Parkside Primary School

WELLINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs. M. Fitzpatrick

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WELLINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 - 7 December 2000

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WELLINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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WELLINGTON 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. Wellington Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 21 Wellington Avenue Chingford London Postcode: E4 6RE

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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: Councillor M. Fish

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 July 1996 Wellington Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

Moira Fitzpatrick (Ofsted No: 24326) Registered inspector History What sort of school is it?

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Aspect responsibilities

How high are standards? a) The school's results and achievements How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? Candy Kalms (Ofsted No: 9275) Lay inspector How high are standards? b) Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Ali Haouas (Ofsted No: 15023) Team inspector Equal opportunities

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Aspect responsibilities

English as an additional language English Art Music Physical education Roger Perkins (Ofsted No: 6044) Team inspector Mathematics How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Information and communications technology Val Ives (Ofsted No: 21103) Team inspector The Foundation Stage

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Aspect responsibilities

Design and technology Geography Religious education Margaret Hart (Ofsted No: 22577) Team inspector Special educational needs How well is the school led and managed?

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Aspect responsibilities

Science Wellington Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Cambridge Education Associates Ltd. Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Wellington Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is much bigger than the average primary. There are 413 pupils, whose ages range from three to 11 years, with an approximately equal balance of boys and girls. Although the majority of pupils are from white ethnic backgrounds, over 30 per cent of the pupils are from black Caribbean or African ethnic origin, Asian or Balkan ethnic origin. There are 83 pupils in the school with English as an additional language, a figure which is very high compared with the national average. Twenty nine per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The percentage of pupils on the special needs register, 28 per cent, is above the national average. The majority of these pupils have learning needs in literacy and numeracy; there are four pupils with statements for specific learning needs. The school’s population is not stable with almost 20 per cent of pupils transferring within the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

year; many of the pupils who transfer into the school have special educational needs. The school also suffers from high teacher mobility, six teachers, almost a third of the staff, having left in the past two years. While the school’s population covers the full ability range, overall the intake is below average on entry and there are fewer higher attaining pupils than are found in most schools.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Despite staffing difficulties during the last four years, standards in the core subjects have risen in line with the national trend owing to the strong leadership given by the headteacher in raising standards. The headteacher and senior management team have worked hard to minimise the impact of high teacher turnover on pupils’ learning and have ensured that teaching in the core subjects is well supported by in- service training. Standards in reading and mathematics are growing strengths of the school. Teaching in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1 is good. The school is very good at promoting racial harmony. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The headteacher gives a strong lead in raising standards in the core subjects and behaviour management. • Pupils’ attainment in number and their mental agility with number are good. • Pupils achieve well in reading and have good library skills. • Provision for the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is good. • Provision for information technology is good and standards in the subject are rising. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. • The school makes very good provision for extra-curricular activities. • The school has a diverse cultural mix and there is good racial harmony in the school.

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What could be improved

• Standards in writing. • Standards in science. • The effectiveness of assessment procedures. • Pupils’ response in some lessons. • The balance of the curriculum. • Attendance. • Some aspects of provision for pupils with English as an additional language. 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

Wellington Primary School - 8 The school has made satisfactory improvement since it was last inspected in July 1996. It has successfully addressed the issues raised at the last inspection. Standards, in mathematics and reading, are improving throughout the school, and in science at Key Stage 1. Attendance has improved, though it is still below the national average. The school has begun a programme of monitoring teaching and pupils’ work in the core subjects. From this it is able to identify areas for improvement in order to raise standards. The school has begun to develop effective assessment procedures, using the results of assessment to track pupils’ progress over time and to set targets for pupils; this is one of the schools priorities for improvement. With these developments in monitoring, and in tracking pupils’ progress, the school is in a sound position to make further progress.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Results, in the National Curriculum tests in 2000, at Key Stage 2, shown above, and at Key Stage 1, reflect the impact of unstable staffing and pupil mobility in the school in the past four years. Despite this, since the last inspection standards have risen in the core subjects in line with the national trend at the end of Key Stage 2. For pupils currently at the end of Key Stage 2, standards are in line with the national expectation in mathematics and reading, and below the national expectation in writing and science. The school’s consistently weak performance in science is due, mainly, to the shortage of time that is allocated to the subject, which means pupils’ learning is not properly consolidated. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ performance in reading and writing in the national tests in 2000 was well below the national average and the average for similar schools. In mathematics, their performance was very low,

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Key

putting their results in the bottom five per cent nationally. The standard of work seen in the current Year 3 classes shows that there is some under-achievement in the class which had a high turnover of teachers during Year 2, while pupils in the other class are reaching expected levels of attainment. In the previous year pupils’ mathematics results in the national tests had been well above the national average. Standards in information technology and religious education are in line with what is expected of pupils when they are seven and eleven. In the foundation subjects, standards are variable. Pupils achieve the expected standard in music at both key stages, and in physical education at Key Stage 2. At Key Stage 1, pupils reach satisfactory standards in history and art, but at Key Stage 2 standards in these subjects are below what is expected, mainly because not enough time is given to teaching them. The

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Key

school fell just short of its targets in 2000 and has set appropriate targets for 2001. With the current staffing in Year 2 and Year 6 it should achieve these.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The majority of pupils have positive attitudes to school. A few pupils, mainly boys, have unsatisfactory attitudes to learning.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Many pupils behave well, in and around the school and support each other’s learning. There is a minority whose behaviour occasionally disrupts the learning of others. There was one, fixed term, exclusion in the previous year.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The quality of relationships in the school is satisfactory overall, with many examples of good relationships giving support to pupils’ learning. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory; they readily accept opportunities to take responsibility.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Despite some improvement since the last inspection attendance is unsatisfactory. A minority of pupils are not punctual in arriving at school in the mornings.

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Aspect Comment

A minority of pupils, whose attitudes and behaviour are unsatisfactory, cause disruption to lessons on occasion, particularly in the afternoon.

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

Lessons seen overall Good Good Satisfactory 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

In over 90 per cent of lessons teaching was satisfactory and in almost five out of ten lessons teaching was good or better. In just under ten per cent of the 83 lessons seen, teaching was unsatisfactory. These lessons were nearly all in the foundation subjects and weaknesses in teachers’ planning, or ineffective behaviour management, led to unsatisfactory learning for the pupils. The teaching of English is satisfactory overall, with some very good teaching seen at both key stages. Planning for learning is nearly always matched to pupils’ needs and they are suitably challenged; reading is well taught throughout the school. Mathematics teaching is good at Key Stage 1, where pupils learn numbers bonds quickly. At Key Stage 2, mathematics teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good and one very good lesson seen. Pupils develop good mental agility as a result of brisk questioning by teachers. Science teaching focuses well on pupils’ learning through investigation, but the pupils’ good progress is

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

hampered because there is too little time given to science. The basic skills of literacy are satisfactorily taught, numeracy is well taught and library skills are well taught throughout the school. There is suitable planning for pupils with special educational needs, and their learning is well supported by classroom assistants. The initial assessment of pupils who have English as an additional language, by the visiting specialist, is not satisfactory and teachers are not given a clear picture of the needs of these pupils. Within their own assessment of these pupils teachers plan appropriate work, and overall pupils with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. In the Foundation Stage activities are well planned and children are well provided with challenge to keep them learning at a good rate.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good at the Foundation Stage. The school gives strong emphasis to English and mathematics but inadequate time is given to science and there is not enough emphasis on teaching the foundation subjects. The school’s provision for extra-curricular activities is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs, helping them to make satisfactory and often good progress towards their targets.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The initial assessment of pupils by the visiting specialist is not satisfactory. The majority of pupils have appropriate access to the full curriculum, including activities organised outside the school day. In many aspects of the curriculum, opportunities are used to affirm linguistic and cultural diversity.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Pupils are taught right from wrong and are given opportunities to reflect upon their experiences and the traditions and views of others. The school succeeds in teaching tolerance and understanding to the majority of its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides sound all-round care for its pupils, through well thought out procedures for monitoring and promoting behaviour and attendance. Monitoring of pupils’ progress is at an early stage of development and is better in the core than in the foundation subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Information to parents, including annual reports, is appropriate and satisfactory. The school is keen to include parents in their children’s learning and runs a number of courses to help them do this.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and senior management team show a strong commitment to raising standards in attainment and behaviour. While the core subject co-ordinators have sound knowledge of standards in their subjects and what needs to be done to improve, this is not the case for most foundation subject co-ordinators.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Statutory requirements are met. Governors visit the school, but need to develop their monitoring role.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher and deputy headteacher have begun to analyse test results in order to track pupils’ progress. The school has a good knowledge of how well it performs in relation to other schools.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Spending decisions are linked to the priorities in the school development plan and are focused on raising standards. The impact of spending is not always fully evaluated.

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Aspect Comment

The school currently has a full complement of teaching staff and a good level of support staff. However, the impact of a high turnover of staff is evident in the standards achieved and in the expertise available to the school. There are gaps in expertise in design and technology and some teachers need to improve their expertise in the foundation subjects and behaviour management. The school’s accommodation is Wellington Primary School - 11 adequate and well used. Resources for learning are good. The school is concerned to get good value in what it provides and in what it buys.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school. • Their children are expected to work hard. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • The amount of homework set. • More interesting activities outside the classroom.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection evidence supports the positive views of parents. The school has a supportive ethos which is welcoming to parents. Inspectors also found that the amount of homework set is about average and that the school’s provision for extra-curricular activities is better than is found in most schools. Wellington Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and achievements

1. The majority of children enter the nursery with below average attainment in literacy and numeracy. They make good progress and are on target to reach the early learning goals in all areas except language and number by the end of the Foundation Stage. Just over half of the children who start the Nursery enter the Reception class and these have below average attainment by the end of the Foundation Stage. Children with special educational needs are quickly identified and they progress at the same rate as other children.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Pupils’ performance in the 2000 National Curriculum tests in reading and writing, for seven-year- olds, was well below the national average, and was well below the performance of pupils in similar schools (those having the same percentage of free school meals). The percentage of pupils achieving the higher level was well below the national average in reading and below the national average in writing. These results represent a drop in performance from the 1999 results and this is partly explained by the disruption of teaching in one of the two Year 2 classes. Evidence of results by class, shows that the class which had a number of short term teachers in the term before the tests, did significantly less well than the class who had the same teacher from the beginning to the end of Year 2. Standards in Year 2 at present are in line with the expected standard both in reading and in writing, reflecting the impact of more stable staffing. Pupils read

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The school’s results and achievements

fluently and have a range of strategies for tackling unfamiliar words. They enjoy reading and are able to recall stories they have read. In writing they form their letters clearly and are aware of the need to use capital letters and full stops. Higher attaining pupils write their own versions of fairy stories and show a good understanding of the structure of stories. By the end of the key stage the majority of pupils have average listening skills and follow explanations and questions during whole class teaching. For a few listening is not sustained and only the teachers’ constant vigilance and good use of inclusion strategies ensures that they are involved in the lesson throughout.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Results in the National Curriculum tests for eleven-year-olds in English in 2000, show pupils’ average point score was well below the national average. In comparison with pupils in similar schools, pupils’ performance was just below average because the percentage of pupils achieving the higher level was well below the national average. Results in English have fluctuated over the past four years, again reflecting the impact of unstable staffing on the continuity of pupils’ learning during Key Stage 2. However, over the four-year period results in the subject have risen in line with the national trend for English. There is not a pattern of significant difference in girls’ and boys’ attainment. Currently, for pupils near the end of the key stage, reading is in line with the national expectation. This represents good achievement. Most pupils read fluently and are able to use their reading for a range of purposes when called on to do so. They have average speaking and

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The school’s results and achievements

listening skills. The majority speak clearly and answer questions appropriately in whole class sessions. In small group discussion they take turns and sometimes build on the ideas of others. A few pupils have not reached this standard in their speaking and listening and require skilful handling by the teacher to keep them on task. Standards in writing in the current Year 6 classes are below the national expectation for eleven-year-olds. Handwriting is generally not well formed or presented. The majority of pupils spell common words accurately, but are not at the expected standard in their spelling or punctuation overall. They write for different purposes and show a growing sense of how to structure their writing and use the appropriate tone. However their writing shows a lack of maturity and is limited in its scope, especially for higher attaining pupils. There is evidence of gaps in pupils’ learning about writing for different purposes again highlighting the

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The school’s results and achievements

impact of unstable staffing at Key Stage 2. Wellington Primary School - 13 4. In the National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds in 2000, pupils’ performance in mathematics was very low compared with the national average and very low compared with the performance of pupils in similar schools. These results mark a sharp dip in performance from the 1999 tests, when they were well above the national average. Again, this drop in performance is owing to the serious staffing problems experienced in the preceding school year. The results show a significant variation between the performance of pupils in the two Year 2 classes. Over the last four years results in the subject have fluctuated year on year reflecting the changes in staffing in the school. Pupils currently nearing the end of Key Stage 1, have attainment in mathematics that is broadly in line with the national expectation for seven-year-olds. Pupils understand

