Groombridge St Thomas' Church of England Primary School

ENGLAND AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: David Welsh OFSTED No: 10992

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ENGLAND AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 31 October – 1 November 2000

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ENGLAND AIDED 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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ENGLAND AIDED 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. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School category: Church of England Aided

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Corseley Road Groombridge Tunbridge Wells East Sussex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Dr Peter Steel

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 11 – 14 March 1996 St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 4

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Team members

David Welsh (Ofsted No: 10992) Registered inspector

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Team members

Joan Fraser (Ofsted No: 16718) Lay inspector

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Team members

Ann Mason (Ofsted No: 20615) Team inspector

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Team members

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

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Team members

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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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 15

St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Thomas’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is situated in the village of Groombridge near Tunbridge Wells in the County of East Sussex. There are 181 pupils who attend full- time. The school has grown in number since the last inspection and has increased its admission number to 30. It is nearly full and regularly oversubscribed. Pupils are usually admitted to the school in the term after their fourth birthday. Few join and leave the school other than at the normal times of September and July. Nearly all pupils are of European origin and live in the villages of Groombridge, Lye Green, Eridge and Blackham. English is the main language for all pupils. The proportion of pupils on the special needs register, including those with a Statement of Special Educational Need, is below the national average. Assessment on entry shows that the general attainment of the pupils is above average.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is small and well below the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with some very good features. The school has continued to improve in many aspects at a time of significant growth. Strong leadership and good teaching ensures that the school is effective, with pupils at the age of 11 attaining standards in English and science at least in line with the national average and often above. Standards in mathematics are higher. Taking into account the high levels of income per pupil the school gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Attainment in mathematics and art is very high. • The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their very best. The pupils behave well. • The provision for moral and social development is very good. • Overall, teaching is good with nearly a third of the lessons observed being very good. • The school involves parents very well in the daily life of the school. • The headteacher, with the support of governors, staff and the wider community, creates an ethos that strongly supports learning.

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What could be improved

• Planning what needs to be done to make teaching and learning even better. • The way that parents are involved in decisions about the Individual Education Plans for their children. • The role of the class parent representative lacks clarity and is not implemented consistently. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was previously inspected in March 1996 and since that time improvement has been good. Standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science have been maintained in line with the national trend and there have been improvements in other areas, notably art. All the action points from the last inspection have been tackled well. Teaching has improved, overall, and especially for the pupils with special educational needs. Additional learning support assistants have been employed. Assemblies and lessons in geography and art in particular, have provided pupils with more opportunities to learn about other cultures. There has been substantial investment in the new school buildings and in equipment for information and communication technology. The literacy and numeracy strategies have been adopted successfully. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Since the last inspection the school has maintained standards in English, mathematics and science at least in line with the national average. In most years, the school’s results in Year 6 have been above or well above the national average and they have continued to rise in line with the national trend. The school’s performance in the national tests in mathematics in 2000 is in the highest 5 per cent nationally. The results in English and science in 2000 are not as high as in previous years but the evidence provided by the school shows that almost all pupils have made satisfactory progress over the past four years and many pupils have made good progress. The school is smaller than the average and each cohort is not of a similar ability resulting in variations from year to year. In general, the school has continued to increase the proportion of pupils attaining above-average results at the age of 11 in English,

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Key

mathematics and science. In 2000, the proportion of pupils attaining above- average results at the age of 11 in English and science was slightly less than in 1999 and the main reason for the school’s weaker performance when compared with similar schools. Also, there was a greater number of pupils with specific special educational needs relating to literacy that affected results in English and science. The school has set itself realistic targets based upon prior attainment in English, mathematics and science for the years 1999 to 2001 and it achieved them in 1999. In 2000, the school met its targets in mathematics and science but failed to meet its target in English, partly due to the absence of one pupil. Attainment in other subjects is generally in line with expectations of pupils aged 11 except for art, which is much higher.

