Read St John's CofE Primary School

ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 25 th April 2002

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ENGLAND 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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ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Straits Lane, Read Burnley Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1997 Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 10638 Mr M Newell Registered inspector Equal opportunities English as an additional language Science Physical education Religious education The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? What could the school do to improve further? 15181 Mrs M Hackney Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 29504 Mrs S Herring Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Geography Music 10228 Ms S Russam Team inspector Special educational needs English Design and technology History How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 10182 Mr B Cooper Team inspector Foundation Stage Information and communication technology How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The inspection contractor was: Lynrose Marketing Limited Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 13

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 37

Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the village of Read in the Ribble Valley in Lancashire. The majority of pupils live close to the school but there are a significant minority that live outside of the school’s catchment area. Currently 204 pupils attend the school with an equal number of boys and girls. Assessment data shows that the attainment of children when they start school is, generally but not exclusively, above average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is approximately 2%, and this is well below the national average. The school population is almost all of white ethnic origin and the percentage of pupils speaking English as an additional language is below the national average. One pupil is at an early stage of English acquisition. The percentage of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs and the percentage of pupils with a statement of special educational need

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a school where the strengths outweigh the weaknesses and which under the good quality of leadership and management provided by the headteacher is set to improve further. The pupils attain well above average standards in mathematics and reading at the end of Years 2 and 6. The pupils have positive attitudes to work and behave well and this adds greatly to the learning environment. The quality of teaching is consistently good in Years 4 and 5 and this helps to ensure that pupils of all abilities in these year groups make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ learning is enhanced throughout the school by a good range of learning opportunities that are provided outside the curriculum. The partnership with parents that the school has forged supports and enhances children’s learning in an effective manner. The school is providing satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The pupils attain well above average standards in mathematics and reading at the end of Years 2 and 6. Standards are also above average in music. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and have a positive impact on how well pupils learn. Attendance is above the national average. • The quality of teaching in Years 4 and 5 is consistently of a good standard in English, mathematics and science. • The school provides a good range of learning opportunities that add much to pupils’ learning and their personal development. • The partnership with parents makes an important contribution to pupils’ learning. • The leadership and management of the headteacher are good and have played a significant role in moving the school forward.

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What could be improved

• The challenge that is provided for the highest attaining pupils. • Procedures for assessing, target setting and tracking pupils’ progress as they move through school. • The range and consistency of opportunities for pupils to undertake independent study and research, to take a greater responsibility for their own learning and to contribute to the life of the school as a community. • Procedures to support, monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The progress that the school made in addressing the identified issues following the last inspection was initially slow and the strategies that were implemented were not rigorous enough. The appointment of the present headteacher resulted in the issues being tackled in a far more effective and productive manner and as a result the rate of progress increased significantly, although the headteacher rightly acknowledges that there is still much more to be done. The headteacher has put in place a very clear and accurate agenda for school improvement. Improvement since the last inspection is therefore judged to be satisfactory. In terms of the specific areas identified for improvement at the last inspection, the provision that is made for pupils in information and communication technology and design and technology has improved. The headteacher has ensured that the quality of school development planning has improved and the governors are becoming increasingly aware of the need to ensure that

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

they hold the school to account for the quality of education that the school provides. Although there has been improvement, there is still a need to more rigorously address the issues of target setting, data analysis, challenge for the highest attainers and the role of curriculum co- ordinators in monitoring teaching and learning. All of these issues are identified priorities in the school development plan. Many of the strengths identified at the last inspection have been maintained and in some instances built upon. Standards in most subjects have been maintained or improved upon. Where this is not the case, for example, in history, it is because not all elements of the subject have been taught in sufficient depth over time. Under the effective and astute leadership of the new headteacher the school is now well placed to continue its cycle of development and improvement.

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

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

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schools

The above table shows the school’s results at the end of Year 6 in the National Curriculum tests over a three-year period and against similar schools in 2001. In 2001 standards were well above the national average in English and mathematics and at an average level in science. When the school’s performance is compared to similar schools, attainment is above average in English and mathematics and below average in science. The difference in attainment between the subjects can be explained by the fact that more pupils exceeded the level expected of 11-year-olds in English and mathematics than in science. The trend in improvement in standards over time is broadly in line with the national trend. Inspection findings show that attainment in English is above average overall with standards in reading well above average. Standards in mathematics are well above average and above average in science. Pupils at Key Stage 2 make satisfactory progress overall with progress in Years 4

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schools

Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 8 and 5 being good because of the consistently good quality of teaching. The tasks that are set for the oldest highest attaining pupils are not consistently challenging and demanding enough. The targets that the school sets in literacy and numeracy are sufficiently challenging for the percentage of pupils expected to reach the required level for 11-year-olds but as the school’s target setting procedures are becoming increasingly more effective the school has identified the need to set more challenging targets for pupils expected to achieve higher levels.

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schools

By the end of Year 2, on the basis of the 2001 end of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum test results, pupils’ attainment in reading and writing is well above average and above average in mathematics. When compared to similar schools, attainment is well above average in reading, above average in writing and average in mathematics. On the basis of teacher assessment, attainment in science and in speaking and listening is above average. Inspection findings show that standards at the end of Year 2 are well above average in mathematics. Standards in English and science are above average, with standards in reading well above average. The emphasis that the school places on the development of pupils’ numeracy skills, together with the higher natural ability level of the present Year 2 pupils, explains the difference in test results and inspection findings. Pupils of all abilities, including the pupils with special educational needs and the higher attaining pupils, make

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schools

satisfactory progress. Progress within lessons is good when teaching is of a good standard and sets tasks that are challenging and demanding.

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schools

Standards in music are above average at the end of Years 2 and 6. Although standards in physical education and religious education are at an average level overall by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards in pupils’ games skills are above average at the end of Year 6 and pupils in Year 2 show a good level of understanding of the importance of special religious events and artefacts for Christians and for other world faiths. Although standards in history and geography are broadly satisfactory, they are within a narrow area of study because over time not all elements of these subjects have been taught or covered in sufficient depth for pupils to make appropriate progress. Standards in information and communication technology, art and design and design and technology are at an expected level at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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schools

Assessment data shows that the attainment of children when they start school is generally but not exclusively above average. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall with strengths in the teaching of communication, language and literacy. As a result, children make satisfactory strides in their learning and by the time that they start in Year 1 nearly all children have reached the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning, and many exceed them, with attainment stronger in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Attainment in personal and social development although satisfactory is not as strong because not enough expectation is placed on children to develop as independent learners, to listen to others or to tidy up resources at the end of lessons. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils’ attitudes to school and to work are good and this has a positive impact on how well pupils learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in class and around the school is of a good standard. Pupils are polite and courteous and show a good awareness of the needs of others.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The quality of relationships is of a good standard and this adds much to the ethos of the school. Not enough opportunities are consistently provided for pupils to take initiative for their own learning or contribute to the life of the school as a community.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Attendance rates are above the national average. Pupils arrive on time and clearly enjoy coming to school.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching is satisfactory with good features across the school. In the Foundation Stage teaching is good in terms of developing children’s reading and phonic skills. Teaching is satisfactory in other areas of learning but there are times when the challenge for the higher attaining children is not demanding enough. At Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 teaching is satisfactory overall with some good features. During the inspection examples of good teaching were observed in every class and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Teaching in Years 4 and 5 is of a consistently good standard in English, mathematics and science. Reading skills and music are taught consistently well across the school. Teaching in literacy and numeracy is at its best when pupils are directly taught specific writing skills, opportunities are provided for them to learn through investigative and problem solving activities and the tasks that are set are demanding and challenging. There is, however, not

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

always a consistent level of challenge for the highest attaining pupils in Year 6 and on occasions this means that pupils do not always make the progress in their learning of which they are capable. There are some good examples of pupils’ work being marked in such a way as to clearly outline what pupils need to do to improve. This good practice is not as consistent across the school as it should be. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The school generally provides a broad curriculum which is enhanced by the good range of extra-curricular activities and the wide range of other learning opportunities that bring another dimension to pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. The school provides a good level of support for pupils and the headteacher has accurately identified the need for teachers to use pupils' individual education plans in a more effective manner to plan suitable work to meet the needs of individuals.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Pupils receive good levels of support that enable them to make similar progress to their classmates and to take a full and inclusive role in all aspects of the curriculum and school life.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral development and satisfactory provision for their spiritual, social and cultural development. This provision makes an important contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils This is a caring school. Appropriate procedures are in place for monitoring and promoting good attendance and behaviour. Appropriate procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science. Procedures are not at a satisfactory level in other subjects. The headteacher has accurately identified as a priority the need to develop sharper and more rigorous procedures for target setting and analysing test and assessment data. At the present time the school’s procedures are not sufficiently developed to have the biggest possible impact on raising standards further.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school works in partnership with parents. Good. The school has developed a strong partnership with parents that impacts positively on the work of the school and on the children’s learning. The headteacher is very keen to further develop this partnership. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 11

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory overall. The headteacher provides good leadership and management of the school. She has set a very clear direction and accurate agenda for school improvement. The role of the deputy headteacher and subject co-ordinators is not sufficiently developed to monitor and help improve the quality of teaching and standards.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The Governing Body is supportive, well informed and is becoming increasingly effective in holding the school to account for the quality of education that it provides. All statutory responsibilities are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The headteacher has put in place procedures to analyse test and assessment data and to instigate appropriate rigorous strategies for target setting. These initiatives are clearly identified as priorities in the School Development Plan but have not yet had sufficient time to have their greatest impact on raising standards further

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes appropriate use of all available funds and grants to impact positively on pupils’ learning. Teaching and support staff are deployed effectively. The accommodation and resources are used in a satisfactory manner to support pupils’ learning. The quality of financial planning is satisfactory and the school applies the principles of best value appropriately when purchasing goods and services.

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Aspect Comment

The adequacy of staffing, accommodation and learning resources. There are enough suitably qualified teachers and support staff for the demands of the curriculum and for the number of pupils on roll. Although resources overall are satisfactory with some strengths in information and communication technology, religious artefacts and games equipment, there are shortcomings in library provision and for the imaginative play area in the Foundation Stage. The accommodation has a number of attractive features such as the spacious outdoor environment which includes a pond and conservation area. The outdoor play area for children in the Foundation Stage provides insufficient space for the number on roll. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 12

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The fact that their children like school. • The quality of teaching and the good progress that children make. • The approachability of staff. • The expectations that the school sets and the manner in which the school helps children become mature and responsible. • The close working relationship between school and parents. • How the school is led and managed. • The behaviour in school. • The amount of homework that is provided. • Information relating to how their child is getting on. • The activities that the school provides outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection findings agree with many of the positive views of the parents and in terms of what parents would like to see improved, the inspection team found the following: the behaviour in school is generally of a good standard; the amount of homework that is provided is similar to that found in the majority of primary schools and is therefore judged to be satisfactory; the school provides a good range of activities outside of school that bring an added dimension to pupils’ learning; although the information that the school provides about children’s progress is broadly satisfactory, pupils’ reports do not always contain any targets for improvement to assist parents in helping children at home nor any encouragement to them to write their comments. The school is aware of this and is looking at ways to improve reports so that they provide parents with more helpful information. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Under the leadership and management of the headteacher, this is a school that is now constantly seeking to improve standards further. The headteacher has set a clear and accurate agenda for school improvement and in her short time in post has rightly identified the need to improve assessment and target setting procedures and to develop more rigorous procedures for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning. If such procedures are implemented, evidence suggests that standards, particularly for the highest attaining pupils in Year 6, are set to rise.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Whilst there is a wide range of attainment when children start school, most are attaining at levels above that expected for children of this age and attainment on entry is therefore judged to be above average. The children benefit from satisfactory teaching overall, with teaching in communication, language and literacy of a good standard. As a result, children make satisfactory progress overall in the Foundation Stage with progress in communication, language and literacy being good. Progress, although satisfactory overall, is not as secure in children’s personal, social, and emotional development and in their creative development because of a lack of opportunities to develop independence and creative skills. By the time that children are ready to start in Year 1, the vast majority of children have reached and in many instances exceeded the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals. There are occasions, however, when

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the level of challenge for the higher attaining children is not high enough and not enough expectation is placed on how all children are to develop their independence skills or respond appropriately in question and answer sessions. When this is the case, progress is not as good as it could be.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. By the end of Year 2, on the basis of the 2001 end of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum test results, pupils’ attainment in reading and writing is well above the national average and above the national average in mathematics. When compared to similar schools, attainment is well above average in reading, above average in writing and average in mathematics. On the basis of teacher assessment, pupils’ attainment in science and speaking and listening is above average. Inspection findings show that standards in reading and mathematics are well above average and standards in writing, mathematics, speaking and listening and science are above average. The emphasis that the school places on the development of pupils’ numeracy skills, together with the higher natural ability level of the present Year 2 pupils, explains the difference in test results and inspection findings. Pupils of all abilities make satisfactory progress and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

achieve appropriately. Pupils make greater strides in their learning when tasks that are set are demanding and challenging and really get pupils to learn through investigative and problem solving activities which the pupils thoroughly enjoy and invariably rise to the challenge. Such opportunities are not always provided as readily or as frequently as they could be.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. By the end of Year 2 standards in speaking and listening are above average. Pupils are confident speakers and use a wide and varied vocabulary when talking about their work or about their own experiences. Pupils are very good at listening to the contributions of classmates and take on board what has been said before making their own responses. They recognise the importance of only one person speaking at once and the way in which they listen to instructions and what is required of them is reflected in the manner in which they quickly settle down to work after a whole class introduction and do not Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 14 depend on further explanation or adult intervention. Standards in reading are well above average by the end of Year 2. Pupils have been taught a good range of reading strategies and they use these well when they are faced with new words and phrases. Many pupils read with a good level of expression and understanding and know how to

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

locate information using an index, contents page and a glossary. Pupils benefit from high quality support from home with many parents actively supporting their child’s reading development. Standards in writing are above average by the end of Year 2. Pupils are provided with a good range of opportunities to write for a variety of audiences and purposes. The highest attaining pupils write quite complex sentences and most pupils use capital letters and full stops, with a smaller percentage using more advanced punctuation, such as exclamation and speech marks, to try and bring their writing alive. Handwriting is well formed and most pupils spell accurately, although the vocabulary that pupils use is not always particularly vibrant or expressive.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Standards in mathematics are well above average by the end of Year 2. Many pupils have good number skills and have a good recall of multiplication tables. Pupils measure and tell the time accurately and have a good knowledge of shapes and the associated vocabulary. The higher attaining pupils are good at drawing graphs and tables and in interpreting the data that they collect. When opportunities are provided for pupils to put their number skills to the test in problem solving and investigative tasks, they respond very well but there are occasions when such opportunities are not seized upon. Standards in science are above average by the end of Year 2. Many pupils make simple predictions, observe changes and recognise the importance of a fair test. Pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of electricity, they know and understand the properties of living organisms and name the parts and functions of a flowering plant and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

what factors are needed for a healthy lifestyle. The weaker element is that pupils do not always use their good level of scientific knowledge to make more complex predictions or to explain in greater detail why things happen as they do in scientific investigations and experiments.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. By the end of Year 6, on the basis of the 2001 National Curriculum test results, pupils’ attainment when compared to all schools is well above average in English and mathematics and average in science. When pupils’ results are compared to similar schools, attainment is above average in English and mathematics and below average in science. Inspection findings show that attainment in mathematics is well above average. Attainment overall in English is above average, although reading standards are well above average. Attainment in science is above average. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall at Key Stage 2 and progress is often good in Years 4 and 5 because of the good quality of teaching. Overall, pupils achieve at an appropriate level but the highest attaining pupils in Year 6 are not always provided with enough challenge and on occasions this prevents them from making greater strides in their learning and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

attaining at even higher levels. The headteacher is aware of this and has started to address the issue through a more rigorous approach to monitoring teaching and to setting more challenging targets for pupils to achieve and by more closely monitoring progress towards these targets. Not enough time is consistently provided for helping pupils to prepare for the National Curriculum tests or for conveying what is necessary to achieve at a certain level. This impacts on pupils’ learning and attainment levels, particularly in science, which has been at a consistently lower level than English and mathematics over the last four years. When attainment in all three subjects is taken together then the trend in improvement is broadly in line with the picture found nationally. The targets that the school sets itself in literacy and numeracy are sufficiently challenging but the headteacher has accurately identified the need to set

