evidence of vandalism or misuse. Although the staff make effective use of the school's accommodation for the teaching of the National Curriculum, it is a limiting factor in the quality of educational provision. The school's attractive library is centrally sited and offers a broad range of resources including two computers linked to the internet. The considerable improvement gained from the recently built classroom has been marred by its intrusion into the school's only netball court and the further erosion of the school's storage space. The inevitable use of the very small, multipurpose hall for siting large resources further restricts the hall’s use for educational purposes and increases the need for greater health and safety vigilance. The temporary classrooms offer restricted provision. The field,

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

quiet corner, adventure area and playground offer good outdoor facilities for education and recreation. By staggering playtimes the school has gone some way to compensating for the restricted space offered by the playground alone. The staff have made good use of a small area to provide outdoor facilities with large play equipment for the younger children but its position in relation to the reception class means that it does not provide ready access for the children. The children’s access to the playground, at appropriate times, enriches the provision.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. The school has a good range of learning resources for the teaching of English, mathematics, information technology, art, design and technology, music and physical education. They have made a positive contribution to the improved standards recently attained by pupils. Those for science, geography and history are satisfactory. Provision for children under five is good. Music resources are attractively arranged, offering an arresting and easily accessible display. This is in marked contrast to those of some other subjects which are stored out of sight in a location which inhibits their accessibility. While this reflects the school's limited storage facilities, it detracts from their use as a focus for pupils' interest and source for pupil selection. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-24

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

73. In order to continue to improve the quality of education, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the range and quality of pupils’ writing by;

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

giving pupils more opportunities to widen their writing skills in other subjects, in particular science and geography,

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

raising pupils’ standards of handwriting, spelling and presentation. (paragraphs: 5,6,20,92,98,99,140)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the consistency of standards in science to match those attained in English and mathematics. (paragraphs: 2,112)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Provide written guidance to staff on the school’s procedures for child protection and welfare and ensure that all staff receive appropriate training. (paragraph: 50) Clatford CE (A) Primary School-25

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 27

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

5 26 62 7 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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 203

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 9 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 38

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.25

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 1999 15 19 34 Clatford CE (A) Primary School-26 National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15(8) 15(8) 14(11) Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19(10) 19(10) 19(10)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100(70) 100(70) 97(81) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15(8) 15(8) 14(11) Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19(10) 19(10) 19(10)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100(73) 100(81) 97(92) at NC level 2 or above National 82(81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 20 8 28

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 16(10) 19(10) 16(9) Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8(10) 7(9) 8(10)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 86(87) 93(83) 86(83) at NC level 4 or above National 70(65) 69 (59) 78((69)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 16(10) 17(10) 19(10) Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8(11) 7(11) 8(11)

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 86(91) 86(91) 96(91) at NC level 4 or above National 68(65) 69 (65) 75(71) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-27 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.4 Financial year 1999-2000

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 29.7

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Education support staff YR– Y6 Total expenditure 358293

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Total number of education support staff 5 Expenditure per pupil 1774

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Total aggregate hours worked per week 90 Balance brought forward from previous year 23044

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Balance carried forward to next year 16912 Clatford CE (A) Primary School-28

p.27

Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

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

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 57 40 2 1 0

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 61 37 2 0 0

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 40 50 7 3 0

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 42 52 6 0 0

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 74 24 2 1 0

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 72 28 0 0 0

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 44 51 5 1 0

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 44 51 5 1 0

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 59 37 2 0 0

p.28

Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 61 33 4 1 2 Clatford CE (A) Primary School-29

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

74. Good provision is made for the children under five. At the time of the inspection there were 27 children in the reception year, seven of whom were still four years old. The class is staffed by a full-time teacher and a full-time trained assistant who work closely together. Parents give regular support. The reception area is an attractive and stimulating environment which encourages learning. Resources are sufficient and of good quality.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75. Admission to the reception class takes place once a year in September. Intake is staggered over one week and, until children are fully settled, they attend in the mornings only. In the spring and summer terms before they start school children are invited to visit the class for short periods when they get to know the teacher. Reception children follow a structured timetable; they experience both literacy and numeracy each morning and in the afternoons children choose from a good variety of well-planned and purposeful activities which relate to the current topic. The curriculum is appropriately planned to cover the nationally agreed Desirable Learning Outcomes for children of this age and activities are rich and stimulating and are effective in helping the children learn. The teacher and the nursery nurse work well together and both adults sustain very good relationships with the children and build successfully on their previous learning. They

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

are particularly good at exploiting situations to extend language, mathematical and scientific concepts.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

76. Assessments of the children’s skills are made in their first term in school, and these indicate that although a range of attainment is represented, the overall attainment of most children on entry to the school is above that expected for the age group. As a result of the initial assessments, appropriate targets are set for each child and these are shared with parents. In the following term the children are assessed again and their progress is discussed with parents and more challenging targets set. Children make very good progress in their personal and social development, language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world and most children attain well above the expected level in these areas. In their mathematics, creative and physical development they make good progress and by the time they are five the attainment of the vast majority of children is above that expected nationally. Most pupils are working

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

confidently in the early stages of the National Curriculum.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

77. Since the last inspection provision for children under five has strengthened. This is due to improved teaching, induction procedures and play resources and regular assessment which informs children’s learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

78. Very good progress is made in developing pupils’ personal and social skills. By the age of five, the children demonstrate a very good level of maturity and independence for their age and this is shown as they tidy up after each activity and in the relationships between the children. Children sustain concentration for an increasing amount of time, for example in participating in the oral sections of the literacy and numeracy sessions. They try their best and develop positive attitudes to their work which are a feature of the whole school. Their enjoyment of learning is apparent in all they do; they are keen to begin afternoon activities. They have a good understanding of class routines, sitting quickly on the carpet so that they make a prompt start to their lesson. They are polite, put up their hands to answer questions and take turns to speak or when sharing equipment. They Clatford CE (A) Primary School-30

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

become fully involved in all their activities and are very independent when getting changed for a physical education lesson or when choosing ‘star’ activities which they record on a wall chart. They line up quickly for assembly and enter the hall quietly. Registration is taken by the teacher singing their name and “Where are you?”. Almost all the children sing their replies confidently and clearly.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

79. The quality of teaching is very good and the personal and social development of children is given a high priority. Every opportunity is taken to reinforce good social interaction and to provide co-operative working activities, for instance when working in pairs on the computer. The teacher has very high expectations of the children and they respond well. Classroom rules are clearly understood and all children know exactly what is expected of them. The work areas are very well organised and resources are easily accessible, developing independence and good work habits. The very good relationships between the teacher, the classroom assistant and the children contribute significantly to the positive learning atmosphere in the reception area.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

80. Children make very good progress in language and literacy through well planned activities related to the appropriate objectives in the literacy framework and through the language rich environment of the reception class. They develop very good skills in speaking and listening. For example, they listen well to the teacher and other adults about the pets that have been brought into school and talk confidently and articulately about what the pets need in order to remain healthy. Most children form letters correctly, write their first name accurately and many also write their surname. Higher attaining children write stories, with simple sentences, sometimes using punctuation and they apply their knowledge of sounds to spell regular words accurately. All the children recognise and order the letters of the alphabet and know the sound they make. Most pupils recognise the initial sounds of words and higher attaining pupils also identify the

