Butterknowle Primary School

BUTTERKNOWLE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 th – 18 th October 2000

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BUTTERKNOWLE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Butterknowle Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Butterknowle Bishop Auckland County Durham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr J L Armstrong

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 25 th – 29 th November 1996

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. Butterknowle Primary School- 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Mrs J Clarke 25509 Registered inspector Mrs K Lee 11368 Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Bench Marque Limited National Westminster Bank Chambers Victoria Street Burnham-on-Sea Somerset TA8 1AN

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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 Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Butterknowle Primary School- 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Butterknowle Primary School is a small rural primary school located in the Teesdale area of south-west Durham. The school building dates from 1912 and is traditional in style. Since the previous inspection the number of pupils attending the school has remained constant and there are at present 71 pupils on roll. The pupils come from the village and the surrounding farming areas. Most come from families who have been resident in the area for many years but an increasing number have moved to Butterknowle from other areas. Pupils come from a range of social and economic backgrounds, but are all from white, British heritage families. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. Almost all of the children who join the reception class have had some pre- school education. On entry to the reception class the children’s attainment is below the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

county and national averages. The percentage of pupils who have special educational needs (17 per cent) is broadly in line with the national average. The percentage of pupils with statements of their special educational needs (three per cent), is above the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Butterknowle Primary School is an effective school. The very high quality of leadership provided by the headteacher and the good teaching the pupils receive helps them to achieve well. They make good progress in their learning throughout the school. The pupils’ attitudes to learning and respect for one another, the school and themselves help them to develop well. At the end of both key stages the pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment and achieve standards generally above those expected in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. The school is a small, rural school where the costs of maintaining the pupils’ education are high. This affects the value for money statement of the school. The school gives satisfactory value for money. However, the school undoubtedly adds good value to pupils’ learning.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve well throughout the school. • Teaching throughout the school is good; ensuring that pupils are well motivated and work well. • The curriculum is interesting, broadly based and enriched by many stimulating experiences. • The headteacher provides very good leadership and a clear educational direction for the school. • Relationships, personal, social and moral skills are all very effectively developed.

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What could be improved

• Standards in writing and spelling are insufficiently high. • There are too few opportunities for pupils to learn about a range of other cultures and beliefs.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Butterknowle Primary School- 6

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvements since the last inspection in November 1996. There has been good improvement in the areas of concern highlighted in the previous report and almost all have been dealt with fully. There has been a consistent and steady determination to improve standards in the core subjects, whilst maintaining the wealth of the curriculum as a whole. The teacher’s planning and subject guidance has been reviewed and refined and now provides the teachers with an effective tool to deliver their lessons. This ensures that lessons are carefully matched to the needs of the pupils and the teachers are able to deliver challenging work for pupils of all abilities. As a result the quality of teaching has improved. The two teachers new to the school have a clear planning framework and quality schemes of work to help them plan their lessons. Schemes of work are regularly reviewed through a rolling programme and the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy have been well

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

implemented. The role of the subject co-ordinators is subject to continual review and development. Independent learning and the emphasis the school places on the building of self-esteem, is now integral to the work of the school and can clearly be seen in each class. This has a positive effect on the way the pupils approach their tasks and understand what it is they are learning and why.

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STANDARDS

This is a small rural primary school whose numbers in each year group vary greatly. In some year groups there is just one pupil and yet in others there are 16 pupils. This means that statistical analysis of data and comparing results year on year is very difficult. In 1999 there was just one pupil in Year 6 and nine pupils in Year 2. In the National Curriculum tests the pupils in Year 2 attained at the expected level in writing, mathematics and science. Their attainment in reading was above the national average. Pupils attained well at the higher levels in reading and writing and their attainment was particularly high in mathematics. The pupil in Year 6 attained well. In the National Curriculum tests in 2000 the pupils’ results showed that the pupils attained at the expected levels at the age of seven and eleven. Few pupils at the age of seven and eleven attained at the higher levels. The school has analysed the pupils’

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STANDARDS

results carefully and put into place initiatives to ensure that the pupils learn well. Looking at the schools’ trend over time indicates that the school is improving steadily and its performance in national tests is above that of the national trend.

