Hatherden Church of England Primary School

HATHERDEN C E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 th April – 3 rd May 2001

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HATHERDEN C E 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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HATHERDEN C E 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. Hatherden Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hatherden Andover Hampshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Susannah Thornely

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th – 7 th July 1999 Hatherden Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

David Marshall Registered inspector English Information and Communication Technology Geography History Physical Education Foundation Stage How high are standards? How well are the pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Margaret Morrissey Lay inspector How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Pupils’ personal development and attendance. Christine Canniff Team inspector Mathematics Science Art and Design Design and Technology Music Special Educational Needs Equal Opportunities How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? How well does the school care for its pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Schoolhaus Ltd Suite17 BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Walesby Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Hatherden Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Hatherden is a small, rural primary school with 103 pupils on roll, divided into four classes. The school is housed in a variety of buildings, ranging from a school house dating from the early 18 th century and a renovated Victorian classroom, now used as their small school hall, to a purpose-built block with two infant classrooms and toilets and a double wooden terrapin housing the two junior classrooms. There have been recent impressive improvements to the main building that include a small library. The school admission number is 17 for an area comprising the three villages of Hatherden, Wildhern and Tangley. However, only 23 per cent of pupils come from these villages with the majority being brought by car from Andover. Children’s ability on entry to the school is above average. There are no children on roll from an ethnic minority background or with English as an additional language, which is well below the national average. There are 14 children on the special educational

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

needs register, but none with statements, again below the national average. There have been no exclusions in the last year. Both authorised and unauthorised absences are well below the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Hatherden is now a very good school. Annual test results show pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 achieving above average in English and well above average in mathematics when compared with pupils in similar schools. The quality of teaching is good overall. Those pupils with special educational needs and those with high attainment are taught well with appropriately challenging activities. The leadership and management provided by the head teacher and subject co-ordinators are very good. The head teacher, governors and all staff work together well and the very good community links they have secured create a very positive atmosphere in the school that now provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The quality of teaching is good overall. Nearly 80 per cent of the teaching observed during the inspection was good or better. • The provision for the social and moral development of the pupils is very good; provision for their spiritual development is good. • The leadership and management provided by the head teacher and key staff are very good. • The governing body is well involved and makes a good contribution to the effectiveness of the school. • Pupils’ behaviour and personal development are very good. They are polite and courteous, very enthusiastic and co-operate well. • The school’s relationships with parents and the local community are very good. • The support staff, caretaker and administrative officer make important contributions to the effectiveness of the school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The provision for art and design throughout the school. • The provision for pupils’ cultural development so that they fully appreciate their place in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

At the time of their full inspection in September 1997, the school was judged to be failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and was, therefore, made subject to special measures. The report at that time gave the governors and staff a number of key issues for action. Thanks to the support they received from the local authority and, in particular, by the hard work and dedication of the staff, the school made substantial improvement on all the key issues. This meant that an inspection by an HMI and additional inspector in July 1999 concluded that the school no longer required special measures. Since then the school has continued to make great improvements. The procedures for assessment, and the use of information gained, are now very good. Teachers use day-to-day assessments particularly effectively. The management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is now good. There is clear and effective communication between all staff

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

involved with individual pupils. Schemes of work have been completed for all subjects and the very good monitoring procedures ensure they are consistently implemented. The improvements the school has made since its inspections have been very good overall. Hatherden Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by eleven year olds 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 B A B well above average above average A B Mathematics C A A A average below average C D Science D A D E well below average E

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STANDARDS

The results above, from 2000, are the school’s latest and although a typical picture of pupils’ overall levels of achievement, in a small school the size of the year’s cohort makes a considerable difference where one pupil’s results can have a significant impact on the overall percentage. Pupils’ results in the year 2000 at the age of seven show they are well above average in reading, very high in writing, and in line with expectations for their age in mathematics. The year 2000 test results for eleven year olds show that pupils achieve well above the national average in English and mathematics but below average in science. When compared with pupils in similar schools the results are above average in English, well above average in mathematics but well below average in science. This difference occurred because two pupils failed by one point to reach the higher level. This emphasises the effect a few pupils can have overall. The school has made good progress over the last two

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STANDARDS

years since the time of their last inspection in 1999, and the trend has been one of steady improvement in all subjects. The school exceeded their targets for improvement, and these have now been raised appropriately. Pupils’ work seen during the inspection reflects the above picture of improvement. This greater success results in part from the school’s positive responses to the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, and also from the careful use of assessment in these core subjects. Teachers match tasks more closely to pupils’ learning needs and this has improved the progress they make in all subjects. Pupils achieve standards in geography and music that are in line with expectations for their age group but in art and design standards are below those expected for 11 year olds. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils achieve above average standards in design and technology, history, physical education and information and communication technology.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good overall. Pupils are very interested, enthusiastic and enjoy all school activities. They take an increasing responsibility for their own learning as they go through the school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour is very good. There is no sign of bullying or oppressive conduct. Pupils are aware of the effect of their actions on others.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils form very good relationships with their teachers, other adults and with each other. This makes a large contribution to the school’s positive atmosphere.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Excellent. Attendance is well above the national average and there is no unauthorised absence.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

The very good behaviour of the pupils and their relationships and good attitudes make a positive contribution to the pupils’ learning and progress, and are a strength of the school. Hatherden Primary School - 8 Hatherden Primary School - 9

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is good overall throughout the school. Twenty-six per cent of the lessons observed were very good or better and almost 80 per cent were at least good across the whole school. None of the lessons observed were judged to be unsatisfactory. This is a very large improvement over the inspection in 1997 when 40 per cent of lessons were unsatisfactory. It is also a continued improvement over that of 1999 with a much higher incidence of good and better lessons now. The overall good quality of teaching has enabled pupils to make good progress in both key stages. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum, and of the individual needs of pupils, are good throughout the school. This means they teach the essential basic skills of literacy and numeracy effectively to all pupils, who learn well. Teachers have high expectations of pupils, which result in the overall very good behaviour and good learning. In all lessons, class discussions are lively and

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

challenging and lessons move along at a good pace. Questions are carefully thought out and bring all pupils into the discussions. Pupils learn to listen carefully and concentrate for longer periods of time as they get older. A wide variety of teaching methods are employed to make lessons interesting, and pupils enjoy their learning. Teachers relate very well to their pupils and they manage classes well. The teaching, and support, of pupils with special educational needs is good and they achieve sound standards in their work. Literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology are now being taught effectively across the curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good overall. The literacy and numeracy strategies are very effective.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good overall. Pupils are well known to all staff and well supported throughout the school. Their progress is tracked very regularly.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Not applicable in this school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Good provision overall. There is a strong emphasis on developing good moral and social attitudes that permeates much of the curriculum. The spiritual development of all pupils is good. The provision for their cultural development is satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection are very good. There are very good procedures to improve pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are also very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school works well in partnership with parents. The quality of information provided by the school about the pupils’ progress is good. Parents are sent frequent newsletters and are provided with details of the curriculum so they can help their children at home if they wish. Parents are involved in fund-raising activities and extra- curricular activities and this provides good support to the school in its work. The curriculum provided by the school is very good. All subjects have a policy and a scheme of work that underpins pupils’ progress. All areas of the curriculum meet statutory requirements. This is a caring school. The way that all adults look after pupils and assess their work so thoroughly in the long term in order to meet their needs is very effective. Hatherden Primary School - 10

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff Very good overall. The head teacher provides very good leadership, leads by example and gives a very clear direction to the work of the school. The senior management team and other staff, as co-ordinators, work closely with the head to develop the curriculum and improve pupils’ standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors take their responsibilities seriously and play an important and effective role in shaping the direction of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent overall. Specific success criteria are included in the school development plan so that regular evaluation of its progress ensures that the school’s targets are met.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. All resources are used effectively. Specific grants are used effectively for their designated purposes.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The current level of staffing and resources is good and meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school accommodation is generally good. This enables the staff to meet the requirements of individual pupils in full apart from the limitations imposed by the small hall. The experience and expertise of teachers and support staff provide well for all pupils regardless of ability or background. The good partnership that the head teacher has created between all staff enables them to give of their best and create a supportive learning environment. The school manages its finances effectively. The day-to-day functions of the office are carried out very well by the administrative officer, who ensures that all matters relating to income and expenditure are dealt with efficiently. The school has good procedures to ensure that it gets best value for its money when purchases are made.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school and make good progress. • The teaching is good and helps their children to become mature and sensible. • The school is well led and staff are approachable and helpful. • The school works closely with them and they are kept informed of their children’s progress. • The amount of homework their children receive.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The very positive views of the parents are confirmed by the evidence from the inspection. The inspection team does not agree with a few parents about the homework their children are given. The tasks given as homework are linked with the work being covered in lessons, parents are well informed so they can help, and pupils’ progress is enhanced as a result. Hatherden Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. When children are first admitted to the school initial assessments show that their attainment is above the average level expected for their age in their language and mathematical skills and knowledge and understanding of the world. Children in the reception class make good progress in their learning as a result of the very effective provision. During their time in this class, which also contains pupils from Year 1, all reception age children become ready to move onto the National Curriculum at the expected time. By the end of their reception year pupils attain standards above those expected nationally in all the learning goals for the Foundation Stage. In particular, their attainment in communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, mathematical and creative development is significantly above average. They attain standards in line with those to be expected in their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

social and emotional and physical development. The reception class teacher and assistant work together very well in planning and assessing pupils’ achievements and this ensures the good progress the children make.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The school’s results in the annual national tests in 2000 at the end of Key Stage 1 show that pupils’ reading standards were well above the national average. Levels of attainment in the same series of tests showed that the school’s results were very high in writing, and average in mathematics. The percentages of pupils achieving higher than expected levels for their age group were well above average in both reading and writing, but average in mathematics. When these results are compared overall with similar schools, they are above average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher levels showed pupils were above average in reading, well above average in writing and below average in mathematics. Teachers’ assessments of pupils’ levels of attainment in science show that their results are very high when compared both nationally and against similar