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

final sound. They read a good range of familiar words and take their reading books home regularly to share with their parents. Higher attaining pupils read simple stories with understanding and change their voice and expression in response to full stops and speech marks. Children know that books are read from the front to the back and that there are story books and information books. One higher-attaining child said that an information book would need a contents page.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

81. Teaching is very good. Literacy lessons are well planned and opportunities to develop children’s language are fully exploited. Good use is made of ‘Big Books’ and of a flip chart to model reading and writing, and ensures that all the children are involved and participate in reading and writing activities. Very good attention is given to developing children’s phonic skills through interactive games that encourage them to listen, such as a box of objects from which children have to identify objects beginning with the same initial sound. Activities are appropriately challenging and are different depending on the level of attainment of each child. They are clearly explained to the children who all attempt them with some degree of success.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

82. Good progress is made in mathematics. The children’s mathematical understanding is developed through a wide range of practical activities that encourage them to count, to sort, to match and to work with numbers, shapes, space and measures. By the time they are five all children count at least to 10 and match the appropriate number to the set of objects and many children continue counting to much higher numbers. Most children combine two groups of numbers to find the total as they develop an understanding of Clatford CE (A) Primary School-31 addition and can also draw one more or one less. Higher-attaining children say how many more sweets one child has than another. They develop a good understanding of measurement as they compare objects which hold more or less water. They learn the mathematical names and identify two-dimensional shapes correctly because these are the names of their mathematics groups.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

83. Teaching of mathematics is good. The numeracy sessions are well planned, suitably challenging and good use is made of resources to help children understand. The teacher’s sense of enthusiasm makes learning fun, and children are keen to take part in practical activities; for example, when they all split a stack of five cubes to see how many different combinations would add up to five. Good use is made of songs to help children become familiar with number, to count on and to count back. Good class management promotes a good working atmosphere in which all children are actively engaged. Staff ensure that activities are enjoyable and enable children to become fully involved.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Knowledge and understanding of the world

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

84. Children make very good progress in acquiring the knowledge and understanding that helps them make sense of the world through a good range of structured practical activities; these provide a good basis for their later work in science, design and technology, history, geography and information technology. They gain first hand experience of different animals when a pet dog and a pet budgerigar are brought into the classroom. They learn how to care for animals and know that all living things need water in order to survive. They develop their observation skills as they identify some of the features of the snails and caterpillars they have in the classroom and acquire good early scientific skills when they test to see whether seeds need light or water in order to grow. They develop good computer skills when controlling the mouse to dress Teddy and or when moving letters around the screen in order to make as many words as

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

possible from the letters in their teacher’s name. They have regular opportunities to develop understanding through playing in the sand and water and use a good range of construction toys imaginatively to build and balance. They differentiate between past and present, and begin to develop a sound sense of chronology when they compare old toys with the ones they have today or when they order the members of their family in a time line. They explore their local environment and learn more about plans and maps when they make a plan of the classroom and create a map of the Ginger Bread Man’s journey. They learn about how things work as they look at flaps in order to make hinges for their pet’s cage They use simple tools such as scissors, staplers and glue correctly and techniques such as cutting, folding and joining and competently. They adapt their work when necessary. Through listening to stories, poems and music from other

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

cultures they develop a broader awareness of the world in which they live.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

85. The quality of teaching is very good. The staff provide a varied and imaginative range of practical activities which show a good understanding of young children and build effectively on what the children already know and can do. There are high expectations of the children. The staff are very effective in using questions to consolidate and extend children’s knowledge and they make good use of incidental opportunities to develop children’s understanding. For example, when a child felt unwell and left the room for a drink, the teacher used the opportunity to talk about all the other things in the room that needed water. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-32 Physical Development

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

86. Children make good progress in physical development and attain standards in advance of their age. The development of their physical skills is effectively demonstrated through the way they move with a good awareness of space and of others. They show good control of their bodies when they ride wheeled toys and push prams, changing direction quickly to avoid obstacles. They participate enthusiastically in energetic activity during a physical education lesson. The children run, skip and hop confidently, roll a ball accurately between two markers and dribble a ball with some accuracy both with their hands and their feet. They acquire a good range of co-ordination skills through handling tools and malleable materials. They cut, stick and paint confidently when making a rainbow. They manipulate the pieces of a jigsaw and construction toys effectively and understand the importance of health and safety.

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

87. Teaching in this area is good. The staff plan a good range of activities that develop children’s skills of co-ordination, control, manipulation and movement. They pay appropriate attention to health and safety. They have high expectations of the children and in physical education lessons the teacher teaches specific skills to help children succeed and gives good feed back to help them improve their performance. She encourages children to undo their own buttons and tie their shoes when changing for physical education lessons.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

88. Children make good progress in creative development and attain standards beyond those expected for their age. They explore sound, colour, texture, form and space with a good variety of media including collage, paint and clay. They experiment with mixing colours and combine different media to make a large-scale rainbow. They weave with paper, ribbon and lace very effectively, print using large, Indian wood blocks and make three-dimensional teddies and mini-beasts skilfully from newspapers and paste. They sing with enthusiasm in class and build a good repertoire of songs. They explore the different sounds that musical instruments make and begin to describe the ways in which they are played. They engage in imaginative role-play in their pet shop hanging price labels around their cuddly toys and ‘selling’ them to one another.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

89. The quality of teaching is good. The staff provide a rich learning environment in which children are encouraged to explore, express and communicate their ideas. They provide a good balance between adult-initiated activities which help the children develop new skills and child-initiated activities that enable the children to practise these skills and express their creativity and imagination. Activities are well planned, well organised and well prepared. They encourage children to talk about their work and say how they might make it better. They value the children's contributions and the attractive displays of their work contribute to the stimulating environment

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ENGLISH

90. In the 1999 national tests, the school’s results for eleven-year-olds were well above the national average in terms of the percentage of pupils attaining both the expected level, level 4 and the higher level, level 5. Inspection evidence indicates that the majority of children in Year 6 attain similar standards. The trends over the last four years show that although pupils’ standards in English are consistently above national averages there has been a slight downward trend. When compared with the attainment of pupils attending similar schools, the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 was average and above average at the higher level. Girls outperform boys in English matching the national pattern. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-33 91. At seven, in both reading and writing the percentage of pupils attaining Level 2 in the national tests was very high in comparison with the national average and well above the

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ENGLISH

national average at the higher level. The trends over the last four years show that pupils’ standards in reading and writing are above national averages in three out of the four years, but in 1998 there was a dip in standards. In that year, they were average in reading and below average in writing. There were substantial gains in the standards attained in reading and writing in 1999. Inspection findings indicate that pupils in Year 2 attain similar standards. When compared with the attainment of pupils attending similar schools, the percentage of pupils attaining level 2 in reading and writing was very high and within the top five-per-cent of these schools. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher level in writing was well above the national average and close to the national average in reading.

