Cornwood Church of England Primary School

Cornwood C of E Primary school

Reporting inspector: Mrs Christine Huard

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Cornwood C of E Primary school

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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Cornwood C of E Primary school

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Cornwood Ivybridge Devon

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Anita Donne

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 20 –24 January 1997 Cornwood C of E Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

Mrs Christine Huard Registered inspector Science What sort of school is it?

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Aspect responsibilities

Religious education How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements. Art How well are pupils taught? Music Mrs Rona Orme Lay inspector How high are standards? b) 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? Mrs Joyce Cox Team inspector English How well is the school led and managed? History Physical education Special educational needs Mrs Peggy Waterston Team inspector Mathematics How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Information technology Design and technology Geography Under fives Equal opportunities Cornwood C of E Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Cambridge Education Associates Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Aspect responsibilities

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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Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Cornwood C of E Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Cornwood Church of England Primary School is a village school with 115 boys and girls. This is smaller than most primary schools. Most pupils attend the school from the village and surrounding area. There are no pupils from ethnic minority groups. There are 18 (16 per cent) pupils on the school’s special educational needs register (slightly below the national average) and one pupil has a statement (about average). Just over 18 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals (about average). Children enter the school in the September or January of the year in which they are five. There is a staggered entry to allow them to become familiar with school routines. The attainment of children on entry to the school is in line with the county average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Cornwood CE Primary School is an effective school. The main priority over the last year has been to raise standards in English and mathematics. In this it has largely succeeded. Standards have risen in English and are now comparable to the national average. Standards in mathematics are also close to the national average whilst those in science are well above the national average. Overall standards are appropriate and commensurate with pupils’ abilities, although higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged. The overall quality of teaching is good. The overall leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher’s leadership is very good. She has achieved a great deal since being appointed a year ago. The governors are very supportive of the school. The school staff all work hard to create an interesting and stimulating learning environment. Pupils’ attainments are monitored carefully to ensure that standards are maintained and improved. The

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What the school does well

• The headteacher provides very good dynamic leadership. • The attitudes and personal development of the pupils are very good. • Teaching methods used inspire and enthuse the pupils enabling them to learn effectively. • The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is very good overall. • The school cares for its pupils well. • Links with parents and the local community are very strong.

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What could be improved

• The level of challenge, particularly for higher attaining pupils in Key Stage 2, in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. • The balance of the curriculum in order to ensure that sufficient time is allocated to all subjects to allow them to be covered in sufficient depth to increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding sufficiently. • The provision of a secure play area with large apparatus for children under five. • The accommodation for pupils with physical disabilities. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in January 1997. Since then it has made sound progress overall and good progress over the last twelve months. Standards improved initially but in 1998 results dropped significantly. With the advent of the new headteacher they showed an upturn in 1999. Inspection evidence indicates that improvements are continuing. All teaching observed in this inspection was at least satisfactory and 80 per cent was good or better. This is an improvement since the last inspection when a small proportion of unsatisfactory teaching and only 30 per cent good teaching was observed. Teaching effectively supports the pupils’ personal as well as their academic development. The school’s climate for learning is still very good. The school’s Christian ethos permeates all that it undertakes. It manifests itself in the care that is shown for and by the pupils and in the enthusiasm and dedication exhibited by the staff. The management and efficiency of the school is still good.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There has been some turbulence since the last inspection and the appointment of a new headteacher. The headteacher’s leadership is very good. She has a clear vision for the school, which Cornwood C of E Primary School - 8 the staff and governors share. The key issues from the last inspection have been successfully addressed. Planning is detailed and indicates clearly learning objectives. Assessment procedures are effective and directly related to pupils’ achievement of targets. Time is used well in lessons and the monitoring and evaluation of teaching is good. Effective staff appraisal is in place. With this up-turn in morale, determination to succeed and practical efforts being made to increase knowledge and understanding, the school has a good capacity to make further improvements.

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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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Key

1997 1998 1999 1999 Well above average A

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Key

English A* D D E Above average. Average B C Mathematics A C C C Below average D

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Key

The results show, for example, that standards in English were below average when compared with schools nationally but well below average when compared with schools’ in similar circumstances.

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Key

There were a relatively small number of pupils taking the tests, which means results have to be considered cautiously. Results in small schools vary considerably from year to year reflecting the particular make up of the class. The school has set challenging targets for this year’s tests and is well placed to achieve these. Standards of work in information technology are average in Key Stage 1 and just below average in Key Stage 2, mainly because pupils have had too little experience of using computers in the past. They are beginning to catch up and sound progress is made at Key Stage 2. Standards in religious education are also average. In art standards are well above those expected; those in physical education are above expectations. Standards in history are sound but are below expectations in geography. It was not possible to make overall judgements about work in design and technology and music because little work was available for examination and no lessons observed.

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Key

The overall trend of improvement over the last four years has been below that nationally. Inspection evidence shows that the downturn has been reversed over the last year, because the core subjects have been more rigorously taught and work more closely matched to pupils’ needs, although that for higher attaining pupils is not always challenging enough.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes towards their work and the school are very good. They are generally well motivated and want to learn, especially when lessons are made interesting and stimulating and tasks are well matched to their abilities. They are attentive, responsive and enjoy school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good overall. Pupils are polite to their teachers and each other. They concentrate well and work sensibly and independently. They are trustworthy and move around the school showing care for others. They get rather noisy when they become over-enthusiastic.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and Pupils have very good learning skills and work independently in class. They take responsibility for a number of tasks around the classroom Cornwood C of E Primary School - 9 relationships and school. Relationships between pupils and adults are excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is good. Pupils are eager to attend school. They arrive on time and sessions start promptly.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ attitudes help them learn effectively because they concentrate well and work independently. They listen carefully to the teacher and each other. They show enthusiasm for the tasks set.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching overall is good. All lessons observed were of at least a satisfactory standard, 80 per cent of lessons were at least good and 17 per cent were very good. The teaching of English and mathematics is good overall. Teachers have a good understanding of the literacy strategy and generally try to provide tasks that challenge and inspire the pupils. This enables them to do their best and learn effectively because their interest is aroused and maintained. The teaching of the numeracy strategy has been successfully implemented in most classes. There is good coverage of the mathematics curriculum. The strategies, particularly that in literacy, have been adapted appropriately to meet the needs of the school. For example, the school has identified a need to improve writing. Occasionally tasks are given in English, mathematics and science that do not challenge the pupils sufficiently, particularly the higher attainers in Key Stage 2, which means progress is slowed.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a broad curriculum. It has rightly concentrated on English and mathematics in order to raise standards. However, the coverage of some of the other subjects is now too thin and too little time is spent on them. There is a very good programme of personal and social education. The school provides a wide range of good quality extra-curricular activities. Curriculum planning is sound and based on termly topics. Implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies is sound.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Individual Education Plans are of a good quality, specific to each pupil and set relevant and achievable targets.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall provision. Pupils have time to reflect on wider spiritual issues during good assemblies and in lessons. The provision for moral and social development is very strong. The staff are very good role models and pupils develop a strong understanding of right and wrong. Good provision is made for pupils’ cultural development with good opportunities for pupils to appreciate a range of music and art as well as exploring the multi-cultural aspects of our society. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 10 How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall. Good child protection procedures are in place. Regular health and safety checks are made. Good behaviour and discipline policies are in place and consistently applied by all adults. There are appropriate procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very hard to involve parents through a range of projects. They are made to feel part of the school community. Their help and participation in school is encouraged.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong, dynamic leadership. She has insight and vision for the future of the school. She is well supported by all her staff. They effectively manage their subjects and contribute to the smooth running of the school. All share the commitment to further improvement. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Committed governors support the headteacher and school effectively. They are enthusiastic and aware of their responsibilities, which they carry out efficiently. They are beginning to play a more active part in the school’s development and improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher has carefully evaluated the school’s functions in order to identify and prioritise areas of strength and weakness. The school monitors its work effectively. Pupils’ performance is carefully tracked and monitored on an individual and year group basis. The implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies has been well monitored through classroom observations.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good use is made of all resources – staff, financial and material. The installation of a small suite of computers for information technology is of great value to the school and is used well. All financial resources are carefully used and monitoring of the budget is good. The school always aims for the best value possible. The accommodation is adequate but unsuitable for disabled pupils. There is no secure play area for the children under five. The building is made attractive by the displays of pupils’ work and is well used.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • They make good progress. • The school has high expectations and enables their children to do well. • Their children are given responsibilities. • The teaching is good. • There are many after school activities. • Many parents felt that class sizes were too large in Key Stage 2.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors support the parents’ positive views. They appreciate the parents’ concerns over class sizes. The school has done what it can to alleviate these by splitting the classes every morning into three ability groups in order to make the teaching of literacy and numeracy more focused. This strategy is working well and enables the pupils to make progress commensurate with their abilities. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Children enter the school during the year in which they are five. Their attainment is average overall, based on county assessment information, though these assessments show that there is a wide range of attainment within this range. Children reach the levels expected in language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world and in their physical and creative development by the time they reach the age of five. They exceed the levels expected in their personal and social development.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. At the end of Key Stage 1, the numbers of pupils achieving the national average (level 2) in the national tests for 1999 in reading were well above the national average. The number of pupils attaining the higher level 3 was also above average. All the pupils taking the writing test attained level 2, this is very high. An above average number of pupils also achieved the higher level 3. In mathematics the percentage of pupils gaining level 2 was average although the numbers of pupils attaining level 3 was very high. When compared to similar schools, pupils’ achievements in reading, writing and mathematics were well above average. The Teacher Assessments in all three areas were considerably lower than the test results. This would indicate that the teachers involved in assessment are being over-cautious or are not matching the work to the given criteria accurately enough. The number of pupils taking the tests was