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

schools. It is important to remember that the school’s class sizes are small. In these tests just 19 pupils sat the tests. Therefore, one child’s results represent just over five per cent of the total. This means, for instance, that although all 19 pupils reached the expected level in mathematics, which is well above the national average, three did not quite reach the higher level by one mark and so the average comparison at this level appears much lower. Over the last three years the school’s results at the end of Key Stage 1 have been improving and consistently above the national average. There has been particularly good improvement in the standards achieved in writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The results in the 2000 national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 show that the proportion of the school’s pupils achieving national expectations was well above average in English and mathematics, but below average in science. The proportion of pupils achieving higher levels was well above average in English and mathematics but below average in science. Again it is important to remember that the school’s class sizes are small. In these tests just 17 pupils sat the tests. Therefore, one pupil’s results represent almost six per cent of the total. This means, for instance, that when 16 pupils reached the expected level in English, the overall result was well above average. Only one less pupil achieved this level in science and the overall result was in line with the national average. When the school’s results are compared with similar schools based on the number eligible for free school meals they are above average in English,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

well above average in mathematics and well below average in science. When the comparison is made with the results these same pupils achieved in their Key Stage 1 tests in 1996, they show that the English results are above average, very high in mathematics and well below average in science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The school’s targets for pupils’ achievements in English and mathematics in 2000 at the end of Key Stage 2 were for 90 per cent to achieve the expected levels or above. They easily Hatherden Primary School - 12 exceeded these in both cases and this is a clear indication that the school is extending and challenging all pupils. In 2001 these targets have been raised to 100 per cent in both subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The findings of the inspection show that pupils’ present standards at the end of Key Stage 1 in speaking, listening, and writing are above average. In reading they are well above average. At the end of Key Stage 2 standards are well above average for all three aspects. This is a continued improvement since the inspection in 1999. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils listen to each other and their teachers carefully and speak confidently, especially in front of an audience. The school takes great care over developing their reading skills and encourages a love of books and pupils make good progress. This means they enjoy reading and develop a good understanding of stories they have read and a good recall of the content. Higher attaining pupils are already reading independently and choosing a variety of books for themselves. Pupils’ writing is also good at the end of Key Stage 1. Their skills at spelling and simple

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

punctuation are very good and this is enabling them to write accurately and meaningfully. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils talk authoritatively and with understanding on a wide range of subjects. They particularly enjoy talking about themes and characters from books they have read. They read fluently and their skills in scanning pages for information are developed well through the opportunities they have for research in the school library. Pupils’ standards in writing are also very good. They write stories, letters, poems, book reviews, and develop good note-taking skills. Their spelling is very accurate and punctuation is good with correct use of full stops and other basics as well as commas and direct speech. Pupils’ handwriting is neat, legible and many are adopting an individual style. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by both teachers and learning support staff, and they make good progress in

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Most infant pupils, including pupils who have special needs, make good progress in mathematics. The 1997 inspection report found that in their day-to-day work pupils, particularly the more able, did not attain the expected standard. Considerable improvement was noted in the HMI report in 1999 and standards continue to rise. The school now has very well organised arrangements for grouping these pupils so that they work at a higher level in class lessons. Pupils make good progress in lessons as a result of the well-planned work and good support from class teachers. Pupils with special educational needs who need extra help are well supported by teachers and learning support staff and they make good progress. They are effectively taught the strategies they need to help them understand how to add, subtract, multiply and divide.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. By the age of seven, all pupils have a good knowledge of number and are able to recall facts such as 6 + 4 and 10 – 5. Most can apply their knowledge, adding and subtracting two two- digit numbers and solving simple money problems. Pupils are developing a good understanding of place value. They recognise common two and three-dimensional shapes and show an understanding of symmetrical patterns. All pupils, especially those with higher attainment, are quick to understand and apply new learning so that by the age of eleven they work confidently in all aspects of mathematics. They work with larger numbers such as 738 x 56 or 972 ÷ 36 and have a good knowledge of related number facts, which they use to solve mental mathematics problems. They are able to accurately interpret a wide range of problems and clearly explain the different methods they can use to solve multi-step written problems. They use formulae to calculate area and perimeter. They understand and recognise rotations

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

of a shape through 90 degrees. Pupils represent and interpret data in charts and graphs and use the information to find the range, mean and mode and identify proportion and ratio, for example, when comparing the number of articles about sport and pop music found in a newspaper.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Standards in science seen during the inspection show that pupils are gaining good levels of knowledge and understanding of the different areas, particularly in investigative science. These findings reflect those of the 1999 HMI report which found standards to be at least sound with a significant number of pupils achieving above average standards. By the age of seven, pupils, including those with special educational needs, have a good understanding of how to Hatherden Primary School - 13 carry out and record a scientific investigation. They draw conclusions about their findings and accurately describe and record their observations using simple tables when appropriate. They understand that animals and plants need food, and different materials have different properties. They investigate what happens to ice under different conditions, if sunflower oil will freeze and how simple electrical circuits work. By the end of Key Stage 2 when they leave

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

school pupils have built on the scientific knowledge and understanding gained in previous years. They apply this knowledge and understanding to good effect when preparing and carrying out investigations and in discussion. Pupils have a good understanding of how to conduct a fair test and they make predictions, carefully observe what happens, and record and chart the results for analysis. Pupils understand that virtually all food chains begin with a green plant, why various environmental conditions give rise to different organisms and that micro- organisms can be beneficial or harmful. They have carried out detailed work about the main functions of the most important human and plant organs and explored the effects of exercise on the pulse rate. They know about different materials and that some are conductors and others are insulators, and can apply this knowledge effectively to investigations into sound

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology is in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1, and above expected levels at the end of Key Stage 2. This is a considerable improvement on the position at the time of their inspection in 1997. Pupils use information and communication technology in many areas of the curriculum, but particularly effectively in literacy and humanities. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils use the Internet to supplement their research in many subjects. They are also adept at creating music and artwork through different pieces of software.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils with special educational needs achieve good results in all subjects of the primary curriculum. The school’s records show that in relation to their prior attainment these pupils learn well and their achievement is better than would normally be expected. The work of the special needs assistant is particularly effective as she ensures that these pupils get the full range of experiences that all other pupils have.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Attainments are sound in geography, history and physical education by the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils achieve above average standards in music by this time. By the end of Key Stage 2 achievements are in line with expectations in most subjects. However, their attainment in design and technology, history, physical education and information and communication technology is above average levels. In art and design the majority of pupils are not yet achieving standards in line with expectations for their age by the end of Key Stage 2.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. All pupils have very good attitudes to work, to learning and to their role in the school community. The school's commitment to develop the talents of each individual child within a Christian caring community is evident in the fostering of awareness of learning, caring, sharing and continually striving for excellence in all they say and do. This is a significant improvement since the 1997 inspection and a continuing improvement since 1999.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. At a personal level, pupils are well prepared for lessons each morning and engage in their learning opportunities with good concentration and interest. Pupils of all ages have positive attitudes to work and all are very comfortable with the class routine. They contribute well in lessons. An example of this was seen in a Year 6 literacy lesson that began by challenging pupils on the abolition of break time; pupils gave a thoughtful and reasoned response to the contrary.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils’ personal development is very good. All play an active part in daily classroom routine. Responsibilities begin in reception as pupils are register monitors and classroom helpers, and take responsibility for their own ‘teddy targets’. Throughout the school pupils are able to discuss their targets for learning and personal improvement. Year 6 pupils feel they have been Hatherden Primary School - 14 given good support as they have moved up the school and have been continually encouraged to improve with increasingly more challenging work and responsibilities. The range of additional activities within the curriculum is good. Many pupils have difficulty with transport after school but this is not allowed to affect their extra-curricular opportunities. The relationship between the school and parents ensures pupils are well provided for. Parents at the pre- inspection meeting and on the returned questionnaires believe the attitudes promoted and the