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ENGLISH

92. Inspection findings indicate that pupils' attainment is above average at both eleven and seven, a large minority of pupils attain at the higher levels and a few higher-attaining pupils are encouraged and supported to work at level 6 during their final year at the school. Pupils with special educational needs attain standards consistent with their previous attainment. By the age of seven standards in reading have improved at the expected level and at both eleven and seven standards have been raised for the higher attaining children. Teachers have made good use of the national literacy framework to implement a more structured approach to the teaching of reading and writing and this is having a positive impact on the standards achieved. Teachers are confident and effective teachers of literacy and most teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to write in other subjects. However, opportunities for pupils to reinforce and develop their independent writing skills in

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ENGLISH

science and geography are not evident. The teachers now systematically analyse the performance of individual pupils and set targets for individual pupils and groups of pupils and this systematic monitoring makes an effective contribution to the raising of standards. The school’s agreed priorities and procedures for raising standards in English include setting challenging, measurable targets for improvement and the school is on course to meet them.

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ENGLISH

93. Throughout the school, pupils attain high standards in speaking and listening. In Key Stage 1, pupils learn to listen carefully to others and to speak clearly and confidently. They use language effectively to recreate roles and experiences. By the age of seven most pupils talk and listen confidently in a range of different contexts and respond to what they have heard by asking and answering questions that clarify their understanding. In Key Stage 2, they listen with growing attention and concentration. They sustain more prolonged conversations, make mature contributions to class discussions and learn to adapt their increasing vocabulary in response to different situations. Pupils share ideas, offer advice to one another and present their work well at the end of lessons. The teachers encourage pupils to use appropriate, specialist vocabulary and this has a positive effect on pupils’ ability to express themselves accurately and to use language

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ENGLISH

effectively to explain, enquire and compare. They state their opinions articulately and present their views confidently during debates. Since the last inspection a greater emphasis has been given to drama and role play. For example, in Year 4 pupils improvise and role-play to explore the issues that arose during the reign of Henry V111. In Year 6, pupils create and sustain different roles from the Greek myths using character and action very effectively to convey the story of Perseus and the Gorgon and evaluate and improve their performances. School productions of Macbeth and Ali Baba develop pupils’ performance skills and provide valuable opportunities for pupils to present their work to a wider audience.

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ENGLISH

94. Since the last inspection the school has given a stronger emphasis to increasing the range of strategies that pupils use to help them read. Younger pupils read accurately from published reading schemes of progressively more difficult texts and consolidate Clatford CE (A) Primary School-34 their skills by reading books at similar levels of difficulty. They recognise a good number of words by sight and use their knowledge of sounds and the illustrations to help them read, and their reading is mostly accurate. By the age of seven higher-attaining pupils read accurately, fluently and with good expression from a greater range of books. They learn to segment words into syllables, identify little words within big words and use the structure of the sentence to determine the type of word needed to make sense. As they become more confident, they self-correct, read-on and re-read to clarify meaning. By the

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time they leave the school, most pupils read accurately, fluently and with good expression. They are familiar with a range of strategies to help them read unfamiliar words. Higher-attaining pupils orchestrate all the reading strategies to make sense of what they read. They pay greater attention to punctuation and read with more expression. They use good phrasing when reading aloud, and use their comprehension skills well to deduce information and ideas from the text.

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ENGLISH

95. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the books they read and the stories that are read to them. Younger pupils identify patterns of rhyme, rhythm and sound in poetry and older pupils recognise the use and effect of figurative language. Pupils retell stories well, predict events and identify and describe the characters. They are familiar with a good range of authors Younger pupils talk enthusiastically about books by Roald Dahl and Jeremy Strong. Older pupils enjoy the ‘Harry Potter’ books, by J K Rowlings, poems and stories by Roald Dahl, and many pupils select Jackie Wilson, Anne Fine and Dick King- Smith as their favourite writers and they express their preferences clearly.

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ENGLISH

96. The pupils’ appreciation and understanding of literature and poetry are enhanced in whole-class and group reading sessions. By the time they are eleven, the pupils have studied a good range of challenging texts. Higher-attaining pupils are familiar with some significant contemporary and well-established authors such as J.K.Tolkein and Philip Pullman. Many parents give valuable support by reading regularly with their children and this has a positive impact upon standards.

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ENGLISH

97. Pupils’ skills of research and information are developing well and they make good use of dictionaries and thesauruses. Younger pupils are familiar with technical terminology such as author, illustrator and title. By the age of seven, higher and average attaining pupils know the difference between fact and fiction. Older pupils know that fiction is classified alphabetically, they understand the features of non-fiction texts and explain the purpose of the contents, index and glossary accurately. Pupils in Years 6 know that fiction is classified alphabetically and non-fiction according to the Dewey decimal system. They use the subject index books and charts confidently to locate resources and apply their research skills well to find information to support their work in other subjects.

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98. In most classes pupils write for a wide range of purposes. In the reception class pupils learn to label pets in the ‘Pet Shop’, write cards and letters in the writing corner. In Year 1, the pupils write imaginative news articles ‘Someone Has Broken Into The Three Bears House’. They know how to label diagrams of caterpillars and compose short factual reports on their experiments to grow cress. There are some good examples of pupils developing their writing skills in other subjects, for example they write accounts of Sir Francis Drake’s adventures in history. Good examples of pupils’ writing were observed in Year 1 in design and technology, where pupils reported and evaluated their ‘Making of Picture Frames’. In Year 2, the range of writing is still too narrow, and the scope for pupils to develop imaginative responses or to apply their writing skills in other areas is restricted. Average and lower-attaining pupils and extend their ideas logically and

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ENGLISH

organise their writing appropriately. Their ideas are usually developed in sentences, but these are not consistently demarcated by capital letters and full stops. There are some very good examples of higher-attaining pupils responding creatively to stories, sustaining their ideas well and using a wide vocabulary. They use grammatically complex Clatford CE (A) Primary School-35 sentences. Although there are some good examples of well-formed handwriting much of it is poorly formed and untidy and pupils’ spelling and presentation are weak.

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ENGLISH

99. As they move through Key Stage 2 pupils build upon their early writing skills and in Year 4, pupils’ writing becomes more varied and interesting. They write for a range of purposes including letters, stories, reports, biographies, instructions and poetry and for a variety of audiences. They use language effectively to write poems collaboratively based on Longfellow’s ‘Hiawatha’ and demonstrate a strong sense of rhythm and rhyme. They write interesting stories in a range of genres including science fiction and compose and record jingles in response to advertisements. They listen and look at the language and layout of established texts and plan draft and edit their work. Pupils in Year 6 use adjectives, adverbs and similes imaginatively to write descriptions of Greek monsters. By the end of Year 6 pupils recognise the main features of different types of fiction and non-fiction texts and explore the complexities of writing in a particular genre. For

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ENGLISH

example, the teacher discusses the features of narrative texts with the whole class and in guided reading, groups of pupils who are reading a range of books by Anne Fine look for these features in her writing. One group presented their findings and demonstrated their understanding of these features well at the end of the lesson. Pupils demonstrate that they have understood the characteristic structures and language of non-fiction texts when they write accurate instructions for turning on the computer and using the Internet. They transform poems into plays and write persuasive reviews to encourage other pupils to read more widely. By the time they leave the school pupils know how to use paragraphs to organise their writing, their spelling and punctuation are generally accurate and most pupils write in a good, fluent style. However, there are too many examples of unsatisfactory standards in spelling and handwriting, the presentation of

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ENGLISH

work in books is variable and there some examples of poorly presented, unfinished work.