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

more challenging and demanding targets in terms of the percentage of pupils who will exceed the level expected of 11-year-olds. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 15 7. Standards in speaking and listening are above average at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils are confident speakers and are always ready to discuss their work. Teaching is at its best when pupils are expected to justify their views and opinions and are encouraged to use a vibrant vocabulary. Speaking skills are further enhanced when pupils take part in dramatic presentations. Listening skills are good and in Years 4 and 5 are often very good. Pupils often listen intently to teachers and to their classmates and follow instructions and explanations well. Occasionally, some of the younger pupils at Key Stage 2 do not follow the normal courtesies in question and answer sessions and valuable contributions are not heard or recognised. Reading standards are well

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

above average. Pupils read fluently and understand the text well. Many pupils read with continued levels of expression and the higher attaining pupils use skills, such as skimming and scanning, to locate required information well. Although many pupils have acquired a good range of reading skills and strategies, more could be done to further pupils’ ability to read and understand beyond the literal level and to pick up nuances in text through deduction and inference. Writing standards are above average by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils are provided with opportunities to write in many different forms, such as letters, poetry, reports and notes. Spelling, punctuation, and handwriting are good for many pupils. Pupils are developing a greater ability to write extended pieces of work with the higher attaining pupils showing an ability to sustain characterisation or plot. The area for further development is to ensure that older pupils are consistently and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

directly taught the specific skills necessary to edit and draft their work and to ensure that all pupils are made aware of the different features and criteria of different formats of writing, such as chronological texts or persuasive writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In mathematics, attainment by the end of Year 6 is well above average. Pupils have a very good understanding of place value, are confident in multiplying large numbers and use different methods to calculate their answers. Many pupils have a good understanding of shape and space and draw and measure angles with accuracy. Most pupils understand and use terms such as mean, median and mode and have an appropriate awareness and knowledge of probability. Pupils draw and interpret graphical information well. In science, standards by the end of Year 6 are above average. Pupils have a good basis of scientific knowledge and an appropriate scientific vocabulary. Many are aware of the ways in which organisms are suited to different environments, know about evaporation, condensation and the principles of dissolving. Pupils’ knowledge of forces is good and they are able to relate confidently the nature and uses of insulators and conductors. The weaker element in both mathematics and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

science is the fact that the pupils are not always provided with opportunities to put their knowledge to the test by instigating investigations or experiments or applying their skills in more open-ended investigations. On occasions, this prevents the highest attaining pupils from making greater advances in their learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Standards in music are above the expected level at the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils sing well and the good quality of teaching ensures that pupils of all abilities make good progress in developing their skills and knowledge in composing, performing and appraising music. In physical education, pupils’ attainment is at an expected level overall, with pupils of differing abilities making satisfactory progress. The good quality of teaching and the very positive attitudes that pupils have to physical education mean that pupils attain above average standards in games skills by the end of Year 6. Pupils strike balls with a good degree of accuracy and show good levels of control and co- ordination in a variety of small games settings. Standards in religious education are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus by the end of Years 2 and 6. In Year 2 there are some stronger elements and many pupils show a good awareness of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the importance of special events and artefacts, both for Christians and for people of Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 16 different world faiths and cultures. Standards in art and design are at an expected level overall but the good quality of teaching drawing skills results in attainment being above average in observational art at the end of Years 2 and 6. Standards in information and communication technology and design and technology are at an average level at the end of Years 2 and 6 and pupils of all abilities make satisfactory progress in their knowledge and skills as they move through school. Standards in history and geography are broadly average at the end of both key stages. This attainment is, however, within a narrow range of learning because over time not all elements of the subjects have been taught in sufficient depth. Pupils are currently learning and attaining at an expected

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. The school’s programme of support for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. It is effectively organised to identify pupils who need additional help in class. This ensures they make similar progress to that of their classmates. Individual education plans are often of a good standard and contain challenging but achievable targets. The weakness is that teachers do not always make good use of this information to help guide and inform the work that is set for pupils with special educational needs. When good use is made of this information it has a significant impact on pupils’ learning. Appropriate provision is made for pupils with English as an additional language and pupils benefit from good levels of support. This ensures that pupils have full and open access to all aspects of the curriculum, make similar progress to their classmates and take a full and active part in the life of the school as a

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

community. The headteacher has accurately identified the need to ensure that the needs of the older highest attaining pupils in school are met in a more consistent and challenging manner, because at times the level of challenge is simply not demanding enough and this prevents learning and attainment from being stronger.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. In the majority of lessons, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and this supports teaching and learning well. This is a similar situation to the one reported at the last inspection. Parents agree almost unanimously that children like school, and the majority feel that behaviour is good. Most pupils respond well to their teachers, are enthusiastic and keen to learn. Occasionally in lessons, when pupils are not managed effectively or the lesson lacks pace or challenge, a small number of pupils lose interest or do not listen attentively. Where pupils are excited and involved in learning through good quality teaching they work hard and contribute well to discussions. A good example of this was seen in a Year 5 religious education lesson when pupils considered different types and purposes of information under headings, such as ‘safety,’ ‘instructions’ and ‘tourism’. Children in the Foundation Stage have good

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

attitudes to learning and clearly enjoy coming to school. Children are confident in their relationships with their classmates, teachers and other adults but at times teachers in the Foundation Stage do not have high enough expectations of children’s behaviour which sometimes leads to children shouting out at inappropriate times. Pupils with special educational needs throughout the school generally respond well to their lessons and demonstrate a positive attitude to learning alongside their classmates. Pupils who have emotional and behavioural problems respond well to the help the school provides in enabling them to come to terms with their difficulties and build meaningful relationships with adults and their classmates.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. The school is an orderly environment where pupils are confident and familiar with the daily routines. Adults in the school act as good role models, with staff and pupils showing mutual respect for one another. Pupils throughout the school know the ‘Golden Rules’ , their own code of conduct and classroom rules well. Pupils have helped to Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 17 write a code of conduct for their own classroom and in most classes these are clearly and prominently displayed. Most pupils listen well to their teachers and to one another. In most lessons pupils concentrate well on their work, although at times some pupils lose interest in tasks which do not take full account of their ability and previous learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Behaviour is good. Pupils respond well to the school’s positive reward system for academic and personal success and achievement. They know the difference between right and wrong and most pupils behave sensibly and demonstrate good self-discipline. In the playground and at lunchtime pupils of all ages behave well with most playing well together and offering support to each other. Bullying and harassment are rare, and pupils know that such behaviour is not tolerated and will be dealt with firmly by the headteacher and staff. Pupils are polite, friendly and helpful towards visitors, and many are keen to ask and answer questions and to talk about their school. There have been no exclusions during the last academic year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Relationships amongst pupils and between staff and pupils are good. Adults listen carefully to what pupils have to say. Pupils with special educational needs are well integrated into all activities, and pupils are aware of the school’s commitment to the inclusion of everyone. During lessons pupils share resources sensibly and willingly, and they are co-operative and helpful when working in small groups and with partners. An example of this was seen in a Year 1 physical education lesson when pupils worked together very well in small groups to develop a dance incorporating the whirling movements of the lottery balls.

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15. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. Pupils respond well to a range of visits to places of educational and cultural interest. The annual residential visit for pupils in Year 6 makes a strong contribution to their personal and social development. Pupils in all classes are keen to help as monitors and assist with special tasks and when given the opportunity they do so with confidence. Insufficient opportunities are consistently provided for pupils to use their initiative and take personal responsibility for aspects of their own learning and for the life of the school as a community. This is particularly the case for the oldest pupils in school where more opportunities to undertake investigative and problem-solving tasks, together with independent study and research, would bring an added dimension to pupils’ personal development. Plans are in hand to establish a School Council which will provide pupils with a golden opportunity to make decisions

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and to suggest improvements in the organisation of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Attendance is good and is above the national average. There is no unauthorised absence. Most pupils are punctual and are keen to come to school. Registration and most lessons start on time and there is an efficient and orderly start to the day. This has a good impact on pupils’ attitudes towards school and on their personal and academic progress. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 18

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. During the week of inspection the quality of teaching was good or better in just over half of the lessons observed, with teaching very good in about 15% of lessons. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed and examples of good teaching were seen in every class. Teaching is consistently good in Years 4 and 5 and this ensures that pupils in these classes learn and achieve well and make good progress. There are occasions when teaching for the oldest and highest attaining pupils in school does not present enough challenge or demand and when this happens pupils do not make the strides in their learning of which they are capable. Teaching in all subjects observed during the inspection was at least satisfactory with teaching in music and elements of religious education and physical education being good. Evidence indicates, however, that teaching over time in history and geography has not always been at this level

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

because not all elements of the subjects have been taught and covered in sufficient depth. The quality of teaching is similar to that noted at the last inspection and continues to have a positive impact on how well pupils learn. The headteacher has started to put in place more rigorous and systematic procedures to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning, although the recency of these initiatives means that they have not yet had sufficient time to have their greatest impact. However, the headteacher shows a steely determination to improving teaching and standards and evidence indicates that the school is now well placed to continue to develop and improve in these important areas of school life.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and the teaching of communication, language and literacy is good. Planning is of a satisfactory standard and ensures that all areas of learning are covered in sufficient depth through the good use of a variety of half-termly topics. Sufficient time is allocated to the systematic development of children’s literacy and numeracy skills and early reading and communication skills are taught well. This enables children to make good progress and achieve well. Teaching and support staff work well together and parent helpers are a regular feature of school life and make a positive contribution to learning. Children are cared for well and much time and effort goes into ensuring that children are inducted appropriately into school. Two teachers share the teaching and the school has rightly identified the need to ensure that effective and formal procedures are put in place to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

share information from teaching experiences to have the biggest impact on children’s learning. Such procedures are not yet securely in place. Many children have positive attitudes to learning but not enough is expected of children in terms of developing their independence or in establishing appropriate behaviour in question and answer sessions. This has an adverse impact on children’s personal, social and emotional development. Although by the time children start in Year 1 many have attained or exceeded the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals, there are times when a higher level of challenge would push children’s learning even more. The school has already identified this as an area for development and improvement.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. The school has introduced the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies in an appropriate manner, although there is some variability in how closely some teachers adhere to the format in numeracy. The quality of teaching in English and mathematics is satisfactory overall, with teaching consistently good and on occasions very good in Years 4 and 5. An example of very good teaching was also observed in Year 2 in mathematics. Teaching is at its best in English when what is to be learned in the lesson is shared with the pupils and the session at the end of the lesson is used very effectively to assess what has been learned and the information then used to guide and inform future curriculum planning. There are instances when these opportunities are missed and teachers do not clearly identify what has or has not worked and this Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 19 prevents learning from being stronger. Reading skills are taught well and provide pupils

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

with a range of strategies to use when they come across unfamiliar words or phrases and give pupils the confidence to tackle more challenging text. Older pupils have been taught how to use skimming and scanning techniques to locate information at speed and the school has accurately identified the need to extend these higher order reading skills further to enable pupils to read beyond the literal level. Pupils are provided with a good range of writing opportunities with the teaching increasingly concentrating on the specific skills needed to produce good quality persuasive texts, report writing or note taking, for example. This is good practice and impacts positively on standards. Teaching in English is effective when lessons zip along at a good pace and the teacher’s own enthusiasm shines through. A very good example of this was observed in Year 5 when the teacher’s charismatic story telling captured the imagination of the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

pupils and generated an expressive vocabulary which pupils then used to great effect in their own writing.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The basic skills of mathematics are taught in an appropriate manner. In numeracy lessons, the introductory mental sessions are generally brisk and capture the interest and motivation of the pupils. The best teaching is characterised by a sharing of the lesson objectives with the pupils so that pupils are well aware of the part they have to play in their own learning. Teaching is effective when explanations of new work and skills are carefully taught, enabling pupils to get on with their work quickly and with a good level of understanding and challenge. There are times, however, when this is not the case, and pupils are unsure as to what is expected of them. The time at the end of the lesson is generally used well to check what pupils have learned and is particularly effective when pupils, for example, in Year 4, are asked to review their own learning and assess their improvement. In these instances, pupils respond very positively. When

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

teaching is very good, for example, in lessons for pupils in Years 2 and 5, activities are interesting and pupils are provided with opportunities to carry out investigative and problem solving tasks that are both demanding and challenging. Teaching in science is satisfactory overall with good practice in Years 4 and 5. When teaching is good, for example, in Years 1 and 5, the teachers present the information in a lively and challenging manner that captures the interest of the pupils. A good emphasis is placed on the development of pupils’ scientific knowledge. An area for development in both mathematics and science is for more opportunities to be provided for pupils to learn through open-ended and investigative activities. More opportunities could be provided for pupils to set up their own investigations, which would challenge them to think at a higher level.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Teaching in information and communication technology is satisfactory with some class teaching being of a higher standard. Teaching is most effective when pupils are directly taught specific skills and are then given the opportunity to put the skills to good use in practical and meaningful activities, for example, in Year 4 when pupils used a database to categorise different animals. There are some good examples of computers being used well to support pupils’ learning in subjects such as English, mathematics and science but there are other occasions when opportunities are missed. A similar picture emerges when examining how well pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are promoted across the curriculum. Pupils use their mathematical skills well when measuring and estimating in design and technology or in constructing graphs or interpreting data in science. Examples were observed of teachers using opportunities to enhance pupils’

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

writing skills in subjects such as history and religious education. However, these examples of good practice are not as consistent as they could be and opportunities to really push on pupils’ learning are missed. Teaching in religious education is satisfactory overall with some good features. Pupils are provided with opportunities to learn about world faiths as well as Christianity and are encouraged to respect people Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 20 who may have different views and opinions than themselves. Teachers often have a secure subject knowledge in religious education and this enables them to deal with the many questions that pupils ask.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Teaching in music is good across the school. In the lessons observed, precise instructions enabled pupils to get on with their task quickly and good interventions, such as correcting the way pupils hold their beater, improved their performance. There is a good balance between the teaching of skills and the opportunity for pupils to perform. Teaching is enhanced by the skilled contributions from peripatetic music teachers for brass and violin and by the professional expertise of a parent who works regularly with the choir. Teaching in physical education is satisfactory overall with good teaching observed in the development of pupils’ small game skills. Pupils are directly taught the skills to enable them to hit or control a ball and are then provided with sufficient time to practise and refine their skills in a games situation. Teaching in art and design and design and technology is satisfactory overall with good teaching of drawing skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Teaching in history and geography observed during the inspection was satisfactory with some good features, although over time not all elements of these subjects have been taught in sufficient depth.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory with some good features, which helps to ensure that pupils make similar progress to their classmates. Additional support in whole class lessons for pupils with special educational needs is often good and is effective in enabling pupils to participate fully and with confidence in all learning tasks. Learning support staff are particularly effective and make a valuable contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. However, teachers do not consistently make enough use of individual education plans to inform their curriculum planning. The needs of the highest attaining pupils are not always met in a satisfactory manner. Teaching is at its best for these pupils when tasks set are challenging and demanding and opportunities are provided for them to learn through open-ended investigations, through problem solving tasks and where

