The Boyle and Petyt Primary School

THE BOYLE AND PETYT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14 th - 15 th January 2002

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THE BOYLE AND PETYT PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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THE BOYLE AND PETYT 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. The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Beamsley Skipton North Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Pamela Blackburn

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th October 1997 The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 23004 Christopher Taylor Registered inspector 9039 Bernard Eyre Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Grasshoppers 1 Anglesey Close Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 8XA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE The Boyle and Petyt 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Boyle and Petyt Voluntary Aided Primary School caters for boys and girls aged four to 11 years. It is much smaller than most infant and junior schools. There are 57 pupils in two mixed-age classes. Numbers have increased slightly since 1997. Most pupils join the reception and infant class with levels of attainment broadly typical for their age. Less than four per cent of pupils – well below the national average - are known to be eligible for free school meals. Seven pupils – well below the national average - have special educational needs, and there are no pupils with statements of special educational needs. Most pupils with special needs have moderate learning difficulties. There are no pupils from ethnic minorities and no pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The Boyle and Petyt Primary School is a very effective school with good aims and values and excellent relationships between pupils and staff. Teaching is very good in literacy and numeracy in the reception and infant class and is good overall. Teaching is very good in the junior class. As a result, pupils learn effectively and make good progress during their time at the school. Standards are high in the reception and infant class, and are well above the national average in English, mathematics and science by the age of 11. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are extremely positive and their behaviour is very good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. Although expenditure per pupil is well above the national average, the school provides good value for money for a school of its size.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of 11. • Teaching and learning are very good overall; they are good in the reception and infant class, and very good in the junior class. • Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their excellent relationships help them to work hard and to make very good progress. • The high level of support received from parents helps to raise pupils’ standards. • The headteacher provides very effective leadership and management of the school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The accommodation is insufficient for the number of pupils in the junior class; there is insufficient library space and storage space, and no staff room or headteacher’s office. • The amount of written homework for pupils in Years 5 and 6 is insufficient to prepare them adequately for secondary education and for independent study. • The school prospectus and the governor’s annual report to parents do not contain all the information that is required by law. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress in addressing the key issues in the previous inspection report of October 1997. It has made good progress in increasing the opportunities available for pupils to develop their writing skills and for using information and communication technology (ICT) across different subjects of the curriculum. It has made good progress in improving the quality of lesson planning by identifying pupils’ needs and following clear learning objectives. Good progress has been made in adopting a new child protection policy and in improving the provision of information and reference books. The two class teachers have developed their role as infant and junior co-ordinators, while the headteacher monitors The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 7 standards of teaching and learning very effectively across the whole school. In addition to these key issues, teaching and pupils’ learning have improved and the school has achieved

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

higher standards in English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour were positive, and are now very good. The range of extra-curricular activities has increased, and the leadership and management of the current headteacher are very effective. The accommodation for the junior class is unsatisfactory, however, and there is not enough written homework in Years 5 and 6. The school has identified appropriate priorities for improvement and has a very good shared commitment and capacity to succeed.

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STANDARDS

As the number of pupils in the year group is less than ten, the results of the National Curriculum tests are not reported. Over the past four years, standards have risen faster than the national upward trend because of very good teaching and learning. Inspection findings indicate that standards in the current Year 6 are well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. In ICT, standards are above national expectations. Standards in the current Year 2 are above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, and broadly in line with the national average in science. Pupils make very good progress as they move through the school. Realistic targets have been set to improve standards in English and mathematics in the national tests for 11-year-olds in 2002. To meet these targets, the school has focused its attention on developing pupils’ writing skills and on extending their

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are highly motivated and very attentive. They are keen to be involved in a wide range of school activities.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave well in class and around school. They are polite and helpful to others. There have been no exclusions.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils take initiative and carry out responsibilities well. Relationships between pupils and with members of staff are excellent.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Well above the national average. There is no unauthorised absence and punctuality is very good. The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 8

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Overall, teaching and learning are very good. The teaching of basic literacy and numeracy skills is very good throughout the school. Teaching was satisfactory or better in all the lessons observed. Strengths of teaching include very high expectations and very good management of pupils. The school meets the needs of higher and lower-attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, well. As a result, pupils maintain their interest and concentrate well. They try hard and make good progress in acquiring skills, knowledge and understanding. Homework is generally used effectively to raise standards. The amount of written homework set for pupils in Years 5 and 6, however, is insufficient to prepare them adequately for secondary education and for independent study. In ICT, pupils have a good range of skills and use computers effectively to assist their learning in other subjects.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. All statutory requirements of the National Curriculum are met. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils regularly receive individual assistance and make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good, overall. Provision for pupils’ personal development is good. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good, with clear teaching of right and wrong. Provision for pupils’ social and cultural development is good. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are very effective. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are very good, and ongoing assessments are used effectively to raise standards by setting appropriate work for pupils of different abilities. The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 9