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ENGLISH

100. As they move through the school pupils of all abilities achieve well in almost all aspects of English. Pupils build effectively on their early skills and systematically develop their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Pupils at Key Stage 2 have a good knowledge of their own learning and develop good skills in independent learning. Throughout the school pupils make purposeful use of information and communication technology to support a range of work in literacy. For example, they use a word processing package to modify their writing.

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ENGLISH

101.The quality of teaching ranges from satisfactory to excellent. It is consistently good at Key Stage 1 and ranges from satisfactory to excellent at Key Stage 2. During the inspection no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection and makes an important contribution to standards pupils attain. Teachers have raised their expectations of pupils, they now have a secure knowledge of the programmes of study laid down in the National Curriculum and are increasingly confident in planning how information and communication technology will be used to support pupils’ learning. Teachers' planning takes account of the national literacy framework and they have a secure knowledge and understanding of the objectives. They make clear what pupils are expected to learn, what they are required to do to make their work better and they encourage pupils to participate in evaluating and improving their own

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ENGLISH

work. Very good opportunities for speaking and listening are incorporated into lessons and teachers plan interesting activities for drama and role-play. Big books and enlarged texts are used appropriately and group work is matched to pupils’ differing levels of ability. The review time at the end of lessons is used effectively in helping pupils to consolidate and extend their learning and this makes a positive contribution to their achievements. In the most successful lessons teachers have very high expectations and use skilled questioning to assess pupils’ knowledge, to confirm and extend their understanding, and help pupils make connections between points arising from discussion and their previous knowledge. These consistent features of high quality teaching are significant factors in Clatford CE (A) Primary School-36 enabling pupils to make good gains in their learning and was a strength in the teaching

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ENGLISH

of children under five and at Key Stage 2 The teaching of the basic skills of literacy is good overall. The exception is in writing where there are some inconsistencies in both key stages in the range of writing pupils cover, in the opportunities teachers offer to broaden pupils’ writing in other subjects, in particular science and geography. All staff sustain good relationships with the pupils. As a result the pupils have positive attitudes to their work and enjoy learning. There are some good examples of teachers’ marking giving written feedback to the pupils on what they have done well and what they need to do to improve their work, but this is not a consistent feature in all classes. All pupils take reading books and spelling lists. Teachers set regular homework which is used effectively to reinforce and extend what is learned in school.

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ENGLISH

102. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is well planned and relates appropriately to the literacy targets in their individual education plans. The school is making very good use of the additional learning support materials for literacy. Classroom assistants are well briefed and work is appropriately matched to pupils’ needs; as a result, the pupils make good progress.

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ENGLISH

103. This subject manager has made a very good contribution to the raising of standards in English. In response to the last inspection report he has written a comprehensive action plan with success criteria and a clear time scale; most of the objectives have now been achieved. The school is well resourced, a supportive monitoring programme has been introduced and the quality of teaching has improved. There are very good procedures for assessment in place and the results of these assessments are used to set targets, which are shared with pupils and their parents.

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MATHEMATICS

104. In the 1999 national tests, the attainment of pupils at eleven and at seven were well above the national averages. This was in comparison with all schools and with similar schools at both the average levels (level 4 and level 2 respectively) and at the higher levels (level 5 and level 3 respectively). This was also the case in comparison with similar schools except for the attainment of seven year olds at the average level; this was above the national average. The rising trend over the last four years matches that seen nationally. The apparent differences in the performance of girls and boys suggested by the national test results were not confirmed by inspection evidence.

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MATHEMATICS

105. Inspection findings indicate that overall pupils' attainment is above average at both eleven and seven, and a large minority of pupils attain at the higher levels. These are significant improvements in standards since the last inspection. This raising of standards for all pupils, but especially the higher attaining pupils, follows from the school's systematic analysis of individual pupil performance and its effective adoption of the national numeracy framework. Pupils with special educational needs attain standards consistent with their previous attainment. Girls and boys attain standards well above the national averages for their gender groups.

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MATHEMATICS

106. Almost all aspects of mathematics are covered throughout the school through a well- structured integrated approach. The exceptions relate to problem solving, investigations and applying mathematics to everyday situations. These aspects of the numeracy framework, although covered satisfactorily, are not yet implemented systematically into the mathematics programme. The school is aware of this and has identified it as the next stage in its further development of mathematics. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-37 107. As they move through both key stages, pupils of all abilities achieve well and make good steady progress in their acquisition of knowledge, skills and understanding in numeracy, shape, measurement, data handling and mental mathematics. Their achievement in working with problems is satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the appropriate targets set for them. They are well supported and

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MATHEMATICS

encouraged to share responsibility for their own learning. At both key stages they have many opportunities to identify and collect their own resources.

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MATHEMATICS

108. Across Key Stage 1, pupils' overall achievement is good. By seven almost all the pupils recall basic number facts and use simple methods correctly to improve their numeracy skills. They develop an understanding of large numbers and undertake successfully a range of calculations including doubling and halving. One pupil drew a gasp of astonishment from the class when he set out correctly a complex number sentence involving multiplication, addition and subtraction. They use halves and quarters correctly. Pupils increase their knowledge of two-and three-dimensional shapes and describe their properties correctly. They improve the accuracy of their measurements by carefully checking their work. They use their knowledge of number and money appropriately in simple shopping activities. A large minority work confidently with numbers to 1000, use a range of fractions and discuss their equivalence appropriately, and tabulate information from which they construct and

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MATHEMATICS

109. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils build effectively upon this work and their overall achievement is good. They improve their skills in mental methods, and explain with increasing precision how they have arrived at their answers. Two Year 4 pupils successfully responded to their teacher's challenge to set out their explanation for the relationship between a series of numbers they had conjectured earlier. Pupils develop their understanding of written calculations and work successfully with decimal numbers. They work with fractions and decimals, converting one to the other correctly. They round numbers up and down accurately and use their skills to predict the likely outcomes of their calculations. Pupils estimate and measure perimeters and areas of simple shapes appropriately. They discuss events and conduct simple experiments to explore a possible range of outcomes. A significant minority work confidently with negative numbers, operate

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MATHEMATICS

successfully with large numbers and to three decimal places, calculate percentages accurately, use simple formulae to determine the perimeter and area of complex shapes, and interpret graphs appropriately.

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MATHEMATICS

110. Pupils' mathematical skills are employed successfully in other subjects of the curriculum which, in turn, help to further develop and refine those skills. In science, pupils use their tabulation and graphical skills to record the results of their experiments; for example, examining the decrease in an active pulse rate over agreed time intervals. In design and technology, pupils' measuring and weighing skills are used accurately; for example, to construct model house frames or prepare ingredients for fruit cocktails. In information and communication technology, pupils use their mathematical awareness to program instructions and test hypotheses. In history, pupils draw on their data handling skills to aid their understanding of life in Victorian times. In physical education, young pupils draw on their spatial awareness and their understanding of number and pattern when interpreting traditional dances. Pupils' recordings and written explanations of their findings offer useful

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MATHEMATICS

opportunities to develop their literacy skills. However, although there are many examples of pupils offering work which is correctly spelt and neatly set out this is not consistent practice across the school.