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The school’s results and achievements

relatively small and therefore statistics given need to be viewed with considerable caution. Over the three years from 1996-98 results in reading showed a downward trend, which indicates that the school had been in a position of underachieving in this area. However, the results of 1999 showed an upturn. Results in writing have shown a steady upward trend with a sharp rise in 1999. The school has made this an area of particular focus and this has undoubtedly resulted in improved progress being made. Results in mathematics showed a trend of improvement well above the national average over the four years from 1996-99. However, this was largely due to a significant improvement in 1999 after falls in attainment in 1996-98. Teacher Assessments in science at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999 were well below the national average in all areas.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. At the end of Key Stage 2, results in the national tests in 1999 were below the national average in English and average in mathematics, although a higher than average percentage of pupils attained the higher level 5 in the mathematics test. Results in science were above average. The number of pupils attaining the average level 4 in science was close to the national average but the number of those attaining the higher level 5 was well above. When compared to similar schools, results were well below average in English, average in mathematics and above average in science. The results show a marked improvement over the previous year in science and results in mathematics showed a slight improvement after the previous year’s significant fall in standards. Results in English showed little improvement over the previous year when they had fallen greatly. The results of Teacher Assessment were well below the test

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The school’s results and achievements

results, which indicates that criteria were being applied inaccurately. The overall trend of improvement over time was below that found nationally. Inspection evidence indicates a reversal of this trend. Over the last four years the performance by boys in the core subjects has been well above average and that of girls above average. There was no discernible difference in the performance of boys and girls during the inspection.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. In the last inspection, standards were judged to have been in need of some improvement. Results have been variable since then but evidence from the inspection shows that standards have improved considerably, particularly in English. This is because of the school’s recent emphasis on writing and the highly effective setting arrangements, which mean that Key Stage 2 pupils are taught in three ability groups for both literacy and numeracy every morning. In these lessons, work is carefully matched to pupils’ abilities in most cases. However, higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged by the work and the recording methods chosen. This means that attainment is not always as high as it could be for these pupils.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. The school has set challenging targets for standards to be reached in this year’s national tests, Cornwood C of E Primary School - 12 in both English and mathematics. Great efforts are being made to achieve these by both staff and pupils and there is a good chance of success.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. The inspection evidence shows that pupils make sound progress as they move through the school and standards are satisfactory in relation to pupils’ attainment on entry. Standards achieved in Year 6 in English and mathematics are generally in line with the national expectation. Standards in science are above the national average. Learning is satisfactory overall, though in the majority of lessons observed during the inspection it was good. Pupils show a good general knowledge and understanding of the work being covered, for example when solving problems in mathematics or scanning text for specific information in literacy. Orally they have very good recall – for example when investigating forces in science - and sound writing and literacy skills enable much written recording to be of at least a satisfactory standard.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. In English , pupils learn well and make sound progress. Pupils develop very good speaking and listening skills. They are confident and have a wide vocabulary and good language skills. They learn well through discussion activities in English and other subjects, such as science and music. Pupils in Key Stage 1 enjoy reading and show confidence when reading aloud. They experience a good range of opportunities for reading and have sound strategies for tackling new or unknown vocabulary. Very good records are kept of progress made and daily reading activities promote effective learning. In Key Stage 2 pupils continue to make sound progress. Speaking and listening skills further improve and are advanced by participating in drama workshops such as that observed during the inspection on the Vikings. Their literacy skills increase and many older readers can successfully skim and scan texts for information. Pupils’

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The school’s results and achievements

confidence in reading independently aids their progress in English and other subjects, such as mathematics. Standards are close to average in writing at the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils write neatly in a joined script; common words are generally spelled correctly and pupils use their knowledge of sounds to help them with this. By the end of Key Stage 2, although most pupils are working at the expected level, higher attaining pupils are not always set tasks which challenge them sufficiently. For example, they were asked to draw a picture from a description based on Shakespeare’s Seven Ages of Man rather than write about the character. Pupils with special needs receive highly effective support from support assistants, which helps them to learn well.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. In mathematics, the standard of work of the pupils currently in Years 2 and 6 is in line with that expected for pupils of their age. In the lessons seen during the inspection, pupils in both key stages made good progress but an examination of pupils’ work shows that this is satisfactory overall. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because appropriate yet challenging tasks are prepared for them. However, higher attaining pupils are not always set tasks which challenge them sufficiently. Mental mathematics at the start of each numeracy session is enabling pupils of all ages to make good progress with their calculating skills. The numeracy strategy has been consistently implemented and has been of positive benefit.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. In science, results of Teacher Assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999 were well below average, both nationally and against similar schools. Action taken by the school has improved this situation. From the lessons observed and an examination of work pupils now make sound progress through Key Stage 1 and most are achieving standards in line with national expectations. A few pupils are on course to achieve the higher Level 3. Overall, pupils’ progress in Key Stage 2 is good. A greater emphasis on learning science through investigation and experimentation means that pupils are learning scientific skills whilst extending their knowledge and understanding. This is aided by consistently good teaching, which enables pupils to experiment and investigate scientifically across all the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and record their work in a variety of ways.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. Pupils make sound progress in information technology and attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with expectations. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 do not achieve expected levels of competence because they have had too few experiences in the past. The recent provision of a small computer suite has been of particular benefit when teaching basic computer skills. Pupils have many opportunities to use computers to cover the whole range of the required curriculum. Pupils make satisfactory progress in religious education at both key stages, Cornwood C of E Primary School - 13 although coverage of the Key Stage 2 curriculum is thin because too little time is spent on the subject.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. Pupils attain high standards in art and have a wide range of opportunities to explore a variety of media. Standards in physical education are good and pupils also benefit from a range of extra-curricular activities, which enhance the provision made. Pupils make sound progress in history and achieve satisfactory standards. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards in geography at Key Stage 1 but are below average at Key Stage 2 because too little time is spent on it. It is not possible to make judgements on standards in design and technology and music as too little work was available and too few lessons were observed for these to be reliable.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. There is one pupil with a Statement of Special Educational Need, who also makes good progress because of high quality one-to-one support from the learning support assistant.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

13. Pupils’ attitudes to school are very good. They are keen and enthusiastic to take part in all that the school has to offer. In most lessons the good behaviour and the interest pupils take helps them to make good progress. Occasionally the response in lessons becomes over- enthusiastic, noise levels rise and some silliness occurs, although this has a minimum impact on progress as teachers always deal with it very quickly.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

14. The pupils generally behaved well throughout the inspection. This supports the opinion of the parents, who all felt that there had been a marked improvement in behaviour in the last year. Pupils’ behaviour in the playground is good. They act responsibly when they are not directly supervised, for example when they are tending the herb garden round the side of the school. Pupils talk to visitors confidently and readily offer assistance making it a pleasure to visit the school. There have been no exclusions.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

15. Relationships are excellent at all levels and reflect the Christian ethos of the school. The personal development of all pupils is also very good and is built in to all areas of school life. Older pupils look after younger pupils well and care for them in the playground. Year 6 pupils act as librarians and assist younger pupils in choosing their books. Older pupils act as reading partners for those in the infant classes. Pupils are keen to take part in the School Council and have been involved in making decisions to improve the school’s environment. Their suggestions are being actively sought on the improvement of the corridor area between the school and demountable building. Older pupils help maintain the school’s grounds, using adult tools with care. Pupils treat each other with respect and listen carefully to each other’s contributions in lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

16. Levels of attendance are good with very little unauthorised absence. The vast majority of pupils arrive in good time for the beginning of school sessions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The quality of teaching is good overall. Of the lessons observed during the inspection all were judged to have been at least satisfactory. Eighty per cent were good or better and seventeen per cent of these very good. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. This is an improvement over the last inspection when nearly ten per cent of lessons observed were judged to be unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The school has four classes. The two Key Stage 2 classes are divided by ability into three groups in the mornings for literacy and numeracy. Tasks are planned to meet the specific needs of these smaller groups of pupils within a narrower range of ability and are proving to be very beneficial in aiding all pupils’ progress. Pupils with special educational needs and higher attainers all gain benefit from working in the group most able to meet their academic needs. The organisation is effective in maximising pupils’ progress. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are taught Cornwood C of E Primary School - 14 as class groups with learning support, which is effective and helps pupils’ progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Literacy and numeracy lessons have been implemented according to national guidelines with appropriate modifications to meet the particular needs of the school. For example, there has been a special emphasis on improving the quality of all pupils’ writing in both key stages and the school’s strategy has been appropriately modified and supplemented to reflect this. One session a week has been explicitly designated for this purpose. This has resulted in significant progress being made in writing. Regular mental mathematics at the start of each session has helped improve the pupils’ recall of number facts. Pupils show an enthusiasm for the subject, which is fostered by the provision of challenging tasks which stimulate and interest them. In whole-class sessions, pupils use small whiteboards which they can show to the teacher to very good effect. They enable the teacher to see instantly the level of understanding of each pupil.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