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STANDARDS

Based on the work and lessons seen during the inspection standards in reading, speaking and listening, mathematics and science are good at both key stages. However, standards in writing, handwriting, spelling and presentation of work are not as high and the school has rightly identified these areas for their development. The school has already put into place a number of initiatives to raise attainment in writing and spelling and these are beginning to have an impact upon the attainment of the pupils but there is still more work to do. The school’s targets are realistic, set with high expectations of the pupils. Individual target setting in writing is hoped to make a considerable impact upon the pupils’ attainments in this area. Standards in information and communication technology and religious education for seven- and eleven-year-olds are at the levels expected. Pupils’ attainments in the word processing

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STANDARDS

aspects of information and communication technology are good. The older pupils in Year 6 use the computers for their English work and show good levels of expertise in writing and redrafting their work. In Year 2 the pupils’ work together on the computers to manipulate text to punctuate passages appropriately. In Years 3 and 4 the pupils have set up a web site and are busy creating pages to extend those already posted.

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STANDARDS

On entry to the school, the children’s attainments are generally below the levels expected in language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. In speaking and listening and personal, social and Butterknowle Primary School- 7 emotional development the children’s attainment is at the expected levels. Most of the children will reach the Early Learning Goals by the end of the reception year in all areas of learning.

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STANDARDS

During their time in school pupils achieve well and make good progress in almost all aspects of their learning. This is the result of good teaching and the development of good attitudes to work and the pupils’ growing awareness of their own value in the life and work of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils have good attitudes to their work. They are eager to learn, settle quickly to their tasks and sustain their concentration well. Even the youngest pupils are able to select their own materials and make sensible choices. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in class and around the school is very good. The pupils are courteous and polite and talk to visitors with confidence. They are kind and considerate to each other. Personal development and relationships Relationships within the school are very good. The pupils demonstrate very good levels of respect for each other, the staff and themselves. The oldest pupils show very good care of the younger pupils playing with them and supporting them in their life in school. Attendance Attendance and punctuality are good. Parents report that the pupils enjoy coming to school.

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

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

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

Overall the quality of teaching in the school is good. There was no unsatisfactory teaching seen. In 25 per cent of lessons teaching was satisfactory, in 33 per cent it was good and in 42 per cent very good. The pupils are interested in their work and are keen to do well. The teaching of English and mathematics, including literacy and numeracy, is good. The school has been effective in introducing the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy. The teachers are secure in their knowledge and with clear learning objectives and effective planning they ensure that lessons are clearly focused and targeted. The very good relationships, very good behaviour and good attitudes to work mean that the pupils learn well. Teachers ensure that lessons are interesting and present work that is challenging and provides good levels of motivation for all ages and abilities of pupils. In this way the pupils make good progress. The teachers have identified the need to raise standards in writing and

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

spelling and they have begun to focus on this area of their work. The headteacher monitors teaching throughout the school and all staff are active in looking for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced and caters well for pupils of all ages and abilities. Teachers’ planning is thorough. There are a wide range of experiences and opportunities offered to the pupils which enrich the curriculum. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes good provision for those pupils who have special educational needs. Work is well matched to their individual needs through carefully drawn up individual education plans. Learning support assistants give good support to the pupils. The pupils are all fully included in the life and work of the school. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The pupils gain a very clear understanding of their moral and social responsibilities through the very good role models provided by the staff. Their spiritual development is good and although

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Aspect Comment

their cultural development is satisfactory the pupils are not appropriately prepared for life in a multicultural society. How well the school cares for its pupils The school makes careful provision for the welfare and guidance of its pupils. The teachers know their pupils well and good assessments enable them to build on pupils’ past learning.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum meets statutory requirements. Religious education is taught according to the locally agreed syllabus. The curriculum for the children who are under the age of six is well planned specifically to cater for their needs. The school is taking into account the requirements of Curriculum 2000 and the Early Learning Goals and is amending its planning accordingly. The school has effective procedures for child protection.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school. He gives a clear direction for the development and improvement of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are supportive of the school and carry out their duties well. They successfully monitor the work of the school, clearly understanding the schools’ strengths and areas for development. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school carefully evaluates its performance. Where areas for improvement have been identified, the school considers and implements effective measures to raise standards. The school consults the parents through questionnaires to gain their views of the school. The headteacher works alongside the staff and effectively monitors the work of the school. The strategic use of resources The money the school receives is used well and resources are effectively deployed. The school applies the principles of best value for money in many aspects of its work.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school and are making good progress. • School expects the pupils to work hard. • Behaviour is good. • The teaching is good. • The headteacher and staff are approachable. • A few feel the school needs to work more closely with parents. • A few would like to be better informed about how their child is getting on. • Some feel the range of activities outside lessons needs to be improved.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The views expressed by the parents through the questionnaires and at the parents’ meeting were representative of only a small proportion of the parent body. The inspectors spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and were available for the parents to speak to. The inspectors’ judgements support the parents’ positive views. However, the inspectors do not support the concerns a few parents expressed. The school makes every effort to be approachable, there is an open door policy, with parents having ready access to members of staff. Parents help in and around the school, with parents painting murals in the school library and markings on the school playground. At the end of the school day the teachers accept responsibility for pupils who go home on the service bus, ensuring that they get on the bus safely. There are a number of parents’ evenings and regular curriculum evenings, which the school arranges for the parents. There are a wide range of extra-curricular activities although

