Featherstone Primary and Nursery School

FEATHERSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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FEATHERSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Featherstone Primary School - 3 - March 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Featherstone Road Southall Middlesex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 29 September 1997 Featherstone Primary School - 4 - March 2002

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responsibilities

10182 Barrie Cooper Registered inspector Physical education What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9400 Pauline Adenwalla Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 14871 Beryl Buteux Team inspector English Religious education Music 23306 John Hawkins Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology 30243 Anne Heakin Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics How well does the school care for its pupils?

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responsibilities

18370 Kevin Johnson Team inspector Foundation stage Art and design Geography Featherstone Primary School - 5 - March 2002 16982 Peter Nathan Team inspector English as an additional language Equal opportunities History How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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responsibilities

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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responsibilities

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

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Featherstone Primary School - 6 - March 2002

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 35

Featherstone Primary School - 7 - March 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Featherstone Primary School is much larger than the average primary school with 596 pupils aged 4 to 11 on roll. It is situated in Southall in West London. The area is deprived, with a high transient population mainly made up of ethnic minorities. Nearly 95 per cent of pupils have English as an additional language, and at the time of the inspection 147 pupils were from asylum seeking or refugee families. Twenty three per cent of pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs, which is around the national average. Six pupils have statements of special educational need, which is in line with the national average. There are 42.5 percent of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is above average. Pupil mobility is very high with 125 pupils joining the school and 93 pupils leaving during the past year. Average class size is 28.4, which is high. Attainment of pupils on entry to the school is very

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

low. The school has had major teacher recruitment problems. Currently seven teachers are unqualified to teach in England and four are on temporary contracts.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Featherstone is an effective school that is providing its pupils with a sound education. It is a fully inclusive school and is successful in giving all its pupils equal access to all aspects of the education it offers. Children joining the school in reception class successfully settle in to school and make good progress as a result of the good teaching they receive in these classes. Standards in English are below national averages at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils reach national averages in mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. Teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and 2, but there is a cluster of unsatisfactory teaching in Years 3 and 4, which is slowing progress in these years. The school has introduced good behaviour management strategies and improved attendance. Whilst leadership and management are satisfactory, the induction of new members of staff, and the monitoring of the school’s

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

performance are not yet fully effective. The school is giving satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • There is good provision for children in the Foundation Stage. • Standards in religious education throughout the school are good. • The pupils’ behaviour is good and attitudes to school are very good. • Staff are committed to the school, work very hard and manage the pupils’ behaviour well. • It promotes good personal development. • Attendance is very well monitored and has consistently improved. • New pupils with English as a second language are successfully introduced into the school. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in English, particularly writing, information and communication technology, history and geography at the end of both key stages. • The quality of teaching in Years 3 and 4. • The number of learning support assistants. • The induction of new teachers into the school. • The monitoring of the school’s performance. • The standard of school accommodation. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Featherstone Primary School - 8 - March 2002

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory improvement since it was first inspected in September 1997. There have been improvement in standards in science, art and design and music but standards have not yet improved in English. The school has made a large investment in information and communication technology but standards are still too low. The school is now teaching the full National Curriculum in all subjects and every pupil attends a daily act of worship. The quality of teaching has improved overall, but there is still some unsatisfactory teaching, mainly in Years 3 and 4. Teachers are generally providing a more stimulating teaching and learning environment despite the poor quality of much of the accommodation. The provision for pupils with special education needs and those new to English is now good and all staff are involved in planning for their needs. The governing body has successfully persuaded the Local Education Authority to keep a nearby site available for building a new school in the

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The table shows that in 2001, when the school’s end of Year 6 results are compared to all schools, standards are well below the national average in English and mathematics, and below national averages in science. The school achieved the average for schools with a similar number of pupils eligible for free school meals in English and science and below the average in mathematics. Standards were lower than the previous year because of high pupil mobility between Year 3 and Year 6. There had been a steady improvement in standards in 1999 and 2000, when the school received an achievement award. The school has set challenging targets based on the assessment of individual pupils.

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STANDARDS

Standards are below national averages in English at the end of Year 6, and in line with national averages in mathematics and science. Standards in English, mathematics and science are all below national averages at the end of Year 2. Most pupils are achieving in line with their abilities. Standards in information and communication technology are below national expectations. Pupils do use computers in other subjects, but not always effectively. Standards in religious education are above those expected by the locally agreed syllabus. Standards in art and design, design and technology, music, physical education are in line with national expectations. Standards in geography and history are too low.

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STANDARDS

Children make good progress as they move through the Foundation Stage as a result of the school’s strong emphasis on their personal and social development. However by the time they reach Year 1, most have not achieved the standards expected. Featherstone Primary School - 9 - March 2002

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Their behaviour is good, both in class and around the school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Personal development and relationships are good. Pupils are good at listening to the views of others. They enjoy taking responsibility.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance has improved over the last few years but is still well below national averages. Most pupils arrive at school on time.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Good Satisfactory Satisfactory 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

The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection with a higher number of lessons good or better. Teachers are good at managing behaviour in most lessons and there is a good learning atmosphere. Teachers are usually clear about what they want pupils to learn and they meet the needs of all pupils in most lessons. The lack of learning support assistants in some lessons lowers the quality of teaching. Twelve lessons were unsatisfactory and one poor which is similar to the last inspection. Nearly all the unsatisfactory teaching occurred in Years 3 and 4. Overseas trained or recently qualified teachers taught most of these lessons. All lessons taught in the information and communication technology suite were unsatisfactory. This is caused by the poor design of the suite. The quality of teaching in the reception classes is good and pupils progress well. Teachers successfully promote the pupils’ personal,

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

social and emotional development in order that they become used to the routines of school. Teaching of English is satisfactory. Most teachers are able to use the literacy strategy well apart from some lessons in Years 3 and 4. The teaching of mathematics is good in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory in Key Stage 2 with some unsatisfactory teaching in Years 3 and 4. The grouping by ability in Key Stage 2 is effective in both subjects and uses teachers’ skills well. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs, and pupils for whom English is a new language, is good and they progress well as a result. Teaching of religious education is good throughout the school. Most marking does not provide pupils with a clear enough idea of how they can improve their work. Homework is not given consistently in all classes.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is well planned in the reception classes and is satisfactory in the rest of the school. Too little use is made of the local community as a learning resource.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils who have special educational needs are included in all aspects of the school and make good progress. Featherstone Primary School - 10 - March 2002 Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory. The high number of refugee and asylum seekers settle well in to the school, and they quickly access the curriculum. Pupils with English as an additional language do not always receive enough support in lessons, and have too few learning resources.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. It is well promoted through school assemblies. Pupils are good at working together. They are sensitive to one another’s needs. They are tolerant of religious and cultural differences.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school has effective procedures for promoting the health, safety and well being of all its pupils. The promotion of both good behaviour and attendance is very good. Systems for assessing, recording pupils’ attainment are good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has a satisfactory partnership with parents. Parents are able to approach the school with any queries or concerns. Written school reports are inconsistent, and do not always make it clear enough how pupils can improve.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The school has not yet found successful strategies to cope with all the extra problems it has experienced recently. There is a genuine commitment to improve the school. The senior management team work very hard to fulfil their roles. Day to day administration is efficient.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities They are very supportive of the school. They successfully oversee school improvement, and have recently helped to decide how to spend surplus funds effectively. They have a sound understanding of the strength and weaknesses of the school, but there are too few opportunities taken to gain evidence first hand.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has begun to monitor its performance. The use of management time away from the classroom has not been monitored to make sure that it is being used effectively. There has only been limited monitoring of the success of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds or the comparative performance of boys and girls.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school makes good use of its financial resources. The improvement plan is carefully costed and well linked to the school budget. The school takes great care to ensure that it gains best value when spending money.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There are sufficient teachers, but too few learning support assistants. The libraries are poorly resourced and many books are in poor condition. The school accommodation is poor. Featherstone Primary School - 11 - March 2002

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Their children like coming to school • The school expects their child to work hard • The school supports their children for whom English is a second language • Teachers are approachable • Homework • The range of activities available outside school • The management of behaviour at lunchtime

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The team agrees with the parents’ positive comments, they agree that homework is not given consistently. The range of activities available outside school is satisfactory, but could be extended. The lunchtime supervisors have recently been given training and games bought for the playground to help improve behaviour. The team did not witness any poor behaviour or bullying at lunchtimes. Featherstone Primary School - 12 - March 2002

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The children’s attainment when they join reception is very low. They make good progress in all areas of learning as the result of the consistently good teaching and support they receive from their teachers and learning support assistants. They make particularly good progress in the area of personal, social and emotional development and this is helping the children to develop good skills for learning. Despite good progress, the children do not achieve the early learning goals in personal, social emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development and physical development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The results of the national tests in reading and writing at the end of Year 2 for the past three years to 2001, have fluctuated from year to year, but have always been below national averages. In mathematics, standards have been higher and reached national averages in 1998 and exceeded them in 2000. Standards in 2001 in reading and writing were very low in comparison with national averages and in mathematics they were well below national averages. They were well below the average for schools with a similar number of pupils eligible for free school meals in reading and writing and below average in mathematics. The teacher assessments in science indicated standards were well below national averages and very low compared to similar schools. Only 3% achieved the higher Level 3, in reading and none in writing or science – all well below national averages. In mathematics, 24% achieved level 3, which was close to national averages.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Inspection findings indicate that standards are now higher whilst still below national averages. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are all below national averages. Standards in speaking and listening are also below national expectations. Pupils are making good progress in mathematics and science as they move through Key Stage 1. They make satisfactory progress in reading and writing. There has been some decline in the standards in reading and speaking and listening since the last inspection. This can be explained by the higher number of pupils who are new to speaking English. Standards in writing, mathematics and science have remained the same.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The results of national test results at the end of Year 6 in English for 2001 indicate that they were well below national averages but in line with those for similar schools. In mathematics, they were well below national averages and below those for similar schools. In science, they were below national averages but in line with similar schools. There had been improvement each year in all subjects from 1997 to 2000, but a drop in standards in 2001. The school has evidence to show that this was caused by an increase in pupil mobility, and a greater number of pupils for whom English is a new language. In English in 2001, only 12% reached the higher Level 5, which was well below national averages. In mathematics, 17% reached Level 5, which was below national averages and 32% reached Level 5 in science, which was in line with national averages. The targets set for English and mathematics for 2002 and the inspection findings, indicate that there will be an improvement over last year’s

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

results. 5. The pupils make satisfactory use of their literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum. However the low standards in writing do have a negative impact on Featherstone Primary School - 13 - March 2002 standards in some subjects. Information and communication technology is used in other subjects, but as pupils’ skills are lower than national expectations, they are not used as effectively as they could be.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Inspection findings show that standards in English are below national averages, and standards in science and mathematics are in line with national averages. This indicates that, since the last inspection, there has been a drop in standards in speaking and listening and reading, standards in mathematics are the same and that standards in science have improved. The lower standards in English can be explained by increases in pupil mobility. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall in English and good progress in mathematics and science as they move through the school. However, there is a dip in progress in Years 3 and 4 where pupils experience a high proportion of unsatisfactory teaching in half of the classes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The arrangements for supporting pupils who have special educational needs are effective and pupils who have special educational needs make good progress throughout the school. The progress made reflects the commitment of the school to meeting pupils’ individual educational needs, and is a good reflection of the school ethos of valuing all pupils. Pupils on the higher band of the special needs register have good quality individual plans that include their targets. The teacher with responsibility for special educational needs takes the lead in devising the individual plans in conjunction with the class teachers and support staff. These combined with early identification of pupils’ special educational needs, good use of assessment and careful monitoring result in the overall good progress made by these pupils.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. On entrance to the school in reception, standards of attainment for English as an additional language pupils are very low because many pupils come to school speaking little English. Pupils with English as an additional language make good progress through most of the school although there is a dip in years 3 and 4. By the end of Year 6, pupils are performing below the national average but this does represent good progress because of the pupils’ low attainment on entry to the school and also because of the number of mid-term arrivals the school receives who are new to English and are of refugee background. Somali speaking pupils achieved good standards in the core curriculum subjects last year.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. The school has recently started induction classes for children who arrive with little or no English, which provides a secure environment for these pupils. Pupils make good progress in these classes in the core curriculum subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Standards in religious education are higher than those expected and are in line with national expectations in art and design, design and technology, music and physical education by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. They are below national expectations in information and communication technology, geography and history at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. The school has identified some difference in the attainment of boys and girls with boys performing at a slightly lower standard. However, they have not yet properly monitored this. The inspection team did not find evidence to confirm this difference.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development are good overall. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Their attitudes to school are very good. Ninety six per cent of parents state that their children like school. The inspection team Featherstone Primary School - 14 - March 2002 endorse this view. Pupils’ enthusiasm for school positively supports their learning and progress. They settle to work quickly and listen very attentively to teachers, to other staff and to each other. In most lessons, pupils are keen to join in discussion, as was seen in a Year 5 art and design lesson when talking about each other’s sketches of local buildings. Where the teaching is good and expectations and language support appropriate, pupils maintain satisfactory levels of concentration and focus well on their tasks.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils' behaviour is good. They behave well in lessons and move between classrooms and the various buildings on the site in an orderly way. They are sensitive to one another's needs, for example they help each other by quietly giving their peers help with understanding English. They have a very good understanding of school and class rules and routines and follow them well. Teachers and other staff are good role models. Incidents of inappropriate behaviour in lessons are acted upon promptly and effectively. On the few occasions where behaviour is less good, it relates to the lack of provision of suitable resources in the playground. The school is in the process of acquiring extra resources. There is almost no incidence of bullying or oppressive behaviour. Two pupils were excluded for fixed periods last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupil's personal development is good. When given the opportunity pupils listen to the views and beliefs of others. The school’s personal, social and health education programme plays an important part in exploring social and moral issues. For example in one Year 2 lesson on family and friends, pupils were very friendly and courteous. All staff and pupils are imbued with the spirit of inclusion. The school provides some opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and show their initiative. For instance Year 6 pupils run the reception desk for fifteen minutes before school each morning. There is also a very active school council with a boy and a girl councillor from every class. There are, however, limited opportunities within lessons for pupils to show initiative by finding out information for themselves.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils who have special educational needs, or for whom English is a new language have positive attitudes to school life and are very well integrated into the school community. Pupils respond well to the caring and nurturing ethos which is evident in lessons in their own classrooms and when pupils work in small specialist groups. Pupils relate well to the adults who work with them. As a result pupils gain in confidence and are keen to learn.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Attendance has improved each year but is still well below national averages. Unauthorised absence is similar to national averages. The school has robust procedures to monitor and improve attendance and punctuality. Appropriate stress is put on the importance of punctuality and the impact of family holidays in term time on the pupils’ attainment and progress. The marking of registers is satisfactory and complies with statutory regulations.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. During the inspection 2% of lessons were excellent, 19% were very good, 35% were good, 31% satisfactory, 12% unsatisfactory and 1% poor. This indicates that there has been an overall increase in the proportion of lessons that are good or better compared to the last inspection, but the percentage of unsatisfactory lessons remains as high and these are still mainly taught in Years 3 and 4. There is a variation within the school with teaching in the Foundation Stage good overall, teaching in Key Featherstone Primary School - 15 - March 2002 Stage 1 satisfactory with many good elements and Key Stage 2 satisfactory overall. In Key Stage 1 just one unsatisfactory lesson was observed, whilst in Key Stage 2 there were 12 unsatisfactory lessons and one judged as poor. The majority of unsatisfactory lessons were observed in Years 3 and 4. Out of the 12 unsatisfactory and one poor lesson observed in the school, overseas teachers on temporary