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

pupils are expected to take initiative for their own learning. This good practice is not as embedded in school practice as it could be, particularly for the oldest pupils in school, and this prevents learning and attainment from being even stronger. The provision, support and teaching for pupils for whom English is an additional language is often good and this enables pupils to take a full and active part in lessons. Questioning is modified to match the needs of pupils and teaching is effective in developing pupils’ self esteem and confidence and in helping pupils to take a fully inclusive role in the life of the school as a community.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. The quality of relationships amongst pupils and between staff and pupils is good and this helps to create an effective learning environment in most lessons. Teachers generally have a secure subject knowledge in most areas of the curriculum and use this well to help enthuse and motivate pupils. Good use is made of simple resources such as number lines and number squares to enhance younger pupils’ understanding but a shortage of good quality reference books hinders pupils’ research skills. The management of pupils within lessons is satisfactory overall. Whilst there are very good examples of management of pupils, with a high level of expectation being set in how pupils are to behave and contribute to lessons, there are instances when the teachers do not deal effectively with inappropriate behaviour or quite simply do not get the full attention of the pupils before making relevant and important teaching points. Teachers

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

often provide verbal support for pupils within lessons and handle misconceptions well and sensitively. There are some good examples of pupils’ work being marked in a constructive manner, which leads to an improvement in the pupils’ work or level of presentation. However, there are too many instances where the marking of pupils’ work Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 21 provides little guidance of what is needed to do to improve. The school recognises this as an area for improvement and the headteacher is keen to involve pupils more actively in setting their own targets for improvement and in making pupils more aware of what is needed to achieve at a particular level. This is good practice. Approximately 95% of parents that responded to the questionnaire sent out before the inspection felt that teaching in school was good and that their child was making good progress. About 11% of parents were not happy with the amount of work children are expected to complete

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

at home. Inspection findings show that the amount of homework that is set is similar to that found in the majority of primary schools and is, therefore, judged to be satisfactory.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The quality of the curriculum provided in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stages 1 and 2 is satisfactory and is enhanced by a good range of visits and visitors which provides good quality learning opportunities for pupils outside of the formal curriculum. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities which bring a further dimension to pupils’ learning. This picture of curriculum provision is similar to that found at the time of the last inspection.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and this helps to ensure that pupils of all abilities make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. The exceptions are in history and geography where not all elements of the subjects have been covered in sufficient depth over time and this prevents progress and learning from being stronger in these subjects. However, at the present time all subjects are taught regularly and for an adequate amount of time and this represents an improvement since the last inspection. The school meets statutory curriculum requirements including provision for religious education. Opportunities for collective worship are held daily in whole school assembly. Three pupils are withdrawn from collective worship for religious reasons and parents are advised of their right to withdraw their child should they so desire. The school has implemented the National

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Numeracy and Literacy Strategies in an appropriate manner but there are occasions when teachers do not always follow the agreed format and this adversely impacts pupils’ learning. In the majority of lessons teachers follow the strategies closely and provision is at its strongest when teachers promote and extend pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum. Effective policy statements and schemes of work support the curriculum at both key stages and in the Foundation Stage. Teachers’ planning is variable but satisfactory overall and is most effective when learning objectives are clearly stated, tasks are planned to meet the needs of pupils of differing ability and when careful account is taken of pupils’ previous learning.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The curriculum for the children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Planning is appropriately based on the six key areas of learning. The curriculum is planned to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding in all aspects of their learning. There are strengths in the provision made for developing children’s literacy and numeracy skills and, although provision is satisfactory, opportunities are less effective for children to develop their creative, personal and social skills. Children are not encouraged to develop their independent skills in a systematic and progressive manner, for example. The overall provision that is made in the Foundation Stage means that children are appropriately prepared to start work on the National Curriculum programmes of study when they start in Year 1.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ personal, social and health Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 22 education. Opportunities for sex and drugs education are sensitively included to acknowledge and respect the views and opinions of everyone whilst clearly placing an emphasis on developing pupils’ awareness of the associated dangers. Contributions from the school nurse are highly valued and pupils learn a great deal from visiting professionals about how to keep themselves safe. At present no consistent provision is made on the timetable dedicated to personal and social education or citizenship, although plans are in hand for this to happen in the near future.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. The school provides a range of support to meet the various needs of individual pupils. The most effective of these is the in class support from learning support assistants who provide valuable and valued support and who make an important contribution to how well pupils learn. Although teachers have copies of pupils’ individual education plans, they are not always used effectively to plan suitable work to meet the needs of each pupil. The school ensures that the provision outlined in pupils’ statements is in place and is reviewed annually in line with Code of Practice guidance. The support and provision that is made for pupils for whom English is an additional language is good and ensures that pupils are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum and are encouraged to take a full and active role in the life of the school as a community.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The provision for extra-curricular activities is good, and many pupils are involved in a range of activities. The majority of parents agree that the school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons, but there are a significant number who feel that this could be increased. Pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 have the opportunity to join clubs for netball, football, dancing, running, short tennis, cricket, percussion and recorder groups, and a book club. Some pupils learn to play brass instruments and the violin, working with a visiting music teacher. The extra-curricular choir is a major strength of the school, and involves a large number of pupils both boys and girls. Pupils in all classes go out on a range of visits to places of educational interest, and many pupils are involved in school productions. Pupils in Year 6 take part in an annual residential visit and this makes a strong contribution to their personal and social development.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. Satisfactory provision is made overall for pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and this makes a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development. Provision for pupils’ moral development is good.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. Assemblies provide planned opportunities to consider difficult issues as in the story of ‘The Badger’s Parting Gift’, which deals sensitively with the issue of dying. Prayer is a regular part of the day, with pupils in Year 4 composing their own, one reading, ‘Help us with our problems, big or small. Life and death problems, and maths problems!’ Opportunities for personal reflection are more limited. Within the curriculum, pupils listen well to music and show imagination, sensitivity and appropriate feelings in their response. Provision is good when teachers value and take account of pupils’ ideas and encourage pupils to reflect on how their actions impact on the lives of others. Whilst teachers often seize upon opportunities for pupils to reflect on their own lives and the world in which they live, such opportunities tend to be incidental rather than planned for. Occasionally, teachers

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

do not insist on the class’s full attention when a pupil is making an important contribution.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The provision for pupils’ moral development is good. There is a clear set of rules, the golden rule being ‘to do nothing which could harm themselves, others or the school’, and these rules are displayed throughout the school. Good behaviour and effort are recognised through the awarding of Super Star Certificates for example for ‘Excellent Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 23 behaviour all week’. There are good opportunities for recognising and understanding the codes and morals of different cultures, for example, by studying the way of life of schoolchildren in Kenya in geography. Pupils also learn the consequences of the failure to look after the environment as they consider the depletion of the faraway rainforests and also, in a fictional scenario, the possible implications if their school field were to be sold for housing development. Pupils are often reminded of the need to assess the

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impact of their actions on others and adults within school clearly expect pupils to make distinctions between right and wrong. The provision that is made for pupils’ moral development impacts positively on the good standards of behaviour that are usually found in class and around the school.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. Provision for social development is satisfactory overall. Pupils are encouraged to work co-operatively in some lessons, for example, when devising clues for a mathematics game and co-operating successfully in team sports. Pupils share experiences as they perform in the Christmas production and in various musical activities, for example, the choir and when staging musicals, such as ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat’. An area for development is the need to provide more opportunities for pupils to take responsibility, either for tidying away equipment in the Reception Class or as they move through the school, to take responsibility for their own learning through investigating mathematical and scientific problems or through researching information in books or electronically. Pupils are not set targets so that they know how to improve their performance and raise their level of attainment. For example, pupils in Year 6, who

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

are about to undertake the statutory assessment tasks, are unaware of the levels they may be expected to achieve or what they might do to attain the next level. Pupils have good opportunities to contribute to the wider community through singing carols for older people and contributing to charities, such as Leukaemia Research and Operation Christmas Child.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory. There are good opportunities for pupils to explore their own culture through visits to the local textile museum, and through the study of the nearby area of Slaidburn. Pupils’ cultural development is promoted through examining the work of artists, such as Picasso and Monet, and through performing and listening to a wide range of music. Pupils have the opportunity to develop an understanding of different cultures through visiting the Jewish museum, learning origami with a fellow pupil from Japan and by looking at African artefacts, art and music in a study of Kenya. Positive images are emphasised, for example, when learning of the success of Kenyan middle distance athletes in recent Olympic and World championships. However, planned opportunities for preparing pupils for life in a culturally diverse society are more limited.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. The good links with the community are well established and they contribute well to the work of the school. The building and outdoor sports areas are used extensively by a number of local organisations during out of school hours. The school has close links with the church and pupils’ work is often displayed and school news reported in the parish magazine. The Vicar is a regular visitor in school to lead assemblies, and other members of the community provide support which enriches the curriculum. Pupils contribute regularly to a range of community activities, and the choir is especially active in performing for special services and events. For example, the choir is currently rehearsing for the village Jubilee celebrations. The school annually hosts the ‘Read senior citizens’ party’ and the ‘community gala day’, and pupils’ personal and social development is enriched by their involvement.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. Satisfactory links have been developed with other schools with appropriate liaison with the secondary schools to which pupils transfer. Year 7 pupils from Ribblesdale School Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 24 return to Read each year to lead an assembly. The school is developing its links with Royal Clitheroe Grammar School to help challenge and extend the more able pupils and strengthen the transition process from primary to secondary education. The school welcomes students from the high schools that it feeds for work experience and community service. Staff in the Foundation Stage liaise well with the nurseries and playgroups to ensure a smooth induction as children start school. The school has an established link with a school in America and pupils exchange information regularly.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school makes appropriate provision to ensure the pastoral care and welfare of all pupils. Parents are confident that their children are safe and secure in school. Pupils with special educational needs receive good care and support from staff who are sensitive to their individual needs. The school has devised good links with other agencies to ensure the provision outlined in statements of special educational needs is implemented. The special educational needs co-ordinator is responsible for liaising with a wide range of other professionals, parents, carers and other schools. These duties are undertaken diligently as is the organisation of annual review meetings.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Since the last inspection the school has continued to monitor all aspects of health and safety through effective procedures. The governing body supports the school well in regular risk assessment of the site and buildings, and all areas of concern are well recorded. The school is currently setting up a health and safety committee to review all aspects of health and safety. Satisfactory provision is made for First Aid with all staff holding a suitable qualification. An accident book is kept up to date and all incidents are clearly recorded. Electrical equipment is checked regularly. The school organises regular fire drills.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Child protection procedures and procedures to support ‘looked after children’ are satisfactory and the school follows local education authority guidelines. The headteacher is the designated person with responsibility and any concerns are well monitored and recorded. All staff are aware of the procedures through regular meetings and discussions. The school now recognises the importance of lunchtime supervisors being made aware of the school’s child protection procedures. When appropriate, pupils have access to all outside support agencies. The school’s administrator is efficient in keeping up-to-date personal records for all pupils, and these are used well to support their personal needs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school has satisfactory procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance. Teachers complete registers accurately and consistently. The head teacher monitors registers regularly to check for any pattern of absence by individual pupils. The education welfare officer visits the school each term to provide support and assistance with any problems of attendance and punctuality. The procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are satisfactory, but there are some inconsistencies in the way that these are implemented in some classes. The school has a good system of reward and celebration and pupils win team points, certificates and stars for good work and behaviour. A celebration assembly is held each week in which the ‘Superstars’ receive certificates and applause. In addition, all pupils receive regular and appropriate verbal praise and encouragement from teachers. Procedures to monitor and eliminate

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

bullying or harassment are satisfactory and any inappropriate behaviour is dealt with promptly and effectively by the headteacher. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils' personal development are satisfactory overall, although a little informal. Teachers know their pupils well. However, the school is seeking to introduce more Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 25 formal and agreed procedures for assessing and monitoring pupils’ personal development, and for keeping ongoing records of behaviour, attitudes and social skills.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school’s procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic progress in English, mathematics and science are satisfactory whilst procedures to assess pupils’ performance in other subjects are unsatisfactory. The headteacher has already identified assessment procedures as an area for improvement in the school development plan. There are appropriate systems in place to assess children’s attainment as they enter school and again at the end of the Reception Year, to check their progress. However, the teachers do not always make best use of this information to ensure that work is consistently matched to the needs of individual children. This is particularly the case for the higher attaining children. As well as the statutory tests, pupils in Key Stage 2 now undertake the optional assessments in English and mathematics at the end of Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 and these are to form a basis for tracking pupils’ progress in the future. Individual teachers look at their own class to

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

identify pupils who are not achieving as well as expected and this has resulted in targeted additional support to help improve standards in English and mathematics. In addition, there are regular reading and spelling tests from Year 1 and check-ups related to the mathematics scheme. There are no consistent or agreed procedures for assessing pupils’ progress in other subjects of the curriculum and this means that it is difficult to track pupils’ progress as they move through the school and prevents learning from being stronger. The school implements satisfactory procedures to identify pupils with special educational needs. However, the information is not always used consistently to ensure the appropriateness of pupils being retained on the school’s special educational needs register or to decide what further help they may require.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The arrival of the headteacher coincided with the school starting to analyse test and assessment data. The school recognises that there is still room for improvement in order to have the maximum impact on helping to raise standards. The headteacher carries out analyses of test and assessment data and produces good quality information on the findings for staff and for the governors. This helps governors to gain a good insight into the standards that are being achieved and any areas of weakness. The information also picks out any discrepancies between the attainment of boys and girls and if certain elements of subjects or any subjects themselves are stronger or weaker than others. The area for development that the headteacher has rightly identified is that there is a need for this information to be used in a more rigorous manner to set individual and small group targets for pupils. The information is to be

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

used to target specific groups of pupils for whom higher levels of attainment could be achieved with further additional targeted support. The information is also to be used to clearly identify if progress and attainment in a particular year group is as good as it could be. At present the pupils themselves are not actively enough involved in setting their own targets and do not know exactly what they need to do to achieve the next level. In addition, there are no well established, annotated and levelled portfolios of work at present to act as a guide for teachers and pupils as to what is needed to attain at a particular level. These omissions prevent pupils’ learning from being even stronger. The school has also rightly identified the need for curriculum co-ordinators to play a greater and more active role in data analysis and target setting. This will enable them to have a stronger grasp of exactly what aspects of the subject or which individual or groups of

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pupils need to be targeted to help raise standards. The headteacher is fully aware of the weaknesses in current practice, and plans are in hand for all of these issues to be addressed.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 26 44. The school has a good partnership with parents and this has been well maintained since the last inspection. The majority of parents are very happy with their children’s progress and the quality of education provided by the school. Most parents are very supportive of children’s learning and this makes a strong impact on the work of the school. Parents are welcomed through the open door policy, and their help and support is much appreciated. Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or to discuss problems and feel that their concerns will be dealt with appropriately. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept appropriately informed and are invited to attend all review meetings. Most parents have assisted the school by signing the home/school agreement. The good links with parents make a strong contribution to pupils’ progress and to their academic and personal

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. A small number of parents and a grandparent provide valuable regular help in classrooms listening to reading, helping with art and craft work and preparing resources. Most of the employed teaching assistants in the school began as parent helpers and know pupils well. A group of parents and members of the Mothers’ Union have provided the school with a range of story sacks, which are well used in the Reception Class. More parents help when pupils are taken out on visits. The contribution of a parent who is also a professional singer has an outstanding effect on the quality of the school choir. This parental input raises pupils’ enthusiasm for singing and enjoyment in their performance. Parents and members of the community are invited regularly into school to talk to pupils about special topics and this makes a good contribution to the enrichment of the curriculum. ‘The Friends of Read School’ is an