The setting of individual targets for pupils in literacy and numeracy is an added incentive to pupils to work hard and achieve high standards.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. There were a number of contributory factors to the good quality of teaching observed. Lesson planning is clear with learning objectives set out very clearly and shared with all pupils at the start of each lesson. This is revised at the end of the lesson when outcomes are assessed. The teachers know their pupils extremely well and have very good knowledge of their attainment levels because of the highly effective assessment systems in the school. This means that for most of the time tasks are planned which are really challenging and individualised to meet the needs of each child within the overall context of the lesson. Teachers have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve. Thus in a mathematics lesson in Key Stage 2, lower attaining pupils were set problems of varying complexity to solve using tessellating shapes. When pupils are working there is an intense atmosphere where they are attuned to providing high standards of work. Teachers’ questioning is of high quality and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

sharply focused so that they can effectively assess whether pupils have understood new learning or not. For example, in science, older pupils not only explained what balanced forces were they gave concrete examples as well. The information from informal assessment of this kind is carefully recorded and used to plan future work that will enable pupils to move on to the next step of learning. Teachers move around the room and ensure that they work with as many pupils as possible. This high quality individual attention ensures that all pupils receive the maximum benefit from the lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Where there are weaknesses they usually stem from a lack of challenge in the level of recorded work expected. Thus, although the oral content of a lesson may be challenging and stimulating, written work is set at too low a level, particularly for higher attaining pupils. For example, after a high quality input in science, pupils in Years 5 and 6 were asked to record the results of an investigation using a very simple pro-forma worksheet rather than writing up the results independently.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The teaching has improved since the last inspection. The unsatisfactory teaching at that time was partly the result of poor planning and unclear lesson objectives. Slow pace and ineffective use of time were also weaknesses. All these issues have been successfully addressed. The remaining weakness of not always matching activities closely enough to pupils’ abilities has been partially addressed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. It is not possible to make judgements about the teaching in many subjects because of the limited amount of lessons and subjects observed. No lessons were observed in design and technology, geography and music. From the evidence of pupils’ work examined it is clear that pupils are making at least sound progress in history, and very good progress in art; unsatisfactory progress is made in geography because too little time is spent on it.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Work provided for pupils with special educational needs is well matched to targets identified in their individual plans, which results in good progress. Teachers are very aware of pupils with special educational needs in their classes. They are skilled at rephrasing questions to ensure that pupils have understood them. The setting of pupils in Key Stage 2 for literacy and numeracy work is highly beneficial for special needs pupils. Teachers write pupils' Individual Education Plans in conjunction with the special needs co-ordinator. Pupils receive very good support from the classroom support assistants, who are well briefed and who have completed additional training to help them to meet pupils' needs. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 15

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TO PUPILS?

25. There has been a considerable improvement in curriculum planning since the last inspection when it was found to be poor. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy have been implemented and planning for other subjects is being revised using Curriculum 2000 and nationally published schemes. The school has a long-term plan of topic headings but this is not sufficiently detailed to ensure that pupils make progress in their learning as they move through the school. Sound progress has been made towards the development of a school-specific curriculum for science and for the foundation subjects.

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TO PUPILS?

26. The school provides a broad range of opportunities for its pupils but the curriculum currently lacks balance. The school has identified English appropriately as a concern and in order to raise standards has allocated a large proportion of time to this subject. Insufficient time is spent on science at Key Stage 1 although this improves at Key stage 2. Provision for information technology and for most foundation subjects is adequate but time allocated for geography and design technology is too low and this is having an adverse impact on standards achieved by the pupils. The school uses too few opportunities to incorporate the teaching of English through other subjects such as history. The curriculum for information technology has undergone recent improvements, which means that pupils now spend enough time and have an appropriate range of experiences to enable them to make the progress required.

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TO PUPILS?

27. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been successfully implemented and are having a positive impact on standards. In particular, there has been a significant improvement in attainment in English during this year.

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TO PUPILS?

28. The school provides a broad range of extra-curricular activities to enrich and extend pupils’ learning, for example athletics and football clubs, an art club and a French club. Pupils are keen to be involved in these activities and the school receives considerable help from members of the local community to extend the range of opportunities available. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum and are valued as individuals.

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TO PUPILS?

29. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The pupils have full access to the National Curriculum. Careful consideration is given, when adapting the curriculum, to meeting the specific needs of pupils. For instance, a Year 6 pupil, with physical difficulties, was able to participate fully in the recent Year 6 residential visit because of the caring attitude of the staff in ensuring her safety.

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TO PUPILS?

30. A good programme for pupils’ personal, social and health education is incorporated within the school’s broad topic areas. Sex education and substance use and abuse are included.

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TO PUPILS?

31. Links with the school’s village community are very strong and make a major contribution to pupils’ learning. The school is fully involved in the May Fayre; Harvest and Christmas church services are jointly planned, Parents’ Association events are well supported by local residents and grandparents come to talk to pupils about changes since their youth. The school is at the centre of its community, providing accommodation for groups such as guides and scouts and allowing supervised access to its swimming pool.

p.15

TO PUPILS?

32. There are effective links with partner institutions. The local playgroup is unable to meet in the village hall next to the school at present due to refurbishment. This has not affected liaison and exchange visits still take place. This eases children’s transition to school. Relationships with the comprehensive school to which most pupils transfer are strong and constructive. Teachers from the two schools meet, sometimes sharing expertise and resources, and pupils make induction visits. Pupils move to the secondary phase with confidence.

p.15

TO PUPILS?

33. The school has a strong Christian ethos. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development reported in the last inspection has been maintained. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. The quality of collective worship was inspected separately. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 16 However, this makes a very valuable contribution to pupils’ spiritual and moral development. There are opportunities for reflection in assemblies and in circle time. The school uses the detailed plans for collective worship which are provided by the local diocese. Themes relating, for example, to the qualities of Christian life promote spiritual and moral awareness. Hymn singing contains joyful and reflective elements and musical contributions from groups of pupils provide opportunities for the appreciation of achievement. Awareness of the world around us and its wonder is shown through the older pupils’ dedication to their school garden and the

p.15

TO PUPILS?

younger pupils’ reaction in science to the development of their bean seeds.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

34. Provision for moral development is excellent. Pupils understand the school’s code of conduct, which is based on Christian values, and they recognise the difference between right and wrong. Teachers provide clear guidance about what is and what is not acceptable behaviour. Moral messages are reinforced in school assemblies. A small group of pupils prepared a modern day version of the story of the Good Samaritan. It reinforced the message of helping others and not ignoring problems. The staff act as excellent role models by listening carefully to pupils and always dealing fairly with the comparatively few incidents that a rise. Fair play is promoted in games lessons and in after school activities.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

35. Opportunities for social development are very good. There are opportunities for effective group co-operation in reception class role-play and in information technology lessons. Pupils are encouraged to listen politely to each other and to adults. Opportunities are provided for pupils to develop individual responsibility through membership of the School Council, by acting as monitors and by serving at a weekly luncheon club held in the school for elderly residents in their village. Pupils co-operate well in caring for the school gardens and in sharing games equipment at playtimes. The Year 6 residential visit provides good opportunities for the development of social skills outside the school environment.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

36. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. The school teaches pupils to appreciate the traditions of their own and other cultures very well. Pupils develop an awareness of their own culture though close co-operation with their village community, through their history studies and by visits to places such as Bath. The contribution of art, music and drama is promoted by visits from theatre groups and performers. Art and music also contribute to pupils’ knowledge of other cultures. An excellent art display in the hall showed pattern making inspired by Indian, African, Islamic and Aboriginal cultures.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school takes effective steps to ensure the welfare and safety of pupils. It has good arrangements for child protection, which meet statutory requirements. Pupils are well supervised during breaks and the lunch period. No concerns about health and safety were noted during the inspection and the school had worked hard to ensure a safe working environment during the recent major construction work.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils with special educational needs and work is planned carefully to meet their needs. Individual Education Plans are well written and contain realistic targets so that pupils' specific learning needs are met and their learning is built on step by step. The plans are reviewed regularly and are shared with all staff, parents and pupils. 39. There are very good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour in the school. These arrangements are well publicised to parents. Pupils were effectively involved in the development of the behaviour and discipline policy. The school monitors and promotes good attendance well.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. All the staff know the pupils very well. Pupils’ academic and personal development is well supported with appropriate targets set in annual reports for further development. Pupils are well prepared for the transition to secondary education.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. At the time of the previous inspection, the school’s assessment procedures were at a preliminary stage and not being fully implemented. Good progress has been made in this area. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and for monitoring progress are now good and fully implemented. Assessments are carried out within six weeks of pupils’ entry to school. In Cornwood C of E Primary School - 17 addition to the statutory tests in Year 2 and Year 6 the school administers the optional national tests in Years 3, 4 and 5. Other commercial standardised tests are also used for assessment purposes. Central records are maintained of individual pupils’ results and progress is monitored. Results are used to identify pupils requiring extra help and to set individual targets. Appropriate support is provided if progress is judged to be insufficient for the pupils’ abilities.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. In addition to the formal assessment procedures, teachers carry out their own assessments at the end of units of work in English, mathematics and science. Results of these assessments are beginning to be used effectively when planning work and to set pupils in Key Stage 2 for English and mathematics. This enables pupils of similar abilities to be taught together and ensures that they continue to be included in the appropriate set.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Test results are shared with pupils so that they understand the setting arrangements and recognise the next steps in their own learning. Some self-evaluation takes place, such as when older pupils check their own progress with word processing skills. Individual portfolios of pupils’ work are maintained containing annual reports, test papers and work samples. However these are not always assessed according to the targets set in the National Curriculum.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. These assessment procedures have ensured that appropriate and challenging targets have been set for pupils’ attainment in the year 2000 and beyond.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Parents hold very positive views about the school and report that there is a very strong partnership between the staff and parents. Parents make a very strong contribution to the work of the school. They encourage the completion of homework and provide a wide range of voluntary support in class and on educational visits. They have made a major contribution to the maintenance of the school grounds. There is an active parent-teacher association, which provides a variety of social and fund-raising activities.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school maintains effective links with parents. Very good use is made of surveys and questionnaires to elicit parents’ views about possible developments and these views are taken fully into consideration when decisions are made.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The school provides parents with very good information about what is taught in the school, events taking place and matters of general interest. The home-school agreement is clear. The home/school booklet is well used, both to inform parents about homework and other messages and to provide a means of reply for parents. Parents are satisfied with the two formal opportunities to meet class teachers each year and feel confident to approach the school with any concerns they may have.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The school keeps good links with those parents who have children with special educational needs. Parents receive early notification of their children's needs and are kept fully informed from stage one of the Code of Practice. Regular meetings are held to ensure that parents are kept aware of all aspects of their children's needs and are encouraged to be fully involved in their learning. Parents at the parents' meeting felt that children with special educational needs are supported very well.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Written reports on individual pupils to parents meet statutory requirements. However, they are inconsistent between staff and they do not always give sufficient information about what pupils know, understand and can do, nor the progress they have made in each subject. Parents and pupils are invited to comment on the reports and many take up this opportunity.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The leadership and management of the school are good overall. The leadership of the headteacher, in post for less than a year, is very good. Inspired leadership has led to sustained school improvement. The headteacher has a very clear view of what kind of school this should Cornwood C of E Primary School - 18 be and this vision is shared by staff, governors and parents. The headteacher has worked very hard to sensitively and skilfully unite the whole school after a long period of uncertainty. All staff and governors feel part of the school team because responsibilities have been delegated appropriately and training provided to ensure that these can be handled effectively.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The school aims and ethos emphasise high standards in both behaviour and achievement and these are embraced wholeheartedly by the whole school community. Standards in behaviour are high and standards in achievement are showing improvement, although they are only average at present. The quality of teaching is good and improving and pupils respond to the high expectations of them by behaving well and working hard. All staff work effectively with the headteacher and together they form an efficient and knowledgeable team.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. All members of the teaching staff have several responsibilities for covering the co-ordination of different subjects and areas of school life. They carry out these responsibilities efficiently. There is good delegation to make the best use of the expertise available and ensure that all feel valued and responsible members of this effective team. The headteacher is aware of maintaining a balance between her enthusiasm to move the school forward quickly and the need to involve all staff in incentives for improvement. Relationships between staff are very good. They have a shared commitment to improvement with respect to the care, guidance and attainment of all pupils. The school has made steady improvement overall since the last inspection, although the improvement in the last twelve months has been good. It is very well placed to ensure that this improvement continues.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The governing body fulfils its statutory duties satisfactorily and is becoming increasingly effective in its management role. Many members of the governing body have only been in post for a short time but are committed to supporting the school and have organised and attended training to increase their expertise.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. All governors on the curriculum committee are attached to a class and are responsible for specific subjects. For instance, the physical education governor attends the after school athletics club. All governors visit the school regularly. Individual members help in classes, lead acts of collective worship and monitor teaching and learning. Through well-organised committees, governors are kept informed and are developing a sound understanding of new initiatives such as literacy and numeracy strategies.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. There are good systems in place for monitoring the quality of education the school provides. This represents a considerable improvement since the last inspection when there were no clear systems for monitoring attainment and progress. Monitoring was identified as a key issue within the Development Plan for 1999-2000 and the school has successfully addressed this issue. For example, co-ordinators have had time to examine pupils' work and recommendations have been reported to colleagues. Some tracking of individual pupils and year groups has begun. Information from monitoring is used to review and change procedures and practice. The Key Stage 2 pupils are placed into ability sets for English and mathematics lessons in order to raise attainment and accelerate progress. The headteacher, despite having a large teaching commitment, monitors teaching and learning and looks at teachers' planning to ensure consistency.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The School Development Plan is of good quality and provides clear educational direction with targets for continued improvement. It specifies time-scales, costs, responsibilities and evaluation of progress. There is a shared commitment to improving all aspects of school life and this combined with the dynamic and visionary nature of the headteacher means that the school is well placed to succeed in all its incentives.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Special educational needs is managed very conscientiously and efficiently. The co-ordinator teaches the lower attaining sets for literacy and numeracy, which means that she is in an ideal position to monitor pupils' specific learning needs. Day-to-day assessments are used effectively to extend or adapt teaching to meet pupils' requirements.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The governors are fully aware of the restrictions of a small school’s budget. It has been decided to forego the appointment of a deputy headteacher in order to award three experienced teachers half a point each for the extra responsibilities they have adopted as part of a small school staff team. The efficiency of financial control and school administration is Cornwood C of E Primary School - 19 very good. The school’s finances are managed very competently by the school administrator and are monitored effectively by the finance committee of the governing body. Resource options are discussed and carefully monitored.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Specific funding allocated to the school for provision for pupils with special educational needs is used appropriately and funds allocated for the professional development of staff have been used wisely and according to areas defined in the School Improvement Plan. A member of staff is responsible for the administration of the standards fund and has ensured it has been used effectively in the school’s quest to improve standards. Most of the funding has been taken up in training for national initiatives such as the numeracy and literacy strategies but training for the schools information technology project has been appropriately provided. Great emphasis is placed on the dissemination of knowledge gained from attendance at courses.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Day-to-day administration is very good; office procedures are very efficient, run smoothly and support teaching and learning effectively. Effective use is being made of information and communications technology and both the administrator and headteacher attend courses in order that they may utilise this to maximum benefit. However, the administrator is hampered in her attempts to keep things running smoothly by having to use outdated technology with insufficient capacity to retain all the information needed. The school office is very welcoming and gives a very good first impression. Parents invariably receive the help they need and have no concerns about approaching the staff for help and advice.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school is beginning to use the principles of best value. The monitoring systems introduced, together with the tracking of pupils and comparison of results with similar schools, enable the school to identify its priorities effectively. It consults parents and other outside bodies to seek their views. For example, it issued questionnaires to the parents to find out how they feel about the provision made for their children. The school compares its performance with that of other schools to enable it to set targets. The school and governing body obtain the best possible deals locally for projects it undertakes and receives considerable support from the local community and businesses.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. Across the school there is a suitable blend of new and experienced teachers, all of whom are primary trained. These are sufficient to meet the demands of the pupils and the curriculum. There is no deputy headteacher but three members of staff have senior management status. There is a good range of subject qualifications among the staff, all of whom have subject responsibilities. Some co-ordinators have initial qualifications in their subject. The staff handbook is of good quality and staff new to the school are given adequate assistance to enable them to function effectively. Newly qualified staff are well supported. An appraisal process is in place and staff development interviews inform in-service training arrangements. Learning support staff are effective in supporting pupils’ learning because they have been appropriately trained, are well briefed for their role and enjoy good relationships with pupils and

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The main building is Victorian and is in a generally good state of repair although some redecoration is required. The school has adequate accommodation for the number of pupils on role but it is rather cramped, which can inhibit movement when practical lessons are in progress. The classrooms are just large enough for the number of pupils but two rooms are demountable buildings making it necessary for pupils to go outside in inclement weather. Two small rooms accommodate the library and this is well used by pupils for group work as well as to choose and change books. A recently developed small computer suite is a valuable addition to facilities and is already having a positive impact on learning. The school’s well maintained open air heated swimming pool is available for use by the local community as well as providing pupils with swimming opportunities from Year 1 onwards. This has a positive impact on

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

standards as young pupils all have a chance to learn to swim on a regular basis from an early age. The grounds are well maintained. Pupils work hard to care for the herb garden and are creating a vegetable patch. Parents and the local community have smoothed an undulating field so that pupils can use it safely for a variety of sporting activities both during and after school. An attractive and well constructed geology garden promotes interest in rocks as well as being available as a teaching resource. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 20 64. The school lacks a secure play area for pupils under five. This means that provision for the physical development of these young children is less than ideal. The school recognises this deficiency and has plans to provide the necessary improvements. Generally a secure and safe environment is provided. However, the school is due to admit a pupil with physical disabilities

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

in the coming school year but facilities are at present unsatisfactory and unsuitable for disabled pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. Resources for learning are sufficient in quality and quantity in most subjects and they are good in music and art. They have a positive effect on pupils’ learning. The school has significantly enhanced its provision for information and communication technology equipment and this is already having a positive impact on standards.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

66. In order to raise standards further, the headteacher, governors and staff should:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure that the level of recorded tasks, particularly in English, mathematics and science, relate more closely to pupils’ abilities in order to provide greater challenge, particularly for the higher attaining pupils; (paras 7, 8, 21, 83, 92, 97.)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Evaluate and adjust the time spent on each subject in order to ensure sufficient coverage of the curriculum in order to increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding of all foundation subjects; (para 10, 11, 26.)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Make appropriate provision for the children under five to have a secure play area with appropriate resources to improve their physical development and co-ordination; (paras 64, 72.)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure that appropriate modifications are made in order to accommodate pupils with physical disabilities. ( para 64.)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Review the writing of reports to ensure they give sufficient information to parents about the progress their children make and what they know, understand and can do. (para 49.) Cornwood C of E Primary School - 21

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 17 63 20 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR-Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 115

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 21 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 18

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 4

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

p.21

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 22

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 12 7 19

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 11 12 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 7 6

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 95 100 89 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 6 5 6

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 79 79 84 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 12 5 17

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 7 7 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 4 4 4

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 65 65 82 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 8 7 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 4 4 4

