Armitage CofE Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 th – 31 st January 2002

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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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. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rostron Avenue Ardwick Manchester

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 14 th February 2000 Armitage Church of England Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

16493 Mr N Sherman Registered inspector Art and design Information and communication technology Special educational needs Equal Opportunities The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What could the school do to improve further? 9981 Mr S Hussain Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 27899 Ms G Beasley Team inspector Science, Music Geography The foundation stage. 19263 Ms J Oliver Team inspector Mathematics History Physical education English as an additional language. How well does the school care for its pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

31807 Mr D Carpenter English Design and technology Religious education. How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Lynrose Marketing Limited Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Armitage Church of England Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 30

Armitage Church of England Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Armitage Church of England Primary School is situated in the district of Ardwick, one mile from the centre of Manchester. The school is smaller than average and provides education for pupils in the 3 – 11 age range. There are 173 pupils on roll with an even number of boys and girls. 118 pupils, 71% of the school roll, claim free school meals, a figure that is far higher than average. 76 pupils, 34% of the total number on roll, have special educational needs, a figure that is above the national average. The number of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs is below the average. The percentage of pupils with English as an additional language is high, although few are at the early stages of learning English. The school experiences a high turnover of pupils and around a third of pupils start or leave the school other than at the normal times of year. It is also part of the Excellence in

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Cities initiative. Pupils enter the school with well below average levels of attainment, especially in their literacy and numeracy skills.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is effective. Although pupils start school with well below average levels of attainment, they make good progress during their time in the school and in mathematics and science by the age of 11, reach standards in line with national expectations. Although standards in English are not as high, pupils make satisfactory progress. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 and 2 is good overall with particular strengths in how pupils are managed and the highly effective use that is made of the adults who work in classes to support pupils’ learning. A key feature of the school is the very good leadership and the effective management. The headteacher provides the school with very clear and focussed educational direction. Although the school receives a very high income to fund the pupils’ education, it provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 and 2 is good. • Pupils make good progress in mathematics and science and by the time they leave the school reach standards that are in line with the national average. • The school makes good use of assessment information to plan pupils’ learning. • Pupils are very well cared for and all staff have a good knowledge of the pupils’ personal and academic needs. • The school has good procedures to promote high standards in behaviour. • Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. • Relationships are good. • The headteacher provides very good leadership and the management of the school is good.

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What could be improved

• Standards in English at both key stages. • Standards in information and communication technology and the way computers are used to promote pupils’ learning in other subjects. • Standards in art and design at both key stages and standards in geography and music at Key Stage 2. • The way the school promotes pupils’ independence and initiative. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 7 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 February 2000 when it was judged to be underachieving. This is no longer the case. It has made good progress in addressing the key issues identified for improvement. Standards in English, mathematics and science have improved at a faster pace than those seen nationally. Despite the high turnover of teachers at the school, teaching has improved substantially. The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are now much better and the school is far more thorough in evaluating pupils’ progress and ensuring that planning for their future learning is based on their needs. While the school has developed a wide range of procedures to improve the rate of attendance, levels of attendance remain well below average. There have also been significant improvements in other areas of school life. The provision for information and communication technology has been considerably enhanced and the school has made very good use of its improved financial

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

position to increase significantly the number of support staff to assist teachers in lessons. There is a very strong team spirit at the school and given the continued good leadership, it shows sufficient capacity to build on its recent developments and improve still further.

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

1999 2000 2001 2001 very high A* English E E D C well above average above average A B mathematics D E A A* average below average C D science E E A A well below average E

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schools

The above table shows that the results of the National Curriculum tests in English at the end of Key Stage 2 were below the national average. In mathematics and science, pupils attained standards that were well above the national average. When the results are compared with similar schools, based on the number of pupils who claim free school meals, standards were average in English and well above the average in science. In mathematics, pupils attained very high standards that were in the top five per cent of the schools. Over time, the picture is one where standards are rising faster than the national trend.

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schools

The findings of the inspection are that in English standards are below the national average. In mathematics and science, they are in line with the national average. The gap between inspection findings and end of key stage National Curriculum tests is explained by the difference in attainment between groups of pupils. The very intensive input in terms of personnel to support teaching had a very strong impact on the 2001 results. Although inspection findings indicate that standards are as strong as those reached in the most recent tests, given the very low levels of attainment pupils have on entry to the school, they make satisfactory progress in English, and good progress in mathematics and science. The school sets itself realistic yet challenging targets for improvement in English and mathematics. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 8 In information and communication technology, standards are below national expectations, at

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schools

the end of Key Stage 2, although pupils currently make satisfactory progress, which is rapidly improving as a result of much-improved provision. In religious education, standards are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. In design and technology, history and physical education, standards are in line with national expectations. In art and design, geography and music, standards are below national expectations.

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schools

The most recent end of key stage National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments for pupils at Key Stage 1 indicate that by the end of Year 2 pupils reached standards that were well below the average in reading and well above the average in writing. In mathematics, standards were well above the national average. When the results are compared with similar schools, pupils attained very high standards in writing and mathematics that were in the top five per cent of schools. Standards were average in reading compared with similar schools. The most recent results show a significant variation over those of the previous three years when standards in writing and mathematics were well below average. Inspection findings indicate a picture of attainment that is more in line with that of previous years in reading and writing, although standards in mathematics are in line with the national average. Pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics considering their very low levels of

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schools

attainment when they first start at the school.

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schools

Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported in all classes and make good gains towards their individual learning targets. The school’s very good assessment procedures enable staff to identify higher attaining pupils and good attention is paid to ensure that they make good progress. Pupils with English as an additional language are given equally good support in many lessons and make progress comparable to their classmates in many subjects of the curriculum.

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schools

The children make satisfactory progress in the Nursery and Reception class. However, despite this, by the time they enter Year 1 the majority do not reach the Early Learning Goals in their personal, social and emotional development, their communication, language and literacy, their knowledge and understanding of the world or their mathematical, physical and creative development.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Satisfactory. Most pupils enjoy their learning and try hard in lessons. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Satisfactory. The majority of pupils recognise that inappropriate behaviour impacts on the well being of others. However, in some classes pupils find the school’s expectations in relation to behaviour more challenging. Personal development and relationships Relationships are good. There are, however, too few planned opportunities by the school to develop pupils’ initiative and independence and pupils’ personal development is unsatisfactory. Attendance Despite the school’s many and consistent efforts to raise the profile of the importance of attendance in the minds of parents, attendance levels remain well below the national average. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 9

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Satisfactory 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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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is good overall and effectively ensures that pupils make good progress in their learning. The teaching of English and mathematics is good, although greater opportunities could be provided to develop pupils’ literacy skills in other subjects. Basic skills are taught well. The quality of teaching in information and communication technology is satisfactory and much improved following the enhanced range of resources to support pupils’ learning. There are shortcomings in how art and design, geography and music are taught and insufficient attention is paid to developing key skills in these subjects. Good features in teaching across the school are the very effective use that is made of learning support assistants and other adults to help teachers support pupils’ learning and in the positive way that pupils are managed, and this has a positive impact on the rate of pupils’ learning in most subjects.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. There are strengths in the very good management of the children and in the quality of relationships between the children and the adults who support their learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The school ensures that the pupils have access to a full range of learning opportunities in lessons that are complemented further by an interesting and varied range of extra- curricular activities. Statutory requirements are met. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils who have special educational needs are identified early and are well supported in many lessons. As a result, pupils make good progress. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Pupils who are at the early stages of learning English are given good assistance in lessons and make good progress in their learning and in the development of their English skills. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory overall. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good and all staff successfully promotes pupils’

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Aspect Comment

understanding of what is right and wrong. There is good provision for pupils’ social development and satisfactory provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. There are missed opportunities to promote pupils’ personal development in lessons. How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The school has developed detailed and effective systems to ensure that pupils’ personal and academic progress is tracked and regularly monitored. Staff have a good knowledge of the pupils as individuals and provide a high degree of pastoral care. How well the school works in partnership with parents Satisfactory overall. Information to parents is satisfactory. While the school strives hard to involve parents in the education of their children, it has recognised in the school development plan ways in which links with parents are to be further strengthened. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides the school with very good leadership and the school is well managed. The headteacher has effectively ensured that staff have high expectations of pupils. A hard working and dedicated staff ably supports him.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are fully involved in many aspects of school life and are effective in fulfilling their legal responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Regular and detailed evaluations are undertaken to check on the rate of pupils’ progress and action to further improve the rate of pupils’ learning take place as a result. The monitoring of teaching and learning in English, mathematics and science is regular and effective.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good use is made of the additional grants given to the school to support pupils’ learning. There is a generous number of additional staff at the school made possible by the additional grants given to the school. The deployment of support staff is effective. The school has a good understanding of the principles best value.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources There are a high number of adults at the school. Staff training is a key feature of development at the school ensuring that all staff are qualified to meet the demands of the curriculum. Accommodation is satisfactory overall as are the quality and range of learning resources.

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improved

• The caring attitude that staff demonstrate towards the children. • That the school’s expectations in terms of pupils’ behaviour are high and consistently applied. • Parents appreciate the improvement in standards. • Parents highly value the impact the headteacher has on the school. • Some parents would like to see the range and extent of homework improved.

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improved

Inspection findings support the positive views parents have of the school. Inspection evidence indicates that the school does have a policy on the use of homework that is consistently applied across the school and inspectors do not support parents’ views on this issue. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The children’s attainment on entry to the Nursery class is well below average in all areas of their learning. When they start school, the children’s communication, language and literacy skills are particularly weak and their ability to relate and play with children of a similar age is poor. Children make satisfactory gains in their learning in both the Nursery and Reception class. However, by the time they start in Year 1, the majority of children do not achieve the Early Learning Goals in their personal, social and emotional development, in their knowledge and understanding of their world, or in their mathematical, physical and creative development. The children’s attainment in their communication, language and literacy is well below the expectations of the Early Learning Goals.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The end of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum test results over the period 1998 – 2000 indicated standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well below the national average and in reading and writing standards were in the lowest five per cent of schools nationally. However, the most recent test results for 2001 indicated a radically different picture. Although standards in reading were well below the national average, they were a good improvement compared to the previous years as more pupils attained the expected level. However, in writing and mathematics, the results were significantly improved with the number of pupils reaching the expected levels being well above the national average. When the same results are compared with similar schools, based on the number of pupils who claim free school meals, they indicate that pupils reached average standards in reading and in writing and mathematics, standards were in the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

top five cent of schools nationally. The additional input in terms of extra personnel deployed in classes and the more effective use of assessment information in planning pupils’ learning contributed significantly to the improved standards in the most recent National Curriculum tests. In science, based on teachers’ assessments, standards were well below the national average although average when the results are compared with similar schools.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Inspection findings do not indicate the same picture in relation to standards as that indicated by the tests. Evidence indicates that standards in reading are well below the national average and standards in writing are below the average. Progress is satisfactory given the low attainment of many pupils on entry to the school. The current cohort of pupils has a larger number of pupils identified with special educational needs and this contributes significantly in explaining why the National Curriculum test scores are different from inspection findings. A more positive picture emerges in relation to mathematics. Inspection findings indicate that standards by the current Year 2 are in line with the national average and pupils make good progress in the development of mathematical ideas and language. In science, inspection findings indicate that standards are below average but that pupils are making satisfactory progress. With the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