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

social and moral development of pupils afforded by the school are outstanding. All parents responding feel the school is helping their child to become mature and responsible. These judgements by the parents are fully endorsed by the inspection findings.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good. Pupils understand and observe the code of conduct expected when they are in the classroom and absorb the values transmitted by the staff. No issues of bullying were observed and pupils and the majority of parents are confident that any issues of bullying would be dealt with swiftly and sensitively within a ‘no blame’ policy. Pupils feel they play a full part in developing the behaviour strategy and that the school is fair. As they progress up the school they have to try harder and harder to gain house points but really appreciate it when they succeed.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. In personal, social and health education lessons, in assemblies and across the curriculum, pupils are given opportunities to understand the impact of their actions on others. It is evident at all times in the school day that pupils are responding well to these opportunities. The whole atmosphere in the school is one of sharing and caring for each other. Pupils do this with a high degree of sophistication and with very little prompting from adults although the encouragement from the whole school staff is ever present. Good examples of this are in the mixed age group classes where older and younger pupils work very happily side by side giving each other help and support in a positive learning atmosphere.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Relationships in the school are very good. Teachers and pupils relate well to one another. The relationship they have allows pupils to relax and concentrate well on their learning whilst still having respect and high regard for their class teacher. Pupils share resources, take turns, listen to one another and work well in small groups and in pairs. They genuinely care for each other and whilst not always liking the favours younger children receive, they understand and agree that they should receive them. For example, older pupils always have second sitting lunch and sometimes miss out on the selection of food; but they are quick to say it is important for the small children to eat first and take their time, as they may be upset with lots of older children around.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Attendance levels are excellent and are well above the national average. The level of unauthorised attendance is broadly in line with the national average. Pupils arrive punctually at school. There have been no exclusions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The quality of teaching is good overall throughout the school. There are a significant number of lessons that are very good or excellent in different classes. The teaching was always at least satisfactory in all the lessons seen and in almost 80 per cent it was good or better. Twenty-six per cent of the lessons observed were very good or better. This is a huge improvement over the inspection in 1997 when 40 per cent were unsatisfactory. It is also a continued improvement on the inspection in 1999 when 50 per cent of lessons observed were good or better. The overall good quality of teaching has enabled pupils to make good progress throughout the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The previous inspection report in 1999 identified the need for the head teacher and staff to consistently implement their assessment and marking policy, particularly in relation to pupils’ day-to-day progress and marking. They have very successfully addressed this issue. The inconsistency identified in the last inspection report, where expectations of achievement and of behaviour were not uniform, has now been completely removed. Teachers know their pupils Hatherden Primary School - 15 well, and assessments using informal strategies to gauge pupils’ understanding are apparent in all lessons. These are now consistently used across the school and guarantee progression for all pupils at the quickest pace on a day-to-day basis in all subjects. Groups of pupils are targeted suitably for assessment, and checklists based on the lesson plans are used. Marking is effective and teachers use the school’s own agreed marking policy and strategies. Younger

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils benefit from the way in which their teachers talk their results through with them rather than by simply writing in their books. Homework is used appropriately and effectively to support pupils’ progress throughout the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. All teachers are very aware of the differing needs of pupils. Work within classes matches the needs of all pupils well. Pupils of high prior attainment are well catered for with appropriate extension activities. This was evident in a mathematics lesson in the Year 4/5/6 class when the teacher engaged with all the pupils effectively. Her use of instant assessments to provide new challenges was exemplary.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The good teaching in the reception class and Year 1 continues and builds on the above average skills and knowledge with which the children enter the school. Planning is thorough and identifies what pupils are to learn to achieve the early learning goals. Groups of pupils of differing prior attainments begin their work on the National Curriculum at the appropriate time due to the careful use of assessment. The range of activities is invariably good and most pupils are always on task and appropriately challenged. The way that the teacher and nursery nurse work together so closely and are able to split the class so effectively into appropriate groups means all pupils make good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The good teaching at Key Stage 1 reflects the overall good subject knowledge across the curriculum. Planning is successful and pupils are always learning at an appropriate level, despite their very wide range of prior attainments. For example, in mathematics, teachers now plan a good variety of practical work for pupils in their different year groups, which pupils can undertake independently at their own level. Pupils of all abilities are given good support that results in their good progress. Classroom organisation is good and all activities selected are appropriate to the identified learning objectives in the plans.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The good teaching at Key Stage 2 is also characterised by good subject knowledge, understanding, and clear planning. Teachers make valuable links at this stage between different subjects that produce cross-curricular activities that are particularly valuable. There is a strong emphasis on investigative work at the top of the school that leads to independence and the overall good personal development of all pupils. The relationships between older pupils and their teachers are particularly outstanding. This leads to a relaxed and supportive atmosphere in which pupils are able to try without worrying about not succeeding at first. The level of confidence they show is testament to how successful the teachers are in developing these relationships.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Throughout the school, teachers have appropriately high expectations of pupils, and class discussions are always lively and challenging. Questions are well focused and designed to bring all pupils into the discussions. This helps all pupils to make quick progress towards particular learning objectives. Teachers use a good range of methods and groupings that are well matched to the lesson’s purpose. The quality of whole-class teaching in the literacy, numeracy, humanities and personal and social education sessions is very good. Teachers lead these discussions well and introduce new ideas with care and clarity. For example, in a ‘circle time’ lesson in the top class, the teacher very effectively drew out responses from all pupils with her gentle, but insistent, questioning. She made the pupils think back to previous responses in earlier lessons and build on what they already knew and understood. The

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

responses generated were amazingly detailed and very mature.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. All teachers set a good example to pupils of how they should behave and respond to others. Teachers use praise well to modify behaviour and reward good work and have very good relationships with their pupils throughout the school. Instructions given to pupils are very clear, Hatherden Primary School - 16 and teachers listen carefully to pupils’ replies and questions, and show they value them all. Teachers manage pupils very effectively. This was particularly evident in the reception and Year 1 class where pupils are often reorganised and make good progress in their social development as a result.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teaching support for the few pupils with special educational needs is provided in a variety of ways with a well-trained support assistant and in-class help targeted through the adults’ good knowledge of individual pupils’ needs. The teaching is good. Tasks are well matched to pupils’ needs and lessons move at an appropriate pace. A good feature of this support is the close link made with the work that other pupils in the class are doing.

p.16

PUPILS?

28. The school meets all statutory requirements and provides a very good range of learning activities which cover all subjects, and is relevant to the age and interests of its pupils. The curriculum for pupils in the reception class is based on the recently introduced curriculum for the Foundation Stage. It is well planned and gives younger pupils experience of all the early learning goals. Teachers’ planning for this stage is thorough and clearly shows what pupils are to be taught and how this is to be achieved. The quality of planning for these pupils and the challenging literacy and numeracy work make a significant contribution to the good quality of their learning and progress.

p.16

PUPILS?

29. The school has successfully implemented the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy. All classes have a well-planned daily literacy hour and numeracy lesson. Good use is made of additional literacy support for younger pupils and booster classes in literacy and mathematics for Year 6. Work is carefully planned to match the needs of the range of ages and abilities with the mixed aged classes. Flexible arrangements within the Key Stage 2 classes allow the needs of an able group of Year 4 pupils to be met through limited setting in English and mathematics. There are many planned opportunities for pupils to use their literacy and numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum, for example, written accounts in history and reports of science investigations, measuring in design and technology, and data handling in science. Teachers place strong emphasis on teaching the technical language relevant to each

p.16

PUPILS?

30. The school has continued to build upon the many improvements to the curriculum reported by HMI in 1999. Planning of the curriculum is detailed and helps teachers to teach effectively. The school has developed a two-year cycle of planning which ensures that the curriculum is tailored to suit the needs of pupils in mixed aged classes. There is good support for pupils who have special educational needs. They receive specific guidance from class teachers and learning support assistants and work successfully in all classrooms. Pupils who have difficulties with speech are withdrawn from the classroom once a week to follow a well- planned programme of work tailored to their specific needs.

p.16

PUPILS?

31. The extra-curricular provision is good and has improved considerably since the 1997 inspection. Music includes opportunities to sing in a choir or learn the recorder, and peripatetic music lessons in flute and clarinet. Various sports clubs meet at different times of the year and pupils have opportunities to take part in competitive sporting events with other schools. There is a good range of visits and visitors to enrich pupils’ experiences. Pupils enjoy going to places of local interest and also visits further afield, such as the successful residential visit to the Isle of Wight for upper juniors.

p.16

PUPILS?

32. The quality of the curriculum is enriched by the very good links with the community. The police and fire services are part of a regular involvement in support of pupils’ learning about citizenship. Year 6 take part in a science fair organised by the local business community. Parents offer cycling proficiency to pupils in Year 6. The school makes good use of the local area to study the environment and a contrasting area in geography. There are frequent visitors Hatherden Primary School - 17 to the school to talk to pupils about their work; for instance the retired colonel who is a school governor talked to pupils about his work with schools in Kenya. The vicar is a regular visitor and charity workers help pupils to become more aware of life in other countries, such as Kenya and India. The school is an active partner in the cluster of nearby schools, which share ideas and meet for sporting events. Pupils also have opportunities to work with pupils from

p.16

PUPILS?

other schools and take part in activities such as drama and music workshops and working with an artist in residence. The head teacher has a very strong commitment to developing this wider community link and this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

p.17

PUPILS?

33. The good provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is based on guidance provided by the local authority. Drugs education and sex education are clearly set out. These are integrated into pupils’ work in science. There are regular opportunities for pupils to discuss a wide range of issues during PSHE and ‘circle time’ sessions. Visitors are used well to enhance pupils’ understanding. The visit from the ‘Lollipop Man’ makes a good contribution to younger pupils’ understanding of the role of the different people who help them. The upper juniors’ lesson on ‘What is it like to be me?’ linked well to their previous lesson in which they learned about the need to raise funds so that children in Kenya could attend secondary school. The excellent teaching generated very clear insights into how the receiving of gifts or handouts can be humbling and shaming for those who have to accept them.

p.17

PUPILS?

34. The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual moral, social and cultural development is good. The values the school upholds contribute well to pupils’ spiritual development, which is good. Pupils have some good opportunities to reflect upon issues which help them begin to arrive at an understanding of themselves and life, for example through discussion in PSHE and learning about life process and living things in science. There are many instances of pupils experiencing the enjoyment of learning. The school promotes pupils’ moral development very successfully. The strong emphasis on the teaching of moral values and distinguishing right from wrong are underpinned by the good code of conduct. ‘Golden Rules’, that is personal class rules, are discussed and agreed with the pupils. All adults in school provide effective moral leadership, and give pupils a clear sense of direction about moral issues. The

p.17

PUPILS?

consistent and positive approach to the moral development of pupils results in very good behaviour and very good attitudes to learning.

p.17

PUPILS?