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 71 65 71 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75 Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 23

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 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.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

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

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 210287

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1845

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 52 Balance brought forward from previous year 8493

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 9812 FTE means full-time equivalent. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 24

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 48 45 5 0 2

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 26 69 0 0 5

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 25 55 15 3 2

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 36 56 8 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 77 20 3 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 48 52 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 51 46 2 0 1

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 59 36 0 2 3

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 48 48 0 0 4

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 48 43 7 0 2 Cornwood C of E Primary School - 25

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. At the time of the inspection there were six children aged under five years old in the reception class. Autumn and spring born children start school in September. Summer born children usually start school in January, attending part-time initially and becoming full-time as their confidence grows. All these children are expected to meet the nationally accepted Desirable Learning Outcomes by the time they are five. In personal and social development, and in the speaking aspect of language and literacy, they exceed expectations. This represents an improvement in standards since the last inspection.

p.25

Personal and social development

68. Pupils’ personal and social development exceeds expectations by the time children reach the age of five. Children have good relationships within the classroom with their peers and with adults. They have many opportunities for social interaction, for example, in the post office in the role-play area. These result in pupils making good progress. Children work well in pairs as they discuss their holiday experiences. They co-operate with one another when pretending to run the village post office. They listen carefully to instructions and to each other and many children are able to talk to the rest of the class with confidence; for example, when explaining the process of testing leaves for symmetry. When they are in group situations with an adult, they are eager to answer questions and try hard to succeed.

p.25

Language and literacy

69. By the time they are five the children meet the expected standard in language and literacy and have above average speaking skills. They listen attentively. The teacher and learning support assistant use every opportunity to extend vocabulary and to promote children’s ability to express their thoughts and convey meaning clearly. They enjoy books. The children are beginning to recognise letters of the alphabet by shape and sound and they know that words and pictures carry meaning. Their sight vocabulary is developing well. Many children recognise a good range of words and they retell stories simply from memory with the help of the pictures. For example, in a science lesson they could re-tell the story of a bean seed using the diary they had written as a whole class. They write their own names using clearly recognisable letters.

p.25

Mathematics

70. Children make sound progress in mathematics, meeting the expected standard by the time they are five. This is because of the range of stimulating activities which teachers devise and the good interactions between teaching and non-teaching staff with children to reinforce learning. Children recognise numbers to 10 and match a written number to the correct number of objects. They have experience of adding numbers to 10. A few can double simple numbers to 20 and explain their methods for doing so in simple terms. Some are beginning to use vocabulary to describe heavier than, shorter than, etc. During the inspection the children looked at pictures of butterflies to learn about symmetry and enjoyed learning how to sort leaves into those which were symmetrical and those which were not by folding. They simultaneously developed their mathematical vocabulary with words such as ‘curved’ and ‘round’. In a plenary session, a few could competently describe how they carried out their

p.25

Knowledge and understanding of the world

71. Teachers provide children with a wide range of experiences and this helps them to make sound progress. All children meet the expected standards. The children have been learning about the village where they live and are aware of the function of buildings such as the church and post office. They contributed to a simple wall map showing the roads in the village, with accurately placed photographs and drawings of local landmarks. The similarities and Cornwood C of E Primary School - 26 differences between leaves were discussed during sorting activities. They are developing an understanding of past and present, and of change, by looking at pictures of old and new houses. An old photograph of their Victorian school building was compared with how the building looks today. Children become familiar with the computer; they learn the appropriate terminology; for example, they correctly identify the monitor, the keyboard and the mouse.

p.25

Knowledge and understanding of the world

They use the mouse confidently to select items and to draw pictures on the screen. They listen to tapes on the listening centre.

p.26

Physical development

72. Children reach the standards expected by the time they are five. They are given a wide and appropriate range of experiences. Children handle tools such as pencils, scissors and the computer competently. They use construction materials with confidence, skilfully making ‘buildings’ for their model village. They move confidently in the playground and dining room, showing an awareness of space and of others. Physical education was not observed during the inspection. At present there is no secure play area, nor opportunities for children to use large equipment or wheeled toys because of major construction work being undertaken on the immediately adjoining site. The school has plans to rectify this deficiency as soon as the building work is completed.

p.26

Creative development

73. Children’s creative development is satisfactory. The children reach the standards expected. The children have appropriate opportunities to develop their imagination and to express their ideas through art, music and imaginative play. For example, they draw their ideas of old or new houses. They have used Seurat’s picture of ‘A Sunday on la Grande Jelle’ as inspiration for their own drawings of Sunday afternoon activities. They pretend to run the village post office in the well-resourced role-play area, which stimulates children’s imagination. Staff interact with children appropriately and help to extend their language and social skills. Children are encouraged to write imaginative stories. Teachers provide good stimulation through their use of storybooks and through discussion. They use questions well to help children develop their own ideas. Although no music lessons were observed, children sing

p.26

Creative development

tunefully and enthusiastically in assemblies and show enjoyment in making music. The classroom is bright and inviting and the displays stimulate interest.

p.26

Creative development

74. The quality of teaching is good overall. This makes a significant contribution to the good progress that the children make. Teachers introduce the children into the routines and expectations of school in a warm and sensitive manner. Pupils are encouraged to accept responsibility for themselves and to be independent from the time they enter school. The teachers and learning support assistant work well together in order to provide appropriately for the range of age and ability within the class. Parent helpers also make a valuable contribution to children’s progress. The good relationships in the reception classes also ensure that all children are given adequate support and have equal access to the curriculum. Teachers have a very good understanding of how young children learn and this is reflected in their high quality planning. The children under five follow the same curriculum as the reception pupils except

p.26

Creative development

that activities for them are planned using the areas of learning for under fives. Staff use time well and every opportunity is used to extend children’s learning. A very good range of resources is well stored and labelled to encourage children’s independence. The high quality of the displays in the classrooms constantly reinforce children’s learning. Very good use is made of the small classroom for role-play, which considerably aids children’s development in a less formal atmosphere. It also enables the under fives to pursue activities separately from the reception pupils occasionally. This room also accommodates two computers with the result that the use of information technology becomes an accepted part of the learning environment. Very good records are kept of children’s achievements in all areas, with assessments being made on a regular basis. The school provides a comprehensive and useful booklet of information

p.26

Creative development

and guidance for parents to assist them in helping their children begin school with confidence; it also contains constructive ideas for educational activities to provide continuing support. Teachers successfully involve parents in their child’s learning from an early stage by regularly sending reading books home to share and encouraging them to keep good quality, constructive records of their child’s reading development through the home-school record. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 27

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ENGLISH

75. The National Curriculum test results show variations between the two key stages. The 1999 test results for seven-year-olds were well above the national average in reading and writing. The tests for eleven-year-olds showed results below the national average. In comparison with similar schools, the 1999 results for seven-year-olds were well above the national average: for eleven-year-olds, they were well below. Several factors influence these results: the variation in the attainment of groups year-on-year and numbers of pupils with special educational needs. During the years 1996 to 1999 the pupils' performance at 11 is close to the national average. The standards in 1999 were not high enough for pupils entering the school with average attainment and the school has taken appropriate action to rectify this.

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ENGLISH

76. The small number of pupils taking the tests makes year-on-year comparisons unreliable. The trend over time in the school's average National Curriculum scores for English indicate that the school is broadly in line with the national trend for eleven-year-olds. At the last inspection in 1996, standards were judged to be in line with the national average by the end of both key stages. Since then standards have improved at Key Stage 1, although those at Key Stage 2 fell in 1999. This would indicate that teaching and learning were not satisfactory in Key stage 2.

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ENGLISH

77. Judgements for this inspection confirm that attainment in English is above the national average for seven-year-olds at the end of Key Stage 1. Children enter the Reception/Year 1 class well motivated and ready to learn and make good progress in speaking and listening, reading and writing. This makes a significant contribution towards the standards achieved by the end of Key Stage 1. By the end of Key Stage 2, the attainment of eleven-year-old pupils is in line with the national average. This shows an improvement over the previous year and pupils’ work shows that individual progress has been good although standards are still lower than they should be, bearing in mind the standards reached by pupils at 7. The impact of setting and more focused teaching is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Those pupils capable of higher attainment achieve above average levels. The school has set realistic

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ENGLISH

targets for its current Year 6 and is well placed to achieve these.

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ENGLISH

78. Pupils develop good speaking and listening skills in Key Stage 1. Attainment at the end of both key stages is above the national average. They listen attentively to the teachers and to each other. They answer questions enthusiastically and share their ideas confidently. They are very keen communicators. For instance, Reception and Year 1 pupils listened carefully and thoughtfully to each other when they were discussing their favourite places in a religious education lesson. One pupil showed maturity and confidence when describing his favourite place: the Northern Territory of Australia and the crocodiles! Most pupils speak in well- constructed sentences and delight in discovering new words and phrases.

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ENGLISH

79. Many pupils in Key Stage 2 are confident and articulate. They take part enthusiastically in discussions. For example, in a literacy lesson Years 4, 5 and 6 pupils debated the merits of healthy eating as opposed to "junk" food. Three Year 5 and 6 pupils took delight and pride in taking an inspector on a tour of the school grounds and confidently described all the work and achievements of the gardening club. They displayed good knowledge of the specific names of all the various herbs, trees and shrubs. Pupils make good progress in developing their speaking and listening skills. Opportunities to use these skills were evident in many curriculum areas; for example in a history lesson about the Vikings, pupils coherently explained their research findings to the other pupils. Pupils are given good opportunities to demonstrate these skills in acts of collective worship, where they are all invited to participate in reading and

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ENGLISH

drama activities and in reading prayers. During the inspection, two pupils demonstrated above average ability in speaking, when they presented their research about the United Nations and the work of Greenpeace to the school. They were confident, extremely articulate and demonstrated a quest for knowledge beyond their years.