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The school’s results and achievements

multiplication, recognise and understand simple number patterns. They construct three- dimensional shapes using straws and know the units of weight measurement. This improved attainment is a result of more stable staffing at Key Stage 1.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. In the National Curriculum tests in mathematics for eleven-year-olds, pupils’ average point score was below the national average and below the average for similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher level was close to the national average and above that of pupils in similar schools. For pupils currently nearing the end of Key Stage 2, attainment in mathematics is in line with national expectations for eleven-year-olds. Pupils readily recall the ten times table, they have a sound understanding of place value and higher attaining pupils understand and use equivalent fractions. They solve problems using numbers and can interpret mathematical patterns. They are not so confident at interpreting problems that are expressed in words but in most areas of mathematics they are competent and confident.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Standards in science for seven-year-olds, as measured by teacher assessment in 2000 were below the national average. Pupils currently nearing the end of Key Stage 1 attain in line with the national expectation within lessons, but evidence from books suggests that their attainment is below the expected standard over time. They know about the structure of plants and the function of roots and stems. By the end of the key stage pupils are beginning to understand what a fair test is, but because of lack of time given to the subject, they do not have enough knowledge of scientific facts and processes.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Pupils’ performance in the National Curriculum tests in science, for eleven-year-olds in 2000 was well below the national average and in comparison with similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher level was well below the national average and below the average of similar schools. By eleven, pupils understand food chains and have a knowledge of habitat. They are able to suggest ways of making investigations about what happens when water evaporates from a solution. Pupils currently in Year 6 are working below the national expectation in lessons. While standards in science are showing an upward trend, the main factor holding them back, at both key stages, is the shortage of time allocated to the subject. This means that pupils do not have the opportunity to consolidate their learning in the subject. This, and the unstable staffing, have had an adverse effect on standards in the subject at both key stages.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Standards in information technology are in line with the standards expected of pupils at the end of both key stages. By the time they are seven, pupils use the keyboard and mouse to type words and to change the font and size. They use a number of programs to help with other subjects they study such as mathematics and art. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils use information technology across the curriculum effectively. They use programs to help with compositions in music. Older pupils use the Internet to find information on various topics and pupils in Year 6 use spreadsheets to draw graphs.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. In religious education pupils are attaining in line with the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils at Key Stage 1 are familiar with stories from the Bible, know about the significance of festivals in the Christian and other world religions. By the age of eleven, pupils have a sound understanding of major world faiths such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. They have a growing understanding of the similarities and differences between religions. They write their own prayers, reflect on rules for living and show a growing capacity to evaluate beliefs. Wellington Primary School - 14 10. There is variation in the standards achieved in the foundation subjects, because the school does not place as much emphasis on planning and assessment in these subjects, nor does it always allocate enough time for the curriculum to be taught. At Key Stage 1, standards are about those expected of seven year-olds in art, music and history. In each of these subjects pupils learn at a

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The school’s results and achievements

steady rate and recall their previous learning well. In art pupils work in pencil, charcoal and pastels to produce lively portraits and pictures of monsters. In music, they accompany taped music with untuned percussion instruments and show a good sense of rhythm. They have a good memory for tune and sing in time. In history they learn about famous people from the past and build up a suitable range of historical words. There was insufficient evidence from pupils’ work to judge standards at the end of both key stages in design and technology and geography, and in physical education at Key Stage 1.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. At the end of Key Stage 2 standards in art and history are below those expected of eleven-year- olds. In art, pupils make drawings of scenes from a story they have read and then transfer these to fabric as part of a group project. Their line control and composition skills are immature and pupils have little idea about colour mixing or how to apply paint. In history, they research the life of famous people from the past, but have little understanding of historical evidence or how to evaluate sources of information. Standards in physical education are in line with expected standards at the end of Key Stage 2, with dance skills being particularly well developed.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress against their prior learning. There are good systems for monitoring the progress of pupils on the register of special educational needs; regular discussions take place, which involve the class teacher, special needs teaching assistants and the co-ordinator. In most mathematics and English lessons teachers plan carefully to ensure that pupils with special educational needs can succeed and make progress. The work set in most foundation subjects is not as well planned and pupils’ progress in these subjects is not as consistently good.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. By the end of Key Stage 1 and 2, the majority of pupils with English as an additional language and those targeted under the Ethnic Minority and Achievement Grant achieve appropriately and make satisfactory progress against their prior attainment. However, the assessment of their needs could be more rigorous and the results of these assessments need to be shared with class teachers so that they can be incorporated in their planning.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. The pupils make use of their good library skills to find information for the topics they study. There are some good opportunities for them to write in other subjects. For example, in Year 6, pupils apply the skills of obituary writing, learnt in English lessons, to their work about John Lennon. In Key Stage 1, pupils write about their work in science describing what they see on plants. However, planned opportunities to develop pupils’ writing in the foundation subjects are missed and the consequence is that by the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ writing skills are under-developed.

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The school’s results and achievements

15. Numeracy skills are well taught in most mathematics lessons, but the pupils are given few opportunities to use these in other subjects of the curriculum. In geography in Year 6, pupils make a graph of favourite holiday destinations. There is, however, little recorded evidence of pupils developing their numeracy skills in science or design and technology. As a consequence of this lack of planning pupils do not develop a strong understanding of the application of numeracy skills in other areas of their learning.

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The school’s results and achievements

16. Since the last inspection standards in the core subjects at the end of Key Stage 2 have risen in line with the national trend, despite the interruptions to the pupils’ learning due to staffing difficulties. Although standards have fluctuated at both key stages, the overall picture in the core subjects is one of improvement. The school’s monitoring of teaching and learning in the core subjects is beginning to have an impact on the quality of teaching. In order to raise standards further and to consolidate the basic skills, the school needs to review its provision for teaching writing, science and the foundation subjects and to introduce more rigorous monitoring of teaching and standards here. The school fell just short of its targets for National Curriculum tests in 2000, due to the impact of staff turnover, and has set appropriate targets for the national tests in 2001. Wellington Primary School - 15

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Overall, the attitudes and behaviour of the majority of pupils in the school are satisfactory. Many pupils come to school with the appropriate attitudes to learning although there is a significant number of pupils in both key stages, particularly boys, who have unsatisfactory attitudes and behaviour. Relationships between pupils and staff are satisfactory but examples of pupils having disregard for each other and staff do occur.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The majority of pupils in the school have positive attitudes to school and show interest in their work. This has a positive impact on their learning. In most lessons they are keen to learn, well motivated and respond well when the teaching is good and the work is interesting. Pupils in Year 2, for example, really enjoyed singing in a music lesson and were keen to improve. At their best pupils are eager to answer questions, and willingly participate in discussion and contribute their ideas, as seen in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, when pupils suggested which numbers were squares and which were not. Many pupils listen carefully to their teachers but there are occasions when some lose concentration, and are talkative. This slows the pace of lessons and makes it difficult for teachers to teach. These attitudes are more noticeable in the afternoons when lessons are not as well planned and the activities sometimes fail to sustain pupils’ interest. This has a

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

negative impact on the quality of learning. Pupils with English as an additional a language are motivated and keen to learn.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Overall behaviour in the school is satisfactory. Many pupils behave well in and around the school and are clear about the standards of behaviour expected; however there are a number of pupils in both key stages who find it difficult to behave appropriately. Although behaviour in lessons is often good when teaching stimulates interest and staff set clear expectations, it deteriorates when learning lacks challenge and discipline is unsatisfactory. A number of parents expressed concerns about behaviour in the classroom and playground and inspectors found some of their concerns to be justified. Whilst no deliberately aggressive behaviour was observed at playtimes during the inspection, nor was any incidence of bullying reported, the behaviour of a significant minority of pupils was boisterous. Documentary evidence confirms that a number of incidents of bullying and bad behaviour do occur. There has been one fixed-term exclusion, a reduction since

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

the previous inspection. Around the school, the majority of pupils are friendly to one another and visitors. They mix very well across lines of gender and race and relate well to cultures different from their own. Racial harmony in the school is good. Pupils of all ethnic, cultural and religious groups work and play well together and this is a very positive feature of the school. This is in response to the positive images the school provides of the cultures within its community and the measures it takes to promote full inclusion of all pupils through carefully planned systems of support. The racial harmony amongst pupils is a strength of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. The quality of relationships between pupils and teachers is satisfactory, despite the number of staff changes. The majority of pupils get on well together. This contributes to their learning. In many lessons constructive relationships are formed between pupils and this helps them support each other in their learning. They sometimes work well in pairs and groups, in particular, Year 6 pupils collaborated well when compiling information about the life of John Lennon. Pupils usually listen to each other’s views, although there are a few occasions where they show a lack of respect for the class teacher and each other. Pupils generally share equipment and resources sensibly when working together, such as when using computers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. Pupils respond well to the range of responsibilities in their classrooms and the limited opportunities for personal study. Pupils in Year 6 have areas of additional responsibility, which they carry out conscientiously, in particular organising the library. Pupils in Year 6 have recently re-launched The Wellington Monthly, a newsletter compiled by the pupils. The many extra-curricular clubs are well supported and this helps develop pupils’ personal and social skills. Pupils are elected to serve on the School Council which gives them a sense of responsibility and helps them develop their understanding of the part they play in improvements in the school. Wellington Primary School - 16 22. There has been an improvement in attendance since the previous inspection but levels remain below the national average. This is unsatisfactory and has a significant effect on the progress of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

some pupils. A variety of contributory factors affect overall attendance figures; these include pupils taking extended holidays, pupils staying at home for health reasons and family circumstances. Whilst procedures for monitoring attendance are good, the procedures to encourage better attendance are not rigorous enough to improve the situation significantly. The incidence of unauthorised absence has risen considerably since the previous inspection and is now well above the national average. This is due to many parents not providing reasons for absence and the difficulties the school has in obtaining reasons for absence from parents. A number of pupils arrive late in the morning, including a number who are frequently late.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. During the inspection, teaching was good or better in over four out of ten lessons. In about one in ten lessons teaching was very good. Unsatisfactory teaching was seen in just under one in ten lessons, and in these lessons lack of subject planning, weak management of pupils’ behaviour or under-expectation of what pupils could achieve were the factors which led to unsatisfactory learning for pupils. The quality of teaching in literacy and numeracy was good at Key Stage1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2. Examples of very good teaching were seen in both subjects at each key stage. The quality of teaching has fallen since the last inspection when it was judged to be a strength of the school. The stronger teaching in literacy and numeracy is owing to the emphasis the school has placed on appropriate in-service training for these subjects which has given teachers a secure knowledge base and good

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The quality of teaching for children in the Nursery and Reception classes is good overall, with some very good teaching seen in the nursery. There is no unsatisfactory teaching and seven out of ten lessons are good or better. In all aspects of learning the teachers plan good learning opportunities for children. They ask interesting and challenging questions, developing children’s confidence in their own learning. They monitor children’s progress so that when they intervene it is at an appropriate level to move them on. Teachers have a good understanding of how young children learn and this combined with their high expectations means that children make good progress during their time in the Foundation Stage.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. At Key Stage 1, the quality of teaching is good overall; there is no unsatisfactory teaching. In six out of ten lessons teaching was good or better. Teaching in English is always satisfactory and some good and very good teaching is seen in the subject, as in a Year 2 lesson where pupils were asked to predict the next part of the story. Very good questioning by the teacher ensures that the pupils’ thinking is focused and that they are able to pick up clues from the blurb on the book cover. Teaching in mathematics is good overall. In a very good mathematics lesson, pupils learn a wide of strategies for finding multiples of two as they enjoy a game with ‘puddles’ on the carpet, because the teacher encourages them to explain and discuss their different ways of working out. Good teaching is seen in science where pupils learn new words effectively because of the teacher’s careful repetition of them during the explanation of how they will plant their seeds

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

in different conditions and then compare how they grow.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. At Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, but there are considerable variations in the quality of teaching for some classes and in some foundation subjects. In three out of ten lessons teaching was good or better. The unsatisfactory teaching was mainly in foundation subjects, but poor behaviour management in one lesson and low expectations in another led to unsatisfactory learning for pupils in an English and a mathematics lesson. Where teaching is unsatisfactory in foundation subjects, this is mainly because teachers do not plan as thoroughly as they do for the core subjects. Their expectations of what pupils can do is lower than in English and mathematics lessons and consequently pupils do not take the subjects seriously enough and fail to work as hard as they might. The result is a slow rate of learning for pupils in these subjects. Where mathematics teaching is good, the teacher’s brisk rate of questioning

