Northrepps Primary School

NORTHREPPS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr Colin Henderson (OFSTED No: 23742)

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NORTHREPPS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 October – 1 November 2000

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NORTHREPPS 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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NORTHREPPS 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. Northrepps Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street Northrepps Cromer Norfolk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1998 Northrepps Primary School - 4

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responsibilities

Colin Henderson (Ofsted No: 23742) Registered inspector English What sort of school is it?

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responsibilities

How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements Science How well are pupils taught? Information and communication technology How well is the school led and managed?

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responsibilities

Geography History Physical education Equal opportunities Sylvia Daintrey (Ofsted No: 9708) Lay inspector N/A 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 partnerships with its parents? Kevin Johnson (Ofsted No: 18370) Team inspector Mathematics How good are curricular and other opportunities? Religious education Art / design and technology Music Foundation stage Special educational needs Northrepps Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Cambridge Education Associates Limited Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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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responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7 - 10

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11 - 13

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Northrepps Primary School is situated near the resort of Cromer on the North Norfolk coast. It is a very small school which serves the village of Northrepps and surrounding area. It currently has 37 pupils on roll (22 boys and 15 girls) which is smaller than at the time of the last inspection. Pupils come from a mix of private and rented houses. The school aims to work in partnership with parents to provide a caring, safe learning environment in which all pupils can develop to their full potential.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The pupils are of white, United Kingdom ethnic background. There are no pupils for whom English is an additional language. This is below the national average. There are 18 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs, most of whom have moderate learning difficulties. This is well above average. There are 40 per cent of pupils entitled to free school meals, which is above average. Assessment information shows that attainment on entry is broad and slightly below the national average overall.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Northrepps Primary School is an improving school which no longer has serious weaknesses. Attainment is improving and standards are broadly in line with the national average. The school is a caring, supportive community which offers equal opportunities to all of its pupils. It has developed good links with parents and the local community. The good quality of teaching encourages pupils to adopt a positive approach and try to improve their work. The school benefits from the strong leadership of the headteacher. It gives sound value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils have positive, enthusiastic attitudes to work and maintain good standards of behaviour. • The very good leadership of the headteacher gives a clear direction to the work of the school. • Teaching is good and is improving standards. • Pupils’ personal development is good and promotes good relationships. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and they make good progress. • The school links well with parents and the community.

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What could be improved

• Attainment in information and communication technology throughout the school. • The role of the governing body in meeting statutory requirements and in working with the headteacher on school improvement. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection in February 1998. There have been significant improvements in the quality of teaching, particularly at Key Stage 2. Standards in literacy and numeracy have improved, especially in the last two years. The headteacher provides a clear direction to the work of the school, although governors have yet to become fully involved in planning for improvement. The curriculum is now planned soundly. There are good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment which are used well to inform teaching plans. There have been good improvements in the standards of pupils’ behaviour and in the provision for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils’ social and cultural development. Attainment in information and communication technology has not been maintained at the level reported previously. There are still some statutory curriculum and information requirements which are

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

not met. Staffing changes have recently limited further developments. The school now has a clearer focus on improvement and is well placed to raise its standards. Northrepps Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS

The numbers of pupils taking the end of key stage National Curriculum tests are small. There is some variation in the results due to the range of pupils’ abilities in the different year groups. Although test results show standards have been below or well below the national average, there have been improvements in the results of the 2000 tests. For example 78 per cent of pupils at Key Stage 1 achieved Level 2 or above in reading and writing. This is just below the national average.

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STANDARDS

Inspection evidence confirms that standards are improving, particularly in literacy and numeracy, through good teaching and the effective use of national frameworks. Standards are broadly in line with national averages at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ reading is soundly developed and they are given regular opportunities to apply and extend their skills. Many Key Stage 2 pupils have good reading for information skills which they use well, for example, in history. Writing skills are developed soundly in both key stages, although pupils’ knowledge of grammar and spelling are not always accurately applied in more detailed written work. Speaking and listening skills are developed well throughout the school. Most pupils are articulate and express their ideas confidently. They listen carefully and show respect for their opinions of others. An increased emphasis on number work, and challenging

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STANDARDS

pupils to apply their knowledge to solve problems, is promoting improvement in mathematics.

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STANDARDS

Attainment on entry is below the national average overall, particularly in language and mathematics development. Children in the Foundation Stage settle well and make sound progress overall in the different areas of learning. They make good progress in language development. Through sound, often good, teaching and effective use of support staff, children are likely to achieve their early learning goals before they start Key Stage 1. Attainment in information and communication technology is below nationally expected levels at the end of both key stages. Pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to develop and extend their skills. Standards in religious education are in line with those expected in the Norfolk Agreed Syllabus. Pupils with special educational needs are supported very well and make good progress towards their learning targets.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have positive and enthusiastic attitudes. They are keen to learn and clearly enjoy school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good. Most pupils work and play together well. Occasional inappropriate behaviour is handled well.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are good and promote good personal development. Older pupils show very good initiative and willingly take on responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is broadly in line with the national average. Pupils are generally prompt into school and there is an efficient and organised start to the day.

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

17 lessons seen overall Sound overall, often good Good Good

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

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; sound; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Sound’ 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

Teaching is good overall and has improved significantly since the last inspection, particularly at Key Stage 2. Teaching was good in 65 per cent of lessons and very good in a further six per cent. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good and is a significant factor in improving standards. Teachers know their pupils very well and manage their classes very effectively to ensure that their pupils sustain interest and concentration. Teachers use assessment information well to Northrepps Primary School - 9 match learning activities to meet the different needs of pupils. Teaching and support staff work well together to give very good individual support, especially to pupils with special educational needs.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum at the Foundation Stage and at both key stages is sound. It is enhanced well by extra-curricular activities and by contributions from the community. There are not sufficient opportunities for children under five to make choices of their own from the range of activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision is very good. Teaching and support staff give very good support to enable pupils to make good progress towards their individual learning targets.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision is good in all aspects. Good moral and social provision, supported well by a clear code of conduct, promote pupils’ understanding of right and wrong and good relationships. Pupils’ awareness of their own cultural traditions and those of other cultures is developed well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Staff know their pupils well and provide good care and support. There are good procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ academic and personal development.

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Aspect Comment

How well does the school work in partnership with parents? The school has established good links with parents. They are kept well- informed about what is happening in school and how well their child is progressing.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The school is well managed. The headteacher gives a clear, positive direction to the work of the school. She has been particularly effective in improving pupils’ attitudes and behaviour. Her heavy teaching commitment, and staffing changes, limits the opportunities for establishing monitoring and evaluation procedures.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are supportive and are kept well informed about what is happening in school. However, they are not sufficiently involved in planning school improvement and working closely with the headteacher to shape the direction of the school. Most statutory responsibilities are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher is using an increasing range of attainment information to effectively monitor pupils’ performance, identify areas of weakness and provide additional support. Some evaluation of teaching and learning has been established.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Improvements in development and financial planning ensure that resources are focused well on priorities for improvement. Effective use is made of classroom support staff and adult helpers to meet pupils’ needs. The accommodation is adequate and good use is made of community facilities to enhance the range of learning opportunities. Resources are adequate overall. Those for ICT are limited, although planned for improvement. Good financial procedures and sound use of the principles of best value enable the school to give sound value for money. Northrepps Primary School - 10

