St James's Hatcham Church of England Primary School

ST JAMES HATCHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 October – 1 November 2001

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ST JAMES HATCHAM 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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ST JAMES HATCHAM 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. St James Hatcham Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery, infant & junior

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: St James New Cross London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Malcolm Edwards

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 6 th 1997 St James Hatcham Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

27681 David Marshall Registered inspector Information and communication technology Music Physical education Special educational needs How high are standards? How well are the pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

1165 Peter Dannheiser Lay inspector How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Pupils’ personal development and attendance 20097 John Griffiths Team inspector Science Geography History How well does the school care for its pupils? 8153 Daphne Nock Team inspector English as an additional language Mathematics Art and design Design and technology How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

12764 Wendy Thomas Team inspector English Foundation Stage

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Full Circle 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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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 St James Hatcham 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? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St James Hatcham is an averaged size, one-form entry school with a part-time nursery. It has 174 children who attend full time and 50 three year olds who attend the nursery on a part-time basis. Pupils’ attainment is generally in line with expectations on their entry to the main school. Fifty nine children, 34 per cent of the school roll, have special educational needs, four of whom have Statements of Special Educational Need – above the national average. Of the 224 children on roll, 91 per cent (204) of the children come from ethnic minority families, predominantly from Afro-Caribbean or African descent. These figures are well above the national average. Thirty three per cent of pupils are learning English as an additional language – this is well above the national average. Twenty four per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals – slightly above the national average. There were six fixed-period exclusions last year.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

In many ways St James Hatcham is now an effective school. The quality of education provided is sound overall and the good teaching now being provided is effective in raising standards and most pupils are achieving in line with expectations for their age. A substantial proportion of very good teaching was observed during the inspection, in addition to some excellent teaching. The acting headteacher is providing clear leadership and she is supported by an enthusiastic team of teachers. Despite these good features the lack, until recently, of effective management, thorough planning and careful use of assessment in some subjects has limited the progress of some older pupils. Overall, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The acting headteacher is providing good leadership and management. • Teaching is good or better in over three-quarters of lessons and the opportunities for learning are now good. • The provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good. Their cultural development is very good. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils with English as an additional language is good; these pupils have access to the full curriculum and make good progress. • There are good opportunities for personal development and so pupils are now acquiring good attitudes to school; they behave well and are enthusiastic. They have good relationships with one another and with adults in the school and there is a high degree of racial harmony. • Learning support assistants and nursery nurses are making a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. What could be improved

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

• The use of assessment to determine what pupils know, understand and can do in order to plan effectively in the short and medium term and to ensure full curriculum coverage for all pupils. • The role of the school’s governing body in monitoring the school’s efficiency and overall provision. • There are statutory requirements in the procedures for child protection, risk assessment and other health and safety issues that are not being addressed. • The locality and content of the school library are unsatisfactory. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St James Hatcham Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory improvement overall since the last inspection of October 1997. However, a number of the requirements have been implemented recently and significant progress is only just being made. The key issue to provide a plan for maintaining and improving the school over a period of more than one year with time scales, clear targets and resource implications, has only been fully completed in the last term. Again the requirement to introduce a system of ongoing assessment and record-keeping to help teachers to plan work appropriate to the different levels of ability of the pupils is very recent and has not yet had the opportunity to enhance long-term progress. A curriculum for the Foundation Stage has been completed and the school now meets all requirements for information and communication technology, design and technology and physical education. The necessity to improve communication with governors and parents about the overall

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

curriculum and direction of the school has been addressed successfully by the present management team. The need to meet child protection requirements has still to be completed.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English E D B A well above average above average A B Mathematics D E D C average below average C D Science C C E C well below average E

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STANDARDS

Over the last three years the school’s results in the national tests for pupils at the ages of seven and 11 have varied very little. The year 2001 test results for 11 year olds showed that pupils achieved above average results in English, below average in mathematics and well below average in science when compared with national results. When compared to schools of a similar type the English results were well above average, and average in mathematics and science. In the 2001 national tests pupils’ results at the age of seven were low. The number of pupils who reached the average level in reading and writing was below the national average and well below average in mathematics. In the last two years, pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 have reached the targets set for their results. Pupils’ work seen during the inspection shows a picture of improvement and most pupils are achieving standards in line with what is expected. Pupils in the Foundation Stage achieve sound

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STANDARDS

standards in all areas of learning. The level of achievement seen in the rest of the school is now sound. This is due to the teachers, many of whom are new, planning lessons carefully, which leads to a good variety of learning opportunities being provided. As a result, pupils of all abilities are now achieving well, including those with special educational needs and those pupils with English as an additional language. Pupils reach sound standards in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Standards in information and communication technology are rising quickly now pupils have more regular access to computers. Pupils reach standards in most subjects that are in line with expectations for their age group. In art St James Hatcham Primary School - 8 and design and music they are achieving standards that are above average for their age group.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes to school are good. Most are keen to learn, concentrate well and enjoy their lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour both in and out of classrooms is good. Most observe the school rules and are very courteous.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships The school makes good provision for the personal development of pupils and this is seen in the very good relationships throughout the school. There is an impressive degree of racial harmony.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Overall the quality of teaching is good with many strengths. In the lessons observed, 32 out of 40 were good or better, ten were very good and two were excellent. The quality of teaching in the nursery and reception classes is consistently good and ensures that children make a good start to their school life. From Year 1 upwards, the core skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well and teaching in English, mathematics and science is good overall. The strengths of this good teaching are the quality of teachers’ day-to-day planning and their good subject knowledge. Most teachers have high expectations in their lessons, which leads to good questioning that makes pupils think, as well as sound behaviour management. However, there are some minor areas for improvement that include the pace of lessons and managing the behaviour of the oldest pupils. Subject co- ordinators ensure that lesson plans reflect the needs of pupils. Those who speak English

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

as an additional language are supported well by their support staff in many lessons, and their needs are planned for in other lessons through very good individual language plans and, their learning is good. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well by teaching and non-teaching staff and they also make good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of learning opportunities provided by the school are satisfactory. The school’s curriculum meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with Good. Procedures and documentation are managed well and St James Hatcham Primary School - 9 special educational needs pupils receive good support in lessons.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Classroom assistants support pupils who speak English as an additional language well in many lessons. Good individual language plans support pupils with their learning in all their lessons.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ personal development is good. The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development has remained good since the last inspection. The provision for cultural development is now very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Day-to-day promotion of pupils’ behaviour and personal development is satisfactory overall. Despite some recent improvements in the procedures for gathering information, the assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress is unsatisfactory. Little use has been made of the information to monitor the progress of pupils in the school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Parental involvement with the school is satisfactory. Although a significant number of parents felt the school did not attempt to work closely with them or keep them well informed they acknowledge that recently they have been receiving better information from the school. In particular, they are now receiving more information about what their children are learning. They now feel comfortable about approaching the school with problems, and all parents spoken with during the inspection said that they felt that staff were always very willing to listen to their concerns. The end of the year reports are detailed and helpful and include targets for the future. Parents support their children’s efforts well. Attendance at meetings with teachers to discuss children’s progress is very good.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The acting headteacher is providing good leadership and enabling the pupils to achieve higher standards. The appointment of an acting deputy headteacher is already beginning to have a beneficial impact on school organisation.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are knowledgeable about the school and are now beginning to take responsibility where necessary. However, their monitoring of the school’s finances in the past was not rigorous enough and has led to financial problems this year.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance There has been little regular evaluation of its performance. As a result there are aspects of the school that are unsatisfactory. There has been a lack of rigour that means that little change was effected since the last inspection until recently.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school has not had a clear development plan to guide the use of resources until very recently, and this has inhibited progress. However, this situation has improved under the acting headteacher. Together with the governing body, she is working St James Hatcham Primary School - 10 to set priorities and allocate resources for the future.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There is a good number of well-qualified staff. Support assistants are well deployed, sufficient in number and their expertise is making an important contribution to raising standards. The school makes good use of all accommodation but the school library is unsatisfactory. The new information and communication technology suite is an impressive recent addition. Learning resources are generally satisfactory. The acting headteacher and administration officers are careful to obtain best value when making all purchases.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The teaching is good. • They feel comfortable coming into school to meet the head and teachers. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • Information they receive from school. • The amount and type of homework their children receive. • The leadership and management of the school. • The range of activities provided outside lessons. • Pupils’ opportunities for physical education.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection evidence largely supports the views of the parents. Their children are happy in school and are now being taught well. The acting headteacher has made great efforts in a short time, especially to improve the information parents receive about their children and the school in general and this is now better. She is also working hard to involve even more parents so they can now work more closely with the school. Inspection evidence shows that physical education is not now a problem with the better teaching now in school, and the consistency of homework and the range of additional activities the school currently makes available for children are all improving. St James Hatcham Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. When children join the nursery class their skills in personal and social development are broadly average. The children in the reception class also have average personal and social skills. They are good at taking turns and sharing resources. Most of the children are likely to meet the Early Learning Goals 1 for personal, social and emotional development by the end of the reception year. When they start school in the reception class the children have speaking skills that are broadly average. Children enjoy listening to stories and sharing books. The majority of children are making satisfactory progress towards meeting the Early Learning Goals for communication, language and literacy and mathematical development by the end of the reception year. When they start school, children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is varied. Some children have a good basic knowledge, whilst a few show understanding below expected levels. The majority of children make

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

satisfactory progress in this area of learning and are likely to attain the Early Learning Goals by the end of the reception year. Children in both the nursery and reception classes use pencils, brushes, scissors and other small items with increasing confidence and skill and make good progress. By the end of the reception year it is likely that most children will attain the expected levels of physical and creative development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. It is not possible to make a fair comparison over time for the level of achievement of pupils at the age of seven at the end of Key Stage 1 as shown in the national tests. The results in 2001 show a significant decline from those achieved at the end of 2000. However, it has since been shown that the temporary teacher of the Year 2 class in 2000 had seriously over-marked the test papers and the results were not a true picture of the pupils’ overall ability. When compared with all school’s results in Key Stage 1 in the 2001 tests, reading and writing are well below national standards. A similar picture is seen in mathematics where the percentage of pupils reaching the national average was very low and well below for the percentage of pupils reaching a higher level. When these results are compared with those of similar schools, based on the number of pupils claiming free school meals, writing and reading are below average and mathematics is well below average. However,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

pupils are now making sound progress overall.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The results of pupils at the age of 11 i.e. at the end of Key Stage 2 are improving. The results in English rose from 68 per cent of pupils achieving the average Level 4 in 2000, to 72 per cent in 2001, which is average when compared to schools nationally and above average when compared with schools of a similar type. The reading results were very high at 93 per cent. However, writing results had fallen and only fifty three per cent of pupils reached the average Level 4, which is well below average. There was a significant improvement in mathematics from 52 per cent in 2000 to 61 per cent in 2001. This is below the national average, but average when compared with similar schools. The results in science declined from a high 92 per cent in 2000 to 79 per cent in 2001. The number of pupils gaining the higher