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Wellington Primary School - 17 enthuses pupils and they revise and consolidate their knowledge of multiplication at a good rate, showing enjoyment of the mental challenges that are set.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan work for pupils at an appropriate level in most mathematics lessons. In a Year 5 lesson, the suitability of tasks ensured that pupils were fully engaged during independent work, and all pupils learnt at a satisfactory rate. In a Year 6 information technology lesson, the teacher’s very good subject knowledge led to good learning for the pupils through the challenge of well constructed tasks. Higher attaining pupils enjoyed their work on spreadsheets and were pleased with their progress at the end of the lesson. Excellent subject knowledge in dance supports very good planning for a Year 5 class, who were totally involved throughout the lesson and the pupils worked enthusiastically. The result was very good learning for all pupils and they achieved good standards. Where teachers’ subject knowledge is weak, and is unsupported by an effective scheme of work, as in some of the foundation subjects,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

this leads to unsatisfactory learning over time for pupils. In art, design and technology, geography and history at Key Stage 2, the long-term effects of inconsistent planning and teaching are seen in the standards pupils currently achieve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. In most literacy and numeracy lessons time is well used. The lessons begin with a review of earlier learning, with the whole class teaching focused on explanation and questions to develop the pupils’ thinking. When learning is planned in this way and the teacher has clear expectations of pupils’ efforts and behaviour, then pupils learn at a good rate and are interested in the subject. In most mathematics lessons, pupils show enthusiasm for the mental agility activities that usually start the lesson at a brisk pace. They listen closely and are keen to answer the teacher’s questions. In the best lessons, pupils follow each other’s reasoning and ask questions of their peers, showing that they are eager to improve their skills. In lessons where time is not so well used, and this is most often in foundation subjects, pupils quickly perceive the different value the teacher places on learning in these subjects. They are less eager to work at a fast rate and some

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils seek the opportunity to disrupt the learning of others. As a result pupils’ recall of learning in these subjects is not so good, nor do they acquire the skills expected for their age.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Pupils’ learning is consistently better in those classes where good relationships exist between the pupils and between the teacher and the pupils. In a Year 1 music lesson, the very good relationship between the teacher and pupils created the opportunity for lively and imaginative learning as the teacher skilfully handled the excitement and enthusiasm of the pupils without interrupting the flow of the lesson. The class were able to listen to and applaud one of their peers playing his guitar, making positive comments at the end of his performance. The good quality of relationships between teachers and pupils contributes positively to most pupils enjoying their learning. Occasionally, a lesson was marred by unsatisfactory relationships between the teacher and the class. On some occasions pupils were noticeably ill at ease with the teacher’s sudden and loud reactions to those who were slow to respond. In such lessons, pupils do not

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

learn at such a good rate because they do not give their full attention to the progress of the lesson and are sometimes put off volunteering answers to the teacher’s questions. In good lessons in music, physical education and history, teachers make very effective use of praise to encourage pupils to work hard and raise their standards. Pupils respond well to this, and often pupils who are losing concentration are brought back to the lesson when they hear someone being praised.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. The management of pupils’ behaviour is not always consistent across the school, despite the detailed behaviour management programme that is in place. One reason for this is the recent turnover in staffing and the consequent differences in understanding and expertise in implementing the programme. In some classes the use of praise is highly effective in stimulating pupils to work hard and in refocusing those whose attention wanders. In other classes the emphasis on punitive measures has the opposite effect, and pupils are seen to disregard warnings by the teacher and either disrupt others or ignore the lesson that is in progress. The highest proportion of such lessons is seen in the afternoons, when foundation subjects are taught; lesson planning is not so detailed and teachers’ expectations are lower. Again, the link between these factors and their impact on the quality of learning is one that the school needs to recognise if it is to reduce the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

effect of staff turnover on pupils’ learning. Wellington Primary School - 18 31. The quality and use of day-to-day assessment varies from teacher to teacher and between subjects. In English and mathematics there are satisfactory procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ achievements. Most teachers use these assessments to plan the next stage of learning for pupils in their classes. There is no assessment of pupils’ attainment in the foundation subjects. This leads to weaknesses in planning in the foundation subjects, as seen in a Year 6 art lesson, where pupils were frustrated in their attempts to apply paint to fabric because there had been no effective assessment of their knowledge of colour or skill with paint.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. The support provided for pupils with English as an additional language, by the visiting specialist, is not well co-ordinated. The initial assessment of pupils’ needs is not rigorous, nor are these needs shared with the class teacher to help in their planning. Further, there is not best use made of the support teacher’s time. On too many occasions he is without pupils because he does not join the whole class literacy session to give support. The evaluation of progress carried out by the support teacher is not shared with class teachers and is often couched in terms of attitudes and behaviour of the pupils rather than their achievement. This evaluation is not used to inform planning and set targets. The school has recently designated an assistant teacher to this group, who is about to be inducted and trained to provide specific support.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. There is suitable planning for literacy and numeracy lessons that ensures that pupils are given work at an appropriate level. Special needs assistants create a secure learning environment and good relationships are established which help pupils become confident and keen to improve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

34. Teachers set homework for pupils to match their growing maturity. The amount set throughout the school is about average.

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TO PUPILS?

35. The school provides a suitably broad curriculum, but it is insufficiently balanced in Key Stages 1 and 2. There has been some progress since the last inspection as the school now meets statutory requirements for religious education and for information and communication technology. Both the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy have been implemented successfully. The foundation curriculum, planned for nursery and reception classes, is broad and balanced and provides a good basis for Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum.

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TO PUPILS?

36. The curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2 includes all subjects of the National Curriculum but the amount of time allocated to science is inadequate and the provision for history, geography, art, music, physical education and design and technology is patchy. The arrangements for performing arts are better than those for visual arts. The school quite rightly gives priority to literacy and numeracy, but to such an extent that some other subjects that could contribute to the development of basic skills are marginalised. The school indicates in its prospectus that foundation subjects are taught through topics. This is a laudable approach, but inspection evidence indicates that there is a lack of conviction in practice, particularly during some afternoon sessions. Long-term whole school planning is soundly based on the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority schemes of work for subjects, but is not followed in sufficient detail.

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TO PUPILS?

Teachers of the same year group plan each week’s work together in an appropriate way, however, the quality of daily planning is inconsistent.

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TO PUPILS?

37. The pupils who have English as an additional language have appropriate access to the full curriculum, including activities organised outside the school day. Boys and girls participate on an equal footing in most of the extra-curricular activities on offer. In many aspects of the curriculum, opportunities are used to affirm linguistic and cultural diversity, notably through the use of other languages, for instance in science diagrams and in the labelling of design and technology tools. Good use is made of Black History month through the use of positive images of black people and Wellington Primary School - 19 women. In literacy, good use is made of African Caribbean poetry and a range of books providing insight into different cultures in the library and in classrooms.

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TO PUPILS?

38. Pupils enjoy participating in the very good range of extra-curricular activities. These have a very positive effect on the pupils’ personal and social development. Various sessions take place at lunchtime and after school. These range from sporting activities, such as football and netball training, to guitar and recorder clubs for different stages to performing arts and information and communication technology clubs. This is alongside a programme of outings for each year group to a variety of venues including Year 2 visiting the Natural History museum, Year 5 observing water-birds in the Lea Valley and Year 6 camping at Gilwell Park.

p.19

TO PUPILS?

39. There is satisfactory provision for personal, social and health education. The programme is broad and balanced and is linked closely to the management of pupils’ behaviour. As it was produced several years ago it requires a review to bring it in line with current practice. The scheme rightly features important themes such as healthy eating, relationships and drugs education. Circle time and assemblies are used effectively to promote personal, social and health education. For example, during a successful Year 2 circle time session, the pupils spoke about their feelings and emotions after listening to a poem. They enhanced both their personal and their social development as they took turns to speak and listened intently to each other’s ideas. Each year the school organises a personal, social and health education week when police, fire and road safety officers visit the school to draw the attention of pupils to important issues.

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TO PUPILS?

40. There are satisfactory links with the local community that help broaden pupils’ learning. The contact with a local sheltered housing association is particularly fruitful. Pupils participate in social mornings and a thriving cartoon club run after school by a member of a sheltered housing association and elderly people visit the school where pupils help them with activities in information and communication technology. There are plans to link more closely with a secondary school that is in an Education Action Zone to develop joint practice in performing arts, information and control technology or languages.

p.19

TO PUPILS?

41. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ spiritual development. Positive contributions are made to this by religious education lessons, by the music in the school and by curriculum areas such as science, in which pupils are struck by the wonders of the natural world. Discussions in circle time, arising out of stories such as the death of a loved pet, help pupils to understand and develop spiritual awareness. Assemblies make a sound contribution to pupils’ spiritual development, but some opportunities are missed when times for reflection are too brief or the end of assembly is too abrupt. Assemblies are held daily and meet the requirements for an act of collective worship.

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TO PUPILS?

42. The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral development, through explicit teaching of good behaviour, through modelling of behaviour by teachers and support staff, and through circle time, during which pupils learn to take turns, listen to one another and show consideration for each other. There are also many opportunities for counselling about behaviour by senior staff of the school, and systems to reward good behaviour. The provision is reflected in the behaviour of pupils, which, while not without problems at times, is often good.

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TO PUPILS?

43. Provision for pupils’ social development is good. Modelling by teachers and the circle time activities make a positive contribution in this area. The school plans initiatives to help older pupils take an increasing amount of responsibility. Sometimes opportunities are lost, for example, in registration, which in some classes can be a routine matter, lacking in positive social contact which could help to start the day well.

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TO PUPILS?

44. Cultural development is well promoted. The multicultural aspects of this are strong and can be seen in history and topic work. Music, whether classical, traditional or popular, also makes a good contribution and books and stories from the literature and tradition of many countries are used in teaching and are available in the library. The good library skills taught by the school make such material more accessible to pupils. Notices in different languages and in different Wellington Primary School - 20 scripts are visible throughout the school and the school has made provision for appropriate school uniform for particular cultural groups. The contribution of art is not fully developed.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The headteacher knows the pupils well and shows a strong commitment to ensuring a high standard of care.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. There are satisfactory arrangements to ensure the health and safety of pupils. Day-to-day first aid and care for pupils who are unwell is good. All incidents are carefully recorded. There are good arrangements to ensure that all staff are aware of pupils with medical conditions. Regular informal and formal checks of the premises and site take place and appropriate action taken where needed, although the governing body is not yet as fully involved as it might be in this. All equipment is subject to regular checks. There are child protection procedures in place. The deputy headteacher has undertaken recent training and is aware an updated policy is needed. Other staff, however, have not received any recent training to ensure they are clear about procedures to follow in the event of any concerns.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. There are good procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development. Individual teachers are fully aware of the needs of the pupils in their class and they carefully record and monitor any concerns. Issues are regularly discussed with the special needs co-ordinator and deputy headteacher. A personal social and health education programme is in place and together with circle time and the caring ethos of the school supports personal development well. The achievements and good work of children are recognised and rewarded in weekly assemblies and individual achievements are displayed in the corridor on the ‘Wall of Achievement’.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school has satisfactory measures to monitor and promote good behaviour and eliminate oppressive behaviour, although there is inconsistent management of behaviour by some teachers who are less experienced. The school is working hard to meet a wide range of behavioural problems, a sizeable proportion of which arise from pupils with special educational needs who join the school in Key Stage 2. The ‘Wellington Way’ provides very detailed guidance for staff including a list of acceptable and unacceptable behaviours in addition to a comprehensive list of strategies on how to reward good behaviour and deal with inappropriate behaviour. A considerable amount of time and effort is spent by senior staff in dealing with incidents of disruptive behaviour. Inappropriate behaviour is carefully recorded using a number of recording systems. The school takes bullying and eliminating oppressive behaviour seriously. No bullying was directly observed

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

during the inspection but some pupils have reported that there has been bullying in the school particularly at lunchtime and that these incidents are dealt with promptly.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Although the school has good systems to monitor levels of attendance, the procedures to improve attendance are less well developed. Accurate records are kept on levels of attendance, registers are closely monitored and unexplained absences are followed up; all parents are not being regularly reminded about the need for their children to attend school nor are pupils rewarded for high levels of attendance. The Education Welfare Officer visits each week and is appropriately involved but the systems in place are not sufficiently rigorous to improve levels of attendance. Punctuality is not sufficiently well monitored. Pupils arriving late sign the late book themselves, and parents are not routinely notified when pupils are habitually late.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The procedures for assessing pupils’ academic performance are satisfactory. Teachers have assessment sheets for each subject in the National Curriculum that are intended to be completed for every pupil in their class on a regular basis. The use of these documents is at a very early stage and does not yet guide the planning of the curriculum sufficiently nor monitor or support pupils’ progress in a sustained way. The school plans to provide in-service training for teachers to help them achieve a common standard in the way they determine levels in each subject. At present this skill is under-developed. The school charts pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science by keeping a record of their test results in Key Stage 1 and predicting Key Stage 2 Wellington Primary School - 21 test results. There are also details about pupils’ ethnic background so that the achievement of different groups of pupils can be monitored. The school has recently started to analyse these