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parental responses from 29 questionnaires returned (76 per cent) and from the 10 parents who attended the meeting.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The teaching is good and their children make good progress. • The school works closely with parents. • The school has high expectations of work and behaviour. • The school provides an interesting range of extra-curricular activities. • The school is well led and managed. • There are some inconsistencies in the use of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents’ responses were very supportive. There were few concerns. Inspection evidence confirms parents’ views of the school, particularly the positive attitudes and the good links with parents. Teachers use homework soundly, in line with school policy, to consolidate and extend the work. Northrepps Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Children in the Foundation Stage have good personal and social skills and settle well into a mixed- age class. Attainment on entry is just below nationally expected levels overall, particularly in language and mathematical skills. Sound, and often good, quality teaching and the effective support of both teaching and support staff enable children to make sound progress in all areas of learning. They are likely to achieve the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the time they start Year 1.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Standards in English are broadly in line with the national average at the age of seven. The results of the 2000 national tests for seven-year-olds show that, in a very small year group, 78 per cent of pupils achieved the expected Level 2 in reading and in writing. This was just below the national average and below the average of similar schools. This improved on the well below average results in 1998 and 1999. The number of pupils achieving Level 3 in reading rose from 0 per cent in 1999 to 22 per cent in 2000. No pupils achieved higher than average levels in writing in either year. Standards are broadly average at the age of eleven. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests showed that, in a small year group, standards were very low compared nationally and with similar schools. Year on year comparisons are difficult to make as the small number of pupils taking the tests varies each year. Only two pupils took the tests in 2000.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Inspection evidence shows that standards are improving. Attainment at seven years old is broadly average in reading and writing. Pupils’ reading meets standards expected of their age. Attainment in writing is also broadly average at the age of eleven. Pupils develop their writing skills soundly at both key stages and use an increasing range of different styles. Spelling and grammar are taught systematically and well through specific, focused activities. Pupils do not consistently apply their knowledge and understanding accurately in their written work. Standards are above average in speaking and listening. Pupils are effectively encouraged to develop their skills and they talk and listen confidently in different contexts. Standards in English are being improved through good teaching; providing pupils with many opportunities to apply and extend their literacy skills in a good range of subjects; and pupils’ positive and interested approach to their work.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Standards in mathematics are in line with the national average at the end of both key stages. The results of the 2000 national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were lower than those in 1999. The variation in results reflects the small size of the year groups taking the tests. Only two pupils took the Key Stage 2 tests in 2000. Inspection evidence shows that attainment is improving and most Year 2 and Year 6 pupils are achieving standards expected of their age. More consistently good teaching and the effective implementation of the school’s numeracy strategy are promoting higher standards. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards in their knowledge, understanding and use of number, although their skills in data handling are not effectively developed.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Attainment in science is in line with the national average at the end of both key stages. The 2000 teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 show that standards are beginning to improve. Only two pupils took the Key Stage 2 tests in 2000. Inspection evidence confirms that standards are improving. At Key Stage 2, 75 per cent of the small group of pupils achieve nationally expected levels, which is close to the national average. Few achieve above expected levels. Most pupils have a sound scientific knowledge and understanding of the different topics, particularly ‘Life processes and living things’. Improvements in planning ensure that all topics are covered effectively. Teachers prepare pupils well to take the national tests, especially at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils’ skills and knowledge of scientific enquiry are sound at the end of Key Stage 2. They are below expected levels at the end of Key Stage 1, as pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to

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The school’s results and achievements

extend their skills and build on prior knowledge.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are below national expectations at the end of both key stages. Although pupils are given some opportunities to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding in some aspects, for example, word processing, these are not sufficiently frequent to enable pupils to apply their skills regularly to achieve expected standards. Resources are limited and these do not allow the school to ensure that pupils develop their skills and knowledge in all required aspects. The school does not provide opportunities in aspects of Northrepps Primary School - 12 control technology. Pupils begin to use computers soundly, often with adult help, in Reception and early in Key Stage 1, for example, in developing their use of number and phonic skills. These skills are not built on later in the school and pupils have few opportunities to use their ICT skills to support

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Attainment in religious education is in line with the standards expected in the Norfolk Agreed Syllabus at the end of each key stage. Seven-year-old pupils have a sound understanding of Christian beliefs and values and know some of the stories from the Bible. They show an increasing understanding of social issues, such as ‘care’ and ‘respect’. At Key Stage 2, pupils gain a greater insight into other faiths, for example, Judaism and Islam.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Attainment in the non-core subjects meets expected standards in art and design, design and technology, history, geography and physical education at Key Stage 1. There was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on physical education at Key Stage 2 and music at both key stages. The school has focused strongly on promoting pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, and these are improving. They are being used well, particularly literacy, to support work in other subjects, for example, science and history. The range of opportunities in some other subjects, for example, art and design and design and technology, are not always planned to build effectively on prior skills and knowledge.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Pupils’ learning is developed well at both key stages. Teachers know their pupils well and make good use of assessment information to ensure that learning activities are matched well to the range of needs in mixed-age and mixed ability classes. Higher attainers are generally challenged effectively, for example, through extension activities in English and mathematics. Boys and girls both make good progress and achieve well, although there is some significant variation between numbers in different year groups. Pupils with special educational needs have very good provision to meet their needs. They benefit from clear learning targets and very good support from teaching and support staff.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils' attitudes, behaviour and personal development are good. This represents an improvement since the last inspection, especially for pupils in Key Stage 2. Pupils' good response to school helps them to learn and achieve well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Attitudes to school are good. The vast majority of pupils are very eager to come to school. Most arrive early in order to do the voluntary morning activity which is set before the school day officially starts. In many lessons, and particularly in the younger class, pupils are very interested in their learning and keen to get involved in the activities. For example, in an art lesson, the pupils from Reception to Year 3 watched the teacher demonstrate the making of clay pots for candles with complete fascination. They settled quickly and enthusiastically to their tasks of working with the clay or drawing some of the candle holders that the teacher had brought. In literacy and numeracy lessons, pupils in all age and ability groups concentrate well and try hard even when they find the work difficult. Occasionally, attitudes in lessons are satisfactory rather than good when the pupils are not sure what is expected of them and concentration is not sustained. Outside of lessons,

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

pupils have good involvement in assemblies, as well as extra-curricular activities such as the craft club at lunch-time and football after school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Behaviour in classrooms and around the school is good. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection and very much appreciated by the vast majority of parents. Behaviour in classrooms is better because of improvements in the quality of teaching, especially in Key Stage 2. All staff, including temporary teachers and classroom assistants, are very skilled in establishing high expectations of good behaviour and managing incidents of misbehaviour effectively when they occur. Behaviour in the playground has improved because of the introduction of play equipment and games and because the supervising staff are involved effectively in playing with the pupils. However, some of the Key Stage 2 boys have a tendency, on occasions, to taunt and ‘play-fight’ each other at lunch time which can affect relationships. Parents and pupils are confident that there is very little bullying. The school has included a very small number of pupils with behavioural difficulties. These

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

pupils occasionally present challenging behaviour which is handled very well but which does cause a slight disturbance to the class. There have been no exclusions in recent years. 13. Relationships and personal development are good, and often very good for pupils in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Reception children work well both with older pupils and with each other, for Northrepps Primary School - 13 example on the computer. They are also able to work well independently, although opportunities for Foundation Stage children to make their own choice of activity are limited. Children are happy and confident and readily ask for help when required. They willingly carry out their classroom duties. Pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 have good relationships with their teachers and listen well to one another, for example, in "circle-time" when they discuss, as a whole class, a range of personal and social issues sensibly and responsibly. They are confident and articulate, although a

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

few of the girls are rather quiet. Pupils with special educational needs are well integrated in the school and enjoy working in small groups. Parents appreciate the ways in which older children are given responsibilities for helping younger ones. The pupils have been involved in their own fundraising to improve the playground with their own ideas. They show very good initiative in a range of activities that interact with the wider community. These include fundraising for national charities such as the Blue Peter Appeal and Help the Aged, helping with village events, such as the harvest festival and preparing the village bonfire, and organising themselves and their families for the forthcoming trip to the Norwich City football ground. However, there are limited opportunities for pupils to show initiative in their learning, for example through independent use of the library and computers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance at the school is satisfactory. Attendance rates are consistently a little above the national average and usually just above the 95 per cent benchmark. Unauthorised absence is broadly in line with the national average. Attendance in the first half of the autumn term has been below what can be expected at the start of a school year. This is mainly because a number of parents who work in the local tourist industry take their children away on holiday in term-time. Also, a very small number of pupils have particular medical problems which sometimes keep them away from school. Punctuality is good. The vast majority of pupils have arrived in school well before the official start-time. The few pupils who are brought to school by taxi are occasionally delayed by transport and weather difficulties.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The quality of teaching is good. It has improved significantly since the last inspection and is improving standards of attainment. Teaching is sound at the Foundation Stage and good at both key stages. It was good in 65 per cent of lessons. It was very good in a further six per cent. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. The teaching of English and mathematics is good and is a significant factor in promoting pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. Teachers manage their classes very effectively to ensure that pupils behave well and sustain their interest and concentration. The good quality of relationships and the positive attitudes strongly influence attainment. Teaching is good in religious education and history. It is sound in art and design, design and technology and in physical education. There were no opportunities to observe the quality of teaching in science, geography and music.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Teachers know their pupils well. This enables them to ensure that the learning activities are matched well to the broad range of needs in a mixed-age and mixed ability class. For example, in a literacy lesson for pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3, the teacher organised three different activities, each with a learning objective linked closely to the age and ability of the groups. The teacher worked very closely with her support staff, to provide good individual support and guidance. This enabled all pupils, especially those with special educational needs, to make good progress in the development and use of their literacy skills. The teacher used questions effectively to improve one pupil’s understanding of sound blends and the spelling of some single syllable words such as ‘mud’. She then challenged a more able pupil to identify the letter sounds and spelling in ‘forest’. Classroom support staff noted down what pupils could do and where they needed some extra guidance for

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers have consistently good expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour to which they readily respond. Where teachers use their very good subject knowledge to extend pupils’ understanding, this enables good progress to be made in pupils’ learning and high standards to be achieved. For example, in a mathematics lesson for Years 4, 5 and 6, the teacher used good subject knowledge to demonstrate clearly how different shapes tessellate. He extended pupils’ understanding of such specific mathematical terms as ‘oblong’, ‘quadrilaterals’ and ‘tessellation’. The teacher then challenged all pupils to develop a tessellation pattern of their own. This encouraged an enthusiastic approach and pupils were keen to succeed. All successfully achieved a result and a higher attaining pupil clearly explained how the pattern depended upon the ‘lie’ of a particular angle. Northrepps Primary School - 14 18. Teachers use resources well to gain pupils’ interest and attention. For example, in a literacy