exception of information and communication technology and art and design, where standards are below national expectations, in most subjects pupils reach standards expected of them by the age of seven.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. On the basis of the 2001 end of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests, pupils’ attainment was below the national average in English, yet well above the national average in mathematics and science. The results in mathematics and science were a marked contrast in terms of the pattern of attainment for the previous three years when Armitage Church of England Primary School - 12 standards were well below the average. In English, standards in 2001 were markedly better than for the previous three years when they were also well below the national average. As in Key Stage 1, the additional number of support staff deployed into the Year 6 class with the brief to help boost pupils’ learning had a strong impact on attainment. When the results are compared with similar schools, they indicate that standards were well above the national average in English and science and in the top five percent of schools nationally in mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The inspection findings, based on the current cohort of Year 6 pupils, a significant number of whom were not at the school when they started Key Stage 2, paint a different picture to that of the most recent tests. Standards in English are below the national average and there is a close correlation between the tests and inspection findings in this subject. Standards in mathematics and science are in line with the national average. Pupils make good progress in mathematics and science to get to the level that they do. In English, progress is satisfactory. The school is currently providing continued intense support to pupils in the form of small group teaching and effective use of learning mentors, and the explanation as to the difference between inspection findings lies in natural differences in attainment between cohorts of pupils.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. While there is good development of pupils’ numeracy skills through other subjects of the curriculum, the school is aware of the need to ensure pupils’ literacy skills are promoted across other subjects. At present, for example, whilst some use is made of other subjects to promote pupils’ literacy skills, such as in religious education, the school has yet to devise strategies where the subjects such as history or geography can also contribute to the development of these skills.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The school has worked very hard to raise the level of pupils’ achievement in English, mathematics and science since the last inspection. The trend in improvement is higher than that seen nationally and reflects the increased improvements at the school to the quality of teaching, the more effective and regular use of assessment to plan pupils’ learning and the effective management of developments in all three subjects. The results are a good improvement over the findings of the last inspection when the school was judged to be underachieving. This is no longer the case and given the current good teaching, it is well placed to make further gains in improving the pace of pupils’ learning. The school sets itself challenging but achievable targets in relation to lifting standards in English and mathematics and are based on a good knowledge and understanding of the pupils’ abilities.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards in design and technology, history and physical education that are in line with national expectations. Pupils make good progress in these subjects. In information and communication technology standards are below national expectations. However, the school has significantly boosted the range and facilities for pupils access to computers and inspection findings indicate that these are being well used to support pupils’ learning and as a result, the progress that pupils are currently making is satisfactory. In religious education, pupils make satisfactory progress and reach standards that are in line with the locally agreed syllabus. In art and design, geography and music, pupils attain standards that are below national expectations by the end of Year 6. In geography, pupils make satisfactory progress in applying their geography skills, but progress in their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

understanding of the impact that environmental issues have on the environment is weak. Recent developments in music are raising standards but the increased time and attention that the school has given to raising standards in English and mathematics has lessened the attention given the teaching of music and this has led to lower standards and slower progress. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 13 9. The school has a higher than average number of pupils with special educational needs. Pupils have their needs identified early and appropriate targets are devised for pupils. Their progress towards these is carefully monitored by teachers and support staff and their work is modified in light of the learning they make. As a result of the very careful assessments of the pupils and the quality of support many of them receive, they make good progress, particularly in the development of their literacy skills.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. The school has a small number of pupils with higher attainments, but are sufficiently supported in class and make comparable progress to their classmates in most subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Pupils who have English as an additional language attain standards that are similar to their peers in all subjects of the curriculum. The school constantly monitors the progress pupils make and the systems for tracking the progress of individual pupils are very effective and have a positive impact upon standards attained. Trends and patterns of performance over the past four years have been analysed and individual pupils are targeted and given additional support to boost their learning. First language assessments are carried out when pupils arrive in school and they are well supported by teachers, learning mentors and classroom assistants. Additional support is provided by the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) and the stages of English pupils attain are recorded and individual programmes of work are planned for under- achievers. The school has a strong and effective policy for educational and social

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils have satisfactory attitudes to the school as confirmed at the time of the last inspection. The great majority show considerable enthusiasm in their work. They show satisfactory levels of interest and involvement in lessons and other school activities. Most pupils apply themselves effectively. When teaching is good, attitudes and behaviour are too. For example, in a Year 4/5 science lesson, pupils were very excited as they waited with baited breath, to see what happened when the teacher placed a vibrating tuning fork in a cup of water. In a Year 5/6 mathematics lesson on rounding off decimals, the challenging work for pupils of all abilities also resulted in good attitudes. Pupils generally enjoy school life. They show much enthusiasm for after school clubs such as football and computers. Children in the Foundation Stage are gradually developing positive habits in their learning but their generally low levels of attainment on

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

entry to the school make it difficult for some of them to appreciate the need to learn and play co-operatively with one another.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Behaviour is satisfactory and marks a slight decline since the last inspection when it was judged to be good. The school is an orderly community and much credit has to go to the hard-work and good pupil management by staff. The majority of pupils behave sensibly in classrooms and at assemblies. However, during break-times there are one or two instances of weaker behaviour. These are well handled by staff. Parents are content that bullying is not a significant problem. Discussions with pupils confirm that the school does not tolerate any form of bullying, and staff deal with any such issues quickly and fairly. School and classroom rules are well established and displayed around the premises. Personal and social education includes much work about behaviour, rules and bullying. These factors are successful in giving pupils a good understanding of the impact of their actions on others. There were five temporary

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

period exclusions in the last academic year. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 14 14. Relationships are good, an improvement since the last inspection when they were satisfactory. Pupils respond well to staff and develop a strong working rapport with them and this has a strong impact on learning as pupils know that they can seek out the assistance of the adults who support their learning and that it will be freely given. Pupils listen to, and value each other’s contributions in lessons. They show sound levels of respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others. Inspectors observed a number of instances of effective collaboration. In a Year 4/5 dance lesson, each of the three groups worked hard with each other as they developed movement sequences to show how a caterpillar changes to a butterfly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Personal development is unsatisfactory. Although pupils are developing positively in their maturity and confidence, they lack independent learning skills. Pupils do not possess sufficient research skills to find information from computers and textbooks and the lack of a school library hinders development in this respect. Teaching is occasionally too prescriptive such that there is little scope for pupils to use their initiative in learning. Pupils respond appropriately when they are given responsibilities but few pupils actively seek it. Monitors and older pupils working with younger ones carry out their roles positively. Personal development has declined since the last inspection. The last inspection report referred to limited opportunities to use initiative, and this is still the case.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. There has been little change in attendance and punctuality since the last inspection. Attendance is well below the national average and is unsatisfactory. Unauthorised absence is very high. There is a high turnover of pupils entering and then leaving the school roll. This is a significant factor as it takes time to establish good attendance habits. However, the school does all it can to improve attendance and punctuality. A number of pupils are late at the start of the school day yet despite the school’s strong approach to raising the importance of punctuality in the minds of parents, a number of them find it very difficult to follow the school’s expectations in respect of punctuality and attendance and their children’s learning is affected as a result.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. During the inspection, teaching was excellent and very good in 11 per cent of lessons seen, good in a further 50 per cent and satisfactory in the remainder. Despite a high turnover of teachers since the last inspection, the quality of teaching has improved. In February 2000, when the school was last inspected, teaching was good in 25% of lessons. The improvements in teaching have had a strong impact on pupils’ learning and are a major factor in explaining the improvements in standards.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching in English, mathematics and science in both key stages is good. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy and follow the guidelines given in these when teaching literacy and numeracy sessions. Currently, the school has been more successful in developing ways to extend pupils’ understanding and use of numeracy skills through other subjects such as science than it has in developing their literacy skills. The subjects of history and geography, for example, have further potential to develop pupils’ reading and writing skills and the school is aware of the need to ensure that pupils have opportunities to develop their learning of literacy through other subjects as a means of further boosting standards. The quality of teaching in information and communication technology is currently satisfactory. The school has recently significantly improved provision for

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

pupils to use computers. The more frequent opportunities for all pupils to use the new Armitage Church of England Primary School - 15 computer suite is starting to impact well on their learning. However, there are still missed opportunities in daily lessons for pupils to use computers to develop, for example, their reading and writing skills and this hinders their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. In most other subjects, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. In physical education, there are strengths in how dance is taught. However, the quality of teaching in art and design in both key stages and in geography and music at Key Stage 2 is unsatisfactory. In music, for example, insufficient emphasis is placed by teachers on developing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different aspects of music and geography and pupils make too few gains in their learning in these subjects as they move through each of the classes.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Strengths in how the children are taught lie in the very good management of the children and in the quality of relationships between the children and the various adults who support their learning. This helps to ensure that teachers have a good knowledge of the children and helps to quickly establish a strong rapport with them that has a strong impact on how the children settle quickly into the school, not all of whom find the transition easy. All adults are sensitive to this and often demonstrate a high level of patience and tolerance to those children that need more time to settle into day-to-day routines. Teachers successfully reinforce the school’s expectations in relation to behaviour and the children make satisfactory gains in their understanding of the need to treat one another with respect and show an increasing tolerance to one another’s needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Shortcomings in teaching at the Foundation Stage lie in the way the children’s learning is organised. Some learning is not always sufficiently focused and there are missed opportunities to develop children’s early literacy skills. In some lessons, children are left to undertake work that does not have clear enough learning objectives and their time in lessons is not always used effectively. Some of the children’s learning is practically based and allows the children opportunities to learn through imaginative and structured play. Teachers regularly assess how well children are progressing and this gives a clear idea of what the children are able to do well. However, too little emphasis is placed on what the children cannot do in order to improve the pace of their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 is good, particularly in Year 2 where pupils make better progress in many subjects. Across both classes, strengths in the teaching lie in the effective use of the good numbers of support staff to work alongside and guide the pupils in their learning. They are fully drawn into many lessons and are well briefed on how best to support pupils. In many lessons, after whole class explanations by the teacher, the assistants often then work alongside small groups of pupils to assist them in their learning by asking them questions to probe and extend the depth of what they are studying. In one excellent literacy lesson seen during the inspection, the teacher made very good use of the ‘Lazy Little Owl’ story to stir pupils’ imaginations. The teacher used the story very effectively to promote pupils’ speaking and listening skills as they had to ponder on how the plot may develop and this moved on to enabling

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

pupils to produce their own independent writing. Throughout the lesson the teacher gave the pupils very good encouragement and this boosted their confidence in attempting what they were doing. The concluding part of the lesson was also used effectively as the teacher gathered the pupils together to gauge the degree and extent of their learning so that the next lesson could be planned to take them further on in their learning. Where teaching is satisfactory rather than good, shortcomings lie in how pupils are managed. Teachers are not always effective managing pupils and in getting and holding pupils’ attention and time in lessons is sometimes lost while teachers stop Armitage Church of England Primary School - 16 their teaching to remind the small but often significant numbers of pupils of the importance of listening carefully to what is being explained to them.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 is good. Although the level of pupils’ academic attainment is generally below average, teachers do have high expectations of what the pupils are able to do and spur them on to achieve well. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when expectations were found to be too low. Expectations of behaviour, for example, are high and teachers use a good range of strategies to keep pupils’ motivated and to work effectively with one another Work is planned well to take into account the different needs and ages of pupils in classes where there are pupils of mixed age. Whole class demonstrations and explanations are clear and in literacy and numeracy sessions, for example, give pupils a good understanding of what needs to be achieved in the time available. A key strength of teaching is the manner by which pupils’ are then supported effectively by learning support assistants or learning mentors in

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

many lessons. Pupils respond well to this support and the high level of interaction between the pupils and the adults who support them in their learning enables many of the pupils to make good gains in their learning. Organisation of classrooms is effective but at present, too little attention is paid by teachers to developing pupils’ initiative and overall personal development. During the inspection, for example, very few occasions were seen where pupils were given a set task and asked to complete it in a way that the pupils themselves felt would be the most effective way to complete the task set.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. At both key stages, teachers are making increasing use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning and teaching seen in the school’s suite is often good and pupils respond with a high level of interest and commitment to what they are doing. However, some individual lessons do not make as full a use as possible of computers and they are ineffectively used. There is greater potential, for example, for information and communication technology to be used more convincingly to support pupils in literacy by enabling pupils to develop their reading skills by exploring electronic encyclopaedia or to use word-processing facilities to create more extended pieces of writing or to support their writing development in other subjects.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. The quality of teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils who have such needs are identified early and put on an effective programme of monitoring to ensure that they make good progress. In order to support this progress, pupils have suitably devised individual educational plans that highlight clearly pupils’ individual targets and the action needed in order to achieve them. In lessons, pupils are well supported by teachers and learning support assistants and a careful watch is kept on their progress. Pupils’ work is suitably modified in the light of their progress and their future learning is then geared on what they have achieved in order for them to continue to succeed.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. Class teachers in the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 meet the needs of pupils with English as an additional language very well and during lessons pupils are well integrated and participate fully in lessons. An EMAS teacher, employed to work with pupils for one morning per week, gives good support and her help is appreciated by all the staff. Pupils with English as an additional language make good progress overall as a result of close liaison between the specialist teacher, support staff and class teachers. Focused groups of pupils are given direct teaching that matches their specific needs and the generous level of staffing is a major factor in the good progress made. The quality of planning and monitoring of pupils with English as an additional language is good throughout the school and the majority of pupils make good progress in all subjects of the curriculum. This is as a result of the efforts of all adults to