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

records to track pupils’ progress and to ascertain any under-achievement but much more work is required before this can have an impact on standards. The school assesses pupils’ performance in tests in mathematics and reading and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority optional test in Years 3, 4 and 5. These tests have helped the school to determine targets for groups of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. The school makes good use of the mathematics results to pinpoint pupils’ weaknesses and to adjust the curriculum accordingly. There is too little analysis of pupils’ performance in writing, or in other subjects. The school does not keep portfolios of pupils’ work across the curriculum so that teachers’ understanding of the levels of attainment are secure, with the consequence that they cannot always accurately set targets for the next stage of learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. There is no clear and agreed system for initial assessment of pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) and for other ethnic minority pupils targeted under the achievement grant. This makes it difficult for the school to measure accurately pupils’ progress against prior attainment. In literacy and numeracy lessons, pupils are always grouped by ability and this means that pupils with EAL are placed with pupils with special educational needs. This does not always allow them to benefit from exposure to positive peer models of language acquisition. However, teachers do give support to these pupils and provide bi-lingual labels for topics they study.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. There are good systems for monitoring the progress of pupils on the register of special educational needs; regular discussions take place, which involve the class teacher, special needs teaching assistants and the co-ordinator. All staff at these meetings demonstrate very good knowledge of the pupils and concerns are appropriately channelled to outside agencies, through the special needs co-ordinator.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. Many parents are supportive of the school and happy with what it provides although a few did express some concerns. Parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting and completed the questionnaire all agreed that teaching is good, they feel comfortable in approaching the school when they have worries or concerns and consider the school to be well led and managed. Many agreed that their children liked school and make good progress, that the school expects the children to work hard and achieve their best, and that the school helps pupils become mature and responsible. There was, however, a number of parents who expressed concerns about behaviour, homework provision, and did not feel they receive sufficient information on progress and were not happy with the range of activities outside lessons. Inspection evidence supports some of the positive views expressed by parents but not all their concerns are justified, for example the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

information provided to parents about their child’s progress is very similar to that offered by most schools. Parental concerns about the range of activities beyond the classroom are not supported. The school offers a much wider range of extra-curricular activities than is found in most schools.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. The school has a satisfactory relationship with parents. It has recently introduced some initiatives to encourage parents to work more closely with the school to support their children’s education. A recent course in parenting skills was run in the school. Meetings are held giving guidance to parents on how to help their children at home. During the inspection a numeracy evening was held for parents of pupils in Years 1 and 2 where they had the opportunity to experience the work their children are doing in lessons. Parents are invited to class assemblies. The Parent-Teacher Association organises a range of fund-raising and social events enabling the school to purchase additional resources. Some parents are actively involved in their children’s learning at home but only a few are able to help in school. Pupils are encouraged to take their reading books home each week. Some parents hear their children read and sign the reading records when they hear

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

them. Most pupils are receiving suitable amounts of homework. A recent homework policy Wellington Primary School - 22 outlines general guidance on homework but does make expectations clear enough for parents to know exactly what homework pupils will receive each week.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. The register of special educational needs is efficiently maintained and procedures for the review of targets and statements are well carried out. The special needs co-ordinator is accessible to parents and liaises with them well. The provision specified on statements of special need is made by the school, although the Health Authority is currently unable to provide the occupational therapy advice required for a small number of pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The school provides parents with a satisfactory level of information. This allows them to become more involved in their children’s learning and have an understanding of the school’s work. Frequent newsletters, and additional letters when necessary, keep parents well informed about school matters, key dates and events. Explanations of curriculum initiatives are provided. Parents recently received a letter explaining the new Curriculum 2000, and meetings have been held to explain other curriculum initiatives such as the Literacy Hour. Some classes provide parents with brief information on topic work to be covered during the term, but there is currently no whole school approach. The prospectus provides useful information on school routines and procedures and the annual governors’ report is detailed and presented well. Two formal parents’ evenings are held each year and parents are offered the opportunity to discuss reports with the class teacher.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Annual written reports on pupils’ progress are satisfactory. They provide information on what pupils can do as well as what has been covered, but they do not provide information on their children’s strengths and weaknesses or include targets for future learning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The headteacher and senior management team share a clear vision for the school, which focuses on raising standards of attainment and behaviour. These appropriate aims are clearly reflected in the school development plan, which contains the right priorities, but which does not extend, in any detail, beyond the end of the year. The headteacher has been particularly active in planning initiatives which are supported by specific grants; examples are the National Grid for Learning funds which are being used to promote higher standards in information and communications technology, and funding to help tackle under-achievement in specific groups of pupils. Since the last inspection, the headteacher has initiated a programme of monitoring teaching in the core subjects. This has led to sharper evaluation of teaching and learning in some aspects of English, where reading is improving. In mathematics the analysis of test results has led to eradicating

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

weaknesses in certain aspects of the subject and in information technology the monitoring of teaching has led to improved provision in the subject. While there is some monitoring of the outcomes of developments, this tends to be informal and needs to be more rigorous to ensure that evaluations give an accurate picture for further development. Subject co-ordinators monitor teachers’ planning, but this has not always been effective in ensuring satisfactory arrangements for all subjects. As yet there is not a sufficiently strongly developed team of middle managers to focus on the curriculum and on standards achieved, particularly in the subjects which do not currently have as strong a focus for attention as mathematics and English. The headteacher has established good procedures for the day-to-day management of the school and is ably supported by the senior management team and administrative staff.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The governing body is supportive of the headteacher and senior management team. It includes governors with particular skills, such as monitoring the day-to-day financial running of the school. However, it has not yet fully developed its critical monitoring and evaluation role and is therefore not completely aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The day-to-day finances of the school are well run, with expert help from the bursar and administrative staff, and financial practices are fully compliant with regulations; appropriate systems, checks and balances are in place. Expenditure is linked to the school development plan and the school follows appropriate tendering procedures for major items of expenditure. There Wellington Primary School - 23 is a need for more developed systems of evaluation, so that the senior management team and governing body can check how effective initiatives have proved to be.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The school suffers from frequent change of staff and has some difficulty in recruiting teachers. This has had a considerable impact on standards for some classes and on the delegation and effective discharge of curriculum responsibilities. There is evidence in the performance of parallel classes that changes of teacher within the school year have led to gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding in subjects and to under-achievement in National Curriculum tests. The headteacher has carefully deployed experienced staff during this period to minimise the impact of unstable staffing on each class. The school has experienced difficulty in recruiting teachers with appropriate expertise in some subjects which has led to weaknesses in expertise in art and in design and technology. The majority of the co-ordinators currently in post have joined the school since the last inspection and have not yet succeeded in consolidating sound management

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

procedures for their subjects. This is the case with the majority of foundation subject co- ordinators, where an expanded role of management and accountability is needed in order to tackle the planning for improvements in these subjects. The co-ordination of English and mathematics has been successful in implementing the national literacy and numeracy strategies and in developing teachers’ expertise. The special needs co-ordinator has very good knowledge of methods and approaches in the teaching of pupils with special needs. She exercises good judgement in allocating support, whether by withdrawal to a small group or through additional staffing levels in the classroom, and focuses very well in small group lessons on giving pupils skills that they can use back in the classroom. The provision of classroom support staff is good and they are well deployed at the foundation stage and in both key stages. They give good

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

support to pupils’ learning and behaviour management. Staffing provision in the nursery is very good because teachers and nursery nurses plan and assess pupils’ progress together.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school’s aims acknowledge the importance of equal opportunity for all pupils and the majority of staff have an appropriate level of awareness of pupils’ backgrounds. The Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) is appropriately deployed in providing staff and resources to support these pupils. However, the school has recognised the need for the development of provision by identifying the needs of pupils with English as an additional language more clearly, tracking their progress and providing training for teachers. There is a good range of resources reflecting diverse cultures and languages in the library and in classrooms and this, together with the ethnically mixed profile of staff, creates a positive learning environment where pupils feel proud of their cultural identities.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The school provides spacious classroom accommodation, which is well organised by teachers and benefits from displays of pupils’ work. There is ample accommodation for physical education, though the playground is restricted in size for games for older juniors. The open plan design of Key Stage 1 occasionally has disadvantages for learning, especially in the afternoons, when small group activities in the corridor can disturb the learning in adjoining classes. The school could consider the addition of folding doors such as those used in Key Stage 2, which allow all the shared space to be used without detriment to the learning of any pupils. The location of the nursery and reception classes at opposite sides of the school means that reception children do not benefit from the dedicated outdoor play area and have restricted opportunities for physical development. The corridors and shared areas of the school are well used for further displays of

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

pupils’ work, learning materials and celebrations of the many cultures represented in the school. A noteworthy feature is the amount of bi-lingual display reflecting the home languages of all children in the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Learning resources in the school are good. They are plentiful and of good quality. In English, there is a good range of reading and reference books, ensuring demanding reading for all pupils in the school. The library is well stocked and well used for the development of pupils’ referencing skills. There is a supply of bi-lingual books for readers at all stages and they are clearly well used. In music, the range of tuned and non-tuned instruments is good and the school has a good library of taped music. In all subjects the organisation and availability of resources is good, so that teachers have ready access to learning materials. Wellington Primary School - 24 64. Although the school has faced consistent difficulties with staffing in the past four years, due to promotion and ill health, it has successfully addressed the issues raised at the last inspection. The religious education curriculum is now much stronger and provision for information technology

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

is now judged to be good. The school has developed strong systems for behaviour management to ensure that teachers and pupils are given adequate support for teaching and learning, though some weaknesses still exist. Despite the impact of staffing difficulties, the school gives satisfactory value for money and is in a sound position to continue to make further improvements.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

65. To raise standards further, the governors, headteacher and staff of Wellington School should

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a. improving the teaching of handwriting and spelling; b. ensuring that teachers’ expectations of presentation are raised; c. providing more opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills in other subjects. ( paragraphs 3, 82, 85 )

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Improve standards in science by ensuring that sufficient time is allocated to teaching the subject. ( paragraphs 36, 95, 97 )

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. Improve the effectiveness of the assessment procedures to support pupils’ progress by: a. making better use of the results of tests to inform teachers’ planning for lessons; b. setting targets for different groups of pupils and monitoring their progress towards these; c. extending assessment to the foundation subjects. ( paragraphs 50,87, 100, 105, 110, 116, 126, 131 )

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4. Improve the pupils’ response in lessons by: a. ensuring that teachers’ planning is clear about what will be learnt and that activities engage the pupils’ interest; b. ensuring that teachers’ expectations of pupils’ work rate are maintained throughout the day; c. ensuring that the teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour more consistently follows the school’s guidelines. ( paragraphs 26, 30, 48 )

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

5. Improve the balance of the curriculum and the rigour with which teaching and learning are monitored by the headteacher, senior staff and subject managers, so that a clearer picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses is obtained. ( paragraphs 57, 94, 96, 101, 105, 110, 116 )

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

6. Improve attendance by making more concerted efforts to make parents aware of their responsibilities and ensure that persistent lateness is notified to them. ( paragraph 22 )

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

7. Improve the provision for pupils with English as an additional language by: a. ensuring that their needs are clearly identified through initial assessment; b. ensuring that teachers have the results of these assessments in order to plan appropriate tasks for these pupils; c. ensuring that more efficient use is made of the specialist teacher’s time. ( paragraphs 32, 51, 61 ) Wellington Primary School - 25 8. In addition to the areas for improvement that have been identified above, the following should also be considered for inclusion in the governors’ action plan:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Develop the role of governors in monitoring the work of the school and in the evaluation of developments. ( paragraph 58 ) Wellington Primary School - 26

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 36

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y7

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 74 339

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 98

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y7

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 6 95

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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 83

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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 42

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 31

p.26

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 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. Wellington Primary School - 27

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 31 24 53

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 20 20 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 21 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 78(82) 78(68) 75(100) at NC level 2 or above National 84(82) 83(81) 87(96)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 19 22 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 19 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 74(78) 77(70) 85(76) at NC level 2 or above National 84(82) 88(86) 88(87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 32 27 59

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 21 21 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 14 18

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 68(72) 63(69) 71(64) At NC level 4 or above National 75(70) 69(69) 78(78)

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 22 21 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 19 14 14

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 71(68) 64(62) 66(60) at NC level 4 or above National 70(68) 72(69) 80(75)

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Wellington Primary School - 28

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 15 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 16 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 9 Other minority ethnic groups

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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.