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

lesson for Year 4, 5 and 6, the teacher used an enlarged copy of a pupil’s letter to focus attention. She used questions well to encourage pupils to evaluate the quality and identify ways in which it could be improved. This promoted some good ideas and the teacher then challenged pupils effectively to apply these to produce a higher quality letter.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. In the 29 per cent of lessons where teaching is not of good or very good quality, but still sound overall, teachers do not always maintain an effective lesson pace. Where teachers set clear time targets, and regularly remind pupils what is expected of them in the time available, this encourages them to focus on the learning activity and try to complete the task. However, teachers do not consistently maintain a brisk pace to lessons. This leads to some pupils not sustaining their effort and achieving less than expected. For example, in a history lesson, the teacher used questions very well in the introductory activity to gain pupils’ interest and attention on historical drawings and photographs. They eagerly started the follow-up activity, but the teacher did not sustain the lesson pace. Some pupils were unable to retain their enthusiasm and did not achieve the detailed responses which were expected from their initial interest and ideas.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers use homework soundly, in line with school policy, to consolidate and extend the work covered in class, particularly in reading, mathematics and spelling. They encourage parents to get involved, particularly in developing pupils’ reading, and this contributes to improving literacy skills. Teachers also reinforce these skills effectively in a broad range of other subjects, for example, when writing a story to illustrate a pop-up book in art and design. Teachers do not make sufficient use of information and communication technology to support and extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding in subjects such as science and history.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The teaching of children in the Foundation Stage is sound overall. This enables them to settle well and make sound, and occasionally good, progress in their learning. The teacher knows the pupils well and manages them very effectively to ensure that they remain interested and focused on their activities. Support staff work closely with the teacher to give good individual support to children. They use questions well, especially to develop children’s key skills in communication, language and literacy and mathematics. The teacher does not always provide sufficient opportunities for children to make choices in creative development and to explore aspects of their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Pupils of different ability are taught well. Teachers plan well, particularly in their short-term planning, to ensure that activities are matched well to the broad range of needs in the class. They use extension activities well for higher attaining pupils. For example, in a Year 3 activity lesson on Florence Nightingale, the teacher required all pupils to complete a factual comprehension sheet. She then challenged higher attainers to apply their knowledge and understanding to describe, in detail, some of the main differences between nurses today and in Victorian times. Pupils with special educational needs are taught very well. They benefit from very good support from teaching and classroom support staff. This is focused effectively on the targets identified in their individual learning plans and enables them to make very good progress in their learning.

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TO PUPILS?

23. The school provides a sound curriculum at both key stages. All National Curriculum subjects and religious education are taught. The school meets statutory requirements, except for control aspects of information and communication technology. A reasonable balance of time is given to most subjects, although during the current term, insufficient investigative science work is planned, particularly at Key Stage 1. The range of activities in art and design, particularly for older pupils is limited. Overall, curriculum provision and planning has improved since the previous inspection. Numeracy and literacy are well established in the school. National guidance in the non-core subjects is beginning to provide an effective basis for planning, though this has not been yet fully adapted into specific schemes of work. Appropriate emphasis is given to numeracy and literacy. Both national strategies have been embraced well and the school’s approaches to teaching those

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TO PUPILS?

24. The curriculum provided for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. There is an appropriate Northrepps Primary School - 15 range of activities to provide opportunities for children to develop within the recommended areas of learning. Opportunities for personal and social development are greatly enhanced by their interaction with older pupils who are in the same class. Development of speaking and listening skills in particular is rapid and children quickly grow in confidence. Opportunities for children to choose from the range of learning activities are limited.

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TO PUPILS?

25. The school makes very good provision for pupils who have special educational needs. Teachers’ planning identifies a good range of activities to meet their different needs. Pupils are given very good support and encouragement towards achieving the targets set for them. Individual education plans are reviewed regularly in order to monitor progress and plan the next stages of learning.

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TO PUPILS?

26. The school makes satisfactory provision for personal, social and health education. Sex education is taught to pupils in Years 5 and 6. Healthy lifestyles including awareness of the dangers of drugs are part of the science curriculum and the whole school is involved in the topic ‘human values’, which is closely linked to personal development.

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TO PUPILS?

27. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good. The school uses the help and expertise of parents and visitors very well to provide a good range of activities, which enhance curriculum opportunities. Clubs are well attended and help pupils develop their skills in sports, crafts and music.

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TO PUPILS?

28. The school has developed very good links with the community in order to enrich other areas of learning. Links with the local church support pupils’ spiritual development and religious education. Sponsorship from a local business enabled pupils to visit the aviation museum. A group of pupils were involved in the design of the village playing field by preparing and presenting their ideas to the parish council.

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TO PUPILS?

29. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and has improved overall since the previous inspection. Assemblies are planned carefully to cover relevant social and spiritual issues. The vicar from the local church regularly leads school assemblies. Discussions in religious education lessons promote good opportunities for pupils to reflect on their lives and relationships with others. There is a clear school code of behaviour, discussed and agreed by the pupils themselves. This is generally adhered to because pupils understand it. The issue of right and wrong is strongly reinforced.

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TO PUPILS?

30. Relationships within the school are good. Adults are very good role models and pupils respond by being polite and well mannered and responsible. There is good provision for cultural development. The study of other cultures, and visitors to the school from other countries, fosters pupils’ awareness and appreciation of the modern community. Pupils learn about their own heritage through historical and geographical study of locality around the village and by visiting local museums and other places of interest. Country dancing and traditional music also help pupils understand the ways of the past.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. The school provides effective care for its pupils. Teachers know pupils and their personal and educational needs very well. They keep good records to track pupils' academic progress and are starting to use individual targets to raise attainment. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Other arrangements for caring for pupils are sound and often good but mainly informal. There are weaknesses in some of the formal procedures and policies because of recent staffing difficulties, which have required the headteacher to teach full-time up to now. The governing body is not fulfilling some of its health and safety responsibilities adequately. For example, it has not reviewed the school's health and safety policy for a number of years and it does not reflect current practice.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. Arrangements for ensuring pupils' welfare, health and safety are satisfactory. All pupils are well known by the headteacher who liaises very effectively with parents and outside agencies to promote their well-being. The temporary teachers, classroom assistants and most of the mid-day supervisors are very experienced in providing care and supervision for young children. Very good care is given to pupils with particular medical problems and difficult home circumstances. The school has sound child protection procedures. As the designated teacher, the headteacher has Northrepps Primary School - 16 considerable expertise in this aspect and liaises well with social workers. The school plans to enable staff to receive further training in local child protection procedures. All staff have had some form of first aid training and there are good arrangements for contacting parents in the event of illness or accident. Good records are kept of accidents. Records are not made when pupils are

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

taken ill or of what treatment or action is taken, as recommended in national guidance on first aid for schools. The school ensures a safe working environment by paying appropriate attention to the security of the site and arranging for risk assessments and equipment checks to be carried out. As a result, the school has identified that the condition of the playground surface is hazardous and the required work will be undertaken shortly after the inspection.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are satisfactory. There are sound arrangements for taking registers and for reminding parents of their responsibilities for ensuring regular attendance. A good feature is the creation of a welcoming atmosphere at the start of the school day which encourages pupils to arrive early and settle down to work.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. There are good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. All staff are very skilled at reminding pupils about the school's high expectations for behaviour and at handling any incidents of misbehaviour and bullying. There is effective liaison over behaviour issues between the headteacher and the mid-day supervisors; for example, through a two-way diary system as well as personal contact. The vast majority of parents strongly appreciate the rewards systems which are devised to suit the different age groups. There is a weekly whole-school celebration of good work, which includes praise for good behaviour. The school is aware that its behaviour policy needs updating in the light of staff and governor changes, and also that it should adopt procedures for dealing with exclusions.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Procedures for assessing pupils’ academic progress are good. The results of National Curriculum and non-statutory national tests are carefully analysed in order to identify strengths and weaknesses. Individual work samples are also analysed and judged against national curriculum attainment levels. As a result, pupils’ individual needs are identified and appropriate targets are set for them. Detailed information about progress is kept in pupils’ ‘Tracking Files’. Where general weaknesses are identified , curriculum planning is changed in order to meet these areas. Pupils have a role in evaluating their own work and have been involved in developing a common system of marking grades so they can monitor their own progress. Pupils with special educational needs are swiftly identified and very good programmes are drawn up to support and encourage them to fulfil their potential. The targets in their individual education plans are clear and specific and provide a