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

contracts taught 6. Six others were taught by newly or recently qualified teachers. The three information and communication technology lessons observed in the suite were all unsatisfactory. This is mainly caused by the poor design of the suite, which does not enable work to be demonstrated to the whole class, and makes classroom management very difficult. The unsatisfactory teaching in the school is causing generally unsatisfactory progress in some classes in Years 3 and 4 and also in information and communication technology. In contrast, the children in the Foundation Stage make good progress from a low starting point as a result of the consistently good teaching they receive. In Key Stage 1, progress is satisfactory and often good. In Years 5 and 6, teaching is often good or very good and this enables most pupils to make good progress in most subjects in the upper part of Key Stage 2.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Teachers in the Foundation Stage have a good understanding of the needs of the children they are teaching. They place great emphasis on their personal, social and emotional development so that the children learn to work together, to take turns and also to become more independent. They make very good progress in this area of learning which has a very positive impact on their learning in all areas of the curriculum. Classrooms are well organised and teachers manage the children’s behaviour well. This has a very positive impact on their learning. There is also a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills, which enables pupils to make good progress from a level at which most have very little knowledge and understanding of these areas. Good questioning helps to develop pupils’ use of language. The teachers plan well together and work as a successful team with their classroom assistants. They make sure that all children have a wide range of appropriate learning

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

experiences. Resources are used well and are always accessible.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Most teachers throughout the school have adopted very successful strategies to manage pupils’ behaviour. Teachers adopt a firm but calm approach which is usually effective. Teachers make good use of their voice and pick up quickly on any poor behaviour. Teachers make some use of the ‘Fresh Start’ unit, which is available for disruptive pupils who would benefit from small group activities or one-to-one counselling. This option has been used less recently, which is reflection of the greater success of behaviour management in the classroom. However it is a valuable option for teachers to have available, as it helps to prevent classes being disrupted by a minority of pupils, thereby preventing others learning. On occasions, the lack of a classroom assistant particularly in literacy and numeracy group activities makes it harder for teachers to maintain full control of the class and keep all pupils on task.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

This often reduces the overall quality of teaching and learning in the lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching and learning in literacy is satisfactory throughout the school. Most teachers are confident in using the literacy strategy. However some teachers from overseas have less understanding of it and have not benefited from the full literacy training. The best lessons include challenging work and pupils are really made to think for themselves. However in most classes in Years 3 and 4, pupils do not make enough progress as a result of the quality of teaching they receive in some lessons. Much of the questioning pupils receive in literacy and other lessons throughout the school, does not encourage a lengthy response, and pupils often give only one or two word answers. As a result their speaking and listening skills are not Featherstone Primary School - 16 - March 2002 being developed. The teaching of writing is unsatisfactory and pupils do not develop their skills well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. In numeracy, there is good quality teaching in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory teaching in Key Stage 2. In the best numeracy lessons in Key Stage 1 and Years 5 and 6, teachers make good use of the new mathematics scheme. Learning objectives are clear and lessons start at a good pace. In the unsatisfactory lessons in Years 3 and 4, teachers do not hold pupils’ attention and are not clear enough about what they want pupils to learn. This slows the pupils’ progress in these classes. Both subjects benefit from the teaching of Key Stage 2 in groups made up of pupils with similar attainment, although sometimes work is not targeted carefully enough at pupils of different abilities within these groups. Effective timetabling in Years 5 and 6 enable several teachers to use their own subject knowledge successfully by only teaching literacy or numeracy. The most successful example of setting occurs in the most able groups in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

literacy and numeracy in Year 6, where some pupils are achieving at good levels in literacy and very high levels in numeracy as a result of the high expectations of the teachers. The quality of teaching and learning in some literacy and numeracy lessons is lowered as there are too few learning support assistants.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Most teachers have sufficient knowledge of subjects they teach. However the induction of teachers from overseas is not sufficiently rigorous to prepare them fully for teaching in the English education system. Whilst teachers who have been in the school for some time have received sufficient training in the teaching of information and communication technology and the use of the school computers, the training available to new teachers is too short to enable them to become fully proficient in the subject. This is having a negative impact on learning in information and communication technology. There has been an improvement in the teaching of music following the school’s decision to employ a part-time teacher to teach classes fortnightly and help to plan class teacher’s own music lessons. This has raised the standards in music and they are now in line with national averages.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The teaching of science is good throughout the school and pupils usually make good progress as a result. Planning is good, but sometimes teachers over-direct practical lessons, which reduces the pupils’ learning as they are not investigating independently. The teaching of art and design is good and occasionally very good. Pupils learn well as a result of the wide variety of experiences they are given. Teachers have adequate knowledge of design and technology and provide satisfactory teaching. The quality of teaching in geography is unsatisfactory throughout the school. Teachers do not plan lessons well enough to meet the needs of different pupils, and worksheets are over used. The teaching of history is good in Key Stage 1, and satisfactory overall in Key Stage 2. The good practice in Key Stage 1, where teachers make good use of display and use a variety of approaches to help pupils’ learning are not continued in Key Stage 2 and pupils’ progress slows as a

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The teaching of Physical education is satisfactory in both key stages. Teachers have benefited from recent in-service training and most lessons are planned with a strong emphasis on developing skills. The poor state of the school playground and lack of a grassed area makes games teaching particularly difficult. Teaching of religious education is good throughout the school and pupils gain a great understanding of different faiths as a result of the good use of the locally agreed syllabus.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers are successful in providing a good learning environment for their pupils despite the poor quality of classroom accommodation, which is usually too small for Featherstone Primary School - 17 - March 2002 the number of pupils. This makes display, storage of resources and the organisation of classrooms very difficult.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Whilst most work is marked, the quality of marking is variable. Marking seldom gives pupils a clear enough idea of how they can improve their work. Teachers allow too much work to be left unfinished and are not sufficiently rigorous in picking up on this when marking books. Homework is given in most classes, but there is no consistent approach, and often pupils are not clear what they need to be doing. Many teachers are not closely following the school’s policies on marking or homework.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teaching of pupils who have special educational needs is good. Teachers throughout the school are committed to giving all pupils no matter what difficulties they have, the opportunity to learn. Class teachers are familiar with the process of identifying pupils who have special educational needs and follow school procedures. The system of grouping pupils for English and mathematics in Key Stage 2 and the well-focused interventions of assistants throughout the school contribute effectively in raising the achievement of pupils who have special educational needs. In Key stage 2, teachers plan their work carefully so that all groups of pupils within a year group are taught the same lesson content in literacy and numeracy lessons. This means that pupils who have special educational needs have the same opportunities to enjoy poetry, stories or mathematical topics as the rest of their class. Some excellent teaching was seen

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

when pupils in Year 5 worked closely with their teacher and assistant, wasting no time as they investigated rhyme and rhythm in rap poetry. The reason the lesson was so successful was that the teacher had very good understanding of the difficulties the pupils experienced and with the help of well-focused support from the assistant taught a lively challenging lesson. At the end of the lesson pupils were fully aware and proud of what they had learned. Small groups of pupils with special educational needs are given regular short intensive lessons to help them improve their reading and writing skills. Most of these sessions are challenging and motivating pupils. Teachers and assistants work hard to encourage pupils to become more confident in their own ability to learn.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. In the induction classes for pupils new to English, teaching is good. There is an emphasis on developing speaking and listening skills in a secure small group environment. Pupils have the opportunity to handle visual aids and use role-play, which provides enhanced opportunities for the development of speaking skills. In an induction numeracy lesson, pupils took on the roles of shopkeepers and customers buying objects from a shop. The teacher effectively modelled the target language and the pupils were encouraged to take responsibility for their learning within their roles. This ensured the pupils made good progress in the lesson. Pupils view the induction unit positively and say that it supports their learning.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. In subject lessons, English as an additional language (EAL) support teaching is satisfactory overall. The class teacher plans teaching well with the EAL teacher, which enables appropriate materials to be prepared to support pupils’ learning. For example, in a year 2 science lesson, suitable target language cards were prepared to support the learning of EAL pupils. The role of English as an additional language and bilingual support teaching is less effective during whole class teaching. The support teacher’s role is underused and little additional value is added to pupils’ learning by having the support teacher there during this part of the lesson.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Because of the lack of additional resources to support English as an additional language pupils, many lessons observed had no support teacher or classroom assistant in them. This impacted on the quality of teaching in many lessons observed Featherstone Primary School - 18 - March 2002 particularly in group work activities. Despite this, in lessons where the quality of teaching was satisfactory or better, teaching was well planned and activities were effectively differentiated to meet EAL pupils need. For example, in a Year 1 design and technology lesson, an effective presentation, which included all pupils, used good visual aids to remind pupils of the parts of a house and highlighted key vocabulary on a whiteboard. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, teachers show a lack of awareness of the language needs of EAL pupils, which leads to unsatisfactory progress in learning. In a Year 4 English lesson, poor visual aids were used on an overhead

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

projector, which meant pupils could not see the text properly and the group work task identifying key words was not appropriate for EAL pupils. In a Year 3 geography lesson, an open-ended task was set asking all pupils to describe a complex map of the Southall area in the past. EAL pupils learnt little from this task.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. First language support teaching is used satisfactorily to support and encourage pupils’ learning. Somali speaking staff members used their first language to work with pupils in classes for example in Year 1 literacy lesson on mini-beasts where concepts were translated.

p.18

PUPILS?

32. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements including those for children aged 5 and under and takes full account of the National strategies for literacy and numeracy. All pupils have equal access to all parts of the curriculum. The curriculum is sufficiently broad and balanced and meets the needs of all pupils. The curriculum in the foundation stage is particularly relevant to the pupils as it lays great emphasis on their personal, social and emotional needs.

p.18

PUPILS?

33. The school has a satisfactory system for ensuring coverage of all aspects of the National Curriculum. However there is no clear system for making sure that skills are taught through different subjects. Nevertheless, some cross-curricular planning does occur in the school as lesson observations showed, for example, in the use of writing about mini-beast in a Year 1 literacy lesson and looking at places of worship in a Year 3 geography lesson.

p.18

PUPILS?

34. Since the last inspection, the school has successfully addressed the key issues relating to the curriculum. There are now satisfactory programmes of study in place for music and information and communication technology and there is provision for a daily act of worship. There is much more effective use of special needs provision and there is a “fresh start” unit in place to support pupils’ behaviour and provide counselling to ensure that pupils remain in school and receive their curriculum entitlement. This new provision is being monitored to ensure that it effectively meets pupils’ needs. The ethnic minority attainment staff are better integrated into the school planning process although there is still more scope for joint planning to ensure that lessons provide full access for EAL pupils. A part-time induction course for newly arrived bilingual pupils is an effective addition to curricular provision. After one term,

p.18

PUPILS?

pupils are successfully integrated back into full-time mainstream provision.

p.18

PUPILS?

35. The quality and range of learning opportunities is satisfactory overall but good in the foundation stage. Curriculum planning is satisfactory and there are policies for all national curriculum subject areas and personal, social and health education. Whilst most planning is well thought out, there is variation in the quality of planning between subjects and year teams. In mathematics and science, planning led by the coordinator is good. There is an up-to-date policy and the curriculum is well supported Featherstone Primary School - 19 - March 2002 and monitored. Curricular provision for the foundation stage is a strength of the school and this contributes to the good progress made by these pupils. In Years 3 and 4, planning is inconsistent which leads to some unsatisfactory teaching. In history, and especially in geography, the lack of curriculum planning is slowing progress in these subjects.

p.18

PUPILS?

36. The curriculum is relevant to pupils’ cultural background and experience. Many examples were seen in lessons such as in a Year 6 history lesson, where pupils’ families’ experiences of moving countries were well used to look at the reasons why people move home. The school also organises a successful refugee week in the summer term when pupils have an opportunity to share their life experiences. There is also a festival of light celebration during the autumn term with high pupil participation.

p.19

PUPILS?

37. The high number of mobile, refugee and asylum seeker pupils quickly settle and are integrated into the school in a supportive environment which means they are quickly able to access the curriculum. The low number of classroom assistants in the school, however, does mean that particularly in literacy lessons, these pupils do not make as much progress as they could. The school does not consistently monitor the effectiveness of classroom support.

p.19

PUPILS?