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

recognise the needs of individual pupils during lessons. Teachers manage to Armitage Church of England Primary School - 17 successfully build up the pupils’ self-esteem so that they feel valued and confident to contribute to all aspects of school life.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The school provides a curriculum that meets the statutory requirements and is broad and balanced. The quality of provision has been maintained since the previous inspection. The school maintains a policy of equal opportunities for all pupils and educational inclusion is successfully achieved. Children in the Foundation Stage receive a satisfactory range of experiences that follow the curriculum guidance for their age group. In Years 1 to 6 pupils receive a curriculum that includes all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Since the previous inspection the school has devoted much attention to the teaching of the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. In order to accommodate the continued teaching of the foundation curriculum the school day has been lengthened and the timetable status of the non-core subjects, with the exception of geography, has been maintained.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been successfully implemented across the school and both strategies are now beginning to have an impact on other areas of the curriculum. Within the framework of the National Literacy Strategy the school has successfully raised pupil’s skills in writing and is now moving towards setting priority targets for the improvement of performance in reading. Standards have risen in numeracy since the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy. Policies and schemes of work are in place for all subjects and the curriculum guidelines issued by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority are being implemented. The school is following the locally agreed syllabus for religious education.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs, including those with statements of special educational needs. Effective placement of support staff has had a beneficial effect on pupils’ learning and those with special educational needs make progress at a rate commensurate with that of their peers. The identification of higher attaining pupils and appropriate planning to meet their needs lacks some cohesion but the school recognises that this is an area for development.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities for pupils of all ages. The range available includes breakfast and after school clubs, computer club, craft club, cricket and football and lunchtime practise with musical instruments. In addition pupils take part in a wide selection of visits and also play host to a number of visitors to the school. The computer club now has access to the newly installed computer suite. The activities available support the equal opportunities policy and play a significant part in the social development of the pupils.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is satisfactory overall. Provision is made for sex education and education in drugs awareness. As part of the arrangements for the teaching of this, meetings are arranged to assist parents in their awareness of the issues concerned. Teachers are able to liase with the school Nurse as part of the programme for health and sex education, and with the local police on issues such as drugs awareness and crime. Further development of the school’s provision in this area is by actively considering the formation of a school council.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The community makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ learning and supports their progress through the school. Throughout the year the school receives many visitors Armitage Church of England Primary School - 18 including a regular visit from a puppet show and speakers from the ethnic communities that surround the school. In addition, pupils make visits to locations such as Tatton Park, the local library, Old Trafford, the Manchester Royal Infirmary and the local church. This year older pupils will be able to take part in a residential visit to a centre at Debdale. Pupils place a high value on the links established with both Manchester United and Manchester City Football Clubs and these have made a substantial contribution to raising self-esteem and confidence amongst those who have taken part. The link with the local church is presently in abeyance as there is no incumbent but the school hopes to see the link re-established in the near future. Links with the initial teacher

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

training courses at Manchester Metropolitan University are well established and the school also receives students from the local sixth form college.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. Pupils with English as an additional language have full and equal access to all aspects of the curriculum and are fully integrated into the life of the school. This has a positive effect upon the learning of all pupils. The school provides good support for pupils who need additional help and the curriculum is modified for pupils by setting work at the correct level to meet their needs. Their learning is well planned and involves the close co-operation of teachers, classroom assistants and learning mentors. This is a noticeable feature of the school and enables the pupils to make good progress.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. The overall provision the school makes for the spiritual, social, moral and cultural development of pupils is good and this represents an improvement since the last inspection.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. Satisfactory opportunities to promote spirituality are provided in lessons in all classes as teachers encourage pupils to use quiet moments to develop insight and self- discipline. Pupils are encouraged to consider their own values and attitudes when, for example, they discuss the life and work of famous people such as Florence Nightingale and Winston Churchill. Pupils are able to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the natural world through their studies in science. An example of this was evident when pupils show awe and amazement when a tuning fork is dipped in water. The art and music curriculum includes the appreciation of the work of famous artists and musicians such as Picasso and Dvorak. However, the development of spirituality is incidental and not systematically planned for and provision is satisfactory.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. There is a positive caring school ethos and very good provision for pupils' moral development is made. School rules are displayed prominently and all classes have their own rules. The school has a strong and effective policy for promoting good behaviour and all staff work hard to develop their pupils’ sense of right and wrong. Expectations of behaviour are very clear and adults are consistent and fair in their dealings with pupils. Teachers praise pupils effectively and give rewards for their good behaviour, efforts and achievements, promoting their self-esteem. Pupils develop a clear understanding of fairness and justice through well-chosen stories. The school promotes a strong sense of shared standards and values and all adults encourage pupils to behave well and show consideration for others. Pupils are actively concerned for the disadvantaged and contribute harvest gifts to the Salvation Army and to appeals

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. The provision for the pupils' social development is good and is developed effectively through the good opportunities in classrooms for pupils to listen to the views of others and to work in a range of groups. Classroom organisation allows pupils to work in pairs and groups on set tasks and most pupils respond positively to these opportunities, particularly in literacy and numeracy sessions. Teachers rarely miss incidental moments that arise during the day for reinforcing pupils’ understanding of social and Armitage Church of England Primary School - 19 moral issues. There is a good team spirit amongst staff, and this presents pupils with a good example of positive relationships. All adults in the school treat pupils with respect and this encourages pupils to do the same. The school provides other opportunities for pupils to develop their social skills, such as the good range of extra-curricular activities

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

and the residential visits planned for Year 5 and 6 pupils.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. Provision for pupils' cultural development is satisfactory. There are some opportunities for pupils to develop an appropriate understanding of living in a multi-cultural society evident in the displays around the school about Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism. There are several displays, particularly in the main hall linked to the studies of non- European cultures such as the ‘Happy Chinese New Year’ and these enhance the pupils' cultural development in a positive manner. Pupils appreciate a range of art and music from other cultures and listening to visitors such as Hindu and Chinese speakers to help deepen their awareness of other cultures. Older pupils have recently enjoyed visits to libraries, hospitals and local football clubs and all members of the school community are equally valued.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school provides a caring and secure learning environment. All staff value and care for pupils, especially when pupils feel poorly during the school day. As at the last inspection, procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good overall. The educational and personal support and advice given to pupils is generally good. These factors contribute significantly to the family ethos of the school, and are effective in supporting all pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. There are good arrangements to induct new pupils to school. Pupils new to the Nursery are gradually and sensitively introduced to school life and the learning routines. They have the benefit of several planned sessions before they are enrolled full-time. These arrangements give them confidence in starting school life. The school runs a breakfast club daily. This provides a pleasant start for many pupils who like to attend school very early.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Arrangements for child protection are sound. The designated officer is appropriately trained and deals with issues effectively. A good quality ‘pack’ of information and guidance on policy and procedures is provided for all staff. Staff are vigilant at all times regarding any issues.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. There are good arrangements to identify and remedy potential hazards to health and safety. The head-teacher carries out comprehensive risk assessments on a regular basis. All electrical equipment and appliances are regularly tested. Fire drills are carried out frequently and are appropriately recorded. Three staff are fully trained and qualified to administer first aid.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. A strong feature of the school is how well it works with many external agencies. Regarding health and safety, a number of agencies are well used to promote pupils’ welfare and provide valuable guidance and support for pupils. Regular visitors including the dental health service, school nurse, road safety unit and police give talks and advice to pupils. During the inspection there was a good assembly with a guest speaker from the ‘Healthy Schools Award’, a scheme of work the school is about to start. The school also works closely with specialist teachers to support refugee pupils and those whose first language is not English. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 20 44. The school has experienced many difficulties with attendance and has worked very hard to develop its procedures and introduced various initiatives to try and improve the situation. Procedures to monitor and improve attendance are very good, an

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

improvement over the good procedures found at the last inspection. The best possible use is made of a computer-based system of information to monitor attendance patterns. Learning mentors make a good contribution by liaising with parents regarding problems, and they make telephone calls on the first day of any unexplained absence. Parents are given frequent reminders about the importance of good attendance and punctuality. An ‘attendance cup’ is awarded weekly to the best class and there is an extensive system of reward to value improving and good rates of attendance. The overall rate of attendance has increased slightly in each of the last three school years.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are good, as they were at the time of the last inspection. Very detailed records are kept of any incidents of bad behaviour. Any issues are carefully monitored and tracked to ensure that improvements take place. Excellent use is made of a wide variety of rewards and sanctions to maintain high standards. For instance, merit points and certificates for ‘Superkids’ are awarded, along with many treats and these motivate most pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The school has made very good progress in improving assessment systems since the last inspection. There are now good, manageable systems in place for monitoring pupils’ academic performance and personal development in many subjects. Base-line assessments are used in the foundation stage and these help to focus the planning when pupils start the National Curriculum programmes of study. In English and mathematics there are detailed systems in place, which allow for individual targets and for tracking progress. Other subjects use recording systems based upon the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority’s schemes of work, In addition, in science, the pupils are assessed each term and a level is given. A wide range of test materials is used and details kept in the teachers’ good quality assessment files. The information gathered is assisting teachers greatly in gaining a clear picture of pupils’ achievements

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

and what to plan to ensure that their learning builds on what they have previously learned.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Good use is made of the effective assessment procedures and these serve both to guide teachers’ planning and to monitor progress. The results of assessments are used to identify which pupils would benefit from being given additional support through booster groups, through setting by ability and by the use of intervention programmes when necessary. A particular strength of school policy is the way teachers share the learning objectives with their pupils and this has a positive effect upon pupils’ own knowledge of their learning. The procedures used in mathematics are particularly effective and are a major factor in the raising of standards and the good progress that pupils make in mathematics. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 21

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Links with parents are satisfactory and are at the same level as found at the time of the school’s last inspection. Parents have very positive views of the school. This represents improvement since the last inspection, where parents were satisfied with the school’s provision. Although there were few responses to the pre-inspection questionnaire and few attended the parents meeting, it is clear that parents are highly supportive of the school and its work. All parents replying to the questionnaire believe that the school is well led and managed, that teaching is good, their children like school and that children make good progress. Parents are equally pleased about the quality of behaviour, how the school helps their children become mature and responsible, the extra-curricular activities and the information they receive. Inspection findings support many of these views. Some parents are disappointed at the arrangements for

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

homework. However, inspectors found that homework is sufficiently used across the school to support learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The quality of information to parents, especially about pupils’ progress, is satisfactory overall. The school has maintained this since the last inspection. Pupils’ annual reports generally give appropriate details about what children know can do and understand. However, a small number of reports are too descriptive of the work done, lacking details about children’s performance. Personal and social development is well reported. The school brochure is user-friendly, giving appropriate details about policies and provisions. Brief newsletters are sent home regularly and these are effective in giving information about issues, events and important dates to remember. Special meetings are held from time to time. These have included presentations to parents about literacy, numeracy, drugs education and to give parents information about end of key stage National Curriculum tests.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Links with parents are generally effective, and their involvement has a sound impact on the work of the school. However, while some parents play an active part in supporting their children in their learning the contribution of a significant number of parents to their children’s learning, at school and at home, is unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The school works hard to increase parents’ involvement in the life of the school and in their children’s education. For example, a ‘maths games’ week was held recently so that parents could work in school with children. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are sufficiently involved in reviews of their children’s progress. The school works closely with the adult education service to develop courses for its parents. In addition to the ‘Stepping Stones’ course currently going on, a ‘Family Literacy’ project is to be provided shortly. However, very few parents help in school on a regular basis. Also, despite the school’s efforts, less than a third of parents have signed up to the home and school agreement. Parents must also support the school’s attendance and punctuality policies more. The school has rightly identified the need in its current school development plan to devise and strengthen links with parents so that

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

they can play a more active part in their children’s learning.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school is well led and there is good management of the resources to support pupils’ learning. The headteacher, appointed shortly before the school’s last inspection, has been a key figure in maintaining the positive momentum in moving the school forward that was noted at the time of the last inspection. He provides the school with very clear educational direction and has a good understanding of the school’s strengths Armitage Church of England Primary School - 22 and of the ways in which further improvements could be made. A strong feature of his leadership is the strong team spirit being created that is very heavily focused on raising the level of pupils’ achievement, especially in the subjects of English, mathematics and science. A culture of high expectation and inclusion has been created and this is proving successful in raising the level of pupils’ achievement, especially in their literacy

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. A hard working and dedicated staff ably supports the headteacher. The senior management team meets regularly to review and discuss progress and ideas for improvement are then openly shared and discussed with other staff as part of the school’s consultation process. The views of staff are actively sought and this helps to foster a sense of commitment to following through the decisions made. Co-ordinators are in place for all subjects and other aspects such as for the management of pupils with special educational needs. The co-ordinators for English and mathematics have a good overview of developments in their subjects. The school has been proactive in seeking the regular input by the local education authority in monitoring and supporting teaching in these areas and this has proved beneficial in raising teachers’ confidence in the teaching of both aspects. As standards in English, mathematics and science have