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ENGLISH

80. Attainment in reading at the end of Key Stage 1 is above the national average. Pupils read fluently, often with good expression, varying the voice in response to an exclamation mark or to words in capital letters. They recognise most words by sight but are learning to decode unfamiliar ones, using their knowledge of letter sounds and blending them to build words. This Cornwood C of E Primary School - 28 skill was particularly well taught in the Reception/Year1 class where the teacher skilfully combined the skills of reading and writing when teaching how "ee" and "ea” are sounded out and spelt.

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ENGLISH

81. By Year 6, most pupils are reading at the expected level. Pupils make sound progress in learning to read throughout the school. Teachers keep good records of pupils' progress in reading. Pupils have a wide range of reading opportunities; for instance, they read individually to an adult, read in groups within the Literacy Hour and the daily quiet reading time and read texts as a class and individually in the Literacy Hour. Pupils practise their reading at home every day and many older pupils read for sheer enjoyment and this makes a significant contribution to progress. Home and school diaries are filled in conscientiously by most, but not all, teachers and are a useful means of communication between school and home. All pupils borrow books from the school library every week and can coherently discuss various authors; for instance, many pupils were eagerly awaiting the publication of the next Harry Potter book!

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ENGLISH

Pupils' progress is regularly assessed and recorded. Some pupils, although able to read complex texts, have difficulty in comprehending some of the words. Most pupils can explain how to find a particular information book in the library and higher attaining Year 6 pupils were very familiar with the techniques of skimming and scanning.

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ENGLISH

82. Pupils' attainment in writing at the end of Key Stage 1 is above that expected nationally. Pupils write in a neat joined script, most common words are spelt correctly and pupils use their knowledge of phonics well in their writing. They use full stops and capital letters correctly. Presentation of work is a strength of the school at both key stages. There is broad coverage of the curriculum and pupils practise a wide variety of styles, such as stories, poems, reports and book reviews. Many pupils are correctly joining their letters and developing a legible style of handwriting. Occasionally teachers accept untidy work and praise mediocre handwriting inappropriately. Spelling of common words is usually correct. Less common words are often spelt in a recognisable way. All pupils are confident about writing independently and are not afraid to "have a go".

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ENGLISH

83. By the end of Key Stage 2 most pupils are working at the expected level for their age, except that some higher attaining pupils are not always given sufficiently challenging tasks. For example, older pupils were asked to draw a picture rather than write a description of a character for the written activity in a literacy session.

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ENGLISH

84. Pupils with special educational needs receive extra support from the teacher and the classroom support assistants. This helps create effective learning opportunities for these pupils and makes a good contribution to their progress. Literacy skills are developed well: for example, pupils in the lower attaining literacy set demonstrated very good learning when they wrote sentences about the poem "Hayley Muffett - Spider Woman". As a result of the very good teaching pupils chose adjectives carefully and one pupil used the phrase "despicable behaviour of the spiders".

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ENGLISH

85. Pupils' behaviour is good in lessons. Pupils share their ideas confidently, listen to each other respectfully and work independently with sustained concentration. Their written work is well presented and most take care to produce neat, well-formed handwriting.

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ENGLISH

86. The teaching of English is good overall. A small number of lessons observed were satisfactory and a similar number were very good. In the very good lessons, teachers prepare their lessons very well and identify clearly the learning that they expect pupils to acquire. They have high expectations that pupils can cope with the work and behave sensibly in groups, working independently of their teacher. Teachers convey their enthusiasm for English to the pupils and maintain a lively pace and plan challenging activities. On some occasions there is a lack of challenging activities for the higher attaining pupils and their progress is impeded. The standard of marking varies. Work is usually marked and supportive comments are commonly written. Only occasionally is there a pertinent comment that suggests to pupils the ways in which they could further improve their work.

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ENGLISH

87. The school implemented the Literacy Hour enthusiastically. The teachers have good subject knowledge of teaching the various elements and create an effective learning environment. Assessment is used well in English to set individual targets and targets for pupils to attain in Cornwood C of E Primary School - 29 national tests. Pupils' progress is beginning to be tracked and well-targeted support is given to pupils with special educational needs. The organisation of Key Stage 2 pupils into ability sets for literacy is beginning to raise standards. The school has analysed the national tests for English and has correctly targeted the areas of spelling and narrative story writing as requiring improvement.

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ENGLISH

88. The co-ordinator has monitored teaching and learning well and is conscious that this valuable exercise needs to continue. The policies for English are to be reviewed in the light of Curriculum 2000 and this is the opportunity for the co-ordinator to establish greater consistency in the English curriculum. At present there are too few opportunities for pupils to increase their literacy skills in other subjects, for instance, religious education and geography. Resources are adequate. The school library is catalogued and used daily. Regular book fairs and good support from parents ensure that the number of library books is boosted regularly. Information technology is used well in the Literacy Hour and there is a suitable range of programs to support pupils' learning.

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MATHEMATICS

89. In the 1999 national tests for Key Stage 1 mathematics, the percentage of pupils reaching Level 2 and above was close to the national average. The percentage gaining the higher Level 3 was very high. These results indicate an improvement in 1999 following a downward trend in the previous three years, and are similar to the standards at the previous inspection. In Key Stage 2, the percentage of pupils achieving level 4 (the national average) was below average. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher level 5 was above the national average. Results for boys and girls were broadly similar in both Key Stages. The number of pupils in each group is small, making it inappropriate to attach too much significance to changes from year to year.

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MATHEMATICS

90. The inspection findings confirm average levels of attainment in both key stages. This represents a slight improvement in standards at the end of Key Stage 2 compared with the 1999 test results. The school has set a challenging target for the percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 and above in the year 2000. Inspection evidence suggests this target is realistic and achievable.

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MATHEMATICS

91. Through the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy, teachers are developing good teaching methods that are applied effectively throughout the school. In Key Stage 1 pupils’ learning is appropriately developed using tasks and activities of a practical nature; for example, Year 2 pupils use a pile of multilink cubes as a basis for acquiring an understanding of estimation. An examination of pupils’ work shows that pupils’ experiences reflect the Numeracy Strategy’s teaching programmes and objectives well. The work of pupils in Key Stage 2 shows that, in Year 6, pupils are able to make nets of simple three-dimensional shapes and draw acute and obtuse angles accurately. They use percentages to work out the cost if there is a discount of 10 per cent and are able to add and order decimals. Near doubles are used to aid calculation and pupils find common multiples, demonstrating a facility with

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MATHEMATICS

multiplication tables, which they use effectively to do long multiplication calculations. Pupils set out information in a clear and organised way, generally taking pride in the presentation of their work.

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MATHEMATICS

92. The quality of teaching is good in both key stages. Teachers plan lessons thoroughly and usually have clear objectives, which are shared with pupils. This is good practice as teacher and pupils are able to recognise, during the plenary session, whether the objective has been met. Pupils enjoy the challenge of mental mathematics sessions, particularly when the teacher’s questioning is at a brisk pace. They produce answers together by recording them on individual white boards. This enables the teacher to assess and comment helpfully on pupils’ learning as the lesson progresses. Activities in the main part of lessons are well matched to abilities so that pupils are able to make good progress. Teachers manage pupils well. They ensure that attention remains focused on the tasks and that time is used effectively. Good subject knowledge enables teachers to give clear instructions and explanations. In the

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MATHEMATICS

reception class pupils were introduced to the concept of symmetry, which was understood because the teacher explained well and used appropriate demonstrations. Precise instructions in other classes resulted in pupils starting tasks promptly and being successful because they Cornwood C of E Primary School - 30 were clear about what they had to do. Relationships with pupils are good so that they try hard to do their best. There is a slight lack of pace in a few lessons and more able pupils are occasionally insufficiently challenged in the methods they use to record their work. Learning support assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning because they clearly understand the part they are to play in the lesson, know the pupils well and have good relationships with teachers and pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

93. The school has introduced assessment procedures since the last inspection which have enabled pupils to be set by ability throughout Key Stage 2. Optional national tasks are administered in Years 3, 4, and 5 in addition to commercial standardised tests. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding are assessed at the end of units of the Numeracy Strategy. These assessments are used to track individual pupils’ progress and to provide targets for improvement which are shared with pupils. The two classes in Key Stage 2 are split into three sets for all mathematics lessons, keeping the groups below 25 pupils. This organisation results in pupils being taught at a level appropriate to their needs. Mental mathematics sessions are relevant to all pupils in the set and during the main activities groups are engaged in closely related tasks which are well matched to their abilities. These procedures, and the introduction

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MATHEMATICS

of the National Numeracy Strategy, are having a positive impact on standards, the full benefits of which will take time to work through the school.

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MATHEMATICS

94. The subject meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school is using the National Numeracy Strategy well and planning is good. Management of the subject is good. The co-ordinator is hardworking and conscientious and all staff co-operate well in planning for pupils’ learning. The quality and range of resources are satisfactory.