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

active group of parents who raise considerable funds each year to provide additional learning resources for the school. An attractive noticeboard in the entrance to the school informs parents about forthcoming events and encourages them to be involved. The majority of parents make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning at school and at home by listening to reading and helping with homework topics.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The quality of information for parents is satisfactory. Most parents are satisfied with the amount of information they receive from the school, but a significant number would like more information about how their child is getting on. The headteacher sends out a friendly and informative newsletter to parents each term as well as regular letters with information about specific events and general organisation. At present there is an inconsistent approach between classes towards ensuring that parents receive clear and regular information about the topics pupils are learning. Before children start school new parents feel well informed and supported through meeting with teachers and spending time in the Reception Class with their child. The school is currently organising a course for parents of children in the Foundation Stage to assist them with parenting skills. Regular consultation evenings for new entrants, a test information evening, and

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

an admissions to secondary school evening are held for parents. The headteacher and staff are readily available to speak to parents informally at the start and end of the school day. Some parents are concerned about the school’s arrangements for homework. The inspection confirms that homework is organised by individual class teachers and that overall the amount and range of homework tasks that are set are similar to those found nationally and are, therefore, judged to be satisfactory. All pupils have home/school reading record books which are taken home each day with reading books. In some classes a few parents are using these well as a means of communication.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents of pupils with statements of special educational needs are appropriately involved in annual review meetings. They are invited to contribute both in writing and Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 27 verbally to the discussions about the continuing needs of their child and the progress they have made since the previous review. The school is currently examining ways in which parents and pupils can make a more meaningful contribution to the setting and monitoring of targets that are included in pupils’ individual education plans so that the partnership between home and school can make an even bigger impact on pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Reports to parents on pupils’ progress are satisfactory and cover all subjects of the National Curriculum. Clear information is provided including test results in English, mathematics and science and what pupils have learned. A number of parents feel they would like more information about their child’s progress. The school provides opportunities for parents to formally discuss their child’s progress and encourages parents to approach the school should they have any concerns about their child’s academic or social development. The information that the school provides about children’s progress is broadly satisfactory but pupils’ reports do not always contain any targets for improvement to assist parents in helping children at home nor any encouragement for them to write their comments. The school is aware of this and is looking at ways to improve reports so that they provide parents with more helpful

p.27

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

information. The prospectus meets the statutory requirements and contains very helpful information for parents about organisation, the curriculum and ways in which they can help their children at home.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The leadership and management of the school by the headteacher and key staff are satisfactory overall. The present headteacher is providing good leadership. She joined the school just less than one year ago, and quickly realised that not all the key issues for the previous inspection had been fully tackled. She also identified other areas that needed urgent improvement, for example, no formal systems were in place for monitoring the work of the school. She has worked very hard to tackle this situation but the recency of the strategies and procedures that she has put in place means that they have not as yet had sufficient time to have their maximum impact on helping to improve the quality of education that the school provides. She has a clear and accurate vision for the improvement of the school and is well supported by the Governing Body and increasingly by members of staff in her desire and commitment to move the school

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The management of the school provided by the headteacher is good. The headteacher has sought to delegate specific responsibilities to the deputy headteacher and to ensure that he plays a more active role in monitoring and evaluating the work of the school and in fulfilling his management responsibilities in an effective manner to assist the headteacher in her determined approach to move the school forward and to further improve standards. The headteacher has extended the role of the senior management team to include two other members of staff. The size of the team is large for a school of this size but the key stage co-ordinators are proving to be an effective force in helping lead and manage the school because it is in this forum that the headteacher discusses issues pertinent to school development before the issues are discussed in greater detail at full staff meetings and then become embedded in school practice.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The headteacher has put in place a very clear and accurate agenda for school improvement. Improvement since the last inspection is, therefore, judged to be satisfactory. In terms of the specific areas identified for improvement at the last inspection the provision that is made for pupils in information and communication Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 28 technology and design and technology has improved. The headteacher has ensured that the quality of school development planning has improved and the governors are becoming increasingly aware of the need to ensure that they hold the school to account for the quality of education that the school provides. Work still needs to be done in the areas of target setting, data analysis, challenge for the highest attainers and the role of curriculum co-ordinators in monitoring teaching and learning. All of these issues are identified priorities in the school development plan. Taking a wider picture, evidence

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

indicates that many of the strengths identified at the last inspection have been maintained and that standards in English, mathematics and science have either been maintained or improved. The leadership provided by the headteacher indicates that the school is now in a good position to continue the cycle of development and improvement.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher has sought to instigate effective procedures for analysing test and assessment data so that the information can be used to have the biggest impact on helping to raise standards. The school plans to use the information to set targets for individual pupils, for small groups of pupils and year groups and to ensure that all pupils are achieving well in relation to their prior attainment. By doing this, the school intends to target support where it is needed the most and to ensure that pupils are more actively involved in setting their own targets and that curriculum leaders play a more active role in the whole process of target setting. Inspection evidence indicates that the school sets challenging targets for literacy and numeracy. However, as data analysis and target setting become more refined and rigorous, the school recognises the need to set more challenging and demanding targets for the percentage of pupils expected to

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

exceed the level expected of 11-year-olds.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The headteacher has carried out a number of lesson observations, instigated work scrutinies and monitors teachers’ planning on a regular basis. These procedures have resulted in some improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, whilst recognising that there is still scope for further improvements. Since her appointment, the headteacher has worked hard to develop the role of subject co-ordinator and has accurately identified the need to ensure that co-ordinators receive appropriate training to help them become more effective in monitoring teaching and learning. Each co- ordinator has spent time with her reviewing their role and she has provided subject co- ordinators with a clear idea of what they are expected to do. However, as yet, the co- ordinators’ role is not sufficiently developed to have the maximum impact on helping to raise standards and improve the quality of teaching. Not all co-ordinators have a clear

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

enough grasp of standards and the quality of teaching and learning in subjects for which they are responsible. Whilst subject co-ordinators do look at planning, they are not yet linking it directly to the quality of the pupils’ work. The monitoring of teaching has been introduced cautiously over the past year so that teachers can feel part of the process but overall monitoring of teaching is not yet sufficiently rigorous for it to be effective in raising the quality of teaching and learning in the school. This is an area for improvement in the school development plan.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Leadership and management of special educational needs is satisfactory, although the co-ordinator does not have a direct teaching remit for working with pupils with special educational needs or for monitoring the work of colleagues. Funds allocated to special needs are used in an appropriate manner to enhance pupils’ learning and support staff are managed in an effective manner to help provide a valued contribution to pupils’ learning. There is a satisfactory policy for special educational needs which is due for review and there is a named governor with responsibility for this aspect of the school’s work. The governors have more recently become more involved in monitoring the quality of special educational needs provision. The school provides a satisfactory level Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 29 of resources and staffing to meet the needs of this very small group of pupils. The

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

management of provision for pupils for whom English is an additional language is satisfactory and helps to ensure that pupils receive full access to all aspects of the curriculum.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Staff and the Governing Body are all involved in writing the school improvement plan and reviewing the progress made against it. Staff and governors have an annual meeting when they have the opportunity to discuss the plan and feed in their ideas. The school now has a well thought out three-year improvement plan with clearly stated objectives, costing and clear criteria to judge success. It reflects many of the areas that the headteacher has identified for improvement and indeed reflects many of the findings of the inspection. This clearly indicates that the headteacher has a very good grasp of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and these have been articulated in the school improvement plan. The plan is expanding to include developments for each subject that have been identified by the co-ordinator. This is a new and welcome innovation and co-ordinators are beginning to state precisely what needs to be tackled

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

to secure improvements in subjects for which they are responsible.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The role of the Governing Body has improved since the last inspection and it now operates in a satisfactory and appropriate manner. Governors are hard working and supportive of the school and fulfil all of their statutory duties. They share the headteacher’s vision for how the school should develop in the future. The finance committee has supported the headteacher in her review of the budget and carefully oversees spending. Governors are becoming increasingly aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school as a result of the information they are given by the headteacher, their increasing involvement in the school improvement plan and the adoption of a curriculum area by individual governors. They are keen to be further involved in monitoring of the work of the school and this is planned by the headteacher. The school has successfully introduced performance management for teachers. The headteacher constantly seeks to ensure that appropriate opportunities are provided for

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the professional development of both the teaching and non-teaching staff and there is a clear balance struck between the training needs of individuals and the identified priorities of the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The day-to-day administration of the school is good and financial management is appropriate. Educational priorities are carefully supported through the school’s financial planning. Satisfactory use is made of new technology and a new software system is about to be introduced to make financial management more efficient. The school has recently had an audit report and the school has responded quickly to the issues raised. The carry forward figure is currently nearly 12% of the school’s turnover, which is higher than the recommended figure of 5%. The headteacher and governors are aware of this and money is already earmarked to improve resources in library provision, information and communication technology and for resources in the Foundation Stage. The finance committee of the Governing Body meets on a regular basis and plays an important and active role in setting and monitoring the budget. The school pays

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

appropriate attention to longer as well as short term financial planning. The headteacher and governors are keen to evaluate the impact on standards and learning of major spending decisions, such as increases in the number of computers. The headteacher shows a secure awareness of the principles of best value when purchasing goods and services, whether this be ‘buy back’ packages from the Local Education Authority or improvements in buildings or resources. The cost of all items purchased is checked and a Governing Body committee has been set up to thoroughly to review all service agreements. This has already resulted in a saving on ground maintenance. Specific grants received by the school are all being spent on the correct Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 30 areas and the school makes satisfactory use of all available resources. Taking into account the standards achieved, the quality of teaching and learning and the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

expenditure per child, the school is providing satisfactory value for money.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school is adequately staffed with a sufficient number of experienced teachers who are suitably qualified to teach the National Curriculum. Since the last inspection there have been considerable changes in staffing with the appointment of a new headteacher and co-ordinator for special educational needs. All teachers have the responsibility for a class with two teachers job sharing in the Reception Class. There are a good number of learning support assistants to support groups and individual pupils in classrooms. Support assistants work closely with teachers and help with planning activities. Satisfactory arrangements are made for the induction and support of new staff. The efficiency of the administrator, caretaker and lunchtime supervisors all ensure the effective day-to-day running of the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Accommodation is satisfactory and well maintained. In all classrooms and central areas colourful and attractive displays of pupils’ work, pictures and artefacts create an interesting and stimulating learning environment. The school is limited by its poor library provision. The current organisation of bookshelves in central areas is not encouraging to pupils to browse and undertake quiet independent research. Recent improvements to storage facilities in the hall have now helped the shortage of physical education equipment. The large hall provides a good amount of space for physical education, assemblies and for dining. The outside hard and grassed play facilities are good, and a recent extension to the hard play area has provided the school with good additional space. The large sports field, which is shared with the community and is adjacent to the school, is a very good facility. The pond and conservation area are well used as a

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

learning resource. The secure outdoor play area for the youngest children is unsatisfactory and provides insufficient space for the number on roll.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Overall, learning resources to support the curriculum are satisfactory. In the Foundation Stage, resources in the imaginative play area are limited both in terms of quantity and quality, but a satisfactory range of outdoor toys and apparatus has recently been purchased. The shortage of good quality reference books in classrooms and the poor library provision restricts the curriculum and the opportunity for pupils to develop good independent research skills. Resources for mathematics, science, information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, history, geography and music are satisfactory. Since the last inspection the school has increased its provision of computers and all classrooms are equipped with multi-media computers and printers. Whilst resources in religious education and physical education are satisfactory overall, the school has a good range of artefacts for the teaching of other

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

faiths in religious education and the provision of games equipment for the teaching of physical education is good. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 31

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

61. In order to improve standards and the quality of education that the school provides the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.31

consistently challenging and demanding so that they constantly achieve

and attain at the level of which they are capable. (paragraphs 2, 6, 10, 17, 18, 51, 65, 82, 96, 99, 105, 108, 111, 112, 121)

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and for tracking pupils’ progress by:

• ensuring that the analysis of test and assessment data in English, mathematics, science and from baseline assessments is used in a rigorous manner to track pupils’ progress by gender, year group, and by groups and to set appropriate and challenging targets for individual pupils to achieve; (paragraphs 43, 51) • developing appropriate procedures to assess and track pupils’ progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science; (paragraphs 118, 124, 136, 141, 147, 152, 158) • developing annotated and levelled portfolios of pupils’ work that provide an accurate guide for teachers and pupils as to what is needed to achieve a particular level; (paragraph 43) • providing opportunities for pupils to play a more active role in setting their own targets for improvement; (paragraph 24) • ensuring that the marking of pupils’ work is consistently used to outline to pupils what they need to do to improve or why a particular piece of work is of a

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and for tracking pupils’ progress by:

good standard; (paragraphs 24, 93, 111, 128, 135) • making sure that subject co-ordinators become more involved in test and assessment data analysis so that they can accurately set targets for improvements in the for which they are responsible. (paragraphs 43, 51, 52, 95, 104, 112) Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 32

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3) improve and enhance pupils’ personal development by:

• providing more consistent opportunities for pupils to take part in and set up investigative and problem solving activities in mathematics and science; (paragraphs 3, 5, 15, 20, 96, 108, 111) • providing more opportunities for them to take initiative and responsibility in their learning and in tasks to promote the life of the school as a community; (paragraphs 15, 34, 92, 111) • providing more opportunities for pupils to undertake personal study and research. (paragraphs 15, 24, 59, 60, 95, 129, 132)

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they have the maximum impact on helping to raise standards by:

• ensuring that all members of the senior management team and subject co- ordinators are provided with appropriate opportunities to monitor teaching and learning across the school, so that the good practice can be disseminated and areas for improvement tackled; • the regular and rigorous scrutiny of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning. (paragraph 53, 104, 112, 118, 136, 158)

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they have the maximum impact on helping to raise standards by:

In addition the school should consider including the following minor weaknesses in the action plan:

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they have the maximum impact on helping to raise standards by:

• ensure that all elements of history and geography continue to be taught in sufficient depth; (paragraphs 9, 17, 22, 26, 125, 131) • improve resources in English and in the Foundation Stage. (paragraphs 57, 60, 67, 95) Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 33

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 30

p.33

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one two percentage points.

p.33

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 204

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR- Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 26

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 19

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 13

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Attendance

% % Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 34 School data 4.3 School data 0.0

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 35

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 14 17 31

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 17 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 94(96) 100(100) 100(100) at NC level 2 or above National 84(83) 86(84) 91(90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 97(96) 97(100) 94(96) at NC level 2 or above National 85(84) 89(88) 89(88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 19 15 34

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 14 14 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 14 14 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 82(85) 82(70) 91(85) at NC level 4 or above National 75(75) 71(72) 87(85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 16 16 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 14 15 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 88(89) 91(81) 94(81) at NC level 4 or above National 72(70) 74(72) 82(79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 36

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 3 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.0 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total income 367,613

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 351,869

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 103 Expenditure per pupil 1,692

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 27,828

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 43,572

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.2

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 37

p.36

Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

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Questionnaire return rate

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

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Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 57 39 3 0 1

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Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 46 6 6 1

p.37

Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 50 8 3 0

p.37

Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 40 46 14 0 0

p.37

Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 73 23 0 1 3

p.37

Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 29 3 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 49 42 6 0 3

p.37

Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 43 47 4 1 5

p.37

Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 58 37 4 0 1

p.37

Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 45 34 14 1 6 Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 38

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is provided in the reception class and is satisfactory overall. The school has successfully switched to planning the curriculum in line with the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals and all areas of the curriculum are covered although there is less emphasis on personal, social and emotional development and creative activities. Children of all abilities make satisfactory progress overall during their time in the Foundation Stage. Progress is good in communication, language and literacy and satisfactory in all other areas of learning although progress in children’s personal, social and emotional development and creative development is not as secure as in other areas of learning. Whilst children with special educational needs are not formally identified in reception class, satisfactory support is offered to children who require extra help. As a result, these children make

