Whitewater Church of England Primary School

INSPECTION REPORT

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 11 th May 2001

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INSPECTION REPORT

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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INSPECTION REPORT

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. Whitewater CE Primary School - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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INSPECTION REPORT

School address: The Street Rotherwick Hook Hampshire

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INSPECTION REPORT

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INSPECTION REPORT

Name of chair of governors: Mrs C Harnett

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INSPECTION REPORT

Date of previous inspection: 3 rd November 1997 Whitewater CE Primary School - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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INSPECTION REPORT

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INSPECTION REPORT

20891 S O’Toole Registered inspector Foundation stage Art Mathematics Information and communication technology Design and technology Music The school's results and pupils' achievements How well are pupils taught How well is the school led and managed What should the school do to improve further

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INSPECTION REPORT

9708 S Daintrey Lay inspector Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils How well does the school work in partnership with parents 24137 G Robertson Team inspector Special educational needs Equal opportunities English Science Geography History Physical education Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils

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INSPECTION REPORT

The inspection contractor was: BPI 2 Grange Lane Cople Bedford MK44 3TT

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INSPECTION REPORT

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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INSPECTION REPORT

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INSPECTION REPORT

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Whitewater CE Primary School - 5 REPORT CONTENTS

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Whitewater CE Primary School is in a rural area of Hampshire and serves the local villages. Overall the pupils’ socio-economic backgrounds are above average. Very few pupils are entitled to free school meals, well below average. Of the 140 pupils attending the school, 73 are boys and 67 are girls. Almost all pupils are from white ethnic backgrounds and none has English as an additional language. There are 26 pupils with special educational needs (below average) and two have a statement of special educational need (average). Children start in the reception class in the September of the academic year in which they are five. Attainment on admission varies significantly between year groups and is generally above the local authority average. The headteacher has been at the school for two terms and most of the teachers have been appointed since the previous inspection.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective and good school. Standards are sufficiently high in almost all subjects and well above average in English, mathematics and music. Most of the teaching is good and the pupils learn effectively. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are exemplary; they are prepared well for life in a multi-cultural society. The school is led and managed well and provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Throughout the school, pupils attain well above average standards in English, mathematics and music; they make good progress in art and design, history, geography and design and technology in the juniors. • Teaching is mostly good with about a quarter being very good or excellent. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning; behaviour, and personal and social skills are very good • The good curriculum includes high calibre opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. • This very caring and purposeful school benefits much from strong parental support. • The headteacher provides very good leadership and direction, ably supported by staff and governors.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The rate of progress and standards in science through the school, particularly for the more able • The use of computers to support the pupils’ work in other subjects. • The school’s development plan. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Overall the school has made good improvement since the previous inspection in November 1997 and maintained high standards in English and mathematics. Progress in music, art and design and design and technology have improved as has the provision for information and communication technology. Planning and teaching are better than they were. Leadership and management have improved although more remains to be done to make strategic planning more effective. Assessment and the new schemes of work now provide good guidance for teachers in planning lessons. The high quality provision of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has been maintained as have the very strong links with parents. The governors now fulfil their statutory responsibilities. The school has very good capacity to improve further. Whitewater CE Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11-year-olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Overall standards have improved since the previous inspection and are sufficiently high with the exception of science. Attainment in national tests in 2000 showed that standards in English and mathematics by end of the infants and juniors were well above average. Pupils attained average standards in science but performance in this subject was not high enough due to insufficient challenge for the more able. Inspection evidence shows a similar picture of attainment in the current Year 2 and 6 classes. When compared with schools with similar intakes, standards were above average in English, average in mathematics but well below average in science. Progress is mostly good due to effective teaching. Pupils with special educational needs and gifted and talented pupils make good progress. Progress is most rapid in Years 5 and 6 due to the often very good or excellent teaching. Throughout the school, standards in music are much higher than normally seen. By the end of the infants, the pupils

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STANDARDS

achieve average standards in geography, history, design and technology and above average levels in these subjects by the end of the juniors. Throughout the school pupils achieve the expected standards in art and design, information and communication technology, religious education and physical education. However computers are not used sufficiently to support the pupils’ work in other subjects. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are improving at a good rate due to the school’s emphasis on and adaptation of national strategies and enthusiastic teaching. Children in the foundation stage make satisfactory progress in the areas of learning. They exceed the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy, mathematics and personal, social and emotional development. They attain the early learning goals in knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. The school sets sufficiently challenging targets and is on course to meet them. The school has kept

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STANDARDS

pace with the improving national trend in English and mathematics but standards have dipped in science.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. The pupils are enthusiastic learners. They respond particularly well in English, mathematics and music lessons. Children in the reception year make good gains in personal, social and emotional development.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. The pupils listen attentively and show high levels of maturity, doing much to create a very orderly and caring school. They are well aware of the needs and feelings of others and show kindness, consideration and thoughtfulness to adults and their peers. There have been no exclusions.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils use their initiative and look for ways of helping others. Older pupils take charge of organising playtime activities and the school actively supports charities. Pupils show much maturity and commitment Whitewater CE Primary School - 8 in regularly practising to improve their musical skills.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Good. Attendance is above average. Punctuality is good. The pupils enjoy school very much.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Satisfactory Good Good

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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. The teaching is good overall with some very good and excellent teaching in the juniors and in music throughout the school. The teaching of English is very good and mathematics is taught well. Literacy and numeracy skills are promoted effectively and the teachers give much thought to using these skills in other subjects. There is some variability in the teaching of information and communication technology as the teachers have a range of competence but, overall, the teaching is satisfactory. Teaching in the reception class is satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs benefit from good teaching and very good support by classroom assistants. The most able are given very good support in mathematics

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

and music. The teaching in Years 5 and 6 is often excellent. Overall nine percent of lessons were excellent, 15 percent very good, 55 percent good and 21 percent satisfactory. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. Learning is good; pupils work hard and show interest, concentration and independence. Areas for development in teaching include more effective use of marking to guide pupils on how they might improve and the more consistent use of homework. Teaching mostly meets the needs of the pupils although there is insufficient challenge for the more able in science.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum meets statutory requirements and promotes academic and social skills well. There is an excellent range of extra- curricular activities. The school has very good strategies for literacy and numeracy. The curriculum includes all subjects but the development of computer and scientific skills is inconsistent. Children in the reception year follow an appropriate curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils are supported effectively and individual education plans are well focused. Those with statements of special educational need receive very good support.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school promotes social and moral development excellently. Cultural experiences are good and enhanced by a wide range of visits and excellent opportunities to take part in musical activities. Spiritual development is very good and pupils learn much about respecting the environment, valuing others and appreciating the world around them.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Very well. The staff show much care for the pupils and have very supportive systems to encourage high standards of behaviour, good attendance and the pupils’ well-being. The procedures for assessment are good and used effectively in English and mathematics. The school’s excellent links with parents contribute much to learning. The parents provide high levels of support by helping in classrooms, assisting on visits and by raising substantial funds.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Whitewater CE Primary School - 9 Aspect Comment

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher sets a fine example in his commitment to the school and inspires confidence in staff, parents and governors. The staff work well together and have a strong commitment to improving the school. They take a good lead in subject development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Effectively. The governors are very supportive of the school and the chair provides very good leadership of the governors. The governors have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and monitor the introduction of initiatives such as literacy and numeracy. Strategic planning is underdeveloped and the current school development plan lacks incisiveness.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The headteacher rigorously analyses the teachers’ and pupils’ performance and sets challenging targets. The school uses data well to pinpoint areas for improvement in performance in national tests.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. Financial control and planning are good and the administration is very effective. Although the school seeks to purchase supplies at the best price there has been little progress in seeking best value for services. Finance is linked to educational priorities. The school has a good number of teaching and support staff. The accommodation is adequate and the outdoor area enhances learning significantly. The school has good resources for the subjects although the library has a limited stock of books.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The progress made by their children. • The friendliness of staff and the community nature of the school. • The effectiveness of the teaching in enabling their children to achieve well. • The standard of behaviour and the way in which the school helps the children to mature. • The provision for extra-curricular activities. • The way that the school is led and managed • More consistency in homework. • More information about what is to be taught.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team whole-heartedly endorses the positive views of parents. There are inconsistencies in providing homework and in giving information about what is to be taught. Whitewater CE Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Overall standards are higher than at the time of the previous inspection. The parents’ view that standards have improved and their satisfaction with their children’s progress are largely justified by inspection evidence. The school has improved performance in national tests in English and mathematics at the end of Years 2 and 6, although standards in science are not as high as previously reported for eleven-year-olds. Standards in art and design, music, design and technology, information and communication technology have improved. Pupils’ achievements in religious education are not quite as high as in 1997. In physical education, history and geography the school has maintained the levels previously reported. The school’s results have kept pace with the national improving trend in English and mathematics and through challenging teaching, the successful introduction of national initiatives for literacy and numeracy and well focused schemes of work the school has met with

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

good success in these areas. The school is very successful in promoting the pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. The good quality of writing in subjects such as history and geography in the juniors shows that basic English skills are taught well and that pupils apply their knowledge successfully. This is less evident in the use of computer skills in other subjects. Although there is some good work in using word processing, pupils have insufficient opportunities to apply information and communication technology to subjects such as science and mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Children start in the reception class in the September of the academic year in which they are five. Attainment on admission is above expected levels with children having advanced skills in their personal, social and emotional development and good early reading and mathematical knowledge. The children have benefited from pre-school education before they start school. They make satisfactory progress and attain the early learning goals in all of the areas of learning by the end of the reception year. They exceed expectations in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and mathematics. In knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and physical development their attainment is at the expected for their age. The children start school with attainment which varies significantly form year to year. Their overall performance is similar to that reported at the time of the previous inspection although their communication, language and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

literacy are better than previously reported. Children with special educational needs are identified early and the nursery nurse provides good support so that they make good progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Progress in the infants and juniors varies from satisfactory to excellent and is mostly good. The most rapid rate of progress is in Years 5 and 6 due to high calibre teaching and high expectations of performance. Progress is very good in English throughout the infants and juniors; the teachers plan very thoroughly and take account of the needs of the different ages and abilities in the classes. The work is sufficiently demanding and effective intervention ensures that pupils strive to do their best. Progress in mathematics is good and the impact of the National Numeracy Strategy has raised the pace of learning. The pupils make exceptionally good progress in music, inspired by expert teaching. Progress in science and information and communication technology is satisfactory although the lack of incisive assessment in these subjects hinders progress. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. They receive helpful well-focused support and the work set for them is at

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the right level, taking into account their individual education plans. The school Whitewater CE Primary School - 11 recognises gifted and talented pupils and makes very good provision to extend them in mathematics and music. In these areas the most able pupils make very good progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. In the national tests at the end of the infants in 2000, the pupils attained well above average standards in reading and mathematics and above average levels in writing. Preliminary results of tests in 2001 and inspection evidence show that standards in reading and mathematics have been maintained and writing standards have improved and are now well above average. This has been achieved through a sharp focus on developing writing skills in English lessons and in using literacy skills in other subjects. The school has particularly good methods of teaching reading which involve consistent practice at home and school, successful teaching of the sounds that letters make and regular testing and analysis of pupils’ performance. When compared with schools with similar intakes, standards were above average in reading and mathematics and average in writing. Overall standards are sufficiently high. However,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

in science, the pupils’ performance was below the national average and well below similar schools. Insufficient time and a lack of strong focus on content in science lessons linked to lack of rigour in assessment contributed to these insufficiently high standards. The situation has improved slightly this year and standards are about average but not high enough when compared with pupils’ performance in English and mathematics. There are only slight variations in the performance of boys and girls and, given the small number taking the tests, the figures are not significant.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In the national tests at the end of the Year 6 in 2000, the pupils attained well above average standards in English and mathematics but average standards in science. Similar schools’ comparisons showed that standards in English were above average, in mathematics they were average but in science standards were well below average. Inspection evidence shows that the pupils are well above average in English and mathematics and an increased proportion are likely to attain the higher level 5 in the national tests. However, in science, standards are average overall and not high enough when compared with English and mathematics. The school is well aware of the shortcomings in science and has appointed a new subject leader, set aside resources and has plans to extend the science curriculum to remedy the situation. The school’s performance over time has shown well-maintained improvement in English and mathematics but a dip in standards in science since 1998. The school’s