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SCIENCE

95. The results of tests last summer showed that the number of pupils attaining the required level 2 at the end of the Key Stage 1 was below average and a well below average number of pupils attained the higher level 3. The same applies when results are compared with those from similar schools. The results of tests for the eleven-year-old pupils indicated results above average compared with those obtained nationally and by pupils in similar schools. At the time of the last inspection in 1996 standards at Key Stage 1 were in line with the average whilst those at Key stage 2 were above average. The trend over the last four years show results to be well above average overall, with the performance of both boys and girls being well above average. From the evidence gained during the inspection it is likely that results in Key Stage 1 will improve considerably this year. The science curriculum has been covered in greater depth

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SCIENCE

and an investigative and experimental approach is used effectively, although too little time is still spent on it. In Key Stage 2 pupils make good progress and standards of work are generally above average, with pupils showing a good understanding across the science curriculum.

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SCIENCE

96. Pupils in Key Stage 1 make good progress in identifying animal habitats. Very good use of the school grounds is made when such investigations take place and pupils in Years 1 and 2 were able, with adult assistance, to find areas containing snails. The younger pupils examine seedlings, discuss them and learn appropriate vocabulary. With appropriate support they discuss how they grow and what processes they will go through when planting seeds for themselves. To learn the conditions necessary for plants to grow they talk about their observations when growing cress and beans with classroom assistants and have written a bean diary in which they have charted the progress of their beans week by week.

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SCIENCE

97. Pupils in Key Stage 2 make good progress overall. The youngest pupils studying magnetism understand that magnetic metals have to contain iron. In an investigation to discover which materials a magnetic force would pass through, they worked conscientiously, well guided by the class teacher. Older pupils investigating forces could explain what a balanced force was and give appropriate examples to demonstrate their understanding. They could explain when and why a force was not balanced. In both lessons observed pupils and teachers asked well thought out and focused questions in order to be able to advance learning. The pupils’ investigative skills are of a high order and opportunities to extend these are built into all elements of the curriculum. They have a very good understanding of the importance of fair testing. However, methods for recording work are not always sufficiently challenging, Cornwood C of E Primary School - 31

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SCIENCE

particularly for older and higher attaining pupils. Pupils record their results accurately and neatly but have insufficient opportunites to record investigations totally independently.

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SCIENCE

98. Evidence from pupils’ work indicates that they have studied the required areas in some detail, with the exception of work on materials, which is less adequately covered. Pupils generally learn well especially when their prior attainment is taken into consideration. Good care is taken with presentation.

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SCIENCE

99. At both key stages, pupils with special educational needs receive very good support and make good progress. They attain good standards in relation to their prior knowledge and attainment.

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SCIENCE

100. Pupils are well motivated and in both key stages show an enthusiasm for their work. They are eager to learn and older pupils in particular are developing lively and enquiring minds. They ask sensible questions and show a deep interest in finding out more about their world. Pupils work well together, they arrange the resources necessary to set up a fair test, discuss the options sensibly and carry out the work effectively. When recording the results pupils take pride in the presentation of their work.

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SCIENCE

101. In all classes pupils benefit from good teaching during lively, well planned lessons. Lessons begin with a recap of what has been previously learned and then build on this. Clear explanations, a wide range of resources and skilled questions all help to ensure that pupils understand what they are supposed to be learning. The well planned use of the school’s own environment is especially beneficial. Good interaction with the pupils and the opportunity to set up investigations and experiments independently all help to reinforce ideas. The activities maintain the pupils’ interest and generate excitement and a lively working atmosphere. This occasionally results in the noise level rising to unacceptable levels. However, this is quickly dealt with by teachers before it inhibits progress. The teachers have high expectations of the pupils in terms of their understanding but not always in their ability to record their findings.

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SCIENCE

Pupils are encouraged to participate in lessons and ask questions and are expected to follow instructions carefully. The pace of lessons is brisk. Literacy and numeracy are well taught in science, for example in researching projects and in measuring accurately. The use of information technology is built in, particularly at Key Stage 1, and pupils use relevant programmes to reinforce and extend their learning. For example, one program allows them to name the different parts of a plant and gradually increases in complexity as their understanding grows.

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SCIENCE

102. The subject is managed well. The curriculum is based on national guidance and plans are in hand for modifications to meet the needs of the school and the new curriculum 2000. There has been an emphasis on improving the teaching of science particularly at Key Stage 1 and the integration of investigative activities throughout the curriculum has had a positive impact on standards. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 32

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ART

103. Only one art lesson was observed during the inspection. However, conversations held with staff and pupils, together with the displays of artwork around the school, show that pupils make very good progress in the subject and have experience in using a wide range of media and experimenting with a number of techniques.

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ART

104. Pupils at Key Stage 1 are developing an awareness of colour and tone in their drawings and paintings. Younger pupils have used simple repeating patterns as the basis for their panel representing ‘Wisdom from Global Faiths and Cultures’. They have used the technique of pointillism to draw fruits having studied some of Seurat’s paintings and effectively created shadows using deeper toning dots. Year 1 pupils have used an appropriate computer program to gain a similar effect. Year 2 pupils have used coloured pencils, chalks and pastels to create pictures in the style of August Mache and Picasso. They show a developing understanding of the effects of cubism and their work shows a flamboyance and interest in experimentation. They have studied a collage of the human form by Matisse and tried to create their own, using similar techniques to represent movement.

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ART

105. Older pupils in Key Stage 2 benefit from the specialist knowledge of an expert who teaches them a range of three-dimensional techniques using fabrics and other materials. The work is linked to topics across the curriculum and the use of descriptive vocabulary is explored to describe the effects created, as well as the colours and textures of the material used. Pupils make very good progress in learning a range of more unusual techniques and skills, such as appliqué, quilting, layering and couching. They successfully create a range of studies closely linked with the topics they are studying in class, such as natural phenomena-rivers, undergrowth and weather. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have studied the work of Kandinsky and created their own pictures in the same style with the same uninhibited freedom of movement portrayed and wild, garish colours used. Pupils in Key Stage 2 have contributed panels to the

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ART

wall in the hall. The rich earth colours of those created by Years 3 and 4 portray the aboriginal culture in Australia outstandingly well, whilst the bright, flowing sewn panel by Years 5 and 6 enhanced by colourful thread and bead and sequin work represents the culture of the Indian sub-continent particularly effectively.

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ART

106. It is evident from the work seen that pupils have worked very hard and gained great enjoyment from creating their own art works. They have paid meticulous care to detail and shown great sensitivity when creating their work. Even the youngest pupils show a delicacy of touch and feeling when creating their fruit pictures. The expertise they have gained in their art work has carried over, benefiting other areas of the curriculum, so that in history, for example, illustrations for their work show the same finesse and sureness of touch as in art work generally.

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ART

107. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection but it was evident from the work seen around the school that teachers provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities to experiment, using a variety of media to increase their creativity. Planning is thorough and the school has a wide range of appropriate resources. In the lesson seen the teacher thoroughly discussed the subject of their pictures with the pupils. The teachers asked pertinent questions, such as, ‘What do you notice about the fabric when… ’ to help them plan their pictures. A discussion on how pupils could select the fabrics most suited to the effect they wished to create was illuminating and demonstrated the confidence the children have in putting forward their own ideas. Teaching allows for pupils’ skills to develop systematically and inspires pupils to work with enthusiasm and confidence at challenging tasks. The school has a good range of

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ART

108. At the time of the last inspection standards were reported to be satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and above average in Key Stage 2. Since then standards have improved because the pupils benefit from high quality teaching from a visiting specialist and the subject co-ordinator. The subject is well managed and very good coverage of the curriculum is achieved.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Cornwood C of E Primary School - 33 109. Insufficient work was available for scrutiny to allow any overall judgement to be made on standards, teaching or provision. Standards in the subject, however, have fallen since the last inspection. This is because the school’s appropriate focus on raising standards in English has led to design and technology being allocated less time than previously. The school has decided to devote a whole day to the subject each half term so that pupils have some experience of designing and making, evaluating and improving. The allocation of time and the limited nature of pupils’ experiences mean that progress in the subject must be unsatisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. Photographs of a food technology day, examples of work and some discussion with pupils provided the evidence for the inspection. Pupils had enjoyed the experience of making bread and pizzas and there was some progression in the difficulty of the tasks. The day was well organised and pupils worked well together and benefited from the involvement of the local community. This experience had a positive impact on pupils’ learning but was limited in its scope, providing insufficient opportunity for design, modification and evaluation. Some evidence of these elements of the curriculum was shown in the pictures with moveable parts that pupils had produced. They were generally satisfactory but over time too few opportunities are provided for pupils to improve their skills overall significantly and provision is unsatisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

111. Standards in geography in Key Stage 1 are satisfactory with pupils making sound progress. This is the same as at the previous inspection. Progress in Key Stage 2 is unsatisfactory because coverage of the subject is too thin in several areas. This represents a fall in standards since the last inspection because the school has placed greater priority on English and mathematics. Units of geography are usually incorporated within broad topic areas, although the subject is occasionally taught separately. This approach means that geographical skills are not developed systematically throughout the school. Insufficient time is allocated to enable geographical themes and studies of places to be developed in detail.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. Pupils in the reception class make a good start to the study of geography by contributing to a wall map of their village, using drawings and photographs to create a pictorial map after a walk to the principal places. Year 2 pupils drew pictorial maps of their walk to school indicating some progression from previous work.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have been studying weather and the effects of flooding and drought. Pupils in years 5 and 6 have been studying the village and carried out a survey to find out what improvements are desired. They have devised their own questionnaires and reported back on the results. In the Year 5/6 class a lesson on coastal features developed pupils’ ability to recognise similarities and differences between different coast lines but the physical processes involved in the development of coastal features were not fully understood.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. The school recognises that too little time is devoted to the subject and the curriculum requires extension and adaptation in order to meet the requirements of Curriculum 2000, which comes into effect in September this year.