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.4 Financial year 1999 –2000

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.7

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total expenditure 906115

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 10 Expenditure per pupil 1970

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 153 Balance brought forward from previous year 49712

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 60540

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.0

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 37

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3.0

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 72

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Wellington Primary School - 29

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 47 47 7 0 0

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 22 64 13 0 0

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 24 33 36 4 2

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 38 42 13 2 4

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 29 0 0 4

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 49 44 4 0 2

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 27 51 4 2 16

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 40 44 0 0 16

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 36 58 2 0 4

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 31 27 4 9 Wellington Primary School - 30

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. At the time of the last inspection, the provision for children under five was judged to be sound, with appropriate practice to meet children’s needs. Since then the provision for learning for the children in the Foundation Stage has been further developed and is now good overall and very good in the nursery. Expectations are clearly identified for all ages in the class and targets for learning are focused to cater for the varying experiences of the children. There is clear and thorough planning and organisation in place, including a comprehensive system to record the children’s attainment. Assessment opportunities are identified as an integral part of the planning for each area of learning, which has a strong impact on the children’s learning in the Nursery. Planning does not currently follow the same format in the Reception class. It is now being reviewed to take account of both the Nursery and the Reception class as part of the Foundation

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. There are three intakes of children into the Nursery and Reception class every year. Currently, there are eighteen children in the Reception class. There are very good induction procedures for settling the children thoughtfully and sensitively into school. For example, the teachers, nursery nurse and learning support assistant all make very worthwhile visits to each home before the children start school; there is a good opportunity for parents to come into the Nursery, during the half-term prior to their children’s entry and parents are welcome to stay with their children initially and daily consultation times are made available during eight weeks of the first term. Not all children who enter the Nursery class continue into the Reception class.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. The majority of children enter the Nursery with below average attainment, although there are a few children with above average attainment. By the end of the Nursery stage, they have made good progress. However, overall, those children who remain in the school have a below average attainment when they enter Year 1 at the end of the Foundation Stage. Children with special educational needs are identified quickly and fully integrated into the class. They make progress at the same rate as the other children. Good use is made of assessment. The information gained when the children first join the Nursery is used effectively to plan activities for them. Continual observations and assessments are made of each child’s progress to ensure that work continues to match their needs and build on their previous learning. All the staff, including the Nursery Nurse and Nursery Assistant, work extremely well together and collaborate very

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

effectively to plan activities and assess children’s needs.

p.30

Personal and social development

69. The majority of children currently in the Foundation Stage are on target to meet the expected standards in their personal and social development. They are beginning to form positive relationships and to communicate suitably with one another and with adults. Relationships are very good and staff are very effective in creating a warm, caring and stimulating learning environment in which the children develop good attitudes to learning and become self-confident. They are taught the difference between right and wrong. Clear routines have been established in which the children thrive and very good progress is made. For example, the children in the Reception class move sensibly to their table activities and share resources well, while the children in the Nursery have many effective opportunities to select from a wide variety of activities and also to appropriately share resources. This very successfully develops the children’s social

p.30

Personal and social development

and personal skills, particularly developing their understanding of individual responsibility, and is a direct result of the very good teaching that they receive. The majority of children in both the Nursery and the Reception class remain interested in tasks until completed, particularly when working with an adult. For example, children in the Nursery persevere until they have completed a collage of a house in Bethlehem. They are beginning to share equipment and collaborate appropriately during group work, for example, when using paint and construction kits and Wellington Primary School - 31 chopping up vegetables to make a soup. The rich learning environment and the very good provision of a wide range of experiences ensure that the pupils develop well in this area. For example, the children effectively learn about other cultures through making clay divas, Rangoli patterns and Diwali cards and particularly through making a Chinese meal and using chopsticks

p.30

Personal and social development

70. The overall very good teaching in this area has a strong impact on children’s learning. The teachers plan very worthwhile opportunities for the children to learn and to concentrate on a given task. No opportunity is missed to help them learn how to live amongst a large group. Staff have high expectations that children will learn how to give and take, share and begin to understand what they may expect of others and others of them. Praise and encouragement are used very effectively to raise the children’s self-esteem and give them confidence. By working very well together, the staff give the children very good role models.

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

71. By the end of the Foundation Stage, a substantial minority of children, who remain in the school, meet the required standard in communication, language and literacy, while a very small minority exceed the expectations of the Early Learning Goals. They make good progress from entry into the Nursery and are developing their skills well in English. Adults use skilful questioning to encourage the children to express their ideas and increase their vocabulary. Throughout each activity they are provided with many additional opportunities that are supported by an adult to develop their speaking and listening skills. For example, the children in the Reception class listen for and identify rhyming words in the text that is read to them while in the Nursery the children are very involved in talking about circuits and making a bulb to light up. Children are developing skills in writing, which are appropriate for their ability. By the end of the Foundation

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

Stage, many children attempt to write their own names, copy letters in recognisable script and write simple sentences with the teacher’s help. They are familiar with books and handle them carefully. The children understand how books are written and know that pictures tell a story and words have meanings. For example, one child pointed to the words as he was ‘reading’ but uses his own words to tell the story. Another child read with expression a group of familiar words from memory. A few higher attaining children use a number of methods to read stories. For example, they use the sounds of the letters to help them read words or the pictures to give them an idea of what the writing is about. In the Nursery the children show an understanding of the elements of a story and the sequence of events. They enjoy handling books and some are quite articulate when recalling the content of a story. Teachers encourage all children to take home their books to

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

share with their family and most do this regularly. Information technology is used effectively to support this subject, for example, with such programs as “Animated Alphabet.”

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

72. The quality of teaching in this area of learning is good. Lessons are well organised and good cross-curricular links are made with other subjects such as mathematics and science. Adults interact well with the children, particularly in discussion, to exploit any opportunities to increase children’s vocabulary. All the staff use praise well to build up confidence and self-esteem. Challenging and stimulating work is successfully planned which makes children think and keeps them focused with interest on the activities provided. Planning appropriately takes account of the newly introduced ‘Stepping Stones’ in the Early Learning Goals for the Foundation Year.

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Mathematical development

73. In this area of learning, the majority of children enter the Nursery with a wide range of number skills and overall have below average attainment. The children make good progress and a substantial minority meet the expected standard by the end of the Foundation Stage. The children enjoy many worthwhile experiences. For example, they weigh fruit and bags of flour to see which is heavier and lighter; they compare bears to see which are big and little and they investigate flour and water to see which objects are full and empty. They can make repeating patterns using real fruit, such as oranges and bananas. In the Reception class, the children count and sort numbers to 20 orally and count on from a given number to 10. They compare, sort Wellington Primary School - 32 and match everyday objects . For example, the children were able to compare the number of boys and girls there are in the class by lining up. They are appropriately introduced to mathematical

p.31

Mathematical development

language such as big, little, more, less, in front of and behind. They recognise a number of two- dimensional shapes, such as square, circle, triangle and rectangle. Teachers use every opportunity to reinforce their knowledge and understanding of number through consistent repetition of ordering numbers, in the singing of various number rhymes. For example, in the Nursery the children were able to compare numbers by singing ‘Ten Green Bottles’ and making them with play-dough. This subject makes a good contribution to the children’s personal and social development. For example, the children are interested and motivated, confident in speaking and settle quickly and quietly to group activities. Learning is effective because the children have many opportunities to learn from and with each other and at different rates. Information technology is used effectively to support mathematics through carefully selected

p.32

Mathematical development

number programs and in listening to counting rhymes on tapes.

p.32

Mathematical development

74. Overall, the quality of teaching is very good and has a strong impact on children’s learning and the good progress they make. Very good teaching is characterised by clear and precise exposition and instructions so that the children know what is expected of them. Skilful questions are used to stimulate thought and provoke discussion from which children learn much. Nursery staff are used very successfully and are well deployed. Activities are effectively planned to meet the needs of all the children and clear objectives ensure that the children progress well. All the staff have a secure understanding of how young children learn and provide a rich learning environment in which the children thrive.

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

75. By the end of the Foundation Stage, the majority of children are on target to meet the national expectations in their knowledge and understanding of the world and they make good progress. Effective opportunities are provided for the children to develop their understanding of the senses through well planned activities. The children in the Nursery, taste, smell, feel and look closely at different foods such as bread, pizza, gingerbread men, spicy, star-shaped biscuits. One child said, “Dough is soft.” They know the ingredients that have been used to bake the biscuits and are given good opportunities to make simple predictions about what the biscuit will look like after it has been cooked. This creates a good link with language, as they are asked to talk about the processes. The children’s knowledge of vocabulary is extended through good use of subject terminology. For example, the children in the Reception class are encouraged to describe which

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

vehicle will roll down a slope and travel the furthest. They are expected to give a simple reason for their choice. Scrutiny of the children’s previous work on display and in photographs shows that the children are beginning to have an awareness of the world around them. For example, they observe tadpoles through a magnifying glass, draw them and talk about the changes that occur in them. They plant flowers in the garden, water and care for them. The children enjoy using clay by squeezing and moulding it to make, for example, green bottles and mini-beasts found in the Nursery garden. They handle a variety of tools carefully. For example, three children used a hammer to competently bang a nail into a piece of wood. They sew stitches around the shape of an apple, make puppets to re-enact the story of ‘The Little Red Hen’ and make musical instruments to accompany the songs that they know. The children are beginning to understand

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

the need for food tins to have labels and to design their own labels. Good opportunities are provided for them to be aware of safety and hygiene when handling food. For example, they understand the importance of washing their hands before making biscuits. All of these experiences effectively enhance the children’s speaking and listening skills as they talk freely about how they made the biscuits. The children are suitably developing an awareness of the passing of time through looking at the changes in vehicles such as the steam train. The excellent use of photographs captures the changes that take place in them and the activities they have enjoyed as they move up to the Reception class. Photographs of all kinds of occasions make a major contribution to the life in the Nursery. They are beautifully presented and become a very worthwhile resource for the children to use and talk about when they move on to their different

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

schools. Their computer skills are satisfactory: they are appropriately developing eye and hand co-ordination through controlling the mouse and the direction keys when following programs. For example, the children used a ‘My World’ program to make a design of a tractor. Wellington Primary School - 33 76. The quality of teaching seen in this area is very good. Very good relationships have been established between the staff. The Nursery Nurse and the Nursery Assistant are very able and make a valuable contribution to the children’s learning by skilfully reinforcing the understanding and effectively supporting them. The stimulating displays support this area very effectively. The staff plan activities that develop and increase, for example, the children’s manipulation and observational skills. Plans clearly set out appropriate learning intentions for lessons. The activities are well matched to the needs of the children and they are precisely explained and

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

demonstrated. Resources are thoroughly and carefully selected and prepared prior to the lesson.

p.33

Creative development

77. The children’s creative development is on target to meet the required standard of the Early Learning Goals and they make good progress. Scrutiny of the children’s past work on display shows that they have daily opportunities to express themselves by drawing, painting, engaging in imaginative play, handling malleable materials, such as play-dough, sand and water-play and making papier-mâché spiders. They produce pictures using a wide range of techniques, such as hand, fruit and leaf printing and create collage pictures by using a range of materials. They explore the shapes and patterns found inside different fruits and vegetables and make good attempts at drawing, for example, the inside of a piece of apple by looking closely at it. Good progress is made in developing the children’s understanding of colour mixing. For example, they found out that when blue and red are mixed together they make purple. In music, the children join

p.33

Creative development

in an action song with enthusiasm. They learn to play different percussion instruments and recognise the sounds they make. The role-play area is changed regularly and provides stimulating opportunities for the children to play co-operatively and develop their imaginations by enabling them to take on the various roles and jobs. For example, a ‘Hairdresser’s Salon’ provided the children with very effective opportunities to collaborate and pretend to be the stylist and the client.

p.33

Creative development

78. Overall, teaching is good in this area of learning. Creative development is well fostered through a wide variety of activities. All the staff are well organised and use stimulating resources which are thoroughly prepared. They constantly talk to the children and ask relevant questions to enlarge their vocabulary and support their efforts. Staff work closely together and make positive contributions to the children’s learning. For example, they participate in role-play situations and they help the children to select the most appropriate materials for their models. Assessment opportunities are an integral part of the planning.

p.33

Physical development

79. By the end of the Foundation Stage, the majority of children make good progress and reach the expected standards in their physical development. There are many planned experiences for them to control small tools so that by the time they are five, the majority of children are beginning to control and manipulate such objects as pencils, glue spreaders, paint brushes, construction apparatus, modelling tools and scissors, which they handle safely. The safely organised outdoor play area in the Nursery garden provides a good range of equipment to develop the children’s ability to control and co-ordinate their bodies and gives them an awareness of space. For example, scrutiny of photographs shows that appropriate apparatus is set out to develop their balancing skills by constructing a bridge with planks and wooden boxes. The Nursery garden is available twice a week to the children in the Reception class. A weekly physical education

p.33

Physical development

lesson in the hall enhances the children’s physical development in the Reception class. They are appropriately taught to listen to different instructions through the effective use of a tape in a dance lesson, when the children worked co-operatively with a partner to take turns in being the giant and his helper. They are keen and enthusiastic and react well to the teacher’s high expectations of their behaviour and response.

p.33

Physical development

80. Overall, the quality of teaching is good in this area. The teachers make good provision for the children’s physical development. Effective teaching is characterised by clear and precise Wellington Primary School - 34 exposition and instructions so that the children know what is expected of them. Lessons are very well planned and structured, including a clear development of skills. All staff are well deployed and understand what is expected of them. They have a secure understanding of how young children learn and provide a rich learning environment in which the children develop well physically. All staff have a strong awareness of the children’s safety.

p.33

ENGLISH

81. In the National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds in 2000, pupils’ performance in reading and writing was well below the national average. It was also well below the performance of pupils in similar schools. These results represent a drop in performance from the 1999 results, that is explained by the disruption of teaching in one of the Year 2 classes which performed significantly less well than the other. Pupils currently at the end of Key Stage 1 are attaining in line with the national expectation in all aspects of English, owing to more stable staffing. Results in the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests in English in 2000 were well below the national average and below the results in similar schools. Pupils currently at the end of Key Stage 2 are attaining in line with the national expectation in reading and speaking and listening and are below the national expectation for eleven-year-olds in writing. This represents an improvement compared with test

p.34

ENGLISH

results and is due to the emphasis being given in literacy to guided reading. The school’s results in the subject have risen in line with the national trend over the last four years.