35. There are very good opportunities for pupils’ social development. Teachers are excellent role models. Pupils learn through experience the benefits of working together and supporting each other. Co-operation in group work and in whole-class discussion is very good and pupils are happy to recognise and applaud each others’ efforts and successes. Pupils are encouraged to make responsible choices and take responsibility for themselves, each other and the school. There are many opportunities to take responsibility within the classroom as book distributors and message takers. The PSHE curriculum makes a significant contribution to pupils’ social development. Pupils also develop an understanding of citizenship by raising money for charitable appeals. There is a range of visits, such as the residential trip to the Isle of Wight, that make a good contribution to pupils’ social development as they learn to live closely

p.17

PUPILS?

together, and get on with a larger group day and night.

p.17

PUPILS?

36. The school’s provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils are taught to appreciate their own cultural traditions through the curriculum and through a well-planned series of visits to places of interest and visitors. For example, pupils visit museums and art galleries. There are wider cultural links through aspects of geography, music and art. They learn something of life in other countries through visitors who talk about fund raising for projects such as ‘Wells for India’. Although the school is committed to equal opportunities for all and values everyone, it has not yet formulated its policy for multi-cultural education. Although pupils learn about aspects of other cultures in geography and religious education, there is not enough emphasis on learning about the different ways of life of the various ethnic communities of this country. Hatherden Primary School - 18

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The assessment and monitoring of pupils’ progress was a key issue for action in the 1997 report. Although the HMI report acknowledged that improvements to assessment procedures had been carried out, the policy was not then fully and consistently implemented. In the last two years there has been continuous improvement. The assessment co-ordinator has developed a range of effective assessment and recording methods. There are good procedures in English and mathematics for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. The results of the tests taken when pupils are seven and eleven years old are analysed in detail, as are the optional tests taken by pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5. This enables the school to track pupils’ progress from year to year and to identify pupils who are likely to benefit from focused support. The tracking system is very well organised and managed, and information is easily accessible. The information from analysis of test data is also used well to form teaching

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

groups within the class. Teachers match the level of difficulty of the lessons and activities to the ability and needs of the pupils. In other subjects of the curriculum, pupils’ progress is evaluated and recorded at the end of each unit of study.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school has developed a comprehensive system of target setting. Targets are set for each year group. Pupils are fully involved in the setting of their individual termly targets. These are shared with parents and an evaluation of pupils’ progress is included in the written report to parents. The targets are clear and precise and are easily understood by pupils, for example, ‘to use paragraphs’. Teachers make reference to these targets during lessons to guide pupils’ development. The targets are regularly revised and updated.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Teachers’ use of assessment is very good. They make effective use of information from the lesson, the marking of pupils’ work and the evaluation of their plans, so they can plan suitable starting points for lessons. The use of day-to-day assessment in lessons is good. Teachers frequently use on-the-spot assessment of what has been learned to reinforce learning, and to make relevant changes within the lesson or to the planning of future provision.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Every effort is made to identify pupils who may have special educational needs. Where appropriate the school is able to consult a range of support services, including the occupational therapist and the speech therapist. Information from these services is used effectively to enable pupils to take part in all aspects of the curriculum. The special educational needs co-ordinator supports staff in the writing of pupils’ individual education plans. Targets are specific and measurable. They are regularly reviewed and revised in the light of pupils’ progress. The use of the special needs assistant’s time has been reviewed since the last inspection and her work in class and in the withdrawal session is well focused. The targets on the individual education plans are used to inform the work done in the withdrawal sessions. The special needs assistant keeps notes on pupils’ progress, which is reviewed each week

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school provides a very good standard of care for its pupils and this is a significant improvement since the 1997 inspection and a continuing improvement since the HMI report of 1999. Child protection arrangements are very good and now comply with statutory requirements. Pupils' welfare and personal development are very good.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Procedures for monitoring behaviour are very good. A range of rewards, which are understood by pupils, effectively supports the school’s behaviour policy. Pupils have agreed their own classroom rules and follow them closely. This helps create an environment in which pupils can learn effectively and has a positive effect on levels of attainment and progress. Procedures for ensuring that oppressive behaviour is eliminated are good and there are effective measures to deal with any such behaviour should it occur. Information on the school policy is provided in the school prospectus and in a parents' information booklet where the whole policy, including bullying and physical restraint, is provided. Parents feel fully informed and happy with the provision and are aware of its consistent use by the staff. Hatherden Primary School - 19 43. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good and are closely adhered to.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Registers are correctly completed both morning and afternoon. There is an informal monitoring daily by the school office and formal weekly monitoring by the head teacher.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The health and safety provision is very good. Procedures are well used by all staff and monitored by the governors. The school policy is of exceptionally good quality ensuring every member of the school community has a defined role and is regularly monitored for consistency of practice. Risk assessment is up to date and all equipment is well maintained. During the inspection no health and safety concerns were noted to be a risk to staff or pupils. There are clear notices to support procedures for fire evacuation and fire drills are taken regularly and recorded.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. One member of staff has a current first aid certificate and first aid provision is good. All serious accidents and head injuries are reported and recorded. The school promotes healthy and safe living through a programme for personal, social and health education across the curriculum. The school has good relationships with a range of outside agencies, and works successfully together with them to secure welfare and medical support for pupils as and when needed.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school is very successful in the realisation of its aim to involve parents in partnership to promote home school learning. Parents are welcomed into the school along with other members of the community; the support they provide is a clear benefit and helps to broaden the curriculum offered to the pupils.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The views of parents at the pre-inspection meeting were very positive. They feel there has been a transformation since the 1997 report. All agreed that things have greatly improved. They are encouraged to discuss any problems with teachers or the head; they are well informed of pupils' progress and feel the emphasis is now on the value of a strong partnership between teachers and parents. Inspection evidence confirms that these feelings of the parents are understandable and correct.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The quality and quantity of information provided for parents are good. Through a range of methods including the school prospectus, school newsletters, parents’ evenings, and information booklets there is regular communication between home and school. Parents feel they are well informed by teachers who are always available for informal meetings before or after school; they appreciate the efforts that are made. Parents feel pupils’ annual reports are good and give a good insight to progress; targets for improvement are included. They appreciate their being issued half way through the school year, which gives time if improvement needs to be worked on for the rest of the year. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting, and those returning the questionnaire, are confident to approach the school with any queries or complaints and feel they are listened to. They are unanimously supportive of the school overall.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents is very good. The majority of parents sign a Home School Agreement and through this fully accept they will support the aims and policies the school has in place. Parents contribute very positively as classroom helpers. They accompany visits and trips and in particular they support after-school events with transport. Both parents and the community are making a very positive contribution on a working party led by a teacher to improve the school grounds environment. The Parent Teacher Association is very active and through its efforts all parents are able to support the school by raising funds. They also organise successful social events that benefit both parents and pupils.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Hatherden Primary School - 20 50. The leadership and management of the school are very good overall, which is a substantial improvement on the position noted in the previous inspection by HMI in 1999, and meets all the requirements of the inspection report in 1997.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The head teacher provides very positive, knowledgeable and caring leadership. Her very effective day-to-day management ensures the smooth running of the school, and she has a very good understanding of the school’s needs and a vision for the future shared with her colleagues. The head teacher was very clear about the school’s priorities after the HMI’s inspection in 1999. She has secured the confidence and loyalty of both teachers and governors in the work necessary to effect the many changes required since she came to the school. Parents' questionnaire returns and interviews with governors and all staff show how much they appreciate her knowledge, care and commitment to raising standards of both behaviour and work.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The role of the senior teachers is now well organised and has helped to secure the improvements since the last inspection in 1999. During the inspection it was possible to see how their individual influence was being used in the school to improve the overall quality of the education being provided. Every teacher’s expertise is being utilised to the best possible effect and the way they make all decisions through collaboration and discussion is exemplary. All teachers with subject responsibility are now taking an active role in the monitoring of teaching in their own subject, which in turn is beginning to enhance attainment and progress and is another improvement on the position at the time of the last inspection. The curriculum leaders for the core subjects of English, mathematics and science are working hard using a variety of monitoring strategies, and are fully involved in the setting of the school budget and the school

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

development plan. All co-ordinators have responsibility for two or more subjects and they fulfil their roles thoroughly and with insight. The many improvements made, in the way the senior management team and co-ordinators monitor teaching and standards, make them effective and meet the needs of the key issues of the last inspection report.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The management of special educational needs was a key issue in the HMI inspection in 1999. The management of the provision has improved and the special needs co-ordinator now has a good overview of all aspects. There is better communication between staff involved with individuals. There are planned weekly meetings between the co-ordinator and special needs support assistant to monitor the progress of pupils and ensure that they are receiving the appropriate provision. The time of the special needs assistant is used effectively to provide support in class and also in withdrawal sessions, which focus on work directly related to their individual education plans. This enables pupils to make good progress. Scrutiny of the special needs register shows that pupils make sufficient progress to enable them to move off the register.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The chair and other members of the governing body are involved in writing the school's aims and policies and support them well. The governors interviewed showed great loyalty and commitment to the school. They are adopting their overall management role very well. Governors clearly show great confidence in the head and staff. The head teacher meets regularly with the chair and other governors to review the progress of a range of issues on an informal basis. This has the effect of making sure all decisions are related to the priorities in the school development plan.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school’s finances and resources are well managed and very effectively deployed. There are committees, or working parties, of the governors to monitor finance, staffing and buildings. They are very involved in the review of the school's finances and in formulating the school development plan. There is a curriculum committee and the governors understand the importance of their role in monitoring the curriculum and educational standards. They visit different classes on a frequent basis. The governors have appropriate systems for ensuring that all funding is used appropriately, including for those pupils with special educational needs. Great care is taken to make sure that best value is obtained in all purchases and site work. Hatherden Primary School - 21 There are now very good systems in place for evaluating the impact of spending on pupils’ achievements, and as a result standards are rising. This is now in full detail as required by the