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MATHEMATICS

111. Throughout the school the quality of teaching is consistently good; during the inspection no unsatisfactory teaching was seen. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. This good teaching is characterised by the very good relationships between pupils and the adults who work with them. This helps all pupils feel secure and confident in Clatford CE (A) Primary School-38 their learning. Teachers make good use of their secure subject knowledge to develop pupils' mental mathematics and promote the pupils' recognition of patterns and relationships. The teachers' planning is good and based effectively on the numeracy framework. This gives pupils a clear focus for their lessons which they are able to realise through well-structured, developmental activities. Teachers have raised their expectations since the last inspection and this is demonstrated through their challenging questions which

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MATHEMATICS

are directed towards the particular learning needs of individuals and groups. Such questioning requires pupils to respond in precise terms and to use appropriate mathematical vocabulary which helps to refine their understanding. In particular, pupils with special educational needs are encouraged sensitively to talk about what they do and explain their conclusions. There is an appropriate balance between direct teaching and pupils' contributions which ensures a brisk pace to lessons and provides opportunities for pupils to develop their own learning. During lessons teachers make good interventions to support pupils' learning and they record useful assessments to inform their future planning. This ensures that set tasks reflect the full range of pupils' abilities and individuals build effectively on their previous learning. Teachers make good use of information and communication technology to support their pupils' learning by ensuring activities are

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MATHEMATICS

appropriate for the pupils and relevant to the lesson's focus. For example, Year 2 pupils use their information and technology skills to generate block graphs; Year 4 pupils use theirs to develop their understanding of shapes; and Year 5 access the Internet to refine their reading of timetables. Teachers set homework regularly and relate it appropriately to pupils' current work; consequently, it is making a positive contribution to pupils' achievements. Although teachers mark their pupils' work regularly and include encouraging comments, across the school there is inconsistency in the use of written feedback to pupils to help them recognise what they should do to improve their work.

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SCIENCE

112. At the time of the last inspection standards were identified as being in line with national averages at the end of both key stages. Since then standards have been maintained. The school’s results in the 1999 tests for eleven year olds were close to the national average in terms of the percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 and in the percentage of pupils attaining the higher Level 5. When these results are compared to those of schools that serve similar pupils to those at Clatford, the number of pupils achieving both the expected level and the higher level is below average. Over the last three years standards have dropped from the level of 1996. They rose in 1998 and although levels were maintained in 1999, the standards have varied in comparison with national standards. The findings of the inspection are that standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are now above average with about the average number of pupils attaining the

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SCIENCE

expected level and but a greater than average number of pupils attaining the higher level. 113. The Key Stage 1 teacher assessments in 1999 indicated that the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 2 in science was well above average whilst the number attaining the higher Level 3 was average. When these results are compared to those of schools with similar pupils the number of pupils attaining both levels was average. Evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is above average with a higher than average number of pupils attaining both the nationally expected level and the higher Level 3. At both key stages pupils with special educational needs are well supported in their learning. They make good progress and attain levels consistent with their ability. 114. At the end of Key Stage 2 most pupils have a good recall of the science work they have

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SCIENCE

covered throughout the key stage and they talk confidently about investigations they have done. They know that in order to carry out an investigation successfully they need Clatford CE (A) Primary School-39 to keep everything the same except the variable they are investigating. They know that findings are often recorded in tables and graphs to help them make predictions and draw conclusions but have few opportunities to practise doing this. They have a good understanding of life and living processes and Year 6 pupils remember having looked at plants in a previous class. When examining plants during the inspection they were able talk about the names and functions of the different parts although they were uncertain about the process of reproduction. Most pupils know that photosynthesis is the system by which plants manufacture food and that both sunlight and carbon dioxide are needed to do this. Pupils talk about the different states of materials and know that some solids

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SCIENCE

can be changed to liquids and liquids to gases. They explain condensation and evaporation and give everyday examples of when this occurs. Although pupils’ level of understanding of the physical processes is overall satisfactory they are less secure in this area than in other aspects of science. For example, although they talk about forces such as friction and gravity they are unsure about upthrust on a stationary object when it is out of water.

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SCIENCE

115. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils observe carefully and provide explanations for their observations when they examine a plant without a flower. They say that this may be because it has died or because it has not yet grown. When working with plants in the school grounds pupils identify the parts of the plant even when they are very different from those known to them; for example, the leaves on a pine tree. Pupils know that materials can be changed by heating and cooling and know that sometimes these changes can be reversed and sometimes they cannot. They know how to set up a simple electrical circuit using a battery and understand that this is different from the use of mains electricity which is dangerous.

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SCIENCE

116. The improvement since the last inspection is mainly because the standard of teaching in science has improved. The school has modified its scheme of work to incorporate the national guidance. However standards in science have not risen at the same rate as those in English and mathematics.

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SCIENCE

117. Throughout the school the good teaching encourages positive attitudes from the pupils and most clearly enjoy science lessons. Their attitudes are a significant contributory factor to the high standards they are attaining. They tackle activities enthusiastically and when working in groups remain sensible and clearly focused on what they are doing. This was seen in a Year 5 lesson when pupils were measuring their pulse rates. Pupils know what is expected of them, work independently of the teacher and worked productively in collaboration with others.

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SCIENCE

118. All the teaching observed was at least good and in the lessons taken by the part-time teacher, teaching was very good. Teachers devise well-structured activities, they offer good guidance and give clear instructions. They help pupils to successfully develop good observation skills and to analyse their findings. In the very good lessons, the teacher was very clear what she wanted the pupils to learn. She provided a range of interesting opportunities that motivated pupils and built very effectively on their previous learning to consolidate, apply and extend their knowledge. An example of this was seen in the Year 2 lesson when instead of simply telling pupils the names of different parts of a plant, she asked the pupils to tie labels onto a plant and then compared it with a plant that was very different. Pupils than went into the school grounds to apply what they had learnt by observing plants growing outside.

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SCIENCE

119. The subject manager monitors some teaching but as yet does not systematically monitor planning or pupils’ work. This means that there is some repetition of activities and standards are not consistently as high as they could be. The subject contributes to the development of information technology skills when pupils research information Clatford CE (A) Primary School-40 through CD-ROMs and the Internet. Opportunities to develop literacy skills are less well developed and there are too few example of pupils undertaking sustained independent writing tasks, such as reports of their investigations. Recording is often untidy and sometimes unfinished.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

120. By the ages of eleven and seven pupils attain standards in line with national expectations. Pupils with special educational needs attain standards which are consistent with their previous learning. Throughout the school pupils achieve well because they build effectively upon their established knowledge, understanding and skills. This is a very significant improvement since the last inspection and confirms the considerable rise in standards since then. This is the result of the outstanding leadership and management of the subject manager. He has guided staff in the production of a coherent and structured programme to aid their teaching, and to develop pupils' information and technology skills to support their learning in other subjects. This is underpinned by the subject manager's establishment of effective assessment and recording procedures and a well-structured training programme for all staff.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