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Planning in the Foundation Stage is geared towards pupils achieving standards known as the Early Learning Goals in six areas of development – personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development; and creative development. St James Hatcham Primary School - 12 Level 5 in English was well above average, above average in mathematics and average in science. Overall, since the last inspection the school’s rate of improvement has been below the national trend.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Evidence from the present inspection shows that pupils attain satisfactory standards in English at the ages of seven and 11. When pupils enter the school their confidence in speaking and listening is broadly average. In lessons and in assemblies pupils learn to listen well to their teachers and to each other. They make sound progress throughout the school and by the time they leave they are confident in sharing their ideas and contributing to class discussions. The standards of seven year olds seen during the inspection in reading were average. The better readers are competent but do not read with good expression. Their knowledge of books and authors is limited and they do not talk about reading with enthusiasm. Pupils know the difference between fiction and non-fiction but they are less confident in their use of the library. The overall attainment of 11 year olds in reading is also average. They show a limited knowledge of books and authors and some of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the older pupils have negative attitudes towards reading. Older pupils are developing their reference skills and some are confident users of dictionaries and reference books but do not routinely use these for independent study as the school library is cramped and poorly sited. Standards in writing are below average throughout the school. Many of the younger pupils do not show a good knowledge of sounds and this is reflected in their written work. The writing of older pupils in Key Stage 2 is below average. Pupils’ written work covers the range of writing expected by the National Literacy Strategy but there is little evidence that older pupils work with understanding or transfer the skills they learn in their literacy lessons to their independent writing. Throughout the school pupils do not write fluently for a range of purposes or audience and have not developed a fluent personal style of handwriting. During the inspection, teachers were observed addressing this problem

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

but they have to make up for earlier deficiencies in teaching. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in both key stages. Similarly, pupils with English as an additional language make good progress in both key stages, due to the very good support they receive in the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In mathematics, inspection evidence confirms that most pupils in both key stages make good progress and achieve standards that are satisfactory. However, there is some under-achievement in Year 6 where the work has lacked challenge for pupils. Children in the reception class can count ‘one more than’ up to seven and are able to write numbers up to ten. They use simple mathematical language to describe the difference between regular two-dimensional shapes. By the age of seven, most pupils are able to count in twos, fives and tens. They recognise odd and even numbers and know that even numbers end in two, four, six, eight and zero. They know that halving is the inverse operation of doubling and apply this knowledge to make up their own number patterns. By the age of 11, pupils’ confidence has grown and they can use a variety of mental and written methods for calculating with the four operations. They can work out simple calculations in their heads and use

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

calculators for more complex number work. Most pupils have a good grasp of their multiplication tables, which enables them to cope with a range of problem solving tasks. They work at the expected level for their age in using and applying mathematics, shape, space and measures and data handling. Higher attaining pupils are challenged effectively in many lessons, and pupils learning English as an additional language or having special educational needs learn well. St James Hatcham Primary School - 13 6. Inspection evidence shows that standards in science are close to the national average at the end of both key stages. At the age of 11, there is no significant difference between the performance of girls and boys in science. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the good level of support they receive. Key Stage 1 pupils show satisfactory knowledge by naming sources of light and can successfully match pictures of adult animals with their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

young when studying the idea of growing up. They investigate materials and can sort and classify. Pupils satisfactorily record by drawing and colouring. In Key Stage 2 they make good progress as they successfully study forces and record their findings independently. They record well using tables and charts and they are able to draw conclusions from the data they collect. They investigate solids and liquids well and have good knowledge of the basic principles of nutrition. Year 6 pupils have been studying adaptation and interdependence in animals. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school. Similarly, pupils with English as an additional language make good progress in both key stages, due to the very good support they are now receiving.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Levels of attainment in information and communication technology are now average at the end of both key stages. Key Stage 1 pupils can use a mouse competently to load and draw using different art packages. They can also use different word- processing programs to write simple stories and make labels for classroom displays and their books. Key Stage 2 pupils store data in a word processing package or database. They then add graphics to enhance the information they have collected. Throughout the school pupils are now making good progress in all aspects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. The standards seen in all subjects at the last inspection have been maintained. Attainment in art and music at the end of both key stages is above that expected nationally. In physical education, design and technology, history and geography the quality of their work is at a level expected for their age by the time they leave school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour in and around the school are good. Their attendance and punctuality are about average compared with national figures. Seventy-eight per cent of the 36 parents who answered the pre-inspection questionnaire agreed that the behaviour at the school is good and 95 per cent said that their children like school. Most of the pupils who spoke to inspectors said they like coming to school and feel very well looked after. However, some of the older pupils had mixed feelings. This group of pupils had suffered from a high turnover of teachers and they believed that they had not been given the full range of educational experience including trips and access to musical tuition. Although they enjoy certain aspects of the school, they express feelings of disaffection over the teaching they had until recently.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Most pupils reported that when they have had personal problems their teachers have been friendly, helpful, and supportive. Pupils understand that if there are problems at school they should discuss them with an adult, and they are confident that they will be helped. Most pupils show good attitudes towards their work. They are keen to learn. They apply themselves with enthusiasm to their work and the majority work hard in lessons. They enjoy being careful and thorough. For example, in an English lesson seven year olds showed genuine interest in their reading and St James Hatcham Primary School - 14 good teamwork between the adults in the classrooms served as fine role models for the pupils to emulate.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Reception children enjoy very good relations with their teacher, nursery nurse and each other and enthusiastically try to recognise the initial letters of their names. For example, during the inspection the staff ensured that all pupils, including those with learning disabilities were fully involved and enjoying a lesson in which they were learning about different kinds of fruit. In other parts of the school, older pupils were also often fully involved. In a music lesson they applauded each other’s attempts to clap out rhythms whilst all competing to do the best job. However, the behaviour and attitudes seen amongst a few of the oldest pupils included fidgeting, interruption and lack of application. Some older pupils could be quarrelsome and petulant in class. They have yet to learn the social skills necessary to enable them to listen to each other and to work productively together. Nevertheless, these same

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

pupils, in other surroundings such as the playground or in church during the weekly assembly, demonstrated an ability to get on well with each other and were involved and attentive.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Relationships in the school are very good. Pupils rapidly learn how to relate well to each other. In the playgrounds, where there are plenty of toys for them to use, pupils show their considerable ability to co-operate in games. Pupils are friendly, considerate, open, and helpful to visitors. They respect one another. Pupils with special educational needs are keen and are well supported. There is a marked absence of oppressive behaviour, including bullying, racism and sexism. Over the last two terms, there has been one brief exclusion, although there were a number prior to this. The ‘automatic’ exclusion after a set number of infringements and these rules are well understood by pupils and their families.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Behaviour was very good during the inspection outside lessons and pupils show their ability to accept responsibility for their own behaviour whilst thoroughly enjoying and benefiting from the experience. For example, pupils volunteer to help at lunchtime and they are generally polite and courteous to each other and to their teachers and helpers. The school develops pupils’ understanding of responsibility by providing them with some tasks although the system is rather informal and could be further developed. Through the school council, which meets fortnightly, pupils are encouraged to put forward their ideas to staff.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance figures and punctuality are satisfactory. Registers are completed twice a day and they meet legal requirements. Pupils are polite and attentive during registrations and use the time for quiet activities. The school works very closely with the educational welfare officer who responds to requests for support and visits the school at least twice a term.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The overall quality of teaching is good throughout the school. The teaching observed during the inspection was judged to be very good or better in a quarter of the 40 lessons seen. Thirty two (80 per cent) of the lessons were at least good. Three of the lessons were judged to be unsatisfactory, which is an improvement on the position at the time of the last inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The good teaching in the Foundation Stage, where all but one lesson observed was good or better, is characterised by careful planning that identifies what children are St James Hatcham Primary School - 15 expected to achieve based on their previous knowledge and skill. The teacher in the nursery, although newly qualified, has great enthusiasm and has established a warm, supportive and purposeful atmosphere in the room. The reception class teachers, along with the support staff, work very well together at all times and provide a very broad and well balanced curriculum. 17. The good teaching in the Year 1 and 2 classes is firmly based again on understanding what each pupil needs in order to make progress. In this key stage all the lesson observed were good or better. The teaching here is exciting and the pupils clearly enjoy coming to school and being involved in the many stimulating activities they are offered. The job-share in one of these classes is working well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Both teachers are enthusiastic and work well together. They each bring their own specialist skills to the class and so the pupils receive more than just the sum of the efforts of these two teachers.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The teaching at Key Stage 2 is good overall, but varies from class to class. At lower Key Stage 2 the teaching is inspiring and is enabling all pupils to make good progress. The teachers at this stage provide a very rich curriculum through their very good planning. Several of these lessons were very good and two were outstanding. At the top end of Key Stage 2 the teaching observed was more variable. Over the last two years the pupils in Year 6 have had many different, supply, teachers. In their own words they feel they have been ‘let down’. This is reflected in their attitudes and the problems the teachers have to engage their interest in some lessons. The school is addressing this concern by making the time of one of their part-time teachers available as an additional teacher for the lessons in the core subjects of English and mathematics. They have also had sessions for the whole class with a member of the borough’s behaviour management team.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Most teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the primary curriculum. They are now benefiting from the recent training opportunities they have been given. For instance, in a Year 3 science lesson the activities were planned to illuminate the idea of forces, and to enable pupils to progress at their own pace. The teacher knew that the effect of magnets on iron filings would be exciting and used this to good effect when drawing out the information she wanted the pupils to learn. In a Year 4 music lesson the teacher had used a ‘Shopping Trolley Music Grid’ in order to provide an understandable basis for the words she wanted the pupils to use for their compositions. This worked very well and the words they chose for rhythms were easy to select and sensible. This allowed them to concentrate on how to produce the rhythms and sounds rather than waste time choosing words, and therefore make good progress. The reception class had a very good physical