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

they tend to be for the pupils in Key Stage 2. Butterknowle Primary School- 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils achieve well throughout the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The standards attained in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science by the present seven-year-olds and eleven-year-olds are higher than those expected nationally. Standards in writing, handwriting, spelling and presentation of their work are satisfactory but are improving because the school has put into place initiatives to improve this aspect of the pupils’ work. It is difficult to compare pupils’ attainment year on year because this is a small school with numbers that vary widely in each year group. Over the last four years standards have risen overall in the school and the school has generally maintained an improving trend above the national trend. The attainment of the pupils who are on the special educational needs register is in line with their abilities and they make good progress. This is because their work is carefully matched to their individual needs and they are given good support by the learning

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

support staff, the teachers and the headteacher. Those pupils who have statements of their need, are given good support and achieve well.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The children start school in the September of the year in which they are five. The baseline assessment of the children on entry to the school indicates that the children’s attainment is generally below the levels expected of children of their age. The children’s attainments in speaking and listening and personal, social and emotional development are at the levels expected. Most of the children have had some experience in pre-school nurseries but not all. They join a class of Year 1 pupils and this helps the children to settle well into school and gives them access to good role models. For example, at the end of a mathematics session the pupils organised themselves to play mathematical games, the Year 1 pupils, helping the reception children with the task. The children make good progress in all areas of learning and by the end of the reception year most of the children will achieve the Early Learning Goals

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. In their personal, social and emotional development the children attain well. They learn to get changed for physical education lessons organising their clothes so that they can get changed back. The children learn the class routines and the teachers’ expectations, putting up their hands when they wish to speak. They listen to stories and take part in singing a number of rhymes. For example, the children enjoyed singing Hickory, Dickory Dock and putting in the actions. The children know a number of letters and sounds of letters but are less secure in writing and at present most find writing their name challenging. Counting to ten and recognising some numbers is more secure but again the writing of numbers is less well developed. The children enjoyed writing numbers in the sand and try hard to follow the direction and flow of the numbers demonstrated by the learning support assistant. They are beginning to

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

understand that foods change when cooked, trying hard to explain the difference between the cooked and uncooked spaghetti.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. By the age of seven, the pupils have continued to make good progress and they attain standards above the national average in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. In literacy lessons the pupils talk about a range of poems that they have read, recalling their favourite The Eating Machine which they found on the Internet . Pupils talk knowledgeably about the layout of books and find selected poems on the correct page. The pupils read with confidence with a higher attaining pupil having the confidence to have a good attempt at reading hypochondriac . They write for a range of Butterknowle Primary School- 11 purposes with the pupils beginning to join their letters. Spelling, handwriting and presentation of work are however less secure and are at present receiving additional input from the teacher. In mathematics the pupils build on their earlier learning and are becoming more confident with numbers to 100. In science the pupils carefully examine

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

a range of materials and sort them according to different criteria. They successfully conduct experiments to observe what happens to ice cubes if they leave them in different areas of the school. Similarly they note the changes in butter and notice how it changes state from a solid to a liquid. Information and communication technology is used well by the pupils in support of their English lessons. Pupils use the computer to reorganise a piece of text to insert spaces between words. They are able to put prose into a poem structure by using the return key.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. By the age of eleven, the pupils have built successfully upon their earlier achievements and by the time they leave the school they attain standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science that are above the national average. They make good progress throughout the key stage. The pupils write effectively for a range of purposes and in a number of different styles. They study a range of play scripts and write their own at the end of the session effectively performing their first draft to the assembled class. When they read their scripts they take on the characters of the people involved and read with great expression and enthusiasm. Their writing shows good technical understanding. For example, they know how to organise their writings for plays. They include directions to the actors and asides. Their punctuation is generally accurate and in prose writing they understand the convention which indicates