121. Throughout the school pupils make purposeful use of information and communication technology to support a range of work in literacy, numeracy, science, art, history, geography and music. This includes computers, CD-ROMs, tape-recorders, calculators, still and video cameras, electronic keyboards, e-mail, the Internet, programmable robots and photocopiers. In both key stages, pupils undertake appropriate tasks to develop their computer capability; they use a standard keyboard and mouse effectively, and save, retrieve and print their own work, the younger pupils with help from an adult. They use an appropriate variety of programs well to generate and communicate their ideas in text, pictures and sound. Older pupils confidently use a range of programs to edit text, compose layouts and design colourful and imaginative screens to improve the presentation of their work.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

122. In Key Stage 1, reception year pupils assemble on-screen pictures correctly to develop their knowledge of social practices and their manipulative skills. Year 1 pupils explore sounds which carry information and use audio-tapes successfully to record them; for example, the bell that indicates the start of playtime. To develop their use of colour, line and shape Year 2 pupils use graphics programs effectively to create colourful and imaginative pictures. Through their use of CD-ROMs in history Year 3 pupils learn to locate specific information quickly and increase their understanding of the range of sources available to them. Year 4 pupils practise imaginatively report writing when they use an appropriate program to compile a newspaper. Using a data base Year 5 pupils learn to store information they have collated on the planets and consider the variety of forms in which it can be held, accessed and used. To extend their understanding of how motion can

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

be initiated and controlled Year 6 pupils use a suitable program to direct the movement of their motorised buggies.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

123. The quality of teaching and management of information technology are good throughout the school. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. It reflects the increased confidence of staff, the success of in-service training and the effectiveness of the monitoring of teaching and pupils' work. Teachers' detailed plans state explicitly how information and communication technology will be used and define the learning outcomes to be achieved. Their clear expositions ensure that pupils make a prompt start to their tasks. Pupils work steadily without close supervision and concentrate on their work because they are clear what is expected of them. Teachers encourage pupils to help one another and share their expertise. In this way good use is made of pupils with advanced Clatford CE (A) Primary School-41 skills to assist others and move them on in their learning. At the same time it gives

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

recognition to their skills and values the contribution they make. Teachers' careful interventions and response to pupils' questions draws usefully on their established knowledge and challenges them appropriately to think through their difficulties. This insistence on pupils' developing their knowledge and understanding has a positive impact on their good progress. Teachers' support and encouragement helps to motivate the pupils and their discussions with pupils are used effectively to assess competence and achievement. Staff make good use of day-to-day assessment and collate useful records of pupils' attainments. They are supplemented by record sheets for completion by the pupils themselves. This engages pupils directly in their own learning and promotes their independence. Teachers' provision of a range of work to support their classroom studies helps pupils in their understanding of the use and limitations of information and

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

communication technology. For example, one pupil spoke of the time saved in the replication of a given shape in mathematics.

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ART

124. Timetabling arrangements meant that it was not possible to see a range of lessons during the period of the inspection. As a result, there was insufficient evidence on which to judge the quality of teaching and learning. Discussions with the subject manager, evidence from teachers’ planning, displays, portfolios, photographs and sketchbooks indicate that there is there is a sound curriculum in place and it has some good features. Since the last inspection, there is greater evidence of pupils attaining well in three- dimensional work and there are many attractive displays of their work with textiles. The pupils’ achievements are sound and satisfactory standards have been maintained.

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ART

125. During both key stages all pupils including those who have special educational needs make sound progress. They develop their creativity and imagination and participate in a range of practical experiences. As they move through the school, they build successfully upon the broad range of experiences they have had in the reception class and acquire sound levels of skills in managing a wide range of media including clay, paints, pastels, crayons and a good variety of collage materials of contrasting textures. Children in the reception class investigate and use materials to communicate ideas in three-dimensional form. They make attractive papier mache models of mini beasts and teddy bears, use simple print-making techniques to make printed patterns and work collaboratively selecting appropriate colours to make a large collage rainbow. There are good examples of pupils in Year 1 making careful drawings from their observations of the shape, pattern

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ART

and texture of natural objects. In Year 2 they weave during maypole dancing, experiment with mixing colour to communicate their ideas about themselves in self-portraits and use a computer program effectively to explore line and colour.

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ART

126. At Key Stage 2 pupils develop their skills of observation and recording. For example, pupils in Year 4 arrange and present objects in a still-life drawing and learn the importance of line, tone and texture. Pupils improve their control of materials and techniques and pupils in Year 3 and Year 5 produce vibrant batik pictures. Although there are some good examples of pupils responding to the work of established artists, for example pupils in Years 5 and 6 investigate how different artists capture all kinds of weather and respond by using sponge, brushes and a range of paints to imitate the movements of wind and rain; this aspect of the curriculum is not so well developed.

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ART

127. Good links are established with other areas of the curriculum and art is used effectively to enhance other areas of learning. For example, during the literacy hour pupils in Year 1 discuss what the characters in ’Sunday in the Park’ by Seurat are saying to one another or thinking and they paste ‘speech bubbles’ on to copies of the picture. In Year Clatford CE (A) Primary School-42 5, pupils investigate patterns from different times and cultures and explore how shape and colour can be combined to create patterns. This subject makes a good contribution to the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development for example, pupils in Year 5 participating in ‘The Dream Flight Project’ decorate an aeroplane cabin for children with terminal illnesses to visit America.

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ART

128. Good use is made of workshops at Southampton Art Gallery to contribute to pupils’ work in art. There are attractive displays of three-dimensional faces which were made by binding straw and wool by pupils in Key Stage 1 displayed in the school hall. Displays of Key Stage 2 pupils’ designs and intricate wire sculptures are effectively hung in the library.

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ART

129 The subject manager offers good guidance to staff and uses her expertise well to improve their subject knowledge. For example, by organising a ‘Weaving Arts Week’ for the school, setting up a display of woven textiles in the hall as an inspiration for staff and children and working alongside colleagues during the week. Examples of the pupils’ work show good evidence of progression with older pupils applying more complex weaving techniques and using a greater range of frames. She has revised the scheme of work for art to reflect the progression of skills in all areas of art work and assessment focuses are identified. Activities are carefully planned, with extension activities for more able pupils and identified support for pupils who need additional help. At the end of each unit, work is assessed and there are some very good examples of the use of sketchbooks and of pupils evaluating their own work. For example ‘ This picture was very hard, I like the

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ART

shape of the head, but the hair was very hard to paint’. The subject manager monitors teaching and learning, pupils’ sketch books and displays of pupils’ work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

130. Inspection timetabling arrangements meant it was not possible to see a range of lessons at either key stage. Consequently, it is not possible to make judgements about pupils' achievements or the quality of teaching. Discussions with staff and pupils, scrutiny of samples of pupils' work, and examination of teachers' records and planning files, and school documentation confirm that statutory requirements are met.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

131. Across the school pupils design and make a suitable range of products for a variety of purposes and evaluate the results of their activities satisfactorily. Their work is often related to their studies in other subjects. In Key Stage 1, reception pupils make simple stick puppets for use in their role-play area. Year 1 pupils design and make a basic winding mechanism to help Father Christmas climb the chimney. They incorporate their system into a painted and appropriately decorated working model. Year 2 pupils collate the results of their fruit tasting and compose a simple data base to record their findings. Using chocolate and small candy eggs, they make attractive Easter nests. In Key Stage 2, Year 3 pupils make photo-frames from a variety of suitable materials and decorate them to their own designs. For a picnic they make sandwiches from their own selections of healthy ingredients. Year 4 pupils make a series of carefully-crafted, pop-up books to illustrate