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides very good leadership of the school and ensures that it is moving forward with clear educational direction. Class teachers play an important role in co-ordinating teaching, planning and pupils’ work across the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body is actively involved in the life of the school, and some governors regularly assist in class. Governors play an important role in shaping the direction of the school and are effective in carrying out nearly all their statutory duties. The school prospectus and the governor’s annual report to parents, however, do not contain all the information that is required by law. The foundation governors have played a major role in enabling the current improvements to be made to the accommodation.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The headteacher monitors standards of teaching and learning effectively throughout the school. The headteacher and governors have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. Educational priorities are supported well through good financial planning. Specific grants are used effectively. All major spending decisions take account of how new developments will improve standards of teaching and learning and give good value for money. The school is currently making improvements to the accommodation including a new junior classroom, additional storage, a toilet for the disabled, a staff room and a headteacher’s office.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Children enjoy school. • The school enables children to make good progress in their work. • There are high standards of good behaviour. • The teaching is good. • Parents are kept well informed about how their children are getting on. • The school expects children to work hard and to achieve their best. • The school is well led and managed. • The school helps children become mature and responsible. • Nearly a sixth of the parents who responded to the questionnaire felt that their children do not get the right amount of work to do at home.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection findings support the parents’ extremely positive views. Most pupils are set an appropriate amount of homework, but the inspectors agree that the amount of written work set for pupils in Years 5 and 6 is insufficient to prepare them adequately for secondary education and for independent study. The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 10

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

1. When children begin school at the age of four, their speaking skills, early reading, writing and number skills and personal development are broadly in line with the levels expected for their age. They make good progress, and by the time they complete the reception year, they achieve standards above national expectations in language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and in personal, creative and physical development. Children of reception age form all the letters of the alphabet correctly and are beginning to copy short sentences. They write numbers to 10 correctly and add one more onto numbers within 10. They use the computer mouse successfully to match pictures of Baby Bear and the smallest bowl, and identify the difference between forces that push and those that pull .

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

2. By the age of seven, the overall attainment of pupils is above the national average in English, mathematics and science.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

3. In English, Pupils make good progress in their speaking and listening skills. They grow in confidence and express themselves clearly. In reading, pupils make good progress. They read simple texts accurately, confidently and with some expression. In writing, pupils make good progress. They write in complete sentences, often punctuated correctly with capital letters and full stops. Spelling of simple words is usually accurate, while attempts at more difficult words are phonetically plausible. One pupil in Year 2, for example, wrote ‘Joe came to stay at may heues.’ Work is presented attractively and handwriting is generally neat. Letters are formed accurately and are consistent in size. The individual support given to pupils with special educational needs helps them to overcome any difficulties.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

4. In mathematics, there is a good focus on developing basic numeracy skills. Mental mathematics skills, in particular, have improved since the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy. Pupils in Years 1 and 2, for example, confidently added single-digit numbers of pence within 20p, and quickly worked out effective strategies to double numbers within 50. In science, pupils make good progress. Pupils develop their scientific enquiry skills by observing how fast their heart beats after vigorous exercise, and carry out simple experiments to investigate how much force is needed to pull a brick across different surfaces such as carpet tiles and linoleum.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

5. By the age of 11, pupils’ attainment is well above the national average in English, mathematics and science.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

6. In English, Pupils make very good progress in listening and speaking. They discuss their work sensibly using a wide vocabulary and speak clearly and confidently. Good use of questioning by teachers makes pupils think carefully about their answers and extends their vocabulary. In a Year 3 and Year 4 lesson on adjectives and similes, for example, pupils were encouraged to think of an interesting range of adjectives such as powdery, slushy and deep to describe a snowy scene, though pupils did not have suitable dictionaries on hand to check their spellings. Pupils make very good progress in reading. They read fluently and expressively, tackle unfamiliar words well and understand what they are reading. Progress in writing is also very good. Pupils learn to write in a wide range of styles, and use a good variety of expressive words to enliven the text. Pupils in Year 6, for instance, wrote a newspaper report on a road accident, a character description of Prospero from ‘The