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

good focus for promoting their learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school provides good personal and educational support and guidance to help individual pupils overcome difficulties and raise their achievements. Parents are particularly pleased with this aspect of the school's work. They comment on how well children just starting school, either at the age of rising five or after moving from other schools, are helped to settle in quickly. Pupils of all ages feel comfortable in approaching the headteacher with their problems and concerns. In "circle-time" as part of the personal, social and health education programme, all pupils are encouraged to reflect well on their own achievements and their relationships with others. Pupils with behavioural difficulties receive individual counselling when they are challenged to think about their actions and take responsibility for them. Pupils, and their parents, are clear about their individual targets in literacy and numeracy, which are displayed in classrooms and marked with gold stars when

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

achieved. Northrepps Primary School - 17

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. The vast majority of parents are extremely satisfied with the school. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. They express strong support for nearly all aspects of school life, especially the school's expectations for their children, the staff's approachability and communications with them, and the leadership of the headteacher. They are particularly pleased with the improvements that have been made in behaviour and in teaching. A very small minority of parents has concerns about individual issues, mainly connected with behaviour and homework.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. The school has good links with parents and carers. Parents are encouraged to come into the school before the start and after the end of the school day, when they can see their child's work and discuss any matter with the class teacher. There are also more formal opportunities for parents and teachers to share information, and open days when parents can see the school at work. Parents are pleased with the way in which the school contacts them straight away if there are any concerns about their child. There is a regular Friday newsletter, which keeps parents well informed about events and pupils' achievements, as well as news items such as the appointment of a new chair of governors. Annual reports provide good information about pupils' progress, especially in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and in personal development. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. Good features in the reports are the inclusion of the child's

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

individual targets in literacy and numeracy and the opportunity for the pupils to comment on their own progress. The prospectus and governors' annual report to parents provide useful information on most areas of school life but still do not fully meet requirements on providing statutory information.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. Parents' involvement has a good impact on several aspects of school life, but their contribution to pupils' learning is not fully developed. There is a very active Parent Teacher Association which organises a wide range of social and fundraising events. The money raised has been spent on classroom resources, educational visits and the impressive climbing equipment in the playground. Parents help transport pupils in the younger class to a local school for their weekly swimming lesson. Most parents and carers ensure that their children arrive well in time for the start of the school day and work effectively with the school in the event of any concerns about their child. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are closely involved from the earliest stage of identification and at regular reviews. Pupils' records incorporate the views of parents. Governors who are also parents are very committed to helping the school continue on its path of improvement.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Parents are encouraged to help in classrooms but very few were seen to do so during the inspection. Most parents are satisfied with the school's arrangements for homework. The school encourages parents to support their children’s reading, although not all parents involve themselves consistently in promoting these skills. The governing body has not consulted or established a home-school agreement with parents, as required by law.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40. The leadership and management of the school are good. There has been good improvement since the last inspection and the school no longer has serious weaknesses. Significant improvement has been made in the leadership of the school, particularly under the direction of the current headteacher. She provides positive and enthusiastic leadership, which is strongly focused on improving attainment, attitudes and behaviour. Staffing changes and absence has restricted improvements in the contributions made by other staff. The headteacher has identified a staffing structure with clearly identified areas of responsibility, but has not had the opportunity to establish it in practice. Improvements in school development planning give a clearer focus to the work of the school, particularly on raising standards of literacy and numeracy. The school makes good use of national guidance in most subjects to provide a more structured, planned approach to the

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

curriculum. Good use has been made of an increased focus on literacy and numeracy, and the school plans to review curriculum plans in other subjects in line with new curriculum requirements. It has developed good assessment procedures and has improved the use of assessment information to match learning activities to pupils’ needs. There has been some improvement in the governing body’s involvement in managing the school, but governors are still not consistently and effectively involved in shaping the direction of the school’s work and in promoting school improvement. The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection, particularly at Key Stage 2. It is a significant factor in raising standards.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. The headteacher provides a clear and positive lead, particularly during a period of staff change. Northrepps Primary School - 18 Despite a heavy teaching commitment, she has a good vision of what she wants the school to achieve and is effective in giving direction to its work. This clearly reflects the school’s aims and values. The headteacher has been particularly successful in improving pupils’ attitudes and behaviour. Relationships between adults and pupils and between pupils themselves are good. They have a very enthusiastic approach to learning. These are key influences in establishing a positive learning environment in which pupils are keen to improve the quality of their work. Parents are very supportive of the high quality of leadership of the headteacher and of the contribution she has made to the school’s improvement.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. The school has yet to establish a cohesive team approach in which staff, governors, pupils and parents all contribute to a continuing commitment to improve standards. Opportunities to develop the team ethos have been restricted by recent changes in staffing and in the governing body. There is now evidence of a more consistent willingness and a greater capacity to work together, which are beginning to contribute to the school’s effectiveness. Some developments in monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning, with effective support from the local authority’s advisor, have contributed to improvement. Although these procedures are sound overall, they have been limited by the headteacher’s continued heavy teaching commitment and by staff changes.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The headteacher uses an increasing range of attainment information to effectively monitor the performance of different year groups as they move through the school. She has introduced an individual pupil tracking record in which assessment information, including end of year teacher assessments, is used to evaluate pupils’ progress closely. Pupils identify an individual improvement target, share it with another pupil in their class, and display it clearly in the classroom. They both monitor what progress is being made towards achieving it. These strategies are being developed well to focus pupils’ attention on ways in which they can raise their standards. Some test analysis has been successfully undertaken to identify areas of strength and weakness. The headteacher has provided some additional teaching support to prepare pupils for the end of key stage tests. These procedures enable the school to target specific areas for improvement and then

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

focus teaching and learning resources efficiently to support pupils. Class teachers plan together to share subject knowledge and ensure that their work links and builds on prior knowledge and understanding.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. The role of the governing body has not been developed effectively. Governors are not working sufficiently closely with the headteacher to identify strengths and weaknesses and plan strategically for improvement. They have continued to be supportive since the last inspection. Some governors visit classrooms and others work in school. They receive detailed reports from the headteacher to keep them informed about what is happening in school. However, they have not been sufficiently involved in systematically monitoring and evaluating standards and in ensuring that they are fully involved in planning school improvement. Recent changes in the governing body have provided a good opportunity for a more effective and constructive partnership to be developed. Many governors are committed to working closely with the school and have received some suitable training, for example, on developing self-review procedures. There is no clear, shared vision of how

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the school will improve in the next few years and what plans can be implemented to achieve this improvement.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. Governors, working closely with the headteacher and school secretary, have established sound procedures for financial planning and management. The budget process is efficiently managed. The current high level of underspend, resulting mainly from recent unexpected staff changes, is planned to support development priorities. School development planning has improved since the last inspection. It clearly identifies priorities and links them well to financial planning. The development plan outlines procedures to monitor and evaluate development issues. However, they are not in sufficient detail to enable governors to check the effectiveness of their spending decisions. Specific funds, for example, those in the Standards Fund, have been used effectively to target areas for improvement, for example, literacy and numeracy. These have contributed well to improving pupils’ skills. The school makes sound use of the principles of best value to ensure that

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

it makes efficient use of its funds, for example, by taking alternative prices and quotes before placing an order for resources. The good quality day-to-day financial administration makes a positive contribution to the smooth running of the school, which gives sound value for money.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. There is an adequate number of staff. They have a good range of experience to ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are taught effectively. Where there are some uncertainties in teachers’ subject knowledge, for example, in aspects of mathematics, the Northrepps Primary School - 19 school has received good training and support from staff at one of the secondary schools to which pupils transfer. The school makes good use of part-time teaching staff and of classroom support staff, who work very closely with other teaching staff to ensure that high quality individual guidance and support is given to pupils. This contributes well to pupils’ attainment, particularly those with special educational needs. The school’s involvement in the local authority’s ‘Well-Being Project’ highlighted the staff’s strong sense of commitment to the school’s development. The school has

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

not yet established an effective appraisal system, due mainly to staffing changes. However, the planned involvement in ‘Investors in People’ will enable staff training needs to be identified and linked, where appropriate, to school development needs.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The accommodation is adequate overall. It has been improved since the last inspection, for example, creating a small library area near an entrance door. The school makes efficient use of the available space, for example, by creating areas to meet the different learning needs of the range of pupils in Class 1. Good use is made of community facilities to enhance provision, for example, using the village hall and village playing-field for physical education lessons. Resources are satisfactory overall. Improvements in resources for literacy and numeracy have been used well to improve pupils’ skills. The range and quality of books in classrooms and in the library are generally good. The provision of non-fiction books is significantly enhanced by project loans from the local library service. This contributes well to pupils’ achievements in subjects such as history, geography and science. Resources for information and communication technology are not

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

sufficient to provide regular and frequent opportunities for pupils to develop their skills. This restricts standards. Development planning indicates that ICT resources will soon be improved.