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

been an ongoing priority for the school, leadership has been highly effective in ensuring that the pupils’ progress is regularly and effectively monitored so that their future learning can be amended in the light of evidence gathered. As a result of such analysis during the last academic year, it was decided to significantly enhance the degree of support to pupils in both Year 2 and Year 6 and this helped to boost standards significantly. The school is aware that the same level of provision can not be provided indefinitely but is equally aware of the need to boost the performance over a period of time of those who find learning difficult.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. In subjects other than English and mathematics, subject co-ordinators do not have time to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in their subject areas of responsibility and this lessens the impact they have on improving standards. The school is aware of the need to ensure that co-ordinators do have the time to monitor standards and the development plan highlights the need to address this issue and strengthen the impact that co-ordinators have on the standards that pupils attain.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The quality of the school development plan is very good. It rightly places high emphasis on the need to raise the achievements of all pupils at the school and how these are to be attained. The plan is realistic and planned initiatives are carefully costed and evaluated in relation to the progress and standards that pupils attain. The plan indicates how the school intends to develop links with parents to support pupils’ learning, continue to improve the school fabric and to be ever vigilant to seek further ways to improve pupils’ attendance. The staff and governors see the development plan as very much a working document and one that gives a firm steer to the continued development of the school.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school’s financial procedures are very good and careful discussions take place to ensure that planned developments at the school are seen as affordable before committing to expenditure. Although the school is currently well funded following its involvement in various initiatives such as the ‘Excellence in Cities’ project, it is careful about how the school budget is spent. At present, however, the contingency sum within the budget is higher than recommendations. These funds have been appropriately earmarked to support the further physical development of the school and to ensure that there are sufficient funds to compensate for the high turnover of pupils at the school in order to preserve staffing levels which are a key factor in improving attainment. The headteacher, governors and school secretary keep a very tight overview of spending Armitage Church of England Primary School - 23 and when making spending decisions, is generally aware of the principles of ‘best

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

value’, although more needs to be done in evaluating the impact of spending decisions against the standards that pupils attain. The headteacher is very astute and proactive in the manner by which additional grants and extra funding are both sought and used to support pupils’ learning. The ‘Excellence in Cities’ initiative, for example, has enabled learning mentors to be employed and their work makes a valuable contribution to the work of the school as well as pupils’ learning. Further additional funds for booster classes in literacy and numeracy and to support staff development and pupils with special educational needs are also thoughtfully spent.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The management of arrangements for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school is aware of the changed requirements in relation to pupils with special educational needs and staff, governors and parents are being brought up-to-date with these. The teacher responsible for overseeing developments keeps a careful brief and watch on pupils’ progress and supports her colleagues well in monitoring pupils’ progress. The school is effective and is aware of the need to ensure that all pupils are provided with equal access to what the school provides for the pupils.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The leadership and management of the school at the time of the last inspection were judged to be having a positive impact on recent progress at the school, despite it being judged to be under-achieving. The school has built further on the momentum developed by the headteacher with many of the key issues identified for improvement having been addressed. Of note has been the improvement in teaching, despite the high turnover of teaching staff in the two years following the last inspection as well as a rising trend in attainment that has been higher than that seen nationally.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Governors are very supportive of the school and are active in many of the school’s developments. They are kept well informed about progress and initiatives at the school by the headteacher. Many visit frequently to gain first hand information as to the quality of education pupils receive. The governors’ committee structure is active and helps to ensure that they are effective in ensuring that their legal requirements are met. Governors are aware of the need to ensure that standards and pupils’ achievements when compared to similar schools are raised and are the best possible in light of pupils’ low point of attainment on entry to the school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The percentage of pupils with English as an additional language is not high enough for the school to qualify for additional funding but the school does receive support from the local education authority. This support is effective in moving pupils on in their learning and the school makes good use of the service using specialist help to ensure clear direction for all staff and this enables pupils with English as an additional language to make good progress. The school is successful in creating an environment that facilitates both learning a new language and full access to the National Curriculum but more use could be made of books and other literacy materials that reflect the pupils’ home language and culture.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. Although there is a satisfactory number of teachers to meet the learning needs of pupils, the recent turnover of teachers has been high. This has caused some disruption to pupils’ learning. There is a larger than usual number of teaching assistants and learning mentors who play a full role in supporting pupils’ learning both in the classroom and at playtimes. They meet regularly with class teachers and because they are well informed, make significant contributions to the pupils they support. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, which criticised the poor amount of support given to pupils especially those with special educational needs. The provision for extra Armitage Church of England Primary School - 24 curricular clubs is further enhanced by their role. Pupils enjoy breakfast club, a social occasion when they catch up on each others’ news as they eat their toast.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. Induction of new staff to the school is good. This is because of the open communication between the head teacher and all staff who work in the school. The children know the office staff well and the staff play a full role in actively promoting the caring ethos in the school. Regular meetings with all staff make sure that the school ethos is clearly followed and as a consequence the aims of the school are clearly met by all. Training is seen as a high priority and this has lead to the improvements in expertise by all the people who work in the school. The staff create a welcoming atmosphere for all visitors to the school.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Accommodation is satisfactory overall. The space outside is used creatively to organise games activities during playtimes. There is currently no library and the lack of this resource means that pupils have too few opportunities to undertake personal research and to study independently. Pupils do not have enough opportunity to develop their independent learning skills prior to transfer to secondary school. In addition, too few classrooms have well organised book areas to help raise the status of the reading in the minds of pupils. There is also unsatisfactory provision in terms of the toilet facilities for the number of staff now working in school. However, plans have been devised and when implemented will alleviate this shortcoming. There is a suitable range of resources of satisfactory quality in all subjects and these are used effectively in lessons. However, those for pupils who are at the early stages of learning English

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

are unsatisfactory. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 25

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

64. In order to improve the quality of pupils’ learning further, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.25

(1) Raise standards in English at both key stages by ensuring that:

• teachers’ expectations of how pupils present their work are raised; • greater use is made of educational drama to support pupils’ learning; • a scheme of work to guide teachers in their planning to support pupils’ speaking and listening development is devised and implemented; • reading areas in classrooms are attractive and effectively used to promote and further pupils’ interest in reading; • more opportunities are provided to extend pupils’ writing skills through other subjects and by writing fiction; • the plans to improve library provision are implemented. (paragraphs – 6, 18, 60, 63, 84, 85, 89, 119, 121, 122, 124)

p.25

that:

• greater use is made of computers in daily lessons; • daily lesson plans indicate the skills pupils are expected to learn; • computers are used to support learning in other subjects. (paragraphs – 8, 24, 98, 106, 115, 122, 125 – 128, 135, 145)

p.25

music at Key Stage 2 by ensuring that:

• the improvements highlighted in the school development plan are implemented; • in art and design, teachers’ lesson plans highlight clearly the knowledge and skills pupils are to learn in the course of a lesson; • the subjects have sufficient time to enable pupils to explore topics and themes in suitable depth; • more opportunities are provided for pupils to compose their own music. (paragraphs – 3, 8, 19, 107 – 111, 116, 118, 131, 132)

p.25

(4) Improve pupils’ personal development by ensuring that:

• pupils are given greater opportunities in daily lessons to develop their initiative; • the scope for pupils to determine the course of their own learning is increased. (paragraphs – 15, 23,119, 124)

p.25

Other minor issues which should be considered by the school:-

• Implement the school’s plan to develop more effective links with parents so that they can play a more active part in their children’s learning. ( paragraphs – 50, 55) • Continue to develop and evaluate the success of measures already implemented to improve attendance ( paragraphs 16, 44) Armitage Church of England Primary School - 26

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 30 135

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 118

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 1

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4 76

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 19

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 34

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 60

p.26

Attendance

School data 7.1 School data 3.0 Armitage Church of England Primary School - 27 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.26

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 28

p.27

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 6 12 18

p.28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.28

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

Boys 5 5 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 8 11 12

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 72 (47) 89 (59) 94 (53) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.28

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 5 5 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 11 9

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 78 (12) 89 (47) 78 (35) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.28

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

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

p.28

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 11 7 18

p.28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 6 8 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 7 7

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 67 (68) 83 (52) 94 (72) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.28

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 4 8 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 6 7

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 56 (56) 78 (68) 94 (56) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.28

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 29

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 4 Black – Caribbean heritage - -

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 10 Black – African heritage - -

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups - -

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7.8 Financial year 2000/01

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.9

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 468 780

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 382 860

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 233 Expenditure per pupil 2 037

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: Nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 8 243

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 94 163

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Armitage Church of England Primary School - 30 FTE means full-time equivalent. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 31

p.29

Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

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

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 71 29 0 0 0

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 43 0 0 0

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 53 23 14 10 0

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 66 34 0 0 0

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 24 0 0 0

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 76 24 0 0 0

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 62 38 0 0 0

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 66 34 0 0 0

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 66 34 0 0 0

p.31

Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 76 24 0 0 0 Armitage Church of England Primary School - 32

p.31

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. Children start Nursery in the September following their third birthday and as soon as a place becomes available. The school brings the children into full time education a few at a time to make sure that the children are settled before a new group starts. Children have at least one year in the Nursery before moving to the Reception class, which they either start in the September or January following their fourth birthday depending when their birthday falls during the year.

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. There is a range of attainment when children enter Nursery, but overall it is well below average in all areas of learning. The children make satisfactory progress in the Nursery and Reception class although by the time they enter Year 1 the majority do not attain the Early Learning Goals in their personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, their knowledge and understanding of the world and their physical and creative development.

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers’ long term planning makes sure that the Foundation Stage curriculum is covered and identifies clearly the content of lessons in the areas of learning. The children are very dependent on the adults in both the Nursery and the Reception class and need constant attention and reinforcement of the learning intention of all the activities. Although there is a purpose to most learning areas in the classrooms, the children are sometimes left too much to their own devices and have too much from which to choose. Therefore learning is not always purposeful and opportunities to develop personal and social skills and early language are sometimes missed. The activities are practical and give the children good opportunities to learn appropriately through play. Focussed group work is more closely planned with clear objectives of what it is the teachers want the children to learn, and learning is

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

good in these focussed small group activities. Adults work well together on the planning and they are clear about their roles in the Nursery and Reception class. Relationships are strong and the children feel secure and happy to approach grown ups for help. Assessment information is gathered systematically. Focused assessments are planned regularly in the day-to-day routines so that the adults know what the children can do very well. They do not always identify well enough, however, what the children cannot do so that teachers can identify what the children should learn next.

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

68. Teaching is satisfactory and the children make satisfactory progress in their personal, social and emotional development although by the end of the Reception year the children are not attaining the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning . When the children start Nursery they are very reticent about playing with the other children and find it difficult to forge positive relationships. They use gestures to show when they need help rather than speech and are able to show in this way when they are having difficulties with an activity or piece of equipment. The children find it difficult to share, wanting to play with their favourite toy by themselves. Their skills are developed well through the preparations for snack time when the importance of doing things for one another and sharing equipment is reinforced effectively through the children preparing the snack for others when they are on ‘snack making’ duty. The children choose

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

whether they want spread or jam on their crackers and wait patiently while it is prepared. The adult leading the activity uses the time effectively to discuss with the Armitage Church of England Primary School - 33 children the other spreads they enjoy on crackers and adds these to a shopping list for future occasions.