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

that when a new person speaks this is written on a new line. The use of paragraphs is however less well developed. They use information and communication technology well to support their English lessons drafting and redrafting their work on the computer. The pupils’ good keyboard skills allow a sufficient amount of work to be achieved in a session. Spelling, handwriting and presentation of work are areas for the pupils to improve their work. Not all the pupils write with a joined-up fluent style and spelling is often written as it sounds. The pupils’ presentation of their work is not always neat. Pupils, throughout the key stage, practise their handwriting. This was seen in a handwriting session in Years 3 and 4 where the class teacher demonstrated good handwriting. She encouraged the pupils to form their letters correctly and to improve their work.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. In mathematics the pupils use calculators effectively to manipulate large numbers and make good estimates of the outcomes of their calculations. They clearly understand the relationship between decimals, fractions and percentages and can work out accurately fractions of given numbers. They have worked purposefully on a number of investigations using probability and they use appropriate methods to chart their results. Younger pupils in Years 3 and 4 learn about shapes and recognise which angles are right angles. In science lessons the pupils in Year 5 and 6 are working on electrical energy. They have made accurate electrical circuits and know how to draw a circuit using the correct symbols. In a lesson observed during the inspection the pupils were working on a variety of experiments, splitting water by electrolysis, creating an electromagnet and deciding which materials were insulators and which conductors.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The pupils demonstrated good skills of observation and questioning. The pupils noted particular features of their experiments and worked hard to try to explain what was happening and why. The levels of organisation, perception and enquiry were very good and ensured that in this session the pupils achieved very well.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Throughout the school there is a clear building of knowledge, understanding and skills. Pupils make good progress year on year as they effectively build on the secure foundations laid in their early years. Pupils are enabled to make good progress Butterknowle Primary School- 12 because the lessons are well planned and help all to achieve and build upon their prior learning. In this way pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well.

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Teaching throughout the school is good; ensuring that pupils are well motivated and

8. Teaching is good throughout the school and, because of the quality of relationships and the interesting and challenging lessons, the pupils are well motivated to learn and they achieve well.

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Teaching throughout the school is good; ensuring that pupils are well motivated and

9. Throughout the school the teaching is generally good with nearly half of the lessons being very good. This is a good improvement from the time of the previous inspection. There have been a number of contributory factors to this improvement. The school has developed schemes of work to support the teachers as they plan their lessons. Short-term planning has also been refined and improved with all lessons having clear learning objectives, which are shared with the pupils. These improvements have meant that the teachers carefully match their lessons to the abilities and attainment of the pupils in the class. Ensuring that all are challenged in their learning and all are given the support and guidance that they need. Additional classroom assistant time has been provided by the governing body, which gives specific targeted help to the pupils who need it. This means that these pupils have the opportunity to have extra

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Teaching throughout the school is good; ensuring that pupils are well motivated and

help and guidance with their work. The headteacher regularly monitors teaching throughout the school. He has given considerable aid and support to the newly qualified teacher who has recently joined the school. Through his monitoring he is able to help the teachers in their work. All value his input and all work hard to improve and develop professionally.

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Teaching throughout the school is good; ensuring that pupils are well motivated and

10. The teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of what they are to teach. In the reception class the children are given many opportunities to explore and learn through first-hand experiences. A particularly good feature is the independence of the children. This is positively encouraged and makes an important contribution to their personal and social development. In Key Stages 1 and 2 the teachers pay particular attention to the correct use of technical vocabulary. For example, in Year 2 the pupils know about blurb and contents pages , in Years 3 and 4 they can define which materials are transparent, opaque and translucent and in Year 5 and 6 talk about characters, scenes and stage directions . This good use of technical language stimulates the pupils’ interests and builds up their technical knowledge and vocabulary.

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Teaching throughout the school is good; ensuring that pupils are well motivated and

11. In all lessons the teachers plan well for the different ages and levels of prior attainment in the class. Work is well matched to the needs of the pupils and the teachers go to considerable trouble to ensure all are secure with their learning. In this way the pupils are well motivated by work that is set at just the right level for them. Where work is set which is particularly challenging for the pupils the class teachers give the pupils good levels of support so that they can achieve well. In this way the pupils’ self-esteem is high and this in itself acts as a good motivating factor and enables the pupils to approach tasks in a positive way.