38. The provision for special educational needs is a strength of the school. Pupils who have special educational needs are included in all aspects of the curriculum and make good progress. Teachers have copies of the individual educational plans and take account of them when they plan their work. The majority of teachers use the individual plans to match work to pupils’ needs but this is not consistent throughout the school. The school is tireless in making sure that the provision outlined in pupils’ statements is in place and is reviewed in line with the code of practice guidance. The setting system in Key Stage 2, the introduction of the literacy and numeracy strategies and internal organisation all enhance the curriculum giving lower attaining pupils good opportunities to progress well. The Fresh Start initiative is effective in giving pupils who have difficulty in managing their behaviour good opportunities to

p.19

PUPILS?

move away from problematic situations to consider how they might act differently and make good choices in the future. The school is carefully assessing the effectiveness of this new provision so that future management decisions concerning this strategy will be well informed.

p.19

PUPILS?

39. Provision for extra-curricular activities is satisfactory. There is a range of after school music and sport based clubs run by staff. The football club has fixtures with other schools. Activities of the clubs are not widely publicised nor are they mentioned in the prospectus. There are few educational visits for each year group. Some children have visited the science museum and others have explored the locality. There are currently no residential educational visits. Few visitors come to the school to share information and experiences that would enrich the curriculum. During the inspection a drama group visited as part of the Year 5 personal, social and health education programme on drugs awareness. The performance and ensuing discussion contributed well to the school’s drugs’ awareness strategy. The group made a presentation in the evening for parents, so they could also participate in the programme.

p.19

PUPILS?

40. Provision for personal, health and social education is good overall. Every class has a weekly lesson. The provision is enhanced by opportunities for pupils to come together in ‘circle’ time and religious education. The aims contained in the schools’ mission statement are evident in every aspect of the schools’ life and make a positive contribution to the quality of the personal, health and social education provision. Featherstone Primary School - 20 - March 2002 41. The school makes too little use of the local community. The school building is frequently let to members of the community for functions and public meetings. A Saturday school also uses the premises every week. Whilst significantly boosting the funds of the school, the direct contribution these established links make to pupils learning is negligible. Pictures of buildings in the locality were well used in a Year 5 art and design lesson and a reception class visited local shops during the inspection.

p.19

PUPILS?

However, there is little evidence that extensive use is made of local facilities and opportunities to support pupils’ learning.

p.20

PUPILS?

42. Relationships with partner institutions are good. Links with the local secondary school are good. Year 7 tutors visit Year 6 pupils at the school. Former pupils often return to discuss their experiences. The school is developing opportunities for the sharing of resources with other schools. Liaison with the feeder nursery school is good and induction procedures into reception classes are also good. The school’s vigorous promotion of its inclusive and caring ethos results in the successful inclusion and integration of the significant number of pupils who join all classes throughout the academic year.

p.20

PUPILS?

43. Provision for pupils' personal development is good overall. It is a strength of the school. Assemblies take place regularly. They are in line with the externally approved decision to opt out of mainly Christian acts of collective worship. Provision for the cultivation of pupils’ spiritual awareness is good. It is well promoted through the good school assemblies and the range of religious education, physical education and dance taught throughout the school. The school’s annual autumn festival of light production successfully celebrates the diversity of the school community.

p.20

PUPILS?

44. Provision for the pupils’ moral development is good. It is well catered for by the good example set by staff, the clear moral code understood by the children and the way in which moral issues are discussed within the curriculum, for example in Year 5, reflection on ‘What do I do to help other people, what can I do to help my mum on Mother’s day’. In reception and Year 1, the issue of Mothers’ day for those pupils who do not have a mother, was dealt with very sensitively at assembly. The development of tolerance of the religious and cultural differences within the school community underpins all the schools’ activities. It is a very positive and caring environment.

p.20

PUPILS?

45. Provision for pupils' social development is good overall. Circle time is effective in achieving good relations between pupils irrespective of their different cultures, languages and religions. In many classes, pupils are well organised in working groups for each subject, and there are good examples of role play in reception classes. They work cooperatively and successfully share resources. They work well with a range of adults. Some pupils in Year 6 help younger pupils at lunch times. The school council makes a positive contribution to pupils’ citizenship skills. Two councillors from Year 5 also sit on the borough’s school council. The school’s decision to provide a ‘Fresh Start’ unit positively helps children, particularly those who have experienced trauma, to deal with their anger. There are limited opportunities for pupils to experience a range of situations and acquire new social skills.

p.20

PUPILS?

46. Provision for the appreciation of cultural traditions and diversity is good. The very wide range of different cultures represented in the school community make a positive contribution to cultural development across the curriculum. This is particularly good in religious education and displays. The range of multi cultural resources, including books and artefacts, within the school is limited. Featherstone Primary School - 21 - March 2002 47. The school has successfully adjusted the provision for personal development to its changing community and maintained its good overall provision since the last inspection.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school is effective in promoting the health, safety and well being of its pupils. The genuine care and consideration shown by staff to all the pupils, particularly recent arrivals with limited language skills permeates all aspects of school life in a positive way. Staff know the pupils and many of their families well. The school has maintained its good provision for care for its pupils since the last inspection.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The monitoring of health and safety procedures is satisfactory. Cleanliness within the buildings and playgrounds is barely satisfactory. The tar macadam playground is zoned into three areas for the different age groups, which helps to keep playtimes well organised. However the playground surface is disintegrating and is uneven. It is unsuitable for physical education lessons. There are no designated quiet areas and there are only limited shaded areas for Year 2 to Year 6.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The promotion of healthy eating through the personal, social and health education programme is effective. Pupils are discouraged from bringing sweets and fizzy drinks to school; instead they are asked to bring fruit and cartons of juice.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. The medical room has a qualified first aid member of staff on duty throughout the school day. Appropriate records of minor accidents are kept. The majority relate to grazes resulting from the surfaces of the playgrounds. Good records are kept for the administering of medicines.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The school has good child protection procedures. Liaison with outside agencies is effective and all staff, including those who have joined recently, are well informed about relevant child protection issues.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. The school has very good procedures for monitoring and improving attendance. Unauthorised absence and persistent lateness are followed up rigorously. The education welfare officer visits regularly and works closely with the school. Holidays during term time are actively discouraged.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. The school has very good procedures to promote good behaviour. Teaching staff deal effectively with minor incidents of misbehaviour through consistently applying the behaviour policy. The approach chosen for working with pupils who have emotional or behaviour difficulties is good. A time-out card system is used for pupils who become angry. They spend time in the unit with counsellors, working through their anger. The school’s personal, social and health education programme has a positive impact, as was seen in a Year 1 lesson focusing on ‘Who looks after me’. There are rewards for exemplary behaviour, for example smiley faces and house points. Pupils understand the system for sanctions. Procedures for monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour are satisfactory. The inspection team concurs with the parents views that midday supervisors, whilst understanding the school’s behaviour policy, are less

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

accomplished at consistently pre-empting and defusing any inappropriate behaviour. Overall parents are pleased with the good standards of behaviour.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. Systems for assessing, recording and analysing pupils’ achievement are good. Children in the reception class are assessed at the beginning of the year and the information is used to predict their potential achievement. Each year from Year 2 Featherstone Primary School - 22 - March 2002 onwards, pupils’ achievements in compulsory and optional national tests are assessed and compared with predictions to see if progress is at an appropriate rate. Each term a sample of English, mathematics and science work is added to pupils’ personal profiles so progress can be further analysed. Regular checks are made of pupils’ progress in reading. All this information is valuable giving a good profile of pupils’ achievements during the time they attend the school.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56. The school makes satisfactory use of the information to place pupils in appropriate groups for English and mathematics in Key Stage 2. A detailed class tracking folder showing progress of pupils is transferred at the end of each year to the new class; this allows teachers to gain a clear idea of pupils’ skills, attainment in relation to national levels and their previous experiences such as school visits. The information is used carefully to set school targets for achievement in English, mathematics and science. Teachers make satisfactory use of the information in both their joint planning for weekly topics and their daily lesson planning. This usually enables pupils to work at levels appropriate to their learning. When teachers have the support of assistants in class they are better able to use assessment information appropriately to meet the wide range of pupils educational needs. The analysis of information has been used

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

well for the school to identify writing as an area for improvement in English and data handling as an issue in mathematics. The school has clear ideas of the subjects for further development in assessment and is supporting staff by introducing appropriate training in the use of computer software to help assessment procedures.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

57. The school is actively investigating systems that will allow assessment of pupils who come into the school later than the reception year. In the context of the school with a high number of pupils moving in and out of the school, assessment procedures are effective in raising pupils’ achievement.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

58. The school meets the requirements for those pupils who have special educational needs and all are well supported. There are effective links with outside agencies to make sure the provision outlined in statements of special educational needs is implemented. Good use is made of assessment information to identify pupils who have special educational needs at the beginning of their time in school. The school does not have a nursery but there are good links with local nursery providers with nursery nurses exchanging roles at the beginning of the school year to allow children to settle well and for staff to exchange valuable assessment information. This is especially helpful in allowing the school to identify as early as possible any children who may have special educational needs. The school carefully tracks pupils’ progress and makes good use of a range of information so that pupils’ special needs are identified and appropriate activities provided so they can make good progress.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

The teacher with responsibility for special educational needs meets with appropriate staff in local high schools to make sure that transition into secondary education is as smooth as possible.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

59. Good records are kept on the EAL pupils who receive extra support. These are provided for all class teachers and are updated on a termly basis. Assessments are based on the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority step levels, which are regularly updated for target pupils whose progress is effectively tracked. The school does not keep information on how well different ethnic groups perform within the school although it has started to do this with Somali pupils. The school in its self-evaluation audit recognised that it needed to improve in this area but currently cannot fully meet the needs of different groups of pupils because it does not know how different groups are achieving. Featherstone Primary School - 23 - March 2002 60. The school continues to provide a sensitive and caring environment. There are satisfactory procedures for monitoring pupils’ personal development. At this stage, the school has not developed a consistent system of individual personal improvement

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

targets for pupils. However teachers are keen to acknowledge pupils’ efforts in improving behaviour. Though the methods of recording pupils’ personal development are inconsistent, the school ethos of valuing all pupils is effective and encourages pupils to work hard and improve their achievements.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. The school has a satisfactory partnership with parents. This has been maintained since the last inspection. Parents are very satisfied with the standards the school achieves and their children’s progress. The majority of parents are very pleased with the attitudes and values the school promotes. The majority feel able to approach the staff and feel the school responds well to their concerns and suggestions.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

62. The school has good arrangements for pupils starting in the reception classes. It has established good links with a feeder nursery. The school has a good range of procedures and strategies for integrating the significant number of pupils who join the school during the course of the academic year. There are good links with both existing and new parents.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

63. The home-school agreement encourages parents to support their child’s learning at home. However, entries in the home - school reading books and a review of pupils’ work indicate that the homework is not always given consistently or in line with the school policy. Inspectors agree with the parents’ concerns about homework. Most parents are keen for their children to do well at school, but do not always have the basic skills required to help them at home.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

64. Parents of pupils who have special educational needs are properly involved from the time the school has an initial concern and are kept fully informed about their child’s progress. The school is committed to working alongside parents whose children have difficulties and put a tremendous amount of effort into contacting, communicating with and supporting parents.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

65. The school provides the required statutory information for parents in the prospectus, letters and governors' annual report. The quality of information provided for parents about their children’s progress is satisfactory. The meetings each term where parents can formally meet with teachers to discuss their child's curriculum, progress and areas for improvement are well organised and well attended. However pupils’ annual reports to parents are not consistent. They provide information about what pupils have learned but they do not always identify individual improvement targets.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

66. The majority of the school’s information is published in English. The school has staff fluent in many of the languages prevalent in the school and they translate documents and attend meetings with parents as required. However, there are no systems in place to provide translations for the minority languages. There is a parents’ room, but it is basic and functional. It is regularly used for curriculum related language workshops for Somali and Albanian parents.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

67. The home-school agreement rightly emphasises the importance of good attendance and behaviour. Parents are always invited in to school to discuss any significant incidents of inappropriate behaviour by their child. This is an effective system. There is no parent/teacher association. Parents volunteer to accompany the school on trips Featherstone Primary School - 24 - March 2002 and help at school events. During the inspection Year 1 parents were invited to attend a special Mothers’ Day assembly and Year 5 parents were invited to attend a theatre session on the dangers of drugs.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. There has been a decline in the quality of this aspect of the school since the last inspection. The school has been confronted with a range of problems, outside their own control, over the past four and a half years and managers have worked very hard to solve them. However they have not yet found fully successful in meeting all these new challenges.. There have been difficulties in recruiting staff at all levels, and as a result, in common with many London schools there has been an increase in the number of unqualified overseas teachers recruited on short-term contracts. In addition there is now a higher percentage of pupil mobility and asylum seekers and refugees in school. The headteacher and senior staff have succeeded in sustaining staff morale and commitment to the school, despite the increasing workload put on both management and all other staff.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The school has improved in many areas since the last inspection, particularly in relation to ensuring that statutory requirements are met in relation to all subjects. In addition the school is making better use of staff employed to support pupils with special needs and English as a second language. Successful and innovative work has been carried out on the induction of pupils with English as a second language who are new to the school. The opening of a small unit for disruptive children and children with emotional difficulties has been successful in helping behaviour management. This, along with other strategies agreed between staff and managers has resulted in good behaviour and attitudes to learning in most classes, and improving behaviour in the school playground. The major issue that is still not resolved is the unsatisfactory quality of teaching in Years 3 and 4 and the negative impact this is having on pupils’ learning and progress.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are highly respected by staff, parents and pupils. The school has a clear educational direction and there is a genuine commitment to raise or maintain standards in all subjects. However the quality of teaching in most classes in Years 3 and 4 is slowing pupils’ progress in most subjects. The design of the information and communication technology suite is poor, and is lowering the quality of teaching in this subject throughout the school. As a result of these shortcomings, whilst the school is meeting most of its aims, it is not yet ‘developing children to the maximum level possible’.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. The school’s management structure of year co-ordinators, subject co-ordinators and phase co-ordinators overseeing two or three consecutive year groups is well established and is successful in many areas. The phase co-ordinators, together with headteacher, deputy and special needs’ co-ordinator all make up the senior management team. The senior management team meet regularly and work well together, but their effectiveness is limited by the lack of minute taking of discussions and decisions. Whilst their duties are clearly laid out in their job descriptions, there has been little monitoring of the work of senior staff or others with management responsibilities to ensure that their time away from the classroom is used as efficiently as possible.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. Year co-ordinators assist and support other teachers working with the same age group. There is significant variation in the approach to lesson planning and teaching in Featherstone Primary School - 25 - March 2002 each year group. The best practice covers not only planning on paper, but also the planning of the delivery of each lesson. This approach potentially offers the greatest chance of pupils in the same age group, but different classes, receiving a similar quality of teaching, and learning at a similar rate.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. Subject co-ordinators in English, mathematics and science all provide good quality leadership of their subjects and are fully committed to raising standards throughout the school. The co-ordinator for information and communication technology has similar commitment, but is given very little time to induct new staff in to the school’s information and communication technology systems or to manage the hardware in the school. The quality of other subject co-ordination is usually good, but is unsatisfactory in geography and history where the subjects have been co-ordinated on a temporary basis recently.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