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

last inspection report. The school now provides very good value for money.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school has an appropriate number of suitably qualified and experienced teaching staff. They are dedicated and show care and concern for the pupils. They have sufficient knowledge and expertise to teach the schools’ curriculum. The way they have begun to understand and use assessments, both long-term and day-to-day, through a shared commitment and understanding, is a significant improvement since the last inspection.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The staff work as a close and supportive team, together with the classroom assistants and parents. Teaching staff are deployed well in the school, with the special abilities of some teachers being employed effectively. Learning support assistants are well qualified and meet regularly with teachers to discuss how to provide for the needs of the pupils. The numbers of support staff for a school of this size is good and they are very much appreciated by the teachers and parents. The school’s corporate needs and those of individual members of staff are addressed through the performance management process. There is good delegation of responsibility with other teachers providing effective support for the head teacher. Job descriptions specify duties and responsibilities very well. For example, the way that annual appraisal interviews, based on careful lesson observations, make it clear what is required for

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the school and each teacher, is excellent. New staff receive good training on how the school functions and this helps them to settle in quickly and effectively. Staff undertake regular training in their areas of responsibility.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Although the school’s accommodation is very well modernised and attractive, in places it is unsatisfactory. For instance, the hall is very small and often means that physical education lessons have to be divided so that pupils are often inactive and waiting for their turn. The mobile classrooms are quite small and used by the older pupils so that there is little space for movement. These mobiles are in good condition, but compare very unfavourably with the rest of the school building. The buildings are maintained to a good standard by the able cleaner and caretaker. There are some good examples of display across the school, such as the writing and artwork in the hall and corridors. Overall, the use of displays to enhance learning and celebrate achievement is well developed and makes a good contribution to the pupils’ learning and self-esteem. The extensive outside areas are used well by the school for physical

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

education, art and science. Learning resources are also at least satisfactory in all subjects, with good provision in English, science, information and communication technology and music.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

59. In order to continue to build on the many strengths of the school, the governors, head teacher and staff should :

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Continue to develop the provision across the school in art and design so that all pupils achieve satisfactory standards and have the opportunity to take part in an appropriate variety of experiences using different media. Paragraphs 11, 90, 93.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Build on existing aspects of cultural education to further develop the pupils’ understanding of their place in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society. Paragraph 36. Hatherden Primary School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 103

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 14

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 4

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.22

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Hatherden Primary School - 23

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 8 11 19

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 95 (88) 95 (88) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 95 (94) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

* Data for boys and girls separately is omitted as the number in each category was not more than ten.

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 8 9 17

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls * * *

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 94 (85) 100 (90) 88 (95) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls * * *

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 94 (90) 94 (85) 88 (90) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

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

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

* Data for boys and girls separately is omitted as the number in each category was not more than ten. Hatherden Primary School - 24

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5 Financial year 1999-2000

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 253223

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 2483

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 67 Balance brought forward from previous year 15397

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 3454

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Hatherden Primary School - 25

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 60 40 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 54 45 1 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 37 48 12 0 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 51 10 0 1

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 73 27 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 76 24 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 51 43 4 0 1

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 82 18 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 69 31 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 45 28 4 0 22 Hatherden Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Children join the school in the September of the school year in which they are five. Most attend part time to start with and then are introduced to full time attendance over a period of time so that they are able to cope intellectually, socially and physically with the demands of a full day. They start school with above average skills and knowledge. The work in the reception class is very well planned using the nationally recommended early learning goals. The class teacher and the classroom assistant work in a very close partnership to ensure that the children receive a very secure foundation for their future education. The children currently in the reception class are on track to achieve above average standards overall.

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Personal, social and emotional development

61. The children acquire good social skills and also develop well in confidence, independence and maturity. They know the classroom routines and are able to follow instructions accurately and organise themselves. For example, at the start of a session, they were all very quick to find the table with the right symbol on it and start working. They changed groups with a minimum of fuss and clearly understood that they would all get a chance to do the various activities. The good teaching ensures they are given many opportunities to work together regularly in small groups. During the inspection the groups playing in the role-play areas were learning to take turns and share equipment and toys amicably. When given a free choice of activity the children are helped to make sensible choices about what they want to do. They were using equipment such as a laptop, headphones and tape recorder sensibly.

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Communication, language and literacy

62. Children’s speaking and listening skills are good. They talk confidently with adults and with each other about what they are doing and express their own ideas. The children were very forthcoming about what they had done in the Easter holiday. The children enjoy both story and picture books and can re-tell favourite stories. The class teacher is successfully using a modified form of the National Literacy Strategy and the children clearly enjoyed reading and writing together using the ‘Sock Snake’, for instance. They were particularly interested in finding rhyming words. The children are learning letter sounds systematically, all have learnt to read many words and the highest attainers are already reading quite fluently. Standards overall are above expectations for their age. Children have similarly good writing skills. All can read and write their own names and most are writing simple sentences of their own. The teaching

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Communication, language and literacy

is good. Through lively question and answer sessions and through giving children the chance to tell the rest of the class what they have been doing, the class teacher and learning assistant skilfully use all the activities to extend the children’s vocabulary and understanding of language.

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Mathematical development

63. The children are making good progress in learning about number and other elements of mathematics and overall are likely to reach standards that are above those expected of five year olds. All can count to 10 and most of the class can count to 20 and beyond. The class teacher is also successfully using a modified version of the National Numeracy Strategy and makes good links between different activities to extend children’s understanding of number. During the inspection the children were learning to find the number between two other numbers, for example finding the number between 5 and 7 or 12 and 14. All could count on or back from a given starting point using a number line very confidently. They know the basic shapes such as a square and rectangle. The nursery nurse and classroom assistants were asking the children pertinent questions about weighing, size and measuring while they were using the outdoor activities. This effectively extends children’s understanding and provides a

p.26

Mathematical development

great deal of enjoyment. Hatherden Primary School - 27

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

64. The children receive a good foundation for their future work in subjects such as science, history and geography due to the good teaching of this aspect. Through stories, role-play and a range of practical activities they are learning about the world in which they live. During the inspection they were learning about growing plants and the capacity of plant pots. They had to decide from a range of seeds and then use potting compost to plant them in. Their information and communication technology work was developing good computer skills, for example in moving objects about the screen, and the classroom assistant was using the information and communication work well to develop children’s understanding of healthy eating.

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Physical development

65. The opportunities for outdoor play are good. The teaching is good. The teacher and assistant take every opportunity to allow children outside to play with the large wheeled toys. The children enjoy their physical education lessons in the hall. Here they were active and well co- ordinated and were making good progress using a range of apparatus when learning how to travel in a variety of ways. They understood the need to change into physical education kit and to behave sensibly and safely on the apparatus. They were willing to demonstrate to each other when asked. The children have generally good manual dexterity. They hold and use pencils properly and use equipment such as scissors and glue sticks properly and safely. When using computers they manipulate the mouse and direction keys confidently and accurately.

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Creative development

66. Much of the creative work arose out of the reading of the big books in the modified literacy hour that the teacher and assistant use very effectively. The children showed a good colour sense when colouring in and considerable imagination and ingenuity when making models and a picture using different types of fabric and materials. Singing games are a regular feature of classroom activities and the children sing tunefully with a good sense of rhythm. They learn new songs quickly. They enjoy all modelling activities with the good variety of different materials available.

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ENGLISH

67. Standards in speaking and listening, reading, and writing are above national expectations in both key stages. Good progress has been made since the last inspection, largely because there is a consistency of good teaching across the school. The co-ordination of literacy is good and is supported by an action plan that targets areas for development to further raise standards. In addition, the effective analysis of the results of standard attainment tests and other school assessments has led to the setting of targets, especially for higher levels of attainment. This target setting has had an effect on the results of the 2000 national test, where there is a continued rise in the numbers of pupils achieving the higher levels of attainment.

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ENGLISH

68. In the 1999 National Curriculum test results in English for Key Stage 1, at the time of the last inspection, the standards were above those of other schools when compared to the national average, and when compared to similar schools. In Key Stage 2 standards in English were above schools nationally and were in line with similar schools. The 2000 national test results have shown the standards to be well above when compared with schools nationally and similar schools in Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2 standards are well above schools nationally and above those of similar schools. These results show that the school is continuing to make good progress in raising standards of attainment in English. Pupils with special educational needs get good support and are making good progress. Teaching takes into account all abilities, including those with special education needs and pupils who are higher achievers. In

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ENGLISH

each lesson the teacher puts the lesson objectives on the board and helps pupils to have a clearer understanding of what they have to do and why. This strategy gives pupils a greater self-knowledge of their own learning. Hatherden Primary School - 28 69. The very effective implementation of the National Literacy Strategy has improved the overall standard of teaching since the last inspection. Lessons are well planned with very clear lesson objectives. Pupils’ reading and writing skills are built on systematically as they move through the school and teachers are confident in teaching these skills. Additional literacy support has been also introduced and, last year, targeted pupils had support for two terms. Homework is regularly set for spelling lists, reading and for research. Parents are very supportive and most contribute to pupils ’ learning by listening to their child read for 20 minutes, three times a week.