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

satisfactory progress throughout their time in the Foundation Stage. There are currently no children with English as additional language in the reception class. By the end of their time in the Foundation Stage the vast majority of children have achieved and in most instances exceeded the early learning goals. The children are appropriately prepared for the demands of the National Curriculum when they start work in Year 1. Standards have been maintained since the time of the last inspection.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. The reception class teacher changed to part-time teaching in January 2002 after the Governing Body had agreed to her request to work for three days each week. As a result, there is now a job share with another teacher who teaches for the other two days. There is no overlap of time during the week when the teachers can meet to discuss provision and the progress of children. However the headteacher is in the process of addressing this issue so that the provision that is made has a greater impact on the quality of children’s learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. When children join the reception class, most are attaining at levels above what is expected for their age, and some have very good language and literacy skills. Whilst there is a broad range of attainment on entry to the class only a small number of children are attaining below the level expected for children of this age. Nearly all of the children have benefited from pre-school education at local nurseries and play groups.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. Planning is based on the Local Education Authority scheme of work which takes full account of the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals and ensures that all the key areas of learning are covered in sufficient detail. Good use is made of a variety of half termly topics, which are linked well to these areas of learning. The organisation for each day is clearly shown in the weekly plans produced by the teachers, who make some adjustments to these on a daily basis as necessary, based on an informal evaluation of how much the children have learned. The timetable places sufficient emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills. The roles of the nursery nurse and parent helpers are clearly stated in the planning and both make a positive contribution to how well children learn. However the overall planning does not consistently take enough account of the high ability of some children in the class and there are times when these

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

children are not sufficiently challenged.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. The assessment of children’s progress is underdeveloped and is not yet fully feeding into planning and having its maximum impact on helping to really push on children’s learning and achievement. The information that is gained from initial and ongoing assessments is not consistently used to guide and inform planning or to consistently Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 39 help to plan the next steps in children’s learning. When the information is used, for example in the development of children’s language or mathematical skills, there is an improvement in the level of performance and in how well children learn.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. Learning resources for the Foundation Stage, although satisfactory overall, have some deficiencies which adversely impact on children’s learning. The main problem is that some resources are old or have missing parts and do not provide an attractive or stimulating resource for children. Although the school has a sufficient number of tricycles and scooters the outside play area is small and not suitable for any large climbing apparatus. There is an attractive ‘Swiss Chalet’, but the play equipment does not do justice to the accommodation. The school has recognised that there is a shortage of resources and money has already been earmarked to improve both the quantity and quality of resources.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall with some good elements. There is a particular strength in the teaching of communication, language and literacy, which results in the children making good progress in this area of learning. Teaching in all other areas of learning is satisfactory overall although there are some areas for development.

p.39

Personal, social and emotional development

69. Children of all abilities make satisfactory progress and most children attain the early learning goals in this area of learning by the time they start in Year 1. Teaching is satisfactory overall with some areas for improvement. The children in reception class have good attitudes to learning and are keen to come to school. They settle quickly for the morning session, although this takes a little longer in the afternoons. Registration is taken quietly and efficiently and provides a good start to the day.

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Personal, social and emotional development

70. The children enjoy listening to stories and discussing them. However the teachers have not established clear enough rules about how the children should participate in class discussion and this sometimes results in some children not always listening to or valuing the contributions of their classmates. Teachers do try to correct this but at times there is not a high enough expectation of children’s behaviour. When the teaching is more effective clear and precise expectations are made known to children and this results in improved levels of courtesy, respect and behaviour.

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Personal, social and emotional development

71. The children play well in activities supervised by the teacher, nursery nurse or parent helpers. However when left to play in unsupervised groups some children do not stay on task but do so immediately when expectations and requirements are made clear to them. Most of the children are able to change for physical education and have learnt to pile their clothes tidily. They work successfully in group work in physical activities in the school hall. Some good activities are planned to help the children’s personal development. For example the children will be visiting an allotment later in the term to see how it is cared for. Teaching is more effective when good use is made of class discussion about feelings and the impact of actions on others, and children are beginning to benefit from this. Another area for development in teaching is the need to ensure that a greater onus is put on children to tidy up resources at the end of a

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Personal, social and emotional development

session. Again when teaching demands this children are compliant. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 40

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Communication, language and literacy

72. Children of all abilities generally make good progress, although there are occasions when the work for the higher attaining children could be more demanding. Teaching however is usually of a good standard and by the end of their time in the Foundation Stage attainment in this area of learning is above the expected level with children’s attainment well above average in their phonic knowledge and reading.

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Communication, language and literacy

73. Many of the children are articulate and communicate well. The good quality of teaching ensures that children answer questions in full sentences and are clear in their meaning. Listening skills are not so well developed however as the children are often so keen to make their point that they do not always listen carefully enough to the views of others. The role-play in the ‘garden centre’ is effective when the children are supervised by an adult who extends and enhances children’s creative and expressive vocabulary. Children respond well when the teacher reads them ‘Jasper’s Beanstalk’. They are eager and able to recall the story so far, and skilful questioning encourages children to try and predict what will happen next. The use of this story by the teacher links well to the ongoing class topic on growth.

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Communication, language and literacy

74. Letter sounds are well taught although too little account is taken of the previous knowledge of the highest attaining children. Opportunities are taken to teach and reinforce single and double letter sounds at every opportunity. Handwriting and phonics are well linked with the shape, name and sound of letters taught together. Most children form individual letters accurately.

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Communication, language and literacy

75. The children’s knowledge of letter sounds is well used in their reading and writing. Standards of reading are high with some children able to read with expression, and able to work out words using a combination of their knowledge of letter sounds, whole words, the context of the word and the pictures in the book. All the children understand that a book gives them information or tells them a story. The children are directly taught how to form letters and as a result many write their own names and many are able to write recognisable words. The teachers are good at encouraging the children to put words down on paper. Children use their writing skills well when recording their weekly news and when following up work on the topics.

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Mathematical development

76. Children of all abilities make satisfactory progress in their mathematical development and nearly all have reached and in many instances exceeded the recommended Early Learning Goals by the end of reception class. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and is strongest when opportunities are provided for the higher attaining children to learn through practical and investigative tasks as well as more formal ones. This good practice is not as regular as it could be. The teachers introduce new ideas well to the whole class and target questions appropriately to individual children of different abilities. The snack time is used as an opportunity to sing number songs Teachers are good at bringing elements of the topic ‘growth’ into mathematics for example using seeds to count with and bunching a certain number of flowers together.

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Mathematical development

77. The children form individual numbers although there is a still a tendency to reverse numbers which is not always picked up on. The children are good at checking against the numbers on the line hung across their class. Most are confident at counting to 10 and many are able to think of the different ways of making 10. About a quarter of the class handle numbers confidently up to 20. A small group is able to work with larger numbers and add two digit numbers in their head. The children understand the principal Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 41 of subtraction and count forwards and backwards and benefit when the teaching encourages them to explore larger numbers. They name simple two-dimensional shapes and draw them in their books. The children are beginning to learn how to tell the time and most of the class recognise time to the hour. Children have a satisfactory understanding of mathematical vocabulary such as ‘more than’ and ‘less than’.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

78. Most children come in to reception class with a good knowledge and understanding of the world. The satisfactory quality of teaching ensures that children of all abilities make satisfactory progress and attainment exceeds the early learning goals in this area of learning by the time that children start work in Year 1. Teachers extend children’s knowledge and understanding of the world through a good range of topics that includes areas such as ‘’ourselves,’’ ‘’ toys’’ and the current - topic ‘’change/growth.’’ During the inspection the teacher introduced the idea of growing a sunflower from a seed well with good questioning. Nearly all the children realise that the seed will grow best in compost, but the teacher plants seeds in sand, in stone, without water and without light so that the children can compare the outcomes in a few weeks time.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

79. In the topic on ‘’ourselves,’’ the children successfully contrast what they could do as a baby compared to now. Good use is made of photographs as part of the topic when comparing photographs of them as babies with digital photographs of themselves they have taken and produced in school. The topic includes a reference to where they live. This contributes well to the children’s self-awareness and understanding of chronology. The birthday tree links well to the four seasons so that the children are aware in which season they were born. They are able to compare materials and describe them as smooth, rough, bumpy or fluffy and to choose the best material for teddy’s umbrella. The children use the computer well. They guide the mouse successfully and, using a suitable program, they produce some quite intricate pictures of a fruit bowl. Some name the parts of a computer. Teaching and learning in religious education are

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

satisfactory and meet the statutory requirements for children of this age.

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Physical Development

80. Children of all abilities make satisfactory progress in the physical area of learning and achieve the early learning goals. There is a satisfactory standard of teaching and learning. The lack of a large enough outside play area for children to have access to climbing apparatus places some limitation on the children’s development. This was also noted at the last inspection. However the children are occasionally taken to the nearby park where there is a more suitable play area.

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Physical Development

81. The satisfactory quality of teaching ensures that plenty of opportunities are offered for children to use their fine motor skills when cutting out pictures and paper petals for leaves. Children make hat collages and stick different types of materials in their topic books. Whilst most children hold a pencil or crayon correctly, they take too little time over colouring and often colour over lines which reduces the quality of their finished work.

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Physical Development

82. In physical development lessons in the hall, most pupils display good co-ordination. They work in groups and travel around, along and over a wide range of apparatus. They move backwards, forwards and sideways. During the inspection, limited intervention from the teacher meant that the activity was not extended to provide more challenge for the higher attaining children. There was some opportunity for the children to observe Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 42 other children working well and this gave them the opportunity to evaluate the performance of the others and see how they might improve their own work.

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Creative development

83. Children of all abilities make satisfactory progress in this area of learning and most reach the expected standard by the time that they transfer to Year 1. However, too few opportunities to really extend learning are offered to the higher attaining children. Teaching in this area of learning is satisfactory overall. Few opportunities for creative development were observed during the inspection.

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Creative development

84. Children are encouraged to select different coloured papers to make flowers for the garden centre, and those painting tulips have to mix colours as they are only given red, yellow and blue. Art displays show a satisfactory range of examples of printing work, drawings of teddy bears, an assortment of patterns and a hat collage. Children use the drawing program on the computer well to create colourful fruit baskets. Whilst music is planned to be taught at the end of the week, it is only included at other times when songs are used to introduce a lesson and to calm the children down. Musical instruments are not available at times other than timetabled music lessons and this prevents children from further developing their creative skills, particularly for higher attaining children who have particular musical strengths.

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ENGLISH

85. Attainment on the basis of the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 in 2001 is well above average in reading and writing when compared to all schools nationally. When the school’s performance is compared to similar schools attainment is well above average in reading and above average in writing. Inspection findings show that attainment at the end of Year 2 is above average overall with attainment in reading well above average. On the basis of the National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 6 in 2001, attainment was well above the national average and above average when compared to similar schools. Attainment in writing was not as strong as reading. Inspection findings show that attainment is currently above average overall with attainment in reading well above average. Standards have improved since the time of the last inspection in Year 2 and have been maintained at the end of Year 6. The

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satisfactory quality of teaching ensures that pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress overall, with pupils in Years 4 and 5 making good progress because of the good quality of teaching. Pupils for whom English is an additional language make similar strides in their learning to classmates.

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86. Throughout the school, speaking and listening skills are better than those generally achieved by primary school pupils. They reflect pupils’ positive behaviour and attitudes to their work. Pupils know why it is important for only one person to speak at once, so they listen carefully when teachers read, explain and tell them what to do. They are generally good at listening to one other. For example, in a Year 1 design and technology lesson, pupils quickly accessed the correct materials and resources for their group task. This was because they listened carefully to each part of the teacher’s explanation. Occasionally some of the younger pupils at Key Stage 2 do not follow the normal courtesies in question and answer sessions and valuable contributions are not heard or recognised.

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ENGLISH

87. By the end of Year 2 most pupils are very confident when saying what they notice, think, remember and want to know. Teachers use the correct technical words and they Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 43 encourage the pupils to use them in English and in other subjects. This leads to pupils’ effective learning. For example, Year 2 pupils explain the terms glossary, index and contents when discussing their reading books. Older pupils accurately retell what they learn. For example, pupils in Year 6 were very articulate when engaged in discussions about their choice of books. One pupil had selected ‘The Three Musketeers’ because it was a literary classic. The pupil could also exemplify salient features of many other well-known books, including the works of J.R. Tolkein. Other pupils were keen to discuss the standard of their work and explain how the tasks being done were preparing them for their end of year tests. In a Year 5 lesson, opportunities for drama

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enhanced the pupils’ skills and confidence when they interpreted a script and performed in front of an audience. Pupils were expected to respond thoughtfully to the question posed by the teacher about the quality of their work and this sharpened their concentration and so improved the quality of their learning.

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88. Pupils’ attain very good standards in reading by end of Year 2. Pupils read storybooks aloud and with a high level of understanding and expression and very much like talking about what they have noticed in the stories. Pupils have a good knowledge of letter sounds and other reading strategies which they use to good effect when tackling unfamiliar words or phrases. Most pupils know how to use simple indexes and contents pages to find facts in information books.

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89. By the end of Year 6 pupils continue to attain reading standards that are well above those expected for pupils of this age. They use a very good range of strategies in their reading to establish meaning and are developing confidence to express opinions and discuss their books. Pupils read with great expression and confidence and many have tremendous interest in reading. Generally pupils read very fluently and with understanding and retell a story in great detail and with a good degree of accuracy. The vast majority have a genuine love of books and literature, although a minority of boys, who are less competent readers, show less enthusiasm for reading. The pupils are using techniques such as skimming and scanning to locate information quickly but even more could be done to further pupils’ ability to read and understand beyond the literal level and to pick up nuances in text through deduction and inference.

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90. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain standards in writing that are above those found in most schools. There is evidence that standards are continuing to rise. This is borne out by good quality work in Year 1. By the end of Year 2 most pupils write readable sentences with capital letters and full stops. Higher attaining pupils use complex sentences. For example, a pupil wrote ‘Like Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy is never seen, her visits are like whispers.’ Teachers provide a range of writing experiences, including information and imaginative work. Handwriting is well formed and most words are spelled correctly. Pupils are developing their skills in using cursive script.

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91. Year 6 pupils attain standards in writing that are above those expected for pupils of this age. The higher attainers, approximately 30 per cent, attain above nationally expected standards and their writing is of a high standard. Pupils use a wide range of forms of writing such as stories, letters, poems, reports and notes. Spelling, punctuation and handwriting standards are good for many. Pupils spell and punctuate correctly in exercises, but sometimes tend to forget in longer pieces of writing. A significant number of pupils have a real interest in writing. There are several examples of good quality of writing, including work related to their studies of a range of literature, including ’’Adrian Mole,’’ ‘’The Railway Children’’ and ‘’The Pied Piper of Hamelin.’’ The progress pupils make is satisfactory but could be better if more opportunities were provided for pupils to spend more time drafting and redrafting their ideas and for pupils to be directly

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taught and reminded of the different features and criteria of different formats of writing Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 44 such as chronological texts or persuasive writing. Teachers make some use of other subjects to develop pupils’ literacy skills, but on occasions opportunities are missed and this prevents learning from being stronger. Again good examples were observed of computers being used to support and enhance pupils’ learning but this good practice is not as consistent across the school as it could be.

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ENGLISH

92. Pupils generally have positive attitudes to learning and the majority are keen to do well. Behaviour within lessons is usually good and when the quality of teaching maintains a high level of pupil interest and motivation the pupils respond in a very positive manner. Although many pupils listen to and value the contributions of others, a small number do not show this level of respect and sometimes miss important and telling contributions. The headteacher has accurately identified the need to more actively involve pupils in setting their own targets for improvement and for pupils to take a greater level of initiative and responsibility for their own learning. The overall good quality of attitudes, behaviour and responses impact positively on the quality of learning.