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Teaching throughout the school is good; ensuring that pupils are well motivated and

12. Teachers’ expectations are high in terms of effort and application. Occasionally they could be higher in terms of the pupils’ presentation of their work and consistent use of a joined-up style of handwriting. The pupils are managed very well in class and behaviour is very good. The management of the pupils is well developed throughout the school with the very good behaviour being a reflection of the very good relationships in the school. Teachers are both constant and patient with the pupils and Butterknowle Primary School- 13 this sets a high standard in all classes. Teachers work hard to engage, fascinate and challenge pupils in their work and this enables the pupils to achieve well.

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The curriculum is interesting, broadly based and enriched by many stimulating

13. The broad and balanced curriculum is relevant to the needs of the pupils in the school. The school has maintained a broad and interesting curriculum for the pupils as well as fully implementing the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy. The school has worked hard to ensure that a wide and varied curriculum has been available for the pupils because of its small size. In addition to the statutory curriculum the school provides lots of experiences that enrich the curriculum for its pupils. The reception and the Year 1 class have recently visited some local allotments to see how vegetables are grown. They were particularly interested in the onions and leeks. Some children commented that their families grew their own vegetables. They look at the village houses and buildings and recognise that changes have taken place over a short period of time. In Years 3 and 4 the pupils have recently visited the Hancock Museum to look

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The curriculum is interesting, broadly based and enriched by many stimulating

at the Egyptian exhibits in support of the work the class are doing on the Ancient Egyptians. The parents at the parents’ meeting commented on the interest the curriculum generated in their children. The parents were particularly impressed by their childrens’ knowledge of the locality and reflected that this had been acquired at school. They also reported that the pupils were active in their search at home for artefacts and information to support their work at school.

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The curriculum is interesting, broadly based and enriched by many stimulating

14. The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities including chess, football, new image rugby, Kwik cricket, cross-country, art and craft and games nights. The pupils talk enthusiastically about their training for the cross-country and how they have done as individuals in the race. The school is current champions of the Teesdale small schools’ football league and champions of the primary chess league. The rugby team won the primary schools’ trophy at the Millennium youth games in Durham. In July all the pupils in Key Stage 2 visited the Millennium Dome in London. Every two years there is a residential visit to Earl’s Orchard Centre in Richmond. There is a yearly visit from a theatre group which enables the pupils to experience live theatre. The pupils in Years 5 and 6 have also had the experience of working with an artist at the Bowes Museum. They looked at a wide range of artists’ work and then worked together as a

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The curriculum is interesting, broadly based and enriched by many stimulating

group to make their own collage of a palm tree with a window background. The varied nature of the opportunities available for the pupils enables them to appreciate and extend their experiences beyond the taught curriculum, which makes a significant impact upon their personal and social development.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and a clear educational direction for

15. The headteacher gives strong effective leadership for the school. He ensures that the aims of the school underpin the work of the pupils and provides a framework in which all pupils are encouraged to develop both academically and personally. He gives a clear educational direction to the work of the school and promotes high standards and effective teaching and learning. He works alongside the teachers in the class and gives quality support to aid the teachers in their work. In this way he has a clear understanding of the work of the school. Each week he looks at the work of three pupils and speaks to them about their work. This is another very good strand of monitoring in the school. Professional and personal development of the teaching and support staff are also a priority and this helps them to develop and improve their own Butterknowle Primary School- 14 work. The staff are hardworking, committed and enthusiastic and provide good quality,

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and a clear educational direction for

16. The headteacher is well supported by the governing body. They are well informed and have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and the areas for development. They have responded effectively to the need to appoint a classroom assistant and have managed to earmark money for this purpose.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and a clear educational direction for

17. The headteacher has analysed the National Curriculum test results. He considers where the school’s strengths are and where they could do better. Alongside this analysis, he looks at the results of his monitoring of the pupils’ books. In this way spelling and writing have been identified as an area for the pupils’ development. A number of initiatives have been put into place in each year group to improve these aspects of the pupils’ work. Part of these new initiatives is the targets for improvement which have been set for all the pupils, so that they have ownership of their own learning and clearly know what they have to do to improve. The pupils respond well to the care and attention given to them by the staff and are eager to work hard and achieve well with their tasks. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are enthusiastic in their work and play.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and a clear educational direction for

Relationships, personal, social and moral skills are all very effectively developed.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and a clear educational direction for