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

initiatives have begun to reverse this downward trend but insufficient headway has been made in the current year. Boys and girls do equally well in the national tests.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. By the end of Years 2 and 6, standards in information and communication technology are in line with expectations. However, pupils have insufficient opportunities to apply their computer skills and in other subjects and this is a weakness. Pupils have appropriate skills in word processing and use information and communication technology well in music. Standards in religious education are in line with the targets in the syllabus followed by most schools in Hampshire. Pupils have a good knowledge of Christianity but limited understanding of a variety of faiths. They empathise well with the feelings of others.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. By the end of the infants, the pupils achieve average standards in geography, history, design and technology. Throughout the school pupils achieve the expected standards in art and design and physical education. By the end of the juniors, standards in geography, history and design and technology are above the level expected of eleven- year-olds. Standards in music are high throughout the school. Strengths in the subjects include exceptional competence in playing musical instruments, composing and performing and appreciating music from a wide range of cultures. Junior pupils Whitewater CE Primary School - 12 have good historical knowledge and make particularly good progress in local studies. Their local geographical knowledge and understanding of humankind on the environment are above average. Due to effective subject leadership, pupils have good skills in designing, making and evaluating. Their critical analysis of their work is of a

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils' attitudes, behaviour and personal development have been maintained at the same high levels as reported at the last inspection and are very good. They are strengths of the school and make a significant contribution to the good progress that pupils make.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Attitudes to school and to learning are very good. Pupils in all age groups, including those in the reception class, hurry into school eagerly at the start of the day and settle quickly to a range of learning activities before the register is taken. They respond very well in lessons, particularly in English, mathematics and music. This is because the teaching is consistently good and pupils are well supported. For example, in a numeracy lesson for six and seven year-olds, pupils of all abilities were keen to solve mental mathematics problems in front of the whole class. They then worked very well both independently and with support from the teacher, special needs assistant and volunteer helper on their individual tasks which involved adding and subtracting multiples of ten. Both boys and girls enjoy reading and exploring books but have inconsistent opportunities to develop their independent research skills using the library

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

and computers. In other subjects, pupils concentrate hard and persevere well, even when they find the activity difficult, such as mixing the right colours to paint a still life of a plant, or when they become hot during a physical education lesson. Children in the reception class sometimes lose a little concentration when they are in a large group and the tasks are insufficiently focused.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Behaviour is very good. Pupils listen attentively in all lessons and assemblies. They move around the school in a very orderly way. They are polite, well mannered and keen to talk about their work to visitors. They show very good care and respect for the school buildings and resources, including their garden plots. They develop a very good awareness of the feelings and needs of others and of the importance of caring for the environment. Parents report that the school has been complimented on pupils’ very good behaviour on visits. No incidents of misbehaviour, rough play or intimidation were seen during the inspection. However, some parents are concerned about a few incidents which have taken place over the past year involving a very small number of pupils in bullying and racist remarks. These incidents are recorded and dealt with firmly by staff, especially the headteacher who makes clear to pupils and parents that

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

inappropriate behaviour and name-calling is not tolerated in the school. Pupils now have a very good understanding of how their comments can affect others. There have been no exclusions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Personal development and relationships are very good. Pupils show high levels of maturity and commitment. For example, they practise regularly to improve their musical skills and enjoy taking part in performances. They raise money enthusiastically for charities. They work and play with each other very well in lessons and playtimes. They use their initiative and look for ways of helping others. Older pupils look after younger ones in the playground and have other responsibilities such as in assemblies and the library. They feel confident in making their views known to staff but there is no formal structure, such as a school council, through which they can contribute to decision-making within the school. Children in the reception year Whitewater CE Primary School - 13 make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. They learn how to co-operate and to work independently. They respond enthusiastically to staff

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

and play very well together, for example at lunchtime when sharing the sand and water toys.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attendance is good. The school's attendance rates have been consistently above the national average since the last inspection. Authorised and unauthorised absences are below the national average. Good habits of regular attendance are developed in the reception year. Parents support the school in ensuring that their children are away only when necessary and for short periods. The school and parents work together to make sure that work is sent home when appropriate. Punctuality is also good. The school bus brings the pupils from the neighbouring village in plenty of time for the start of the school day. Pupils like coming to school very much.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

13. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is mostly good. Teaching has improved since the previous inspection with a higher proportion of very good or better teaching and no unsatisfactory lessons. In the lessons seen, teaching was satisfactory or better in all lessons. 21 percent were satisfactory, 55 per cent were good, 15 percent were very good and 9 percent were excellent. Most of the very good or excellent teaching was in Years 5 and 6 and in music. English teaching is very good and lessons in mathematics were at least good. Overall the quality of teaching in reception is satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well and the gifted and talented benefit from very good teaching of mathematics and music. Most of the teaching in the foundation stage (reception year) is satisfactory. Teaching meets the needs of all pupils and there are no significant weaknesses although a few

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

areas for development. These include closer attention to marking pupils’ work to provide guidance on how to improve, using planning work in science that challenges the more able, and making more consistent use of homework.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

14. There are several strengths in the teaching which are common throughout the school. Teachers’ planning is very detailed and takes good account of the different ages in each class. Teachers have excellent relationships with the pupils and make effective use of praise and encouragement to inspire confidence and to encourage positive attitudes to learning. All staff have a common approach to promoting good behaviour and have very good skills in managing the pupils. Similarly, the pupils enjoy learning. They apply themselves well and present their work neatly. They work hard and maintain good levels of concentration. In music lessons and extra-curricular activities they work with enthusiasm and apply much creative and physical effort to ensure that their standards of performance are high. The pupils have a good understanding of what is expected of them as the teachers explain tasks thoroughly and are patient and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

tolerant if pupils are unsure of themselves. This is particularly noticeable with pupils with special educational needs. The support staff working with these pupils act as very good guides and provide just the right level of intervention to move learning along at a good pace. When working with pupils with special educational needs, the staff also make good use of resources and match tasks to the identified needs in the pupils’ individual education plans. The staff are aware of the good proportion of more able pupils in the school and, in English and mathematics, they organise their teaching by grouping according to ability. This works well as it enables the teachers to focus on specific tasks. Provision for the most able (gifted and talented) is very effective in mathematics where pupils work in a class of older pupils. They receive much challenge and respond with enthusiasm and success. Careful account is taken

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

of musically gifted pupils and the experiences on offer enhance learning and a love of music. Whitewater CE Primary School - 14 15. The teachers’ subject knowledge is mostly good, although there are varying degrees of competence in science and information and communication technology where subject knowledge is mostly satisfactory. Specialist teaching is very effective in music. Teachers’ knowledge of art and design, mathematics, English, and design and technology has improved since the previous inspection and are now good. The teaching of English is very good in the infants and juniors. There is a rigorous and effective approach to developing pupils’ competence in reading. Regular practice at home and at school, the use of a wide variety of strategies including group reading, reading to adults and learning letter sounds at an early age contribute much to pupils’ skills and their love of books. Teachers spend valuable time discussing books with

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

the pupils and this contributes much to improving comprehension. The school correctly identified gaps in pupils’ writing skills as a result of analysis of tests and has a rigorous programme of development including use of the National Literacy Strategy and opportunities for extended writing. There are regular spelling tests and good marking of grammatical errors. Pupils are encouraged to apply their literacy skills in subjects such as history and geography. The school has focused much on improving pupils’ writing and the staff have benefited much from training in this aspect of teaching. Strong emphasis is given to developing the pupils’ competence in reading. The school uses several methods including teaching new words, extending pupils’ knowledge of the vocabulary for each subject, teaching how to build words from letter sounds and by providing excellent opportunities to read at home, in groups and as

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

16. Mathematics is taught well and the rigorous use of the National Numeracy Strategy, with well structured and briskly paced lessons, have contributed to pupils’ improved performance in the subject. They are regular opportunities in lessons to practise mental arithmetic, solve complex problems and apply mathematical knowledge. Pupils respond enthusiastically to the wide variety of methods used to teach multiplication facts. At the end of literacy and numeracy lessons, there is a time to review what has been learned and the teachers skilfully use questions to gauge the pupils’ level of understanding and then plan work for the next lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

17. The teaching of science is satisfactory. The school has embarked on a programme of training for science and this is beginning to impact on teaching skills. However, in some science lessons, there is insufficient challenge and when teachers mark the pupils’ work they correct the English content rather than direct the pupils on how they might develop their scientific skills and knowledge. Some teachers give specific instruction in developing the pupils’ information and communication technology skills and this works well. The Year 1 and 2 teacher keeps a careful record of skills and coverage and monitors the pupils’ performance, but this is not done consistently throughout the school and is an area for development. Teachers have good subject knowledge of history and geography and develop the pupils’ knowledge and understanding through using visits, visitors and resources. Particularly good use is made of the locality and this approach inspires confidence and interest in the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

However, It is not used sufficiently to promote pupils’ independent learning and research skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

18. The support staff make a good contribution to learning. They are briefed well and focus sharply on tasks, providing much support and encouragement. The teachers plan lessons very thoroughly and meet the needs of the mixed ages in their classes successfully. However, in science, there is insufficient challenge for the more able. Resources for use in lessons are prepared thoroughly. The teachers make sure that the resources are readily available and the pupils confidently select them and use them with care. Lessons are generally well paced and particularly so in English and Whitewater CE Primary School - 15 mathematics where teachers carefully explain what is expected and set sharply focused time limits on their completion. Throughout the lessons, the teachers remind the pupils of how much time they have left. The pupils respond enthusiastically to these challenges and work productively and with care. Pupils learn very well and are

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

committed to improving their skills, knowledge and understanding through hard work. They apply themselves very well to tasks and work productively, wasting little time. They are well-organised learners and select, share and use resources carefully and effectively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

19. Children in the reception year are taught satisfactorily. There is good support from the nursery nurse who pitches questions at the right level to get the children thinking. Much emphasis is given to developing the children’s confidence and in promoting their personal, social and emotional development. There is good use made of the outdoor area for role-play and the children are encouraged to use imaginative language and to enter into the part of the “waiter” or “cook.” By joining in with the children, the nursery nurse stimulates effective speaking skills. Communication, language and literacy are taught well. The staff have good expertise in identifying the small steps needed to develop the children’s enjoyment of books; there are good opportunities to listen to stories and a structured approach to teaching the sounds that letters make promote early reading successfully. Good teaching of handwriting and attention to joining

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

letters from an early age works well and the children become confident writers. The teaching of the mathematical area of learning is satisfactory. There are suitable opportunities for the children to learn through using apparatus, although sometimes the emphasis on recording is too much for the less able children. The staff also keep a satisfactory check on the children’s progress and use information from assessment on admission to identify the children’s needs. The children are keen learners and apply themselves very well. They respond with interest to the opportunities to paint, draw and participate in music making. In physical education and geography lessons the organisation is weak, as reception children work with Year 1 and this hampers progress as the children are unsure what to do and some tasks are too hard for them. Although the children are above average on admission to the school, there is a