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 11 Tempest’ , a letter from Oliver Twist to his mother, and the text for an advertisement. One pupil set the scene vividly by starting a story with the words, ‘ At the bottom of the old and bumpy lane was a gruesome and haunted shed’, while another introduced an account of a holiday by writing, ‘ The water was emerald green and sparkled like a diamond.’ Spelling and punctuation are generally accurate and work is presented neatly.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

7. In mathematics, pupils make good progress, and have benefited well from the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy. There has been a concerted effort to develop the use of mental methods of calculation, and pupils are becoming more confident in solving problems involving mathematical calculations. Pupils in Years 5 and 6, for instance, used their quick recall of tables to fill in a randomly ordered 10 x 10 multiplication square. They multiplied units and decimals by single digits, and checked their solutions by rounding up the numbers to gain rough approximations of the answers.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

8. In science, pupils are making very good progress, and have benefited well from the adoption of a new scheme of work based on national guidelines. There is a good emphasis on pupils’ own investigations. They studied a model of the human skeleton and pictures of the skeletons of horses, shrews, dogs and whales to see if they have common characteristics, and they carry out practical investigations to determine whether sugar, salt, flour and sand dissolve in water. They understand the principles of fair testing and record and explain their results clearly.

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Teaching and learning are very good overall; they are good in the reception and

infant class, and very good in the junior class.

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Teaching and learning are very good overall; they are good in the reception and

9. When children begin school, they join the reception and infant class. There were nine children of reception age, four in Year 1 and eight in Year 2 at the time of the inspection. While children are sometimes taught as a whole class, in many lessons - especially in literacy, numeracy and science - children of reception age are taught by the nursery nurse while older pupils in Years 1 and 2 are taught by the class teacher. This arrangement is very effective as teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy skills is very good both for reception children and for pupils in Years 1 and 2.

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Teaching and learning are very good overall; they are good in the reception and

10. Strengths of teaching and learning in the reception and infant class include good lesson planning, very good use of support staff and resources, very high expectations and very good class management. Children work hard and maintain a very high level of concentration, which greatly assists their learning. In a literacy lesson using the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears , for example, the nursery nurse made very good use of the colourful illustrations and large text when reading the story with the children of reception age. The children concentrated hard and were delighted when they were able to point out and correct some deliberate mistakes in the letters drawn by the "naughty chalk". At the same time, the class teacher made very good use of detailed questioning while reading an alternative version of the story with pupils in Years 1 and 2. Later, when working in small groups, careful planning and appropriate expectations ensured that the higher-attaining pupils

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Teaching and learning are very good overall; they are good in the reception and

answered challenging questions about ‘traditional stories’, while those with special educational needs attempted easier questions about the characters in the story. In a science lesson with the reception and infant pupils, the class teacher made good use of a blindfold game to maintain children’s interest and to introduce them to the concept of darkness as the lack of light. Where teaching was satisfactory in a music lesson, there was good use of percussion instruments to develop children’s performance skills, but the presentation lacked sufficient pace, so children did not learn fast enough. In a physical education lesson where teaching was satisfactory overall, pupils were well organised to practice a sequence of movements, but not all the pupils were correctly dressed for performing vigorous exercises on the apparatus. The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 12 11. The school makes good use of ICT resources and of the expertise of parent helpers.

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Teaching and learning are very good overall; they are good in the reception and

In a Year 1 and Year 2 literacy lesson, for example, a parent volunteer used a simple game successfully to help pupils insert the vowel into a series of three-letter words such as pan, dog and pen . She then listened to an individual pupil reading, while three other pupils developed their independent learning skills by using the class computers to insert vowels missing from short words. In one science lesson, a pupil discovered from a story she was ‘reading’ with the help of the computer that frogs have long tongues in order to catch insects. In a previous science lesson, pupils had printed out the results of their investigations into forces as attractive bar charts, using a graphics package on the computer.

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Teaching and learning are very good overall; they are good in the reception and

12. There were 33 pupils in the junior class during the week of the inspection. While they are taught occasionally as a whole class, most of the time they are taught as two separate groups by the class teacher and by the headteacher. This arrangement works very effectively, as the two teachers take both the Year 3 / 4 and the Year 5 / 6 groups for their own specialist subjects. The teachers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and act as very good role models. As a result, all junior pupils benefit from very good specialist teaching in subjects such as English, mathematics, science, ICT and music. Pupils gain detailed and accurate knowledge in these areas, and learn very effectively.

