Richard Atkins Primary School

RICHARD ATKINS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 9 - 12 October 2000

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RICHARD ATKINS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 224417 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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RICHARD ATKINS 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. Richard Atkins Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: New Park Road Brixton London Postcode: SW2 4JP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1996 Richard Atkins Primary School - 5

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Angela Coyle Registered inspector Art English as an additional language How high are the standards? What should the school do to improve? Carolyn Webb Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Geraldine Dinan Team inspector English Design and technology Under-fives How well are pupils taught?

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Edmond Morris Team inspector Mathematics Music How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Efficiency David Whatson Team inspector Geography History Information technology Equal opportunities Staffing, accommodation and resources

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Brian Gosling Team inspector Religious education Special educational needs John Hawkins Team inspector Science Physical education How well is the school led and managed?

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Full Circle 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Richard Atkins Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Richard Atkins Primary School is larger than most other schools of its type and is situated in an urban area of south London, in the borough of Lambeth. It serves the surrounding catchment area, which mainly consists of rented properties. The number of pupils on roll is similar to that of the previous inspection in 1996. Pupils enter the nursery when they are three and a half years old and transfer to the reception classes the following September or January, depending on when their birthdays fall. Attainment on entry to the reception classes varies, but is below average overall, according to the school’s baseline assessment records. There are currently 439 boys and girls altogether and the majority are taught in 12 classes at Key Stages 1 and 2. The school also provides for children in the Foundation Stage and has 59 children in the two reception classes, whilst a full-time equivalent number of 26 are in the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

nursery. Sixty-eight per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority families, which is much higher than the national figure, and include Caribbean, African, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Chinese children. Thirty-two per cent of pupils learn English as an additional language, 63 of whom are at an early stage of language development. The main languages spoken by pupils at home are Spanish, Yoruba, Portugese and Bengali. More pupils have special educational needs than in other schools; 33 per cent are on the register, and five pupils have statements for their needs. Ten per cent of pupils are from refugee families and one per cent are from traveller families. The school has a high pupil-mobility rate; 32 new pupils have joined the school since September 1999 and 31 have left.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is an effective learning environment in which standards are improving steadily. It provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Very good provision for children aged five and under in the Foundation Stage. • There has been a steady improvement in the standards achieved by pupils in English, mathematics and science over the last two years. • Pupils have good attitudes to their work. • The quality of teaching is very good for children in the Foundation Stage, and good at Key Stage 1. • The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral and social development within a very caring and supportive ethos. • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those who learn English as an additional language. • The school is effectively managed by the headteacher who has a clear vision for improving standards, and there are clear aims for future developments. • The school has good procedures for child protection and for improving the levels of attendance. Richard Atkins Primary School - 8

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What could be improved

• Pupils do not make enough progress at Key Stage 2 in information and communication technology, religious education, design and technology, geography and history. • There is a significant amount of unsatisfactory teaching at Key Stage 2. • The curriculum is not sufficiently broad and balanced at Key Stage 2. • The roles of the foundation subject co-ordinators are not fully developed. • Monitoring arrangements do not extend to checking the teaching, learning and the curriculum in the foundation subjects. • 0The governing body is not sufficiently involved in strategic planning. 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

Since the last inspection in 1996, the school has responded appropriately to the key issues identified and improved the standards achieved by pupils in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. It has also improved the levels of attendance and initiated new ways of increasing parental involvement. The outdoor areas have been developed to provide pleasant play areas for the pupils. However, the schemes of work have not been developed sufficiently by the subject co-ordinators whose roles have not been improved. The library is still not used as well as it could be and the outside toilets still require attention.

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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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schools

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

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schools

The above table shows that although standards of attainment were well below the national averages in 1997 and 1998, standards rose in 1999. They were well above average in relation to those of similar schools in English, and above average in mathematics and science. The most recent results for 2000 show that standards have risen even further. The inspection evidence concurs with these improving results; by the time they leave the school, pupils achieve the levels expected in English, mathematics and science. They also achieve the national expectations in art, music and physical education. However, standards are Richard Atkins Primary School - 9 below the expected levels 1 in information and communication technology, religious education, design and technology, geography and history by the end of Key Stage 2.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Children under five develop very positive attitudes towards school and become interested in learning from the time they start in the nursery. The majority of pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2 are eager to come to school and almost all arrive on time in the morning.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour at school is satisfactory overall. It is very good in the foundation stage. In most lessons the atmosphere is purposeful.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils' personal development and their relationships are satisfactory overall.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance has improved since the last inspection and is currently satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

The school has made good efforts to improve levels of attendance and this has had a positive affect.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 6-7 years Aged 7-11 years