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93. The quality of teaching English is satisfactory. Better lessons were seen during the inspection in Years 4 and 5, where the teaching was good. In these lessons the teachers’ close relationships with their classes encourage thoughtful speech and listening. Teachers’ good knowledge of books, language and the best teaching methods enable them to use skilled questioning in class. This improves pupils’ understanding. Pupils try to copy their teachers’ expressive speech, reading and writing, and so improve their own. For example, in the Year 5 lesson the teacher’s charismatic story telling skills enthralled the pupils and captivated their imagination which enabled them to generate some imaginative vocabulary to enrich their own writing. Pupils pick up teachers’ enjoyment of books too, at an important stage in their own reading development. The quick pace of these lessons keeps all pupils interested. Conversely there are occasions when lessons lack a real sense of pace or the tasks

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that are set for the highest attaining pupils are not demanding enough. Support staff make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning when pupils need help and support. Better use could be made of this support during the introductions to lessons. A weakness in some lessons at both key stages is that teachers do not always use the sessions at the start and end of lessons to either recap on pupils’ previous learning or to assess what has been learnt within a lesson. This prevents teachers from identifying if there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge or in identifying what they need to do next to really push on and extend pupils’ learning. Reading skills are taught well across the school and the school has placed an increasing emphasis on the systematic and progressive direct teaching of writing skills and this is having a positive impact on standards. Although there are some good examples of the marking of pupils’ work being used as

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an opportunity to outline what is needed to improve or making known why a piece of work is good, this good practice is not widespread or consistent across the school.

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94. Support for pupils who have special educational needs is good. This ensures that pupils with special needs who lack confidence to acquire new skills and knowledge in reading and writing feel secure in the learning environment and thus make at least satisfactory and on occasions good progress. Staff plan the work for these pupils carefully. Pupils receive effective support from specialist classroom staff, but in some instances teachers are not making enough use of pupils’ individual education plans to plan work that accurately matches the needs of pupils. The support for pupils for whom English is an additional language is good and helps to ensure that they progress at a similar rate to their classmates.

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95. The role of the subject co-ordinator is insufficiently developed to have a significant impact on helping to raise standards or to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 45 Although the headteacher has carried out lesson observations, opportunities for the co- ordinator to monitor the quality of teaching and learning have been limited, either through direct observation or through the monitoring of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning. As a consequence she does not have a secure grasp of the strengths and weaknesses in provision, teaching and attainment and leadership is not at a satisfactory level. The school is already addressing the issue and plans are in hand for a more rigorous approach to monitoring. The headteacher has started to analyse test and assessment data but there is a need for the co-ordinator to be more actively involved in this process, and for there to be a more rigorous approach to target setting.

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ENGLISH

The co-ordinator is aware of the need to develop levelled and moderated portfolios of pupils’ work so that both teachers and pupils can be made more aware of precisely what is needed to attain different levels. The quality of the school’s library provision and reference books is unsatisfactory and this impacts adversely on pupils’ ability to carry out personal study and research. The school has already allocated money to ensure that the quality of resources improves, although the quality of books within classrooms to support the literacy teaching are of an appropriate standard both in terms of quantity and quality.

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MATHEMATICS

96. Inspection findings show that standards achieved by pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6 are well above average. This matches the National Curriculum test results for 2001 for pupils in Year 6 which showed standards to be well above the national average and above average when compared to similar schools. The results of the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 in 2001 showed attainment to be above average when compared to all schools and average when compared to similar schools. The emphasis that the school places on the development of pupils’ numeracy skills together with the higher natural ability levels of the present Year 2 pupils explains the difference between the inspection findings and test results. There has been satisfactory improvement overall since the last inspection. Arithmetic skills are strong in both key stages, due to the emphasis on teaching this area of mathematics. However, the

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MATHEMATICS

application of these skills is less well developed, particularly in Year 6 where opportunities for problem-solving and investigative work are limited and the work that is set for the highest attaining pupils is not consistently at a challenging or demanding enough level.

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MATHEMATICS

97. The progress that is made overall for pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs is satisfactory. Progress in Years 4 and 5 is good because teaching is of a consistently good standard. Progress within lessons in other year groups is sometimes of a good standard when the quality of teaching ensures that pupils of all abilities make good strides in their learning. Pupils for whom English is a second language are well supported by a bilingual assistant for some lessons and by the classteacher and other pupils, and they achieve at a similar rate to their classmates.

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MATHEMATICS

98. By the end of Year 2 all pupils have a good understanding of place value up to 100 and are confident when adding numbers to 20 in their heads. They understand the process of multiplication as repeated addition and can solve division sums practically. Pupils show a good understanding of the processes of addition and subtraction as they solve puzzles by moving along the rows and columns of the 100-square. The higher attaining pupils explain that moving left or upwards is related to subtraction, whilst lower attaining pupils complete a pattern of adding 10. Presentation of pupils’ work is sometimes inhibited by the use of workbooks and this also restricts the development of written methods for addition and subtraction. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 46 99. By the end of Year 6 most pupils have a very good understanding of place value with numbers up to a million and understand the effect of multiplying or dividing by 10 and

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MATHEMATICS

100. Pupils are confident in multiplying large numbers by a single digit and most pupils are beginning to use a variety of methods for solving long multiplication. They recognise the relationship between decimals, fractions and percentages and use cancelling to reduce fractions to their simplest form. Regular practice and mental tests enable pupils to reach a high level of arithmetic skills, however, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to apply their skills in solving problems or in more open ended investigational work. Consequently there are occasions when there is insufficient challenge for the highest attaining pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

100. By the end of Year 2, pupils name and identify most common two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and have a good understanding of the related vocabulary. They instruct the programmable robot to turn through a right angle to make a square. They have good opportunities to use a range of measurements, including litres and metres and tell the time using both digital and analogue clocks. They display their work using different graphs for example organising multiples of 2 and 5 in a Venn diagram.

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MATHEMATICS

101. By the end of Year 6 most pupils have a good understanding of the properties of shapes and work out the area of rectangles using formulae. They draw and measure angles with accuracy and know the appropriate units of measurement. Most pupils understand the meaning of terms such as mode, range and frequency and accurately carry out the related calculations. Pupils use information to complete a good range of graphs and higher attaining pupils produce a line graph to display distance, journey times and speed in kilometres per hour. Most pupils have a good understanding of the concept of probability and confidently use the appropriate terminology to describe their observations.

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MATHEMATICS

102. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory throughout the school and during the inspection some very good teaching was observed in Year 2 and Year 5. Teaching is of a good standard over time in Years 4 and 5 which impacts positively on how well pupils learn. In the best lessons, activities are interesting and challenge the pupils to think for themselves. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 5 were asked to develop questions to produce a “loop” game for mental arithmetic, based on division. This prompted pupils to understand the link between multiplication and division, with appropriate instructions for different groups. Planning for lessons is satisfactory but not all teachers follow the same format. Planning and teaching is effective when learning objectives are clearly stated and work is carefully planned to meet the needs of pupils of different abilities. The introductory mental sessions in many lessons are generally

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MATHEMATICS

brisk, leading to a good improvement in pupils’ arithmetic skills. Explanations of new work to the whole class are generally clear. The time at the end of the lesson is generally used well to check what pupils have learned and this information is then used to guide and inform future planning. In the better lessons, there are good contributions from the pupils to review their own learning, as in Year 4 where pupils evaluate what improvement they have made in the lesson. Where teaching is lively and well paced, pupils respond enthusiastically, as in the opening session of a lesson in Year 3 when pupils were keen to work out what needed to be added to 43 to make 100 and explain their calculations. Pupils are less enthusiastic when the pace is slower and their contributions to discussions are minimal as in Year 6 where pupils are not invited to describe their methods of calculation. Good use is made of simple resources such as

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number lines and squares to help the understanding of younger pupils. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 47 103. The quality of learning in some potentially good lessons is sometimes marred by ineffective classroom management with teachers failing to ensure that they have pupils’ full attention before they or other pupils address the class. Satisfactory use is made of numeracy skills in other subjects, for example in Year 3 pupils use a graph to show their favourite instruments in music and in geography, pupils in Year 5 compare the average temperatures in Nairobi and England. Some use is made of information and communication technology to generate graphs in Year 6 and to practise number skills in Year 4. However, information and communication technology is not yet sufficiently integrated into lessons to support learning on a regular basis. Whilst pupils’ work is marked regularly, this very often consists of ticks or crosses and there is insufficient

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guidance to enable pupils to improve. However, when marking indicates a general problem for some children, the teacher follows this up with the class. This was seen in Year 6 when the teacher worked with a small group of pupils to clarify difficulties experienced in the labelling of a graph.

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104. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has an appropriate grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject and has had some opportunities to monitor teaching of the mental arithmetic element of lessons. The co-ordinator is aware of the need to carry out more systematic monitoring of teaching and learning through lesson observations and scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. This is an identified area for improvement in the school development plan. The headteacher has started to carry out analyses of test and assessment data and the co-ordinator is to become more involved in this process in order to accurately identify areas for improvement and to set up more rigorous procedures for target setting. In addition plans are in hand to more actively involve pupils in setting their own targets for improvement and to establish portfolios of moderated and levelled work.

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These are appropriate areas for development. Resources to support pupils’ learning are satisfactory.

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105. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment on the basis of the end of Key Stage 1 teacher assessments in 2001 is above average overall. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level (Level 2) was close to the national average whilst the percentage of pupils reaching the next higher level (Level 3) was well above the national average. The results of the National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 6 in 2001 show attainment to be at an average level when compared to all schools nationally and below average when compared to similar schools. Inspection findings show that attainment is above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Not enough time has been consistently provided in science to help older pupils’ prepare for the National Curriculum tests or in outlining to pupils what exactly is needed to achieve at a certain level. This goes some way to explaining why over time pupils have achieved better results in English and

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mathematics than in science. The school is currently addressing the issue with attainment now being stronger at the end of Key Stage 2 than last year, although more challenge could be provided for the highest attaining pupils which would impact further on levels of attainment and the progress that pupils make. Progress overall is satisfactory for pupils of all abilities including those pupils with special educational needs. Progress is often good for pupils in years 4 and 5 because of the good quality of teaching over time. The progress made by pupils for whom English is an additional language is similar to that of their classmates. The school has made satisfactory progress in the subject since the time of the last inspection. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 48 106. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ investigative skills are at an expected level. Most pupils observe carefully and make sensible predictions that are based on previous learning.

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The higher attaining pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes a fair test and use their scientific knowledge to try and explain why things happen as they do. Pupils have and use a satisfactory technical vocabulary to explain their work or to express their ideas and findings. Although pupils are sometimes provided with opportunities to record their findings in different formats, there are some missed opportunities for the subject to be used as a vehicle for consolidating and extending pupils’ writing skills.

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107. The strength in the subject is the level of pupils’ scientific knowledge. Pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of what constitutes a healthy diet and healthy living. Pupils are aware of the conditions needed to ensure that plants grow and show a good level of understanding of how differing habitats suit different animals. Pupils have a good understanding of forces and explain why objects move better on some surfaces than others and that sound travels in waves. Pupils explain the difference between the properties of different materials and that materials are either natural or man-made and that one material may be better suited to a particular purpose than another, for example when deciding which material is best suited to make a pet basket. Many pupils know that some materials can be changed permanently through processes such as burning or melting, with the higher attaining pupils explaining the processes of melting, freezing,

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evaporating and condensing. Most pupils are able to construct a simple circuit.

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108. Pupils continue to develop their scientific knowledge at a satisfactory rate at Key Stage 2. By the end of Year 6 pupils have a good knowledge of life processes. Pupils know the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates. Pupils have a good knowledge of different organisms and know and explain terms such as producers, consumers and predators in relation to food chains. Pupils have a good knowledge of the process of evaporation and condensation and are secure in their knowledge of gases, liquids and solids. Pupils know and label the respiratory and circulation systems and know precisely what happens when the body carries out rigorous exercise. Pupils’ knowledge of forces, materials, light and sound is good with many pupils knowing which materials make the best insulators and which make the best conductors. A relative weakness is that not all pupils use this good level of knowledge to help them make accurate

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predictions or explanations when they are carrying out investigative activities. Pupils are not provided with enough opportunities to initiate and organise independent investigations which would challenge the highest attaining pupils and push on their learning even further. There are some good examples of pupils’ writing skills being enhanced through the subject but this good practice is not consistent across the school. During the inspection, some good examples were seen of information and communication technology being used to support pupils’ learning but again there are missed opportunities at both key stages.

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109. Pupils clearly enjoy taking part in science lessons and are particularly interested and motivated when provided with opportunities to take part in investigative tasks. Pupils work well together and are always ready to help out a classmate who might be struggling. Throughout the school pupils handle resources with care and maturity and show a good awareness of health and safety issues. In most instances, pupils behave well and listen with good levels of attentiveness. The good and at times very good attitudes that pupils have, their desire to do well and the good levels of behaviour make an important contribution to pupils’ learning.

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110. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall with features of good practice. Teaching in Years 4 and 5 is often of a good standard and this impacts positively on pupils’ learning Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 49 and on the progress that they make. Teachers have secure subject knowledge which means that topics are explained in such a way that advances pupils’ own knowledge and understanding and enables any misconceptions to be dealt with in an effective manner. Teaching is at its best when opportunities are provided for pupils to learn through investigative activities alongside the systematic development of scientific knowledge. In these instances careful and astute questioning by teachers helps the pupils to use their knowledge to make accurate scientific predictions or to explain why things happen as they do. Good teaching uses an appropriate scientific vocabulary. An example was observed in Year 5 when the pupils followed the teacher’s example and

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by the end of the lesson were confidently discussing food chains using terminology such as prey, predator, producer and omnivores.

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111. Teaching is most effective when attention is paid to pupils’ previous learning and the session at the end of the lesson is used to assess if the learning objectives have been met or exceeded and the information then used to guide and inform future planning. Teaching is less effective when lessons simply do not have enough pace and the highest attaining pupils are not pushed on in their learning. This is sometimes the case for the oldest pupils in school where more demands and expectations need to be placed on these pupils through for example expecting them to instigate their own investigations and to ensure that they use their scientific knowledge to form challenging hypotheses and to put these to the test in their investigative work. There are some good examples of marking of pupils’ work being used to outline what is needed to improve but this good practice is not as consistent across the school as it should be. The

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headteacher has also accurately identified the need to ensure that pupils are more actively involved in setting their own targets for improvement so that they too recognise that they have a responsibility for their own learning.

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112. The co-ordinator has only had responsibility for the subject for a short period of time but has a good grasp of the subject’s strengths and areas for development and leads the subject in an appropriate and satisfactory manner. The co-ordinator has carried out some work scrutiny and has observed learning in every class. The focus of this monitoring has been aimed at assessing and evaluating coverage as opposed to monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. Plans are already in hand to more closely monitor and evaluate teaching and learning and the impact that this is having on attainment. The co-ordinator has started to put together a portfolio of moderated work to help staff to get a good grasp of what precisely is needed in order for pupils to achieve at different levels. Together with the headteacher the co-ordinator has started to analyse test and assessment data and is using the information to set targets for

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SCIENCE

improvement. Both the headteacher and the co-ordinator recognise the need to refine this process further by setting targets for individual pupils, groups of pupils, year groups and closely tracking pupils’ progress in different year groups so that the whole process of target setting has the maximum possible impact on raising standards still further. The co-ordinator has accurately identified the need to ensure that sufficient challenge is consistently provided for the highest attaining pupils and that greater emphasis is placed on developing pupils’ investigative skills. Resources for the subject are satisfactory and pupils’ learning is enhanced by visits to places of scientific interest, by a science festival which the school organises, and by the Life Education caravan which visits the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

113. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils’ work in art and design is in line with national expectations overall, with pupils achieving a good standard in observational drawing. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 50 Standards were judged to be good in the last inspection, and still are in drawing, but planned opportunities for certain elements of curriculum 2000, such as pupils evaluating and improving their own work, are less well developed. Improvement overall since the last inspection is satisfactory. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make satisfactory progress with good progress in drawing through the good teaching of skills. However, the lack of agreed assessment procedures related to National Curriculum levels, means that planning does not take account of how pupils’ performance could be enhanced still further.