74. EAL provision is satisfactorily managed by the school but is hampered by a lack of resources. The formal introduction of the induction class by the school has been successful in supporting the induction of pupils new to English into the school who can arrive at anytime. The school has an organised system for admitting mid-term arrivals, which ensures that EAL pupils’ needs are appropriately met. Appropriate information is gathered to gain an understanding of prior attainment using translators when possible. An effective buddy system is in place for the first day of admission and pupils always start school on Wednesdays to give class teachers time to prepare.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

75. The management of special educational needs is very good. The special educational needs coordinator is meticulous in organising support for these pupils. This includes the allocation of teaching assistants, small specialist teaching groups and teaching support in the classrooms. The teacher is tireless in not only keeping her own skills up to date but in pursuing every opportunity to help pupils who have special educational needs to progress well and improve their levels of achievement in learning and in behaviour.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

76. Staff training on meeting the needs of EAL pupils has not been a high priority for the school and this has had a negative impact on the quality of teaching by staff new to the school. This has not been a full part of their induction to the school, which has made it difficult to support the progress of EAL pupils in their lessons. Ethnic minority attainment funded staff and more experienced teachers have had access to training outside the school, which has supported their understanding of EAL pupil needs and this has impacted positively on the quality of their teaching.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

77. The school has introduced a written induction policy for new staff from January 2002. This follows some unsatisfactory experiences with staff appointed from overseas who had no experience of the English education system, and found difficulty fitting in to the routines of the school. This policy brings more structure to the induction period, but there is still an unacceptably high level of unsatisfactory teaching from both teachers with overseas qualifications and some other teachers, most of who are new to the school. Whilst the school introduces new teachers to the literacy and numeracy hour approach, and has appointed a very suitable member of staff to offer them support, the school’s approach is not yet systematic enough to ensure that all staff are well prepared to meet the needs and demands of the pupils and the curriculum.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

78. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and phase leaders undertake the monitoring of teaching throughout the school. There is also some external monitoring of teaching from local authority advisers and link inspectors. The monitoring has been successful Featherstone Primary School - 26 - March 2002 in identifying a range of quality in practice throughout the school. However the action taken when unsatisfactory teaching has been identified has not been fully effective. Too little use has been made of opportunities to observe or work alongside good teachers as a means for improvement. Performance management systems are in place, and targets have been set for teachers. However the school’s strategy for appraisal and performance management is not yet fully effective.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

79. The governing body is very supportive of the school. They fulfil all statutory responsibilities. They have struggled to find new and committed members recently, and recent meetings have not been well attended. However, the small group of loyal and dedicated governors have worked very hard to fulfil their role. They are prepared to question management decisions and to act as a critical friend of the school, but this is an area that could be strengthened if there were a larger number of active members. They do not have a clear enough first hand understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are updated about results of standard attainment tests, and receive sufficient information to work on targets for results at the end of Key Stage 2.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

80. They are kept well informed about what is happening in the school through regular and detailed headteacher’s reports which are presented at each meeting. The committee system is properly constituted. The governing body are fully involved in the financial management of the school and have recently successfully overseen the spending of surplus funds. They initiated the decision to spend extra money on the provision for special educational needs in the school, which has resulted in good provision. They contribute to the school improvement plan, and agree priorities along with the headteacher, senior management and other staff. They satisfactorily monitor the completion of the plan. The governing body has worked very hard to try to persuade the local education authority to improve or replace the school buildings. They have been successful in persuading the Local Education Authority to keep a local site for the building of a new school in the future.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

81. The school has successfully identified priorities for development. Plans are carefully costed and there are good links with the budget to ensure that the money is available. Good use is made of each subject co-ordinator’s view of how their subject is developing, when deciding priorities and the budget available for each subject. The school takes satisfactory action to meet its targets. The school is making increasing use of technology in its administration. New computers and software are enabling the school to monitor its budget more effectively and provide very good monitoring of attendance.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

82. The day-to-day administration of the school office is good, and the staff work well as a team. Careful consideration is given to achieving best value for money through making careful comparisons of costs. The very recent auditor’s report has several recommendations on which the school intends to act. The principles of best value are applied appropriately in all spending decisions. The school uses extra funding for the purposes intended and benefits from letting income, as the main school hall is available for booking on most weekends of the year. Taking in to account the relatively high income per child, the quality of teaching and the standards achieved, the school continues to offer satisfactory value for money.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

83. The staffing, accommodation and learning resources are all unsatisfactory. The teaching staff offer a good range of teaching experience and skills, although most of the overseas temporary teachers have little knowledge of the English education system. Some teachers have attended courses in their area of responsibility and this Featherstone Primary School - 27 - March 2002 has enhanced their skills, particularly in personal, health and social education and religious education. Special needs and staff supporting EAL pupils have good skills, which are usually used efficiently in the classroom. There are insufficient learning support assistants. This has a negative impact on teaching in some subjects, particularly literacy and other group work. There are sufficient midday meals supervisors. The school is in the process of developing their skills and reviewing the gender mix to support and stimulate constructive play at lunchtimes. The staff, both

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

teaching and non-teaching, are very supportive of the school and are a hard working and cheerful team.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

84. The accommodation is unsatisfactory and makes it more difficult to deliver the full National Curriculum. The three separate Victorian school buildings and the two ancillary units are all in very poor condition. Work to replace all the rotten window frames and repair the leaking roofs and replace some unsatisfactory toilets is scheduled to start during the Easter holidays. The classrooms are too cramped for the number of pupils and lack storage space. Many classrooms have unsatisfactory ventilation. In the reception classes, the carpet area is too small and there is insufficient room in classrooms for children to pursue a range of activities. All the cloakrooms are very small and despite the introduction of a one-way circuit, congestion still affects the prompt start of lessons. The noise emanating from activities in the central hall of the Years 2, 3 and 4 building such as physical education and music and setting up for school dinners interferes with the lessons in the balcony

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

classrooms. The library areas in the three buildings are unsatisfactory. The height of shelves hinders pupils’ access to books. Good wall displays of pupils’ work brighten many corridors, classrooms and communal areas. Lack of space restricts opportunities for interactive displays and exhibits of artefacts.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

85. The playground area is unattractive and the surface is in poor condition. The markings for games are barely visible. Funding has recently been secured from a local company to repaint the markings. The school pond has been drained and the very small garden where it is located is neglected. There are very few tubs containing plants and only two murals. The recently installed colourful climbing equipment helps brighten the area. A dozen or so picnic tables have recently been donated to the school. Some have tabletop games markings, i.e. snakes and ladders and chess. When fully operational, the school envisages these activities will make a positive contribution to the pupils’ lunchtime experience.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

86. Learning resources are unsatisfactory overall. This is particularly so in English and geography across the school. Information and communication technology and special educational needs’ resources are good. The three library areas and the classrooms have insufficient books. The condition of many of the existing books is unsatisfactory. The range of books is culturally inappropriate and there are very few dual language books. Featherstone Primary School - 28 - March 2002 87. WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

In order to raise standards and improve the school, the governing body and headteacher should:

p.28

Raise standards in English throughout the school by:

• improving speaking and listening throughout the school by ensuring that the style of teachers’ questioning enables pupils to respond in full sentences; (paragraphs 3,20,116,139)

p.28

Raise standards in English throughout the school by:

• giving more opportunities for reading and independent research by improving the range and quality of books in the school and class libraries; (paragraphs 86,113)

p.28

Raise standards in English throughout the school by:

• improving writing by teaching pupils to use their formal skills in all their written work; (paragraphs 21,111,115-117)

p.28

Raise standards in English throughout the school by:

• timetabling more learning support assistants to support groups during the literacy hour. (paragraphs 21, 83,117)

p.28

school by:

• refitting the equipment in the computer suite to enable teachers to demonstrate new skills to the whole class; (paragraphs 70, 164-166)

p.28

school by:

• allowing more time for the thorough training of teachers new to the school. (paragraphs 22, 166)

p.28

Raise standards in geography and history throughout the school by:

• improving the co-ordination of these subjects so that curriculum planning is rigorously monitored; (paragraphs 35, 73)

p.28

Raise standards in geography and history throughout the school by:

• increasing learning resources in these subjects. (paragraphs 83, 151, 156)

p.28

Improve the quality of teaching, particularly in Years 3 and 4, by:

• introducing a tightly structured system of induction for all teachers joining the school, which enables them to observe good practice in the school, gain a thorough understanding of the literacy and numeracy strategy, the demands of the National Curriculum and be fully aware of all school policies; (paragraphs 17, 20,22,68, 83) Featherstone Primary School - 29 - March 2002 • making sure that all teachers follow the homework and marking policies consistently; (paragraphs 26, 63, 119, 138)

p.28

Improve the quality of teaching, particularly in Years 3 and 4, by:

• placing a high priority on increasing the number of learning support assistants. (paragraphs 19, 83)

p.29

Monitor all aspects of the school more closely including:

• the effective use of management time; (paragraphs 26, 71 72)

p.29

Monitor all aspects of the school more closely including:

• keeping records of all management meetings; (paragraph 71)

p.29

Monitor all aspects of the school more closely including:

• analysing the achievement and progress of boys and girls and different ethnic groups. (paragraphs 57, 59)

p.29

Continue to lobby the Local Education Authority for improvements to the

school accommodation. (paragraphs 25, 49, 84, 85, 186)

p.29

Continue to lobby the Local Education Authority for improvements to the

Minor issues that could be included in the school’s action plan:

p.29

Continue to lobby the Local Education Authority for improvements to the

• Find more ways of enabling the governing body to find out first-hand the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Featherstone Primary School - 30 - March 2002

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 42

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching.

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 596

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 253

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 6

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 136

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 565

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 125

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 93

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

School data 6.7 School data 0.3 Featherstone Primary School - 31 - March 2002 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Featherstone Primary School - 32 - March 2002 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) Year Boys Girls Total

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 39 33 72

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 22 21 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 23 26

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 61 (74) 61(72) 75 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 84(83) 86(84) 91(90)

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 22 24 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 26 23 24

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 67 (75) 65 (80) 64(73) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 54 41 95

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 32 27 45 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 30 19 34

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 65 (72) 48 (69) 83 (86) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 27 24 45 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 20 34

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 53 (62) 47 (66) 69 (76) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74(72) 82 (79)

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Featherstone Primary School - 33 - March 2002 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 70 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Any other minority ethnic group 52 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 22 Financial year 2000/1

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 27

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1,366,899

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 1,391,806

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 309 Expenditure per pupil 2,267

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: Nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 128,917

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/a Balance carried forward to next year 104,010

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/a

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff N/a

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/a

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 13

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 12

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 4

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 4

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Featherstone Primary School - 34 - March 2002 Results of the survey of parents and carers

p.33

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of responses in each category

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child is making good progress in school. 56 36 4 1 3

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Behaviour in the school is good. 53 38 4 3 2

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 49 34 11 5 2

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 51 35 8 2 4

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 58 33 4 0 4

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 35 2 0 5

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school works closely with parents. 48 41 5 2 4

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is well led and managed. 49 39 3 0 9

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 42 2 0 5

p.34

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 39 30 12 5 14 Featherstone Primary School - 35 - March 2002

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

88. Provision for children in the reception classes has improved since the last inspection. Since the introduction of the new curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage, the school is now better at planning relevant experiences, which help children develop the necessary skills. Teaching is also better, being consistently good and sometimes very good.

p.35

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

89. When children come into the reception classes their attainment is far below that which is expected for their age. Their language and communication skills are very poor and many lack confidence because English is not the language they speak at home. Children’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them is weak and they lack the experiences of mathematical language to enable them to solve problems. 90. The quality of teaching children receive is always at least good and this helps children to achieve well. They make particularly good progress in their social development, which helps them to become more confident learners. Because they start from a very low base, most children’s attainment is still below the expected levels for their age when they leave the reception class.

p.35

Personal, social and emotional development

91. When they start school, most children are still dependant on adults to make choices for them. Many are not used to working in larger groups. They have difficulty sharing and are often unable to take turns. Teachers place a strong emphasis on development in this area of learning. As a result, children make very good progress. They quickly gain the confidence to select from a range of activities and become curious and enthusiastic learners. They work well alongside one another, often sharing resources such as the computer or construction sets. They begin to develop friendships with others in their class and develop secure and trusting relationships with adults.

p.35

Personal, social and emotional development

92. Teachers encourage children’s independence by expecting them to select the things they need to work on their own and to manage their own clothes when changing for physical education lessons. During group discussions some children still call out spontaneously because they have not developed the skill of listening to others. Teachers plan good opportunities for groups of children to work alongside those in the other reception classes. This helps children develop social as well as communication skills. A good example of their growing confidence was the ‘show’, which the children planned and organised themselves. They dressed up and acted out a drama about stolen keys for the whole class. As their confidence grew they began to speak more clearly and gave directions to the teacher as to when to start and stop the music.