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Teaching and learning are very good overall; they are good in the reception and

13. Other strengths of teaching and learning in the junior class include very good planning, very good teaching methods and good use of resources. In a literacy lesson for Year 3 and Year 4 pupils, for example, the teacher used a series of photographs of the local area effectively to stimulate pupils’ imagination and to develop their creativity. Good use was made of a number line in a mathematics lesson to demonstrate to Year 3 and Year 4 pupils how to calculate numbers missing from a sequence. In a Year 5 and Year 6 literacy lesson, work was matched to the needs of individual pupils well, and this ensured that all pupils worked productively and at a brisk pace. Good use was made of the discussion session at the end of the lesson to recall the main points and to reinforce pupils’ learning. Teachers make good use of ICT resources. During both Year 3 and Year 4 ICT lessons, diagrams of the skeletons of a variety of animals were scanned into the computer, and were then inserted

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Teaching and learning are very good overall; they are good in the reception and

by pupils into their own text describing each skeleton. The diagrams were later printed out to form the basis of a science lesson comparing human and animal skeletons. Following their residential trip to Glasgow, pupils in Year 6 used ‘ PowerPoint’ presentations effectively to describe their visits to the university museum in words and pictures. The use of ICT skills to manipulate the photographs and text stimulated pupils’ interest and enabled them to develop their creativity.

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

excellent relationships help them to work hard and to make good progress.

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

14. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive. They are highly motivated, keen and eager to develop their skills and knowledge. Pupils listen attentively to their teachers. They follow instructions carefully and maintain their interest well. Consequently, pupils work at a brisk pace and concentrate hard until they have completed their tasks. This enables them to develop their knowledge and understanding and to make good progress.

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

15. Behaviour is very good both in class and around the school. Pupils behave very well during lessons and spend most of their time learning. They are polite and helpful and are keen to explain their work to visitors. Pupils co-operate sensibly when working together or in small groups and the more able readily assist those who are experiencing some difficulty. In a Year 5 and Year 6 music lesson, for example, pupils worked together very well identifying which note had been left out during the playing of an octave on a glockenspiel. Nearly all parents agree that behaviour in the school is good. Very little inappropriate behaviour was The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 13 seen during the inspection. Very good class management and effective discipline are characteristic features of all lessons. This gives pupils secure boundaries for behaviour and enables them to work sensibly, unhindered by disturbances.

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

16. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff are excellent. Pupils co- operate well when working in small groups or in pairs, and share equipment or take turns when appropriate. They listen carefully to other pupils and learn from their ideas and suggestions. They chatter enthusiastically as they move around the school and play together happily at break times. These excellent relationships help to develop understanding and tolerance for others. Relationships between pupils and teachers are excellent. Teachers know their pupils very well as they teach each child for three or four consecutive years. Pupils respect their teachers and are not afraid to share difficulties or concerns with them. The school provides many opportunities for pupils’ personal development, and these are enhanced by the very high quality of relationships in the school. The school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop personal and social skills. During assemblies, for example,

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

pupils are encouraged to develop firm friendships and to show others that they care for them. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to work together and to co-operate in small groups during lessons. Pupils are given responsible tasks. They help to set up the tables in the hall at lunchtimes, for example, and operate the CD player during assemblies. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 learn how to live together away from home on residential visits to Whitby and Glasgow. Visits often take place with children from other schools in the Upper Wharfedale cluster so pupils have the opportunity to meet children from different backgrounds and with different experiences. Such activities help to build pupils’ confidence and communication skills.

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

The high level of support received from parents helps to raise pupils’ standards.

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

17. The school’s partnership with parents is very effective. The school is supported well by committed parents who assist with their children’s learning at home and who often help in the classroom. Several parents, and other volunteers, visit the school regularly to listen to individual pupils read, to prepare high quality displays of pupils’ work and to help with practical activities. This assistance is immensely valuable and has a very positive impact on children’s learning. The school has a very active and successful parents’ and friends’ association that not only provides a focus for social activities in the surrounding community, but also gives extensive financial assistance towards the cost of transporting pupils to the swimming pool. It also provides expensive items for the school such as computers and musical instruments.

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

The headteacher provides very effective leadership and management of the school.