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

education lesson because the teacher knew exactly what the children needed to do in order to be focused and listening and the use of her voice and demonstrations kept their attention throughout resulting in very good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers throughout the school are planning to teach the basic skills of literacy and numeracy well. In the last few weeks most have enjoyed attending numeracy lessons taken by a leading mathematics teacher in the borough. As a result of recent staff meetings where a close focus on planning was initiated, there is now consistency in planning across the school. Teachers are now clear in what they are trying to achieve with each group of pupils. This has led to the distribution of target folders for each teacher for all ability groups within their class. As a result of these developments, pupils’ acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding in literacy and numeracy are already beginning to increase significantly. St James Hatcham Primary School - 16 21. From the beginning of this term the planning of individual lessons and for longer term topics has been good. This is true of all lessons, but is especially significant in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the way the new information and communication technology (ICT) suite is now being used. There were several examples during the inspection where this facility was making a real difference to the provision in other subjects. In a Year 4 lesson the pupils were designing ‘wallpaper’ as part of their art and design project on the Colour Magic program. In a Year 3 lesson pupils revised some of their previous science topic when putting a face together on the screen using the program ‘My World’. This also linked to their design and technology lesson later in the week when they made faces from a variety of materials using the designs from their ICT lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. In all lessons the teachers make their expectations clear. It is now school policy to discuss the learning intentions of the lessons with the pupils at the beginning of the lesson. This has the effect of focusing pupils, attention throughout the lesson. In a Year 5 food technology lesson the teacher was able to use the learning intentions to recap on the previous lesson, set a timed task and provide relevant homework. This meant that although the amount of time available was limited the pupils made good use of it and learnt well. A Year 2 mathematics lesson began and finished with the teacher actually going through the learning intentions written on a chart. They were able to tell the teacher how much harder her questions were at the end than at the beginning because of what they had learned.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teachers use a variety of teaching methods and organisation in order to keep pupils’ interest high. In a Year 2 literacy lesson on writing instructions, it was a very good idea to actually demonstrate making a cup of tea based on the pupils’ instructions to see whether they worked. This gave the lesson a relevance that the pupils appreciated. The very good collaboration between the teacher employed under the Ethnic Minority Achievement scheme who read to the pupils, and the class teacher, made the story of Mary Seacole truly inspiring. The Year 1 science lesson based on different light sources was very effective because the teacher provided so many good examples and where possible she allowed the children to use them. The climax of lighting a ‘sparkler’ was a moment of joy for all concerned.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Although pupils are generally managed well, this varies across the school. In most lessons pupils are occupied well and have good levels of concentration. The Year 1 pupils’ attention was kept well by the teacher’s use of a glove puppet. She used this device to point out to two boys their ‘unkind behaviour’ and this was very effective. Teachers at this stage are able to give pupils time for independent activities and know they can quickly bring them together again as a class. However, at the top end of the school this was not always the case. A Year 6 physical education lesson had to be abandoned because the pupils simply would not listen carefully enough to the instructions being given and so did not know what to do. In a literacy lesson later in the week, this class had the planned input of a second teacher and this enabled them to concentrate and make good progress.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers use their time well. An outstanding example of this was a physical education lesson in Year 3. At the beginning of the lesson pupils were asked to make simple balances after good demonstrations by the class teacher. By the end of the lesson they were combining three balances, at three different levels, in a repeated sequence set to music. This was all accomplished in 40 minutes. It was also significant that the excellent demonstrations by the teacher were not just St James Hatcham Primary School - 17 copied by the pupils. They all tried very hard to make up and carry out their own sequences.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Since September, the acting headteacher and governors have ensured that the number of support staff matched the needs they had already identified. This has meant the employment of several new members of staff. Throughout the lessons seen during the inspection it was clear the beneficial effect the assistants were having.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teachers are now using better day-to-day assessment although the procedures are not uniform throughout the school. This means that most lessons now are appropriate and challenging for pupils of differing ability. Marking is effective. The new teachers have already adopted the school’s own agreed marking policy and strategies and this is now being applied consistently. Younger pupils benefit from the way in which their teachers talk their results through with them rather than by simply writing in their books. Homework is used appropriately and effectively to support pupils’ progress throughout the school.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Thanks to the good work of the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), there is an appropriate level of awareness amongst staff of the requirements of all pupils with special educational needs, and recent in-service training has enhanced this. Teachers and assistants now work closely together to plan support in the classroom as well as work for pupils when they are withdrawn into smaller groups. Assistants in some classes are given prompt sheets that effectively direct pupils’ observations to the work the class is engaged in so no time is wasted. A particular strength in provision is the work done by teachers and assistants with pupils who have behaviour problems and with those who have Statements of Special Educational Need. They are now providing good support in small group work and discrete support in lessons that enables these pupils to play an active role in class and school activities.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. The effective teaching of pupils with English is an additional language (EAL), particularly those at the early stage of learning English, enables them to make good progress. Where an additional teacher is able to support pupils in small groups, in or out of the mainstream classroom, the teaching is always good. Class teachers are very aware of the specific needs of pupils who are learning English and this is reflected in their interaction with pupils and the work they prepare. Where EAL pupils have come from troubled areas of the world or their learning is hindered by difficult social circumstances, teachers and support assistants demonstrate a high level of expertise in helping them to settle to their work. This is achieved through establishing very positive relationships and a reassuring atmosphere.

p.17

PUPILS?

30. The quality and range of learning opportunities provided by the school are satisfactory. The school’s curriculum meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum, and this represents an improvement on the last inspection report of October 1997. It was then recorded that the school failed to meet the statutory obligations with respect to the provision of information and communication technology (ICT), design and technology (DT) and physical education (PE). It also did not provide the full weekly curriculum time recommended by the Department for Education. In response, ICT, DT and PE are now developed more strongly within St James Hatcham Primary School - 18 the curriculum and the balance of the curriculum is satisfactory. While an unusually high allocation of time is devoted to English, the school’s circumstances, in particular the lower achievement of some minority groups and boys, justify the

p.17

PUPILS?

decision. Subjects such as design and technology, art, history and geography are taught in blocks within the school year so as to allow adequate coverage. Whilst this system may work effectively for art which has many cross-curricular links, there is a danger that substantial gaps between units within other foundation subject results in a lack of continuity in knowledge and in the development and use of skills.

p.18

PUPILS?

31. The curriculum reflects the requirements of the National Curriculum 2000 initiative. There are up-to-date policies for the core subjects and the school recognises that policies for all other subjects are in need of review. During the last school year the school began to adopt the national guidelines published by the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) documents as the basis for schemes of work in art and in design and technology, as well as in other subjects. The use of these QCA units, as a basis for planning, is continuing to be piloted through this year. The school aims to develop a comprehensive curriculum framework from this, which, with the implementation of the revised assessment procedures, will enable a more consistent progression in pupils' learning as they pass through the school.

p.18

PUPILS?

32. The school provides very good access to its curriculum for pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and bilingual children through the support it provides from a specialist teacher of English as an additional language. The specialist shares her expertise with class teachers and together they work very well as a team to help pupils gain full access to the curriculum. There is also good provision of classroom assistants who support pupils’ learning; these staff are well trained and deployed and make a significant contribution to equality of access.

p.18

PUPILS?

33. The school adds further breadth to its curriculum through its personal, social and health education programme. The scheme of work covers a range of relevant topics, and helps pupils to understand issues such as personal behaviour and safety, and bullying. Specific lessons, occasionally in the form of circle time, are devoted to the development of the pupils’ social and interpersonal skills and give opportunities for them to discuss problems and personal issues. The school makes appropriate provision for sex education and drugs awareness and there is sound provision for health and safety education through the science and technology curriculum. A good range of assembly themes supports pupils’ decision-making skills and citizenship.

p.18

PUPILS?

34. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been implemented with a high proportion of time allocated to literacy in order to compensate for the under- achievement of some minority groups and boys. Booster classes, offered to Key Stage 2 pupils in mathematics, are beginning to impact positively on attainment.

p.18

PUPILS?

35. There is satisfactory provision for pupils with special educational needs which complies with the Code of Practice. The special educational needs co-ordinator works closely with the headteacher, teachers and support staff, and parents are fully involved to support the learning and good progress made by these pupils.

p.18

PUPILS?

36. A minority of parents expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of extra-curricular activities offered by the school. The school is beginning to address this and inspection evidence shows that opportunities for enrichment of the curriculum, both after school and during the school day are improving. Pupils have visited the St James Hatcham Primary School - 19 theatre, as well as galleries and museums. Musical performances and art workshops have taken place, led by visiting artists. A football club is held after school. There are plans for pupils to take part in a residential visit to Axminster in Devon, and day outings to Horton Kirby rural study centre have already taken place. The school also has good links with partner institutions like Goldsmiths’ College.

p.18

PUPILS?

37. The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development has remained good since the last inspection. The provision for cultural development is now very good.

p.19

PUPILS?

38. Spiritual development is evident in many aspects of school life and implicit in its strong Christian ethos, which underpins and enriches relationships. It is particularly well promoted in the daily acts of worship and in assemblies. The weekly assembly in the church provides an atmosphere of quietness and reflection to which the pupils respond. In prayers, pupils are encouraged to be still, and to think contemplatively over the story or theme that has just been discussed. Spirituality is also promoted through religious education lessons where pupils have opportunities to explore the values and beliefs of people from different faith backgrounds.

p.19

PUPILS?

39. There is good provision for pupils’ moral development, which permeates the life of the whole school. Pupils are polite, well behaved and helpful. They are given definite ideas of right and wrong, based on a clear code of behaviour. Within individual classrooms, clear rules are set following discussion with pupils. The school has a well understood set of values reinforced by appropriate teacher praise and encouragement, and a system of merit stickers, certificates and prizes, which are celebrated in weekly assemblies. The most successful teachers are good role models for pupils, demonstrating the behaviour they expect, and through their relationships, a respect for others and a regard for their feelings.

p.19

PUPILS?

40. The school makes good provision for pupils’ social development. Within lessons they are actively encouraged to take turns and share, and are provided with many opportunities to work in groups co-operatively. They are given responsibilities, such as giving out materials and tidying up after lessons. The school council involves pupils closely in school improvement. Recently it has been involved in initiatives to raise funds for people in Afghanistan. Welcoming visitors to the school, and providing openings for pupils to make residential visits, give pupils further opportunities to become more aware of the wider world, and promote social development.

p.19

PUPILS?