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

stories they write for young children. Year 6 pupils design successfully a buggy to agreed specifications which include its being motor or computer controlled. They draw on their historical researches to select appropriate materials to make well-constructed, replica models of a World War 2 air-raid shelter.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

132. There have been a number of improvements since the last inspection. The school's revised scheme of work offers teachers useful guidance to assist them in planning activities which build effectively on pupils' previous learning. This was in evidence in the planning documents examined. Satisfactory assessment arrangements are now in place and used appropriately to inform planning and highlight pupils' individual needs. Records for Clatford CE (A) Primary School-43 compiling and tracking pupils' skills have been produced, but their trialling will not begin until next year. The school recognises this is a priority for development. Constraints on cooking remain as the school does not have a suitable designated area nor does it have the space to readily accommodate such provision. Nonetheless, within these limitations the school has secured additional resources to ensure pupils pursue an appropriate course of study in

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GEOGRAPHY

133. No lessons were observed at Key Stage 2 during the week of the inspection and only one lesson was observed at Key Stage 1. However, evidence from the scrutiny of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions indicate that attainment at the end of both key stages is in line with national expectations and the pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs attain the standards expected of their abilities. This is an improvement since the last inspection when standards at the end of both key stages were judged to be below expectations. 134. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 have a good understanding of physical features and are aware of how rivers and mountains change the landscape and the way of life of the people that live near them. They know that physical features are created by natural things and that people can affect their environment. They develop their understanding

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GEOGRAPHY

that people have different viewpoints as they debate the possible effects of the council sanctioning a new hotel in a mountain resort. Pupils in Year 5 learn about the effects of weather on their environment, they show an awareness of the impact of weather on human activity and learn how they can record the weather. Pupils study contrasting localities; in Year 4 pupils contrast their locality with Old Portsmouth; in Year 3, they compare life in St. Lucia with their own in Hampshire. 135. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils know about the continents of the world and show a sound development in the correct use of geographical terms such as hill, road and river. They recognise a number of places on a map and show an awareness of places beyond their own locality. For example, pupils in Year 1 learn that places in the world are different and have different weather conditions. They apply this knowledge successfully

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GEOGRAPHY

when they think about what they would need to pack for a trip to Kenya. In Year 2, pupils learn about their own community and develop an increasing awareness of their surroundings and compare them to those on the Isle of Struay. They learn how an island is different from the mainland. They develop their geographical skills when they compare aerial photographs and plans of their school with their observations of the school grounds. They learn about compass directions as they consider the best site to position a compass in the school grounds. 136. Since the last inspection the subject manager has reviewed the scheme of work and has supplemented it with examples of activities the pupils might do. Possible links with literacy and information technology have been identified. Teachers throughout the school now put a greater focus on field work and the development of skills. 137. Pupils enjoy geography and remember particularly the opportunities they had to take

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GEOGRAPHY

part in debates or when they wrote to the town council about the volume of traffic passing their school. The pupils in the one lesson observed in Year 2 sustained a high level of concentration as they looked for differences and similarities in the photographs they were looking at and compared them with the school grounds today. 138. Because only one lesson was observed it is not possible to make an overall judgement on the quality of teaching. In the one lesson observed, in Year 2, teaching and learning were good. Pupils found the lesson relevant because the teacher had invited the headteacher to open the lesson by asking the class to find somewhere suitable to place Clatford CE (A) Primary School-44 a compass in the school grounds. The teacher used questions well to focus pupils’ attention on the details of the photographs and of the school grounds around them. 139. The subject manager is very well organised and monitors the progress of geography

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GEOGRAPHY

throughout the school by taking in samples of pupils’ work regularly. Assessment is in line with the school’s policy and is conducted at the end of each module of work. Progress of pupils is well tracked and comments about individual pupils are recorded if their progress is significantly different from the rest of the class. 140. The subject makes a good contribution to the development of information technology when pupils research further information through the Internet. The skills of literacy are less well developed; in some classes recording is minimal and has little impact on the quality of pupils’ writing and there are too many examples of work that is poorly presented. Some development of the skills of numeracy was observed in the work pupils did on weather, in a traffic census and in their mapwork.

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HISTORY

141. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are above national expectations and they achieve well. No lessons were observed at Key Stage 1 during the week of the inspection. However, evidence from the scrutiny of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions indicate that attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with national expectations and their achievements are sound. Pupils with special educational needs attain the standards expected of their abilities. This reflects an improvement in standards since the last inspection when there was insufficient evidence to make a judgement at Key Stage 1 but attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 was judged to be below national expectations.

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HISTORY

142. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 talk knowledgeably about what they have learnt in history and in particular about their lessons on Britain since the 1930. They enjoyed listening to a visitor talk about her memories of evacuation and rationing and learn what it was like for children in the Second World War. Pupils in Year 6 studying the ancient Greeks have a good factual knowledge about a range of aspects of Greek life. They apply their research skills well to find out about the past from a range of sources including CD-ROMs, the Internet and books. They read stories about the different Greek gods and learn about the beliefs of the ancient Greeks. Pupils in Year 5 look at the way life changed in their locality during Victorian times. They use their research skills effectively to find out about the past by studying the Andover census records from 1871. They find that there were significant differences between the lives of rich and poor

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people and learn that some people lived in the workhouse whilst others had servants. Pupils study life in Tudor Britain and question why Henry VIII married six times. They describe the reasons and results and demonstrate a sound understanding of the religious perspective. They place events in a chronological framework. In Year 3 pupils find out about life in ancient Egypt from a range of sources and identify some of the ways in which the past is represented.

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HISTORY

143. Pupils in Year 2 develop a sense of chronology as they talk to their grandparents about holidays at the seaside in the past and compare pictures from the past with those of the seaside today. They recognise the similarities and differences between holidays now and then. Pupils in Year 1 learn about aspects of the past beyond living memory. They learn how daily life has changed since the time of Queen Victoria by examining pictures of a Victorian and modern kitchens. They recognise household objects from the past and present and compare the smoothing iron with today’s steam iron. They learn about the use of mangles and dollies and compare them with modern technology. Clatford CE (A) Primary School-45 144. Since the last inspection the school has focused more on how they can develop the key skills and key elements of history. A greater emphasis is put on the use of historical visits and most classes make at least one visit each year. When learning about the

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HISTORY

Second World War, Year 6 visited the D-Day Museum at Portsmouth. Year 4 visited a Tudor House. Years 3 enjoyed working with the senior citizens of the village to find out about school life in the past. They learnt about the games pupils played in the playground and about the time the school was hit by a flying bomb. The school has also increased its use of historical artefacts and borrows costumes and artefacts from the local education authority.

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HISTORY

145. Pupils enjoy history and this is particularly evident when they are involved in finding out for themselves or in thinking about why things happen in the way they do. This enthusiasm is a result of well-structured lessons with challenging activities and contributes significantly to the standards pupils are attaining.