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HISTORY

115. As at the time of the previous inspection, pupils make sound progress and standards are satisfactory in both key stages. Taking into account pupils’ abilities, this is appropriate. Younger pupils are beginning to understand changes, for example when learning about similarities and differences between old and new toys and cars. Year 1 pupils used old photographs of the school to discover how the building has changed. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 build on this knowledge about changes to compare past and present household items and learn how they have changed since they were babies.

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HISTORY

116. Pupils in Key Stage 2 develop their knowledge and understanding of historical events and Cornwood C of E Primary School - 34 periods by learning about the Vikings and the Romans. They can talk with appropriate knowledge and understanding about the cultures and lives of people in different periods. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 learn about the Viking invasion. They can identify some of the aspects of life in Viking times and can compare these with life today, accurately pointing out the differences. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are using a sufficiently wide range of sources for research purposes and they are developing an understanding of how to interpret and record historical evidence.

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HISTORY

117. In the few lessons observed, the quality of teaching was good. Lessons are planned appropriately, with good introductions, well-planned group activities and time at the end of lessons for pupils to share what they have learnt. Pupils co-operate well and listen carefully to their teachers and to each other, valuing what is said. They work hard when researching Viking myths and legends, using information books sensibly and carefully. They are fascinated by a visiting artist who organises a music and drama workshop based on Viking gods and culture.

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HISTORY

118. Provision is appropriately supported by visitors and visits to places of historical interest. For example, Year 6 pupils had a very successful residential visit to Bath as part of their Roman studies. Pupils describe their visits to the Roman Baths, the Corinium museum, Chedworth Villa and Goodrich Castle with obvious interest and enjoyment. There is a scheme of work based on government guidelines and work is planned to ensure that pupils experience a varied and interesting history curriculum. Good use is made of pupils' developing literacy skills to record their history work.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

119. Standards of attainment in information technology are in line with expectations in Key Stage 1 and just below expectations at Key Stage 2. The improved arrangements for the development of information technology are having a positive impact on standards throughout the school. However, pupils in Key Stage 2 have had insufficient time and opportunities to improve their skills enough to enable them to reach high enough standards.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

120. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment is just below average. An examination of recent work shows pupils to be gaining confidence and becoming competent in word processing skills. In the spring term they consolidated techniques such as loading an appropriate program, using capital letters and delete buttons, making corrections, changing colour, font and print size, saving work and printing. There is insufficient use of other programs and techniques, such as data handling and the interrogation of results, as yet. Pupils use other equipment confidently and competently. For example, they use an electronic keyboard for composition in music and floor robots to gain confidence in control technology. In a well organised lesson, pupils in Years 3 and 4 used an appropriate program to create mathematical patterns. The school has purchased simple word processors on which pupils can practise and improve their skills.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

121. Attainment at the end Key Stage 1 is in line with expectations. Information technology is planned into all areas of the curriculum and pupils use it effectively to reinforce classwork, as well as to learn basic skills. In a very well planned lesson, a group of reception pupils gave simple commands to make the floor robot move backwards and forwards and perform a 90 degree turn. Pupils working with a learning support assistant in the computer suite used the mouse effectively to click and drag and type in a sentence copied from a card. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 could, with help, design a party invitation using different colours and fonts. In another group word processors were used with enthusiasm as a means of improving keyboard skills, pupils enjoying the challenge of improving their scores.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

122. The quality of teaching is good in both Key Stages. Teachers, particularly in Key Stage 2, now provide a programme which is comprehensive and allows for the development of all skills. This is having a positive effect on pupils’ progress, although the oldest pupils have too much to catch up on to be able to meet the expected standards at the end of the key stage. Teachers’ subject knowledge is sound and lessons are well planned and managed. Learning support assistants are well briefed and trained so that they are able to support pupils effectively. The school is also fortunate in the quality of help provided by parents. Pupils have very positive attitudes to the various aspects of this subject. This is because teachers plan appropriate activities and, with a high level of adult support, ensure pupils are successful. Cornwood C of E Primary School - 35 123. The quality of provision for information technology has improved considerably since the

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

previous inspection. In addition to the computers in classrooms the school has a new small computer suite in which it is possible for up to 10 pupils to be taught at a time. All classes have a dedicated time for information technology each week. The subject is well managed. The co- ordinator has worked hard to produce a clear and comprehensive policy document. She manages resources well, ensuring the optimum use of expensive equipment. Continuing in- service training for teachers and support staff is extending expertise and thus helping to take pupils’ learning forward.

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MUSIC

124. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection and this was part of a drama and music workshop being provided by a specialist as part of the Years 3 and 4 history topic. It is not possible, therefore, to make any overall judgements on standards achieved or teaching. However, it was possible to listen to tapes of pupils’ past work and listen to pupils singing in assembly.

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MUSIC

125. Pupils’ singing is of a high quality. They sing tunefully with a good tone. They show a good sense of rhythm and concern for appropriate dynamics. There is evidence that pupils compose and refine their own compositions. They record their work, listen to it critically and take appropriate steps to modify and improve their compositions.

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MUSIC

126. In the lesson observed pupils responded well. They experimented confidently and sensibly with the sounds their own voices could make and combined these well with appropriate movements to portray giants, deserts, thorns etc. Other pupils played untuned percussion instruments with a good sense of feel and rhythm to represent the same phenomena.

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MUSIC

127. A high percentage of pupils learn instruments – brass and woodwind. They attend the local community college for tuition. They play in assembly and perform confidently.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

128. A range of physical activities took place during the inspection and showed that all pupils make good progress, building on their earlier experiences. Attainment in swimming is above the levels expected in the National Curriculum. This reflects the good regular opportunities provided for all pupils to learn to swim in the school's pool. Many pupils attain above average standards through the coaching they receive in organised after school clubs and teams, which are a particularly strong feature of the overall provision for physical education. For instance, pupils enjoy playing in the football and netball teams and have won several trophies. This represents an improvement in standards since the previous inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

129. All pupils make good progress, which reflects the commitment and hard work of their teachers, who give a considerable amount of their time to provide interesting and stimulating physical education activities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. In the lessons observed the quality of teaching is good. Lessons begin purposefully with a well- structured series of activities to encourage pupils to be conscious of the need to warm up. Pupils are given clear instructions about what is expected of them and are warmly encouraged to achieve high standards. There is a strong emphasis on giving of one's best and on playing a full part as a member of a team or group. Pupils' individual achievements are warmly recognised both in their lessons and through award systems. They are invariably enthusiastic and wish to take part. Pupils work sensibly and follow instructions carefully, they have mature attitudes and co-operate willingly and effectively.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. All pupils are given good access to the whole curriculum in physical education so that both boys and girls have good opportunities to take part in a wide variety of sports and games. Many of the staff have considerable expertise in and enthusiasm for physical education and Cornwood C of E Primary School - 36 they convey this to the pupils, which raises attainment and accelerates progress. This was particularly evident in the after school athletics club. There has been an improvement in the range and quality of resources because of the school's involvement in national incentives such as Top Sport. The physical apparatus is of a suitable quality and appropriately challenging for pupils. Small games apparatus and other equipment is good in both quality and range. The school has its own swimming pool and large field, which further enhances the physical education provision.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

132. Pupils’ attainment in religious education at the end of both key stages is in line with the expectations of the diocesan syllabus. Standards identified in the previous inspection in Key Stage 1 have been maintained. Those in Key Stage 2 have shown some improvement. Judgements are based on the lesson observed, scrutiny of pupils’ work and portfolios and teachers’ planning and discussion with Year 6 pupils.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

133. By the time they leave the school, pupils, including those with special educational needs, have a satisfactory understanding of a variety of religions. Pupils in Key Stage 2 make sound progress in learning about the similarities and differences between festivals and rituals, for example the Passover and Easter and special journeys or pilgrimages. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 list Christian values and have a good understanding of the Ten Commandments. They compare those with the need for rules in our society today and have written their own five commandments. This work shows an appropriate progression from that covered in Key Stage 1. Younger pupils have studied the significance of Old Testament stories and looked at special journeys in detail. They have written with understanding of the Hajj and described Islamic prayer rituals.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

134. Pupils in Key Stage 1 have studied the creation story and recorded their own versions of it in a zig zag book. Other Old Testament stories, such as Noah, have been recorded in different ways through pictorial and written accounts. They have discussed some of the Ten Commandments and show a developing understanding of why it is wrong to lie and steal. By exploring their own feelings, of loneliness and sadness they are learning to understand those of others. Pupils have looked at the symbols of Christianity, such as the cross and the Bible, and understand the significance of them. They understand that all religions have books that are special to them.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

135. The teaching of religious education in the lesson observed was satisfactory. It was well planned and catered for pupils of all abilities. The pace and sound subject knowledge produced an appropriate learning experience for pupils. The lesson effectively supported pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development and their oracy and literacy skills. Pupils’ response to the religious education lesson observed and to collective worship was good. They are well motivated and enthusiastic, listening intently and discussing sensibly.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

136. The subject co-ordinator has a good grasp of, and vision for, the subject. An up-to-date policy and scheme of work enable staff to deliver the syllabus reasonably effectively, although the time allocated at Key Stage 2 is barely adequate. Resources for the subject are satisfactory and some artefacts of the different religions are being accumulated. Morning assemblies, where there is a strong Christian focus, are used effectively to support the subject, with visiting speakers such as the local vicar. Currently, all written work is within topic books which include history and geography. The use of a separate exercise book would enhance the importance of the subject and the pupils’ pride in presentation.

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