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

48. To improve the effectiveness of the school, the headteacher, governors and staff should:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) raise standards in information and communication technology by ensuring that pupils have frequent opportunities to develop their skills in all required aspects. ( paragraphs 20, 101, 102 and 103)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) develop the role of the governing body by;

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• extending their involvement in monitoring and evaluation procedures to increase their awareness of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, • working closely with the headteacher and staff to build a team approach focused clearly on school improvement. (paragraphs 40 and 44)

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

49. In addition to the issues listed above, the less important issue of increasing the opportunities for children in the Foundation Stage to make independent choices from the range of learning activities should be considered for inclusion in the action plan. (These are indicated in paragraphs 21 and 64.) Northrepps Primary School - 20

p.19

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 17

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.20

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.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 37

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 15

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

p.20

Attendance

National comparative data 94.1 National comparative data 0.5

p.20

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Northrepps Primary School - 21

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.21

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.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.4 Financial year 99/00

p.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15.4

p.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 117620

p.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 3361

p.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 52.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 0

p.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 19357

p.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Northrepps Primary School - 22

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 55 45 0 0 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 59 38 3 0 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 31 59 7 3 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 66 28 3 0 3

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 21 3 0 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 79 21 0 0 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 72 24 4 0 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 72 21 3 0 4

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 62 32 0 3 3

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 66 28 0 3 3 Northrepps Primary School - 23

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. Children enter Reception in the September following their fourth birthday. The two children who are currently completing the Foundation Stage are provided for within a larger class of Key Stage 1 and Year 3 pupils. Although they have good personal and social skills when they begin school, baseline test data indicate that language and mathematical development are slightly below the levels expected for their ages. Due to generally sound, and frequently good teaching, effective support from classroom assistants and a well planned curriculum, children progress steadily and are likely to reach the expected learning goals by the time they begin Key Stage 1.

p.23

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

51. Children are very well integrated within the whole class. The interest shown by the older pupils and the role models they present have a positive impact on social and personal development. Children accept responsibility in and around the classroom. They carry out simple tasks such as arranging chairs or tidying up after activities. Children work independently when required, and are also able to work with others. For example when using the computer, they took turns to operate the keyboard in order to move images around the screen when reinforcing their number recognition.

p.23

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

52. Shared activities, such as role play, encourage children to negotiate the ‘rules’ of the play and so further improve social skills. Children manage well in dressing themselves after physical education lessons, requiring little help to fasten buttons and laces. When joining in discussion with the whole class, children listen well, take turns to speak and contribute ideas confidently.

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

53. Children’s speaking and listening skills are good. They express ideas clearly and confidently talk about what they are doing in the classroom. They are confident when sharing ideas with a larger group. Interaction with adults during role-play or in more structured activities challenges children effectively to extend their speaking skills.

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

54. Teachers work hard to create a language-rich environment. Labelling on displays is clear and encourages reading and there is a plentiful supply of books. Children show a good interest in books by selecting favourites to read quietly and by listening attentively to stories read to them. They know how books ‘work’ and handle them carefully. A listening station with story tapes is also a very popular activity and encourages language development.

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

55. Children are taught their letter sounds well. They consolidate their reading and writing skills by using appropriate ICT programs or by practising emergent writing in the ‘appointments book’ in the classroom ‘baby clinic’. Children read and write their own names and make steady progress towards the learning targets set for them nationally.

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

56. Teaching in this area is good. Children are challenged well by tasks such as matching pictures and words to build up key vocabulary. Interaction with adults is good and progress is carefully monitored and recorded.

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

57. Children make satisfactory progress in this area of learning. Teachers place appropriate emphasis on practical activities such as number games. Children use simple computer games well to match numbers and object which reinforces their knowledge in counting confidently up to ten. They are beginning to understand the concept of ‘one more’ and ‘one less’. A good example of this was when the children discussed what to do in order to reduce the number of objects displayed on the screen from six to five. Children recognise and name basic two-dimensional shapes such as square, circle, triangle and rectangle and are beginning to understand some of their properties such as ‘three angles in a triangle. Children use sand and water effectively to explore the concept of measure. During numeracy lessons, children join with others when counting in tens and are beginning to recognise pattern in numbers.

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Northrepps Primary School - 24 58. Teaching is satisfactory. Children are given appropriate support when working at the tasks planned for them. During one lesson, for example, children made cakes from play dough and added ‘birthday candles’ to match numbers from one to ten. The teacher used good questions to probe and extend the children’s understanding of number. They begin to understand the idea of ‘taking one candle away’ in order to make the two cakes look the same.

p.24

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

59. Children’s general knowledge is slightly below the expected level when they start school. Satisfactory provision is made for them and they make steady progress in learning about the world around them.

p.24

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

60. Children develop computer skills well. They are confident, enthusiastic and show good understanding of the programs they use. They use construction materials well to help develop their technical understanding. This is sometimes linked with the development of mathematical language when children decide to build ‘larger’ or ‘smaller’ models. Malleable materials such as play dough, plasticene, clay and wet sand enable pupils to explore their properties by moulding and stretching.

p.24

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

61. Children learn about their local environment and discover quiet places or noisy places around the village. They gain a good sense of the past from the interesting display of artefacts in the classroom and by learning about the scientific concepts of growth and change. Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers provide appropriate experiences although these are generally too prescribed. They do not always allow children to use all of their senses to explore freely the world around them.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

62. Children’s physical development is better than expected for their age when they start school. They run, jump and skip without inhibition and show good awareness of others moving around them. Physical education lessons in the village hall provide further opportunities for children to improve balance and creative movement. Children easily manage the wheeled toys provided for outside activities and are challenged very well by the adventure playground established in the school grounds.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

63. Children know their way safely around the classroom and handle implements such as scissors, brushes and pencils sensibly showing good levels of co-ordination. Physical development is enriched by the provision of weekly swimming lessons. Teaching is satisfactory. In those lessons which are shared with older pupils, the teacher effectively manages the class so that each age group has suitable activities to perform.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

64. Provision for children’s creative development is satisfactory. Children work with an appropriate range of colour media and develop skills well by applying these to collage and three dimensional models. Paintings demonstrate appropriate brush control and thoughtful application of colour. Music is taught as a class lesson. Pupils have the opportunity to play percussion instruments and to sing along with others in the class. Teaching is satisfactory but there are too few opportunities for children to select their own activities to explore and develop their own creativity.

p.24

ENGLISH

65. Attainment is broadly in line with the national average at the end of both key stages. Standards have improved since the last inspection, particularly at Key Stage 2. Consistently good quality teaching, together with pupils’ positive approach to their work, effectively promotes pupils’ literacy skills. Reading skills are soundly developed and pupils are given regular opportunities to apply and extend their skills. The quality of pupils’ writing has improved overall. They write for a broad range of purposes and are beginning to use a greater range of vocabulary than previously reported. There are weaknesses in spelling and aspects of grammar towards the end of Key Stage 2. These aspects were identified at the last inspection and, although there has been some improvement, for example, in pupils’ spelling tests, this is not clearly evident in pupils’ writing. There has been a considerable improvement in pupils’ speaking and listening skills. These are promoted well and

p.24

ENGLISH

consistently throughout the school. Pupils achieve standards which are above expectations at the Northrepps Primary School - 25 end of the key stages. Pupils speak confidently and clearly and listen carefully to the views of adults and other pupils.

p.24

ENGLISH

66. The results of the end of key stage National Curriculum tests vary considerably due to the differences in ability between the small number of pupils taking the tests each year. This makes year-on-year comparisons difficult. Inspection evidence shows that standards overall are improving and are in line with those expected of pupils’ age and abilities at both key stages. Pupils make good progress at both key stages in developing their literacy skills. Pupils with special educational needs are given very good quality support, by class teachers and support staff. They make very good progress towards the literacy targets set in their individual education plans.

p.25

ENGLISH

67. The school has effectively implemented its strategy for promoting literacy skills since the last inspection and this is beginning to promote higher standards. Although staffing changes have required the school to be more flexible in developing different aspects of its strategy, teachers use a good range of teaching approaches to enthuse pupils and encourage them to extend their skills. They provide many opportunities in other subjects, particularly at Key Stage 2, for pupils to promote and apply their literacy skills. For example, they write in detail about Greek gods and religious festivals in history, or when writing a story to accompany illustrations in a ‘pop-up book’ in art and technology. These promote levels of attainment.

p.25

ENGLISH

68. Standards of speaking and listening are above average throughout the school. All pupils talk and listen confidently in different contexts. Teachers encourage pupils to express their ideas and opinions. At Key Stage 1, pupils speak politely and know not to interrupt when someone else is speaking. They are keen to contribute to discussions both in class and when working in pairs or groups. For example, pupils talked to each other very well when asked to tell a partner what they thought they were good at in school and why they enjoyed a particular activity. Teachers use their good knowledge of individual pupils and good relationships to encourage those who are reluctant to speak and to develop pupils’ speech patterns.