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Key

Children in the reception class are likely to attain the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation stage. Standards at the end of the infant stage are above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. In other subjects they are at least in line with those expected of pupils aged 7.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy school. They are well-motivated, apply themselves well to the task and sustain concentration for extensive periods of time.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good in classrooms, in the playground and around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good. Pupils are keen to help and able to take responsibility when given the opportunity.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 8

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

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

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

• Teaching is good, overall, and in the lessons observed was never less than satisfactory. This is an improvement on the findings reported in the last inspection. • Teaching was very good in 30 per cent of lessons observed, good in 45 per cent and satisfactory in 25 per cent. • In the reception class [the foundation stage] teaching was never less than good and in 17 per cent of lessons it was very good, helping children to make a good start. • Teaching in mathematics is very good, resulting in very high standards. • Teaching in English is good, overall. It ranges from satisfactory to very good. • Teaching of numeracy is very good and teaching of literacy is good, although the elements of guided reading and guided writing were not seen during the inspection. • Teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Learning support assistants make a valuable contribution to the pupils’ learning and this helps the pupils to make good progress.

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

• Particular strengths in teaching are the very good planning, clear learning objectives and high expectations of pupils in work and behaviour. • Pupils are keen to learn and make appropriate progress in all lessons.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum covers the full range of subjects, although insufficient time is given to subjects other than English, mathematics, science and art.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Learning support assistants work well with teachers to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The school promotes the pupils’ moral and social development very well. Spiritual development is promoted most strongly through assemblies. The pupils’ awareness of other cultures is more effectively promoted than reported at the last inspection.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Staff know their pupils well and take much interest in them as individuals. The school has effective procedures to ensure the safety of its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher has a clear vision for the school. He is well supported by staff and governors in providing an ethos for learning in which high achievement, enthusiasm for learning and pupils’ personal development built on caring relationships are the prime aims. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 9 How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are well aware of their statutory responsibilities and have appropriate committees to ensure that they are met. They monitor the curriculum through visits to the school but they need to ask more rigorous questions about the school’s standards. They have not yet been involved in a process of self-review to ensure their effectiveness.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has good procedures for monitoring the standards it achieves and monitors teaching through a programme of classroom observation. It does not analyse the data from national tests sufficiently to identify strengths and weaknesses in the children’s learning or use base-line assessments to forecast results in the tests when children are 7.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes very good use of its financial resources as a result of applying the principles of best value when allocating resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The teaching is good. • The school expects the children to work hard and achieve their best. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • Behaviour in the school is good. • The school is helping children to become mature and responsible. • The children make good progress in school. • The school is well led and managed. • The school to work more closely with parents. • Activities outside lessons. • Clearer role for parent representatives in each class. • Identification of special educational needs, particularly dyslexia.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors endorse parents’ positive comments. Inspectors do not agree with the concerns expressed about activities outside of lessons. The range of activities at lunch-times and after school is not restricted to sports and is greater than that most often found in schools of a similar size. On most matters the school works closely with parents and gives them opportunities to raise any matter that is of concern but parents of pupils with special educational needs are not sufficiently involved in reviewing their children’s Individual Education Plans. Apart from this, the procedures for identifying pupils with special educational needs are good. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Attainment in mathematics and art is high.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The pupils achieve very high standards in mathematics and in art in the national tests as a result of the very good teaching.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Good use is made of the substantial daily allocation of time, which is devoted to the development of skills of numeracy and mathematics. In the reception class the children learn their numbers to 20 and beyond. The teachers introduce interesting and challenging activities that enthuse and challenge the children. Through number rhymes, such as “One, two, three, four, five”, the children learn the order of numbers. They make towers using bricks and they count them with an adult. Children use a washing-line on which socks are hung and, supported by an adult, they learn to estimate how many socks there are and then count them to see if they are right. They sort the socks into pairs and into different colours. They use computers to match objects of similar size and pattern.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Other elements of mathematics are learnt, together with their relevance in everyday life. In Year 2, pupils are taught to recognise and name a variety of solid shapes, such as cones, triangular prisms, spheres, cuboids and tetrahedrons, and they identify everyday objects that match. Pupils learn to recognise them through their properties, the number of faces, edges and corners. Pupils build some of these shapes using ‘poleidoblocks’ and ‘polydron’ before describing their shapes to other pupils. The above-average pupils are challenged to recognise and name shapes from descriptions using faces, edges and corners. They are then challenged to make up their own puzzles for their peers.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. In the previous inspection it was reported that pupils had insufficient opportunities to develop their oral computational skills. As a result, the school introduced measures to improve the pupils’ abilities and these have been strengthened by the adoption of the National Numeracy Initiative. Pupils in Year 2 learn to count in twos, fives and tens, starting at any number below 100. They also learn to count backwards using the same numbers. Pupils are encouraged to look for patterns and above-average pupils already realise that counting in fives has a pattern of odd, even, odd, even and that all multiples of 10 end in a zero. This understanding is heightened by the use of effective questions such as, “What can you tell me about this sequence of numbers?” By Year 6, pupils are counting in sixes and writing out their answers to help them with their work on mean averages. They apply their learning very well, for example, during a science experiment to find out