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HISTORY

146. No lessons were observed in Key Stage 1 so it is not possible to make a judgement of teaching at this key stage. In Key Stage 2 teaching is good and one very good lesson was seen. Teachers provide a range of opportunities for pupils to develop the historical skills of enquiry and pupils learn that we find out about the past from a range of different sources. Teachers use opportunities in history to develop pupils’ research skills. Information technology is well used to extend learning. Assessment is made at the end of each module of work and a record of each pupil’s progress is kept. This assessment is used to ensure that activities given to pupils are set at the appropriate level.

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MUSIC

147. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ attainment in music is well above that seen in most schools. At the end of Key Stage 1 attainment is in line with expectations. Pupils with special educational needs enjoy music and make good progress. This marks an improvement at the end of both key stages since the last inspection when attainment was judged to be below expectations at Key Stage 1 and in line with expectations at Key Stage 2. 148. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 create and perform complex rhythmic melodies. They use tuned percussion very effectively to play chords in a syncopated rhythm before adding a melody. They sing very well, in tune, with accuracy, expression, controlled phrasing, and very good articulation. They maintain their parts within an ensemble; for example, they sing a blues song in three parts with a very good awareness of the combined effect. Pupils in Year 3 choose appropriate instruments to create different

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MUSIC

sounds and play their instruments confidently. They perform with others displaying a good sense of timing and sustain their playing well.

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MUSIC

149. Pupils in Year 1 sing simple songs from memory with enjoyment and a good sense of rhythm. They perform with a sound awareness of others. By the end of the key stage, they know a good repertoire of songs which they sing in tune, they understand dynamics and tempo. They learn to respond to the instructions of the conductor and to vary the volume in response to signals to sing crescendo and diminuendo.

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MUSIC

150. In acts of collective worship pupils listen carefully when a range of music from different cultures is played. Older pupils know that music is composed for different purposes and audiences. In Year 6 pupils state their preferences for different types of music such as classical, jazz and pop.

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MUSIC

151. Since the last inspection the school has bought specialist advice and a peripatetic music teacher works in half term blocks with all classes in Key Stage 2. This is a Clatford CE (A) Primary School-46 significant factor in raising the attainment at the end of Key Stage 2. The school has also purchased a wide range of good quality musical instruments which are attractively stored and displayed in a central location.

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MUSIC

152. Pupils’ attitudes to music are very positive. They enjoy performing whether singing or when playing a musical instrument. They listen attentively and concentrate well during class lessons. 153. Two lessons were observed in each key stage. In Key Stage 1, one lesson was satisfactory and one was good. In the good lesson the teacher had clear learning objectives which were consolidated and developed through a range of activities. In the satisfactory lesson the teacher was unaware that the pupils knew the song she planned to teach. However she concentrated on the quality of performance and intervened appropriately to give guidance to the pupils to help them improve their singing. 154. In Key Stage 2 the peripatetic music teacher took both lessons observed. In one lesson teaching was very good and in the Year 6 lesson it was excellent. She is enthusiastic and has very good subject expertise, and very high expectations of pupils’

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musical knowledge and skills. Lessons proceed at a lively pace; they are motivating and challenging and as a result pupils achieve very high standards of performance and musical appreciation. They understand how to improve their work by developing their performing skills, refining their compositions and enhancing their aural skills. Pupils are encouraged, their efforts praised and they respond well; they are proud of their musical achievements and make very good progress in their learning. 155. Pupils have very good opportunities to perform for others. The singing club has performed carols and Christmas songs at Andover Garden Centre and more recently have performed with Michelmersh Silver band and the Hampshire Youth Orchestra at Cricklade Theatre. Music adds to the cultural dimension of pupils’ learning when they learn songs from St. Lucia when studying this in geography or when they listen to Tudor

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music when learning about Henry VIII. Visitors are invited into school to extend pupils experiences and pupils benefited from a visit from representatives of Bournemouth Orchestra who introduced the pupils to African music. The curriculum is enriched by these experiences.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

156. Pupils of all abilities achieve well and make good progress throughout both key stages in their acquisition of knowledge, skills and understanding in games. This is a significant advance since the last inspection and derives from improved teaching and assessment, and self-evaluation by pupils. Because of the school's termly planning programme and the inspection timetable no gymnastic lessons were seen and only one dance lesson and one athletics lesson, the former at Key Stage 1 and the latter at Key Stage 2. Discussions were held with staff and pupils, and teachers' plans and school documentation were scrutinised.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

157. The school offers a balanced programme of gymnastics, dance and games throughout the year. In addition, athletics are covered at both key stages in the summer term, and adventurous activities at Key Stage 2, during residential visits. Swimming is undertaken during Key Stage 2 and by the end of the programme about 70 per cent of the pupils swim at least 25 metres.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

158. In Key Stage 1, pupils plan and perform a variety of activities competently and demonstrate both their increasing agility and control. For example, reception pupils roll a ball accurately between two markers. Pupils display their emerging, satisfactory skills as Clatford CE (A) Primary School-47 they move sensitively and develop awareness of space and of others. For example, Year 2 pupils skip in time to familiar music, turn and weave with care and use space safely. Higher attaining pupils dance with a good sense of rhythm. The pupils recognise the need for rules and co-operative play in team games. For example, Year 1 pupils reflect on their playing of a new game and identify those features which help their play and which ensure fairness for players. In Key Stage 2, pupils build effectively on these early experiences to further develop their skills. For example, Year 3 pupils recognise the need for agreed rules, safety

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

and shared participation when devising a game within set criteria. Pupils describe what happens to their bodies during physical activity and identify the benefits of exercise. Pupils learn to concentrate on their actions and this raises their awareness of their options for further improvement. For example, Year 5 pupils' analysis of running demonstrations helps them to recognise the importance of arm movements in the process. Pupils plan and evaluate performances with greater precision; for example, Year 6 pupils make sensitive and positive observations on the batting and bowling actions of others too help them improve their performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

159. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection and results from the staff's clear commitment to raising the quality of teaching, and the implementation of effective monitoring procedures. Teachers have a clear understanding of the skills to develop and the confidence to demonstrate the appropriate standards expected. They give clear instructions, supported by well-judged, pupil demonstrations and the simplifying of activities to offer some success for all. This ensures pupils are fully involved and motivated to succeed. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to reflect on their own performances and those of others; including the use of written self-evaluations. These teacher-assisted procedures help pupils take some responsibility for their own learning and succeed in identifying what they need to do to improve. Teachers support pupils in their activities and these interventions help pupils

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move on to the next stage in their learning. Teachers make good use of this ongoing assessment to inform their planning by using it effectively to help their identification of pupils making significant achievement and those in need of further support, and in their termly assessments. The latter are used appropriately for reporting to parents. This positive approach is underpinned by good planning which sets a defined focus to lessons with clear learning outcomes and well-structured, developmental activities. As a result pupils are clear what is expected of them and informed about the procedures they are to follow, all of which give them the confidence to try new tasks.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

160. A useful contribution to the school's sound physical education curriculum is made by the school's provision of well-supported, extra-curricular activities which include soccer, netball, gymnastics, athletics, rugby and cricket. This is further enhanced by the pupils' participation in locally organised, competitive sports and in which they have enjoyed some success, most notably in netball and soccer.

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