p.25

ENGLISH

69. These skills are extended well at Key Stage 2. Most pupils are articulate and talk confidently to adults and other pupils. Teachers plan many opportunities for pupils to act out situations and for discussions on a broad range of topics. For example, Key Stage 2 pupils worked hard at developing scripts on aspects of Ancient Greek religion for acting out in history. Pupils make good contributions to discussions, for example, when suggesting interesting ideas for adverbs and adverbial phrases to be used in extended sentences. Teachers provide good role models in their use of specific subject language across the curriculum, for example, using and explaining the terms ‘tessellation’, ‘quadrilateral’ and ‘oblong’ in a mathematical investigation.

p.25

ENGLISH

70. Standards in reading are broadly in line with expectations of pupils’ age and ability at the end of both key stages. Pupils generally read accurately, fluently and with some good expression. Pupils in the early part of Key Stage 1 are given good individual support in developing their early reading skills. They are heard to read regularly by teachers, support staff and adult helpers and some good guidance is given in word recognition and in some sound and letter blends. On occasions, the supporting adult provides the unfamiliar word rather than encouraging the pupil to develop a strategy to work it out for themselves. The school makes effective use of a reading record in which parents are encouraged to hear their children read regularly at home. Good use is made of a rota of guided reading activities in which the teacher focuses her attention on one group while support staff and other helpers work with other individuals and groups.

p.25

ENGLISH

71. All pupils are given good opportunities to read at both key stages. Pupils at Key Stage 2 read with increasing confidence and accuracy. They use good expression, although they do not always have a good understanding of what they have read. All pupils have frequent opportunities to develop their reading skills, although some are not very positive in their approach. They read well, although they do not enthusiastically discuss the plot and the different characters. Higher order reading skills, for example in referring back to the text to explain why something has happened or what is likely to happen next, are not consistently developed. All Key Stage 2 pupils have a good knowledge of library and research skills which is a significant improvement since the last inspection. They are confident in locating a book in the library and in using the contents, glossary and index in non- fiction books to locate information. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to extend these

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ENGLISH

research skills by independent use of the library or by frequent use of information and communication technology. A limited range of resources restricts these. Northrepps Primary School - 26 72. Standards in writing at Key Stage 1 are at an average level, similar to those reported in the last inspection. Pupils progress soundly from ‘practice’ writing to the writing of properly spaced words in sentences. By the end of the key stage, most pupils use full stops and capital letters and spell short, single-syllable words accurately. Pupils benefit from regular handwriting practice, which enables them to write clearly and make their letters of a consistent size. These skills are built on soundly in Key Stage 2. Year 3 pupils combined their reading and writing skills well to begin to develop rhyming couplets. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 use their journal books effectively each day to describe significant events in their daily lives. They show an increasing understanding and use of

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ENGLISH

different types of writing, for example report and factual writing, and how to use a persuasive style when writing a letter to a potential sponsor of a school trip. Their knowledge and understanding of aspects of punctuation and grammar, for example, the use of speech and different pronouns and prefixes, and spellings are systematically taught through focused activities, worksheets and word lists. Pupils gain a secure knowledge and apply it well in tests and specific language activities. They do not apply their skills with consistent accuracy in pieces of extended writing when some single and multi-syllable words are not so accurately spelt. A current focus on trying to ensure that ideas are drafted out first, checked and then re-written in a neat, joined handwriting is beginning to promote a more consistently higher level of attainment.

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ENGLISH

73. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers plan well, using the literacy framework, to give a clear focus to the lessons. They use different learning objectives, which meet the needs of the age and ability of the pupils. For example, in a lesson for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6, the teacher used three different activities, each with a particular objective, to ensure that the work built on prior knowledge and understanding. Teachers have good relationships with their classes and manage them well to ensure that they stay focused on their work. They know their pupils well and use individual questions effectively to challenge them to apply their knowledge. For example, in a literacy activity with pupils in Years 1 and 2, the teacher asked each pupil to identify a word in their ‘big book’ beginning with a particular initial letter blend. Teachers use interesting teaching methods to gain pupils’ interest and attention. These promote an enthusiastic and positive attitude which promotes

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ENGLISH

and extends their skills and understanding. For example, the teacher in a Year 4, 5 and 6 lesson used pupils to demonstrate a particular adverb or phrase which the rest of the class had to guess. The demonstration of ‘singing loudly’ led to some interesting replies! The teacher then effectively challenged the pupils to use a ‘sentence-maker’ to include some of their ideas in extended sentences.

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ENGLISH

74. Teachers mark pupils’ work effectively to indicate ways in which they can improve the quality, for example, by clear examples of how to use correct punctuation. They have developed pupils’ targets for improvement which are also used well to promote higher standards, for example, in the quality of written presentation. Homework is used effectively, in line with the school policy, particularly for spelling. Teachers make some use of information and communication technology, for example, by encouraging pupils to listen to story tapes. However, they do not use word processing sufficiently frequently to promote literacy skills.

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ENGLISH

75. The school has successfully developed aspects of its literacy strategy and these are raising attainment. Standards will continue to improve through a stronger focus on ensuring that pupils consistently apply the spelling and grammatical strategies learnt in literacy sessions. The work of pupils in Years 5 and 6 will also benefit from a broader range of interesting vocabulary in their descriptive writing and a consistently high level of presentation.

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MATHEMATICS

76. Levels of attainment seen during the inspection are average. In Year 2 and Year 6 pupils reach the standards expected for their ages. Improved quality of teaching and effective use of the national framework for numeracy have had a good impact on standards. The work seen in school indicates an improving trend over previously reported years when standards were found to be below average nationally and when compared with similar schools.

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MATHEMATICS

77. Pupils currently in Year 2 have a good understanding of numbers to twenty. They sequence numbers correctly and add and subtract accurately. Pupils effectively apply their skills when adding coins to different values. During mental arithmetic sessions pupils demonstrate well their understanding of number sequences. They count on and back in twos and tens for example, and Northrepps Primary School - 27 recognise patterns in sequences such as 23, 33, 43, 53. Pupils recognise two-dimensional shapes and some three-dimensional ones such as ‘cylinder’ and ‘cuboid’. They weigh and measure objects using non-standard units of measure.

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MATHEMATICS

78. Pupils in Year 6 show good understanding of place value when dealing with whole numbers and extend this knowledge to decimal fractions. Most are competent in the processes of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and use different methods such as the use of ‘Napiers Rods’ or ‘doubling’ and ‘halving’ to solve number problems. Pupils have a good understanding of simple fractions and their percentage equivalents and accurately calculate the cost of items, for example, which have a five percent reduction.

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MATHEMATICS

79. Sufficient emphasis is placed on the teaching of numeracy throughout the school. Teachers’ subject knowledge is sound and effective strategies are used to promote understanding of number. Teachers promote mathematical language well and put an increasing emphasis on the application of mathematical knowledge to solve problems. However. they do not use information and communication technology sufficiently to support learning, consequently pupils’ data handling skills are not well developed.

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MATHEMATICS

80. The quality of teaching overall is good. Teachers’ subject knowledge is sound. This enables them to plan well, and to use a good range of effective teaching methods. A simple ‘calculator’ for example gave pupils a clear understanding of the place value of decimals fractions during an oral and mental arithmetic session. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and set challenging tasks for them. Class two pupils for example needed to work with great precision when tessellating (fitting together) quadrilaterals so as not to lose the rotational pattern. This was a demanding task which greatly improved their understanding of shape and space. Teachers establish good relationships. They have a good rapport with pupils which helps them to organise and manage activities well. Pupils know what is expected of them and behave well. Collaborative work is encouraged and this helps build pupils’ confidence. Teachers actively monitor progress in the

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MATHEMATICS

classroom and give good support, particularly to pupils with special educational needs. Teachers evaluate work with the pupils well and identify ways in which it might be improved.

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MATHEMATICS

81. Although there are many strengths in the teaching, there are some areas for further development. Teachers do not consistently take opportunities to extend pupils’ mathematical language. For example using ‘zero’ as a starting point for counting is sometimes overlooked and therefore does not challenge the understanding of the youngest pupils. Teachers do not always use resources for number work effectively to help pupils understand new concepts. This slows down their progress in the lesson. Practical demonstrations and opportunities to consolidate their learning through discussion are sometimes too brief, consequently pupils are not always clear about what to do. This makes greater demands on the teachers’ time. At times pupils lack a sense of urgency about completing work because targets for what they must achieve in the lesson are not made sufficiently clear.

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MATHEMATICS

82. The subject is managed and led well by the headteacher. Significant changes in planning together with appropriate in-service training to improve expertise contribute effectively to the rising standards. The headteacher and staff have fostered positive attitudes in the pupils. There is a clear action plan for the continued development of the subject. Standards are monitored by looking at pupils’ work and discussing progress with them. The quality of teaching is observed by the local authority advisory staff, but as yet the headteacher has been unable to dedicate any of her own time to the monitoring of teaching within school.