41. The promotion of pupils’ awareness of other cultures has improved considerably since the last inspection and is now very good. The school has a large number of pupils from a range of cultures and celebrates this diversity by encouraging pupils to share their cultural heritage with the rest of the school community. Books are well chosen to reflect cultural diversity and examples of art, dance and music are drawn from all cultures. Pupils are taught to respect both their own and others’ cultures. For example, Black History month celebrated famous black people both, alive today and in history. The good overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development helps all pupils to feel valued and is effective in developing the ethos and aims of the school.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

St James Hatcham Primary School - 20 42. The school has generally good procedures for the care of the pupils. Nevertheless, there are important elements that are unsatisfactory and need addressing.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The staff and governing body contribute to a caring school in which the personal needs of the pupils are successfully met. Pupils with special educational needs are identified early and are given very good support to help them make progress. There is a positive atmosphere and all the staff have a good knowledge of their pupils. Most pupils say that all the staff are kind and supportive. Most pupils feel secure and know they can rely on their teachers. However there are some older pupils who, for a variety of reasons, did not share this perception of the school until this year.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Child protection procedures lack rigour. The acting headteacher, who is the person responsible for child protection, has not yet had the requisite training. Other staff have had little or no training in recent years. Although there is no reason to suppose that the school is failing in its duties, all staff require appropriate training and regular updates. The school works closely with the relevant authorities and social workers and detailed records are now being kept.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Pupils are carefully supervised at playtime and lunchtime. The midday meal supervisors and classroom assistants know the pupils well. They are well aware of their responsibilities regarding health and safety and many have been trained in first aid. They record all incidents. There is an equipped medical room for sick pupils, but although there are portable first-aid kits, there are no properly marked and stocked first-aid boxes around the school.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. There have been checks on the safety of portable electrical appliances; fire extinguishers and physical education equipment are regularly inspected. Although the local authority visits the school and looks at health and safety aspects, there are no records of these visits. The school is addressing a number of minor safety issues that became known during this inspection. Although the governors and staff are ultimately responsible for the health and safety of pupils and adults in the school they do not yet undertake regular and formal audits or risk assessments. Currently there is no governors’ premises committee or member of the governing body specifically responsible for health and safety.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Pupils' personal, social and emotional development is tracked satisfactorily. Both pupils and their parents are fully involved in monitoring behaviour should it lapse using incident forms. Pupils complete their own incident form that ensures that they develop an understanding of the school’s expectations and how they can succeed in meeting them. Records are kept over a year so that the school can see how pupils are progressing and keep parents informed. Equally, the school acknowledges and celebrates good behaviour and work at weekly assemblies and through a system of rewards that the pupils understand and hope to win.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. A very good system exists for supporting pupils who are experiencing difficulties in their social relationships. A nurture group of selected pupils is given time with a member of staff at the start of three days of the week to help them deal with any problems. In this way they will find it easier to go back to their classes and develop good strategies for behaviour. This provision is having a positive impact on learning, enabling pupils who might otherwise not be able to continue at the school to be included. St James Hatcham Primary School - 21 49. Two pupils from Years 1 to 6 classes are elected to the school council and this gives all pupils a way of contributing actively in the organisation of the school and experience of a degree of democratic participation. Some pupils, especially older ones, are given tasks in and around the school. This is done on an informal basis.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good. The school monitors attendance carefully and works closely with the educational welfare officer when necessary. Registers conform to legal requirements. Pupils, and their families, are fully aware of the importance of punctuality and the school is usually informed about the reasons for absences. The electronic registration system allows the school to analyse attendance and punctuality and to identify any pupil having difficulty. The staff promptly follow up unexplained absences.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. There are some structured opportunities for pupils to discuss feelings, attitudes and behaviour with each other. This work is being done in assemblies, and science lessons dealing with health and physical development. Issues of health and safety, drugs, cleanliness and relationships are covered and pupils have other experiences that help them mature into responsible and caring individuals including religious education lessons. Visitors such as health experts help to inform and educate. In addition, in some classes there are ‘circle time’ sessions in which pupils are encouraged to share their feelings in a permissive and caring environment. However, this is not yet a whole-school activity.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory. In the core subjects of English, mathematics and science some data such as the results of tests are analysed but insufficient use has been made of them for subsequent lesson planning to have an impact upon standards. In the other subjects of the curriculum such as history, geography, information and communication technology, design and technology, art, physical education and music, systems for assessing attainment and progress have yet to be developed. This was a key issue at the last inspection and has not been acted upon.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. The acting headteacher and the assessment co-ordinator have now begun to put in place measures to raise standards through assessment. The school has very recently reviewed and developed its assessment procedures for the core subjects in order that pupils will have targets set for them to achieve. Assessments in mathematics are planned for each half term, as are reading assessments to ascertain pupils’ reading ability. The analysis of these tests is to be shared with all teachers. This information will guide planning and provide suitable work for the differing ability levels in each class including those with special educational needs. At the start of each topic in science, pupils record what they already know about the topic. The school has recently decided to make a similar assessment at the end of the topic in order to more accurately ascertain what pupils have learned. Individual writing assessments will take place termly and through annotation and levelling

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

against the national level descriptors, a more accurate idea of how each pupil is progressing should be possible. Ongoing writing and number targets have recently been set for the various groups within the class and plans are in hand for these to be reviewed once targets have been achieved.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. There is an urgent need for co-ordinators of the foundation subjects to develop assessment procedures that are appropriate for their subjects.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

St James Hatcham Primary School - 22 55. Analysis of the parents’ questionnaires and the comments made at the parents’ meeting held before the inspection shows that amongst the 36 parents, who returned the questionnaire, a significant proportion had issues with the school. About a third of these parents report that the school does not works closely with them or keep them well informed. However, this term parents are receiving better information from the school. Recently, regular informative newsletters have been sent to parents and they are also now receiving more details about what their children are learning.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. Most parents who answered the pre-inspection questionnaire feel comfortable about approaching the school with problems, and all parents spoken with during the inspection said that they felt that staff were always very willing to listen to their concerns. However, 39 per cent disagree with the proposition that the school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. There are now two clubs that are paid for by parents – drama and football – and recorders. Pupils have been on several visits during the school day, and there has been a residential visit this year.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. The school makes satisfactory efforts to involve parents. At the end of the year, parents discuss reports on their children’s academic progress. These reports are detailed and helpful and include targets for the future.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. Parental involvement with the school is satisfactory though underdeveloped. Parents support their children’s efforts by attending special events and religious assemblies but there are no class assemblies to which parents are invited. Attendance at meetings with teachers to discuss children’s progress is very good. However there have been no meetings about the curriculum and very few parents come in to the main school or to the nursery to help. There is no parent-teacher association.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. Parents are given opportunities to help their children’s learning at home with homework, for example, hearing children read at home. This has a positive impact in pupils’ confidence in reading. Parents are invited to record comments in a reading record book but rarely do so. Parents are fully involved in the regular reviews of the individual education plans for those pupils with special educational needs.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. The school houses a family learning centre which currently provides the community with play schemes in the holidays, a crèche, and a ‘borrowers’ club which provides excellent resource packs for parents to use at home. Parents of pupils at this school are making good use of these facilities. There is a useful link with the school through the manager of the centre who also works closely with the nursery and acts as the co-ordinator of the early year’s programme in the nursery and reception. She knows parents well and is in a good position to support and to advise parents.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The overall leadership and management of the school, in its current circumstances and as seen during the inspection, are satisfactory. The present acting headteacher is providing a clear direction for the school and making a significant difference to the overall progress of the school. In the short time she has had this responsibility, eight school weeks before the inspection, she has implemented many necessary changes. For example, she has delegated responsibilities appropriately to the acting St James Hatcham Primary School - 23 deputy headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators. In interview, these teachers stated that they now feel able to take a leading role in where they feel the school needs to go, and are clear about their own priorities through the appraisal opportunities they have been afforded. A number of job descriptions have been discussed to everyone’s satisfaction.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The acting headteacher has also initiated a timetable for lesson observations as part of an overall monitoring package to improve teaching, and thus raise standards. Prior to her taking over the post in July 2001 there was no evidence of monitoring available for the inspection team to see. Until recently the school has not monitored and evaluated its performance effectively, and consequently the actions taken to secure improvement have been limited. Although individual co-ordinators have begun to monitor teaching in their subjects, there were no rigorous monitoring and evaluation of teaching by the headteacher. A key issue in 1997 was to implement the local education authority curriculum plan to give more useful detail and assistance to non-specialist teachers. This clearly was not implemented sufficiently. Professional development of staff was not linked to the school development plan as required and there was no policy for performance management. Staff had not been

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

set individual objectives in line with statutory requirements. The acting headteacher has introduced a performance management strategy and formal procedures are planned for immediate action. The lack of progress in this aspect has limited the support and range of strategies available to staff to improve their teaching. For example, a significant amount of the money made available for staff training in the Standards Fund was unspent and returned to the local education authority at the end of the last financial year. However, a number of staff referred to how few courses they had attended last year and there were very limited opportunities for staff to visit other schools.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Over the last few months the curriculum co-ordinators have been enabled to monitor both the teaching and the planning in their subjects. The monitoring of all teaching in literacy and numeracy is now well recorded and has already led to greater consistency in planning and delivery of lessons. Co-ordinators have also been given appropriate non-contact time to up-date their policies and schemes of work. This again contributes to continuity and progression in pupils’ learning in all subjects.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The substantive headteacher and governing body have failed to implement the procedures to obtain best value, and consequently these principles have not been applied in the school. A serious lack of financial control has led to the school not knowing its true financial state prior to the inspection. The part-time school bursar has introduced administrative procedures and is committed to overseeing the budget. Regular finance reports are now submitted to the governing body. Nevertheless, the school has a legacy of pupil under-achievement because until recently there was no system to monitor the effectiveness of any spending decisions. Substantial grants for raising standards were not targeted sufficiently well and the school had no means of measuring the effectiveness of this spending on raising standards of attainment. Spending decisions related to grants intended to support the education of pupils from ethnic minorities were not evaluated in any

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The acting headteacher has now rewritten the school development plan that identifies relevant priorities and shows progress in all areas including the curriculum, organisation, management and premises with expenditure identified. The plan has been developed through careful consultation with staff, which guarantees their co- St James Hatcham Primary School - 24 operation. Full monitoring and evaluation opportunities are built into the plan. This means the school is now taking appropriate steps to analyse and evaluate how it is performing across all aspects. Effective strategies are now being put into place to address any weaknesses that are identified. These include non-teaching time being made available for classroom support, and presentations to other staff and governors by core subject co-ordinators on a regular basis.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is well managed. There is a comprehensive policy, covering all the statutory requirements. The co-ordinator knows the individual pupil’s needs well, which ensures they receive the support they require. The individual education plans are appropriate and reviewed regularly.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The school’s governing body is now well informed about the school and governors take their responsibilities seriously. The governors interviewed showed great loyalty and commitment to the school. However, although they are now adopting their overall management role, they must take some responsibility for the lack of direction the school appears to have had until recently. In discussions during the inspection, the governors clearly showed a lack of confidence in the substantive headteacher. The acting headteacher has met regularly with the chair and other governors to review the progress of a range of issues since she took over her responsibilities. This has had the effect of making sure all decisions are related to the priorities in the new school development plan, and significant progress has been made. It is evident from the minutes of their recent meetings that they are now endeavouring to operate as a critical friend to the school. At this time the governing body is facing its

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

difficulties over the school’s leadership and management with commitment. They are united in wanting to achieve what is best for the school.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The school’s staffing complement includes staff with a range of experience and appropriate phase qualifications. It is a considerable achievement on the part of the acting headteacher that when faced with the possibility of five teaching staff vacancies in September she was able to fill them all so well. All teaching staff are conscientious and work well as a team, continually striving to ensure that the curriculum is taught effectively. The number of support staff has increased recently and is now good, and, through their qualifications and experience, they make an important contribution to pupils’ progress, especially those for whom English is an additional language and those with special educational needs. A new programme to support professional development has been instituted and both teaching and support staff have opportunities to develop their professional expertise. Administrative staff and lunchtime support staff contribute well to the smooth