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ART AND DESIGN

114. By the age of seven pupils mix colours successfully to illustrate the story of Rainbow Bear, and produce good observational drawings of objects from nature such as flowers and trees. Pupils recognise that by mixing paints or by using pencils of different thickness they can produce different effects. They identify different lines and shapes to create a picture, as when they use art straws to represent the skeleton of a dinosaur on black paper. In connection with their work in geography pupils contribute to a large collage of Read village and the finished product is of a satisfactory standard. Pupils’ knowledge of the work of famous artists is satisfactory. Opportunities for pupils to exercise creativity in producing their own designs are limited.

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ART AND DESIGN

115. By the age of eleven, pupils produce good observational drawings of objects such as trainers using pencils, and of plants using pencil crayons. Pupils use their sketch books well to practise their skills and refer to their books when completing their pictures. They have a good appreciation of colour as they create colour wheels and examine the use of colour in abstract and impressionist paintings. Pupils have the opportunity to examine the work of various artists, such as Monet, Picasso and Seurat, and adapt the styles for use in their own work, for example in the still life pictures of baked bean cans in the style of Andy Warhol. Little evidence was seen of pupils designing their own artefacts or of creative work with textiles. Pupils have the opportunity to use the computer to aid their learning as in using the Internet to research examples of still life or in using a paint program to create self-portraits.

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ART AND DESIGN

116. Pupils have good attitudes to the subject, behave well in lessons and some put a good deal of effort into their work. Pupils are always ready to share resources and to help one another. Pupils show a readiness to listen to and take on board constructive criticisms to help improve their work. Most pupils take a pride in their work and are keen to discuss the processes and techniques that they used. These positive attitudes and the quality of behaviour all help to create an effective learning environment that impacts positively on the progress that pupils make.

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ART AND DESIGN

117. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. The curriculum is planned in a satisfactory manner. Most teachers are enthusiastic about their teaching. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development through the appreciation of work of different artists and through looking at Chinese and African artwork. Much importance is attached to celebrating pupils' achievements by displaying their efforts sensitively and creatively. A successful feature is the effective use of sketchbooks in the direct teaching of drawing skills in Year 3 – Year 6 which impacts positively on pupils’ learning. In a good lesson observed in Year 3, clear and concise teaching enabled pupils to produce effective printing blocks to use in making a rotating pattern. Whilst instructions are generally clearly given teaching does not always ensure that all pupils are listening and so the effectiveness of learning is reduced. The concentration

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ART AND DESIGN

on developing technical skills leads to pupils producing good quality drawings, however, Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 51 planned opportunities for developing creativity through the design process are underdeveloped.

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ART AND DESIGN

118. The co-ordinator has only recently taken over responsibility for the subject and has only had a limited amount of time and opportunity to monitor or evaluate provision and attainment in the subject. Teachers’ planning is monitored but systems for monitoring teaching and learning in class are not yet in place. Plans to carry out a more rigorous programme of monitoring through direct observation of teaching and through scrutiny of pupils’ work are to be instigated when the subject is an identified priority on the school development plan. The co-ordinator has identified the need to put in place procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and tracking their progress as they move through the school. This is an accurate area for development. Resources to support pupils’ learning in the subject are satisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. Standards of pupils’ work at the end of Years 2 and 6 are in line with national expectations. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. Pupils for whom English is an additional language make similar progress to their classmates. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

120. By the end of Year 2 standards are at an expected level. The teaching encourages pupils to create their own designs and to evaluate the success of their ideas. The pupils carry out these aspects in a satisfactory manner. Pupils gain appropriate and secure skills in making choices about which materials they prefer and giving reasons as to their suitability for a purpose. A good example of this was observed during the inspection when pupils were making structures based on their designs for an ideal playground. The specific task entailed pupils in designing and making a swing that could stand up and hold a teddy bear. Some pupils selected ‘Lego’ as their preferred construction material, whilst others chose ‘K’Nex’ or junk modelling materials. Those who selected junk material did so because they felt they could be more creative in the ways they joined the components and adapt them to produce a more creatively

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

designed end product. Pupils have a satisfactory awareness of how to join different materials together. Throughout Years 1 and 2 the standard of pupils’ work, whilst satisfactory, could be even better if teachers had provided more constructive helpful comments when evaluating their work and better records were kept of pupils’ own evaluations and designs.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

121. Pupils continue to make steady progress in Key Stage 2. Pupils handle a range of tools appropriately, work with a range of different materials and have a satisfactory ability to use a range of different fixing and joining methods when joining materials together. When designing slippers or storybooks with moving parts, pupils join and combine the component parts in a satisfactory manner after watching the teachers’ demonstrations. However, some pupils have difficulty in generating innovative and imaginative ideas of their own and in evaluating the finished product critically in order to ensure improvements when they complete their next project. This is a weaker element of their learning. Pupils are aware of the need to plan their designs and, although they are a little simplistic at times, they are nevertheless realistic and the finished products do bear a satisfactory resemblance to the initial design and show a consideration of the

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

end use of the product. Pupils are less secure and confident in how to utilise features such as electrical components, mouldable materials or information and communication technology control in their work and this limits the scope and challenge of their work, Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 52 particularly for the higher attaining pupils.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

122. Pupils enjoy the practical aspects of the subject. They work together safely and sensibly. On the occasions when given the opportunity, older pupils discuss their work objectively, offer and receive help willingly, whilst at the same time being sensitive in how they discuss the work of others in the class. Behaviour within lessons is often good and this together with the positive attitudes that many pupils have makes an important contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

123. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall with some good features and some areas for improvement. Teaching is more effective when pupils are directly taught specific skills, for example to help them to improve cutting and joining techniques, and when they are provided with a wide range of experiences for using different materials and the teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. For example, in Year 3 a range of photographic evidence showed pupils engaged in making picture frames as gifts for Mother’s Day. There was evidence to show how the pupils had planned and discussed their work, gained experience in using tools such as a glue gun and saw. They had also investigated ways to make the frames stand up based on an evaluation of samples of commercially produced frames. Good links to information and communication technology are provided as pupils used a digital camera to create their

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

own photographs for framing. Other opportunities of a similar quality were provided for pupils to make free standing wire models of ‘people in action’, constructing boxes using paper and exploring the merits of construction kits to build stable structures by using a wide base, adding a support and using stronger materials. Teaching is less effective when pupils are not taught the basic skills they require and not enough guidance or support is provided to pupils about how to best improve their work or to congratulate them on their achievements

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

124. Since the last inspection the level of resources for the subject has improved and the school has more recently adopted the QCA guidance document to help teachers plan their lessons. The subject co-ordinator has had few opportunities to monitor teaching and learning in the subject and does not have a good grasp of provision or standards. Leadership and management of the subject have therefore not been effective over time. The school has rightly identified the need to develop the role of co-ordinator further and to ensure that appropriate procedures are put in place to first of all assess and then track pupils’ progress as they move through the school. Resources to support pupils’ learning are satisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

125. Standards in geography are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 overall although a lack of detailed coverage of all aspects of the subject in Key Stage 1 means that attainment is restricted to a narrower band of knowledge and skills. The school has already put in place procedures to address this issue and teaching and learning are currently satisfactory across the school, although evidence suggests that over time both teaching and learning may not have been at this level. The progress that pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, are currently making is satisfactory. Progress for pupils for whom English is an additional language is similar to that of their classmates. This represents a less positive picture from the last inspection when standards were said to be in line at Year 2 and above average at the end of Year 6. This is due to the fact that the school has recently introduced a new

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GEOGRAPHY

scheme to take account of Curriculum 2000. The new curriculum plan shows that all topics will be covered in sufficient depth over time. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 53 126. By the end of Year 2 pupils have looked at their own village and have made a collage map of the main features and use this to compare their village with the town of Burnley and the city of Manchester. Pupils talk appropriately about the advantages and disadvantages of living in a village compared to living in a city. Discussion with pupils shows that they are aware that the hills around them are geographical features and that they differ from the features created by humans. Pupils in Year 1 sketch their favourite place in school and develop an understanding of maps as they visit the playground and look at the arrangement of play equipment. Pupils have an appropriate knowledge of the wider world and have developed simple mapping skills but the weakness is that

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GEOGRAPHY

attainment is within a narrow band and it is often pupils’ own individual experiences that have given them a wider perspective of the world in which they live.

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GEOGRAPHY

127. By the end of Year 6 pupils have developed a good understanding of the environment. They explain the water cycle and pick out major rivers on the world map using their numeracy skills to plot the gradients of different rivers on a line graph. They look at the human features in the local area to see where buildings and roads are planned to avoid flooding. Pupils in Year 5 have looked at the environmental effects of the destruction of parts of the rainforest and also contrast their own village with a village and city in Kenya. Most pupils identify their own village on a map and about half have good map reading skills, enabling them to identify key symbols and features. In discussing the relative merits of a local development, pupils offer sensible opinions and ideas. Opportunities for pupils to use their geographical skills to structure their own questions and conduct their own enquiries and investigations are more limited.

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GEOGRAPHY

128. The pupils' response to the subject throughout the school is good. They listen attentively, ask relevant questions and are keen to learn. Pupils are generally enthusiastic about the subject and are keen to develop a wider knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live. Pupils behave well in lessons and show good levels of concentration. Many pupils are ready to take on board constructive comments to help them improve. There are some good examples of the marking of pupils' work, but there are occasions when teachers do not provide enough guidance to pupils as to what they need to do to improve and this prevents learning from being stronger.

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GEOGRAPHY

129. Teaching and learning are currently satisfactory overall, and some good lessons were observed during the inspection in Year 5 and Year 6. Good stimuli are provided to form the basis for pupils’ discussions, such as a good video comparing life in Africa and England and the reading of an imaginary letter describing a proposal for building houses on a local field. There are suitable planned links with literacy as pupils take notes whilst watching a video and use these to inform their discussions. Good use of questions and appropriate vocabulary, such as ‘’leisure’’ and ‘’stakeholder ‘’encourages good understanding of environmental issues. Lessons sometimes end abruptly without summarising what pupils have discovered. There are insufficient opportunities for younger pupils to record their work individually to help them clarify their thoughts. Learning is enhanced by visits to areas such as Slaidburn, although the wealth of

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GEOGRAPHY

geographical features immediately surrounding the school are not used with sufficient focus to extend the geographical understanding of younger pupils. Information and communication technology is not yet routinely incorporated into lessons to facilitate independent research.

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GEOGRAPHY

130. The leadership and management of the subject have not been effective or satisfactory in helping to raise standards. There have been few opportunities provided for standards of teaching and learning to be monitored across the school although the co-ordinator is Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 54 keen to do this. Areas for development that have been accurately identified are to establish more rigorous procedures for monitoring teaching, learning and attainment and to establish and implement procedures to assess and then set targets for pupils to achieve. Resources for the subject are satisfactory although there is a need to provide more up to date atlases that take account of recent political changes around the world.

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HISTORY

131. Standards are in line with national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. Although pupils of all abilities and pupils for whom English is an additional language are currently making satisfactory progress, progress over time has been less secure because not all elements of the subject have been taught in sufficient depth. Standards have not been maintained since the last inspection.

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HISTORY

132. By the end of Year 2 pupils have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of chronology and how things change over time. Pupils could demonstrate this in Year 1 when they compared pictures of homes when ‘’grandma’’ was young with their own. Past events in British history captured their imagination. In discussion Year 2 talked in a satisfactory manner about work they had covered on the Normans and Saxons. They recalled that soldiers wore chain mail and recalled other facts about well known people of the period. Pupils are developing an early awareness of the fact that there are different sources of evidence that give us information about events in the past. The weaker element is that pupils are less secure in distinguishing between historical fact and opinion and not enough opportunities are provided for pupils to develop skills of historical research and enquiry.

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HISTORY

133. By the age of eleven, pupils have an appropriate if sometimes limited knowledge about key dates, events and periods in British history. Pupils’ experience of the history of other eras and cultures such as the Romans, Vikings and Victorians is satisfactory. Pupils are given insufficient opportunities to examine different perspectives and aspects they find of particular interest and this restricts their ability to evaluate why things happened as they did in history or that different people may hold different views and perspectives of historical events. For example, Year 4 when studying the Tudors had not been able to select and research any facts or information about famous people such as Sir Francis Drake, Henry VIII or his wives, so that they could produce their own pieces of information text. Pupils in Year 6, when studying World War II, frequently visit Eden Camp. By seeing artefacts and reconstructions of scenes from daily life pupils

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HISTORY

can more readily visualise the impact the war had on people’s everyday existence. They empathise with children of the time having to be evacuated and are pleased they have not had first hand experience of having to leave home for similar reasons. Throughout the key stage pupils continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of ancient civilisations. In Year 3 effective links are made between geography, history, art and literacy. When pupils study the Romans they evaluate the legacy inherited by modern Britain by comparing secondary sources of evidence located in books, maps and posters. To bring their studies to life they dress up as Roman soldiers and enact their interpretations of events.

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HISTORY

134. Teaching in history is currently satisfactory with some good features and some areas for development. Many pupils have good attitudes to learning and are keen to do well. Levels of interest and motivation are higher when the teaching is challenging and opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their historical enquiry skills and pupils invariably rise to the challenge. Behaviour within lessons is often good, although there Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 55 are occasions when pupils do not listen to the views and opinions of others. When teachers insist on this the response from pupils is invariably good.

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HISTORY

135. In a Year 3 lesson where teaching was good pupils made greater gains in their knowledge and understanding of the impact the Romans had on industry and commerce because the teacher made learning interesting. Pupils were encouraged to debate fact and opinion in relation to the feelings of Britons when the Romans invaded the British Isles. This resulted in pupils showing good levels of concentration and an eagerness to learn. In the lesson all groups of pupils made good progress because the work they were required to complete was varied and challenging. Teaching is often more effective when teachers show a good command of the subject through a mixture of questioning, prompting and explaining and are effective in getting pupils to discuss the difference between fact and opinion. When teaching is less effective the pace of lessons is not brisk enough, or the work is not sufficiently challenging to first of all

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HISTORY

capture and then sustain the interest of pupils. Although there are some good examples of the marking of pupils’ work, there are instances where marking of pupils’ work is not of a good standard and does little to advance pupils’ learning. Good use was made of computers to support a topic on dinosaurs.