p.35

Communication, language and literacy

93. Despite the good progress overall, children’s language skills are still well below average when they leave the reception classes. Children develop spoken language well, but most still struggle with writing. Some children are unable to speak any Featherstone Primary School - 36 - March 2002 English when they start school. Nevertheless, those children make rapid progress because of the carefully planned teaching they receive. Teachers and classroom assistants are very skilful at encouraging children to speak so that they gradually build up their vocabulary, In one lesson, for example, a classroom assistant worked very effectively with a group of children, helping them to decide what to put into the Three Bears’ lunch box. The children were questioned about the colour and shape of the items, helping to extend their knowledge of language. In role-play, children learn to negotiate with others and to use language to solve problems, such as what to do with

p.35

Communication, language and literacy

the “burglar” who had been captured by the two “policemen.” Children’s vocabulary was developed very well in a lesson where they were engaged in role-play, retelling the story of the Three Bears. While the characters acted out the story and said the appropriate lines, the rest of the class joined in enthusiastically to make sure they got it right.

p.36

Communication, language and literacy

94. Children learn letter sounds and the initial sounds of words. Some, with adult help, make reasonable attempts to sound out whole words. They enjoy books and listening to stories and sometimes engage in “pretend” reading. For example, one child pointed to the words on the page, but made up her own story while others listened. Most children are still at the earliest stages of reading development, gaining meaning by looking at and talking about pictures. Teachers encourage children to practise writing by making sure there are always writing materials available. In one lesson, children composed shopping lists for the Three Bears. Although their writing had no recognisable words, children were able to say what they had written down, giving meaning to their own writing. In another class, children learned that there are different purposes for writing when they made their own postcards to send and received a

p.36

Communication, language and literacy

letter from the Three Bears’ cousin in India. Teachers consolidate children’s knowledge of letter sounds by encouraging them to trace over letters, make letter shapes with dough or using plastic letter shapes to make their own names.

p.36

Mathematical development

96. The school’s baseline assessment records show that children’s knowledge of number and shape is well below expectations when they start school. In the reception classes, children learn to count. They solve shape puzzles, match and sort objects and link mathematical language to their problem solving. For example, balances are put out on activity tables along with dough, in order that children can make different sized models and compare their weights, deciding which is “light” or “heavy.” Mathematics was linked well to the Three Bears theme, when the classroom assistant helped children to sort objects into large, medium and small. In number work, children count to ten and recognise up to ten objects. There was some good learning in a lesson where the children had to count the number of beats on a tambourine, and then hold up the corresponding number of fingers. Children learn to distinguish between night-time and daytime and know that the day’s events follow a

p.36

Mathematical development

regular pattern. Mathematical thinking was developed well when children sorted information about which was the tastiest bowl of porridge and constructed a large graph from their findings. A few children show an increasing awareness of numbers beyond ten. For example, some children were able to count confidently up to twenty objects pointing to each one in turn. But they were not able to recognise ‘one more than’ without recounting each time.

p.36

Mathematical development

97. Teaching in this area of learning is good. Oral work is done at a brisk pace and appropriate level of challenge for the children. There is a good focus on the development of mathematical language when teachers ask children questions like “which is taller or shorter?” This gives children a better understanding of those Featherstone Primary School - 37 - March 2002 concepts. Overall children make good progress given their level of understanding when they start school, though many are still well below their expected targets at the end of the reception year.

p.36

Knowledge and understanding of the world

98. Most children have very limited knowledge and understanding of the world when they start school. Because of the good quality of teaching and the variety of challenging experiences planned for them, children make good progress.

p.37

Knowledge and understanding of the world

99. Children’s curiosity is encouraged well because there are things for them to explore, for example, displays of magnets and materials allow children to find out which materials magnets will attract. They plant their own seeds to observe how they grow, and learn that root systems and soil are an important part of the process. Children explore the possibilities of large and small construction pieces as well as making models such as “bear hats” joined with different adhesives. They approach computers confidently and use “click and drag” techniques skilfully to control images on the screen. Children gain a sense of place and time, for example, by building models of the surrounding streets, and talking about “old and new” things. They learn to respect the cultures and beliefs of others by celebrating together events such as Chinese New Year and other festivals that reflect the cultural richness of their school.

p.37

Knowledge and understanding of the world

100. Teachers work hard to enrich children’s experiences by linking them to other areas of learning. The “porridge tasting” in one class, for example, was more meaningful because it linked directly to their current language and creative work. Teachers and nursery nurses are good at questioning children about what they think, or why things happen as they do.

p.37

Physical development

101. When children begin the reception class their levels of confidence when climbing, running and controlling tricycles and scooters are broadly in line with expectations. They are less able to control and manipulate small tools and implements, and this inhibits the development of finer skills, such as writing.

p.37

Physical development

102. Teachers provide good opportunities for children to build on the skills they have. They explore space with increasing confidence during outdoor activities, showing good balance and strength, and at times considerable perseverance when they set targets for themselves, such as swinging across the climbing frame. During dance lessons in the hall, children work with partners in a controlled way, keeping still or moving imaginatively.

p.37

Physical development

103. During creative activities, children practise cutting with scissors, mould and shape malleable materials and show reasonable control when colouring. By the time they leave reception class, they are approaching the level of skills expected of them.

p.37

Physical development

104. Teachers use available resources well to challenge children through a good range of activities. However lack of resources, such as tools and workbench and space to allow continuous access to sand and water play, impose some limits to the children’s potential achievements.

p.37

Creative development

Featherstone Primary School - 38 - March 2002 105. Children’s attainment in this area is below that which is normally seen when they start school. However they achieve well because of the good provision and are near to the levels expected of them when they leave the reception classes. Much of the good progress is due to the high quality of the teaching. In music, for example, children explore the quality of sounds made by the different instruments. They learn that different moods can be expressed through music, and they join in singing lessons enthusiastically, following an accompaniment and keeping a steady rhythm.

p.38

Creative development

106. They explore a good range of materials and demonstrate their creativity well by using a mixture of colour and texture in their work. They apply colour in different ways, using techniques such as marbling, and demonstrate their development of skills in their observational drawings of plants.

p.38

Creative development

107. Teachers set up good role-play opportunities. During the inspection, the “Bears’ Cave” was a popular choice which simulated some exciting play, where children could talk about and plan what they were to do, such as acting out “real life” situations.

p.38

Creative development

108. The age and condition of the Foundation Stage accommodation make provision difficult to manage. The staff make a commendable effort to create a language-rich and stimulating environment for the children and this is reflected well in the children’s overall achievements.

p.38

Creative development

109. The curriculum for the Foundation stage is thoughtfully planned to provide relevant experiences in all recommended areas of learning. On-going assessments undertaken by all staff help teaches to build a clear profile of children’s achievements throughout the year.

p.38

ENGLISH

110. Standards in English are below national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Results in national tests in 2001 were very low in Year 2 and well below standards expected nationally in Year 6. These results were below standards reached by seven year olds at similar schools. However, standards of eleven year olds matched those of pupils at similar schools. Standards reached by pupils in both Year 2 and Year 6 fell sharply in 2001 following a rise in 2000 and, over the past five years, results have been below standards expected nationally for pupils of their age groups. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress overall, particularly when teaching assistants support their learning.

p.38

ENGLISH

111. By the time of the inspection, the foundations of recovery had been laid and standards of work seen in Years 1 and 2 indicate that progress is being made. Most five year olds begin with standards very well below averages, they make satisfactory progress through Years 1 and 2 developing their skills in speaking and listening through reading aloud with the teacher, discussing their stories and predicting what may happen next. For example pupils in Year 1 explained how the ‘bad tempered ladybird’ had been so rude to everybody that she had worn herself out. Pupils in Year 2 listen carefully to their teachers and to each other responding with their own ideas and opinions when given the opportunity to do so. Most of the pupils can form letters neatly and some enjoy writing news accounts about their weekend activities. However, standards in writing vary considerably across all year groups and overall are far too low.

p.38

ENGLISH

Standards in spelling, punctuation and grammar are below average, although these Featherstone Primary School - 39 - March 2002 areas are covered in the literacy lessons, pupils do not apply this knowledge to their independent writing.

p.38

ENGLISH

112. These lower standards affect pupils’ work in all other subjects that involve writing, often work has been copied and not properly understood. For example pupils in Year 4 struggled to extract key facts from a complex text about Tutankhamen’s ‘burial site … with its magnificent gold sarcophagus … and artefacts …’. Pupils were unable to understand what any of this meant.

p.39

ENGLISH

113. Progress in Year 3 is unsatisfactory but pupils are beginning to improve by the end of Year 4. For example, pupils research the mysterious ‘Big Foot’ suspected of lurking in the mountains of Canada. Year 4 pupils bring R L Stevenson’s story to vivid life with their daring accounts of ‘The day I crashed on to ‘Treasure Island’. As a result of good teaching in Years 5 and 6 pupils cover a wider range of work. Those pupils who have been in the school for several years generally make good progress and achieve standards expected for their age group. Some pupils who have slipped behind in the middle years or others who have joined the school more recently are less successful and are not able to recover sufficiently to meet the standards expected for their age. The great majority of pupils speak languages other than English at home overcoming problems to speak clearly, read fluently and write correctly but not all do as well as

p.39

ENGLISH

they could. A strength of the school is the encouragement given to boys and girls from all groups including pupils with special educational needs to enable them to progress well whatever their backgrounds, but not all reach the levels of attainment expected of pupils by the end of Year 6 especially in writing.

p.39

ENGLISH

114. Standards in reading are below average and the range of reading material is too narrow. There are three library areas in the school but the books are old, worn and unattractive. However the teacher with responsibility for English is developing plans to raise the standards of literacy through information and communication technology programs. The school has purchased sets of book written especially to encourage unwilling readers to become more interested in books. Satisfactory use is made of information and communication technology provision for English overall. Pupils from all year groups read aloud to the inspectors with reasonable accuracy using several different ways to work out the meaning of words they did not know. However the texts chosen are not sufficiently challenging and the stories are not exciting enough for pupils to share the joys of reading for pleasure. There is a lack of stimulating reading

p.39

ENGLISH

material including up to date newspapers, magazines and journals to provide opportunities for pupils to read a variety of authors to fuel their own extended writing. However pupils’ writing can be lively such as their book reviews of ‘The Fox’s Hiccups’.

p.39

ENGLISH

115. Standards in speaking and listening are below average. Pupils listen obediently but not always with sufficient understanding of the information given. As a result tasks are tackled superficially and writing activities are not completed satisfactorily. Most pupils answer well in class but there are too few opportunities for pupils to read aloud, sharing stories and information with each other. As a result, pupils’ reading is accurate, sometimes fluent but lacks the intonation and expression needed for a good standard of oral work. Inspectors were impressed by the charm, friendliness and natural courtesy of all pupils in every day conversations. However there were few opportunities for pupils to take part in sustained discussions structuring an argument to support their opinions. This hinders pupils’ capacity to present ideas in detail, exchange points of view or share information in other subject areas.

p.39

ENGLISH

Featherstone Primary School - 40 - March 2002 116. Teachers do not plan sufficiently to raise speaking skills effectively within class lessons. For example, little use is made of formal presentations to small groups, and of role play, pupil interviews, discussions, reviews of books, mini-lectures on subjects of interest, dramatisations and speaking of poetry, their own and poems of other writers. Personal writing that should follow from these activities is not developed because pupils do not have opportunities for extended speaking. Pupils have fun establishing the rhythms of ‘rap’ poetry but the benefits of clear articulation, crisp word endings and intonation to convey meaning are not emphasised adequately.

p.40

ENGLISH

117. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory in both key stages. Learning of five to seven year olds is always satisfactory and often good as a result of the quality of teaching they receive. Lessons are prepared carefully using the National Literacy strategy as the framework, which provides purposeful objectives for learning. Pupils learn best when teachers set a lively pace providing a variety of activities suitable for pupils at different stages of learning. Learning of eight to eleven year olds is less secure but satisfactory overall, although the standards are below average for pupils’ age groups. The quality of learning varies according to teachers’ skills and the effectiveness of the strategies used. The lack of a learning support assistant in some lessons reduces the quality of teaching. Pupils respond eagerly if teachers’ questions are searching enough to excite their curiosity by presenting a challenge that requires

p.40

ENGLISH

pupils to think for themselves and to find a solution. For example pupils in Year 6 were intrigued by the legend of ‘The Ivory Door’ scanning the text to find clues to the meaning and referring to previous learning of ‘Great Expectations’ to find the clue to the central character. However, in many lessons, particularly in Years 3 and 4, too many pupils mark time and do not make sufficient progress in their learning. Teachers accept short answers to their questions and pupils are not given enough opportunities to speak about their discoveries and conclusions. Consequently, their written work does not develop as well as it should. Most pupils’ writing is too short and marred by basic mistakes because work on spelling and punctuation is not integrated into pupils’ own written accounts. For example, they write ‘u’ve’ for ‘you’ve’, ‘must of’ for ‘must have’, ‘im’ for I’m’. Pupils have insufficient practice in writing within

p.40

ENGLISH

precise time limits so that they increase their productivity and pace of working; too little work is finished in the time allowed in lessons.

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ENGLISH

118. Some better work from pupils in Years 5 and 6 was displayed in classrooms and around the school. For example, Year 5 pupils’ poems based on the story of ‘Whale Song’ are displayed around an exciting collage of whales dipping through waves to spread the message of peace:’ I am/the way to peace/the explorer of the sea/I harm no man’. By contrast, pupils in Year 6 write of the devastating power of fire: ‘Brightening the sky, tearing the silence/blazing, burning all in his way’.