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

which fruit juice had the most vitamin ‘C’. To complete the experiment it was necessary to calculate the mean average of a series of six numbers. Pupils were able to round numbers up and down to help them with their calculations. They carried out this work with considerable enthusiasm as they could see the importance and relevance of the task. In Years 4, 5 and 6, pupils are set homework each week and this is based on the completion of mental calculations. This is a significant factor in the high standards achieved by the pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. No lessons were observed during the inspection but from work on display it is clear that art remains a strength of the school. It has been given a significant proportion of curriculum time and pupils achieve very high standards. Pupils are encouraged to develop good observational skills and this is apparent in much of their work. They use a wide range of medium in both two and three dimensions and paint, chalk, charcoal, string and wax resist are used on paper and on fabric. There are some fine examples of small squares of African patterns, made by painting wax on fabric, which have been sewn into large wall hangings. There are many types of fabric collages, both paper and fabric weaving, sewing, bead necklaces and models of African huts and machines. The pupils’ experiences in art enhance their knowledge and understanding of other cultures. Pupils say they enjoy art and they are proud to talk about what they have done. All this

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

work is displayed attractively around the school and this has a positive impact upon the pupils’ learning by enhancing their feelings of self-worth. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 11

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

6. On their questionnaires, nearly all parents indicated that their children like school. Conversation with pupils confirms this. Pupils arrive promptly and they settle quickly into the school’s routines. They have very good attitudes to school and with very few exceptions they behave well in class. Pupils concentrate very well in lessons and they take pride in their work, which is neatly presented. They take care with their artwork and with their handwriting. They respond enthusiastically to teachers’ questions and are keen to participate in class discussions. They move around the school in an orderly manner; for example, when they go to assemblies, to lunch and to physical education lessons. They enjoy taking part in assemblies and in extra-curricular activities. Pupils complete their homework conscientiously. They take seriously the school’s approach to target-setting and they are rightly proud when they meet their targets. This has a

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

positive effect on pupils’ attainment. The pupils are keen to take responsibility and are pleased to help whenever they can. They are ready to take on further responsibilities.

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

The provision for social and moral development is very good.

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

7. Social skills are promoted very well. Staff are good role models. Teachers and learning support assistants work very well together and when other adults are also in the class they too are clearly part of the teaching team. From the earliest days in the reception class, the children are encouraged to work well together, for example, in pairs on the computers and in larger groups when they build constructions using ‘LEGO’. They learn good manners when they eat and drink their mid-morning snack. In Year 4, pupils work together in small groups when they design a group performance using jumps, rolls and balances. By Year 6, the pupils share out the responsibilities when engaged in a science experiment. The result is that pupils have very good relationships with one another and with adults.

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

8. The pupils’ moral development is promoted very well. In every class the rules for good behaviour are clearly displayed for the pupils to see. Older pupils are encouraged to care for and help the younger children in the school through the ‘buddy’ system. In assemblies, stories with a moral are used and explained to the children. Pupils are taught to appreciate other pupils’ efforts through the ‘celebration’ assembly and in lessons; for example, when pupils in Year 4 applauded others for their efforts in designing a group sequence of movement. Teachers respond to pupils sensitively, for example, when pupils give wrong answers to questions and this gives pupils the confidence to continue to participate in whole-class and large group discussions.