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ENGLISH

82. By the age of seven, pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is in line with the national average with standards being maintained since the last inspection. By the end of Key Stage 1, the majority of pupils show confidence in talking and listening when the topics are familiar to them, take part in discussions and report on their work to their peers, for instance at the end of literacy sessions. Pupils contribute well in response to teachers’ questioning, for instance when they comment on the title, cover and blurb to predict what might happen in a story. By the end of Key Stage 2, attainment is in line with the national expectation. High attaining pupils speak confidently, express a point of view and develop their ideas in collaboration with peers; most pupils present their ideas clearly and respond to explanations and questions appropriately. However, overall, pupils are not provided with planned opportunities to talk for a range of purposes

p.34

ENGLISH

and audiences, to participate in role-play or drama in order to practise and develop speaking and listening skills in a systematic way.

p.34

ENGLISH

83. Attainment in reading by the end of both key stages is in line with the national average for the majority of pupils, as it was in the last inspection. By the end of Key Stage 1, the majority of pupils enjoy reading and are able to talk about the plot and characters. They read with fluency and expression and make good use of phonic, pictorial and contextual cues. Pupils comment on the range of books they have read and express preferences. All pupils including low attainers know how to locate information, using the contents page or index and have generally well developed library skills that are well taught in the school. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils use a range of strategies to help them in their reading and discuss a variety of texts. The majority predict what might happen using their knowledge of the plot and characters and justify their predictions. Pupils recall the range of books they have read and cogently comment about their

p.34

ENGLISH

favourite book or author and justify their preferences. Reading is appropriately managed; teachers keep records with diagnostic comments on what pupils need to do to improve. Library facilities are effectively used to change books and to develop research and information retrieval skills. Standards in reading are improving and are becoming a strength of pupils’ learning. They have better than average library skills. The standards reached in reading represent good progress, which is being sustained across both key stages.

p.34

ENGLISH

84. Attainment in writing is in line with the standards expected at the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils’ handwriting skills develop at a satisfactory rate and they write simple sentences with capital letters and full stops in Year 2. The majority of pupils in Year 2 are able to write in different styles. For instance, they write their own version of fairy stories, following conventional openings Wellington Primary School - 35 and endings. They write instructions on how to play games or make a sandwich and they attempt personal writing when they write “All about Me”. All pupils at this key stage learn at a satisfactory rate because of the teachers’ careful planning for different groups in the class and because support assistants are involved in planning for the lessons. In Key Stage 2, standards in writing vary between classes in some years, and by the end of the key stage are below the expected standard. The handwriting of some pupils is neat and legible, but generally writing is ill formed,

p.34

ENGLISH

not always joined and standards of presentation are unsatisfactory. While pupils have the opportunity to learn about different styles of writing in literacy lessons, there is not enough time allocated in other subjects for pupils to consolidate and hone these skills. In Year 6 pupils write an obituary for John Lennon and show an understanding of the structure and tone needed for such a style of writing. Their first drafts show a limited vocabulary and only the highest attainers show firm control over the subject matter and appropriate use of paragraphing. Overall, spelling and punctuation are below the expected standard and a number of pupils need clear targets in these areas of writing.

p.35

ENGLISH

85. Pupils’ attitudes in English are mainly positive in both key stages. In Key Stage 1, pupils listen attentively to exposition by the teacher, contribute well to question and answer sessions. They concentrate well when working independently, are well motivated and relate well to the teachers and peers. At Key Stage 2, pupils listen well and are attentive. They persevere well with tasks. In some instances, however, pupils, especially those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, do not participate fully in discussion, partly because they are not appropriately targeted and questions matched to their needs.

p.35

ENGLISH

86. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good and very good teaching seen at both key stages. Unsatisfactory teaching was seen in one lesson, where ineffective pupil management led to unsatisfactory progress for the majority of pupils. Where teaching is good or very good, learning objectives are thoroughly rehearsed with the pupils to focus their attention and are revisited at the end of lessons to check understanding. Effective methods are used to develop pupils’ prediction skills, for instance when they consider the cover, title and blurb of a shared text. Independent tasks are thoroughly explained with clear expectations of learning outcomes. The weaknesses in teaching at Key Stage 2 are often related to inadequate behaviour management or the lack of match between what pupils know and what they are asked to do when a topic is being introduced for the first time. Overall, teachers have good relationships with pupils and plan

p.35

ENGLISH

appropriate tasks based on their knowledge of their attainments. In the majority of lessons pupils are kept on task and make at least satisfactory progress.

p.35

ENGLISH

87. The school uses the literacy framework effectively and evaluation and analysis of results have led to identification of writing as an area needing improvement. Effective assessment procedures have been developed with regular half-termly assessments, the use of exemplars with work at different levels and tracking of progress used to set group targets for pupils. Scrutiny of weekly plans is used to evaluate teaching and learning and to inform further planning. The co-ordinator carries out monitoring through observations of literacy lessons, sampling of work in Year 6, hearing pupils read across different year groups and scrutiny of teachers’ planning. The auditing of results is used to inform development planning with appropriate priorities being identified.

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MATHEMATICS

88. Pupils’ attainment in the 2000 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 is very low compared with the national average but it was well above the average in 1999. This dip in performance occurred as a result of the major staffing difficulties experienced by the school during 1999-2000. Very few pupils reached the higher levels in the 2000 mathematics tests and their overall performance is very low compared with that of pupils in similar schools. Pupils’ average point score in the 2000 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2, was below the national average and in line with the performance of pupils in similar schools. However, in relation to the percentage of pupils reaching Level 5 or above, pupils’ attainment is close to the national average and it is above that of pupils in similar schools. This represents good progress for higher attaining pupils. Wellington Primary School - 36

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MATHEMATICS

89. Inspection evidence shows that, by the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment overall is in line with national expectations. The improved staffing in Key Stage 1 this year is raising standards significantly. Pupils acquire a secure foundation in mathematics. They recognise and use simple patterns. Pupils readily recall addition and subtraction facts to 10. Most pupils confidently recall the table for multiplication by two accurately and can give correct answers for a random selection of products selected from the table. They understand that multiplication of numbers is commutative, i.e. that 2x5 is the same as 5x2. Many pupils comprehend the use and meaning of simple fractions. Pupils can construct basic three-dimensional shapes, such as cubes, accurately using straws. Pupils use common units of measurement effectively to weigh everyday objects. They can estimate which are heavier or lighter and place the items in order of

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MATHEMATICS

magnitude. The more able pupils are particularly proficient at determining the mass in grams of an item by reading the display on scales accurately.

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MATHEMATICS

90. Pupils’ attainment overall by the end of Key Stage 2 is in line with national expectations. They cope particularly well with computation both mentally and in written form. Pupils readily recall multiplications from the tables to 10x10 and the more able pupils can recollect many other products accurately and instantly, e.g. 11x11. Most pupils complete a range of written calculations for the four rules correctly and in the process show a secure understanding of place value. More able pupils understand and use equivalent fractions effectively. Pupils have sound strategies for solving numerical problems and can interpret various mathematical patterns such as that for the sequence of square numbers. They are less confident in resolving real life problems that are expressed in words and sentences. Pupils understand the idea of reflecting a shape and can determine lines of symmetry. Pupils collect and group data and represent it in accurate bar

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MATHEMATICS

charts and line graphs. For example, in geography pupils compare and contrast the temperature, rainfall and sunshine hours in the Algarve with those in London. There is less evidence of the use of scatter-grams or pie charts.

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MATHEMATICS

91. Pupils’ attitude to their work is generally good and they are well behaved in the majority of lessons. They usually listen attentively to the teacher and to other pupils when they are responding to a question. Pupils are interested in mathematics and are keen to make progress. They nearly always settle to class-work tasks promptly and sensibly. In a few lessons some pupils are restless and lack concentration. They become over-excited, tending to chatter when they should be working or listening to the teacher.

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MATHEMATICS

92. The quality of teaching and learning is nearly always satisfactory, or better. It is good, or very good in almost half the lessons observed. The best teachers are lively and enthusiastic about mathematics, actively involve the pupils in discussions and manage them effectively throughout the lesson. Most teachers have a sound knowledge of the subject, sufficient for the age range of the pupils they are teaching. They incorporate the basic skills well in lessons. For example, in a well-taught Year 3 lesson the teacher made sure that all pupils wrote statements summarising their conclusions from a survey of pupils’ favourite foods. Pupils’ writing skills were enhanced effectively in the context of a statistical investigation. By planning their lessons in accordance with the framework of the National Numeracy Strategy teachers provide a consistent approach for pupils that builds upon their previous knowledge and understanding. Most teachers use short oral

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MATHEMATICS

and mental sessions well at the beginning of lessons to consolidate pupils’ numerical skills and to give a brisk start to the lesson. In the best lessons teachers also allocate sufficient time to the plenary session to draw together pupils’ ideas and then to summarise what they have learnt. On other occasions pupils have too little opportunity to make any substantial contribution. In many lessons teachers provide work matched to all abilities. The extent to which teachers are able to manage pupils’ behaviour varies considerably. In the best lessons teachers have a very good rapport with their pupils, motivate them to work hard and thereby enable them to reach a high standard. For example, in a very brisk Year 6 lesson, the teacher used pupils’ own responses to extend the sequence of square numbers and to determine the emerging pattern. In an encouraging and supportive way the teacher assessed the quality of pupils’ responses to help

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MATHEMATICS

steer them towards clearer understanding. Teachers manage the time allocated to numeracy each day satisfactorily overall but, on occasions, could apportion time better within the three-part lesson structure, for example, in order to give sufficient weight to the plenary session. Although Wellington Primary School - 37 in parts of some lessons support staff are under-used, in a very good Year 2 lesson, the assistant contributed well by explaining one of the tasks to the whole class and later obtaining a print-out of class weight survey results graphically using the computer. In general, pupils with special educational needs are supported satisfactorily and make sound progress. Teachers use homework satisfactorily to consolidate and extend what is learnt in school. For example, in an effective Year 1 lesson the teacher encouraged pupils to come to the front to read out their ‘diary of the week’ homework answers.

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MATHEMATICS

93. The school has made satisfactory progress overall since the last inspection in 1996. Pupils’ results in national tests have fluctuated since then, but there is compelling evidence from the current inspection that standards in mathematics are improving. The effective leadership of the newly appointed co-ordinator for mathematics, allied to the good teaching in Years 2 and 6, should lead to improved performance in 2001. The National Numeracy Strategy is fully in place. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning regularly and, through her position as a local leading mathematics teacher, plans to help others to improve their own teaching skills. The school has started to make use of assessment information. Recent analysis of pupils’ test results has enabled the school to pinpoint common areas of weakness, such as problem solving, so that teachers can tackle and overcome these. There are good links with parents. Teachers organise

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MATHEMATICS

family mathematics workshops for groups of parents and pupils after school so that there is better awareness of present-day content and methods.

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SCIENCE

94. Standards in science as measured by standard assessment tests are well below those expected nationally for pupils at age eleven, and below those expected for pupils at age seven. Standards seen in lessons are a little below average at age eleven and broadly in line with what is expected at age seven. However, examination of pupils’ work indicates that over time standards remain below average. A key factor in this is the inadequate amount of time spent on the subject in recent years. There is too little work in pupils’ books and files and much work is unfinished, due to lack of time or to pupil absence. By age eleven pupils are able to suggest ways of investigating what happens when water from a solution evaporates and understand that in a fair test only one variable at a time should be changed. Investigative work is strong. Pupils understand food chains and have knowledge of habitat. Investigative work is also strong in the

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SCIENCE

younger classes and by age seven pupils are forming clear concepts of fair testing. They know about the structure of plants and the function of roots and stems. They are familiar with the life cycles of a number of animals and plants and they use scientific vocabulary confidently. While pupils of all ages sometimes set out work neatly and with great care, many present work poorly. Standards in science show a satisfactory upward trend since a fall in 1998, but progress since the inspection of July 1996 has been somewhat erratic. Pupils’ achievement and progress, including that of pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language, are satisfactory.