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SCIENCE

83. No lessons were observed during the inspection. Evidence was gained from an analysis of pupils’ work and discussions with staff and pupils . Standards of attainment meet the national average at the end of Key Stage 2. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is broadly in line with the national average overall, given the very small number of pupils. Standards have been maintained at Key Stage 1 since the last inspection. They have been improved at Key Stage 2. Teachers cover all required aspects and pupils are prepared well to take the national tests, especially at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils’ skills and knowledge of scientific enquiry are sound at the end of Key Stage 2 but not at the expected level at the end of Key Stage 1. They do have some opportunities to carry out some practical scientific investigations, for example, when planting seeds and observing Northrepps Primary School - 28

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SCIENCE

their growth. However, these are not sufficiently frequent and are not planned to consistently build on prior knowledge and understanding.

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SCIENCE

84. Inspection evidence confirms teacher assessments that most pupils achieve the nationally expected levels at the end of each key stage, although few achieve above expected levels. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make sound progress overall in their learning. They make good progress in aspects of the work in Key Stage 2.

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SCIENCE

85. Pupils have sound knowledge and understanding in both key stages of ‘Life processes and living things’ and aspects of such topics as ‘Forces’, ‘Light and sound’ and ‘Materials’. Key Stage 1 pupils show an increasing understanding of what is required in keeping a healthy diet. For example, they highlight what they know is healthy and unhealthy in their lunch-boxes. Most know that healthy eating is important to help them grow. Most accurately name the main parts of the body and know that they need to take care of their body, for example, through exercise and looking carefully after their teeth. Some remember that plants need sunshine and water to grow from seed and that the plant gets its ‘food’ from the soil. They use their observation skills soundly when describing features of humans and plants. However, their knowledge and understanding of how to find things out, collect and record information and use some scientific language to describe their

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SCIENCE

enquiry are not satisfactory overall. The three year rolling curriculum programme for science at Key Stage 1 covers all required aspects but is not balanced well to ensure that pupils are given sufficient opportunities to build up their enquiry skills and knowledge.

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SCIENCE

86. The programme at Key Stage 2 does provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their scientific skills and knowledge. By the end of the key stage, most have a sound understanding of how to carry out an investigation. Pupils have a positive, enthusiastic attitude to their work and clearly enjoy practical investigations. They know how to observe carefully and test out their hypothesis. They understand the need for making a ‘fair test’, for example, by keeping the amounts of liquids the same each time when mixing different materials. They know how to collect data and to record their results in different ways, for example, a written description or a results table. Most knew the need to ensure that each person did the same level of activity and tested their pulse the same way each time in an experiment on the effects of exercise on the heart rate. They recorded their results well on a table and some made effective use of graphs to show the range of results. One higher

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SCIENCE

attaining pupil explained clearly that some pupils did a lot of exercise and had ‘different heart rates’ to others so their results were different.

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SCIENCE

87. Teachers plan in detail. For example, when covering the topic of ‘Keeping healthy’, they use clear objectives to give focus to their teaching. They use pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills effectively to promote standards, for example, to write up the changes when mixing different materials. They extend pupils’ vocabulary well by keeping a glossary of scientific terms such as ‘reversible’ and ‘irreversible’. There is little evidence of teachers using information and communication technology to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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SCIENCE

88. Teachers prepare pupils well for the national tests. They analyse previous questions and use revision and practice techniques to make pupils aware of what is expected of them.

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ART AND DESIGN / DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

89. Standards are broadly in line with expectations for pupils’ aged seven and eleven. There are effective links between the two subjects and other areas of the curriculum. For example, design and technology is currently linked to the study of science and Greek mythology through the theme of movement. Art and design work includes examples of woven fabrics.

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ART AND DESIGN / DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

90. The school is in the process of re-organising the non-core curriculum subjects. National subject guidance and National Curriculum 2000 are used as the basis for planning. These have not yet

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ART AND DESIGN / DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

been fully integrated in schemes of work which identify skills and knowledge systematically. Consequently, although the range of creative experiences is sound overall, it is still limited, particularly for older pupils.

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ART AND DESIGN / DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. In Reception to Year 3 (Class 1), pupils explore their creativity satisfactorily through a range of Northrepps Primary School - 29 media such as paint, paper, fabrics and natural materials. Their collage ‘monsters’ show skilful and imaginative use of materials. They use colour sensitively in the patterns inspired by nature such as those on butterflies’ wings. An autumn collage to which the whole class contributed, incorporates design and craft skills effectively in the woven fabrics and leaves cut from felt.

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ART AND DESIGN / DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. In Years 4, 5 and 6 (Class 2), pupils demonstrate appropriate skills when designing and building ‘Greek temples’. Models displayed are well constructed. Landscape paintings show adequate understanding of perspective. Portraits using pencil are well drawn and the features are enhanced by the effective use of tone.

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ART AND DESIGN / DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and there are some good features in both key stages. Teachers prepare their lessons well. They choose resources which add interest and motivate pupils. In Class 1 for example the teacher gathered a good variety of candle holders for pupils to examine. Their resulting observational drawings and clay models were of a good standard. Class 2 pupils were highly motivated and worked very enthusiastically when making their ‘mythological birds’ after the teacher demonstrated a mechanism for making the wings flap up and down. Good relationships are established and this promotes a good learning atmosphere. Teachers use their subject knowledge satisfactorily to explain techniques but there is too little attention given to the work of other artists in order to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding and inspire pupils to explore their own creativity in different styles. Older pupils apply their skills well to other areas as

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ART AND DESIGN / DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

demonstrated in the ‘pop-up’ illustrations in the books which they created themselves.

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GEOGRAPHY

94. No lessons were observed during the inspection. Evidence was gained from an analysis of pupils’ work and teaching plans, and discussions with staff and pupils. Attainment is broadly in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Standards have been maintained at Key Stage 1 since the last inspection. They have improved at Key Stage 2, mainly as a result of improvements in curriculum planning, particularly in the effective coverage of geographical skills. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make sound progress in their learning. Some make good progress, especially in Key Stage 2, in aspects of mapping skills and the knowledge and use of geographical vocabulary, for example, when undertaking fieldwork on the River Glaven.

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GEOGRAPHY

95. At Key Stage 1, the school makes effective use of the grounds and of the area around the school to begin to develop pupils’ understanding of plans and maps and the use made of buildings and facilities. These are built on well at Key Stage 2 when pupils extend their mapping skills, effectively using symbols, a mapping key and references. They use maps well to identify different facilities and features, for example, when they describe the contrasts between the village of Northrepps and the city of Norwich. Pupils apply these skills well in local field-study work. Year 5 and 6 pupils show a good understanding of the main features of the water cycle and its impact on the land. Their knowledge and understanding of some of the environmental effects, for example, pollution, are less well developed. Teachers’ plans indicate that pupils study other parts of the world in different topics, although, as in the last inspection, their knowledge and factual recall of different countries is

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GEOGRAPHY

96. Teachers’ plans are detailed and make good use of national guidance to ensure that pupils develop their skills and knowledge in all required aspects. However, these plans do not consistently show how they link together to build on prior knowledge and understanding. As the school is reviewing its planning to meet the recent National Curriculum changes, pupils’ learning would benefit from a clearer progression in skills between the different aspects of the topics. Teachers use a sound range of resources and good use is made of pupils’ library research skills. Pupils do not have opportunities to enhance the quality of their work through the regular use of information and communication technology.

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HISTORY

97. Attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. This is an improvement since the last inspection, particularly in the development of pupils’ enquiry skills and their understanding of how things have changed over time. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make sound progress in their learning. One lesson was observed at each key Northrepps Primary School - 30 stage during the inspection. Further evidence was gained from an analysis of pupils’ work in books and on display, from talking to staff and pupils and from looking at teachers’ plans. Although the school’s focus on literacy and numeracy has limited some opportunities to develop pupils’ historical skills and ideas fully, good teaching and the very effective use of pupils’ literacy skills are promoting knowledge and understanding.

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HISTORY

98. Key Stage 1 pupils use observation skills well to see how things have changed in their own families. They accurately compile a family tree to show how different generations relate to each other. Many pupils use photographic evidence effectively to recognise differences from earlier times to how things are today. They use their drawing skills well to show the main differences in what people wear. Some Year 3 pupils knew how changes in fashion show how people’s lives have changed. For example, they explained that changes in nurses’ uniforms showed how their jobs have changed since Victorian times. One higher attaining pupil described how lighter, shorter clothes would make it easier for them to handle patients and machines. Other Key Stage 2 pupils use their research and note-taking skills very effectively, for example, to gain information on Henry VIII. Most then use their notes well to produce a detailed piece of extended writing on the life of the Tudor king. They

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HISTORY

show a sound factual knowledge and understanding of the main differences between the lives of rich and poor people in Tudor times. Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils have a secure knowledge of how people lived in Ancient Greece. They know that Ancient Greeks worshipped more gods than people today. Some higher attaining pupils are beginning to make good comparisons over the differences between ancient societies and those of today. For example, one pupil explained that we knew a lot more about the earth today from scientists than the Greeks did and that they thought their gods were responsible for the sun and the weather.