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

tendency to push some of them on too quickly, and insufficient account is taken of the stepping-stones for learning. The staff manage behaviour well; the children are left in no doubt about what is expected of them.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

20. The previous report found that the school curriculum was carefully planned to provide breadth and balance. This is still the case and the curriculum is good. The school takes great care with the design, structure, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum it offers. All subjects of the National Curriculum are taught as is religious education and personal, social and health education and citizenship. The curriculum fulfils statutory requirements. The curriculum for children under five is satisfactorily designed to cover all six nationally recommended areas of learning and includes parts of the Literacy and Numeracy strategies as appropriate. However, on some occasions the work set for reception children is too hard and is more appropriate for older children in the class.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

21. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been fully implemented and are most effective. High priority has been given to the teaching of literacy and numeracy. Thorough medium term and short term plans enable teachers to plan work in an appropriate sequence that builds systematically on pupil’s previous learning, for example, in a lesson in religious education in Year 6, pupils were using skills of Whitewater CE Primary School - 16 making notes from a talk about different aspects of the local church. They were later using these notes to report back the uses and symbolism of the architectural features and artefacts. In science, the pupils used skills learned in numeracy to draw up tables to show how sound travels through different materials. Pupils, from this data, then went on to produce meaningful graphs to illustrate their findings.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

22. A strong feature of the curriculum is the planning for the development of pupils’ knowledge and understanding in mixed year groups. The school has planned a “rolling” programme to ensure that all concepts are newly learned and not repeated. The school’s time allocation for subjects is generally satisfactory. However, the amount of time allocated for science in both key stages is well below that expected. This contributory factor partially accounts for the school’s disappointing science results in the 2000 national tests, particularly at the end of the juniors. The analysis of pupils’ work in science suggests that the time allocation does not allow for sufficient depth of study or revision of work covered. Conversely a high percentage of time is given to physical education, despite some parents concerns that insufficient time has been devoted to this important primary school subject. Too little emphasis is given to

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

developing pupils’ skills in information and communication technology for use in other subjects.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

23. The curriculum is considerably enriched by the wealth of visits and visitors that provides pupils with an awareness of their own environment and culture. These include trips to the British museum, local church and residential educational visits to Cornwall and the Isle of Wight. The residential courses for Years 5 and 6 offer the opportunity to study a different environment for adventurous activities and for pupils to develop independence as well as responsibility. An excellent range of extra-curricular activities enhances the curriculum, especially for older junior pupils, particularly in music. Pupils take part in a wide variety of clubs including French, swimming, choir and band; these provide excellent educational and social experiences for pupils and contribute much to the pupils’ enthusiasm for school.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

24. The caring ethos of the school stresses the importance of equality of access and opportunity for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. In all classes these pupils follow the full curriculum for their age group. Teachers either adapt tasks or offer additional support. The quality of the learning opportunities provided for pupils with special educational needs is good. The effectiveness of teaching strategies for their literacy and numeracy is also good. Pupils with special educational needs have well constructed individual education plans, with targets that are well matched to their needs. Their targets are understood and effectively used by teachers. Pupils with statements of special educational needs are supported very effectively. Gifted and talented pupils are also given challenging work and good arrangements are made to meet their needs in mathematics and music.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

25. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is very good. Issues such as healthy eating are effectively explored through science and design technology. Pupils have opportunities to understand the dangers of drugs, including tobacco and alcohol. Personal and social education is well developed through collective worship, religious education and circle time, when children all sit round quietly and discuss things important to them with their teacher. Appropriate sex education is given to older pupils as part of their personal, social and emotional development.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

26. The provision for the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of the pupils is very good. The high quality found in the last inspection has been maintained. Whitewater CE Primary School - 17 Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. Teachers receive and value pupils’ ideas and encourage in them a positive self-image. In subjects such as science, information communication technology, English, history and music opportunities are sometimes given for pupils to develop a sense of ‘awe and wonder’ at the beauty and wonder of creation. The whole school sits and listens with wonder when the school recorder orchestra perform. Individuals are struck by the magnificence of the church building as they sit in the pews, listening to the teacher. The way in which teachers value and display pupils’ work and use posters, artefacts and colour also contributes to pupils’ sense of awe and wonder. Equally effective are

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

the wonderful grounds; pupils create their own colourful aromatic gardens that had burst into colour during the inspection week. Careful thought had gone into benches where pupils or adults could sit and gaze at the delightful spectacle.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

27. Provision for moral development is excellent. School rules are explicit and easily understood and class rules are discussed, agreed and posted on walls. Pupils are encouraged to share and co-operate with each other throughout the school day. Pupils are well mannered and always polite. Staff are excellent role models and deal with incidents in a calm and fair manner, they foster values of honesty, fairness and respect for others. Pupils are well aware of the differences between right and wrong. Their behaviour in lessons is very good and frequently outstanding.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

28. Provision for social development through the daily life of the school is excellent. The school is a well-integrated social community where there is excellent interaction between staff, parents and pupils. This is influential in producing a harmonious atmosphere, which actively promotes good teaching and learning. Teachers provide excellent models in their relationships with pupils and the overall ethos of the school is one that promotes co-operation and teamwork. Well-organised lunchtime outdoor activities for infants and juniors when pupils have the opportunity to share a wide variety of equipment are very good. Pupils are encouraged to help each other, for example, the “playground friends” where older pupils ensure that the younger children or new pupils have a friend to play with. Pupils are given the opportunity to act as monitors, a role that carries additional responsibilities to help the smooth running the

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

29. The provision for cultural development is good overall and music makes an excellent contribution to pupils’ development. Pupils are provided with many opportunities to understand their own culture, but more limited opportunities to understand other cultures. The school’s music curriculum is particularly impressive in exploring music of many countries other than British. Opportunities to explore the richness and diversity of other cultures represented in our society of today are satisfactorily exploited through the curriculum. In geography the pupils compare their locality with life in other parts of the world. The youngest children follow the travels of Basil Bear and learn much about faraway destinations. Through sensitive teaching, the celebration of a variety of traditions and raising awareness of issues such as racism and prejudice the school is preparing pupils for life in a multi-cultural society.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

30. The quality of links with the community and with other schools is very good. The involvement of the school in its community makes a significant contribution to the enrichment of the curriculum and pupils' personal development. For example, pupils have opportunities to worship in the local church at Harvest, Remembrance, Christmas and Easter. They take harvest gifts to the senior citizens of the area and perform a carol concert for them. The community police and school nurse make important contributions to pupils' personal, social and health education. Some visiting coaches enrich the provision of after-school sports clubs. There is a very good range Whitewater CE Primary School - 18 of visits and visitors, for example a speaker from the National Tree Society raised awareness of environmental issues. The local community is very generous in helping the school improve its resources. There are good links with schools in the area,

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

especially with the local secondary school with the result that the oldest pupils feel well prepared for their transfer. Pupils participate in large musical events with other schools. The school has yet to develop links with other schools through the Internet.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

31. The school has continued to provide a caring and supportive environment, where the interests of the pupils are paramount, since the previous inspection. Arrangements for child protection, welfare, health and safety are good. The teacher with responsibility for child protection is experienced and vigilant in looking out for the needs of any vulnerable pupils. She has recently up-dated her training and is passing this on to all staff. There is a good number of well-qualified first aiders in the school. Pupils who bump their heads or who have particular medical conditions are well cared for and good records are kept. The governors and headteacher have a keen awareness of health and safety risks and are swift to deal with any hazard or requirement that needs attention. Pupils are given good guidance through lessons such as science and personal, social and health education on healthy living, drugs awareness and how

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

32. Procedures to ensure high standards of attendance and behaviour are very good. The school works closely with the Education Welfare Officer to help pupils develop good habits of regular attendance. It has successfully established, with other schools in the local 'pyramid', a policy that parents must justify any request for a term-time holiday. There are very effective arrangements at the start of the school day which ensure that the vast majority of pupils arrive in plenty of time and also that any agreed early arrivals are well supervised by the headteacher. Behaviour is very well monitored and managed in classrooms. Merits, certificates and entries in the “Golden Book” successfully motivate pupils. Pupils are very well supervised in the dining room. Lunchtime supervisors provide effective care outside, for example they organise games of rounders for the pupils. Sometimes there are not quite enough lunchtime

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

staff to supervise everything that occurs in the many corners of the large grounds. The school has a well established procedure for recording incidents of bullying and racist remarks. Staff and the headteacher deal with the few incidents that take place very effectively.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

33. The school has thorough and good procedures to support pupils with special educational needs. Pupils with special educational needs are identified early in their school career and offered appropriate support from the school staff and outside agencies as appropriate. The assessment of the progress made by pupils with special educational needs is recorded in detail and carefully matched to their individual education plan. Individual educational plans are discussed with teachers, parents and assistants. The school works well with outside agencies to provide support for pupils in need of specialist help.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

34. The school has made good progress in improving its procedures for assessing pupils' academic performance, which was a key issue at the last inspection. Procedures are now good, with good plans for further development. Records of progress and attainment are now kept for most subjects and provide good information in English, mathematics, music and design and technology. Monitoring of progress in information and communication technology is insufficient, for example, there is no Whitewater CE Primary School - 19 checklist of key skills or targets. Therefore, the school cannot ensure consistency of provision between classes. Assessment information is used well in English, mathematics and music, for example, in the teaching of reading to children in the reception year and the setting of challenging work in mathematics, particularly for ten and eleven-year-olds. It is not so effective in science where it does not sufficiently

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

guide the planning of lessons so that teachers can build on what has already been taught.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

35. The school provides effective support and guidance to the pupils to help raise their educational and personal achievements. Staff take time to get to know all the pupils in the school. Children in the reception year are well supported when they first join the school, particularly by the nursery nurse. The weekly "Golden Assembly" provides an important focus for the celebration of individual pupils' achievements in their attitudes, behaviour and work. The school is working towards the more consistent setting of individual pupil targets, starting with literacy and numeracy.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

36. Parents have very positive views of the school. They are particularly satisfied with the approachability of the school and its place within the community, the way the school helps their children to make good progress, and the quality of teaching and management. Some parents have concerns about the consistency of homework and information about the curriculum. The inspection team agrees with these concerns. A few parents are concerned about behaviour in the school, following a small number of incidents involving inappropriate name-calling. The inspection team considers that these incidents were dealt with well and that behaviour overall is very good.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

37. Links with parents are excellent and have been maintained well since the previous inspection. They have a powerful impact on pupils' achievements. Parents provide high levels of support by helping in classrooms, assisting on visits and raising substantial funds. They play a significant role, both at home and at school, in helping the pupils to make very good progress in their development of reading skills. Parent and volunteer helpers also enhance the curriculum in subjects such as art, food technology and history and in activities such as after-school clubs. Parents make a substantial contribution to the enrichment of school life. For example, they provided a link with a City of London firm which wanted to undertake a community project. This resulted in the development of the "Millennium Mosaic" in the school grounds which parents were working hard to complete during the inspection. Parents help their

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

children maintain their garden plots on three 'gardening Saturdays' during the year. The Parent Teacher Association works very hard to organise a series of well supported fund-raising and social events which bring parents, pupils and the community together. Parents who are unable to give their time are generous in giving money, for example a recent sponsored bike ride is expected to raise about £1,000 for a kiln to enrich the provision of art in the school.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

38. Parents' excellent involvement in the work of the school starts with the very good opportunities they have to make contact with teachers, including the headteacher, at the start and end of the school day. Parents with children in the reception year particularly appreciate being able to come into the classroom to help settle their child and see what he or she is doing. Unfortunately, the school hall is too small to enable the school to invite parents to events such as the "Golden Assembly". The school has not recently consulted parents about major developments and decisions in line with the principles of best value. However, it has asked parents for their views as part of the review of the home-school agreement. Whitewater CE Primary School - 20 39. The quality of information provided for parents is good. The prospectus and governors' annual report are helpful and now fully meet statutory requirements. The