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SCIENCE

95. The standard of teaching in science is generally good throughout the school, but varies from very good to unsatisfactory. In the lessons which are judged to be unsatisfactory a major factor is the inability of the teacher to manage the behaviour of the pupils; this can be affected by the time of day and whether the pupils arrive for the lesson excited or tired. Teachers’ subject knowledge is generally good and sometimes very good and this helps to maintain pupils’ interest and motivation. Lesson preparation is variable; there is very good practice by some teachers, but frequently planning states what is to be done in a lesson but not what pupils are intended to know, understand or be able to do at the end of it. Where the best practice is seen, teachers share with the pupils what they are to learn, clearly identify opportunities for assessment, which arise out of the lesson, and evaluate progress against them. This high standard of assessment is

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SCIENCE

not always practised. Where it is seen, pupils make more secure progress. In the most successful lessons teachers reinforce pupils’ learning by going over past work and building on it step by step, and by reviewing what has been learned with all pupils at the end of the lesson. This helps pupils’ understanding and retention of what they learn. Pupils with different levels of literacy in the youngest classes are enabled to participate in written work through good use of symbols Wellington Primary School - 38 and drawings. Many teachers use good questioning techniques to draw out pupils’ knowledge and prompt them to think for themselves. There is good use of methods and approaches which are stimulating for the pupils, and in the most successful lessons, pupils behave very well and are active learners. Pupils are generally positive in their attitudes to science; for example, the pupils in Year 1 show real excitement and wonder at how their cress seeds have grown in a week.

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SCIENCE

Since the inspection of 1996 the school has maintained the generally good standard of teaching in science but has not fully developed a consistent practice in assessment.

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SCIENCE

96. While the science co-ordinator has made good efforts to ensure that pupils learn from all the different strands of science detailed in the curriculum, the inadequate time given to the subject has not permitted thorough coverage of the material. Science has in the past been included as part of a topic with geography and history. This has meant that in some half term periods, little science, or even no science at all has been done. The co-ordinator has constructed a good curriculum map for future use, but this can only be successful if the subject is given adequate time and status. A good start has been made on the sharing of expertise and the monitoring of lessons by the co-ordinator.

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ART

97. By the end of Key Stage 1 standards in art are in line with expectations for seven-year-olds. They show control of a range of materials such as crayon, chalk, pencil and paint. In Year 1, they explore ideas in creating images of monsters and produce a wide range of interpretations of this theme, enhancing their paintings by cutting the shape of their monsters and decorating them with string, silk, straws and sequins. In other lessons they attempt self –portraits using pencil and pastel, which are well composed and show effective control of line. Higher attaining pupils include fine detail in these drawings and achieve a good tone in their colouring. Pupils in Year 2 look at the charcoal drawings of Leonardo da Vinci to see the affects of shading before drawing their own newspaper portraits. As a result of their observations and the good teaching of line drawing and toning, they produce good quality pencil portraits, which show the development of skills and

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ART

98. Standards in art for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 are below that expected for their age. Pupils’ skills in drawing are under-developed. Portraits drawn by Year 4 pupils of famous people they have studied show very little development in skills from the work of Year 2 pupils and they continue to work in a restricted range of media – pencil, pastel and crayon. Pupils in Year 6 show limited understanding of line and form in their drawings for a collaborative quilt-making project. For higher attaining pupils, the challenge to transfer initial designs from paper to fabric is frustrating, because the focus is to complete individual pieces and not consider the overall layout and effect which means that their larger vision is not understood. Pupils have very little experience of working with paint and this too is apparent in their attempts with colour mixing for the quilt project, which show a weak knowledge of colour and colour mixing.

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ART

99. Pupils enjoy their work in art when it is well planned and they have the opportunity to discuss and develop their ideas, as well as engage with the practical aspects of the subject. They behave well in lessons showing a good level of interest in their work. The older pupils try hard to overcome gaps in their knowledge and skill in order to achieve a pleasing piece of work of which they can feel proud.

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ART

100. Pupils’ learning in the subject throughout the school is uneven, and for older pupils the progression of skills has been hampered in all classes in Key Stage 2 by the impact of staff turnover and a succession of short-term teachers. Where teaching has been consistent and pupils have regular lessons in the subject, as is the case for the current Key Stage 1 pupils, then learning is at least satisfactory and sometimes good. Pupils are taught skills and then given interesting activities in which they apply and develop them. In the lessons seen across the school, teaching ranged from very good to unsatisfactory. Teachers’ subject knowledge varies, and, where it is not strong, little skills teaching is seen. Not all teachers use the work of famous artists to inform and interest pupils, nor do they all give pupils the opportunity to develop their Wellington Primary School - 39 work through evaluation and revision. There is a tendency towards over-emphasis on

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ART

observational drawing by some teachers, particularly at Key Stage 2. In general, teachers do not make enough use of three-dimensional materials or paint, nor do they vary the scale at which pupils work. There is no formal or recorded assessment of pupils’ work in art.

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ART

101. Although the school has adopted a published scheme of work for the subject, this has not been sufficiently developed to meet the needs of the pupils and further work needs to be done to ensure that there is planning for the progression of skills and the opportunity in the curriculum for pupils to develop and consolidate their skills. With this in place, the impact of staff turnover would be reduced and pupils’ National Curriculum entitlement in the subject would be safeguarded. Considering the levels of staff confidence for teaching the subject there is a need for in-service training to improve teachers’ knowledge and skills in the subject. Standards in the subject overall have declined since the last inspection and much of this decline is due to the loss of expertise the school has encountered in the past four years.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. Due to the planning of the timetable no lessons in design and technology were observed during the inspection period. Evidence has been collected from examination of teachers’ planning, scrutiny of photographs of pupils’ past work and discussion with the headteacher. The subject is taught in blocks of work. A very small amount of work was available for scrutiny. There were examples of slippers made by pupils in Year 6. Overall judgements are not possible on the standards of pupils’ work or the quality of teaching from this small sample.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. Since the last inspection, design and technology has been given a low profile because of the loss of the expertise of the subject co-ordinator and the constraints of the government initiatives for literacy and numeracy. This has meant that the small amount of time allocated to the subject is insufficient to cover the Programme of Study. Progress is unsatisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make progress similar to their peers. This is a different judgement from that at the last inspection, when progress was judged to be good. There is insufficient attention given to design skills and pupils also have very limited experience in using control systems. There are no opportunities to learn about food technology in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1, the pupils do not have sufficient experience of handling tools. Scrutiny of pupils’ past work through photographs confirms the judgement that

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

insufficient work is planned for pupils to build upon the necessary skills in order to develop their knowledge and understanding of the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

104. Across the school, pupils do not successfully build upon the good learning in the Foundation Stage. Scrutiny of pupils’ past work in Key Stage 1, shows that an appropriate range of materials have been used to acquire skills such as cutting, shaping and joining. For example, pupils in Year 1, spent time looking at the Nursery garden in order to start to design their own playground. Appropriate use is made of construction kits to make their designs. In Year 2, the pupils investigate vehicles using pictures, construction kits, axle wheels and collage. In Key Stage 2, pupils have limited opportunities to use tools, such as saws, hammers, pliers and bench-hooks. In Year 6, the pupils make slippers of similar design with little accuracy and lack of experience or neatness is evident in the stitching of the materials together. They are provided with a useful opportunity to evaluate their work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

105. The subject is without a co-ordinator and so lacks the expertise to develop the subject satisfactorily. The strengths identified in the last inspection have not been maintained. The school uses a scheme of work that is closely linked to national guidelines in order to guide teachers’ planning, ensure that skills are built upon year on year and that there is continuity and appropriate progression across the school. However, too little time is allocated to the subject for it to be taught at sufficient depth. Assessments of pupils’ progress are not planned. Resources are basic to meet the demands of the curriculum. They are centralised and also made available in the classrooms. Wellington Primary School - 40

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GEOGRAPHY

106. The previous inspection report judged pupils’ attainment to be in line with expectations and that they made satisfactory progress. This judgement has not been maintained. The short allocation of time assigned to the subject has a detrimental affect on pupils’ progress. Although teaching touches on some of the relevant aspects of the curriculum, the scrutiny of pupils’ past work shows that by the end of Key Stage 2, there is a great deal of unfinished work and a lack of depth of understanding. No lessons were seen in Year 2 and Year 6 during the inspection period because the subject is taught in blocks of time. Judgements are not possible on the standards of work attained by the end of both key stages or on the quality of teaching. Pupils with special educational needs make progress similar to their peers.

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GEOGRAPHY

107. In Year 1, pupils make satisfactory progress in their understanding of some of the features of the local shopping centre, mainly due to the stimulating photographs that had been prepared for the lesson. They are beginning to see the difference between the shops that sell things and the shops that sell services. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils make unsatisfactory progress in acquiring geographical skills and in their knowledge and understanding of the subject. It is clear from the scrutiny of work that throughout the school pupils do not have enough time to build on their previous learning. In Year 4, pupils appropriately make a survey on leisure activities, but much of the work is incomplete and lacks care in its presentation. In Year 5, pupils begin to consider arguments as a class as to whether the High Street should be closed to traffic. This aspect makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ social development. In Year 6, pupils find out

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GEOGRAPHY

about favourite holiday destinations, after designing a questionnaire. They suitably make a graph of the findings. This aspect makes a sound link to the pupils’ mathematical development. There are useful opportunities for the older pupils to extend and develop their skills further through work that is linked to a residential visit to the Isle of Wight. Throughout the school there is very little challenge presented to the higher-attaining pupils. Information and communication technology is under-developed in the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

108. The pupils have mixed attitudes to work. This is a direct reflection on the quality of teaching. Teachers have low expectations of the pupils’ written presentation of work, as worksheets are often crumpled, with folded edges and carelessly written and stored untidily into folders.

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GEOGRAPHY

109. It is not possible to make a judgement on the quality of teaching, overall. However, from the small number of lessons seen, the quality ranges from unsatisfactory to good. Effective teaching uses skilful questioning to check the pupils’ understanding and provides clear explanations that ensure the pupils understand what they have to do. For example, a question posed to Year 1 pupils about shops was, “I wonder where I would go to book a holiday.” Praise is used well to show pupils that their work is valued and to encourage higher standards. This effectively builds up their confidence and keeps them involved and focused in the activities provided. Unsatisfactory teaching is characterised by inadequate classroom organisation and management of pupils that results in the pace of the lesson slowing down and the pupils losing concentration, which often leads to a deterioration in behaviour during the lesson.

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GEOGRAPHY

110. The planning of the geography curriculum is satisfactory. There is an appropriate scheme of work, closely linked to national guidelines, which successfully supports the teachers’ planning and ensures continuity and progression throughout the school. The co-ordinator has recently taken over the responsibility for the subject and as yet does not have a clear overview of the necessary developments. There are no effective procedures in place for assessment. Resources are adequate and meet the demands of the curriculum. They are centralised and also made available in the classrooms.

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HISTORY

Wellington Primary School - 41 111. It was not possible to see any teaching in history at Key Stage 1 during the inspection, so standards at the end of the key stage have been judged from discussion with pupils and scrutiny of their work. From this evidence, pupils’ achievements are satisfactory in the subject and they reach standards similar to other pupils of their age by the end of the key stage. At Key Stage 2, pupils do not reach the standard expected of pupils who are eleven, and while their achievement in the lessons seen is satisfactory, they have not made sufficient gains in knowledge and understanding in the subject over time and their inquiry skills are very limited.

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HISTORY

112. At Key Stage 1, pupils know about changes to themselves over time and they know that their town has changed over time. They have developed an understanding of some words relating to the subject such as, ‘long ago’ and ‘in the past’. By the end of the key stage, they have learned about famous people such as Florence Nightingale and can recall events in her life and explain why she is famous.

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HISTORY

113. At Key Stage 2 pupils learn about different eras in history, important events and significant people. In Year 3, pupils learn about life in Britain during the Second World War. They imagine what life would be like as an evacuee and write short letters home describing their experiences. In Year 4, pupils learn about lives of famous people in Tudor England, linking their study with art to produce portraits. Year 5 pupils learn about the contrasting experiences of rich and poor children in Victorian England. In one lesson they engage in role-play as nineteenth century school children and discuss differences in what and how they would learn. In Year 6, pupils research the life of John Lennon. They discover why he was famous, how he died and what achievements he is remembered for. Pupils of all abilities work well in pairs and groups to collate the information. Higher attaining pupils show a good understanding of chronology and make use

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HISTORY

of this in preparing for a presentation to the class. However, by the end of the key stage pupils have not had enough sustained learning in the subject to have a secure knowledge of specific eras and events in history, nor have they developed a sound understanding of how to investigate history.

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HISTORY

114. Except in the current Year 6, where teachers were making links with literacy in pupils’ writing, pupils have too little opportunity to write in different forms in the subject and good opportunities to consolidate and extend their writing skills are missed.