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ENGLISH

70. Pupils' speaking and listening skills are good at the end of Key Stage 1 and very good at the end of Key Stage 2. Opportunities for the development of speaking and listening are offered to pupils through discussions in class and ‘circle time’, when they can discuss matters important to them. Other opportunities are presented through literacy sessions when pupils discuss stories, read in groups and talk to the teacher. At the end of lessons they share ideas and talk about what they have learned. For example, in a Key Stage 1 class, pupils were reading a non-fiction big book together, ‘Find Out About Plants’. They discussed it very well and it was then linked to a science lesson later. In one Key Stage 2 class pupils were engaged in considering ‘What is it like to be me?’. They co-operated extremely well and talked with confidence, enjoyment and with clear diction. In another Key Stage 2 class, pupils were

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ENGLISH

discussing the use of prefixes to change meaning and writing paragraphs. They used a wide vocabulary and were speaking with confidence and clarity. This discussion included great detail such as the difference between disorganised and unorganised. Speaking and listening skills are also developed across the whole curriculum: for example, through discussion and working in groups on particular tasks and topics in the classroom, in games and physical education through listening to instructions and in music when listening and appraising their own and others’ compositions.

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ENGLISH

71. The teaching of writing is good overall, but with very good examples across the school. In the scrutiny of work there was a range of writing of a good standard. For example, pupils write poetry, creative illustrated stories and plays, and historical, descriptive and instructional writing well. By the time most pupils leave the school, their ability to write for a range of purposes and audiences is good. An example of persuasive writing was seen in the Year 4/5/6 class. The way the pupils gradually realised what the teacher was doing as she began the lesson, just trying to persuade them to do different tasks without explaining why, was thrilling to watch. It also illustrated the mature perceptions of the pupils and the very good relationships that exist between them and all adults. Pupils practise writing plays and learn how to set scenes and write stage instructions and dialogue. There are examples of writing in other subjects in all

p.28

ENGLISH

years. In Year 6, the pupils’ writing about the war and the changes in Britain between 1930 and 1950 was very effective. They were persuaded to look deeper at their studies in history. By the end of Key Stage 1 there are excellent examples of class books where pupils have written on a number of subjects. For example, they have written poems, and information books on different areas of nature. In addition, they have written about the village, its history and environment compared to the village today. One session per week in all classes is given over to allowing pupils to extend a single piece of writing and some good examples of completed writing were seen in the scrutiny of work. The pupils’ use of information and communication technology is gradually being extended, and is now making an effective contribution to pupils’ ability to redraft their work. One example seen during the inspection was in the top class

p.28

ENGLISH

where two pupils made an extensive list of compound words by moving phonemes around on the screen.

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ENGLISH

72. The standard of handwriting is good. There are numerous examples of neat, well-presented writing across the school. Pupils’ development of grammar and punctuation is good. Pupils in the later years have draft books where they compose their writing, then edit the spelling mistakes and punctuation errors before writing the final copy in their English book. This is where the use of information and communication technology is being especially effective.

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ENGLISH

73. Standards in reading in both key stages are good, and in Key Stage 2 usually very good. Skills in reading are well taught and , through the setting of specific targets, standards are rising. Hatherden Primary School - 29 Reading records demonstrate the range and numbers of books read. Evaluative and supportive comments are written in the reading records by teachers and parents, and there are also comments on the books read by the pupils. Pupils develop basic library skills through their use of the non-fiction library. They understand how to use the contents, index and glossary in order to locate information in books and understand how useful this skill is. Each classroom has a class library with fiction books, colour coded for different levels of reading ability from which pupils can choose their own books. There are also non-fiction books in classrooms from which pupils research and access information linked to the topics they are

p.28

ENGLISH

studying. Pupils, who are placed on the school reading scheme , are able to choose colour- coded books linked to reading ages from boxes outside the classroom. A majority of pupils enjoy reading and many are avid readers. This eagerness and enjoyment of reading can be traced to the interest and positive support of parents who listen to their children reading regularly, combined with the high profile of reading, the library and the enthusiasm of the staff. Pupils generally make good progress in reading and very good progress is made as they reach their final years in the school

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ENGLISH

74. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers are confident in the teaching of literacy and the teaching of basic skills. Planning is good overall and where there is high quality teaching there are high expectations and a brisk pace to teaching. Assessment is good and pupils are given published reading tests and optional Standard Attainment Tests to prepare pupils for the National Curriculum tests at Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs are well taught and have good support from learning support assistants.

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ENGLISH

75. The subject co-ordinator works very effectively throughout the school. Since the last inspection, just over two years ago, the full review of the English policy in consultation with staff has continued. Monitoring of planning, teaching and learning in the classrooms has been possible through planned non-contact time linked to the priorities of the school action plan and this has had a beneficial effect on the pupils’ progress and attainment. English resources are very good and there is planned expenditure for purchasing more. The organisation and development of the library has been particularly effective. There is a good range of poetry books and most books are well looked after, demonstrating the care and respect pupils have for school resources and equipment.

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ENGLISH

76. There are some good displays around the school, many of which are based on a very successful book week with a well-known author. These, and book fairs, are held each year to encourage even greater use of books.

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MATHEMATICS

77. Most infant pupils, including pupils who have special needs, make good progress in mathematics. The results of the national tests in 2000 show that the standards reached by seven year olds are well above average when compared with those of most other primary schools. All pupils achieved the expected standard. When compared with schools of a similar background they are below average. This reflects the lower number of pupils who achieved the higher grades. At the time of the 1999 inspection HMI found that standards were at least sound and a significant number of pupils achieved above average standards. It must be remembered, however, that the number of pupils in each year group in this school is small and the difference one child can make is very significant.

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MATHEMATICS

78. By the age of eleven years pupils achieve standards that are very high in comparison with most schools. Compared to schools of a similar background pupils do very well and results are well above average. The 1997 inspection report found that in their day-to-day work pupils, particularly the more able, did not attain the expected standard. Considerable improvement was noted in the HMI report in 1999 and standards continue to rise. The school now has very well organised arrangements for grouping these pupils so that they work at a higher level in class lessons. In conversation pupils say that “mathematics is becoming more difficult but Hatherden Primary School - 30 more interesting.” Pupils make good progress in lessons as a result of the well-planned work and good support from class teachers. Pupils who need extra help are well supported by teachers and learning support staff and they make good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

79. Pupils make good progress as they move through the infant stage as a result of the good teaching of basic skills. Pupils are effectively taught the strategies they need to help them understand how to add, subtract, multiply and divide. By the age of seven pupils have a good knowledge of number and are able to recall facts such as 6 + 4 and 10 – 5. Most can apply their knowledge, adding and subtracting two two-digit numbers and solving simple money problems. Pupils are developing a good understanding of place value and use this to find 10 or 100 more than a given number between 1 and 100. They recognise common two and three- dimensional shapes and show an understanding of symmetrical patterns. Higher attaining pupils are quick to understand and apply new learning. This was seen in their work and in the lesson introducing direction and movement. They were quick to make the connection between a quarter turn and 90 degrees and used the computer to give accurate instructions for passing

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MATHEMATICS

80. By the age of eleven, pupils work confidently in all aspect of mathematics. They work with larger numbers such as 738 x 56 or 972 ÷ 36 and have a good knowledge of related number facts, which they use to solve mental mathematics problems. Teachers set a good example in the use of the correct mathematical terms and make sure that pupils also use them. As a result, pupils are able to accurately interpret a wide range of problems and clearly explain the different methods they can use to solve multi-step written examples. They use formulae to calculate area and perimeter. They understand and recognise rotations of a shape through 90 degrees. Pupils represent and interpret data in charts and graphs and use the information to find the range, mean and mode, and identify proportion and ratio, for example, when comparing the number of articles about sport and pop music found in a newspaper.

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MATHEMATICS

81. Teaching is good overall. It is very good in Key Stage 2. The school has continued building on the significant improvement noted in the HMI report and overall improvement is very good. The good teaching is clearly related to teachers’ good understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy and good lesson planning and preparation. Teachers are clear about what they want pupils to learn and the weekly plans show how pupils’ mathematical skills are to be developed over the week. Teachers make very good use of information gained from day-to-day assessment of pupils’ learning to match work to pupils’ abilities and needs. For example, the Year 3/4 teacher adjusted her teaching plans to revisit learning from the previous lesson, as pupils had not fully grasped the new method of calculation. Teachers always explain the purpose of the lesson at the beginning of the session so that pupils know what they are about

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MATHEMATICS

to learn and do by the end of the lesson.

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MATHEMATICS

82. Teachers explain the work well and, through probing questioning, involve all pupils in explaining their thinking. This helps to build pupils’ confidence and strengthen their understanding. Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations. Most are keen to answer questions and put a lot of effort into their work and they make good gains in their learning. The work of learning support staff is well organised. Learning support assistants work effectively with pupils with special educational needs who need extra help and with targeted groups to help them practise their skills and improve their understanding. Pupils are enthusiastic and always work and behave sensibly. As a result pupils are able to concentrate on their work and make good use of the time available.

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MATHEMATICS

83. The subject co-ordinator provides good leadership. She is keen to raise standards in Key Stage 1 through her lesson observations and build on the high standards already achieved by older pupils. The current monitoring of lessons shows that teachers have gained in confidence and the effective use of the National Numeracy Strategy contributes to the good quality of teaching and learning. There are very good arrangements for checking how well pupils are learning. Teachers make good use of the school’s analysis of test results and other Hatherden Primary School - 31 assessment information to set group and individual targets for improvement. These targets provide good motivation for pupils, as they know what they are trying to achieve.

p.30

SCIENCE

84. Seven year old pupils, including lower attaining pupils, make good progress in science and achieve standards which are above those of most other primary schools. Compared to schools of a similar background, pupils do very well due to the very high proportion of pupils who achieve the higher level. This is an improvement on the findings of the 1997 inspection when the proportion of pupils achieving higher standards was judged to be similar to most other schools. Although most eleven year olds achieved the expected standard in the most recent tests, standards are below the national average. This is due to the lower than expected proportion of pupils achieving the higher level. In a very small year group, such as this, results are likely to vary from year to year. Standards seen during the inspection show that pupils are gaining good levels of knowledge and understanding of the different areas of science,

p.31

SCIENCE

particularly in investigative science. These findings reflect those of 1999 HMI report which found standards to be at least sound with a significant number of pupils achieving above average standards.