18. Relationships in the school are very good. The teachers know the pupils very well and they help them to become confident and independent in their work. For example, a group of Year 1 pupils worked in an area outside the classroom totally independently with very good regard and support of each other. The consistent use of discipline in the school and the active promotion of self-esteem and respect for property and people enable the pupils to grow and develop as whole people. The calm, caring and supportive atmosphere in the school makes a positive impact upon the pupils’ personal development.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and a clear educational direction for

19. The pupils show good regard for each other and help and support each other in their work and play. At playtimes the older pupils play willingly with the younger ones. They include them in their games of football and skipping, showing good care and attention. At lunchtimes the pupils sit together and talk sociably as they eat their lunch. They use the equipment provided at lunchtimes and share well. There is a strong sense of community in the school and visitors are made to feel especially welcome. Concerts and festivals celebrated by the school are very well attended not only by the parent body but also the wider village community. The audiences have become so large that the school holds the Christmas concert in the village hall so that all can be welcomed. The school is an important part of the whole village community.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and a clear educational direction for

20. The pupils have a very well developed moral sense of right and wrong. They have helped to formulate the school rules and there is an effective system of assertive discipline, which rewards good work and behaviour. Good behaviour is celebrated and the pupils’ responses to the high expectations placed upon them are good. There is a weekly awards assembly where pupils receive certificates and awards for good behaviour and work. Those who find behaving well difficult are given good support and help as they try hard to improve.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Standards in writing and spelling are insufficiently high.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. The school has analysed the National Curriculum test results, monitored pupils’ work Butterknowle Primary School- 15 throughout the school and has rightly identified the need to raise the pupils’ standards in writing and spelling. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy Strategy and carefully follows the programmes for teaching sounds. However the teachers are aware that this is not enough for some pupils and although their spelling is phonetically organised, it is not accurate. The range of writing, which the pupils undertake throughout the school, is wide and takes into account a range of audiences. However the pupils do not always write enough or punctuate their work accurately. The pupils learn to form their letters appropriately in the reception class and learn a joined- up style of writing in Year 2. Although the pupils develop and practise their handwriting, they do not necessarily carry this practice into their written work. Similarly the

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

presentation of pupils’ work is not consistently good.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

22. The school has started a range of new initiatives to help to develop writing and spelling throughout the school. All the pupils are to have individual writing targets to work to. In this way the pupils are clear about what they need to do to improve and what their next stage of learning is. In this way the pupils gain ownership and responsibility for their own learning. In Years 3 and 4 the teacher demonstrates good quality writing with the pupils. She encourages the pupils to think carefully about the words they have chosen to use and their effect upon the text. They are learning to organise their work and to plan and refine their work as they expand their story lines. Pupils are working together as spelling partners and they help each other learn particular spellings that they consistently have problems with.

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The opportunities the pupils have to learn about a range of other cultures and

23. The pupils have good opportunities to learn about their own culture and especially the life and culture of the immediate community. They have a good sense of the development of the village of Butterknowle through recent years. The parents recognise the good work the school does in giving the pupils a sense of identity with the locality. However, less well developed is the pupils’ appreciation of the cultural and ethnic diversity of the wider society. Through art and music there is some limited awareness of cultural differences. However wider cultural aspects are not always systematically built into teachers’ planning. In religious education the pupils learn about other faiths and beliefs, but they do not have an opportunity to visit a variety of places of worship or listen to people who embrace these faiths. Butterknowle Primary School- 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

24. The school has made good progress since the previous inspection but in order to further improve the quality of education in the school, the headteacher, governing body and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ Raise standards in writing and spelling further by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- raising expectations in regard to the accuracy of spelling and punctuation; - raising pupils’ awareness of the presentation of their work; - continuing to monitor and make improvements to the teaching of handwriting; - ensuring the pupils have enough opportunities for writing.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ Improve further the opportunities the pupils have to learn about a range of other cultures and beliefs by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- increasing the curricular opportunities available for the pupils to learn about other cultures and beliefs; - planning into the curriculum a programme of visits and visitors to discuss their cultures and beliefs with the pupils.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraph: 23) Butterknowle Primary School- 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 71

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Butterknowle Primary School- 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 14.2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total expenditure 168,585

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 2,248

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 64 Balance brought forward from previous year 15,205

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 11,986 Butterknowle Primary School- 19

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 58 27 9 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 42 36 12 0 9

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 45 9 6 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 42 9 9 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 18 9 9 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 64 24 0 9 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 39 39 12 6 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 52 36 0 12 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 45 42 3 9 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 52 27 18 3 0

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