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

annual reports on pupils' achievements give good information overall, especially about progress and attainment in English, mathematics and personal development. Both pupils and parents have good opportunities to contribute to reports. However, there are some inconsistencies in reporting between subjects and classes. Reading record books are a useful means of communication between home and school but the 'comments' box is too small to allow much dialogue. A good range of letters and newsletters is sent home to parents, including a separate very good newsletter about music provision. Parents would like more information about the teaching of mathematics. Some, but not all, classes provide parents with information at the beginning of each term about the subjects to be studied. The headteacher is aware that the homework policy is not implemented consistently and is in need of review.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

40. The quality of leadership and management has improved since the previous inspection and is now good, having a beneficial impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. The recently appointed headteacher provides very good leadership and has a clear vision of how to move the school forward. The staff and governors support him very well. All associated with the school share a common goal of raising standards and providing high quality education. The school’s aims and its mission statement centre excellently on the needs of the pupils and staff work hard and with strong commitment to ensure that these objectives are met well. There have been several changes of staff since the previous inspection and there is now a cohesive team. Issues raised at the time of the previous inspection have been tackled well and the school is well placed for further improvement. Progress in music, art and design and design and technology have improved, as has the provision for information and

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

communication technology. Planning and teaching are better than they were. Leadership and management have improved although more remains to be done to improve strategic planning. Assessment and the new schemes of work now provide good guidance for teachers in planning lessons. The high quality of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has been maintained, as have the very strong links with parents. Subject leaders now play a pivotal role in monitoring teaching, planning and learning. 41. The governors are very involved in supporting the school and are led capably by the chair who meets regularly with the headteacher. Governors ensure that statutory requirements are met, an improvement since the previous inspection. There is an appropriate committee structure and supportive and well-informed governors for literacy, numeracy and special educational needs. They visit the school and monitor what happens in the classrooms. Governors have a good understanding of the

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

school’s strengths and areas for development. However, their role in strategic planning is underdeveloped. The school’s development plan is rather vague and priorities not sharply focused. Insufficient thought is given to providing best value for services as decisions are made on historical precedence rather than forward thinking. Although the development plan correctly identifies key areas it lacks rigorous timescales for completion and is too broad in identifying measures of success. The governors are well informed by the headteacher and keep up-to-date on government and local initiatives through regular attendance on training courses. 42. The role of the subject leader has improved much since the previous inspection and is now good. The staff take responsibility for developing, implementing and monitoring schemes of work and this has been very successful in art and design, music, English Whitewater CE Primary School - 21

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

and mathematics. However, more remains to be done to ensure that skills, knowledge and understanding are developed more consistently in science and information and communication technology. The staff have budgets to assist in developing the subjects and finance is used well. All subjects have sufficient good quality resources which benefit pupils’ learning. In spite of recent improvements in the library there is a shortage of books. Resources for children in the foundation stage are good. The school has an excellent outdoor area which enhances learning. The pupils take responsibility for the gardens and take much delight in the rich opportunities for outdoor play. The internal accommodation is adequate although the hall is very small and restricts some activities in physical education. The school compensates well for this by using outdoor area whenever possible. The school also enhances its teaching

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

43. The school benefits from a good number of teaching and support staff who have relevant expertise and experience. Specialist teaching of music is of high quality and impacts well on learning. The staff’s expertise in identifying and working with pupils with special educational needs has a significant impact on progress, and it is a mark of the school’s success that many pupils initially identified with special educational needs make sufficient progress to be removed from the register before they complete Year 6. There is a good staff handbook and the school uses a limited number of supply staff who are very familiar with the school’s routines and this helps to provide continuity of education. Staff new to the school receive good support. There are mentors for newly qualified teachers and sufficient time and training is given to help these staff in the early part of their careers. There is a good programme of training for

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

teachers and support staff and all attend a range of courses, usually linked to the school’s priorities. However, more training is needed for teachers working in the foundation stage to improve organisational strategies. Other training needs include science and information and communication technology. The school would make a good provider of initial teacher training. There is an effective system to monitor the performance of the headteacher and teachers and the governors have set challenging targets which are reviewed regularly. There are also demanding targets for pupils’ performance in national tests. The headteacher, governors and subject leaders have a rigorous programme of monitoring teaching and this has raised the quality of teaching as reported at the time of the previous inspection.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

44. The school benefits from highly efficient administrative staff who have wide ranging experience and expertise. Office procedures work smoothly and free time for the headteacher and staff to concentrate on teaching. The school’s finances are in good order. Specific grants are used for the correct purpose. The governors monitor the school’s spending effectively. The school purchases supplies at the best possible price but the governors do not pay sufficient attention to ensuring best value in services. Financial control is robust and the school has completed all suggestions in the most recent audit report. The school benefits much from financial support from parents and these funds are used very well to provide additional resources.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

45. The school is managed effectively. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is managed well and the co-ordinator (SENCO) has a good understanding of statutory requirements. The governor designated with responsibility for special educational needs meets the SENCO regularly and is fully aware of provision and issues within the school. The school has made satisfactory progress in developing and managing the provision for the foundation stage.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

46. In view of the; Whitewater CE Primary School - 22 • Above average attainment on admission to the school and above average costs of educating the pupils; • Well above average standards in English, mathematics and music; • The good quality of teaching; • Effective leadership and management; The school provides good value for money.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

47. In order to build upon the good quality of education provided by the school, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.22

*Accelerate the pupils’ progress and raise standards in science by:

• Ensuring that sufficient time is given to the subject: • Placing a stronger emphasis on developing pupils’ skills of investigation: • Providing in-service training for staff: • Improving the use of assessment so that planning builds on what has already been taught: • Providing greater challenge for the more able pupils. (Paragraphs 1, 3 – 5, 13,15, 17, 18, 22, 34, 42, 76 – 83)

p.22

*Improve the use of computers in other subjects by:

• Ensuring that planning includes opportunities to use computers in more lessons: • Continuing with the school’s programme of training of staff: • Developing an effective approach to assessing what the pupils already know and using the information to ensure consistency between classes. (Paragraphs 9, 68, 70, 71, 75, 92, 96, 102-105)

p.22

Improve the school’s strategic planning by:

• *Writing a long term development plan with tightly focused objectives which includes sharp timescales and measures of success: • Involving the governors more in setting and monitoring priorities: • Reviewing the school’s approach to finding best value for its supplies and services. (Paragraphs 38, 40, 41 and 44) *The school has already identified these issues as priorities.

p.22

OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Ensure that the marking of pupils’ work gives clearer guidance on how the pupils might improve. (Paragraphs 13, 63, 76, 82, 118) • Improve the school’s library and its use for research. (Paragraphs 9, 42, 59 and 66) • Provide clear guidance for parents about homework and more detailed information about what is to be taught. (Paragraphs 13, 36, 39, 72, 82 and 92) • Provide further training for staff in the foundation stage in ensuring a better match of work for reception children. (Paragraphs 19, 20, 48, 52 and 53) Whitewater CE Primary School - 23

p.22

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 31

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 140

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 1

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 28

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

p.23

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.23

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Whitewater CE Primary School - 24

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 10 7 17

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Total 14 15 15

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82 (96) 88 (100) 88 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Total 14 15 15

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82 (96) 88 (96) 88 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 12 6 18

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 17 16 16

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 94 (83) 89 (89) 89 (89) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 17 17 17

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 94 (89) 94 (89) 94 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Whitewater CE Primary School - 25

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7.2 Financial year 1999/2000

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.4

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 272,385

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 2,049

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 109 Balance brought forward from previous year 17,349

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 8,071 Whitewater CE Primary School - 26

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 41 58 1 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 42 46 10 0 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33 51 13 0 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 38 50 10 2 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 38 1 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 40 1 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 43 53 2 0 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 44 47 2 0 7

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 47 2 0 4

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 54 37 4 2 2

p.26

Other issues raised by parents

A few parents were concerned that the school had an inconsistent approach to homework. Some felt that there is insufficient information about what is to be taught. Parents were happy with the quality of education provided by the school and particularly impressed with standards in English, mathematics and music. Whitewater CE Primary School - 27

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. Children start in the reception class in the September of the academic year in which they are five. Most have benefited from at least a year in pre-school provision and come with personal, social and emotional development which is above average. Their overall attainment on admission is usually higher than the local authority average and is above what is normally expected nationally. Particular strengths are in speaking and listening, early reading and basic mathematical skills. The children are taught by two teachers in a class which includes Year 1 pupils. This arrangement is partially successful although the organisation sometimes falls down and the different year groups are given tasks which are too similar and are either too demanding for the youngest children or insufficiently challenging for the older pupils. The children, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress and by

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

the time they start in Year 1 have attained the early learning goals in all areas of learning. They exceed the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy, mathematics and personal, social and emotional development. Their knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and physical development is appropriate for their age. The teaching is satisfactory overall with some good teaching of early reading and writing. The nursery nurse makes a very good contribution to the children’s learning through well-focused support and the effective use of challenging questions. The staff keep brief but adequate records of progress and use the information to plan lessons. However, they do not always achieve a good balance between the needs of the reception children and Year 1. The school has good resources to support the areas of learning. Since the previous inspection the school has made satisfactory improvement in its provision for the foundation stage.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Standards in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development are higher than previously reported but there are fewer good lessons. Parents are pleased with the start made by their children in the reception class. The provision, progress and standards attained by children at the end of the foundation stage are similar to those reported at the time of the previous inspection.

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Personal, social and emotional development

49. By the end of the reception year, the children exceed the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development. They are confident and co-operative learners who have formed firm friendships, become independent in choosing activities and able to organise themselves in creative and imaginative play. The teaching of this aspect of the children’s development is satisfactory and the staff place suitable attention on promoting skills of independence. The staff know the children well and quickly identify any with special educational needs or those who have well developed personal, social and emotional skills. There is usually an effective balance between adult directed and child chosen tasks, although due to the large size of the class and the mixture with Year 1 pupils there are occasions when the work set is too demanding and in these cases the children lose interest. The children gain in confidence and learn how to collaborate effectively as in the “café”

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Personal, social and emotional development

when they take turns to be the “cook, customer and waitress”. The children’s behaviour is very good. They willingly share equipment and ask others if they would like to join in their games. They discuss their work with each other and are ready to offer advice to their peers. The children respond positively to adults and readily bring their work to show to a visitor. The children are kind to one another and have a good understanding of how to behave. They are polite and well mannered. They respond well to questions from adults and are keen to find out by experiment and participate in Whitewater CE Primary School - 28 practical activities with enthusiasm. The children respond well to opportunities to listen and learn about religious beliefs. They have a good understanding of their own faith and show appreciation for the traditions of others.

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Communication, language and literacy

50. By the end of the reception year, almost all children have exceeded the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy. Most are confident readers, speak clearly and listen well and have begun to write short sentences effectively. The school’s emphasis on teaching joined writing from the start of school works well and the children become proficient in joining letters neatly. The staff focus well on promoting early reading and writing skills through a wide variety of methods. They regularly practise the names and sounds of letters and encourage the children to write using joined letters of even size. The children enjoy listening to stories and respond very well to the teachers’ prompting when reading. They make good use of picture and context clues to work out the meaning of sentences. In story times they respond enthusiastically, joining in at suitable times and showing good understanding

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Communication, language and literacy

of basic vocabulary. Almost all children say they have many books at home and they talk about their favourite stories and poems. The children read regularly to the staff and are keen to take books home and share them with their parents. The children are able to write confidently and have made good progress in writing since they started school. Many write short sentences and the most able use capital letters and full stops to punctuate their work. The staff made good use of aspects of the National Literacy Strategy to improve the children’s awareness of spelling, grammar and punctuation. The children have advanced speaking and listening skills for their age. They listen attentively and show they have understood by following a sequence of instructions correctly. They hold conversations with adults and in their role-play they use imaginative vocabulary very well.