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

running of the school. The site manager and cleaning staff work very hard to set and maintain high standards of cleanliness and the school is very well looked after.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The accommodation has improved since the previous inspection and now includes a new community building, an ICT suite, and a nursery across the road from school, which is already well used. A range of new, and very effective, security measures has been introduced. However, the school has no access to any grassed areas for games and play, which limits opportunities for physical education activities. The school library, a semi-open space at the rear of the hall, is inadequate for the number of pupils on roll and does not allow teachers to enhance pupils’ opportunities for independent research and quiet reading.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. Learning resources apart from the library facilities are satisfactory. Resources for literacy are good overall, but the quality and range of books in the library are St James Hatcham Primary School - 25 unsatisfactory. The school is now making good use of its information and technology resources. Resources for physical education and music are good. In the foundation years the quality and range of learning resources and equipment are very good.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

71. In order to consolidate and build on the recent improvements in the quality of education provided and the standards pupils are achieving, the governors, senior management team and staff should:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) consider the role of the governing body so that it consistently appraises and evaluates the work of the headteacher and all staff, and monitors all financial decisions to help shape the direction of the school and act as the necessary ‘critical friend’. Paragraphs 62, 64, 65, 67

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) ensure that day-to-day, medium, and long-term assessment procedures are agreed throughout the school and implemented more rigorously to inform curriculum planning so that all subjects are covered adequately. Teachers and subject co-ordinators should make careful use of all assessments made, particularly in the short term, to ensure that their expectations in all lessons are matched to pupils’ existing knowledge and understanding and amendments to plans are made systematically. Paragraphs 27, 31, 52, 53, 54, 112, 118, 123, 129, 140

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) provide a better school library in order to enhance pupils’ study skills by offering the necessary opportunities for independent research. Paragraphs 4, 69, 70, 93 (4) provide training for staff and governors so that child protection procedures are fully in place, to improve risk assessment and ensure that internal health and safety audits are held regularly, recorded and used to identify appropriate areas for development. Paragraphs 42, 44, 45, 46 St James Hatcham Primary School - 26

p.25

ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT

72. Since the previous inspection substantial measures have been put in place to meet the differing needs of minority ethnic pupils within the school. The school has recently appointed a part-time specialist teacher, funded through their Standards Fund - Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) - to support the achievement of minority ethnic pupils across the school. As yet there are no procedures in place to track, measure and analyse standards attained by pupils from different ethnic minority groups, though for the few pupils who are learning English as an additional language (EAL) a system of assessment and measuring progress in English language acquisition is in use. This is beginning to have a positive effect on raising standards of achievement.

p.26

ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT

73. The EMAG teacher has devised her own action plan, which forms an integral part of the school’s development plan. Her first task was to carry out an audit of existing provision to identify strengths and weaknesses. She now has in place a system of working collaboratively with class teachers in order to raise the profile of EAL pupils and meet their distinctive needs. This is carried out in conjunction with raising standards of underachieving groups as well as those who are gifted and talented.

p.26

ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT

74. Children with EAL are assessed on entry to the school or soon after. The need for support is prioritised according to the relevant stage of English language acquisition. EAL pupils gain appropriate access to the curriculum through very effective partnership teaching in lessons. The EMAG teacher plans and prepares teaching materials that are suitably adapted to meet the needs of ethnic minority and bilingual children in specific areas of their learning. She liaises with class teachers prior to the lesson and evaluates effectiveness at the end. Progress is regularly monitored and this, in turn further informs planning and target setting. The quality of support provided is effective and results in the pupils consolidating learning and making good progress.

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ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT

75. The previous inspection highlighted the fact that the school did not systematically plan to celebrate the rich cultural diversity within the school and the community. This is being rectified by a strong commitment from the acting headteacher and the EMAG teacher. Multicultural education is being introduced into many aspects of the school in order to enrich the curriculum. Black History month has been a focus of the teaching in October. An impressive display in the entrance is the school’s ‘Welcome’ poster that represents translations in different mother tongues spoken by children in the school. This is a good start to developing closer links with parents from the community, and further celebrating the languages spoken.

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ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT

76. There is no doubt that the school values, respects and celebrates the wide range of cultural diversity within the school. The staff are good role models who help all pupils to feel valued and comfortable in the school. This goes a long way towards promoting the confidence and self-esteem of pupils, particularly those from minority ethnic groups, and is a significant recent improvement and better than at the time of the last inspection. St James Hatcham Primary School - 27

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 22

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 5 25 50 12.5 5 2.5 0 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 two percentage points.

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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) 25 174

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 42 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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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 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4 55

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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 65

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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 26

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 34

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St James Hatcham Primary School - 28

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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 12 18 30

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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 7 5 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 14 16

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

Percentage of pupils School 60 (77) 63 (77) 87 (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 8 10 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 16 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 (77) 87 (100) 60 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 98 (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 12 16 28

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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 9 7 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 10 12

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

Percentage of pupils School 71 (68) 61 (52) 79 (92) 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 8 9 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 11 14

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

Percentage of pupils School 68 (60) 71 (56) 93 (73) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St James Hatcham Primary School - 29

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 62 Black – Caribbean heritage 4 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 61 Black – African heritage 1 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups 1 0 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) 11.8 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 671,679

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 728,499

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 216 Expenditure per pupil 3,589

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 41,278

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year -15,542

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 50

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 52

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 13 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

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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) 1

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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 FTE means full-time equivalent. St James Hatcham Primary School - 30

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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. 33 44 17 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 36 42 14 5 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 11 64 14 5 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 22 47 28 3 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. 44 41 8 3 3

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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. 41 44 11 0 3

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 28 41 19 11 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 31 42 17 5 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 28 53 11 0 8

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 31 22 22 17 8 St James Hatcham Primary School - 31

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

77. At the time of the last inspection the school did not have a nursery. There was an early reception class. Children attained the standards expected nationally by the time they were five, but the curriculum was not planned effectively to address the six areas of learning for children under five. The school opened a nursery class in the spring term of 2000 and in September 2000, the Foundation Stage curriculum was introduced for nursery and reception classes and the school has made good progress in developing an appropriate curriculum for these children.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

78. Teaching in the Foundation Stage was good or very good in all the lessons observed. Teachers plan effectively for all the areas of learning. Skilled nursery nurses are fully involved in both classes and they make a very effective contribution to children’s learning. Staff regularly make observations of children. These are used to plan further work and to target children for specific activities. This helps to ensure that all children experience the full range of activities in both classes. In the reception class the curriculum has a more focused structure. Staff work well to develop children’s vocabulary and develop their speaking skills. In the reception class, adults make regular assessments in order to prepare for the standard baseline assessment procedures.

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Personal, social and emotional development

79. When children join the nursery class their skills in personal and social development are broadly average. In the sessions observed, children were happy and well settled to the nursery routines. At this early stage of the school year, children are given a lot of free choice in their activities and they play happily. The reception class was very small at the time of the inspection. Only two of the children had attended St James’s nursery class and so most were new to the school. They were happy and settled and getting used to the routines of their new class. They are good at taking turns and sharing resources. Most of the children are likely to meet the Early Learning Goals for personal, social and emotional development by the end of the reception year. In both the nursery and reception classes children are generally enthusiastic about their learning. In the nursery class, a child with special

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Personal, social and emotional development

educational needs is well supported and is a valued member of the group.

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Personal, social and emotional development

80. In the nursery and reception classes, children are generally enthusiastic about their learning. For example, the reception children greatly enjoyed their movement lesson, based on the book ‘Moving through the Jungle’. In the nursery the start of the day is calm and well organised. Children and their parents or carers are welcomed by the nursery staff. Children have learned the nursery routines and settle happily to the activities provided. In the nursery each area of the curriculum is planned for. Staff ensure that there is a good balance of children working with adults and choosing their own activities. This helps to develop children’s independence, confidence and self-control. The teachers and nursery nurses support this aspect of the curriculum well. They organise activities that encourage children to play together and share toys. They encourage children to try things for themselves and to take part in all the activities offered.

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Communication, language and literacy

81. When they start school the children have speaking skills that are broadly average. They enjoy listening to stories and sharing books and joining in with repeated parts of the story ‘Walking in the Jungle’ and some can already read a few of the words. Most can recognise their names on labels and on their books. Nursery and reception staff use language well with children and are concerned to develop their vocabulary. They provide a rich learning environment, which engages children’s interest and gives them a lot to talk about. Adults use questions well, encouraging children to talk about their activities. They use interesting books and resources that encourage children to join in with discussions. In a lesson on keeping healthy, the children were keen to talk about what would help a life-sized doll, to get through her busy day. In both the nursery and the reception class, children are given plenty of

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Communication, language and literacy

opportunities to read and write. They make cards for each other and ‘write’ stories. The older children can write their names independently and some of the younger children are writing under their pictures, showing a good developing knowledge of sounds. Pencils, crayons and different kinds of paper are readily available and children regularly use them. Children have favourite books and can retell the stories. Some use illustrations to ‘read’ the story. They enjoy talking about the stories they have heard and read. In the nursery there is a ‘borrowers club’. The family learning centre has developed this and most of the nursery children regularly take home packs of books and activities to share with their parents and carers. This is a very popular activity and there are plans to develop this into the reception class. The reception children regularly take books home. The majority of children are

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Communication, language and literacy

making satisfactory progress towards meeting the Early Learning Goals for communication, language and literacy by the end of the reception year. A small number of higher attaining children are making good progress and are likely to attain the Early Learning Goal well before this.

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Mathematical development

82. Children in the nursery and the reception class make satisfactory progress in this area. Children in the reception class can count to five and several can count reliably beyond this. In the nursery children are developing good recognition of written numbers. They peg numbers on a line to learn number order. Children in the reception class can order objects by size and confidently use the appropriate vocabulary such as bigger than, smaller than. They use vocabulary to describe position and demonstrate their understanding by placing objects beside, under, behind other objects. Staff take care to develop children’s mathematical vocabulary and prepare them well for the next stages of learning. Children are able to match sets of objects to the correct numeral. They enjoy counting rhymes and games. Several of the children can write numbers to ten recognisably though they sometimes reverse some numbers. Most of the children are likely to attain the Early

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Mathematical development

Learning Goals for mathematical development by the end of the reception year.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

83. When they start school, children’s experience in this area is varied. Some children have a good basic knowledge, whilst a few show understanding below expected levels. In the reception class, children have brought in photographs of themselves as babies and compare these with pictures of themselves now. This helps them to understand how they have changed over the years. They understand that to be healthy, they need rest, exercise and food. They know that milk is good for them St James Hatcham Primary School - 33 and one child said that “When you exercise you get strong muscles”. Children in both the nursery and reception classes have access to computers and greatly enjoy using them. They can control the mouse to use the programmes and understand how to get through them. Staff provide a rich range of stimulating experiences for children in both the nursery and the reception classes. They take every opportunity

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

to develop children’s knowledge and their planning shows that this area of learning is well developed. The majority of children make satisfactory progress in this area of learning and are likely to attain the Early Learning Goals by the end of the reception year.