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SCIENCE

85. The strong focus on practical and investigative science appeals to pupils and helps to develop their understanding of scientific processes. These, combined with the good teaching throughout the school, are significant factors that contribute to pupils’ good progress.

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SCIENCE

86. By the age of seven pupils, including those with special educational needs, have a good understanding of how to carry out and record a scientific investigation. They know that this involves solving a scientific problem, such as, “do all seeds take the same time to germinate?” Pupils draw conclusions about their findings and accurately describe and record their observations using simple tables when appropriate. They understand that animals and plants need food in order to grow and eating the right types of food keeps the body healthy. They know that different materials have different properties and through their investigations discover that processes such as heating and cooling change some materials. They investigate what happens to ice under different conditions and if sunflower oil will freeze. Pupils explore simple electrical circuits. They describe how the circuit works and make predictions about the effects

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SCIENCE

of adding more bulbs. They are aware of the dangers associated with electrical appliances in the home.

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SCIENCE

87. By the time they leave school pupils have built on the scientific knowledge and understanding gained in previous years. They apply this knowledge and understanding to good effect when preparing and carrying out investigations and in discussion. Pupils have a good understanding of how to conduct a fair test and what is likely to happen if the variables are changed. They make predictions, carefully observe what happens and record and chart the results for analysis. Teachers use questions well to probe pupils’ understanding and help them to use their knowledge to make deductions about other areas of enquiry. Pupils understand feeding relationships and that virtually all food chains begin with a green plant. They understand why various environmental conditions give rise to different organisms and that micro-organisms can be beneficial or harmful. They have carried out detailed work about the main functions of

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SCIENCE

the most important human and plant organs and explored the effects of exercise on the pulse rate. Pupils know how to use keys as labels on diagrams to help them identify and classify plants and animals. They know about different materials and that some are conductors and others are insulators. They apply this knowledge effectively to investigations into sound insulators.

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SCIENCE

88. The teaching of science is good throughout the school. Teachers have good subject knowledge and lessons are well planned and organised. The good use of investigative and experimental science enables pupils to improve their enquiry skills and develop a good understanding of scientific principles. Teachers use scientific vocabulary confidently, share Hatherden Primary School - 32 information clearly and give them interesting activities that stimulate scientific discussion. This is a strength of teaching and it motivates pupils effectively: they are eager to put forward their thoughts and ideas. Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations of work and behaviour. They enjoy the lessons, work hard and produce a good standard of work. There is good support for all pupils, with particular attention paid to those pupils with special educational needs who need extra help. This enables them to approach their work with confidence and to

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SCIENCE

89. The subject co-ordinator has a good overview of the science curriculum. Since the 1997 inspection, guidance for teachers on what should be taught has been developed well. There are now some aspects to be updated to reflect more accurately what pupils should learn. The arrangements in place to check how well pupils are learning are good and their progress is monitored at the end of each unit of work. The co-ordinator has some opportunities for monitoring teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. So far this has mainly been in Key Stage 1. Science is targeted as a priority area for development in the next school year.

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ART AND DESIGN

90. Only one lesson was seen during the inspection and there was insufficient evidence of pupils’ work in Key Stage 1 to judge standards, progress or teaching. The collection of pupils’ work and sketchbooks shows the school’s present emphasis on the development of skills. Throughout the school pupils are developing their understanding and use of different art skills and media. The art initiative with other local schools is helping teachers to provide pupils with the skills they need. There has not been enough time for it to fully impact on the development of pupils’ own style and technique, and eleven year olds are not yet achieving the standards expected at this stage. However, the initiatives the school has set in motion are having a positive impact and standards are rising.

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ART AND DESIGN

91. Teachers plan the work thoroughly, making use of the new guidance to ensure that skills are developed systematically. Infant pupils use small pieces of tissue paper to explore and create shades of green, blue and purple when creating a tile for the class collage. They explore printing techniques using their hand and fingers to create patterns. The lower junior pupils have also experimented with colour using tissue paper. They have applied their knowledge to a collage of a spring flower. They place the pieces carefully to intensify the colour by overlapping the petals. In their sketching and drawing older pupils use pencils and pastels. Their drawings show qualities of shape and increasing attention to detail, but do not add a great deal of tonal information.

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ART AND DESIGN

92. The quality of teaching in the one lesson seen was very good. The lesson was well planned and built on the work of the previous session. Pupils worked on two-dimensional designs that they planned to print. The teacher’s good questioning skills helped pupils to review their work and the practicalities of the design for transferring to a printing block, for example, “What do you want to be linear?” “What do you want to be solid?” This helped pupils to develop their understanding of positive and negative images and make good progress with the development of their designs. Pupils made good progress in their ability to identify ways of improving their work as a result of the teacher’s very good emphasis on evaluation. Pupils really enjoyed themselves and their interest led them to new insights, for example, “Art grows and develops; it’s not like being in a factory!”

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ART AND DESIGN

93. The school is committed to improving the quality of the art curriculum and the quality of teaching. Since the last inspection teachers have attended training to improve their own skills and understanding of the art curriculum. This has enabled them to establish art in the curriculum and provide pupils with an appropriate range of experiences. The school is now following a structured programme of work, which they plan to review and adapt to the specific needs of the school over the course of the current term. Hatherden Primary School - 33 Hatherden Primary School - 34

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94. Design and technology was timetabled in only two classes during the inspection and no lesson in the upper junior class was seen. However, evidence from pupils’ previous projects was available. Teachers’ planning confirms that the subject is well established in the curriculum for all classes. The work seen indicates that pupils across the school make good progress in the development of their skills, knowledge and understanding and that standards have risen since the 1997 inspection. At both key stages pupils achieve standards which are above those expected for seven and 11 year olds.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

95. Infant pupils experience a suitable range of practical tasks, materials and techniques. They use pictures and words to explain their ideas and designs and to evaluate their work. Pupils develop good skills in cutting and shaping materials and use a variety of ways to assemble the different parts. They investigate different ideas before designing and making the final product. For example, they built vehicles from Meccano and two-dimensional versions with moving wheels attached by paper fasteners. Their model vehicles are well designed and made. Pupils used their skills of measuring and drawing to cut the doweling axles to size. All models roll along successfully. Much thought has gone into the design of their vehicles. Pupils have taken great care with the painting and finishing that includes aspects such as number plates, radiator grills and occupants. A number of pupils have used their knowledge of simple

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

electrical circuits to operate the vehicle lights.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

96. The work of eleven year olds shows that pupils have a sound understanding of the importance of the intended uses and aesthetic qualities of a product. For instance, some pupils were very aware that the design of their toy for reception-aged children should not contain any parts on which they could possibly choke. Pupils create helpful plans to guide the making of the toy. They have created appealing and interesting designs, including a tropical beach party and a ghost. Pupils’ evaluations of their toys show that they have a good understanding of the function of cams and eccentrics. Although the moving parts of the toys did function pupils became aware that differently sized cams would make them move better.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

97. The quality of teaching in the two lessons seen was good. Planning for pupils’ learning is good and systematically builds pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. Teachers make good use of resources to stimulate pupils’ interest and there is a good balance between direct teaching and pupils exploring and finding out things for themselves. For example, all pupils had hands-on experience of disassembling a torch, which gave them a better understanding of how the different components were assembled and functioned. This was good preparation for when they design and make their own torches. The opportunity for pupils to work in pairs and groups contributes to their social development, as they learn to take turns and discuss their findings and ideas. Teachers closely monitor pupils’ work and provide good support for all pupils. Pupils who have special needs or require extra help are well supported by learning

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

support staff. As a result these pupils grow in confidence and make good progress in their work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. The design and technology co-ordinator leads the development of the subject effectively. She has improved the range of resources and tools since the 1997 inspection. The curriculum guidelines provide good support for teachers. The co-ordinator has developed sets of resources for each of the units of work. This ensures that both teachers and pupils have the right tools and materials for the work. Assessment is well organised and the co-ordinator monitors standards through the displays of pupils’ work.

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GEOGRAPHY

99. Standards are in line with national expectations at both key stages. The teaching and progress that pupils make throughout the school have improved since the last inspection in 1999. Hatherden Primary School - 35 100. Key Stage 1 pupils are beginning to demonstrate a real awareness of a different locality from their own through a well-planned and prepared study of real and imaginary islands. They ask and answer questions about places using selected information from provided resources. The effective teaching uses pupils’ responses well to consider the suitability of various modes of transport. Within Key Stage 2 pupils understand the importance of water and are developing an understanding of how water can influence the lives of different peoples. Pupils use a range of resources such as books, the Internet and CD-ROMs, to search for relevant geographical information about such areas as India, South Africa, Australia and the local environment.

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GEOGRAPHY

Groups in the mixed class of Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils made clear verbal and visual presentations of their findings to the remainder of the class. Pupils are familiar with Ordnance Survey maps, aerial photographs, weather symbols and temperature reading. As a result of good teaching older pupils make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of a developing country like Kenya. They compare contrasting localities using suitable geographical terminology.

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GEOGRAPHY

101. The quality of work produced during the year indicates that the quality of teaching is generally good. During the inspection, in the two lessons observed, the teachers’ subject knowledge was good and, backed by their enthusiastic approach and effective discussion technique, stimulated pupils’ interest and eagerness to know more.