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HISTORY

99. Teaching is good. Teachers use interesting methods to encourage pupils to increase their knowledge and use it to present their work in a variety of ways. For example, in a history activity for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6, the teacher required pupils to use their research and note-taking skills to gain some information on religious practices in Ancient Greece. She then challenged pupils to use their information to write a play-script and act out a play to show what they had found. Pupils enthusiastically set about their research and writing tasks, and were very keen to begin to write their plays. Teachers prepare well and use their resources very effectively to create interest and focus pupils’ attention. For example, in a Key Stage 1 lesson, the teacher used photographs and drawings of nurses to encourage pupils’ ideas on how hospitals have changed since Victorian times. Teachers use questions well to extend pupils’ knowledge and to increase their range and

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HISTORY

use of specific vocabulary, for example, the cuffs’ and ‘smock’ on nurses’ uniforms. Teachers effectively develop pupils’ research skills, although they do not include opportunities to use information and communication technology.

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HISTORY

100. The school is using national guidance effectively to provide a suitable range of topics, although opportunities for assessment are still not focused on historical skills. These are not used to ensure that topics are planned to build on prior skills and knowledge. The school uses a sound range of resources, extended well by project loans from the local library service. It is further enhanced by visits to the local area and to places such as Felbrigg Hall.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

101. Attainment is below national expectations at the end of both key stages. The school has not made satisfactory progress since the last inspection. The range of resources is limited and the school does not currently cover all the required aspects of the curriculum, for example, control technology. Although pupils do make some good use of ICT to promote aspects of their work, particularly in literacy and numeracy, they do not have sufficiently frequent opportunities to practise and apply their skills.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

102. Key Stage 1 pupils use computers and listening sets to extend their literacy and numeracy skills. They use programs, some with adult support, to develop their understanding and use of phonics, for example, on initial sound and letter blends. Pupils improve their accuracy in spelling short, single syllable words, such as ‘mat’ and ‘tap’. They begin to develop their skills in using the mouse and keyboard, for example, to use word processing to type their names and some short sentences. Pupils listen to stories on listening sets, and clearly enjoy the opportunity to share headsets and talk about what they have heard. However, they do not have sufficient opportunities to practise their keyboard skills and to gain in confidence in using ICT to support their work. Key Stage 2 pupils Northrepps Primary School - 31 use word processing to support work in other subjects. For example, they developed their use of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

rhyming words by producing rhyming couplets in Year 3. This is extended well later in Key Stage 2 when pupils type out and print their own poetry. They use listening sets effectively to extend their mental mathematical skills and to broaden their knowledge of authors and a range of fiction books. Pupils do not frequently use ICT to promote standards in other subjects, for example, science and geography. They have a wide range of skills, particularly at Key Stage 2. Several pupils have developed their skills soundly through regular use of a home computer. Although they use their knowledge effectively to support those pupils whose skills are less well developed, they are not challenged effectively to extend their skills. The range of resources is not sufficient to enable pupils to access a broad range of information which can be used to help the quality of their work, for example, research using the Internet or different CD-Roms in science, history or geography.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

103. Teachers make good use of classroom support staff and visitors to provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their knowledge, for example, on how computers are used to support the work of a business such as farming. They give good individual support to pupils with special educational needs to focus on their targets, for example, in improving phonic weaknesses. There were not sufficient opportunities to observe lessons in information and communication technology to make an overall judgement on the quality of teaching. Teachers plan individual lessons well to link computer skills to other aspects of pupils’ work. For example, Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils use word processing and their knowledge of spreadsheets to support pupils in a project designed to try to raise sponsorship money. However, they do not consistently identify opportunities in their medium and short-term planning to frequently use ICT to build on pupils’ prior skills and knowledge. Pupils’

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

skills in using the keyboard and mouse are limited and these restrict the range and amount of work covered.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

104. The headteacher is aware of the need to improve standards in ICT. Some opportunities have been arranged for staff training and further sessions are planned. The school’s ICT development plan is close to completion and clearly identifies the need to improve resources and staff subject knowledge. The school has begun to develop pupil work-folders and aspects of self-assessment which will enable pupils to identify ways in which they cam improve the quality of their work. Pupils have very positive, enthusiastic attitudes to their work in this subject. The school now needs to provide more opportunities to enable this enthusiasm to be used effectively to produce higher standards.

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MUSIC

105. It was not possible to judge standards of attainment or the quality of teaching in music due to a lack of first-hand evidence. Music lessons did not correspond with inspection days.

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MUSIC

106. Provision for music is regarded highly by the school. A specialist teacher attends on two days each week and makes a significant contribution to promoting standards. Pupils are well motivated and clearly enjoy music. They talk enthusiastically about their coming performance of Hosanna Rock. A lunchtime recorder club enriches musical experiences for those who attend.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

107. It was only possible to observe one lesson during the inspection. Other evidence was gained from talking to staff and pupils, but it was not sufficient to make an overall judgement on standards at the end of Key Stage 2. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is broadly in line with national expectations. Standards have been maintained at the level reported in the last inspection. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make sound progress in developing their skills and knowledge. The school makes good use of community facilities at the village hall and playing field to enhance learning opportunities. Pupils benefit from some extra-curricular activities, for example football and cricket, which enable them to extend their skills further. Standards in swimming have been maintained at the sound level reported in the last inspection. Weekly swimming sessions enable pupils to have regular opportunities to gain confidence and extend their skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

108. Key Stage 1 pupils and those in Year 3 show sound skills in controlling a ball when passing to and receiving from a partner. They use two hands effectively to control the height of a bouncing ball. Some higher attainers control the bounce well with one hand, successfully changing the force used Northrepps Primary School - 32 to affect the height of the bounce. They pass the ball accurately to each other over a short distance, using the correct chest pass technique. Many are unable to retain their accuracy over longer distances, as they are not aware of the need to change the technique to gain greater power. Pupils clearly enjoy physical activity and are keen to improve their skills. They work very well together in partner and group activities and are beginning to develop an understanding of the need to co-operate in team play.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

109. Teachers’ planning shows that all required aspects are covered. They plan in half-termly units of work and use national guidance well to give a clear structure and balance to the work. The headteacher is aware that there has not been significant progress on issues of monitoring the quality and range of work and assessment procedures which were identified in the last report. Staffing changes and an increased focus on literacy and numeracy have restricted the opportunities for developing these aspects.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

110. The quality of teaching in the one lesson observed was sound. The teacher had good control of the class and organised her resources very well to ensure that all pupils were actively involved and trying to improve their own skills. For example, she carefully chose the equipment to ensure that each individual had a ball, the size of which was suited well to the pupils’ age and ability. The teacher used her good knowledge of passing techniques to enable pupils to improve the quality of their chest passes. However, the activities did not effectively build upon previous skills which limited the opportunity for pupils to improve the quality of their passes. The teacher did not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to evaluate their own performance and that of others. This did not enable pupils to identify ways in which standards could be raised.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

111. Standards of attainment meet the expectations of the Norfolk Agreed Syllabus at the end of each key stage. These standards have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

112. The curriculum is planned as a ‘rolling programme’ to avoid repetition from year to year. This is a satisfactory arrangement given the age-range of pupils in the classes. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils have a sound understanding of Christian values, through listening to New Testament stories. They know that the Bible contains Old and New Testaments. They know stories from the Old Testament such as Noah’s Ark as well as the importance of festivals such as Christmas and Diwali, the Hindu festival of light.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

113. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils gain deeper insights into Christianity and of other faiths. They know about fundamental issues of Christian beliefs such as Jesus’ death, the Resurrection and the Eucharist. This is linked to Old Testament passages relating to the Passover and the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Pupils compare Christian and Muslim traditions effectively and the significance of teachings such as the Five Pillars of Islam.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

114. In the lessons observed the quality of teaching is good. This is because the teachers use their good subject knowledge well when planning the lessons. In a Class 2 lesson, for example, pupils discussed the concept of ‘Aum’ when studying Hinduism. Then they were challenged to research books independently to find out more about that religion. There was good application of literacy skills in order to improve religious knowledge. Teachers maintain a good pace to lessons. They use time effectively with a suitable balance between instruction, discussion, and practical recording. In a Class 1 lesson the teacher used bandages and dressings in order to interest and motivate pupils before reading the story of the ‘Good Samaritan’. The skilful questioning which followed drew good responses from pupils, showing how they understood the need to show care and responsibility for others.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

115. Subject co-ordination is satisfactory. The headteacher has ensured that the agreed syllabus is adequately covered in order that the requirements are met. There is a good range of reference books available and these are used well to enhance learning opportunities.

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