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Physical development

84. The nursery class has a well-developed outdoor play area that has fixed climbing apparatus. The reception class has a very small area outside the classroom that joins the infants’ playground. Children in both classes have well-developed physical skills. Children in the reception class have access to the hall for physical education lessons. Children can run, jump, balance and climb using a good range of equipment and showing an awareness of the needs of others in the space around them. Children in both the nursery and reception classes use pencils, brushes, scissors and other small items with increasing confidence and skill. Children are in line to attain the expected levels in their physical development by the end of their reception year.

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Creative development

85. Children make good progress in this area of learning in both the nursery and reception class and are likely to attain the expected levels by the end of the reception year. Children enjoy making pictures in paint and collage. They have opportunities to draw and explore a wide range of materials. Children enjoy listening to music and exploring a range of instruments. Children enjoy role play and are enthusiastic about acting out familiar stories. They join enthusiastically in singing familiar songs and rhymes. Staff talk about singing slowly and then quickly. Children are learning a range of songs and rhymes and enjoy putting actions to them. The role-play opportunities in both classes, however, could be further developed to provide children with enhanced opportunities for imaginative play. The role of adults in modelling this sort of creative ability is as yet underdeveloped.

p.33

Creative development

86. Teaching was good in all the lessons observed and occasionally very good. Teachers and nursery nurses have a secure understanding of the learning needs of young children. The curriculum is well planned to address all the areas of learning for the Foundation Stage. Staff make regular observations of children’s attainment and progress and use their assessments well to plan the next stages of children’s learning. The skilled nursery nurses are fully involved in planning and organisation and they make an effective contribution to children’s learning. Staff make regular assessments of children’s progress and these are well used to plan the next steps in children’s learning. During lessons, staff have very effective interactions with children and support them well. All staff are concerned to develop children’s vocabulary and support their independent learning. They provide a rich and stimulating environment that effectively promotes children’s progress towards the

p.33

Creative development

Early Learning Goals. There is a good balance of children working with adults and choosing their independent activities. In both classes, the quality of relationships is very good. Teachers and nursery nurses work very well together to the benefit of the children. They provide very good role models and support children well. St James Hatcham Primary School - 34 87. At present the manager of the Family Learning Centre leads the co-ordination of the Foundation Stage. She gives very effective support to both staff and parents and her contribution is greatly valued. However, as she is not a member of the school staff, there are limitations to her role. She recognises that it is not appropriate for her to be the budget manager for the Foundation Stage and currently the system for managing the budget and resources is reliant on the acting headteacher. The nursery class is relatively new and is well resourced but systems for maintaining and

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Creative development

developing resources for the Foundation Stage are unnecessarily complicated as the curriculum managers in the school include the Foundation Stage in their budgets, and no-one has separate responsibility for this key stage. The nursery and reception classes are physically quite far a part and the timings of the day do not allow easy liaison between the two. Whilst there are good informal links between the teachers, the system to ensure progression and continuity of learning experiences throughout the Foundation Stage is underdeveloped.

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ENGLISH

88. Pupils aged seven achieve the standards expected for their age in reading and writing. When compared with the results of schools having similar intakes, their achievement is below average. Results in the National Curriculum tests for 11 year olds show that pupils’ attainment in English is in line with standards achieved by pupils nationally, but above average when compared with schools having a similar intake. However, pupils’ attainment in writing is weaker than the other aspects throughout the school and this is an area that the school has identified for development.

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ENGLISH

89. By the age of seven the proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 in reading was below the national average and the proportion attaining the higher level in writing was well below standards achieved nationally. In the National Curriculum tests for 11 year olds the proportion of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 was in line with the national average and the proportion attaining the higher Level 5 was above standards achieved nationally.

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ENGLISH

90. At the time of the last inspection, standards in English were judged to be in line with national expectations for both seven and 11 year olds. In some aspects of reading and writing some pupils attained above average standards. Evidence from the present inspection shows that pupils attain satisfactory standards in English at the ages of seven and 11. Over the past four years pupils’ attainment in English has varied. However, class sizes are small which accounts for this as one pupil’s result accounts for three per cent of the school’s results. Overall progress in English since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

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ENGLISH

91. When pupils enter the school their confidence in speaking and listening is broadly average. In lessons and in assemblies pupils listen well to their teachers and to each other. They are confident in sharing their ideas and contributing to class discussions. In some lessons teachers give pupils frequent opportunities to discuss ideas in pairs, for example in an excellent Year 4 lesson pupils discussed how they could make their writing more interesting by using a greater range of verbs to replace commonplace verbs such as ‘went’ and ‘said’. At the end of this lesson pupils read their work confidently to the rest of the class. Other pupils listened attentively and made positive comments about each other’s work. In a Year 1 lesson St James Hatcham Primary School - 35 the teacher provided good opportunities for pupils to talk to each other about their work, working on the labels they might make to give information in their classroom.

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ENGLISH

92. The attainment of seven year olds in reading is average. The better readers are competent but do not read with good expression. Their knowledge of books and authors is limited and they do not talk about reading with enthusiasm. Some pupils have an insecure knowledge of letter sounds. This means that they do not have good strategies for tackling unfamiliar words and wait passively for help. They do not use pictures or context to work out the meaning. Pupils regularly take books home to read with parents and carers. Their reading record books contain helpful comments and teachers give them guidance for improvement. Pupils know the difference between fiction and non-fiction but they are less confident in their use of the library. They do not talk about how the library is organised and how they can find books on specific topics.

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ENGLISH

93. The overall attainment of 11 year olds in reading is also average. They show a limited knowledge of books and authors other than those they study in their literacy lessons. Several lower attaining pupils are still hesitant and do not have a good range of strategies to help them tackle unfamiliar texts. Some of the older pupils have negative attitudes towards reading. They are reasonably competent readers but do not talk about reading with enthusiasm. Their choice of books is limited to popular children’s fiction and they are not being helped to appreciate the rich range of literature available to them. Older pupils are developing their reference skills and some are confident users of dictionaries and reference books but do not routinely use these for independent study. The school library is cramped and poorly sited. This does not support pupils in developing their independent study skills and they

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ENGLISH

are unable to use the library on a regular basis for research. Whilst several of the oldest pupils are competent readers and can cope with most texts in the curriculum they do not demonstrate a critical appreciation of a range of books and their response to the texts they read is limited.

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ENGLISH

94. Standards in writing are below average throughout the school. Many of the younger pupils do not show a good knowledge of sounds and this is reflected in their written work. They are inclined to wait for help rather than trying to spell words for themselves. In a good Year 1 lesson, pupils were encouraged to write independently. They thought about the reasons for writing labels and captions and gave good suggestions of labels they could use in their classroom. They had good ideas about instructions for tidying up areas of their classroom, for example, “Put the dolls in the box”. Some higher attaining pupils in this class tried hard to write independently and showed good knowledge of sounds. One pupil trying to write ‘should’ identified the sounds correctly and made a good attempt at writing this; ‘shood’.

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ENGLISH

95. The writing of older pupils is unsatisfactory. Spelling is a major weakness and has not been addressed over time. The school is aware of this deficiency and has made it the highest priority in their school development plan. Pupils currently do not have a good range of strategies for spelling and their work shows that they do not have a good understanding of sounds. Their written work covers the range of writing expected by the National Literacy Strategy but there is little evidence that pupils work with understanding and they do not transfer the skills they learn in their literacy lessons to their independent writing. In literacy lessons, pupils in Year 5 showed understanding of how authors use different techniques to engage the interest of their readers. They talked about the use of dialogue or description to engage the St James Hatcham Primary School - 36 reader’s interest, but whilst they appear to understand this technique, they are not

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ENGLISH

skilled in using it in their independent writing. Pupils do not use the drafting process to edit and refine their work. Samples of pupils’ work show evidence that writing skills are taught but there is no evidence to confirm that pupils transfer the skills they learn to their independent writing.

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ENGLISH

96. Pupils at the top end of the school do not write fluently for a range of purposes or audience. In several lessons pupils showed good understanding of the learning objectives but lack the skills to record their work effectively. Their written work is let down by weak spelling and handwriting skills and many pupils have difficulty in expressing their ideas in writing. Most pupils do not have the writing skills they need to attain the levels expected for their age and this is even more marked in the case of pupils with special educational needs.

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ENGLISH

97. Pupils regularly practise forming letters correctly but most have not developed a fluent personal style of handwriting. During the inspection teachers were observed addressing the problem of handwriting and presentation but they have to make up for earlier deficiencies in teaching. In some books, teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is cursory. Some good examples of marking were seen, giving pupils guidance as to how they could improve their work. The school has agreed a marking policy but the new teachers are using this in a variety of different ways.

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ENGLISH

98. During the inspection the teaching of English was satisfactory or better in six out of seven lessons. In two thirds of lessons teaching was good or very good and in one lesson teaching was excellent. In one of the lessons observed teaching was poor. Good and very good teaching was observed in both key stages. Teachers have a good understanding of the National Literacy Strategy and implement it well. Teachers routinely share the learning intentions with pupils, which enables them to understand what is expected of them in the lesson. Teachers take care to involve the learning support assistants well in their lessons. These assistants are well briefed and give very effective support to pupils, encouraging them and helping them to take a full part in the lesson. Although in some lessons the tasks were the same for all pupils, the good level of adult support helped pupils to achieve well. Where the teaching was poor with the oldest pupils it was because the teacher had

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ENGLISH

few effective strategies for managing pupils’ behaviour. Explanations were not clear which meant that pupils did not understand what they were expected to do.

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ENGLISH

99. Management of English is good. However, the co-ordinator has only had responsibility for the subject since the beginning of the current term and has not yet had time to make an impact on standards. She has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses in English and has an appropriate action plan that should help the school to improve further.

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MATHEMATICS

100. Results in the national tests for seven year olds in 2000 were very high in comparison with the national average and in comparison with similar schools and trends over time showed that the performance of both girls and boys exceeded the national average for their gender and age group. However, in 2001 these results were significantly lower, but this reflects the overall ability of the particular cohort of pupils and the incorrect marking of the 2000 papers. Key Stage 2 figures for 2001 show that 61 per cent of 11 year olds achieved the average Level 4 or above, which is below the national average, but is a significant improvement over the 2000 St James Hatcham Primary School - 37 results. Over a three-year period the performance of both, boys and girls fell below the national average.