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

Overall, teaching is good, with nearly a third of lessons observed very good.

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

9. Teachers prepare their lessons thoroughly. In most cases, they identify precise learning objectives and in the best lessons these are shared with the pupils at the beginning of the lesson. In the best lessons, teachers explain clearly the relevance of the task. They group the pupils carefully, varying the activities, choosing the best methods to use and deciding how to assess what the pupils learn. Teachers and learning support assistants work well together to ensure that pupils are well supported. Lessons proceed at a good pace and are well-structured to sustain the pupils’ interest. These features, together with the teachers’ enthusiasm and their positive attitude to discipline, contribute significantly to the high standards achieved and the progress pupils make.

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

10. In the reception class, the teacher uses strategies to capture the enthusiasm of the children. Two children are given a number of sweets. The remainder of the group have to decide which child has the most and which the least. Effective questioning establishes whether children can count accurately and whether they understand the terms ‘more’ and ‘less’. Adults record assessments of each child’s ability to complete the task. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 12 11. Challenging tasks are set in a Year 5 class in a geography lesson. Pupils research for answers in atlases and relate what they find to what they already know; for example, the flag to the music of the country. While pupils are engaged in these tasks the teacher asks questions of pupils that focus on possible difficulties, such as “Where will you find Ireland in the index?” The pupils respond positively and enjoy the challenge of the learning.

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

12. Within the lessons, teachers explain the relevance of the task. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson, for example, when the pupils learn about solid shapes, the teacher uses everyday objects such as a breakfast cereal box to illustrate them. Pupils are encouraged to identify other shapes that are in common use. In Year 6, the pupils learn about the mean average. This is the direct result of needing to compare data from a science experiment carried out the day before. Pupils’ interest and enthusiasm are heightened and this affects their learning positively.

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

The school involves parents very well in the daily life of the school.

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The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and always do their best. They are

13. Partnership with parents is a strength as identified in the previous inspection report. Parents are made to feel welcome in the school and they play a significant part in supporting children’s learning. They help in a variety of ways, for instance with reading, with out-of-school activities and on visits to other venues. They support their children with their reading, spellings, tables and other work to be completed at home. The School Association is a thriving, valuable resource providing not only additional equipment and facilities by its very successful fund-raising, but also creating a stronger school community through its social activities.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors, staff and the wider community,

creates an ethos that strongly supports learning.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors, staff and the wider community,

14. The mission statement of the school is reflected in the everyday life of the school and it makes a strong contribution to the standards achieved and the personal development of the pupils. Parents, governors, staff and children understand their role and the part it plays in establishing such a positive community. Staff are fully committed to the aims and values to which the school aspires. Pupils know that their contributions are valued.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors, staff and the wider community,

15. The headteacher sets a good example through his contact with the pupils in assemblies, in lessons and around the school. He has managed the growth of the school well and ensured that the school has sufficient staff to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. Pupils have a strong work ethic and they are very well-behaved. Their social skills and sense of moral responsibility are well-developed. The headteacher and staff ensure that all pupils have a chance to excel. This is achieved by the varied educational programme, including activities outside of the classroom such as choir, recorders, tennis and team games. The pupils also learn to swim and they benefit from visitors and educational visits, including a residential trip in Year 6. The weekly celebration assembly provides the school with an opportunity to acknowledge the pupils’ achievements in a wider context than the children’s class.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors, staff and the wider community,

The headteacher and staff have a personal interest in every pupil and they communicate well with families.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Planning what needs to be done to make teaching and learning even better.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

16. The headteacher and staff analyse the outcomes of the National Curriculum tests and monitor lessons to provide a regular review of the curriculum. This enables them to check the school’s performance and over time gives an overview of all subjects. However, monitoring of lessons is not sufficiently detailed to guide plans for improvements in teaching and learning. This is an important omission, particularly when teaching is good, and further improvements require individual teachers to refine aspects of their own work rather than making radical changes to the school’s general practice in order to raise standards further. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 13 17. The school currently analyses overall data from the national tests but it does not analyse the various elements to identify the strengths and weaknesses within subjects at both key stages. In the national tests in 2000 nearly a third of the pupils who attained the above-average Level 5 in

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

mathematics failed to achieve the same level in science. This is the reason that the school’s performance in science is well below the average when compared with similar schools. The monitoring of teaching and learning has not yet been specific enough to look at elements of subjects. The school has good systems for tracking pupils from the age of 7 and setting targets for attainment in the national tests when the children are 11. It has not made sufficient use of the base-line assessments when children are 4 to predict performance when the children are 7, but the school is beginning to address this issue.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

18. The governing body supports the school effectively but it could improve its role as the ‘critical friend’ by challenging the headteacher and staff with more rigorous questions about the school’s performance.