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Mathematical development

51. The children’s mathematical development is good and, by the end of the reception year, they have exceeded the early learning goals in this aspect of their work. The teaching of mathematical development is satisfactory. The teachers meet the needs of the different ages in the class. The children count confidently beyond 10 and have a good understanding of the value of numbers. They use apparatus to help with counting and match shapes and other objects correctly. The more able add and subtract simple sums. The children identify a good number of two-dimensional shapes and in their sand and water play estimate which container might hold the most. They successfully compare containers and use correct vocabulary to describe long, short and tall. They are also able to compare using the words longer or shorter. All children recognise a variety of patterns and name shapes such as circles, squares and rectangles. They respond very well to the teaching and are keen to do their best.

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Mathematical development

They work hard and record their work neatly. They have made good progress in forming numerals correctly and few children reverse their numbers.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

52. The children start with a good understanding of the world around them. By the end of their year in the reception class, the children attain the early learning goals in knowledge and understanding of the world. The teaching is satisfactory overall with some good work by the nursery nurse in promoting children’s scientific skills through sand and water play. She intervenes well with pertinent questions which guide the children well in thinking about capacity and volume. The children name and recognise the parts of plants and take much delight in observing how plants grow. The children gain much enjoyment from engaging in practical activities such as playing in sand and Whitewater CE Primary School - 29 water to improve their knowledge of physical properties. They explore the difference between building with wet and dry sand and are able to comment about why wet sand is more effective for making sand castles. The children know about the area in which

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

they live and describe how they get to school. They recognise key buildings in Hook and show much excitement when seeing, on a film, shops they visited. They have a secure knowledge of basic geographical vocabulary. However, some activities are not securely based around the stepping-stones of the early learning goals and some of the less confident children when working with Years 1 and 2 become confused. The children learn about the passage of time by comparing how they have changed as they have grown. They know that the school is an old building and that in recent years it has changed. They know that in the past there were famous people who made a special contribution to Britain as we know it. The children make good gains in using computers; they enjoy games and simple mathematical puzzles and control the mouse to move pictures around the screen. The children have suitable opportunities to make models using a good variety of construction kits. They enjoy working together

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

as in playing with the model farm and co-operate well in this activity.

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Physical development

53. The children make satisfactory progress in their physical development and, by the time they leave the reception class, have attained the early learning goals in this aspect of their development. The school has excellent outdoor facilities including climbing apparatus, wheeled vehicles and large apparatus. The teaching of this area of learning is satisfactory and the children make appropriate gains in learning. The children concentrate well and improve their skills and control by copying others’ movements and applying much effort. However, their skills in controlling balls and passing to each other are underdeveloped. The children move around the playground in physical education lessons safely and with an awareness of space and others. However, the teacher does not sufficiently pinpoint areas for improvement and demonstrate good skills so that the children might learn more effectively from one another. There is insufficient intervention. The children know that exercise is good for

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Physical development

them and they talk confidently about how healthy eating also contributes to physical well-being. The children have good skills of co-ordination in activities such as writing and drawing and they enjoy practising to refine their skills. They hold pencils correctly and use a variety of tools such as scissors in their artwork.

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Creative development

54. By the end of the reception year, the children attain the early learning goals in their creative development. They make satisfactory progress in most aspects of creative development and very good progress in developing musical skills due to the excellent contribution made by the specialist teacher of music. The children love singing and join in enthusiastically. They know a wide range of songs and rhymes and sing them with gusto. They work hard to learn new words and are particularly keen to play musical instruments. Some follow the conductor carefully and maintain good levels of concentration. They are well co-ordinated in putting actions to songs. Parents are most impressed by the children’s ability to perform. The children enjoy painting and making simple collage from a variety of material. They paint carefully and use their imaginations well. The children make careful observations of the world around them

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Creative development

and pay attention to colour, texture and tone when painting pictures. The teaching is satisfactory overall, but music teaching is excellent.

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ENGLISH

55. Standards of attainment in English are well above average at the end of the infants and juniors, and have improved since the last inspection. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make very good progress. In the 2000 national tests Whitewater CE Primary School - 30 at the end of the infants, the percentage of pupils attaining the average level and above in reading was well above the national average and above average in writing. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher level 3 and above was very high in reading and well above in writing. Standards have been well above the national average for the last three years. In comparison with those in similar schools, standards in Whitewater in 2000 were above average in reading and similar to other schools in writing.

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ENGLISH

56. In 2000 the national tests, at the end of the juniors, the percentage of pupils attaining the average level and above was well above the national average. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher level 5 was very high. In comparison with those in similar schools, results at Whitewater were well above average. These are impressive results and a credit to the school. The school has sought innovative ways of improving attainment in pupils’ writing and standards are rising. There is little difference between the performance of boys and girls. The pupils achieve well, and standards are at least as high as they should be. Standards in writing, according to inspection evidence, are rising due to the school’s rigour in analysing tests results, planning programmes of work matched to pupils’ needs and effective teaching. The school has set challenging targets for performance in national tests in English and is

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ENGLISH

57. Standards of attainment in speaking and listening are above average by the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils listen carefully and sometimes intently to one another and to their teachers and respond appropriately to the instructions they are given. Their very good listening skills make an important contribution to the school’s ethos for learning. Pupils’ good progress in speaking and listening is underpinned by the way in which teachers value their ideas. During lesson introductions and plenary sessions, teachers praise them for their responses. The teachers value the willingness of pupils to take part in class questions and answer sessions rather than their ability to give ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ responses to questions. Pupils in Year 2 understand and use words and expressions such as ‘dangerous’ , ‘harmful’ in science and ‘creation’ and ‘interesting’ in religious education. They can pronounce and understand the meaning

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ENGLISH

of words such as ‘inhaler’ and ‘Iroquois’ . In Year 6 they understand the difference between more technical terms such as ‘ viscosity’ and ‘application’ . They extend their vocabulary further and can pronounce “adverbial/adjectival” and know the meaning of these words.

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ENGLISH

58. Pupils in the infants respond well to the encouragement of their teachers in their speaking and listening. They are confident and happy in the good learning environment. Junior pupils are able to adapt their speech to suit formal and informal occasions; for example, pupils sharing poetry in literacy sessions with their peers show good standards of presentation by reading clearly and expressively and by being aware of the needs of their audience. However, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to improve their standards in speaking and listening through, for example, regular drama sessions or planned times throughout the curriculum.

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ENGLISH

59. Standards in reading are well above average by the end of years 2 and 6, and are a strength of the school. Most pupils, including the less able and those with special educational needs, enjoy reading books. Many read confidently and with good expression and comprehension. Most pupils know the works of different authors, but have limited access to the school library. The most enthusiastic pupils in Year 6 are voracious readers. They discuss and compare texts and authors and describe plot and characters with understanding. Pupils with special educational needs use Whitewater CE Primary School - 31 appropriate strategies such as building words from letter sounds and using picture and context clues. The teachers develop reading exceptionally well. They keep excellent records of the stages of pupils reading development and set realistic but challenging targets for all pupils to achieve. Parents play an important part in

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ENGLISH

encouraging and hearing their children read.

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ENGLISH

60. Pupils achieve high standards in their non-fiction reference skills. They competently use a book index, contents page and glossary to locate and use information for their topic work. The juniors use skimming and scanning techniques to find information in non-fiction books. Most pupils understand how to use a dictionary to seek out the meaning of words and help with their spelling. They learn new spellings regularly and teachers test and record their progress assiduously. Teachers focus upon the improvement of pupils’ spelling and extend their vocabulary with well-chosen terminology in a range of subjects. By the end of Year 6, pupils use dictionaries and thesauri effectively to enrich their good written work. Pupils in the juniors know about the classification of non-fiction books in the library and have advanced skills to search for particular books.

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ENGLISH

61. Standards in writing are well above average at the end of the infants and juniors. This variation between test results and inspection evidence is due to the school’s focus on the teaching of writing in the current academic year. The school has worked very hard to identify how pupils at the end of the juniors can attain higher standards in writing. The contribution that writing makes to other subjects is very good, for example in history, science, mathematics and design technology. At the end of the infants, standards are well above average and progress is very good. The scrutiny of pupils’ written work reveals a good range and quality of ideas and expression. Their writing shows a clear development in style, vocabulary and maturity. It shows good development in the use of punctuation, and spelling becomes more accurate. Pupils develop good sentence writing. In Year 2, they write complex sentences easily and

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ENGLISH

vary their length for effectiveness, for example “The storm started with a crash of noisy thunder, lightening splintered the sky in two as the rain poured down on the stormy sea”. Good writing is begun in the reception and Year 1 class where pupils use capital letters, full stops joined letters and speech marks increasingly correctly.

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ENGLISH

62. At the end of the juniors, the majority of pupils attain standards in writing that are well above average. It is clear from their work that they are making very good progress. They show the ability to write for a range of purposes and they become more accurate in their spelling, grammar and sentence construction. Pupils know about prefixes, suffixes, connectives, comparatives and superlatives, clauses and sub- ordinate clauses. They write news reports, biographies and descriptions with an increasing awareness of powerful and effective vocabulary. Poetry writing throughout the school is a particular strength, high quality work is produced using imaginative vocabulary, simile and metaphor effectively. In Year 6, pupils write humorous limericks showing a strong awareness of rhyme and rhythm . Throughout the school pupils improve upon their standards in handwriting to perfect a neat, regular, style of

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ENGLISH

cursive writing which enhances the quality of their work in many subjects. Cursive script is introduced in reception and Year 1 and by the end of the juniors most pupils write with a pen in a fluent, stylish script.

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ENGLISH

63. The quality of teaching and learning are at least good and sometimes excellent at the end of the juniors. Overall teaching is very good. This is an improvement since the last inspection and is due to staff training and the full implementation of the National Literacy Strategy. Some excellent lessons were seen in Year 5 and 6 which were inspirational, motivating pupils to achieve very high standards. The teacher showed Whitewater CE Primary School - 32 her excellent subject knowledge and love of language and this inspired the pupils to produce work of a high standard. All teachers make good use of praise and this gives pupils confidence. In Years 5 and 6, individual targets are set to help pupils improve and the teacher marks the pupils’ work giving a strong indication of how to improve. However, in other classes, the marking of pupils’ work does not consistently identify weaknesses sufficiently or set detailed, individual targets for improvement. All

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ENGLISH

teachers give very clear instructions so that pupils understand what is expected and can get on with their work straight away. Lessons are imaginative, well prepared and proceed at a good pace to ensure that all pupils are actively involved throughout. After the initial session, pupils generally work in ability groups with work well matched to the needs of the group. Teachers circulate well to support individuals or to provide additional challenge.

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ENGLISH

64. The pupils have a very clear understanding of what they have been taught and how they have learned. Excellent relationships provide a secure learning environment in which pupils want to do their best. Behaviour is very good and the staff reward the pupils with well-focused praise and encouragement. The pupils work hard to improve their skills. They concentrate exceptionally well and work productively and with care. They are avid learners who are keen to complete homework and to do their best. Pupils’ attitudes to English are very good; they show an obvious love of books and appreciate the nuances in poetry. They are eager to learn and their behaviour in lessons is often exemplary. This plays a very important part in creating a positive ethos for learning. Pupils respond well to teachers’ questions and they work well by themselves and in groups. Throughout the school, pupils help each other and give

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ENGLISH

opinions, reasons and examples. Their very enthusiastic attitudes have a positive impact on their standards of attainment.