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MATHEMATICS

101. Inspection evidence confirms that most pupils in both key stages make good progress and achieve standards that are satisfactory. There is some under- achievement in Year 6 where the work has lacked challenge for pupils . Children in the reception class can count ‘one more than’ up to seven and are able to write numbers up to ten. They use simple mathematical language to describe the difference between regular two-dimensional shapes like triangles, squares, rectangles and circles and enjoy playing with mathematical puzzles. By the age of seven, most pupils are able to count in twos, fives and tens. They recognise odd and even numbers and know that even numbers end in two, four, six, eight and zero. They know that halving is the inverse operation of doubling and apply this knowledge to make up their own number patterns. Appropriate vocabulary is used in all mathematics lessons and pupils take great pride in using the language for

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MATHEMATICS

102. By the age of 11, pupils’ confidence has grown and they can use a variety of mental and written methods for calculating with the four operations. They can work out simple calculations in their heads and use calculators for more complex number work. Most pupils have a good grasp of their multiplication tables which enables them to cope with a range of problem solving tasks. They work at the expected level for their age in using and applying mathematics, shape, space and measures and data handling. Higher attaining pupils are challenged effectively in many lessons. Some of this is partly due to the adoption of the National Numeracy Strategy, which has provided a clear structure for teaching and appropriate daily time allocation to the subject. Additionally the numeracy co-ordinator has worked with the borough’s consultant to provide training for teachers to support their teaching. Booster classes,

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MATHEMATICS

started in September, are also proving effective in raising the standards of older pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

103. Pupils’ attitudes to mathematics are positive in both key stages and they generally sustain concentration and interest well, which suggests they are confident about what they are learning. In most classes there is a healthy enthusiasm for mathematics and pupils often describe it as their favourite subject. They show great enjoyment of mental mathematics especially when there is a slightly competitive edge or a games element, as was apparent in the Year 3 lesson when pupils played ‘around the world’ calculating multiples of numbers. Most pupils listen well to their teacher and work well in pairs and small groups. Relationships between teachers, learning support assistants and pupils are good, which provides a positive and productive atmosphere in which achievement flourishes and pupils can get on with their work and know how well they have done.

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MATHEMATICS

104. The overall quality of teaching is good throughout the school and very good in one lesson. Only one unsatisfactory lesson was observed. The main features of good teaching observed are lively, well-organised lessons that proceed at a brisk pace. Planning is good and teachers generally ensure that pupils of all abilities work at appropriate tasks. Learning objectives are clear and shared with pupils so they understand what is expected. In most classes the control and management of the pupils is good and contributes to the good behaviour seen in class. When teaching is most effective there is skilful questioning and management with a variety of challenging activities planned. Support staff work successfully with class teachers in raising standards generally, particularly of the lower attaining pupils in their groups. St James Hatcham Primary School - 38 Where the teaching was less effective with the oldest pupils, it was because the

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MATHEMATICS

pace of the lessons was slow, and they were not sure of what they were expected to do and time was wasted. No additional work was planned for those pupils who finished early, and as a result they became frustrated and lost interest in their work. The lessons were noisy and a significant number of pupils did not listen to the teachers’ instructions. This adversely affected their own work and that of other pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

105. The teaching of pupils with English as an additional language is effectively co- ordinated within the subject and pupils receive very good support, which ensures they make good progress. A very good example of partnership teaching was seen in Year 3 where the class teacher, together with the ethnic minority achievement teacher, worked collaboratively to provide a lively and highly successful lesson. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in both key stages because teachers are careful now to provide appropriate opportunities for them all based on their day-to-day assessments.

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MATHEMATICS

106. There is progress within the curriculum since the previous inspection. Based on the numeracy strategy, it is broad and balanced with good emphasis on mental mathematics, problem solving and investigations. Arrangements for assessing and tracking pupils’ work are not yet fully developed but there is a system being introduced by the teacher employed through the ethnic minority achievement grant. This sets individual targets for underachieving pupils from minority ethnic groups and for those pupils who are gifted or talented. The co-ordinator provides a very good lead and effective support for her colleagues. She has planned meetings for parents to disseminate information about the numeracy strategy. With help from the numeracy consultant, she has been instrumental in rewriting the mathematics policy and introducing the concept of numeracy reference areas in each classroom, and has produced a document with guidelines of how to use these areas. Classroom

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MATHEMATICS

displays in mathematics link with current topics, as well as providing a constant reminder of mathematical vocabulary. Resources are of good quality, easily accessible to all staff and used well in lessons. Although little evidence was seen in during the inspection of pupils using information and communication technology (ICT) in mathematics, there is clear planning to show how the new ICT suite is to be used extensively in the future.

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SCIENCE

107. The results of the most recent published tests in 2001 showed that by the age of seven pupils’ standards in science were very low when compared to the national average. These results were consistent across all strands of the science curriculum. However, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels of attainment was closer to the national average.

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SCIENCE

108. By the age of 11 test results for pupils in science in 2000 showed they were close to the national average, as was the proportion achieving the higher levels. However, results for the 2001 tests showed a considerable drop in standards against the national average at the age of 11. Some instability in staffing and lack of good management has meant that effective strategies for raising standards in science have only recently been in operation and there is evidence that further measures to improve standards are being planned. Inspection evidence in the lessons seen and from the work in books shows that standards in science are close to the national average. At the age of 11 there is no significant difference between the St James Hatcham Primary School - 39 performance of girls and boys in science. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the good level of support they receive.

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SCIENCE

109. Year 1 pupils studying light show satisfactory knowledge by naming sources of light. In this very good lesson they named torches, candles and electricity as examples and they showed awe and wonder when the teacher lighted a sparkler for them to see. In previous work, they have successfully matched pictures of adult animals with their young when studying the idea of growing up. In a very good lesson Year 2 pupils were investigating materials and looking at the skills of sorting. Initially they had difficulty with the process until the teacher skilfully demonstrated different ways of sorting a group of pupils in the class. They later satisfactorily sorted and grouped their collections of various types of material such as wood, paper, plastic and metal. In their books there is evidence of knowledge of a healthy diet. Pupils are making good progress and satisfactorily record by drawing and colouring.

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SCIENCE

St James Hatcham Primary School - 40 110. In a good lesson Year 3 pupils of all abilities were successfully studying forces and investigating push and pull with magnets and springs. They recorded their findings independently. For those of lower ability the learning support assistants and teacher helped them effectively. Year 4 pupils have investigated aspects of growth in humans such as “Have boys got bigger heads than girls?” They have also compared forearm measurement. They record well using tables and charts and they are able to draw conclusions from the data they collect.

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SCIENCE

111. Year 5 pupils investigating solids and liquid satisfactorily recorded how liquids such as oil and water flow when compared to one another. They have used balloons to find if air has weight and satisfactorily recorded their findings. In a satisfactory lesson on healthy eating, Year 5 pupils show that they have good knowledge of the basic principles of nutrition. Year 6 pupils have been studying adaptation and interdependence in animals. They have recorded several food chains but when talking to a group of Year 6 pupils they are unaware of the idea of a food web. The work in books of Year 6 pupils shows satisfactory levels of attainment. However, when compared with the previous year’s cohort, the presentation and care is not as high and little pride is taken in their work.

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SCIENCE

112. In all lessons observed the standard of teaching was at least satisfactory and usually good or very good. Teachers are planning and preparing lessons well. They clearly state what the learning intentions for the lesson are, and inform pupils of what they want them to learn in the lesson. When summing up at the end teachers return to these intentions to ascertain if they have been achieved. In a very good lesson for Year 1 on the sources of light, skilful questioning by the teacher at the beginning of the lesson established what pupils already knew about the subject. The enthusiasm of the teacher gave rise to pupils’ enjoyment of the lesson. A contributory factor to the satisfactory rate of progress made by pupils is the good questioning given to make pupils think. Teachers give very clear instructions on what to do but at the same time allow pupils to show initiative. In a very good lesson Year 2 pupils were given very clear instructions on the principles

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SCIENCE

for sorting materials. However, they were still able to show initiative by sorting to their own criteria. The pace in lessons is brisk and there is little wasted time due to the good methods used and the management of both pupils and ancillary staff. Good links are made with literacy by developing appropriate scientific terminology. Pupils are encouraged to record their findings neatly. However, whilst teachers set appropriate challenges to include all ability ranges including those with special educational needs, there is a tendency within some classes for pupils to be set the same work.

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SCIENCE

113. Whilst some systems are in place to record pupils’ achievement and progress, analyses of tests and assessments are insufficiently used at present to guide future planning. The acting headteacher, who is also temporarily the science co-ordinator, has put in place strategies to raise the standards in science.

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ART AND DESIGN

114. Due to timetabling restrictions it was not possible to see any art lessons during the inspection. Judgements in art and design are made on samples of pupils’ work and on scrutiny of artwork displayed in the school hall, classrooms and corridors. On this basis, standards attained are good in Key Stage 1 as well as Key Stage 2. Due to the constraints of curriculum time, art is taught in blocks across the two key stages and planned to ensure adequate coverage of the subject takes place. The scheme St James Hatcham Primary School - 41 of work, based on the QCA syllabus, has recently been introduced. It outlines the organisation of the subject and the skills and objectives to be taught each year.

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ART AND DESIGN

115. At Key Stage 1 pupils can mix colours, draw and paint from life and imagination, paint self portraits and use a variety of materials to produce collage pictures, prints and patterns. They can make models from scrap materials and experiment with creating different textures using tissue paper and glue. Reception children have made a ‘friendship tree,’ and an impressive collage of a ‘tree in full bloom’ is displayed in the Key Stage 1 corridor. By the age of 11 pupils use pastels, chalks, and pencils to sketch still life pictures. They learn about tone and experiment with dark and light. Good observational pictures of plants are sensitively painted using water-colour.

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ART AND DESIGN

116. Art has a very strong focus round the school, with many examples of the work of recognised artists and displays of pupils’ work which are decorative and eye- catching. It is well used for making links with other subjects and becomes an illustrative tool for cross-curricular work. For example, several paintings of life in Roman Britain are displayed in the library. Similarly, drawings and paintings are effectively used to represent work in other lessons.

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ART AND DESIGN

117. There is insufficient evidence to make a general judgement on the standards of teaching within the school. However, because the school values art and design, it provides some very good opportunities for pupils. For example, regular visits are made to the Dulwich Gallery to study the work of other artists which they interpret in their own style. By inviting a visiting artist from the Gallery, as well as other visiting specialists, the school has provided children with excellent opportunities for exploring their skills in using a range of media to produce exciting three-dimensional work. Modelling and sculpture have been the main focus of these visits.