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

69. Good opportunities are provided for them to use equipment and toys in their play and the adults working with them frequently encourage them to share and take turns. However, these opportunities are not always specifically planned. Similarly, although the children are fairly good at tidying away toys at the end of every session by putting them tidily in the centre of tables, resources are not stored in a way, which enables pupils to select materials and resources and tidy up for themselves. The children in the Reception class are beginning to develop their independence by selecting the activities in which they want to take part and displaying pictures of these on their planning boards. These are revisited during the day to make sure that they are keeping to their planned learning programme.

p.33

Personal, social and emotional development

70. Due to the well-established routines and support given by adults, the children in the Nursery and the Reception class go into lunch confidently and follow the routines sensibly waiting until they are served with their dinner. They are happy to play on their designated playgrounds at playtimes.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

71. Teaching is satisfactory and suitable emphasis is given to the development of communication, language and literacy so that the children make satisfactory progress in this area of learning. By the end of the Foundation Stage, however, the children are not attaining the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

72. Teachers use favourite stories and rhymes effectively and these form the basis of most of the activities to develop the children’s early literacy skills. The children enjoy using the role-play areas, which have a daily focus and where the children are encouraged to act out the day’s story. When an adult joins them, asking questions and guiding their learning, the children make good progress in developing their language skills and join in the actions suggested. Teaching is most effective when adults work with small groups of children and the well thought out practice of reading stories to small groups of children allows the adults to interact with the children on an individual basis if required. The children enjoy the stories with which they are familiar best and join in with the refrains, waiting in anticipation for them to come around. They say the ‘little pigs’ part with suitable expression and really enjoy the wolf’s ‘huff and puff’ finishing with a great

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

crescendo. The teachers use puppets to keep the children’s attention focussed as well as adding interest to the activity.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

73. There is satisfactory development of the children’s early writing skills through the writing areas in both classrooms. They are given suitable opportunities to practice the writing of the letters of the alphabet. There is a suitable range of pens, pencils and paper on which the children ‘pretend’ write invitations, letters and cards. When the teaching focuses on precise learning objectives and guides the children in completing a specific task, learning is good. However, too often the children are left to their own devices and too little guidance is given to them to help them to develop correct pencil grip, control and letter formation.

p.33

Mathematical development

74. The teaching of the children’s mathematical development is satisfactory. They make satisfactory progress in gaining mathematical knowledge and understanding although the majority do not attain the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Reception year. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 34 Particular emphasis is placed on teaching the children to count and recognise numbers and by the end of the Foundation Stage, children recognise and write the numbers 1 - 5. The children enjoy joining in with ten little astronauts and, through well thought out questions, teaching ensures that children develop the ability to work out how many astronauts are left in the line by looking at the largest numeral left standing, rather than always having to count the number. Adults use good behaviour management strategies effectively by including those children who demonstrate more challenging behaviour in their practical work. The teaching assistants support the observing group well by

p.33

Mathematical development

posing questions and encouraging them to join in with the singing and counting parts of the activity. There is a range of displays, which encourage the children to count and recognise numbers as well as developing their early understanding of basic shapes and measures.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

75. Knowledge and understanding of the world is taught satisfactorily through carefully planned themes and activities so that the children are learning about the world in which they live through suitable first hand play based experiences. The majority of children make satisfactory progress but are not attaining the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning by the end of the Reception year due to their poor retention of information and their poor and often limited vocabulary. Teaching uses practical demonstrations well to demonstrate to children what happens when a particular course of action is followed. Some group activities are exciting and spark the children’s interest so that they wait in anticipation to see what happens when water, for example, is poured over the head of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ to see whether her coat is waterproof. This allows them to consider carefully the kinds of clothes they need to wear on wet days in order to keep

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

themselves dry. Although learning during the well-planned group focussed activities is good, at other times learning is not structured enough for learning to be maintained. The children have too many activities from which to choose and this means that many tend to flit from one activity to another without finishing the tasks.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

76. Lessons in the computer suite are good as adults can support the children in developing their early computer skills. The children are very dependent on the adults, however, and wait for them to show them what to do next throughout the activity. Pupils are taught how to use the mouse when using computer programs. Children enjoy listening to the computer talking back to them and this keeps their interest focussed while they are waiting for help. The computers in both classrooms, however, are old and it is difficult for the children to move the mouse accurately to select and move things around the screen. This means that the children are just moving the arrow around with no thought to what they are doing. Children have a very limited understanding for their age of the main events that are celebrated annually of the Christian faith. Children understand that special events such as ‘Christmas’ are celebrated but few have a suitable understanding of why this is the case. They also

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

know that birthdays are special occasions and that their grandparents are older than they. Their understanding of living things is weak and few of the children are able to explain why plants, for example, need water and air in order to thrive.

p.34

Physical development

77. Children enter school with well below average physical development skills. They make satisfactory progress although by the end of the Reception year most children do not achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning. When playing outside with the trikes and prams, the children have an awareness of space and are able to find their own space when asked. They can move confidently into spaces giving due Armitage Church of England Primary School - 35 consideration to their own and others safety by sounding an imaginary horn to indicate that they are coming through. There are too many planned activities for outdoor play from which the children choose. Some practise their ball skills, take part in imaginary play or play with the good range of wheeled toys. While there is a good range of activities on offer, there are too many learning objectives on which the adults are required to focus thus making it difficult to make close assessments on what the

p.34

Physical development

children are learning and progress is fragmented as a result. The well structured group activities allow the children to make good progress in developing their running, climbing, jumping and balancing skills but adult attention is required for the children to make better than average progress as they soon forget the purpose of the activity when the adult necessarily moves to supervise another area. Despite the wide range of opportunities planned for the children to write, cut and build, the children’s fine motor skills are poor. They handle the large wooden bricks well but have more difficulty manipulating Lego bricks and other construction equipment.

p.35

Creative development

78. Teaching is satisfactory and children make satisfactory progress in their creative development although most do not achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Reception year. The role-play areas and group story telling sessions develop the children’s imaginary language well and these are developed further through dance and drama activities in the hall. A wide range of suitable play activities allows the children to investigate objects and explore colour and textures while modelling and painting although because the organisation is very loose and the children tend to wander around from activity to activity. During dance activities in the hall, the teacher uses musical instruments and pictures of the children’s favourite story characters very effectively to stimulate the children’s imagination to move as ‘Jack the Giant’ and ‘Goldilocks’. They move with confidence, shaking, wriggling and stretching their bodies in time to the beat.

p.35

Creative development

As the children get older, they learn the names of a wide range of musical instruments through singing games and activities. This teaches them to play the instruments in different ways to create the sound they want and consequently they can make louder, quieter, faster and slower sounds when prompted.

p.35

ENGLISH

79. The results for the National Curriculum tests for 2001 show that attainment at the end of Year 2 is well below the average in reading and well above the average in writing when compared to all schools. Compared with similar schools reading is average and standards in writing were in the top five per cent of schools nationally. The most recent results in writing were at variance with those of the previous three years when they were well below the national average. The results at the end of Year 6 show that attainment at the end of Year 6 is below average when compared with all schools but well above average when compared with similar schools. Inspection findings indicate that at Key Stage 1, standards in reading are well below the average and in writing, are below the national average. At Key Stage 2, standards are below the national average.

p.35

ENGLISH

80. Pupils begin school with poor communication skills but between the Years 1 to 6, the vast majority make satisfactory progress overall in English. Progress is currently good in writing and reflects the increased time and attention that the school has paid to developing pupils’ writing skills. Progress is more varied in reading and across the school pupils have a weak knowledge of the works of different authors. Progress in speaking and listening is satisfactory considering pupils’ very low attainment when they Armitage Church of England Primary School - 36 first enter the school. Pupils with special educational needs and those for who English is an additional language make progress at a rate equal to their peers. Higher attaining pupils could do better and the school is now giving increased attention to planning work that best fits the needs of this group.

p.35

ENGLISH

81. Most pupils’ listening skills are satisfactory and sometimes good, but their speaking skills are below expectation by the end of Years 2 and 6. The lack of breadth in their spoken vocabulary also affects their written work where expression is poor. In class, pupils listen attentively to their teachers who have expectations that they should do so. They are less attentive when listening to each other and they are reluctant to ask questions that might help them in increasing their understanding. By the end of Year 2, teachers have brought about considerable improvements in the vocabularies used by their pupils although the local dialect is still a powerful influence on the spoken word. All teachers use effective question and answer strategies to assist their pupils in language development but they often have to work hard to gain detailed answers from pupils who rely on the short phrase responses. Speaking in dramatic or role-play contexts is

p.36

ENGLISH

helping many pupils and further planned opportunities for activities of this nature could be used. By the end of Year 6, pupils are able to communicate their ideas more effectively although they still lack confidence in expressing themselves at length both in speaking and writing. In their teaching and through the medium of the classroom displays teachers encourage the use of appropriate vocabularies in subjects and in written work. Higher attaining pupils respond well to this encouragement but many lower attaining pupils are still struggling with their communication skills.

p.36

ENGLISH

82. Pupils’ reading by the end of Year 2 is well below the national average, although higher attaining pupils are achieving well in their reading and the majority make good progress. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a respect for books and many take pleasure in recounting their favourite stories. They have an understanding of the conventions that identify books by type and they know, for example, that an index is most likely to be found in a non-fiction text. However, a significant number of pupils need support with their reading in order to use a variety of strategies to help them with unfamiliar words. Teachers work hard to encourage the reading habit outside of the classroom and their success is evident in the number of pupils in Year 2 who are able to talk with enthusiasm about the Harry Potter stories, Roald Dahl and some of the more traditional children’s favourites such as Snow White.

p.36

ENGLISH

83. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ reading skills remain below average overall, but higher attaining pupils continue to make good progress in their reading. Many pupils continue to require considerable support from teachers and support staff. Most pupils identify fiction and non-fiction texts but not all are sufficiently familiar with a good range of non-fiction. The lack of a dedicated library facility has produced barriers to pupils developing research and wider reading skills and the development of such a facility as proposed in the current action plan should do much to remedy the problem. Those pupils who have become enthusiastic readers read more widely outside the context of the classroom and are able to give a detailed account of their favourite texts including those by JK Rowling, Anne Fine and Roald Dahl. In conversation, few pupils could speak with any knowledge of poetry or plays and these two types of literature represent

p.36

ENGLISH

gaps in the knowledge of even the higher attaining pupils. As part of its efforts to raise the profile of reading and standards generally the school is taking part in the ‘Reading is Fundamental Scheme’ and will be participating in World Book day to be held at the Old Trafford Stadium.

p.36

ENGLISH

84. Pupils’ writing skills are below average at the end of both key stages. The school has recently prioritised writing as an area for improvement. Detailed intervention strategies Armitage Church of England Primary School - 37 have been developed and documented and it is apparent that results have improved as a result of this significant effort. Poor vocabulary skills and a lack of pride in presentation have frequently held back pupils’ progress in writing. By the end of Year 2, pupils are writing in short, logical sentences and are able to put a short story into its correct sequence. Teachers make effective use of texts and short stories to encourage and enthuse pupils in their writing. For example, pupils in Year 2 were observed developing their skills in written work following a shared reading of the ‘Little Lazy Owl’ story. With encouragement from the class teacher and the very well briefed support

p.36

ENGLISH

assistant pupils were working with enthusiasm and, in the case of the higher attaining pupils, with a degree of independence. At the end, they all shared their ideas for stories with pride in their achievements.

p.37

ENGLISH

85. In Years 3 to 6 the higher attaining pupils have been able to further develop their writing skills, partly as a result of the concentrated intervention and booster strategies employed by the school. These pupils use a wider and more sophisticated vocabulary and it is apparent that improvements in literacy are impacting across the curriculum for all groups of pupils as writing in other areas is also improving at this stage. Much of the improvement is in non-fiction writing and pupils currently do not have a wide enough experience of writing fiction or in being able to construct extensive pieces of writing that hold the interest and attention of the reader. This is especially noticeable amongst older pupils who are very lacking in confidence when asked to explain key features in for example, horror stories. In conversation, pupils are able to explain that writing may have different purposes such as informing or persuading, and may also be aimed at different

p.37

ENGLISH

audiences. When asked if they can construct a brief example of such genre pupils, including higher attainers, are reluctant to try. Paradoxically some of the pupils spoken to were overwhelmed by the skill of their favourite authors in constructing plots and characters. A number of pupils in Year 6 were incredulous that anyone could be as ‘clever’ as JK Rowling, their favourite author.

p.37

ENGLISH

86. Handwriting and spelling varies in quality throughout the school although the vast majority of pupils use punctuation correctly. Most pupils have some form of regular handwriting practise but do not always transfer the skills acquired in this to other areas of their work in English and other subjects. Where teaching is best the setting of appropriate and achievable targets assists pupils in the improvement of their handwriting skills.

p.37

ENGLISH

87. The quality of teaching is good overall, and during the course of the inspection some very good and excellent teaching was observed. Teachers have successfully grasped the essence of the National Literacy Strategy and have high expectations that their pupils should make good progress in this area of their development. In Years 3 – 6 staff changes and pupil transience have had an adverse effect on pupils’ progress. In addition, a number of pupils are reluctant learners. Some pupils have great difficulty in maintaining concentration over anything but a short period of time and often teachers have to work hard to get pupils to take an active part in lessons. Although teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well, there is a small but significant minority of pupils who are difficult and sometimes disrupt the teaching and learning taking place. In some of the lessons the shared sessions last too long for the pupils’ powers of concentration and

p.37

ENGLISH

where this happens, pupils are less well motivated to succeed in their group and individual tasks. In the majority of lessons, there is a good balance between speaking, listening and reading activities and this helps the pupils in the different areas of their learning. Where teaching captures the pupils’ attention, their response is much better. Pupils in Year 2 were observed responding to the challenge to compose a story by reconstructing and borrowing from the ‘Little Lazy Owl’ that they had just heard during their shared reading. In Year 5 pupils were anxious to improve the quality of their written Armitage Church of England Primary School - 38 work by using the support obtainable from dictionaries and word-finders and some clearly enjoyed exploring the dictionary for words previously unknown to them.