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ENGLISH

119. The quality of marking is variable. Some pupils’ work is marked carefully with helpful comments while others receive just a bland comment such as ‘lovely story’, which does not indicate how pupils can improve their work. Some good methods of checking pupils’ progress over longer periods of time are being used effectively to plan for improved standards. However the steady stream of pupils entering school for short periods and moving out again makes this a difficult process which school is managing as best it can. Overall the highest standards are achieved by pupils who progress from the early years to completion of their primary schooling at the end of Year 6.

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ENGLISH

120. Work in English makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development especially when the links with religious education are integrated firmly within the teaching. For example, when pupils learn about the Sikh tradition of Featherstone Primary School - 41 - March 2002 ‘Langar’ as a way of sharing with all people whatever their race, creed or culture. Pupils’ learning is supported by a range of extra-curricular activities including booster classes for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 and a lively music club.

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ENGLISH

121. The recently appointed teacher in charge manages the co-ordination of English teaching for all classes most competently. She is aware of the need for more consistency in the quality of teaching overall and is committed to the sharing of good teaching methods and strategies so that standards of all pupils are raised as a result of improved teaching and learning across all year groups.

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MATHEMATICS

122. During the inspection it was evident that though children enter the school with skills well below what would be expected, there is a consistent improvement in mathematics with standards at the end of Year 6 being in line with national expectations, and a significant proportion of pupils in Year 6 potentially able to achieve the higher levels. The school has set challenging targets for achievement this year and is making good progress towards achieving them. At the time of the last inspection standards at the end of Year 2 were below expectation and were an area for improvement. Although standards remain below national averages, inspection findings show that within the context of the considerable difficulties experienced by the school, standards are improving.

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MATHEMATICS

123. The results of the most recent national tests, taken when pupils are aged seven and eleven, indicate attainment to be well below national averages. In comparison with similar schools standards are below average. The proportion of pupils attaining standards that are higher than those expected for their age is close to the national average for seven year olds and below national average for eleven year olds. Trends over time show that standards fluctuate and were above national averages for seven- year-olds in 2000 and in line for eleven-year-olds in 2000. There was a dip in standards in 2001, which is explained by the significant numbers of pupils moving into the area. School analysis of information shows that pupils who attend the school throughout the key stages achieve well. 124. The arrangements for setting pupils from Years 3 to 6 helps the higher attaining pupils to achieve higher levels. In addition, pupils who have special educational needs are

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MATHEMATICS

supported well and make good progress. There are no marked differences in the performance of boys and girls. Pupils learning English as an additional language make good progress in relation to their prior attainment.

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MATHEMATICS

125. The quality of teaching and learning is good in Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2 teaching is inconsistent but satisfactory overall. Unsatisfactory teaching was seen in Years 3 and 4, though good teaching was also seen in Year 4. In Years 5 and 6 teaching is consistently good with very good teaching seen in Year 6. Where teaching is strong, it is characterised by good management of pupils and good subject knowledge. Teachers plan according to the newly acquired scheme of work. In the better lessons teachers make sure that pupils clearly know what they are going to learn and at the end of the lesson progress is reviewed to see if the aims have been achieved. This results in pupils understanding the point of the lesson and being motivated to succeed.

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MATHEMATICS

126. At the beginning of lessons, teachers start with oral activities, which include basic knowledge of number. When these activities are lively, within pupils’ ability and include the whole class, pupils are interested and enjoy themselves. As a result they have a positive attitude towards mathematics. However when the lesson starts at a slow Featherstone Primary School - 42 - March 2002 pace with significant numbers of pupils not joining in then the class becomes disinterested and pupils do not work at full stretch. Relationships are good in the school and adults in all lessons praise pupils’ efforts and encourage them to achieve. This is most successful when the teacher has clear expectations of behaviour and is consistently firm with all pupils. In the better lessons teachers are able to organise group activities so that pupils can work independently while the teacher works more intensively with a small number of pupils. This strategy is effective where teaching

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MATHEMATICS

assistants support the teacher, however there are occasions when teachers do not have an assistant and the class would benefit from the extra support to reinforce a teaching point or to clarify pupils understanding of instructions. In all lessons, it is clear that teachers and assistants are totally committed to doing their best to help all pupils to achieve despite the significant difficulties presented by the restricted accommodation, lack of teaching assistants and the high levels of pupils moving in and out of the school.

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MATHEMATICS

127. By the age of seven, pupils are able to count and recognise numbers, listening carefully as their teacher makes sure they do not for example confuse 14, 40 and 41. They can work very well with a partner to use dice, counting sticks, and number cards to reinforce their competence and confidence with number. Most pupils are not yet fully confident in using numbers to 100. The small number of higher achieving pupils enjoy using dice as they successfully meet the challenge of writing and solving equations such as 20+50=70 and 70+9=79. Pupils can recognise and label two- dimensional shapes; they help to understand three-dimensional shapes by searching their classroom for cubes, cuboids and cylinders. They are not yet confident in recognising right angles in turns. Pupils can classify objects heavier or lighter than a kilogram and understand mathematical vocabulary such as longer, shorter, narrow, deep or high. Understanding of time includes knowing the months of the year, days of

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MATHEMATICS

the week and telling the time for o’clock and half past. They gain a practical awareness of time as they work out how many claps they can do in a minute. Pupils use their knowledge of number to good effect as they learn to work out change from ten or twenty pence.

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MATHEMATICS

128. Between the ages of seven and eleven pupils, including lower attaining pupils, improve their understanding of number. They learn to multiply and divide by 10 and 100 and understand the significance of place value when using thousands, hundreds, tens and units. Pupils become familiar with fractions and are able to calculate fractions of whole numbers and convert fractions into decimals. By the time they are eleven, pupils have developed their skills in measurement and are able to calculate the area of shapes and have a deeper understanding of symmetry and three- dimensional shapes. Pupils can use mean, median and mode averages to analyse statistical data and learn how to solve written mathematical problems. Pupils concentrate well as they learn to use a protractor to measure angles accurately. Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 enjoy the challenge of estimating and calculating the measurement of angles. They are confident in their knowledge of complementary and

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MATHEMATICS

supplementary angles and are quick to show they know the features of a range of quadrilaterals. Pupils in years 5 and 6 are able to plot co-ordinates and higher attaining pupils can interpret graphs. However throughout Key Stages 1 and 2, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills to represent or interpret data in charts or graphical form. The school has already identified this as an area for further development and has started to take steps to improve this situation.

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MATHEMATICS

129. The flexible system of setting pupils for mathematics enables all pupils to cover a similar range of topics and achieve according to their ability. When teaching is good there are frequent opportunities for pupils to explain to the rest of the class how they Featherstone Primary School - 43 - March 2002 have arrived at their answers. This is a very useful strategy as it ensures that pupils think about their work and develop a range of methods for solving mathematical problems, Pupils also gain in confidence as they improve their speaking and listening skills.

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MATHEMATICS

130. Teachers make appropriate use of information and communication technology to support mathematics. In the majority of lessons seen, pupils took turns in using computer programs that were relevant to the lesson and reinforced their understanding of, for example halving and doubling numbers, shapes and angles and number value. The National Numeracy Strategy has been introduced to the school. Where teachers have been trained this is effective; however, teachers who have recently joined the school with no previous experience of the strategy are still learning how to implement the system effectively. The use of mathematical skills across other subjects is satisfactory but there is further scope for graphs and data to be used in other subjects. The school makes satisfactory use of homework to consolidate pupils’ learning in the subject.

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MATHEMATICS

131. The school benefits from good leadership in the subject. The teacher with responsibility for mathematics has very good subject knowledge and is enthusiastic and conscientious in working to improve standards in the school. He is also a very good teacher of the subject. The policy is regularly updated and the development and monitoring of mathematics is formally reviewed to make sure that progress is being maintained. A good analysis is made of end of year assessment information; this allows teachers to place pupils in appropriate teaching groups. In line with the school action plan the school decided to purchase a new mathematics scheme. The whole staff were involved in evaluating the possibilities and this means that a scheme appropriate for the particular needs of the school was selected. Teachers are using the scheme effectively but more teachers need to be confident in using the scheme as a basis for their lessons and introducing other strategies and activities according

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MATHEMATICS

to the class they might be teaching. A number of initiatives that impact on standards and on pupils’ attitudes to the subject have been introduced. These include parental workshops so parents can understand how to support their children and regular summer numeracy schools, in association with the local high school, to give pupils a boost and confidence before they start at their new high school.

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MATHEMATICS

132. The teacher with responsibility for mathematics carefully analyses a range of information and is able to judge the effectiveness of booster groups on pupils’ standards. Close examination of the impact of the parental workshop on standards shows the majority of pupils exceeded the predictions made about their potential achievements. Good use of assessment data means that accurate projections are made; this helps the school to set realistic but challenging targets in the subject.

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SCIENCE

133. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment is below the standards expected nationally of pupils this age. By the end of Year 6, the number of pupils achieving the expected level in science is in line with that found nationally. There is no significant difference between the achievements of boys and girls, or between pupils from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The findings of the inspection show an improvement on the 2001 results standard assessment tests at the end of Year 6 when standards were below average, but with 32% reaching the higher level 5. They are better than the teacher assessments made at the end of Year 2 in 2001, which indicated that standards were well below national averages. Featherstone Primary School - 44 - March 2002 134. Since the last inspection there has been a good improvement in the standards achieved by pupils throughout the school. Teachers’ ability to assess pupils’ work

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SCIENCE

against the requirements of the National Curriculum has been improved, and a system for assessing and recording pupil attainment has been introduced. This helps to ensure that pupils have progressively more demanding learning experiences. There has been a concerted drive to extend pupils’ scientific vocabulary by raising teachers’ awareness of key words for each topic, using flash cards within the lessons, and displays within the classroom. These measures have helped to raise standards in all age groups and pupil progress is good overall through the school. In Year 2, although there are fewer pupils than nationally who reach the expected level, pupils with higher previous attainment are now given opportunities to learn scientific principles beyond that expected level. Similarly, Year 6 pupils with higher previous attainment are given opportunities to learn scientific principles beyond those normally

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SCIENCE

135. By the age of seven, pupils are beginning to make predictions and then perform experiments to determine the effect of forces of differing strength and direction on the movement of objects such as a balloon, a ball and a toy car. Almost all pupils have a secure knowledge and understanding of living things, are aware of their senses and identify and name the parts of the body. Most pupils know that living things grow and reproduce, and they identify these characteristics in an animated quiz presented on a computer. Higher attaining pupils know how to construct an electrical circuit that includes a light bulb, and that breaking the circuit will cause the bulb to go out. In Years 1 and 2, pupils make good progress in developing their scientific knowledge. They compare objects in a feely box and describe them with terms such as rough and smooth; they observe objects made from different materials and group them

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SCIENCE

according to their characteristics such as shiny or dull. All pupils are assisted in making contributions and all responded with enthusiasm.

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SCIENCE

136. By the age of 11, pupils understand the role of major human organ systems, which they explain using scientific vocabulary. They have a good knowledge of plant and animal life cycles, and use terms such as “provider” and “consumer”, “predator” and “prey” to define the roles of particular plants and animals within the food chain. They draw on their general knowledge to make predictions of what would happen if one element were removed from a food chain, such as rabbits being virtually annihilated by myxomatosis. Pupils classify substances as solids, liquids and gases, and describe methods of separating mixtures of solids and liquids, such as filtering or distilling. They recognise that some processes are reversible, but others are irreversible. Pupils are given opportunities to explore the whole range of the science curriculum, but their experience of practical science is limited and consequently their

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SCIENCE

understanding of experimental and investigative science is developed at a slow pace in Years 3 to 6. In Year 4, for example, they participate in an investigation to determine whether certain materials are conductors or insulators. Some of the children make a prediction for each material, but few give a reason for their forecast. By the age of eleven children carry out pre-determined experiments competently. They are usually told how to perform the experiment and how to record their results, so few develop the skills to choose a suitable method, identify variables or ensure that a test is fair. There is insufficient use of basic computer programs such as databases and graphing packages to enhance independent learning in science.

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SCIENCE

137. Pupils enjoy their science lessons, and a high proportion name science as their favourite subject. They particularly look forward to the practical lessons. The group work offered is successful in helping pupils develop their skills in co-operation and compromise as well as giving shared experiences in discovering new facts. A pupil, Featherstone Primary School - 45 - March 2002 identified as having learning difficulties in science, was so surprised by seeing graphite conduct electricity that he wanted to tell everyone, and offered a contribution to the class discussion. Pupils’ behaviour is almost always good or very good, showing the high level of involvement in the lessons.

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SCIENCE

138. The teaching of science is generally good across through the school and pupils make good progress in their knowledge of science. Planning is strong with very clear and precise objectives for each lesson. Teachers prepare interesting resources that gain the pupils’ interest and make them keen to participate in the lesson and learn. As a result, in lessons where the teacher has good subject knowledge, the pupils easily understand explanations. In these lessons teachers often draw pupils together at regular intervals to explain issues to the whole class, and to ensure that all pupils are gaining the assistance they require. This helps to keep pupils working at a good pace and their scientific knowledge increases quickly. In the occasional lessons where the teacher has a poor knowledge of science, pupils learn very slowly and this leads to children losing interest and becoming disruptive. 139. In practical work, pupils’ skills in experimenting and investigating are frequently not

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SCIENCE

challenged. Too often, teachers direct activities and this gives pupils insufficient opportunities to devise their own experiments, thinking about what they want to achieve, deciding what needs to be measured and how to ensure any tests they make are fair. Because of this, pupils’ scientific skills are much less advanced than their knowledge. Marking varies throughout the school with the best examples encouraging and informative with corrections always completed. In a few cases marking is only carried out infrequently and does not help the pupils to improve their knowledge or work. Science lessons make a contribution to the development of literacy skills. A high proportion of the written work is copied directly from the teacher, and although this gives good examples of a wide variety of different purpose and uses of text, pupils have very few chances to practise these for themselves. Similarly,

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SCIENCE

teachers ask many thought-provoking questions but, in many lessons, opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills are missed when teachers accept one-word answers rather than insisting on whole sentences and logical arguments. Insufficient use is made of computer programs that could help pupils investigate, measure, make calculations or present results in the course of their practical work. The use of Internet revision web sites is very effective in raising attainment in scientific knowledge.