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ART AND DESIGN

118. Art is well led and managed by a recently appointed co-ordinator who has an enthusiasm for the subject and the necessary expertise. She has provided good support and advice to colleagues, but is aware that no monitoring of teaching provision has taken place. There are no formal methods in place for assessing progress and attainment, but these are within her action plans for the future. She has planned to develop the subject by carrying out an audit, identifying gaps in provision and providing the support needed for raising standards further. The school has already enriched art by introducing a variety of media and a range of artists from different cultures and backgrounds, which makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural and social development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. A limited number of lessons were seen during the inspection. Other evidence was gained from examination of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning and through discussion with the co-ordinator and pupils.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

120. Pupils’ learning is good at both key stages and their attainment is in line with that expected for the age of the pupils. Pupils with special educational needs, and pupils for whom English is an additional language, are effectively supported and make good progress in relation to their earlier attainment. These judgements show an improvement since the last inspection when standards were sometimes unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2 and provision did not meet the statutory requirements. St James Hatcham Primary School - 42 Skills are now taught so as to give more emphasis to design, and to evaluation, rather than simply developing manipulative skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

121. At Key Stage 1 pupils learn basic skills of design, and as part of their work on food, they design a balanced and healthy diet choosing which items to include on a plate. They use simple tools for cutting, peeling and slicing, and evaluate their product by asking questions about it. Toward the end of the key stage, children build on the skills they have learnt. They observe examples of finished products and use pictures and models to communicate their designs. They generate ideas and work co-operatively in groups to plan how they will construct their model. For example, in Year 2, the children discussed how they would design their own puppets based on a range of different types of puppets they had been shown earlier. Using the appropriate technical language to describe the tools and processes they would use, they began to create their own designs. Pupils showed care and sensitivity when handling and observing the puppets that were made and introduced by the class

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

teacher. This is a good basis for teaching children to regard and respect their own, and each other’s work. The development of evaluation skills is well illustrated by Year 4 pupils as they observe a variety of switches and describe how they can be activated, by twisting, pulling or pushing. Good links are made with science as pupils think about why bathroom lights are operated by cord pulls, enabling them to consider health and safety aspects.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

122. The quality of teaching was good or better in two of the lessons seen. The teachers show enthusiasm for the subject that encourages good attitudes from the pupils. Pupils, in turn, work very well together and keep engaged in their activities throughout the lesson. Effective planning with learning support staff enables pupils of lower ability to stay on task and make satisfactory progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

123. The subject is taught in blocks of work throughout the terms using the national QCA schemes as a basis for planning, but as yet there are no systems in place for assessment. The co-ordinator is new to the post and has begun to carry out an audit of design and technology provision throughout the school. She has plans to develop the status of the subject further by providing relevant training for teachers and setting in place a more regular and consistent pattern of assessment focusing on skills progression. Resources are adequate and accessible and provide a basic minimum for supporting work in this subject.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

124. At the last inspection standards were satisfactory and broadly in line with national expectations. Since then the introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies has meant that the foundation subjects, including history and geography, have found their time allocation in the curriculum restricted. Only one lesson of history was observed during the inspection period. However, from the samples of work in books and on display in the classrooms, together with the lesson seen, standards are broadly in line with national expectations.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

125. In the immediate environment of the school, Year 1 pupils have compared a quiet road with one that is very busy. They have satisfactorily recorded their findings by drawings. Some were able to write captions to the drawings but where pupils have not reached the stage of writing the teacher has annotated the drawings after discussion with the pupils. St James Hatcham Primary School - 43 126. Year 2 pupils are beginning to use world maps to find out, “Where in the world is Barnaby Bear?” Pupils have coloured their maps although some colouring is rather heavy and masks detail. They have identified where Barnaby Bear is but it is not clear how they arrived at their decisions. For example, ‘He is in Canada because there is lots of sunshine there’. Pupils have visited Horton Kirby, an educational centre in Kent, where they have drawn some of the aspects they experienced on a walk and made good progress as a result. There is a good photographic record of

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

the visit on display near the classroom. They have studied the journey of a letter through the post and recorded it by correctly sequencing a series of pictures in their books. In a very good history lesson in connection with Black History Month pupils listened to the story of Mary Seacole and how she tended the sick during the Crimean War. When pupils recorded the story in their words, the teacher made good links to literacy by encouraging pupils to link two sentences together. At the end of the lesson pupils spontaneously applauded the efforts of a pupil with special educational needs on reading out the piece of work.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

127. Year 3 pupils have been trying to imagine, through video and books, what it would be like for children living during World War II. Views expressed and recorded in their books were polarised and one pupil wrote, “In those days it was black and white. Most people were poor and they didn’t have enough things like we do.” Year 4 pupils have satisfactorily investigated noise pollution in school. They decided which areas were the noisiest and which were quiet, recording what they had found out in books. However, there was no evidence of them making suggestions to quieten the noisy areas.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

128. Year 6 pupils have satisfactorily and correctly drawn the main features of the rain cycle. They have been studying the journey of a river from its source to the sea. Some of their drawings were too heavily coloured to show sufficient detail. The writing in their books also showed insufficient care in presentation.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

129. In the one very good history lesson, work had been set to take into account the differing ability levels within the class including those with special educational needs. In this same lesson the teacher used very skilful questioning that enabled all abilities to respond. For the less able this helped to raise their self-esteem. Marking in books is inconsistent in spite of a marking policy that gives good guidance. At present there are no assessment procedures for both history and geography. However, there is a very recently appointed co-ordinator for history and geography who already has plans for a balanced curriculum throughout the school.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

130. Standards in ICT are in-line with expectations overall by the time pupils leave school. The school has made good progress in its provision for this subject since the last inspection in 1997, although most of it has been in the last few months and its overall impact is not yet clear. Teachers are now taking every opportunity to involve pupils in this subject, particularly in the new computer suite, and this is resulting in a much improved level of ICT skills. Older pupils are now making good progress from a low starting point.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

131. In Key Stage 1, the standards reached are in line with those expected for the pupils’ age. This is due to the good teaching, good quality software and planning by the co- ordinator. All teachers have good knowledge and understanding and are able to ensure that a good range of work is being provided. St James Hatcham Primary School - 44 132. In Key Stage 2, in a Year 4 lesson the pupils were designing ‘wallpaper’ as part of their art and design project on the Colour Magic program. The way that Year 3 pupils were able to draw a face that they could then use in the design and technology lesson, was impressive. This work was typical of the effective links teachers are now making with their class work in design and technology, art and design, history, geography and mathematics.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

133. Learning throughout the school is good. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, make good progress. Specialist teachers throughout the school are becoming increasingly mindful of the impact ICT can have for these pupils. They are also aware of the potential of the computer suite and are planning tasks appropriately.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

134. Pupils' attitudes and behaviour in the examples seen of ICT in use were good. In the lessons seen, the teachers’ good knowledge of the subject and clear explanations enabled pupils to make good progress in their learning and kept them all on task throughout. The way in which pairs and threes worked very co- operatively on using different creative software in Years 3 and 4 was very good.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

135. The co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and has a good idea of where the school needs to focus in the immediate future, for example in control technology, in order to continue the impressive progress they are currently making. In the short time the school has had its computer suite, the co-ordinator and governor with responsibility for ICT have made a considerable impact on learning by making software training available to other teachers and giving them generous amounts of support. Their work to secure such an effective suite was outstanding. All examples seen showed that teachers have sufficient knowledge to make their use of ICT meaningful. The school has adapted the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority guidelines to offer guidance to those staff who are less confident in the use of computers. All of this care is enabling pupils to make good progress and achieve well.

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MUSIC

136. Pupils in Key Stage 1 attain standards that are expected for their age, and they all enjoy the range of music-making activities provided. The extra activities provided by the part-time teacher is a strength of the school, and enable those pupils with particular ability to achieve higher standards. Overall standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are above those generally expected for pupils of this age. There are a number of pupils who are receiving musical tuition, in recorders, brass, guitar and clarinet.

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MUSIC

137. Younger pupils sing well and show good control of pitch, dynamics and rhythm. They listen well and teachers make good use of this ability in other lessons such as literacy. In the Year 1 lesson observed, pupils listened to a Mozart excerpt and talked openly about the sounds they had heard. The way that all activities were chosen to reinforce the lesson on short and long notes was particularly effective. The teacher also used this occasion to reinforce the special significance of the song well.

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MUSIC

138. Older pupils learn to create percussion parts to songs and can compose simple melodies. They have a good knowledge and understanding of music from other cultures and the school makes a point of celebrating the variety their pupils St James Hatcham Primary School - 45 represent and bring to the school. Pupils discuss their musical likes and dislikes well and in a very thoughtful and tolerant way. The way that the Year 4 class observed could keep a complicated three-part clapping rhythm going, and vary the dynamics as well, was particularly impressive. The older pupils taking part in the dance lessons responded to the music in a mature and sensitive way at the beginning of the lesson.

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MUSIC

139. The quality of the teaching observed was good. Only two lessons were observed and so an overall judgement on the quality of teaching is not possible. The planning of lessons is good and teachers try to make sure that pupils are kept interested and motivated. In two of the lessons, the way that the teachers had the confidence to sing and demonstrate to the pupils, was very effective. The teachers, including the acting headteacher, often have music of many different sorts playing as the pupils come and go in the school. This is a very effective way of introducing pupils to new and different music, which they appreciate a great deal.

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MUSIC

140. The influence of the music co-ordinator, who is mainly responsible for music throughout the school, is largely responsible for the considerable improvement since the last inspection. Although there is a much more structured approach to teaching music and greater guidance available for all teachers, there is still no system for assessing or recording pupils’ progress in music from one year to the next. The range of musical resources has improved markedly since the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. Standards in physical education are in line with expectations in both key stages. However, standards in dance, observed in Key Stage 2, were very good. There is no difference in standards between girls and boys. This is a similar picture to that at the time of the previous inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. At the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils have developed sound levels of control and mobility, and make the expected progress in developing co-ordination in travelling, jumping and balancing. In dance, pupils demonstrate a good range of movements, and realistic ‘robotic’ movements from Year 1 pupils implied good levels of thinking and imagination. In Key Stage 2, pupils move around the playground with increasing control, and demonstrate an expected range of passing and catching skills. In competitive situations they show an appropriate understanding of attacking and defending techniques in games such as netball. A significant minority of pupils demonstrate good levels of athleticism, balance and an ability to change direction quickly. Pupils from Year 3 created dance sequences based on musical stimuli. All the pupils showed very good levels of concentration, and the structure of the lesson was such that they faced increased challenges. By the end, the quality of

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

interpretation, expression and ‘finish’ was very good. The teachers are very careful to make sure that pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, are given every opportunity to succeed and make progress. The school supports a good swimming programme. By the time they leave, practically all pupils are able to meet the swimming requirements of the National Curriculum.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143. Teaching was at least satisfactory, apart from one lesson. One lesson was excellent and the increasing demands made upon pupils showed the teacher’s excellent subject knowledge. The lesson was very well organised and managed, and pupils’ own views about how they might improve were well exploited. By the end, pupils had a very good understanding of what they needed to do to improve and all the St James Hatcham Primary School - 46 learning objectives were achieved. In another lesson where teaching was less effective, the pace of the lesson was such that learning opportunities were restricted. Some pupils who wanted to learn had to wait for fairly long periods whilst others were being dealt with which left little time for them to practise and improve and their interest and application began to wane.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

144. The co-ordinator is working to develop the scheme of work in the light of recent curriculum statements, and this, along with a better system of assessment and improved resources, is providing sound support for teachers in delivering a balanced programme.

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