p.37

ENGLISH

88. In their marking of pupils’ work teachers do a great deal to encourage and motivate individuals into improving the quality of their work. Targets are set and helpful comments made to give pupils an idea of their own learning and rate of progress. In some books work carried out for supply teachers remains unmarked and there is clearly a danger that pupils will decline in their enthusiasm to improve if their efforts go unrewarded. There is a good concentration on improving pupils’ basic skills in vocabulary, grammar and punctuation and, with older pupils the writing of extended non-fiction pieces. A great deal of encouragement is given to pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Support staff are very helpful and well briefed as to their role in the classroom and the co-operation between all classroom staff has a significant impact on these pupils’ learning

p.38

ENGLISH

89. Leadership in the subject is very good and the co-ordinator has a very detailed overview of the subject. She has been closely involved in the implementation of the strategies to boost pupils’ attainment, such as the work of the learning mentors and has played a major part in the success coming from them. However, the school has yet to develop a scheme of work to help teachers plan the development of pupils’ speaking and listening skills in each of the year groups and across different subjects of the curriculum. Resources are satisfactory overall, with the most important shortfall being in the lack of a library. In addition, too few classes have well organised and stimulating book areas which would raise the status and profile of reading in the pupils’ minds. Pupils’ skills in reading, writing and individual research have suffered as a result of this deficiency in resources that is now being addressed by the current action plan for literacy.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

90. By the end of both key stages, standards in mathematics have improved significantly since the last inspection. Throughout the school, pupils make good progress. The 2001 national test results show that standards were well above average by the end of Key Stage 1 and also well above average by the end of Key Stage 2. When compared to similar schools, pupils’ performance was very high, being in the top 5% of schools at both key stages. The school is currently concentrating its efforts on mathematics, making good use of the National Numeracy Strategy as a way of building up pupils’ achievement in mathematics.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

91. Trends in the end of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests indicate improving standards between 1998 and 2000 and in the year 2001, the targets in mathematics were exceeded. There are a higher number of pupils with special educational needs in the present Year 6 and the school has set targets for the year 2002 that are lower than previous years. This would result in standards being close to the national average in the subject. Inspection evidence confirms that by the end of both key stages, pupils attain standards that are in line with national averages and are not as high as in the National Curriculum tests owing to the higher number of pupils with special educational needs in the current cohorts. There are no marked differences in the performance of girls and boys. Pupils with special educational needs, higher attainers and those with English as an additional language achieve in line with their classmates.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

92. By the end of Key Stage 1, nearly all pupils have a secure grasp of addition and subtraction. Year 1 pupils know the difference between odd and even numbers up to 20 Armitage Church of England Primary School - 39 although some are only confident with the even numbers. They fill in number squares to 100, can order the days of the week and recognise coins. They participate in ‘shopping’ activities although some need support when working out change from 20p coins. Most show a good understanding of mathematical vocabulary such as ‘cost’ and ‘change.’ In Year 2, most pupils work confidently with numbers up to 100 and more, although a few lower attaining pupils work accurately only with numbers up to 20. Nearly all pupils can count in 10’s to 200 although some pupils have difficulty explaining their thinking. Pupils develop satisfactory use and understanding of common mathematical symbols such as ‘+’ and ‘-‘ and ‘=’ in written work. They are developing appropriate mental calculation

p.38

MATHEMATICS

skills and they have a satisfactory recall of basic number facts. For example, they know odd numbers cannot be halved evenly and the more able pupils are showing familiarity with 3 digit numbers up to 999. The pupils are aware of number patterns and know number bonds up to 20 and can use this knowledge in mental calculations. They can solve “one step” problems and use their knowledge of number in everyday tasks such as shopping. They recognise coin values and combine them to add up totals to £1. Some pupils can use decimals to record larger amounts and know, for example, that £3.50 is the same as 350 pence. Pupils have started to carry out simple division such as 12 divided by 2, and some pupils understand that this is the same as 1/2 of 12.

p.39

MATHEMATICS

93. By the age of seven, pupils can accurately identify shapes such as triangles, hexagons, circles and squares from descriptions such as ‘it has 3 sides and 3 corners’ or ‘it has 6 sides and 6 corners’. Pupils measure objects in centimetres and other aspects of measurements, such as weighing and capacity, are evident in their work. Data handling skills are at an average level but investigative skills are not as well developed although overall the work shows good coverage of all the National Curriculum attainment targets.

p.39

MATHEMATICS

94. Key Stage 2 pupils have a secure understanding of arithmetic and most work confidently with numbers up to 1000 or more. They use standard written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and most have satisfactory recall of basic number facts, such as multiplication tables. Pupils in the Year 3/4 class enjoy mental arithmetic activities and using their knowledge when participating in games such as ‘Fuzz Buzz.’ All pupils know the difference between two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and language such as spheres, perimeters, faces and lines of symmetry although some experience problems with the concept of reflective symmetry. In the Year 4/5 class pupils can partition 3 digit numbers to develop and refine written methods for column subtraction. They can interpret data in graphs, tables and charts and use vocabulary related to time such as digital and analogue clocks.

p.39

MATHEMATICS

95. By the age of eleven, most pupils can work out calculations in their heads quickly, they understand fractions, are developing their measuring skills and use and interpret a range of diagrams and charts. In their written work, it is evident that they have a satisfactory grasp of reflecting shapes, graphs, units of mass, angles, percentages and brackets. Pupils recognise and draw acute and obtuse angles and measure them accurately in degrees. In their work pupils show an appropriate understanding of the rounding up process by using decimals to 2 places and show good skills of estimation. They make good use of calculators in the Year 5/6 class to find answers to division problems with 3 decimal places. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils have many opportunities to solve problems and make investigations but these skills are not as well developed as those of calculation, measures and handling data.

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MATHEMATICS

96. The quality of teaching and learning is good and this has a positive impact upon pupils' learning. A good understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy enables teachers to use a good range of strategies to motivate pupils. Lessons are well organised and focused and are carefully planned and evaluated. In all classes different group activities Armitage Church of England Primary School - 40 are planned for groups of differing abilities and this and the high level of adult support that pupils receive are major factors in the good learning that takes place in lessons. For example, in a very good lesson observed in the Year 2 class, a lower attaining group were helped by the classroom assistant, as they used real coins in a shopping activity, whilst the class teacher extended the knowledge of a group of higher attaining pupils, working out written shopping problems to £20. In the Year 3/4 class the teaching

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MATHEMATICS

was good because the teacher made very good use of resources and rotated briskly around the groups as pupils investigated the properties of a range of 2D and 3D shapes. Throughout the school strengths of teaching are the good management of pupils and the good level of planning. The three-part lesson structure of the numeracy lesson is soundly established and teachers use clear and precise questions at the end of sessions to assess what pupils have understood.

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MATHEMATICS

97. Pupils enjoy mathematical activities and show interest and enjoyment in the activities that are planned for them. Behaviour is usually good although some older pupils are inattentive in whole-class sessions. The teachers use a good range of mathematical vocabulary and encourage pupils to explain their work using correct terminology although some pupils have poor retention skills and need constant reinforcement. The oral and mental sessions are usually delivered with enthusiasm. Teachers have a good understanding of mathematics and use a range of strategies to motivate pupils. They are often enthusiastic in the way they present activities, and make good use of resources to enhance pupils' learning. A particular strength of school policy is the way teachers share the learning objectives with their pupils and this has a positive effect upon pupils’ own knowledge of their learning. All work is systematically marked and

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MATHEMATICS

throughout the school assessment procedures are well used to gauge individual progress and to guide future planning. Homework, including learning multiplication tables, is completed by most pupils and supports the work carried out in school.

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MATHEMATICS

98. The mathematics curriculum is broad and balanced, resources are adequate and the subject is well managed. The school has received support from a local education authority numeracy consultant and this added to the high profile that the subject has within the total curriculum has successfully raised levels of teachers’ confidence and pupils’ standards. Good use is made of numeracy skills in other subjects with particularly good links made in science. Information technology skills are sometimes used in lessons but are not always fully utilised. At present, the headteacher is co- ordinating the subject and policy is effective in both implementing the National Numeracy Strategy throughout the school and monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. Both the quality of teaching and the progress that pupils make have improved since the last inspection. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 41

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SCIENCE

99. The results of the 2001 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2 were well above the national average and well above average when compared with similar schools. At the end of Key Stage 1, the teacher assessments show attainment to be below average. The 2001 results at the end of Key Stage 2 were unusual and are unlikely to be maintained by the current Year 6 group, which contains a high number of pupils with special educational needs. The inspection findings are that standards for the pupils in the current Year 6 group are average, and for the Year 2 pupils are below national expectations.

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SCIENCE

100. Since the last inspection, standards have improved and the school has fully addressed the weaknesses identified at that time. There have been good improvements made to the curriculum, which have had a positive impact on the standards achieved. The school identified a weakness in the pupils’ ability to interpret graphs and tables and to use these to draw conclusions about scientific investigations. The school rightly focussed on developing the pupils’ skills in this area and has enabled them to approach the tests more positively and confidently. Improvements have been made in the way in which teaching assistants and learning mentors are deployed to support pupils, especially those with special educational needs, and this has a positive impact on the quality of all pupils’ learning.

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SCIENCE

101. Much greater focus has been placed on developing pupils’ skills of scientific enquiry also and this has led to pupils achieving higher standards in the investigation elements of the science curriculum. In Key Stage 1, particular emphasis has been put on developing pupils’ scientific vocabulary. Every lesson plan details clearly the vocabulary that the teachers want the pupils to use in their accounts and explanations. This is reinforced well throughout the lessons and specific questions are posed which constantly encourage the pupils to do this. Consequently, in one lesson seen Year 2 pupils used the correct scientific vocabulary to describe and explain how they made the various nursery toys move in terms of the forces pushing and pulling. By the end of Year 6, pupils plan and carry out their own investigations to test out their scientific hypotheses. Younger pupils are able to make sensible predictions based on their

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SCIENCE

previous knowledge and understanding due to the number of practical science activities in which they have taken part. Nearly all pupils in Years 3 and 4 know that scientific ideas are based on evidence, which has to be interpreted to draw conclusions. Nearly all pupils can provide an explanation for their observations.

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SCIENCE

102. At Key Stage 1, pupils have a satisfactory understanding of the conditions needed in order for living things to grow. They realise, for example, that light and water are important factors in enabling plants and flowers to grow. Pupils’ understanding of forces is weak as is their understanding of electricity other than mains electricity is dangerous. Pupils are able to group different materials according to different criteria such as those that may be magnetic and those that are not. Most pupils at Key Stage 1 have difficulties in expressing and recording their work owing to the low level of their literacy skills.

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SCIENCE

103. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils understand and explain the basic functions of the skeleton and the human body and realise the importance of a healthy life style in keeping healthy. Pupils have a basic understanding of the different parts of flowers and plants and the function they perform. At Key Stage 2, pupils know that some materials can change their state and are able to give examples of what changes are irreversible and which are not. Pupils have a sound understanding of different physical forces such as forces and can explain and demonstrate when some forces are evident such as Armitage Church of England Primary School - 42 gravity or friction. They know how light can come from different sources and how these create shadows. At present, pupils’ understanding of the Earth in Space is the weaker aspect of their attainment.

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SCIENCE

104. The quality of teaching is good at both key stages. Teachers’ planning is detailed and clearly identifies what pupils are to learn. Lessons are well organised and structured so that the pupils’ skills of investigation support their understanding of scientific facts and processes. The brisk pace in lessons and good use of a range of behaviour management strategies ensures that pupils learn at a fast rate. Teachers maintain a good balance between discussion, demonstration and practical activity which means that lessons are interesting. Teachers present activities in an exciting way, which motivates the pupils to want to learn and find out things for themselves. In one lesson, the pupils were amazed when the tuning fork splashed water over the side of its container thus reinforcing their understanding that it was vibrating to produce the sound. They were even keener to begin their own investigations about sound. Pupils

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SCIENCE

are clear about what they will learn because the teachers share the lessons objectives with them at the start of lessons. Pupils add the lesson objectives to the titles of the written accounts they make of their work, which is a good way of providing further reinforcement of what they have learned. Astute questioning by teachers probes the pupils understanding and allows them to assess what they need to do next to develop this learning further. Although pupils’ work is marked, this does not always give pupils suitable feedback on how well they are doing and what they need to do next to improve. Often marking is not linked well enough to the learning objective. This is an area for further development.