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ENGLISH

65. Teachers encourage pupils to evaluate their written and spoken work and that of their peers through, for example, paired discussions and group reading. Teachers use examples of fine writing from a good range of authors and playwrights to inspire their pupils. They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and are rarely disappointed. The teaching of literacy is consistently good throughout the school and much attention is given to applying basic skills in other subjects. However, information and communication technology is not used sufficiently. All teachers ensure that pupils evaluate the achievements made in lessons by holding useful sessions at the end of lessons. The literacy strategy is proving effective in driving up standards. Classroom assistants provide very effective support in classes throughout the school. There are satisfactory opportunities for homework including reading and spelling.

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ENGLISH

66. The subject has been the focus of development during the previous year and standards are rising. The subject leader has a good understanding of the National Literacy Strategy and how to implement it and staff have followed her lead successfully. There are generally good resources to support the subject but the library has a limited range of books. Pupils use their literacy skills well in other subjects. In history they write factually correct accounts and embellish their work with good examples of descriptive. Their handwriting skills are applied well to their written work in the other subjects.

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MATHEMATICS

67. Standards in mathematics have improved much since the previous inspection and are well above the national average at the end of the infants and juniors. This good success has been achieved through the very successful introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy, improved teaching and effective target setting. The co-ordination Whitewater CE Primary School - 33 of the subject is much better than it was and there is a strong focus on monitoring the teaching, planning and learning. The subject leader has a very good understanding of how to teach mathematics and has inspired her colleagues by her imaginative and helpful approach. The infants and juniors attained standards which were well above the national average in the 2000 national tests, and inspection evidence shows that these good results should be maintained this year. When compared with similar schools, the infants achieved above average standards and pupils in Year 6 attained

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MATHEMATICS

average standards. A high proportion of pupils are on course to attain above average levels in the national tests in 2001. Throughout the school, standards in mathematics are sufficiently high and the school has kept pace with the national improving trend. There is no significant variation in performance by boys and girls. Standards are rising due to the successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy and effective monitoring of teaching and learning.

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MATHEMATICS

68. One of the strengths in developing the pupils’ mathematical understanding is the way in which teachers link numeracy to work in other subjects. In design and technology the pupils are encouraged to estimate, measure and use their knowledge of angles when designing and making models. Mathematics is used well in art and design to promote an awareness of pattern. However, insufficient use is made of computers to extend pupils’ mathematical skills in areas such as data handling and understanding of shape. Another strength is the strong focus on improving and practising pupils’ mathematical vocabulary and regular testing.

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MATHEMATICS

69. Progress is consistently good in mathematics throughout the school and is very good in Years 5 and 6 due to exceptionally effective teaching. Pupils of all abilities make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support and the work is matched well to their individual education plans. Good guidance and effective questioning, linked to the use of suitable apparatus helps these pupils to grow in understanding of mathematical ideas and knowledge of basic number facts. The school recognises gifted and talented pupils and makes very effective arrangements to challenge these pupils who usually work with older pupils. Planning takes good account of the different ages and abilities in the classrooms. The teachers skilfully organise groups by ability and intervene well to ensure that learning moves on at a good pace.

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MATHEMATICS

70. By the end of Year 2, the pupils have very good skills in calculating mentally and a thorough knowledge of number facts. They calculate using numbers up to 100 and most are confident in subtraction as well as addition. The pupils apply their knowledge well to solving problems using money and measurement. There is a good system of practising multiplication facts, in school and at home, and the pupils are competent in their 2, 5 and 10 times tables with the more able knowing how to multiply in threes. The pupils explain very clearly strategies they have used to solve problems and the teachers’ effective development of pupils’ mathematical vocabulary contributes to their ability in solving problems. The pupils have a very good understanding of shape, space and measures; they measure accurately and make good estimates. The pupils have a secure knowledge of graphs and charts, but they do not use computers

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MATHEMATICS

sufficiently in this aspect of their work. 71. By the end of Year 6, the pupils’ mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding are well above average. They are able to add, subtract, multiply and divide using a wide variety of strategies and explain clearly and concisely how they have found an answer. They use mathematical terms competently and are able to solve complex problems involving several operations. The pupils work well with large numbers and understand the relationship between fractions, decimals and percentages. They are able to explain how to discount goods by using percentages. They have a good Whitewater CE Primary School - 34 knowledge of probability and ratio. The pupils have good knowledge of shapes and their properties. They understand angles and use mathematical instruments like protractors correctly. Pupils are good at analysing data and read graphs and charts competently. However, they have little experience of computers to support this aspect

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MATHEMATICS

of their work. 72. Throughout the school, the pupils enjoy mathematics. They are keen to answer questions and to explain how they have arrived at an answer. They respond very well to homework, although some say they would like more. In lessons, the pupils work hard and concentrate for extended periods. They present their work well and are keen to please their teachers. The pupils compete to be the first to finish and show appreciation of their peers. They collaborate well in small groups and some of the discussions revealed their deep understanding of mathematical ideas 73. The quality of teaching and learning ranges from good to excellent and is very good overall. Teachers have introduced the National Numeracy Strategy very effectively and have used it well to promote learning. The teachers have good subject knowledge which they use well to plan lessons which are stimulating and challenging, taking

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MATHEMATICS

account of the needs of all groups of pupils. The subject leader keeps a check on the planning and also monitors learning and teaching and this has helped to ensure continuity in developing pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. In a Year 5 and 6 lesson, the teacher started with quick-fire questions which immediately gained the pupils’ attention. The pupils tried very hard to be the first to answer and then offered good explanations of how they had worked out the answer. The work in the main section of the lesson was matched to the pupils’ abilities and special provision was made for the most able. Similarly very good use was made of the support assistant to guide the pupils with special educational needs. As a result, the lesson proceeded at a brisk pace and learning was very effective. The teacher in Years 5 and 6 uses marking very well to pinpoint areas for development for the pupils. This practice is not

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MATHEMATICS

consistent throughout the school. 74. Throughout the school, the pupils learn avidly, keenly producing work of good quality with much attention to accuracy. A strength in the teaching is the focused explanation given at the start of lessons to ensure that all pupils are clear about what is expected. Lesson objectives are shared at the start and often referred to during the lesson. Also the teachers remind pupils how long there is to the end of the lesson and this keeps the pupils on track. Pupils waste no time in settling to work. Relationships are excellent and help to foster very positive behaviour and attitudes. The teachers use praise and encouragement very effectively to promote learning. 75. The teaching of mathematics has improved since the previous inspection. There is a well-structured scheme of work and a consistent approach between classes, underpinned by the National Numeracy Strategy. There are good resources although

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MATHEMATICS

information and communication technology is not used sufficiently.

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SCIENCE

76. Standards of attainment at the end of the infants are average and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. At the end of the juniors, standards of attainment are average overall and there is good evidence that standards are rising but there is still some way to go before they are on par with English and mathematics. Standards in science are not high enough and are a relative weakness given the pupils’ competence in English and mathematics. Standards in science have not improved since the last inspection and the results in the Year 6 national tests in 2000 tests were disappointing. Throughout the school, pupils express themselves well orally and in writing. The standard of presentation Whitewater CE Primary School - 35 incorporating the use of clearly labelled diagrams is generally good. However, pupils do not have sufficient time to produce the depth of work needed to attain the higher

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SCIENCE

levels. They do not have sufficient opportunities or time to revisit topics to consolidate the learning in the juniors and too few planned opportunities to use computers to word process information and to handle and present data. The infants are taught science through a topic based approach and the other subjects erode the time allocated to science. When marking pupils’ work insufficient attention is given to guiding pupils on how they might improve their scientific understanding.

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SCIENCE

77. In the 2000 National Curriculum teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 in 2000, standards were well below similar schools. Results at the end of Year 6 showed that standards were in line with the national average but well below similar schools and insufficient improvement had been made between key stages.

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SCIENCE

78. Pupils in Year 1 look for and can name the forces of pull and push in their classroom. They record what they find out “I went on the bus (a wheeled toy) I had to push it with my legs to go” . They learn to use simple keys to classify birds and animals. Little investigative science was evident in the work scrutiny. By the end of Year 2, pupils write about the effects of heat, and how it can change an egg or ice cube. One pupil wrote “Egg soft goowy – heat – solid and rubbery.” They record the changes in frogspawn and the growth of a hyacinth bulb. However, pupils have limited experience of making fair tests and predicting the outcomes of investigative science.

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SCIENCE

79. By the end of Year 6, pupils have average competence in science and they make good gains in their final year at the school due to good teaching. However, the pupils’ limited opportunities to investigate, learn about all aspects of science and lack of subject knowledge and expertise in some of the teaching, hampers their progress in the other years. Pupils in Year 3 understand the importance of a well-balanced meal to keep healthy, they write out a weekly menu including healthy snacks of apples and ice-lollies. They have a satisfactory knowledge of what makes a test ‘fair’ when investigating texture and appearance of different materials for water absorbency. In Year 4, the pupils group solids, liquids and gases and find ways of separating solids from liquids. They understand the process of evaporation. Their knowledge of materials is good, they know what ‘soluble’ and ‘dissolve’ mean and they use the

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SCIENCE

terms correctly when speaking and writing. Pupils in Year 5 know how to read a thermometer accurately. They construct musical instruments and complete experiments to find the best material to use as a sound insulator. One pupil wrote “My results did surprise me a bit, I think what might have happened is the fact that the sound went around the other materials. ” Pupils are beginning to show they can give scientific reasons for their decisions. In all these year groups, evidence reveals there is limited challenge in science for the most able pupils, their learning is insufficiently challenged and extended due to teachers’ planning not focusing sufficiently on the more able, and to the teachers’ limited knowledge and understanding of the demands of the science curriculum.

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SCIENCE

80. In Year 6, however, pupils are set challenges and work to enhance their scientific understanding and ability. They improve their ability to investigate as was seen in the lesson on viscosity, they conduct their own experiment, draw up tables of results and produce meaningful graphs to illustrate the results. They predict using scientific language and terms. Their knowledge of all the factors that could alter the results of the investigation is good. Throughout the school, pupils know and use scientific vocabulary and terminology well. Their general application of literacy and numeracy skills in science is good. Evidence of pupils’ scientific knowledge is sound in their written work and good in their oral work in and out of class. Whitewater CE Primary School - 36 81. Throughout the school, pupils’ progress in science is satisfactory but good in Year 6. Higher attaining pupils do not progress as fast as they could due to the lack of

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SCIENCE

extension activities and lack of challenge in some lessons. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. They have opportunity to respond to the same range of work as other pupils and receive good support from the teacher. Pupils have good attitudes to science. They show a keen interest and enthusiasm and a real enjoyment of lessons was apparent during the inspection. Pupils are anxious to take part in the lessons and are eager to answer questions and contribute ideas for discussion. Their behaviour in lessons is excellent. The pupils work extremely well together sharing both ideas and resources and treat equipment sensibly and safely. They have a good awareness of how important their behaviour is to the safety aspect of experiments.

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SCIENCE

82. Satisfactory teaching was observed in the infants while at the end of the juniors good teaching was evident. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. In all lessons teachers give very clear instructions to pupils and they check that pupils understand what they have to do. Teachers plan work for two-year groups in each class satisfactorily. In the infants, science is planned and taught along side other topic subjects. In consequence, insufficient emphasis is placed upon scientific study. Insufficient time is given to science throughout the school, to cover topics in enough depth and breadth encouraging pupils to think and explore and apply the knowledge they have. The attention to literacy and numeracy skills within science lesson is good; the teachers encourage pupils to use a good format for writing up their investigations. Due to the time restraint, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use extended

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SCIENCE

writing when they explain the findings of their investigations. The management of pupils is good and the organisation of lessons in science is also good. Teachers’ marking is thorough but often marked for English not scientific content. Insufficient use is made of homework to extend pupils’ scientific knowledge.