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The way that parents are involved in the Individual Education Plans for children

19. At the parents’ meeting, and in 18 per cent of the returned questionnaires, parents raised concerns about knowing how their children were getting on. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are clearly a group for whom this is vitally important.

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The way that parents are involved in the Individual Education Plans for children

20. Currently, these parents are invited to attend the two parent consultation evenings for all parents, in October and March, and along with all other parents, they receive an annual report on their child in the summer term. If they want any further information, or if the allotted time at the consultation is insufficient, a special meeting can be set up. There are no specific, planned meetings between the parent, the special needs co-ordinator and the teacher to review the Individual Education Plan for the child. The Individual Education Plan is reviewed and revised by the teacher with the special needs co-ordinator. This revised plan is shared verbally with the parent at the general consultation, where time for special educational needs discussions may not always be available. At these consultation evenings, the special needs co-ordinator is not necessarily involved in the discussion with parents. The inspectors understand that at the time of

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The way that parents are involved in the Individual Education Plans for children

the previous inspection these parents were given two special meetings with the special needs co- ordinator as of right, in addition to the two for all parents. Additionally, many Individual Education Plans seen had no comment from parents at all. Those that did had the comment written in by the teacher rather than by the parent. No parents, except those with a child with a formal statement, sign the Individual Education Plan as proof that they have seen, read and agreed its contents.

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The role of the class parent representative lacks clarity and is not implemented

21. The school works hard to ensure that good quality information is given to parents, such as regular newsletters and the termly notification of class topics. Formal consultation evenings are held twice yearly and parents report that they value the easy accessibility of teachers. This helps to increase the parents’ confidence in the school. The recently implemented Home-School Agreement reinforces links with parents and has a significant impact on their involvement with the work of the school and the valuable contribution they make. The introduction of each class having a parent representative to facilitate better communications has been widely welcomed, but a significant number of parents reported that they were not clear about the role. More clearly- defined guidelines would increase the effectiveness and consistency of this initiative. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 14

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensure that the programme of classroom observation focuses on specific issues to raise the quality of teaching in identified areas. Make better use of the analysis of test data to identify specific strengths and weaknesses in particular subjects and cohorts in order to improve pupils’ attainment. The governing body should challenge the headteacher and staff with more rigorous questions about the school’s performance; [ paragraphs 16,17 & 18 ]

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• set up systems that ensure that parents are involved in the discussions leading to the reviews of Individual Education Plans; [ paragraphs 19 & 20 ]

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• review the role of the class parent representative and ensure that it is consistently applied. Notify all staff and parents of how it operates. [ paragraph 21 ] St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 16

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 181

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 27

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 16 15 31

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 13 12 16 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 15 15 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (75) 87 (92) 100 (92) at NC Level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 13 14 16 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 15 15 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (83) 94 (88) 100 (92) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 15 9 24

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 12 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 6 9 7

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 75 (85) 100 (85) 92 (100) at NC Level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 12 15 14 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 8 9 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 79 (80) 100 (85) 96 (95) at NC Level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.2 Financial year 1999-2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 341,535

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Expenditure per pupil 1,837

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 125 Balance brought forward from previous year 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 0 St Thomas’s Church of England Primary School - 18

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 41 47 9 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 37 54 0 1 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 27 51 7 11 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 26 54 14 4 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 31 6 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 60 34 1 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 36 40 20 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 34 49 6 7 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 46 4 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 21 46 16 7 10

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Percentage of responses in each category

The percentages may not always add up to 100 as a result of rounding up.

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