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

18. The headteacher provides very good leadership of the school. He has clear aims and appropriate policies to raise standards. Consequently, the school is improving steadily and the aims and values of the school are clearly reflected in all its work. All the staff, including the school administrator, work together effectively, and the school has a very good capacity for further improvement. Pupils’ hard work and good efforts are praised during lessons and pupils’ work is celebrated and valued in attractive displays in classrooms and along corridors. The headteacher has excellent relationships with pupils, staff and parents and has established very good attitudes and values to support the effective learning of all pupils.

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Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to work, their very good behaviour and their

19. The headteacher monitors teacher’s planning and pupils’ work very effectively. He observes teachers at work and advises individual teachers on any points requiring attention. He analyses National Curriculum test results and the results of other optional tests to identify any weaker areas in the pupils’ performance. As a result, the school has successfully focused its attention on improving pupils’ writing in English and on problem solving and the use of calculators in mathematics. Realistic targets have been set to improve standards in English and mathematics in the national tests in 2002. The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 14

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is insufficient library space and storage space, and no staff room or headteacher’s

20. The accommodation has recently been improved by carpeting the classroom areas and by providing new tables and chairs. At the time of the inspection, however, there was insufficient classroom space for the large number of pupils in the junior class. Although all pupils in Years 3 to 6 are part of a single junior class, in practice there are two groups of children being taught different subjects by two teachers in the same classroom during most of the week. As a result, there is insufficient space for both groups of pupils. In addition, there is insufficient library space and storage space, and the school has no dedicated staff room or headteacher’s office. The school is currently engaged in a building project to provide substantial improvements. This includes an additional junior classroom, extra storage, a toilet for the disabled, a staff room and a headteacher’s office.

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The amount of written homework for pupils in Years 5 and 6 is insufficient to prepare

them adequately for secondary education and for independent study.

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The amount of written homework for pupils in Years 5 and 6 is insufficient to prepare

21. Teachers make effective use of homework to reinforce the learning of spellings and to practice reading. Pupils are often encouraged to increase their understanding by carrying out informal tasks at home. Pupils in Years 3 and 4, for example, were encouraged to listen for similes that are used regularly at home, while children in the reception and infant class were encouraged to look at the night sky and to spot the effect of thousands of street lights on the darkness. The amount of written homework set for pupils in Years 5 and 6, however, is less than in most primary schools. Older pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to practice and extend their problem-solving skills in mathematics, for example, or to develop their independent research skills and expertise in writing by embarking on extended projects in science, history or geography. As a result, the homework they receive is insufficient to

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The amount of written homework for pupils in Years 5 and 6 is insufficient to prepare

prepare them adequately for secondary education and for independent study.

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The school prospectus and the governor’s annual report to parents do not contain all

the information that is required by law.

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The school prospectus and the governor’s annual report to parents do not contain all

22. The information provided to parents is generally clear and helpful. Annual reports on pupils’ progress, for example, contain details of standards obtained and suggestions for future development. The school prospectus and the governor’s annual report to parents, however, do not contain all the information that is required by law. The prospectus has no reference to parents’ rights to withdraw pupils from collective worship and religious education. In the governors’ annual report, there is no information on authorised absences, the next election of parent governors and professional development undertaken by teachers, and there is no statement of the national test results and national comparisons. There are no details of facilities available for disabled pupils or of steps taken to prevent them from being treated less favourably than other pupils.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. In order to improve the quality of education provided, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the accommodation to provide sufficient space for junior pupils, more library and storage space, and improved accommodation for the staff and The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 15 headteacher. (see paragraph 20) (The school has already embarked on a building programme to improve these aspects of the accommodation.)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Increase the amount of written homework for pupils in Years 5 and 6 in order to develop their independent study skills and to prepare them better for secondary education. (see paragraph 21)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Ensure that the school prospectus and the annual report to parents contain all the information required by law. (see paragraph 22) The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 6

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 57

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 7

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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 0

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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 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) and Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 17 The number of pupils in the year group is less than ten therefore, the results are not reported. The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 18

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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 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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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) 3 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 152 393

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Total expenditure 157 520

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 21.5 Expenditure per pupil 2 864

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent Balance brought forward from previous year 10 563

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 5 435

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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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

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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. The Boyle and Petyt Primary School - 19

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 61 35 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 69 29 0 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 35 11 4 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 44 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 79 13 8 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 71 29 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 61 33 6 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 67 33 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 29 0 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 52 40 4 0 4

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