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SCIENCE

83. Assessment is completed regularly but this evidence is not consistently used to modify subsequent planning. The recently appointed subject leader is aware of the position and weaknesses in science and has already begun to work on an improvement plan. She monitors planning and has begun to analysis pupils’ performance and identified reasons for underachievement.

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ART AND DESIGN

84. Overall standards at the end of the infants and juniors are in line with those expected for pupils aged seven and eleven. This represents good improvement since the previous inspection and has been brought about through a much-improved scheme of work, monitoring by the subject leader, improved resources and more thorough planning. The pupils make satisfactory progress in the infants and good progress in the juniors. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. A strength in the teaching of art and design is the focus given to improving pupils’ skills and techniques in observational drawing. Most of the teaching is good with some strengths in the juniors.

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ART AND DESIGN

85. Teaching has improved since the previous inspection and in the lessons seen it was good. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have produced some good work developing simple drawings into plans for a textile interpretation of their pictures. They make good use of a wide range of fabrics and use sewing stitches effectively. Throughout the school the pupils have been involved in producing an attractive millennium ceramic floor which Whitewater CE Primary School - 37 portrays the seasons and enhances part of the school’s outdoor area. In the infants the pupils make satisfactory progress in using a range of media. They mix colours carefully and have a good understanding of how primary colours can be blended to make secondary colours. They paint recognisable self-portraits and are good at using a variety of papers to create interesting collages.

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ART AND DESIGN

86. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have good techniques of using watercolour to paint scenes of village life. They are precise in their observations and show much skill in controlling the use of colour. Sketchbooks are used very well throughout the school and in some classes the teachers’ marking is very helpful in guiding pupils’ improvement. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to work in clay. Their visit to the British Museum provided a good opportunity for the pupils to study ancient art forms.

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ART AND DESIGN

87. The subject leader has played a significant part in raising standards and the pupils’ enjoyment of art. She has given plenty of ideas to her colleagues and has devised an effective scheme which includes clear guidance in developing skills and techniques. This aspect of the subject is strong and as a result, pupils’ produce effective work. The subject leader also monitors planning and learning. The teachers prepare lessons well. They make good use of the school’s resources and pupils are taught effectively how to use resources to good effect with the minimum of waste. The pupils work hard and show good creative effort and pride in the finished product. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and use it well to plan lessons which include a balance between the direct teaching of skills and techniques and providing opportunities for pupils to experiment. The pupils are keen to do their best and work

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ART AND DESIGN

with care, pay attention to detail and show a willingness to explore ideas and techniques. They work together very effectively and offer constructive criticism about how their work might be improved. This is particularly good among the oldest pupils who are self-critical.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

88. Standards in design and technology have improved since the previous inspection. By the age of eleven, pupils attain standards which are above those expected for their age. The seven-year-olds attain appropriate standards. The subject has benefited from the input of a committed and knowledgeable co-ordinator who has developed an effective scheme of work, monitors planning and provides well-focused advice to her colleagues. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress overall. Progress is most rapid in the junior classes due to the challenging activities provided, opportunities to apply skills and techniques and the strong emphasis given to evaluating and improving designs and models. Throughout the school progress in food technology is good and pupils attain above average levels in this aspect of their work. Pupils benefit much from parental support in food technology

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

and have successfully attained the St Ivel Food Technology Bronze award.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

89. Food technology is a regular feature of the school’s work in design and technology. Parents are very involved in this aspect of the subject and contribute much in time, expertise and as a result standards are above expectations. The pupils have a good understanding of healthy eating, designing menus and preparing food with good attention to hygiene. Year 1 pupils classify food and know about proteins and fruit. They know that healthy eating is important and when designing a menu for a party talk confidently about the need for balance in diet. Older pupils follow recipes carefully and are involved in designing their own foods for use at the school’s social functions. Whitewater CE Primary School - 38 90. Throughout the school, the teachers follow the good scheme of work and take advice from the knowledgeable subject leader. As a result, progress is consistent in developing skills and techniques in design and technology. In the juniors, the pupils

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

work with a wide range of materials. They are very thorough in their planning of models and many refine their designs several times to ensure that their models meet requirements of function, attractiveness and usefulness. Pupils enjoy the subject very much and concentrate well. They apply much physical and creative effort to make products which are pleasing to the eye and functional. The teachers use a wide variety of approaches to stimulate learning. In the junior classes the marking offers good guidance to pupils and challenges them on how to improve their models. This combination of effective teaching and enthusiastic learning means that pupils make significant gains in improving their skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. Pupils are familiar with several ways of cutting, joining and fastening their models together. They apply their numeracy skills well in measuring to size and drawing in proportion. Their designs are clear and uncluttered and use labels to make instructions clear. When writing about the process of design and making the pupils use their literacy skills effectively. They make good use of lists and bullet points to ensure clarity. Pupils have been very successful in making moving toys and in one of the strengths in the teaching is the way that pupils are encouraged to evaluate what they have done and incorporate what they have learned in the next project.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. The quality of teaching and learning are good overall. The teachers plan lessons well and provide stimulating and challenging opportunities to which the pupils respond with enthusiasm. All aspects of the subject are covered and the school makes good use of national guidelines to ensure the consistent development of skills. The teachers have high expectations and insist that the pupils think carefully about their work. Some teachers provide homework for design and technology and the pupils respond eagerly to these opportunities often making their own models or designs at home. However, there are few opportunities for pupils to use computers in the subject. The school has a suitable range and quantity of resources for design and technology. The teachers have a good awareness of health and safety and when the pupils are using tools they insist on care and safety.

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GEOGRAPHY

93. Standards of attainment in geography at the end of the infants are appropriate for seven-year olds, and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. Attainment at the end of the juniors is above the level expected of eleven-year-olds. The juniors make good progress due to effective teaching. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when pupils’ attainment was in line with national expectations throughout the school.

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GEOGRAPHY

94. Pupils in Year 1 study the jobs people do at school. They make a passport for Basil Bear to travel the world on his holidays. They are beginning to understand place and distance and to gain knowledge of some features and climates of the world through Basil Bear’s postcards. Pupils in Year 2 continue to take interest in Basil Bear’s travels. They are introduced to the beginnings of map reading when they draw pictures of the play equipment in the school grounds. They learn to conduct a survey when trying to find out which piece of play equipment is most popular. The work is at an appropriate level, although there is little opportunity to extend pupils’ knowledge through research.

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GEOGRAPHY

95. Pupils in the juniors investigate their local environment. In Year 3, they develop their map reading skills when examining the Basingstoke Canal. They have a good Whitewater CE Primary School - 39 understanding of the local canal and link this work suitably to science when describing alkaline and acid water and examining a variety of species of plants. The teachers make good use of the locality to interest the pupils. Pupils learn to write their own questions for investigation, using their literacy skills well. In Year 4 pupils know about the world’s climate and make an extensive study of the monsoon phenomena. They research several countries as they become travel agents and plan a holiday for the teacher sending her to a destination matched to her answers from their questions. This imaginative approach by the teacher enthuses the pupils and promotes effective learning. In Year 5 and 6 pupils are revising their previous learning about the water

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GEOGRAPHY

cycle. They identify features correctly and use geographical terms such as estuary, meanders and confluence confidently. Teachers take pupils on a walk along the local river Whitewater to point out geographical features in the area.

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GEOGRAPHY

96. Teaching and learning in geography are satisfactory overall. Pupils are encouraged to use correct terminology in geography and the teachers use their subject knowledge well to develop the pupils’ skills in writing focused geographical questions. The school provides very good opportunities for the pupils to study a contrasting area when they experience residential outing to Cornwall and the Isle of Wight. This approach to geography captures pupils’ interest and learning. Links with literacy and numeracy are secure; pupils use their knowledge to write accounts, take notes and read non-fiction materials. They construct graphs and can read thermometer. Teachers do not make sufficient use of information and communication technology in lessons. Pupils enjoy geography and respond well particularly to the residential and local visits. They do their follow up tasks conscientiously, such as identifying ranges of hills and rivers in

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GEOGRAPHY

Britain. Behaviour is very good; pupils listen well to their teachers and each other and treat resources with respect.

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HISTORY

97. Pupils in the infants attain the standards expected for seven-year olds, and make satisfactory progress. History is organised as part of a topic in the infants and is taught alongside science, art and geography. In the juniors the teaching of history is organised as a separate subject and taught alternatively with geography. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain standards above those expected for eleven-year-olds. Progress is satisfactory overall but good in the juniors. Pupils with special educational needs make progress in line with their peers. This reflects the findings of the previous inspection. During the inspection no lessons were planned in the infants and there was only two lessons in the juniors. Judgements are made, additionally from discussions with pupils and staff, a scrutiny of a limited amount of pupils’ work in the infants, junior work, displays and teachers’ planning.

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HISTORY

98. Pupils in Year 1 study schools of Victorians and they learn about the different curriculum and compare the subjects. One pupil wrote “The boys do drill they do not change their clothes. They were not allowed to say a word. Drill was physical education.” Pupils in Year 2 have a suitable knowledge of Victorian history from studying artefacts. The school building has several Victorian areas and is used well to show pupils the differences between modern and nineteenth century buildings and in particular styles of education. The pupils listen attentively and take a keen interest in finding out about their own family history. One pupil wrote, “My great, great grandmother was a Victorian and my great great Grandad was a cook on ships.” This pupil brought in a photograph of her great, great grandparents to share with the class. This approach to teaching and learning works well and pupils are beginning to develop

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HISTORY

a keen interest in the subject. Whitewater CE Primary School - 40 99. All pupils make satisfactory progress in understanding chronology. In the juniors they undertake research for information to help them make sense of the time they are studying. Pupils in Year 3 and 4 have a good understanding and secure knowledge of life in Sparta; they know that conditions were harsh and that the Spartans were keen fighters. Pupils know how important trade was to the Ancient Greeks. The teacher made a good link between history and geography as the pupils studied a variety of historical maps. The pupils successfully compare the Olympic games with the games today.

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HISTORY

100. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a good knowledge of Tudor times and relished discussion about what happened to the six wives of Henry VIII. They had found out why it was difficult for England to accept a queen as head of the country when they studied the laws of succession. One pupil sensitively wrote “Elizabeth managed to learn Latin, Greek and other languages and became very clever although girls were not allowed to go the school.” Pupils complete good research for this topic using information from the computer using the Internet and CD Rom.