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SCIENCE

105. Teachers use and develop pupils’ numeracy skills related to measuring and data handling particularly well in their science work. In Years 3 and 4, pupils have been measuring hands and feet representing the information on graphs using the computer for support. They have asked questions and investigated whether the pupils in Year 4 will have bigger hands and feet that the pupils in Year 3 because they are older and written careful accounts of what they have found out. During an investigation to find out which material makes the best insulator, pupils’ measuring skills were extended further through measuring changes in temperature as the water cools.

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SCIENCE

106. The co-ordination of the subject is good. Recent improvements are as a result of clear leadership and analysis of pupils’ achievements. There is a detailed action plan, which outlines exactly what needs to be done to improve learning further. The action is based on careful analysis of pupils’ achievements identifying what they can and cannot do. The assessments carried out at the end of each unit of work support this process well and help to identify next steps in learning and any curriculum changes. Information and communication technology supports learning well through the presentation of results although there are no sensors to measure light, sound and temperature.

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ART AND DESIGN

107. Standards in art and design have declined since the last inspection. By the end of both key stages, pupils’ overall attainment is below national expectations. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and at the early stages of learning English do not make the progress of which they are capable. The school has raised the amount of time for the teaching of subjects such as English and mathematics and this has reduced the time available for the teaching of art and design. This has resulted in pupils not having sufficient time to explore art topics and themes in adequate depth and this has led to a deterioration in the progress that pupils make. The subject does not have Armitage Church of England Primary School - 43 sufficient status in the school and at present ways in which the subject can make a valuable contribution to pupils’ personal, spiritual and cultural development have not

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ART AND DESIGN

108. At both key stages, pupils make unsatisfactory progress in the development of their drawing skills. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ drawings are often immature and few of them have a suitable understanding of how drawings can be created by using a range of different drawing media. At Key Stage 2, pupils have a limited understanding of ‘line’ tone’ and shade and pupils are provided with too few opportunities to develop their drawing skills by exploring concepts such as perspective. Year 6 pupils have undertaken observational drawings of everyday objects but their work often lacks detail and depth. Teachers do not make effective use of sketchbooks as a means of developing pupils’ drawing skills and this hinders their progress.

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ART AND DESIGN

109. Pupils do not make sufficient progress in the development of their painting skills or how paint can be used to create images. At Key Stage 1, pupils have developed an adequate understanding of how paint can be mixed to create different shades but their colour mixing skills are under-developed. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ understanding of secondary colours is weak and pupils are provided with too few opportunities to extend their painting skills by exploring in depth the skills and techniques of famous artists and craftspeople and this limits their progress. While Year 6 pupils have recently explored the work of Picasso, by producing some interesting line drawings based on how he portrayed women, too few pupils are able to explain how famous artists used paint to evoke a certain effect, mood or emotion. At present, there is no specific planned programme that enables pupils to develop their understanding of the works of famous

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ART AND DESIGN

artists and this results in pupils’ understanding in this area of their work being underdeveloped. As a result, the pupils do not develop a secure awareness of how art from other cultures impacts on their own. In addition, in both key stages, pupils are given insufficient scope to develop their skills using materials to create three- dimensional works of art. Although during the inspection Year 1 pupils were given opportunities to develop their understanding of the weaving process, across the school pupils do not make sufficient progress in their understanding of textiles or printing techniques.

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ART AND DESIGN

110. In both key stages, the increased provision of information and communication technology across the school has improved pupils’ understanding of how computers can be used to develop art and how modern technology and accompanying software can be used in this respect.

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ART AND DESIGN

111. The quality of teaching and learning at both key stages is currently unsatisfactory and results in standards below that expected for seven and 11-year-olds. The school has adopted the national guidance provided for all schools in planning pupils’ artwork across the school. However, teachers’ lesson plans do not highlight sufficiently the precise knowledge and skills pupils are expected to learn during the course of a lesson and teachers do not have sufficiently high enough expectations of what pupils are capable of reaching in the subject. At present, teaching does not make sufficient use of sketchbooks to enable pupils to develop their understanding of the importance of preparatory work as a means to producing artwork over a sustained period of time. The co-ordinator is aware of the need to ensure that teachers make greater use of assessment information to plan the subsequent steps in pupils’ learning. There has

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ART AND DESIGN

been little staff development in the subject since the previous inspection as art and design has not been seen as a priority. At present, there are few trips organised for pupils to places such as galleries to enhance their understanding of the impact art can play in their daily lives. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 44

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. Pupils’ attainment when they reach the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 is in line with the expectations for their year group and all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, are making satisfactory progress. There is no significant difference in the progress being achieved by boys and girls. The school has recently adopted the guidelines for the subject issued by the Qualifications and Curriculum authority and is in the process of evaluating the success of this change. The school has maintained the standards noted at the time of the last inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have been introduced by teachers to exploring how different materials and methods can be used to make simple models. By the end of Year 2, they have gained sufficient knowledge and have satisfactory opportunities to discuss the use of card in making semi-rigid figures. They have used textiles both to make and to adorn objects and they have engaged in simple food technology activities. Although the range of materials used is limited pupils have explored the idea of designing before making and they have confidence in evaluating their finished products. Links are also made with work in art and design and science and the assessment information held by the co-ordinator shows pupils achieving standards in line with expectation for their year group.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 experience a wider range of materials and address a greater variety of design requirements. By the time they reach the end of Year 6, they are able to identify degrees of resistance in materials and they know that apparently strong materials such as metal can, in certain circumstances, be fragile. During the course of the inspection pupils were observed investigating musical instruments with particular reference to sounds made by them. As part of the investigation pupils were designing a ‘handbook’ to illustrate instruments according to the sounds made and the design of the book formed a learning activity in its own right. The lesson provided effective opportunities for the pupils to develop skills in speaking and listening and recording. Many pupils lack recording skills or the motivation to use them appropriately and this often hampers the overall quality of their work. Examination of their design and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

technology books suggests that pupils are often less willing to engage in the hands-on aspect of the subject and that they do not always devote enough time or thought to the actual design process. In discussion, pupils in Year 6 had difficulty in recalling their experiences in design and technology, often confusing what they had done with art and design and science. With prompting their recall was better and it was apparent that they had some awareness that design and technology in the modern world can raise social and moral issues. In discussion some were able to see the link between consumer demand for designer goods and the exploitation of workers in other countries.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. The quality of the teaching in design and technology is satisfactory overall. Teachers are now gaining familiarity with the new units of study and are responsible for making end of unit assessments of the work done by the pupils. The subject co-ordinator is engaged in the collection of the data but is presently unable to exercise a proactive role in the monitoring of the progress of teaching and learning in the classroom. Resources are currently satisfactory and pupils have access to an appropriate range of tools and materials. The use made of information and communications technology, in the design process for example, is underdeveloped but the opening of the new computer suite has provided new opportunities in this field. Lack of library facilities also inhibits pupils in Armitage Church of England Primary School - 45 their design research and contributes to the poor quality of some of the recording in

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GEOGRAPHY

116. There has been unsatisfactory improvement since the previous inspection and standards at the end of Year 6 are below national expectations. Geography has not been a priority for the school and has not received the attention necessary to maintain expected standards. The new co-ordinator has had insufficient time to implement the many improvements outlined in the action plan that identifies clearly what the school needs to do to make the necessary improvements. While progress in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory, pupils do not make sufficient gains in their learning and development of geographical skills as they move through each of the classes at Key Stage 2.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Pupils are learning about places through a suitable scheme of work and are achieving expected standards. Year 1 pupils have ventured into the local area to note the different kinds of buildings and have recorded these as pictures on a classroom display. Their interest in the study of the local area is maintained through the use of computers to make a pictogram of the number of lorries and cars passing by the school on a simple traffic survey. Pupils are reliant on the teacher helping them on their next stage of their work however and this slows down the pace of the lesson. Links to literacy in Year 2 have enabled pupils to learn about physical features of the environment through noting the features on the imaginary Isle of Struay. Some comparisons have been made between the transport systems on the island and on the mainland but these are limited. Although the

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GEOGRAPHY

development of geographical skills is satisfactory, the development of geographical knowledge and understanding is weak.

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GEOGRAPHY

118. Teaching is unsatisfactory for older pupils due to the unsatisfactory focus given to the subject in recent years. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have learned about grid references on a map and pupils in Years 4 and 5 have been taught about and have a satisfactory understanding of the physical features of the British Isles. While pupils’ geographical skills are secure, the development of their knowledge and understanding of geographical processes and environmental issues is weak, and teaching does not pay these aspects sufficient emphasis. Written accounts are mostly copied or pupils complete identical worksheets. Although irrigation and river systems have been studied, the impact of drought and flooding has not been considered. There is no evidence that pupils have considered the effects of weather and other elements on the environment or looked at the pattern of population on a particular place for example.

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GEOGRAPHY

By the end of Year 6, pupils have poor knowledge and understanding of places and features. Pupils cannot recall the names of any capital cities and have difficulty naming the continents.

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GEOGRAPHY

119. Improvements to the number and quality of geography resources have meant that pupils can use maps and globes to locate the countries they are studying. However, the lack of a library and weak links to the use of information and communication technology means that the opportunities for independent research are poor. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 46

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HISTORY

120. Attainment in history meets national expectations by the end of both key stages. These standards match those noted in the last inspection report. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress in Key Stages 1 and 2.

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HISTORY

121. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have developed a satisfactory knowledge and appropriate sense of the past. They can place key events on a time- line and accurately sequence pictures according to the era of time they represent. Pupils in Year 1 are developing their understanding of how concepts about how things change over time and can compare old and new toys. Year 2 pupils learn about famous historical figures such as Florence Nightingale and Queen Victoria and begin to understand what homes and lives were like at different times in the past. A group of Year 2 pupils can describe in great detail why we wear poppies on Remembrance Day. The pupils use numeracy skills well in a lesson when sequencing pictures from a story about the Crimean War but literacy skills are not as well used and little of the work is recorded.

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HISTORY

122. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have a satisfactory knowledge about the way different people lived in the past. Year 5 and 6 pupils study Ancient Greece and competently compare ‘then and now’ and distinguish between fact and point of view. They have a sound appreciation of various historical changes and discuss the differences between schools now and those in Ancient Greece. Year 4 and 5 pupils compare artefacts such as mosaics from the present and the past and give reasons for changes. They can describe how a Roman soldier dressed and give reasons for the Roman invasion of Britain. In the Year 3/4 class, pupils’ understanding is extended when pursuing historical inquiries through the 1930’s and onwards. The effects of bombing are studied and pupils understand the reasons for war shelters, rationing and evacuation. They plan menus for a day in World War 2 and compare it with their food now. Skills

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HISTORY

acquired in numeracy such as comparing metric and imperial measurements of weight support this activity and contribute to pupils’ learning. The use of worksheets extends understanding but sometimes limits the written response and does not enhance pupils’ literacy skills. Pupils sometimes use the Internet to find additional information about life in the past but their use of information technology to support their learning is limited.

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HISTORY

123. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. The good teaching seen during the inspection ensures that pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and this has a positive effect on their learning. Pupils are interested and keen to learn. In the Year 5/6 lesson some pupils contribute well to discussions and can develop an argument from a particular point of view, drawing on a range of evidence. However the teacher and learning mentor do not interact well and some pupils are inattentive and restless in the cramped carpeted area. Overall, behaviour is satisfactory and the majority of pupils work well together and maintain acceptable levels of concentration.