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SCIENCE

140. In the six months since taking on the responsibility, the teacher with responsibility for science has had a major impact on the teaching throughout the school. The development priorities laid down in the school development plan; improving standards in Years 1 and 2 and improving opportunities for higher attaining pupils to achieve level 6 by the age of 11, have been pursued very successfully. He has monitored planning and teaching in Years 1 and 2, provided training for teachers in Years 1 and 2 in teaching science and assessing pupil attainment. In addition he has monitored a system to measure and record pupils’ attainment which was introduced by his predecessor to ensure compliance throughout the school. The teacher with responsibility for science has introduced measures to improve pupils’ acquisition of scientific vocabulary. In addition he has formed links with Featherstone High School

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SCIENCE

to support the additional lessons given to pupils identified as attaining more highly in Year 6. This link provides opportunities for these pupils to undertake chemistry experiments using equipment unavailable in a primary school. With only limited release time so far, the teacher with responsibility for science has achieved a great deal, and has further plans to address most of the items identified as development priorities by this inspection. Featherstone Primary School - 46 - March 2002

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ART AND DESIGN

141. There have been good improvements in standards since the last inspection. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils meet the standards expected for their ages. The unsatisfactory teaching in the subject has been eliminated. Improved standards correspond to the thorough review of the curriculum initiated by the recently appointed co-ordinator, which led to better planning and resources for some aspects of art. Consequently by the age of eleven, pupils have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of techniques, which they adapt in order to refine their own work. This was demonstrated well in a Year 6 lesson where pupils applied well-learnt techniques to add tone to their pictures. There is some evidence of sketchbooks being used to explore ideas and techniques but their use is not extensive especially in some upper junior classes.

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ART AND DESIGN

142. The quality of teaching and learning in the lessons seen is good overall. Teachers’ subject knowledge is generally secure so they are able to plan varied and interesting tasks. Sometimes this results in very good teaching and learning as seen in a Year 5 lesson when pupils used photographs they had taken of visually interesting buildings in the locality to practise observational drawing. The teacher provided a variety of drawing materials and explained how best to use them as well as showing examples of artists’ work. The class became fully engaged in the activity working carefully and sometimes sharing ideas. Skills are taught well in Years 1 and 2. Teachers encourage children to observe closely and use tone and colour sensitively to enhance their drawing. There is some very good development seen in Year 1 when pupils progress from weaving paper patterns to the use of fabrics, which resulted in some

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ART AND DESIGN

very precise and skilful work. Teachers establish good relationships with their classes, so pupils feel secure and enabled to work in a supportive environment. Praise and critical evaluation are features of the lessons. This encourages pupils to work hard in order to improve or what they have done. Learning is made more meaningful when teachers link work with other subjects. Year 3 pupils for example, used their study of Roman history to explore pattern and design. This resulted in some colourful mosaic patterns. Year 4 pupils explored the possibilities of mixed media collage effectively to create portraits of wealthy Tudors. Teachers take care to display pupils’ work attractively, making best use of public areas around the school. Classroom displays are satisfactory but sometimes are overshadowed by the unsatisfactory nature of the accommodation.

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ART AND DESIGN

143. Improvements under the leadership of the new co-ordinator are more evident in Years 2, 3 and 4 where most support is given. Currently the co-ordinator’s skills are not having enough impact on in Year 5 and 6 and this inhibits the potential for pupils to achieve beyond the average. Although the curriculum is planned thoughtfully to stimulate the use of a wide variety of colour and texture, opportunities for the development of three-dimensional work need further planning and resources. There are no systems in place for assessing and recording pupil progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

144. Standards are close to those found nationally. This is the same as the judgement made during the previous inspection. Progress has been satisfactory. A scheme of work has been introduced that takes into account recent developments and national guidance. Consequently, the number of projects to be taught in each year group and the quality of those projects have been significantly improved, giving the pupils opportunities to use a wider range of materials and to develop their techniques of designing and making more effectively. Pupils throughout the school, including those Featherstone Primary School - 47 - March 2002 with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

145. By the end of Year 2 pupils have a satisfactory understanding of the process of designing and making. Pupils are given appropriate opportunities to use construction kits and a variety of materials, such as fabric, card and paper. They investigate movement through the use of hinges, levers, links and cog-wheels using them to make pop-up cards. Year 1 pupils are taught about strong structures in house building, before drawing a house design in preparation for constructing a model. Year 2 pupils draw and make a plan of a vehicle, showing their intended outcomes. They think about the materials they will use and understand that they might need to change their plans before the vehicle is finished.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

146. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ attainment is in line with standards found nationally. Through Years 3 to 6 pupils continue to improve their knowledge and understanding of materials and components and of the designing and making process through three or four projects in each year. For example, pupils in Year 3 disassemble picture frames before designing and making their own; Year 4 pupils design a chair for a chosen person and make a demonstration model; Year 5 pupils design and make a model of a revolving fairground ride and Year 6 pupils design and make a buggy powered by a battery and an electrical motor. Year 6 pupils discussed their plan, how they had modified their design to improve the seating in the vehicle and how they had altered the propulsion from four-wheel drive to three-wheel to improve the speed and the manoeuvrability of their vehicle. Pupils evaluate the success of their product using

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

eight criteria, and the success of the project using five different measures.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

147. There was little teaching of the subject during the inspection week and few lessons were observed. Evidence from discussion with pupils, previously completed projects and the lessons seen indicate that teaching of design and technology is satisfactory. Teachers’ knowledge of the subject is adequate, and pupils learn the basic procedure of designing, making and evaluating products. However, the design process could be more strongly linked to individual pupils’ ideas in Years 1 to 3 and to the needs of a user in Years 4 to 6. Discussion of designs and construction contributes to pupils’ speaking and listening skills as well as to their ability to co-operate constructively, but these aspects are given insufficient emphasis. Pupils are not sufficiently encouraged to use their skills in mathematics for data collection and recording and analysis when collecting requirements or opinions, or their measuring skills when designing and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

making their models or other items. The potential of information and communication technology to support design and technology is not fully exploited. Nonetheless, pupils have a very enthusiastic approach to the subject and thoroughly enjoy their projects. They recognise the benefits of learning to work together in a spirit of co- operation because, in the words of one year 6 pupil “if we don’t work together we won’t produce anything”

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

148. Leadership of the subject is satisfactory. The teacher with responsibility for the subject has rewritten the school policy and introduced a new scheme of work, along with a record sheet on which to record the topics that each child has completed. He has organised voluntary design and technology training days for teachers to increase their subject knowledge. There is a good supply of resources of satisfactory quality, and an adequate quantity of construction kits. The resources are well organised and readily available.

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GEOGRAPHY

Featherstone Primary School - 48 - March 2002 149. Standards of attainment in geography are below those expected by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Standards have declined since the last inspection. Too little emphasis is placed on the teaching of geographical enquiry skills and the planned allocation of time for geography is not conducive to a systematic approach to teaching in the subject. As a result, by the time pupils leave the school their knowledge and understanding of places and environments is limited and they lack relevant fieldwork experiences through which they can learn and apply geographical language and skills.

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GEOGRAPHY

150. Taking into account lessons seen during the inspection and pupils’ work over time, the overall quality of teaching is unsatisfactory. In one lesson, for example the teacher did not take into account sufficiently the needs of lower attaining pupils and those who are learning English as an additional language by checking that they understood the task. Consequently, a significant number of pupils did not make enough progress. Work was not well enough matched to the needs of higher attaining pupils in the lesson so they, too, could have achieved more. In another lesson the teacher’s expectations did not match what pupils could reasonably achieve when they were required to write about a map without having sufficient language or skills to do so. Pupils struggled with the work and did not complete the task. Teaching and learning were satisfactory in one lesson where pupils compared a mountainous environment with that of Southall. The teacher’s questioning and limited

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GEOGRAPHY

resources were used well enough to enable pupils to make reasonable progress in drawing out similarities and differences. However, more would have been gained if questioning and discussion had been better supported by the use of books for research or some first hand observations of the locality. There are inconsistencies in the quality and presentation of work. Overall, there is a strong bias towards work sheets. In some classes written work is copied, whilst in others there was no recorded work at all. Discussion with pupils confirms that little attention is paid to the application of geographical skills such as map reading or field study research. Some were not able to distinguish between geography and other humanities subjects.

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GEOGRAPHY

151. Difficulties in the retention and appointment of teachers have significantly impeded the leadership and management of geography. The school is aware of the shortcomings in planning and is addressing this by reviewing the curriculum whilst seeking to appoint a subject manager. Some resources have been enhanced but there are still out of date books and globes to be seen around the school. The quality and range of reference books for the subject is poor. Currently curriculum planning does not sufficiently reflect the cultural richness of the school.

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HISTORY

152. Standards are lower than they were at the last inspection. At the end of both Year 2 and Year 6, standards are below national expectations. Pupils make good progress in history by Year 2 from a low starting point. They enjoy studying the lives of famous people developing their sense of chronology and understanding aspects of life beyond living memory. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ progress is not satisfactory in years 3 and 4 and written work is unfinished in some classes. Progress is good in years 5 and 6 where pupils have opportunities to provide written accounts of past events such as in the battle between the Greeks and the Persians. In Year 6, some pupils provide sound reasoning for why the Greeks won the battle.

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HISTORY

153. By the end of Year 2, pupils are gaining a good grasp of the main events in the lives of famous people and can find information to answer simple questions about the past, but have not developed a full understanding of the changes that have taken place beyond living memory. A few pupils fully understand why people in the past acted in Featherstone Primary School - 49 - March 2002 the ways they did and in the story of Mary Seacole, in Year 2, understood that racism prevented her from nursing the sick. They do not have a full understanding of how the past can be represented in different ways.

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HISTORY

154. By the end of Year 6, pupils show understanding of some of the main events, people and changes in the past as in the Year 6 study of the Greeks looking at the life of Helen of Troy. Some pupils in Year 6 used their own knowledge and understanding of immigration issues in relation to recent history giving reasons for changes in people’s lives brought about by war. Their knowledge and understanding of British and world history is limited.

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HISTORY

155. The teaching is good in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory in Key Stage 2 although there was unsatisfactory teaching in Year 4. Where teaching is good, it takes into account the diverse learning needs of pupils with English as a second language or those with special educational needs, ensuring that good use is made of resources including visual aids and tasks that meet their needs. In Year 2, a culturally relevant video of Mary Seacole’s life was used with appropriate questioning to guide the pupils through her life. It asked the pupils to consider key aspects of her life story in terms of social issues. Some teachers use good displays of pupils’ work, for example on the life of Florence Nightingale, to encourage pupils to produce good written accounts. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, planning for the needs of pupils was not fully considered which led to unsatisfactory use of resources and tasks being set which were not

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HISTORY

helpful to all pupils’ progress. Early stage learners of English learnt little in these lessons.

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HISTORY

156. Standards in the subject have been lowered by local teacher recruitment problems. There is no history coordinator in post and the previous coordinator held the post for a term before leaving. The headteacher and deputy currently are temporarily overseeing the subject. There is a recognition that the subject area as a whole needs to be made more relevant to the cultural diversity of the school although teaching observations showed that staff are making efforts in some year teams to do this. Resources for the subject have not been audited so there is a lack of clarity about what is available to teach history topics. Assessment at the end of each key stage is not moderated and teaching in the subject area is not effectively monitored.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

157. By the age of seven and the age of 11, standards of attainment are below the standards expected nationally of pupils of this age. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, those learning English as an additional language and refugees, do not achieve highly enough. By the age of seven, pupils’ attainment does meet national expectations except in the handling of information. By the age of 11, pupils’ attainment is below the expected level in all aspects of information technology. There is no significant difference between the achievements of boys and girls, or between pupils from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

158. Since the last inspection there has been unsatisfactory improvement in the standards achieved by pupils by the age of 11. An information technology suite has been equipped with sufficient modern computers for pupils to work in pairs. The computers are linked onto a network with access to the Internet and each classroom has a stand-alone computer. During the past 18 months, the school has purchased a large quantity of modern computer programs. These have been carefully chosen to cover the whole range of the information and communication technology curriculum at all levels. The requirements of the National Curriculum are now met with pupils being Featherstone Primary School - 50 - March 2002 given learning opportunities across the whole range of the information and communication technology curriculum. A systematic, comprehensive method for assessing and recording pupil attainment has been introduced. Teachers attended

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

training funded from the New Opportunities Fund, but those joining the school since then have had limited induction training in the basic use of the computers and software.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

159. By the age of seven, most pupils use the computer for communicating ideas and knowledge with word-processing programs, drawing pictures using a graphics program and controlling the movement of an object using commands. Pupils use a mouse to select tools in a painting program. They use pre-determined shapes or draw their own, and fill them with colour in various ways. Pupils move objects around the screen to selected squares following the required route and some use written words of command such as “forward” and “right”. However, the progress of many pupils is limited by the short time they have spent in the school or by their inability to recognise the sounds letters and combinations of letters make in English. Many pupils are not confident in choosing, entering and leaving computer programs. Many have difficulty using the keyboard effectively and do not use computers to communicate ideas in stories. Pupils have limited experience of different forms of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

information such as databases, tables of results and graphs.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

160. By the age of 11, almost all pupils use computers to present their ideas, laying out text, choosing fonts and revising and correcting their own work, for instance to produce a description of what facilities are available in a museum. However, few pupils produce a piece of work with combined pictures and text or prepare information to be shared with a variety of audiences. Almost all pupils research information and enter it into a database, but few amend that data or search the database for answers to specific questions. Some pupils use a control program to open a door in a model house or switch lights on and off and others watch, but very few pupils have written a program to control the movement of a robot or used sensors to measure or display light or temperature. Although pupils use information and communication technology for research in some projects, the presentation of the findings for different audiences