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HISTORY

101. Pupils’ attitudes towards history are positive. They enjoy discussions and behave very well, working independently or co-operating in a group. They work assiduously and become absorbed in their history and the task set. The quality of teaching is good in the juniors and satisfactory in the infants. The teachers have good class management and organisation and they prepare interesting work for the pupils. One very good feature of this subject is the use of the local area by teachers to support the learning. In one very good lesson the class was taken to the village church. Pupils were shown how some questions could be answered by carefully examining the building and then make predictions. This experience set history alive and pupils were absorbed as they discovered the history of the village through looking at the gravestones. Pupils listened intently to their teacher and were in awe of the age of the building. They discovered

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HISTORY

dates of 1467 on a plaque and many more from 15 th Century to the present day. History for these children had come alive. The school has good resources for the teaching of history. The subject leader monitors planning, teaching and learning effectively.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

102. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) have improved since the previous inspection and are now appropriate for pupils aged seven and eleven. The subject now complies with statutory requirements. Since the previous inspection the school has improved resources and staff have begun a rigorous course of training. However, assessment does not clearly identify what the pupils know and understand and there are inconsistencies in extending the pupils’ skills. Overall progress for all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is satisfactory in developing basic computer skills although there are inconsistent opportunities for pupils to use computers in most other subjects.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

103. By the end of Year 2, the pupils have appropriate skills in ICT. They use a suitable range of programs and have mastered the basic skills of word processing. They change fonts, size and colour and most are able to load, save and print their work. The pupils use the computers’ tool bars and are able to locate the spell checker. They have average skills in using the computer to control sequences for example in making a picture of a rectangle. The teacher keeps good records and checks up on how well the pupils are doing. She intervenes appropriately and guides the pupils well, planning Whitewater CE Primary School - 41 work based on her assessments of the pupils’ performance. However, this practice is not consistent throughout the school due to the lack of a suitable analysis of pupils’ skills and a record keeping system which is common throughout. The subject leader has plans to develop such a system. The pupils benefit from the direct teaching of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

skills although there are few opportunities to use computers in other subjects with the exception of music.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

104. By the end of Year 6, the pupils’ computer skills are in line with those expected for their age. They have a secure understanding of word processing and use this skill well in poetry writing to present their work in an attractive and eye-catching way. They correct their work using the spell checker and know how to underline, make bold and use italics. Pupils cope well with the variety of computers in the classrooms and appreciate that some machines a more suitable for different activities than others. Most pupils have computers at home and some use them to research topics in history and geography. Computers are usually switched on in most classes but not used consistently in a range of subjects. In Years 3 and 4 the pupils make good use of computers for a variety of tasks and show good skills in word processing, but this practice is not consistent through the school. The pupils use computers very well to

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

edit and refine their writing and create attractive presentations. Computers are not used sufficiently in mathematics. There are limited and insufficient opportunities for pupils to explore shapes and to use spreadsheets and graphs. Pupils have a secure knowledge of the terms and vocabulary used in computers. Throughout the school the pupils are enthusiastic about ICT and work hard to improve their skills. They co- operate well and take turns.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

105. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory with some good teaching in Years 1, 2, 3 and 4. The staff have wide ranging abilities and some lack confidence although this is being remedied through training. Subject knowledge and the time spent on computers have improved since the previous inspection but more remains to be done by the subject leader to ensure that skills, knowledge and understanding are developed consistently. Most lessons include some reference to information and communication technology but the teachers seldom follow through these plans and opportunities are lost. The pupils are enthusiastic learners and keen to use computers more. However, their skills in modelling using information and communication technology are underdeveloped. The school is beginning to use national guidelines for the subject and has a satisfactory range of resources to support the teaching. pupils are often left to work independently and they rise to this

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

challenge and concentrate for extended periods but the lack of direct intervention means that the pace of learning drifts. Insufficient time has been given to monitoring what the pupils already know and the subject leader has not drawn up sufficient guidance for her colleagues on extending the more able pupils.

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MUSIC

106. Standards in music have risen significantly since the previous inspection and are now very high for pupils aged seven and eleven. The excellent quality of teaching and support from visiting staff ensures that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are talented and gifted, make excellent progress. Music contributes much to the life and work of the school. The discipline of learning to play instruments and the regular practice by the pupils is a tribute to their commitment and enthusiasm and is largely a result of inspirational teaching. The school has excellent resources for music and the extensive use of visits and visitors enhance learning. Large numbers of pupils perform in the school choir and band, playing a Whitewater CE Primary School - 42 wide range of instruments including brass, woodwind and strings. Parents are justifiably proud of their children’s achievement in this subject.

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MUSIC

107. By the end of Years 2 and 6, most pupils have exceeded the expectations for their age in all aspects of music. The infants recognise and explore a variety of sounds and make very good use of instruments to compose their own simple tunes. They sing in harmony and often combine actions to their songs. They capably follow a conductor and many are confident in organising themselves in small groups to play together. The pupils have a good understanding of the value of notes through their lessons on the recorder. The juniors have a deep understanding of the contribution music makes to culture and show much appreciation for a variety of styles. They sing in harmony and parts, provide excellent instrumental background music in performances and are familiar with notation. They are very good listeners and focus attentively during practices and performances. They are good at evaluating their own and others’ work

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MUSIC

and offer critical but helpful comments.

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MUSIC

108. The quality of teaching is excellent and inspires pupils to learn with enthusiasm. Music is taught by a specialist teacher in all classes. In addition, the school benefits from high quality support from peripatetic teachers who bring expertise in several instruments. The pupils respond with enthusiasm to the school’s excellent provision for music. They are keen participants in the choir, band, extra-curricular activities and music lessons. All of the infants benefit from learning the recorder and many juniors continue with this instrument. About a third of the juniors also learn string, woodwind and brass instruments. Pupils are keen learners and regularly practise. They respond very well to the frequent opportunities to perform in front of the school and to other groups, taking much pride and pleasure in their achievements. Music contributes excellently to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and

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MUSIC

enhances the life and work of the school. Pupils have excellent opportunities to learn about music from different cultures. The visit to the Gamelan provoked much interest and pupils spoke excitedly about this visit and talked knowledgeably about Indonesian music. The teacher capitalised on this experience in teaching about pitch and rhythm.

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MUSIC

109. Teaching is exceptionally well planned and lessons include opportunities for the pupils to listen to music, perform and compose. The teacher is very successful in keeping the pace of the lesson moving at a brisk pace. She uses her expertise well to introduce new skills, and techniques at just the right level for each class and as a result learning moves very quickly. The pupils respond eagerly to the challenges set and apply themselves well. They maintain concentration for extended periods. The school has an excellent range and number of musical instruments; many have been provided by the parents or purchased from funds raised by the choir at their performances. The pupils know the names of the instruments and play them with care. The teacher insists on correct techniques such as using two hands when playing xylophones and the pupils make good improvements in this skill.

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MUSIC

110. The teacher keeps very good records of the pupils’ progress and sets targets for individuals. Assessment is used well to plan work which is matched to the pupils’ age and ability and is also challenging. Information and communication technology is used well to support the teaching of music.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

111. By the end of the infants and the juniors, physical education is in line with standards expected nationally for all pupils. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. There are some examples of good progress in Whitewater CE Primary School - 43 dance performance. No lessons in gymnastic skills were seen during the inspection. Pupils in the infants learn to control their bodies and to be aware of space. In their dance work they develop good skills and good body co-ordination. Pupils move into spaces and perform ways of “casting off” movement. They keep in rhythm with the music and consistently listen to the music to respond to the temp and rhythm. They are able to evaluate their performance and accurately pick out the dancers who keep up the speed and use the correct steps. Although standards are not as high as reported at the time of the previous inspection, the school provides ample time for the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

pupils’ physical development and extra-curricular activities such as residential visits and sports clubs enhance pupils’ learning. Physical education has maintained its status since the previous inspection. Pupils make good progress in swimming and attain above average standards in this aspect of their work. Pupils have good opportunities to swim as an extra-curricular activities and a third of pupils take this opportunity. Nearly all pupils can swim 25 metres and most exceed this standard by the end of the juniors.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

112. Pupils in the juniors make satisfactory progress. They develop a good range of ball skills. For instance, they can bat and bowl in practising for rounders. They make good progress as a direct result of their teachers’ expertise in teaching skills and games techniques. Catching a ball is more problematic. When playing a game they play with due regard to the rules and display sportsmanship and fair play. They know how to win and lose gracefully. Pupils understand the need to pay particular attention to warm up exercises, they know how to exercise parts of their body that need muscle strengthening. They know what happens to their bodies when exercising and the importance of exercise. Safety is an excellent feature of all lessons.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

113. Pupils respond very well overall to their lessons. They listen carefully to their teachers, and most are involved and follow instructions very carefully at all times. They show that they enjoy their lessons and have fun developing their skills with vim and vigour. They are keen and enthusiastic and put a lot of effort into their work, concentrating hard. When practising skills, pupils persevere and confidently know when they have succeeded. In playing team games, they understand the need to co- operate and work well together and demonstrate a good team spirit.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

114. In the lessons seen, the teaching varied from satisfactory to very good. It was satisfactory overall and good in the juniors. The teaching of dance in the infants was good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and a clear understanding of how to present lessons that appeal to pupils and that develop their skills and ensure understanding of games. Teachers have high expectations that by the end of the lesson confident pupils will be using skills appropriately. Their planning is clear and is drawn from assessments of previous work and is well matched to pupils’ abilities. All teachers are aware of health and safety, rules and routines. Pupils take part in a comprehensive programme that covers all the required aspects of the National Curriculum. An excellent range of extra-curricular sporting activities support and build upon the start given to the pupils in physical educational lessons. Unfortunately the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

lack of a suitable size school hall restricts the teaching and learning of physical education. The school hall is so small that it restricts the number of pupils able to move safely at one time. The school compensates at residential journeys paying particular attention to pupil’s physical development in the programme offered. Other resources are good and there is an excellent outdoor area.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Whitewater CE Primary School - 44 115. Throughout the school, the pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. Pupils’ attainment, at the end of the infants and juniors, is in line with the targets in the syllabus followed by most schools in Hampshire and is appropriate for seven and eleven-year olds. Only one very short lesson was timetabled in the infants during the inspection. However, discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of teachers’ plans and the limited amount of pupils’ work available show that pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of the principal teachings of Christianity and Judaism. They know what festivals Christians and Jews celebrate, for example Christmas and Sukkoth. They know about creation stories from different religions and compare them. The story of Moses is told with interest and accuracy and they know he is a special person to the Jews. However, the pupils had limited knowledge of

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

116. At the end of the juniors, pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of the codes of conduct and lifestyles associated with Christianity but a very sketchy and patchy knowledge of the two other religions studied, namely Judaism and Hinduism. In a good lesson, pupils in Year 5 and 6 successfully looked at buildings, rituals and symbols of Christian worship. Pupils know about the communion bowl and chalice handling the artefacts with respect and reverence. They write about the Resurrection, with poignancy and sensitivity making good use of the skills they have learned in English lessons. Pupils make good inferences “I think that Jesus did those miracles to show that God can do anything so he can have more followers to prove to the Pharisees that he is part of God’s life and his son.” Pupils' writing contributes substantially to the development of their literacy skills and their power of self-expression.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

117. Pupils’ interest in religious education is genuine and learning is effective. The pupils work hard in lessons. They contribute readily to discussions and offer thoughtful and personal ideas and opinions. Written work is usually carefully presented. Pupils listen attentively to their teachers and to each other in discussions. They value others’ points of view. The teachers use praise and reward well to promote good discipline. Behaviour is very good and pupils work well to complete written tasks in the time allowed, even offering to take work home to complete when necessary.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

118. The teaching is satisfactory overall with some good lessons in the juniors. Teachers have good subject knowledge and resources and artefacts are used very effectively. Teachers lead discussions well and give clear explanations. In one good lesson, the teacher helped pupils to understand the distinction between worship and prayer, making pupils realise the different words used in each case. They use questioning sympathetically to draw out pupils’ personal ideas and beliefs. The planning is good and pace of lessons satisfactory. Marking of pupils’ written work is mainly for English correction and not for their understanding of religious education content. However, teachers use written praise well. In the infants the content of lessons is sometimes based too much on English rather than religious education. One strong feature of the teaching of religious education is the good use made of Rotherwick church. Pupils

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

enjoy going into the building understanding the need to respect places of worship. They take part in the Harvest and Easter assembly time enjoying the opportunity to worship and time of prayer.

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