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HISTORY

124. Pupils’ work is well-marked and annotated to support and guide further learning and the planned activities make a good contribution to pupils’ cultural awareness. Management of the subject is satisfactory with the co-ordinator being new to the role. The revision of the policy is in line with national guidance. The good assessment and recording systems provide teachers with more information about prior attainment and assist in individual lesson planning. The availability and quality of resources are satisfactory although more artefacts could make a useful contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. More use of literacy skills and access to a wider range of research materials would allow more opportunities for independent research and inquiry thereby developing pupils’ research skills. Armitage Church of England Primary School - 47

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. Pupils’ attainment at the end of both key stages is below national expectations. The school has made good progress in improving the quality of resources since the last inspection. This has included the provision of an information and communication technology suite and raising staff knowledge and confidence in how computers and other equipment can be used to support pupils’ learning. All pupils have regular access to the suite and evidence indicates that this is starting to have a positive impact on pupils’ progress. However, the full impact of such work has yet to be seen in terms of standards reached by pupils by the end of each key stage. A very effective information and communication technology development plan that highlights clearly what else needs to be achieved in order to raise standards further has been developed. Given the high levels of enthusiasm many staff demonstrate for using information and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

communication technology to support pupils’ learning, there is every indication that the school will continue to build on recent developments and improve the rate of pupils’ learning further.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a secure knowledge of how to load programmes and their understanding of how to use the mouse and the keyboard is satisfactory. Pupils are able to use simple art packages to create simple pictures and many can print out the results of the work without the assistance of the teacher. With support pupils are able to type into a word-processor a simple piece of text but too few know what a ‘font’ means or how to change the size and appearance of their written work using different fonts to give their work a more pleasing appearance. Pupils have a limited knowledge of the sort of instructions that are necessary in order to plan the movements of a programmable toy. Overall, however, progress by all pupils, including those with special educational needs and at the early stages of learning English, is currently satisfactory and rapidly improving. This has been significantly boosted following the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

decision to ensure that pupils have regular access to the school’s computer suite.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127. At Key Stage 2, pupils of all abilities are currently making satisfactory progress although attainment is currently below that expected for 11-year-olds. As in Key Stage 1, pupils are given regular access to the improved facilities in the subject and this is starting to have a beneficial impact on progress. Pupils are making improved used of computers to support their literacy work but in general too few pupils have the skills necessary to make their own independent decisions about when and how to use a computer to support their learning. Few pupils understand what is meant by ‘desktop publishing’ and only the more confident pupils are able to use, place and manipulate a piece of clip-art in order to change the appearance of their work. While pupils use the Internet, few have a secure understanding of how computers and other information and communication technology related equipment play an ever-increasing part in their day-to-day lives.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Pupils have only just been given opportunities to use spreadsheets as part of their understanding of how computers can manipulate and re-present numerical data and their understanding of how such software can aid the development of their numeracy skills is at present unsatisfactory. Pupils’ understanding of how to use to control, modelling and sensor equipment is currently unsatisfactory.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128. The quality of teaching overall is satisfactory, although it should be reinforced with more effective use of computers during daily lessons. Staff knowledge has been greatly improved since the last inspection and when in the suite the teaching of skills and techniques is effective. This ensures that pupils understand what they have to do when Armitage Church of England Primary School - 48 undertaking their work. Pupils work effectively at the computers and have a high level of interest in what computers can do and are effectively taught to use the school’s resources with respect. Some good links are made with other subjects to reinforce pupils’ learning. In one Year 2 lesson, for example, pupils in the suite used software to consolidate their understanding of the value of money and to solve simple problems involving the imaginary purchasing of goods up to the value of 20p. Pupils worked well and the good use of the additional adult ensured that many of the pupils received

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

additional one-to-one support during the lesson. In general, however, the school is at an early stage of ensuring that information and communication technology is used reliably and consistently to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. In addition, there are missed opportunities in daily lessons to ensure that even the more dated equipment that is in place is used to support pupils’ learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

129. There is effective leadership and management of the subject. Although the co-ordinator has only just been appointed to lead the subject, the clear guidance and vision for the subject’s development, which has largely come from the headteacher, provides her with a solid foundation upon which to build. The school has made good use of additional grants for the specific purpose of boosting staff confidence and improving the range of equipment. Resources are good overall although some of the machines at Key Stage 1 are looking dated. However, the development plan for the subject has identified the need to replace these with more up-to-date equipment. The school is aware of the need to ensure that the monitoring and tracking of pupils’ progress is consistent so that teachers can plan to build on what pupils know and understand as they move from year-to-year.

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MUSIC

130. There has been satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection in developing learning in music. Assessment procedures are in place and careful note about pupils’ achievements are made at the end of each unit of work. These assessments identify what pupils are able to do and give teachers useful information about what to plan next. Brass and woodwind lessons are continuing and those pupils who take part enjoy them immensely. Suitable opportunities are made for these pupils to perform in assemblies and on other occasions through the school year.

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MUSIC

131. No judgement was made in the previous report about standards. Standards currently are judged to meet expectations by the end of Year 2 but are lower than those expected by the end of Year 6. This is because the school has focussed closely on raising attainment in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and although pupils have received some worthwhile musical experiences, their skills, knowledge and understanding have not been systematically taught until recently. Progress overall is unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2. Some of the weaknesses are being addressed since the implementation of the new scheme of work, and standards are beginning to improve, especially in Years 1, 2, 3 and 4.

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MUSIC

132. Pupils listen carefully to music and can identify the melody, rhythm and pulse in response to teachers’ focussed questions. Vocabulary is limited, however, and most pupils can describe the music in terms of loud and quiet in the main. Some pupils are developing their sense of pulse and rhythm through Line dancing activities. These enjoyable activities create a sense of fun and at the same time require pupils to listen carefully to the phrases in the music before adding precise dance steps to fit the rhythms and structure of the music. The pupils are developing good listening skills as a Armitage Church of England Primary School - 49 result. Talking to Year 6 pupils, however, indicates their lack of musical experiences and poor knowledge of composers both old and modern. They cannot recall performing regularly or seeing musicians performing in school other than those pupils learning to play a brass or woodwind instrument. Opportunities for pupils to compose are also

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MUSIC

insufficient to extend pupils’ musical vocabulary and understanding of how composers create particular moods in music.

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MUSIC

133. Observations of singing practices and the two lessons seen indicate that the quality of teaching seen during the inspection was satisfactory but over time it is unsatisfactory. Teachers manage behaviour well and this enables pupils to learn and achieve to a suitable level. The imaginative use of modern music effectively motivates and interests pupils in music lessons. As a consequence pupils listen carefully and join in with the planned activities. In one Year 2 lesson, the recent 'Children in Need' song was used effectively to teach the difference between pulse and rhythm. All pupils were able to clap the pulse and after some practice successfully clapped a rhythmic phrase using the words from the song to help them. Year 6 pupils listened thoughtfully to ‘Handbags and Gladrags’ to identify the real meaning of the words in preparation for their own compositions later this term.

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MUSIC

134. Performance skills are practised appropriately in assemblies and singing practices. Pupils know a suitable number and range of songs and sing these satisfactorily during whole school practices. Pupils sing in tune and all the words can be heard clearly. While singing by the whole school lacks enthusiasm due to the selection of hymns that are pitched more at the younger pupils’ interest level, singing by pupils in Years 1 and 2 is good. The younger pupils sing with expression and add actions at suitable moments when singing ‘Who built the Ark’, keeping the melody in tune at the same time. Those pupils chosen to add a simple percussion accompaniment do so sensibly although more involvement by pupils in this activity is possible because behaviour is well managed by the adults leading the singing session.

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MUSIC

135. The co-ordinator gives clear guidance on the music curriculum and has identified the weaknesses in musical composition. As yet there has been no opportunity to monitor teaching and learning in the lessons and so the co-ordinator has been unable to influence practice. Although older pupils use the Internet occasionally to research facts about music, the planned use of information and communication technology to support learning in music is unsatisfactory. There are also too few opportunities to contribute to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. At the end of both key stages standards in physical education are in line with national expectations. All pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through the school and standards are similar to those identified at the last inspection. It was only possible to observe dance lessons during the course of the inspection but other evidence was gained through discussion with pupils and staff and scrutiny of planning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. By the time they are seven, pupils can perform appropriately in dance. They can make sensible curling and stretching shapes, which they share and develop by working alone or in pairs. They have a satisfactory understanding of dance composition and in a Year 2 lesson pupils respond well to the stimulus of the story of ‘Where The Wild Things Are’. They move creatively and make good use of gesture. They show good control and co-ordination and make good use of levels and space when moving as ‘trees’ and Armitage Church of England Primary School - 50 making pathways through the forest. They are able to vary their ideas and actions and some pupils are able to interact when whirling as the ‘ocean.’

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. In Key Stage 2, pupils learn to refine their body management skills and can evaluate both their own performance and that of others. In a Year 4/5 lesson, the pupils respond well when they move in response to a caterpillar story. They enrich their movements by varying direction, level, shape and size when moving as pupae or caterpillars. In the Year 5/6 class the pupils are more inhibited and some movements are stilted and lack creativity. Although the pupils display good techniques of ‘fancy footwork’ they do not co-operate well with each other in paired and group activities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. Standards in dance have improved since the last inspection and this is a strong element of physical education provision. Arrangements for swimming are appropriate and discussions with pupils confirm that nearly all pupils exceed the minimum expectations of the National Curriculum to swim unaided for 25 metres by the age of eleven. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their participation in adventurous activities on a residential visit and in athletics when practising for sports day. Planning for gymnastics shows good adherence to the National Curriculum and overall the school provides a well-balanced programme for physical education at both key stages. All lessons are planned with good attention to health and safety and even the youngest pupils are fully aware of the effect and benefits of strenuous exercise upon the body. They are able to monitor this during lessons and link it to work they have studied in science.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. Mostly pupils’ attitudes to physical education are good, although a few occasionally do not participate with the enthusiasm of the majority. Overall, behaviour is satisfactory and in the Year 2 lesson it is very good. The school has a good inclusive policy and provides pupils with spare kit when necessary. A number of pupils benefit from extra- curricular sporting activities and participating in team sports.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. Teaching overall is satisfactory, with some good teaching of dance observed during the inspection. A good lesson in Year 2 was mainly due to the high level of the teacher’s expectations and enthusiasm. Classroom assistants usually make a good contribution to lessons as observed in Year 2 and in Year 4/5. In the Year 4/5 lesson the teacher’s high expectations and good challenge enabled pupils to make good progress in dance as a follow up to a science lesson. The QCA scheme of work is supplemented by additional local education authority guidelines and the subject is well managed by an enthusiastic co-ordinator. Although lessons have not been monitored due to lack of free time, planning is monitored and support provided when necessary. The use of demonstration and evaluation of good practice is a strong feature of lessons. Effective assessment procedures are in place and follow national recommendations Teaching

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

resources and accommodation are satisfactory in terms of both quality and quantity.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. At the end of Years 2 and 6 pupils’ attainment is at the level expected in the locally agreed syllabus of religious education. This maintains the position found at the time of the previous inspection. There is no measurable difference in the attainment of boys and girls and all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, are making satisfactory progress.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are able to relate their experience of religious education to their own experiences. They talk about special people, including parents, siblings, teachers and others whose lives touch their own. Through their stories, including those based on Armitage Church of England Primary School - 51 events in the bible, pupils know that Christianity and other faiths place a value on friendship and kindness. The stories of Christmas and Easter hold a place in their imaginations and they enjoy their visit to the church before Christmas. Pupils in Year 2 can, in conversation, talk about the link between their class rules and those set out as part of religious belief, particularly the ideas of helping each other and being kind to others.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. By the end of Year 6 pupils have increased their knowledge of Christianity and other major religions and philosophies such as Islam and Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism. They know that buildings hold a special significance in worship and are able to correctly link the synagogue, the mosque and the temple with Judaism, Islam and Hinduism. They can describe many of the main features of the church and they are aware of the function of the font in Christian baptism. Through their study of religious festivals such as Diwali pupils know that light occupies a significant place in belief and they have a sound general knowledge of major festivals and ceremonies. In a mixed age Year 3 and Year 4 class pupils were observed discussing elements of Buddhist philosophy and handling artefacts from the collection held by the school. Mostly pupils discuss other faiths with respect, although occasionally some pupils do not observe this. However,

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

when this occurs teachers handle this with care and sensitivity.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. The amount of written recording produced by pupils is variable in quantity and quality. As the National Literacy Strategy has an impact across the curriculum there are signs that the overall quality of the written work is improving. So far insufficient use has been made of information and communication technology to further enhance pupils’ learning in the subject. This, allied with the lack of a library has narrowed the opportunities available for pupils to engage in individual research. In conversation pupils in all year groups were able to answer questions concerning their studies and those in Year 6 had a good sense of some of the social and moral dilemmas generated by their study of religion. They know that religion has had a major impact on the world around them.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146. Inspection evidence suggests that the teaching of religious education is satisfactory overall and in the lesson observed it was good. The recently appointed co-ordinator for religious education is a subject specialist but has yet to gain a full overview of teaching and learning in the classroom and there is little in the way of assessment evidence currently available. Resources are satisfactory overall although insufficient use has been made of information and communication technology in enhancing pupils’ learning.

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