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

or using multi-media techniques is under-developed. Many opportunities to use basic computer programs such as spreadsheets and graphing packages to enhance the learning of numeracy are missed.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

161. The work planned for the pupils is frequently not completed and this severely limits the learning experiences provided and the progress in the pupils’ understanding in all aspects of the subject. The planning, organisation and teaching is not effective in ensuring that pupils improve their skills in use of computers or their knowledge of the range of computer uses. Information and communication technology is not integrated into investigations in science, and opportunities to support other subjects, such as English and art and design, are often missed. However, Year 6 pupils use websites available on the Internet very effectively to enhance their knowledge of science in preparation for their national tests.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

162. Pupils are highly motivated in lessons and enjoy using computers. When the teaching is appropriate, they co-operate readily, are keen to learn and sustain their concentration for long periods. However, when teaching is less good or behaviour control techniques are inappropriate, pupils get restless and their behaviour deteriorates. Featherstone Primary School - 51 - March 2002 163. The use of information and communication technology to help in developing and extending literacy skills is limited. It is used to help EAL pupils. For instance, programs are provided to develop early learning of language skills for older pupils.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

164. Teaching to support other subjects is generally satisfactory and sometimes good. In classrooms pupils often operate the computers with good guidance from the teacher, instruction cards and wall displays with advice from a more competent pupil or learning support assistants. They are also given work that is appropriate to their needs in the form of separate achievable tasks. Pupils then use the technology constructively, learning concepts of, for instance, the forces of push and pull, at the same time as learning how to select using a computer mouse or a keyboard key.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

165. All of the teaching observed in the computer suite during the inspection was unsatisfactory. The computers are laid out in such a way that there is no teaching area that all the pupils can see, and nowhere from which the teacher can see all of the pupils. This makes normal teaching practices difficult to follow. Teachers cannot make new instructions available to whole groups of pupils simultaneously, nor can they monitor the work and behaviour of all of the pupils at the same time.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

166. The strongest teaching provides these elements with different tasks for children according to their needs, demonstrations to the whole class before entering the computer room, written instructions in words and symbols, appropriate explanations for children to follow to achieve their tasks and assistance available from learning support teachers or assistants as well as the class teacher. However in many lessons the work does not match individual needs and pupils are not sufficiently well prepared for the tasks given. In these lessons pupils have difficulty following instructions and completing tasks, and so they do not make satisfactory progress. In the weakest teaching, the management of pupils’ behaviour and their learning tasks in the computer suite is unsatisfactory. In addition, a number of the teachers employed temporarily without prior training in the National Curriculum requirements still lack the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

knowledge to use the extensive library of programs, the computer room or the Internet to teach the subject effectively. As a result pupils make little progress in acquiring computer skills and in some cases pupils become unruly. In some lessons, insufficient thought is given to allocating computers for pupils recently arrived at the school to practise basic skills in literacy or computer use.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

167. The subject is enthusiastically led by a very hard-working teacher committed to improving the skills of teachers and pupils. She has designed and organised the computer suite, although the room was not organised in the way she specified. She has also modernised the computers in the classroom and chosen and obtained suitable computer programs for all parts of the curriculum. She spends many hours each week ensuring that the computers in the computer room and the classrooms are working properly, and that the network and Internet provide access to programs to enhance the pupils’ progress, such as independent learning programmes. The heavy investment of teacher time in New Opportunities Funding training has had less impact on teachers’ skills than was hoped and the teacher with responsibility for information for communication technology has continued to provide significant support and guidance helping teachers to familiarise themselves with computer programs and to

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

plan information for communication technology lessons. The coordinator has introduced a comprehensive system for measuring pupils’ attainment and ensuring teachers record pupils’ experiences and attainment.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

168. Although there is a continuing programme for improvements in the provision for the subject, there has been no direct evaluation of the effectiveness of the investment in Featherstone Primary School - 52 - March 2002 resources by senior management. The lack of time given to lesson observations and to pupil interviews to assess their attainment has led to a failure to identify changes that could lead to significant improvements in the pupils’ learning experiences.

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MUSIC

169. Provision for learning is satisfactory overall. This is an improvement on the last inspection. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain the standards expected nationally and sometimes better. By the end of Year 6, attainment matches that expected for pupils of their age. All pupils including those with special educational needs and pupils, who are new to speaking English, make good progress and enjoy their music-making activities.

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MUSIC

170. Teachers plan together effectively following the methods and strategies suggested by the music co-ordinator. The teaching is satisfactory in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Pupils have fortnightly lessons in the music room with the specialist teacher and class teachers reinforce their learning on alternate weeks. This works very well because the learning of all pupils is supported by teachers’ experience and expertise. Pupils benefit from well-organised teaching that develops a clear tone, and a good sense of rhythm. Pupils listen carefully, following the teacher’s directions, joining in enthusiastically to perform action songs, clapping and singing to the rhythm of the song. Pupils explore a range of percussion instruments to experience how sounds can be blended together. They control these well, obediently following the teacher’s instructions to leave instruments on the floor until needed.

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MUSIC

171. Older pupils are developing skills in improvising and creating their own musical patterns in sound. Pupils in Year 4 extend their work on composition establishing an echoing pattern using the sounds made by their own voices instead of instruments. Good use is made of pictures to extend pupils’ compositions. For example, pupils in Year 4 were inspired by Rousseau’s picture of a tiger in the jungle to create the sounds of trees swaying, wind blowing through the grass, thunder and lightning. Pupils in Year 6 discovered how the mood of both listener and performer can be affected by the melody and lyrics of a song. They contrasted the World War 1 marching song ‘Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag’ with the lilting rhythm of the ‘Skye Boat Song’, which suggest the rocking of a boat out at sea. Another Year 6 class broadened their musical experience with the melody and lyric of the Shabad, a

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MUSIC

traditional Sikh hymn. Pupils contrasted this holy music with traditional British folk songs.

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MUSIC

172. The curriculum is broadly based and pupils benefit from the diversity of cultures and creeds within the school. Pupils’ learning is well supported by a range of after-school music groups and choirs. All pupils have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument at greatly reduced tuition fees. Since the last inspection, the arrangements for music have improved, and the subject has a higher profile within the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

173. Standards are in line with the national expectation at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. This indicates that standards in the subject have been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special education needs, make satisfactory progress in all areas of the subject in both key stages. Those with English as second language also make satisfactory progress. Featherstone Primary School - 53 - March 2002 174. By the end of Year 2, pupils are beginning to understand the importance of exercise, and the impact it has on their bodies both immediately after exercise and in the long term. Most have sound co-ordination skills, which are demonstrated in gymnastics, games and dance. They are able to move in different ways to a range of music, keeping in time with the rhythm. Most are able to bounce and catch balls and use apparatus successfully. They use space in the hall well and are able to work

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successfully in pairs and groups. They benefit from observing each other and evaluating performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

175. By the end of Year 6, pupils demonstrate that they have acquired dance skills, which they are able to use to good effect. They are also creative when adding their own ideas to their basic knowledge of dance. They successfully and sensitively evaluate each other’s performance and gain ideas on how to develop their own skills from this activity. They work well as a team, encouraging one another. Whilst they are competitive, they play fairly. Most are able successfully to play short tennis by Year 6 demonstrating the progress that has been made in ball skills through Key Stage 2. Pupils are able to use a good variety of apparatus in gymnastics including wall bars and climbing ropes. They balance well and can use benches and boxes successfully. They are able to develop their skills through both individual and group work.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

176. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1, the most successful lessons are well planned with specific skills in mind. In Year 1, the dance lesson had clear learning objectives that were shared with the pupils. Pupils followed the teacher and learnt by example. Skills were broken down into manageable learning tasks both in this lesson, and the ball skills’ lesson observed in Year 2. Less successful but still satisfactory lessons offered pupils an opportunity to dance to a variety of music, but did not promote specific skills clearly enough.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

177. In Key Stage 2, most lessons were planned well with clear instructions being given by the teacher. Lessons held outside presented particular difficulties as the playground is large and there is significant background noise from the nearby railway line and road. Teachers usually succeeded in overcoming this by calling pupils together when instructions were being given. However, once the lesson was underway, the lack of a support assistant made it difficult to keep all pupils consistently on task and developing their skills. In the one unsatisfactory lesson observed, pupils received little teaching and as a result their skills in skipping showed little progress. The pupils did not concentrate well and quickly moved off task. In Year 6 dance, a very good lesson in the hall was very focused on the skills to be learnt incorporating skipping skills into a dance. The teacher was very successful in involving all the pupils in the lesson.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

They worked well as individuals and in mixed sex pairs and groups. The teacher held the pupils’ attention well through a mixture of good pace, his very good relationship with the class, good use of music and his personal enthusiasm.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

178. Pupils throughout the school are keen to participate in physical education lessons. They work well in groups and pairs and are supportive of each other. They are beginning to learn to evaluate others work, and do this in a sensible and mature way. Older pupils benefit from the occasional opportunity to play sport against other schools. Football is offered after school, but a full range of extra-curricular activities has not yet been developed.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

179. Year 5 pupils go swimming locally and the majority of the pupils do learn to swim, even though this is not an activity that many participate in outside school time. The pupils receive a good standard of support and coaching from both school staff and those employed at the swimming pool. Featherstone Primary School - 54 - March 2002 180. There are some limitations to the curriculum. There is no suitable grassed area either in the school or nearby. The local recreation ground has full public access and is not appropriate for regular use. The school does, however, hold a sports day there each summer term. In addition, older pupils practise football skills in the school playground, and then play football matches at other schools that have their own fields. The school playground surface is in a poor state of repair. It is both cracked and uneven. The school has identified the resurfacing of the playground as a priority. However the high

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

cost cannot currently be met from either the school budget or by the Local Education Authority. Pupils do not participate in the more adventurous activities that would be provided at a residential centre. Many parents are not able to afford to send their children on such a trip and some have concerns about allowing their children to be away from home overnight.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

181. Teachers have benefited recently from a series of whole staff in-service training sessions led by an expert on physical education. Teachers feel that they have benefited from the advice and ideas that have been given. The headteacher has recently carried out monitoring of the teaching, drawing out both strengths and areas for improvement. This has proved helpful for teachers.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

182. The school has recently appointed a new subject co-ordinator from overseas. He is very enthusiastic about the subject and has already identified several areas for development. He is carried out a thorough audit of resources and has discovered that the school has resources available that have not always been used in the past. The co-ordinator has the potential to raise standards within the school if given sufficient support.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

183. Provision for learning through religious education is a strength of the school. Standards attained by pupils aged seven and eleven are above those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. The ethos of sharing knowledge, understanding the beliefs of other religions and respecting the customs, traditions and practices of other nations, creeds and cultures is the cornerstone of the school community.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

184. Teaching is good throughout all year groups and as a result pupils learn well. The main religions studied are Islam, Hindu, Sikh, and Christian. The Ealing agreed syllabus provides scope to celebrate the diversity of all religions, not merely to tolerate others but to respect their beliefs and to understand their practices. For example in a Year 4 lesson pupils re-enacted the celebration of the Sikh custom of Langar which is a free sharing of provisions so that all people may enter the temple and feed together both literally and spiritually. The outcome was most impressive because Hindus, Muslims and Christians learned that love and respect for each other is the way forward for all society. The Christian prayer ‘build me a channel of thy peace’ was made manifest in the teaching of Sikh values as the ‘servers’ brought flour and sugar to be given freely so that these can be used in the kitchens adjoining the temple to

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

185. Pupils from all groups, including those with special educational needs and pupils speaking very little English, are welcomed into the multifaith community. Capturing the spirit of the school ‘Welcome’ messages are displayed in fifteen different languages in the corridors and reception hall. Pupils’ learning is well supported by the stimulus to read, write and speak about different faiths and religions. Pupils’ writing skills are often much weaker than their speaking skills because learning to write well Featherstone Primary School - 55 - March 2002 requires a complex balance of spelling, punctuation and correct grammar. Nevertheless pupils in all year groups keep their notebooks carefully, recording their discoveries about different religions and their own accounts of traditional stories. Pupils in Year 6 write about some of the principles of the Hindu religion referring to the Holy book, the Mahabharata and the importance of friendship. Pupils were able to

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

explain how learning about the friendship of Krishna and Sudama helped them to value their own special friends. Pupils were encouraged to reflect on the most valuable qualities of a friend. A truly meaningful moment was shared as one girl decided that ‘Always telling the truth’ was most important, one boy remarked thoughtfully, ‘That’s quite difficult’. Lessons such as this enrich pupils’ lives because they are strengthened to face the problems that confront them in life outside school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

186. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well supported through the religious teaching which promotes their emotional growth. Pupils are led towards an understanding of how their own behaviour affects others and as a result the responses people make to them. For example, pupils defined good and bad behaviour in the playground deciding that selfish behaviour, kicking or fighting would cause them to lose friends and make enemies. Pupils are taught the difference between right and wrong through knowledge of the scriptures of many different religions. They are encouraged to think for themselves and decide on the right course of action to follow, understanding that they might have difficult decisions to make. In these ways pupils are learning life skills because they are developing the reasoning powers that will enable them to take responsibility for themselves and their actions.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

187. Classes from all year groups take turns to be responsible for a whole school assembly. For example, Year 3 pupils shared some of the teachings of the ten gurus of the Sikh religion. In a lower school assembly younger pupils responded thoughtfully to the headteacher’s questions about what Mother’s Day meant for them. There were very good opportunities for pupils to explain their ideas and expand on these because the headteacher listened patiently to all pupils. As a result pupils spoke confidently and clearly; it was the best example of developing skills in speaking and listening observed during the inspection. All groups of pupils were included because through ‘Molly’, a large glove puppet, the pupils’ understood that Mother’s Day is really for all carers, who enjoy the gift of love.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

188. The subject is managed by a dedicated teacher who leads her team of teachers most successfully so that pupils’ learning guides them towards a serene outlook and fulfilling lives.

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