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GEOGRAPHY

102. There is a satisfactory range of resources. There is a variety of reference books accessible in classrooms and pupils make good use of information and communication technology to access information. Wall displays successfully add a further dimension to pupils’ knowledge and understanding, particularly that portraying many aspects of the culture and lives of the people in Kenya. There is good use of information and communication technology in geography. In particular, pupils keep in contact, via the Internet, with developments in Kenya and in other countries.

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GEOGRAPHY

103. The geography co-ordinator is working to ensure there is a consistent approach to teaching and delivery across the school. There is a good, structured assessment procedure to report on pupils’ progress in geographical skills. This enables teachers to plan future work by targeting areas requiring reinforcement.

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HISTORY

104. It was possible to see just one lesson during the inspection as most classes are studying geography as part of their humanities scheme in this term. It is clear from this, but mainly from the scrutiny of pupils’ previous work and teachers’ planning and by talking to pupils, that standards of attainment in history in Key Stage 1 are in line with those usually found in most schools for pupils of this age. Pupils make good progress through the school and standards are above average by the end of Key Stage 2. This is an improvement on the position at the time of the last inspection in 1999.

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HISTORY

105. Overall pupils make good progress in acquiring appropriate knowledge and understanding of the past. There is a growing understanding of the concept of change over time in Key Stage 1. This is evident in their comparisons of old and new houses. Pupils extend their sense of chronology and of knowledge of the past in Key Stage 2 as topics such as the Vikings and Britain from 1930 to 1950 are studied. The oldest pupils made an in-depth study of modern Britain last term. Different aspects were selected, researched and presented, by groups of pupils, on posters, books and artwork. This topic, and their appropriate use of the Internet, helped them develop their ability to use sources of evidence and information to find out about the past, as well as organise and communicate their findings appropriately. The end results were very impressive.

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HISTORY

106. Resources are good. There is a variety of reference books accessible in classrooms and pupils can examine artefacts and other source material. Visits to local sites of interest and Hatherden Primary School - 36 museums encourage pupils’ enquiry skills and enhance their view of the past. Due to the mixed age classes, history is taught through a two-year rolling programme of topics. The scheme of work appropriately addresses the National Curriculum through the use of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority guidelines and the school’s own scheme.

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HISTORY

107. The co-ordinator is effectively leading the subject through her monitoring of teachers’ plans and the teaching of individual lessons. Work is collected from the lesson observed and annotated to identify strengths and weaknesses. There is a good assessment system in place to monitor individual pupil’s progress in historical skills, knowledge and understanding. The good collection of work to indicate the standard to expect in each year means that teachers have every opportunity to arrive at a common understanding of what to expect and how to assess standards.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

108. Pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology is now in line with national expectations by the end of Key Stage 1 and above expected levels by the end of Key Stage 2. This is considerable improvement on the position noted at the time of the inspection in 1997, and continues the improvements noted in 1999. At Key Stage 1, pupils are familiar with the use of computer equipment and the software that can run on such equipment. They use basic word processing successfully, choose fonts and explain their choices. Pupils in the reception class were able to start up the computer, click on the appropriate icons and ‘drag’ their choices to the required spot to be successful. In Years 1 and 2 this knowledge is being built on in lessons on word processing and drawing.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

109. At Key Stage 2, pupils in the Year 3/4 class show an understanding of databases and how they are used. They discuss information they have gleaned on pets and explain how they would use it to develop a simple database using different fields. In the top class, pupils working with a database demonstrated their competence in logging on and in retrieving previous information they had saved. They interpreted data on the various possibilities and discussed their findings very thoroughly and sensibly. This is a high level of achievement for their age. Pupils in Key Stage 2 enjoy using computers to explore music and create their own melodies. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in both key stages.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

110. Pupils in both key stages are interested in and motivated by the use of information and communication technology. They collaborate well and are proud of demonstrating their ability. Concentration skills are good and pupils respond positively to interventions by the teacher. This was clearly demonstrated in all lessons where pupils showed a high level of motivation and enthusiasm.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

111. The quality of teaching is good overall. Lessons are well structured and have clear aims. In most lessons clear explanations of the objectives and positive interventions enable all pupils to make good progress and acquire key skills. Lessons are appropriately linked to previous learning and pupils are involved in evaluating their learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

112. The number of computers is adequate and the school is appropriately equipped with facilities for using the Internet. Good use is currently being made of funding to provide training for teachers and the head teacher has a clear long-term plan for developing the subject. Planning has been improved through the adoption of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority scheme of work, with all strands being addressed.

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MUSIC

113. From the one music lesson in Key Stage 1 and the assemblies observed, the overall standard of pupils at the age of seven is above that expected for their age. Year 1 pupils achieve Hatherden Primary School - 37 standards in singing, playing, listening and applying knowledge and understanding which are also above the level expected from pupils of a similar age. Standards have risen since the 1997 inspection and, in the aspects seen during the inspection, they are similar to those expected of pupils at the age of eleven. Factors contributing to this are firstly, the improved planning and coverage of what pupils should be taught, and secondly, the action taken to improve the quality of teaching.

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MUSIC

114. Younger pupils are benefiting from the expertise of a music specialist and make good progress in the development of musical skills. They are able to control pulse when using body percussion or percussion instruments to accompany their singing. They enjoy singing and sing simple songs from memory, accurately matching their voices to the shape of the melody, and keep pace with the piano accompaniment. Pupils use their voices confidently in a variety of ways and, with the teacher’s support, are able to follow changes of pitch indicated by simple hand signs or symbols. The teacher has a very good knowledge of the music curriculum and how to sequence pupils’ learning in manageable steps. The development of pupils’ practical skills and knowledge are well integrated throughout the lesson. The teacher sets a brisk challenging pace and the well-chosen activities motivate pupils. Their concentration is good

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MUSIC

and during the lesson pupils become more confident in their ability to distinguish between high and low sounds.

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MUSIC

115. By the age of eleven, pupils sing with clear diction and a good sense of pitch and rhythm. In composing, pupils achieve standards similar to those found in other schools. They explore a range of sounds using classroom percussion, orchestral instruments and information and communication technology. They combine and layer sounds to create different textures and different effects. They use these ideas when composing music linked to a theme, such as ‘The Wind’ and ‘Lost in Space’. Pupils who have instrumental lessons make good use of their skills in composing sessions. This enhances the quality of their work. Pupils work well together. When performing their compositions they listen carefully and are aware of how the different parts of their piece fit together. Teachers ensure that pupils understand that they need to practise their singing and playing skills in order to improve. Pupils are sensitive to each

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MUSIC

other’s feelings when discussing their work. All pupils’ contributions are valued and pupils readily applaud each other’s efforts. This helps them to gain in confidence and enhances their performing skills. They make satisfactory progress in the use of a musical vocabulary, although do not apply this as a matter of course when describing their own music or talking about the music by well-known composers.

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MUSIC

116. Teaching in the one Key Stage 1 lesson was very good. The quality of teaching and learning in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. These teachers do not have the same high level of knowledge to teach all aspects really confidently, particularly singing. However, planning for the development of pupils’ skills and understanding is good. Lessons have a clear focus and teachers are clear about what they want pupils to learn. The lessons provide balanced coverage of the key musical skills with appropriate emphasis on learning through practical music making. Teachers make the lessons interesting for pupils by choosing themes and repertoire, which are relevant and enjoyable.

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MUSIC

117. The school is strongly committed to providing pupils with the best possible musical experiences. The music co-ordinator works well with the music specialist who is using her expertise to adapt the plans which show what pupils are to be taught each term to meet the specific needs of the mixed age classes. The time of the music specialist is well managed so that each class has the benefit of specialist teacher for at least half a term each year. This has a positive impact on pupils’ progress as less secure areas of their learning, such as pitch, can be addressed. All pupils who are learning to play a musical instrument, including the flute, clarinet and recorder, have opportunities to perform in school and to take part in area music ‘playing days’ organised by the county music service.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Hatherden Primary School - 38 118. Attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1, but is above expectations in aspects such as dance at the end of Key Stage 2. Progress is good throughout the school. In some lessons seen during the inspection pupils made very good progress as a result of skilful teaching which challenged and motivated them. Attainment in swimming is in line with levels expected in the National Curriculum. This reflects the good regular opportunities provided for all junior pupils to learn to swim.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119. Pupils experience a wide and balanced programme of activities. This represents an improvement since the inspection in 1997 when the provision for dance was considered to impede pupils' progress. The overall school plan now ensures that all pupils experience a good range of activities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120. In the lessons observed, the quality of teaching was good overall with some very good teaching of dance seen. Lessons began purposefully with a well-structured series of activities to encourage pupils to be conscious of the need to warm up. Pupils were given clear instructions about what was expected of them and were encouraged to achieve high standards. There is a strong emphasis on giving of one's best and on playing a full part as a member of a team or group.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121. Pupils change sensibly and they participate in lessons enthusiastically. They listen well and respond quickly to instructions. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to evaluate each other's performance, and the top class pupils are now good at this. This is another improvement since the previous inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

122. The co-ordinator is keen and enthusiastic. There is a satisfactory range of apparatus and equipment to support learning. The school grounds are extensive and used well. However, the hall is small and limits some of the activities available. It also limits the scope of some lessons, as pupils often have to wait a long time to take their turn at an activity. There has been a significant improvement in the range and quality of resources available recently. After- school clubs for games and athletics enhance the curriculum. Matches are played against local teams. Physical education makes a positive contribution to the pupils' moral and social development, through involvement in clubs and teams, encouraging co-operative work and in the recognition of the need for rules in games.

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