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HISTORY

115. Teaching seen during inspection was all satisfactory and some good teaching was seen in Year 6. However, evidence in pupils’ books in Key Stage 2 shows that pupils do not have enough breadth or depth of subject knowledge and this is due sometimes to changes of teacher and often because the time given to the subject is not enough for the development of full understanding. Teachers plan adequately for individual lessons and make use of a range of supportive resources. Pupils enjoy the variety of activities they encounter and apply themselves well in most lessons seen. When they do lose momentum in their learning this is usually the result of spending too long on one activity and needing to move on, as seen in a Year 5 lesson on the Victorian classroom.

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HISTORY

116. The current role of the subject co-ordinator is under-developed because of the low status accorded the subject in the curriculum. Although she has a monitoring role, there is little for her to monitor either in teachers’ plans or in the written work of pupils. The scheme of work is too general to be a useful guide for teachers’ planning and needs considerable refinement in order to ensure that knowledge and skills are taught systematically in each year. With an expanded scheme of work and appropriate assessment procedures the school would have a more secure foundation from which to maintain standards despite the problems caused by staff turnover. Standards in the subject have fallen at Key Stage 2 since the last inspection, mainly as a result of the lack of time given to the subject.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

117. Standards in information and communication technology are average overall and have the potential for further improvement. The school has a dedicated computer suite in addition to computers in Wellington Primary School - 42 the resource area outside each classroom. Each class has a slot on its timetable dedicated to the subject and the co-ordinator is available to work with pupils as necessary. The school has made considerable strides since the last inspection and information and control technology now has a well-established place within the curriculum.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

118. In Key Stage 1 standards are in line with those expected for the pupils’ age. In both Year 1 and Year 2 pupils use programs to support their literacy and numeracy development. For example, Year 1 pupils can use the keyboard and mouse effectively to type in words and change the font and size. During a whole school assembly later in the week pupils confidently explained what they had produced as they presented their finished work. Year 2 pupils add text to an existing file and save it for future use. They begin to present and interpret data and enhance artistic skills using different programs.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

119. By the end of Key Stage 2 the attainment of pupils is in line with national expectation overall. It is sound in communicating and handling information, monitoring and modelling but under-developed in control technology. Pupils use and apply information and communication technology across the curriculum effectively. Year 3 pupils use a program to create their own musical compositions and access the Internet to explore the BBC Homepage. Year 4 pupils make use of the computer to produce repeated patterns and a bar chart illustrating how they spend their time. Year 5 pupils access the Internet to find information about different religions, Victorian history and the Earth, Sun and Moon. Year 6 pupils use a spreadsheet well to draw various graphs in algebraic form. They are sufficiently competent in word processing to produce a monthly newsletter, although the use of a spell-checker would improve the finished product.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

120. Pupils enjoy using computers and are nearly always highly motivated. Their behaviour is satisfactory overall but, on occasions, a few pupils become over-excited and noisy. Pupils usually co-operate well in pairs, and girls particularly help each other and take turns to use the computer.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

121. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and it is often good. Teachers have sound subject knowledge and they incorporate the basic skills successfully within the work so that pupils are helped to consolidate their knowledge and understanding of literacy and numeracy. Teachers plan lessons satisfactorily and, in the best sessions, provide separate tasks for pupils of different ability which interest and challenge them. For example, Year 6 pupils used a spreadsheet effectively to represent various algebraic functions of increasing difficulty in the form of a graph. Teachers generally manage pupils capably but can find it hard to supervise several dispersed pairs, or groups, in the resource area when each is requiring attention at the same time. In the best lessons teachers organise a plenary session that enables pupils to show what they have learnt and the teacher to summarise for the whole class. For example, Year 3 pupils listened to

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

each other’s computer-generated musical compositions and discussed their respective merits while the teacher drew pupils’ attention to the repeating patterns in each tune.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

122. The co-ordination of information and communication technology is strong and the positive start indicated in the last inspection report has been maintained. The co-ordinator monitors teaching across the school very competently giving feedback and support where required. The weekly after-school computer club is thriving. All pupils have an e-mail address and the school has plans to extend the use of this facility.

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MUSIC

123. Pupils’ attainment in music is in line with national expectations by the end of both key stages. Pupils in Year 1 recognise the sounds of different instruments like the chiming of a glockenspiel and match different sounds to pictures of instruments. When they sing, they keep to the rhythm and have a good sense of contrast of loud and soft singing as they raise the chorus in ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’ followed by ‘The Wings of a Dove’. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils sing in tune and with real zeal. They use gestures to accompany the song ‘Food, Glorious Food’ and evaluate their performance focussing on tempo. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils working on a Wellington Primary School - 43 song they wrote together, count syllables in their heads as they try to improve the structure of the song and make suggestions for amendments. However, they do not sing in unison and need a lot of encouragement with a few of the pupils not taking part or distracting others. They make

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MUSIC

suggestions for a possible accompaniment.

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MUSIC

124. Pupils’ attitudes to music are good in both key stages. The majority participate in lessons with enjoyment, work well together and collaborate effectively in group performances. They treat instruments with care and readily help when they need to be moved or stored away.

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MUSIC

125. The quality of teaching is good overall and some very good lessons were seen. Where teaching is very good or good, lessons are effectively planned and structured, providing appropriate challenge and guidance to pupils and enthusing them for the subject. Lessons are appropriately introduced with reference to skills and knowledge acquired previously and provide ample opportunities for pupils to practise and improve their performance.

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MUSIC

126. The provision for music is greatly enhanced by the contribution of a teacher with expertise in the performing arts and who makes a substantial contribution to pupils' learning through some of the extra-curricular activities the school offers. This includes a singing club, which she leads with great enthusiasm and which is well attended, and 2 guitar clubs, one run by a parent and one run by a teacher. The school has also begun to make provision for regular singing in assemblies starting in Key Stage 1. The co-ordinator is new but very enthusiastic and committed to improving provision. Monitoring is limited to the checking of planning and does not extend to teaching and learning. Assessment is under-developed and priorities in the development plan are not sufficiently focussed on their potential for improving standards.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

127. One lesson in dance in Key Stage 1 and two lessons in dance and hockey in Key Stage 2 were seen. In the one lesson seen in Year 2, attainment is below and by the end of Key Stage 2, in line with national expectations.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

128. By the end of Key stage 1, in dance, pupils perform a short dance piece. They copy moves and work in pairs, using partners as instruments and mime appropriate gestures. However, throughout the session, pupils were excitable, could not listen and were too distracted and noisy to be able to carry out instructions or do justice to the piece. In Key Stage 2, in another dance lesson, pupils in Year 5 demonstrate knowledge of the importance of warming up. They move well and use space effectively in a group dance. They begin to co-ordinate movements in sequence and use speed, level and direction to express and communicate feelings. By the end of the key stage, pupils play hockey, consolidate ball skills and develop interception and tackling skills. They know why certain methods of holding the stick are incorrect and use this knowledge to improve their passing. Whilst pupils use the teacher’s interventions and guidance well, they do not evaluate

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

their own performance as a basis for improvement.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

129. Pupils’ attitudes to physical education are overall satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and better in Key Stage 2. Younger pupils lack self-discipline, are noisy and often need rules to be reinforced. Older pupils are motivated, keen to participate in games and understand the importance of listening and following instructions. They work well individually and with a partner. They change quickly and help willingly in carrying equipment at the end of sessions.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good or very good in Key Stage 2. In most lessons, clear objectives are identified and used to evaluate pupils’ achievement. Where teaching is good or very good, pupils are briefed about the skills to be practised and the teacher uses effective demonstrations and interventions to enable pupils to improve their performance. Time and pace are effectively used to practise activities. However, not enough opportunities are created to enable pupils to evaluate their performance in some lessons. Wellington Primary School - 44 131. The physical education curriculum is enhanced by a range of extra curricular sporting activities. Pupils take part in a number of after-school activities like football, netball and hockey. Several pupils take part in a number of fixtures and in the Walthamstow track events. The co-ordinator has not a clear overview of the subject's development with no priorities being identified.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Assessment procedures and monitoring of the subject’s performance are limited to the checking of planning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

132. The majority of eleven and seven year olds attain standards expected by the Locally Agreed Syllabus. The weaknesses highlighted in the previous report have been satisfactorily addressed. More opportunities have been provided to promote pupils’ understanding of different cultures and religious traditions through the focus of lessons, handling of artefacts and the introduction of national guidelines to ensure continuity and progression. Pupils of all ages make satisfactory progress in religious, moral and social understanding. Judgements have also been based on additional evidence from scrutiny of pupils’ past work, photographs of religious events such as celebrating Harvest Festival, discussion with the co-ordinator and examination of teachers’ planning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

133. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress in their understanding of the significance of artefacts from different religious traditions. This is an improvement since the last inspection when pupils’ progress was judged to be unsatisfactory. For example, pupils in Year 2 understand artefacts to do with the Jewish religion such as the Kiddush Cup, Sedar plate and the Torah scrolls. The pupils are familiar with stories from the Bible, such as the house built on the rock and the Good Samaritan. They learn about the religious festivals in the Christian and other faiths’ calendars, such as Chanukah and Diwali. In Year 1, pupils talk about things that are special, appropriately recognising that the Bible is a special book for Christians, while the Qur’an is special for Hindus. In addition, they identify things that are special to them. For example, one pupil wrote, “My nanny’s bear is special.”

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

134. By the age of eleven, satisfactory progress is made through building on past work, consolidating their knowledge and developing a sound understanding of their own and other religious beliefs, including Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. This is an improvement since the last inspection when pupils’ progress was judged to be unsatisfactory. Pupils’ work reflects satisfactory progress in developing positive attitudes towards relationships and values through discussions. For example, pupils in Year 6 wrote some simple prayers for Harvest. For example, “Thank you, Lord for the metal that we can use to build ploughs and other machines.” They reflect on the rules for living recorded in the Ten Commandments and write their own ten rules. For example, one pupil wrote, “Don’t judge people by their colour” as one of his commandments . They are acquiring a suitable understanding of similarities and differences among religions. For

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

example, pupils compare the Bible with holy books from other religions such as the Qur’an and the Torah. In Year 4, the pupils are beginning to use information already gathered to discuss the eight-fold path of Buddhism, while in Year 5, the pupils effectively use the story of ‘Rama and Sita’ to develop role-play situations, appropriately performing to one another each scene of the play. The pupils are beginning to compare aspects of their own experiences and identify influences in their lives. For example, pupils in Year 6 spoke about a miracle that had happened in their family or to someone they knew. Suitable opportunities are provided for pupils to reflect about life issues. For example, pupils in Year 6 are effectively taught to consider and evaluate seven promises that might be made between marriage partners. Pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language make similar progress to their peers.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

135. The majority of pupils behave appropriately and are suitably attentive during lessons. They usually listen to one another’s ideas with respect. For example, a pupil in Year 6 described how a piece of religious artefact was used in Judaism. They generally respond positively to the satisfactory relationships that have been established with the teachers. Most pupils are willing to answer questions and offer opinions. However, across the school the presentation of pupils’ work is often untidy and work is carelessly stored, giving the message of a lack of value to the subject. Wellington Primary School - 45 136. Only one lesson was observed in Key Stage 1 during the inspection period and so no judgement can be made on the quality of teaching. Overall, in Key Stage 2, teaching is satisfactory. It ranges from unsatisfactory to good. This is an improvement since the last inspection when teaching was judged to be unsatisfactory, as certain parts of the subject were under-emphasised.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Good teaching is characterised by competent questioning through which the teacher keeps the pupils attentive and interested in what is being discussed. It makes skilful use of artefacts to sustain the pupils’ interest and keeps them focused on the subject, as was seen in the Year 6 lesson on the Jewish festival of Chanukah. The teacher’s secure knowledge of the subject enabled the pupils to understand the importance of the use oil in the Synagogue and in their cooking. Unsatisfactory teaching is characterised by little content to the lesson with activities that do not match the needs of all the pupils and a lack of appropriate challenge to make the pupils think harder. Acts of Collective Worship make a satisfactory contribution to the pupils’ learning of Christianity and other major faiths. For example, pupils listened well during Assembly to a pupil who explained the reason for the use of the Menorah in the Jewish religion.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. The subject makes a sound contribution to Literacy. Many stories are used to further enhance the learning. For example, pupils in Year 4 read the story of ‘The monkey and the hunter’ to reinforce their understanding of Buddhism, while pupils in Year 5 wrote, in short scenes, the story of Rama and Sita to perform to the rest of the class. All pupils are encouraged to used dictionaries to develop their understanding of specific words. For example, pupils in Year 6 looked up the word ‘miracle’ to gain a deeper understanding of that word.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. The subject is satisfactorily managed. The school has recently introduced the scheme of work from national guidelines to ensure continuity and progression and has appropriately linked this to the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Insufficient time is allocated to the teaching of the subject in order to cover the areas of the programme of study in enough depth. Currently, information technology does not make a satisfactory contribution to the subject. Good use is made of religious artefacts that are handled carefully and with respect. The curriculum is suitably enhanced by visits to the local church. However, visits to other religious buildings of major faiths have not been arranged recently. There are no assessment opportunities identified in the planning to show pupils’ progress in the subject.

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