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HISTORY

136. The role of curriculum co-ordinator is not developed to a satisfactory level to have its maximum impact on helping to raise standards or to monitor provision and teaching and learning. Opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor teaching through observations and scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work have been limited. The school recognises this as a weakness and plans are in hand to address the issue. This and the need to implement effective procedures to assess and track pupils’ progress are important areas to be tackled if standards and provision are to improve further.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

137. Pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This shows that standards have been maintained in Key Stage 1 and have improved in Key Stage 2 since the last inspection. The full National Curriculum is now taught in the subject to all year groups. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. Pupils for whom English is an additional language make similar progress to their classmates. Teachers have benefited from ‘New Opportunities’ fund training and are now more confident in using information and communication technology as a teaching aid. They are also using their own skills when writing up their own class planning. Resources have been increased and improved since the last inspection with more modern computers, access to the Internet from every classroom and a greater range of computer software. There has been

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

satisfactory improvement overall in the subject since the last inspection with good improvement at Key Stage 2.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

138. By the end of Year 2, pupils use the computer in a satisfactory manner to write stories and poems. They are able to improve text and change fonts. Many save their work successfully. They know how to use the mouse and demonstrate this when operating a symmetry program in mathematics. They have found out information from a program and the Internet to support their history topic on dinosaurs. They represent information using the computer to produce simple graphs. They understand how to use the programmable robot and describe how to make it move in different directions and complete different distances. A variety of programs are used to support the learning of formal skills in literacy and numeracy. Good use is made of the digital camera to record activities, although pupils have too little opportunity to use it themselves. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 56 139. By the end of Year 6, pupils access the Internet for example when researching their

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

work on space travel or to find out the capacity of football stadia. As well as using the computer for basic word-processing they combine graphics and writing, for example, to present a computer slide show entitled ‘All about the Human Body’. This work is of high quality and is an indication of how attainment has improved since the last inspection. Pupils’ skills were further extended at the residential camp they had attended the previous week. They made their own web site, which included several pages with hyperlinks between them. They used their skills to collect information for databases on outside temperature and to compose music using a variety of instrumental sounds. They used control technology to make a set of traffic lights work in the correct sequence. The residential course was highly successful and enabled all pupils in Year 6 to spend time consolidating their skills. Throughout the school, some use is made of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

information technology in other subjects, but its use is not consistent. There is a good range of software available which links in well to the rest of the curriculum. The Internet is available in each classroom and some use is made of this to obtain information for use in topic and other work. However the degree of use is not consistent from class to class and this prevents learning and attainment from being stronger.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

140. The overall quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is satisfactory with some class teaching being of a higher standard. The quality of teaching enables the pupils to make satisfactory progress in their learning. In Year 1, a well taught lesson was observed when pupils had to listen to different sounds and realised that sound carried information. The teacher cleverly extended the idea so that pupils had to think beyond the basic information. For example – an ambulance siren tells us not only that an ambulance is coming but also that someone has been injured or is ill. In Year 4, the teacher explained well how pupils could use a database of animals to put them in categories. For example a range of questions to which the answers were ‘yes’ or ‘no’ were devised so that the amphibians could be identified. This technique was then well used in a science lesson. Teaching is most effective across the school, when pupils

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

are directly taught specific skills and are then provided with opportunities to put these to the test in meaningful and challenging activities which meet the needs of the higher attainers. Pupils are enthusiastic about information and communication technology and are keen to learn. When challenged in lessons or expected to produce the standard of work seen from their residential course, they become even more excited by the subject. These factors and the good quality of behaviour add to the good learning environment which is established in many lessons.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

141. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The subject has a new and enthusiastic co-ordinator who has clear plans to develop the subject by looking at every aspect of the subject. He has not yet managed to gain a full overview of the subject and is not fully aware of where there may be gaps in provision. Whilst there are plans to monitor short term planning to make sure that the full scheme of work is covered, this process has not yet begun. There has also not yet been any monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning in the school but plans are in hand for this to happen as are plans to put in place procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress as they move through the school. These are important areas for development to enable the co-ordinator to establish a clear picture of provision and standards and in ensuring that pupils’ prior knowledge and attainment are built on and extended. Similarly the co-

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

ordinator has recognised the need to provide teachers with a clearer indication of the standard of work they should be expecting. The school is committed to further increasing resources by placing a bank of computers in the Key Stage 2 learning area. Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 57

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MUSIC

142. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils are achieving standards which are above national expectations. This maintains the standards identified in the last inspection, despite the fact that music is now generally taught by the classteachers rather than a music specialist. This reflects the good support given to staff by the subject co- ordinator in implementing a new scheme of work. Pupils of all abilities, and pupils for whom English is an additional language, make good progress. Singing in assembly is of a good standard and the choir benefits from tuition from a parent who is a professional singer. This additional expertise, together with peripatetic music lessons, not only improves the skills of the pupils directly involved but also enables these pupils to make a good contribution to learning in class lessons. The good opportunities for pupils to make music and to perform in class, in assemblies and in larger school

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MUSIC

productions enables all pupils to achieve well.

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MUSIC

143. By the age of seven most pupils recognise and sequence sounds by pitch. They play high and low notes on tuned percussion instruments and use these in composing their own simple tunes. With clear guidance from the teacher, pupils are developing their own methods of recording, using a variety of marks in different positions to denote high and low notes. Through regular opportunities to listen to each other, pupils make sensible suggestions for improving each other’s work. Pupils co-operate well in pairs to devise different rhythms and then combine in groups to create longer rhythmic patterns. The quality of singing is consistently good and pupils sing melodically and with clear diction and many pupils have a good knowledge of the names of different instruments.

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MUSIC

144. Pupils continue to make good progress at Key Stage 2 and by the end of Year 6 most pupils clap a rhythm following more complex notation and understand the difference between terms such as rhythm and pulse. When using percussion instruments to explore rhythms with other pupils, the majority maintain their own part within the group performance. Higher attaining pupils, many of whom have individual instrumental lessons, enhance the quality of group compositions by using techniques such as instruments starting and stopping at different places so that the music appears to fade away. Pupils discuss the relative difficulty of different rhythms, with some pupils describing how they find pauses more difficult than actually playing the notes. The quality of singing in the choir is very good and singing overall within class music lessons and assemblies is good. Pupils perform with considerable skill and feeling and

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MUSIC

the soloists sing with great confidence. The performance of the string group in assembly was tuneful and well rehearsed. Pupils’ ability to listen to and appraise music is good. Pupils’ knowledge and awareness of the work of famous composers is satisfactory.

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MUSIC

145. Pupils clearly enjoy listening to and making music. Attitudes to the subject are very positive and pupils behave well in lessons. These factors make an important and significant contribution to how well pupils learn and achieve and the pleasant learning environment that is a feature of many lessons. Music makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development through listening to and performing a good range of music, through co-operating in small groups and practising together for productions such as ‘’Joseph ‘’and most recently in preparing for the ‘’Jubilee Concert.’’ Pupils also learn about the music of different cultures, for example, when Year 5 listen to and examine the structure of African rhythms.

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MUSIC

146. The quality of teaching is good overall. During the week of inspection, one very good lesson was observed in Year 2 when the music co-ordinator used her specialist Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 58 knowledge to good effect, taking pupils through easy stages to develop their confidence in music making. Precise instructions enable pupils to get on with their tasks quickly and good interventions such as correcting the way pupils hold their beater, improves their performance. There is a good balance between the teaching of skills and the opportunity for pupils to perform. This was seen in a Year 5 lesson on African rhythms, where pupils first practised following a given tune before developing their own compositions. Good use is made of the pupils to demonstrate interesting ideas, leading others to make suggestions for improving their own work. Teaching is enhanced by the skilled contributions from peripatetic music teachers for brass and percussion and by

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MUSIC

the professional expertise of a parent who works regularly with the choir.

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MUSIC

147. The leadership and management of the subject is satisfactory overall with the co- ordinator showing good levels of enthusiasm and informal support for colleagues which impacts positively on learning and attainment. The co-ordinator has a secure grasp of the quality of provision that the school makes, although there have been few opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor teaching and learning across the school. The co-ordinator is keen to develop and implement procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress so that pupils’ prior attainment and learning is systematically built on and developed. Resources to support pupils’ learning are satisfactory.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

148. Standards in physical education are at an expected level overall at the end of Years 2 and 6 with attainment for pupils in Year 6 at a good level in small game skills. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, make satisfactory progress. Progress within lessons is sometimes good because of the good teaching and occasionally very good teaching which concentrates on the direct teaching of specific skills. This together with the positive attitudes of the pupils makes a significant contribution to the quality of learning. Although not all elements of the subject were observed during the inspection, scrutiny of teachers’ planning clearly shows that all aspects of the subject are taught over the course of the year. Standards and provision have been maintained since the time of the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

149. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils have developed appropriate dance skills. They move in time to music and show appropriate levels of creativity and imagination in response to different forms of music. Pupils are provided with opportunities to practise and refine their movements before putting them together in a sequence. A small number of pupils show good levels of co-ordination and move around the hall with speed and agility showing high levels of creativity in their zig - zag and spiralling movements. Pupils understand the need to ‘’ warm up’’ and know that their hearts beat faster after exercise. Pupils have an appropriate awareness of space when taking part in physical activities and show a readiness to evaluate their level of performance and take on board comments as to how to improve. When taking part in May Pole dancing pupils quickly pick up dance sequences and move in time to the music as well as clapping out

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

150. Pupils continue to acquire skills at an appropriate rate during Key Stage 2 and build effectively on the skills they have been taught in previous years. The pupils explain why they need to warm up before exercise and the importance of a cool down at the end of lessons. Pupils pass balls with a good degree of accuracy and when passing a rugby ball they pass the ball well whilst moving, ensuring that there is just enough pace on the ball to reach its destination. When using bats and balls many pupils show good control Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 59 skills and good hand-eye co-ordination. Most pupils throw and catch a ball appropriately and put the skills they have learnt to good use in small and competitive games. The teaching often introduces elements of competition by increasing the number of times pupils are expected to hit the ball consecutively without losing control. Pupils thoroughly

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

enjoy this challenge and respond in a very positive manner. Most pupils are able to swim at least the recommended 25 metres by the end of Year 3, which is the year when pupils go swimming. Many pupils attend private swimming lessons. Standards in swimming are above average by the end of Year 6.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

151. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall with examples of good and very good teaching particularly in Years 1, 4 and 5. When teaching is at its best it ensures that pupils are directly taught specific skills that enhance their level of performance. Such teaching was observed in games’ skills lessons at Key Stage 2. Pupils are then provided with opportunities to practice and refine these skills before putting them to the test in small competitive games. Teachers highlight good performance and use this as an exemplar of good practise which other pupils then learn from. In a very good dance lesson in Year 1 the teacher’s own confidence in dance shone through and encouraged the pupils to be more creative and imaginative in their dance compositions and movements. The pupils responded very well to the challenge. Effective teaching is characterised by good pace and pupils are kept

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

physically active throughout the lesson with good opportunities provided to evaluate their own and others’ performance. On occasions however examples of good performance are not used to push pupils’ learning on or the management of pupils is not particularly effective because the teacher does not gain the full attention of pupils before making a pertinent teaching point. This prevents learning from being better. In most lessons however pupils show good and at times very good attitudes to learning and behave well. Pupils thoroughly enjoy taking part in physical activity and show good levels of enthusiasm and participation. Pupils co-operate well with one another whilst at the same time showing a competitive edge. These positive attitudes and behaviour make an important contribution to how well pupils learn and achieve.

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152. The subject is led and managed in a satisfactory manner. The co-ordinator has a secure grasp of the strengths and areas for development in the subject. The co- ordinator has monitored a small number of lessons and regularly monitors teachers’ planning to ensure that there is adequate coverage of all aspects of the subject. Over the course of the year pupils experience an appropriate range of activities including dance, gymnastics, games and outdoor pursuits. Plans are in hand for a more rigorous approach to monitoring teaching and learning when the subject is an identified priority area on the school development plan. The co-ordinator has rightly identified the need to further develop assessment procedures so that pupils’ attainment and progress can be more closely tracked as they move through the school. Pupils’ learning in the subject is enhanced through the good range of extra-curricular activities and inter-school

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competitions in sports such as netball, football, rugby and dance, all of which add much to pupils’ personal and social development as well as improving their physical skills. Resources in the subject have improved over the last 2 years and are now at a satisfactory level overall with equipment for small game skills being good and this impacts positively on pupils’ learning. The pupils also benefit from access to a large grassed playing area.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

153. Standards in religious education are in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus by the end of Years 2 and 6 with pupils in Year 2 showing a good level of Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 60 understanding of the importance of special religious events and artefacts for Christians and for other world faiths. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. Pupils for whom English is an additional language make similar progress to their classmates. Standards and provision in the subject are at a similar level to those identified at the last inspection.

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154. By the end of Year 2 the pupils recognise and value the importance of friends and people that play an important role in their lives. Pupils have a secure understanding that buildings such as churches and mosques have a special significance for the people that visit them with the higher attainers explaining articulately why this is so. Pupils have a good understanding of the fact that different religions have special festivals, events and artefacts that mean a great deal to the people that believe in the different faiths. Pupils readily recall Christian celebrations and celebrations from other faiths such as Eid for Muslims. Pupils are beginning to grasp the early concepts of religious symbolism such as ‘’light’’ and a ‘’cross’’ with their knowledge and understanding of Christianity at a satisfactory level. Pupils’ understanding is challenged further when they are asked to evaluate what they would change in the world to make it a better place.

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Many pupils come up with sensitive, caring and imaginative ideas.

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155. Pupils continue to broaden their religious knowledge and understanding as they move through Key Stage 2. They show a satisfactory awareness of the fact that believers of different faiths see life as a journey and that there are certain rites of passage that all believers go through. Pupils examine and recognise the qualities that make for good friendship and what constitutes being a giving and caring person. When asked to examine what makes a person a human, the pupils identify certain determining factors such as uniqueness, the ability to choose, personality and spirituality among many others. Pupils have a satisfactory knowledge overall of Christianity and of other faiths such as Islam and Judaism. Whilst there are some good examples of the subject being used to enhance pupils’ literacy skills through for example, the re-telling of ‘’ The Parable of the Lost Sheep’’ there are other occasions when opportunities are missed.

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Work throughout the school is not always recorded in depth and whilst there is not a great deal of work in pupils’ books, pupils’ oral knowledge is often stronger than the recorded work sometimes suggests. The provision made overall for religious education makes a positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development.

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156. The quality of teaching over time is satisfactory with examples of good and very good teaching observed during the week of inspection. Pupils respond well to the subject and clearly enjoy the question and answer sessions that are a feature of many lessons. When discussing different faiths, artefacts from the Jewish faith or the importance of information to believers of different faiths, the pupils take an enthusiastic part and are always ready to offer their own views and opinions as well as respecting and listening to the contributions of classmates. The incisive questioning of teachers gets pupils thinking and they come up with mature and sensible responses which clearly show that they have listened attentively. Behaviour in lessons is often of a good standard and this together with the positive attitudes of the pupils makes an important contribution to the good quality learning environment which is a feature of most lessons.

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157. Teachers generally have a secure subject knowledge and this is used well to motivate and enthuse pupils and to deal well with the questions that pupils pose about different world religions. Relationships between adults and pupils are often good and this helps to create an atmosphere where different views and opinions can be explored with pupils knowing that their responses will be valued and listened to. Resources such as Jewish artefacts or a video on Sikhism are used well to capture pupils’ interest and to extend their learning. Teaching often ensures that comparisons are made between Read St John’s Church Of England Primary School - 61 different faiths whilst at the same time recognising the threads of similarity. Teaching does not consistently ensure that all elements of the subject are taught in a regular and systematic manner and the marking of pupils’ work does not consistently outline what

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pupils need to do to improve. These shortcomings prevent pupils’ learning from being even stronger.

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158. Leadership and management of the subject have been held by different people over the last 3 years but have recently been taken over by the headteacher who has a good grasp of the subject's strengths and weaknesses and is now leading the subject in an effective manner. She has re-written units of study and is currently seeking to combine these units of study with elements of the locally agreed syllabus so that the school has a comprehensive scheme of work that ensures that pupils’ prior knowledge is built on and developed. The headteacher has observed a small number of lessons and monitors standards through scrutiny of pupils’ books and teachers’ planning. The monitoring of teaching, learning and standards will take on a more rigorous approach when the subject is an identified area for improvement on the school development plan. The headteacher is currently devising procedures to assess and track pupils’

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attainment and progress as they move through the school. This is an appropriate area for development. Resources are satisfactory overall with a good range of religious artefacts from different faiths that add much to the quality of pupils’ learning.

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