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

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 6-7 years Aged 7-11 years

The quality of teaching is good overall. In 90 per cent of lessons seen teaching was satisfactory or better, and of those lessons 58 per cent were good or very good. Teaching for the children under five in the nursery and reception classes is sometimes excellent. However, teaching is much more variable at Key Stage 2 where there is a significant amount of unsatisfactory teaching.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 6-7 years Aged 7-11 years

By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are expected to attain Level 2 in all National Curriculum subjects. Those who achieve Level 3 are therefore attaining above nationally expected levels. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are expected to attain Level 4 in all National Curriculum subjects. Those who attain Level 5 are therefore attaining above nationally expected levels. Richard Atkins Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school has focused on literacy and numeracy over the past few years and has successfully implemented the national strategies in these subjects. However, although all the National Curriculum subjects are taught throughout the school, there is a significant lack of depth in some of the provision for pupils at Key Stage 2. Not all aspects are taught in science, information and communication technology, design and technology.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils’ needs are identified early and good support is provided to all who require it.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The staff make sure that pupils are well supported in their language development from the time they enter the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good moral and social development. Satisfactory spiritual and cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Pupils are cared for well within a warm and welcoming environment.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is effectively managed by the headteacher, but the roles of the subject co-ordinators are not fully developed in the foundation subjects.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory overall, but the governing body is not sufficiently involved in the strategic management of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Unsatisfactory. Monitoring procedures are not effective because they do not extend to checking the quality of teaching, learning and the curriculum in the foundation subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The school provides sound value for money.

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Aspect Comment

The school makes good use of specific grants and seeks to ensure that best value is obtained. Richard Atkins Primary School - 11

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is well managed. It has a stable staff and a calm, orderly environment. • Several parents would like the school to provide more regular homework and more extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with all of the above comments made by parents, but notes that more extra- curricular activities are soon to be provided. Richard Atkins Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Overall, the school has maintained the standards achieved by pupils since the previous inspection in 1996. The oldest pupils in the school currently achieve sound standards in English, mathematics, science, art, music and physical education by the time they reach Year 6. However, although standards are sound in information and communication technology, religious education, design and technology, geography and history, at Key Stage 1, they are below the expected levels by the end of Key Stage 2 and progress is unsatisfactory in these subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Children under five enter the nursery when they are four years old and transfer to the reception class on a full-time basis at the beginning of the year in which they five. The entry assessments conducted within the first few weeks of the autumn term indicate that children’s competence with language, literacy and numeracy is below that expected for their age because a very high number learn English as an additional language and therefore require much support at this early stage of their school life. However, they make very good progress in the nursery and reception classes and are well on their way to achieving some of the Early Learning Goals 2 , by the time they are six.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The standardised test results for 1999 show that standards were below average in English at Key Stage 2, but when compared with similar schools they were well above average. At the time of the inspection, standards overall were in line with national expectations and have been improving since the last inspection. At Key Stage 1, standards were below the national average in reading and writing, but above those of similar schools. The percentage of pupils gaining the higher Level 3 was in line with the national trends. The introduction of the National Literacy Strategy has helped to raise standards well and ensures good progress overall. The school has a high percentage of pupils with English as an additional language and pupils with identified special educational needs. A major priority is given to pupils’ language development. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are sound at the end of both key

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The school’s results and achievements

stages which is good improvement since the last inspection.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. In the 1999 Key Stage 2 national tests for mathematics, the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 4 was well below the national average but above average for similar schools. At Key Stage 1, the tests showed that pupils attained levels close to the national average with a good proportion reaching higher levels. The results of the most recent tests in 2000 show that standards have been further improved. Pupils have made a significant improvement in attainment and are now reaching levels close to those found nationally. The inspection evidence bears this out and the pupils currently in Year 6 are working at levels in line with national expectations. The successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy and the deployment of

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The school’s results and achievements

From September 2000, QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority), have introduced a set of ‘Early Learning Goals for children’s learning’. These goals are a set of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the age of six in the areas of learning: language, literacy and communication; mathematics; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development and personal, social and emotional development. Richard Atkins Primary School - 13 a ‘Raising Achievement’ teacher have had a significant impact on the improvement of standards. Progress is good throughout the school.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Based upon the 1999 national tests for science, standards at Key Stage 2 were below the national average, but above the average when compared with schools in similar contexts. The teacher assessments at Key Stage 1 indicate that the percentage of pupils achieving Level 2 was below the national average, but broadly average when compared with schools in similar contexts. The percentage of pupils achieving Level 3 was very high compared with the national average. Since the last inspection, standards in the school have risen by about the same amount as national standards. Progress is satisfactory overall. The inspection findings concur with these results.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Progress is good overall at Key Stage 1 in the other subjects of the curriculum. From the time children enter the school, they are taught well to build on their skills and they make very good progress in the nursery. Pupils’ academic progress is good as they move through Key Stage 1, and the early part of Key Stage 2. However, progress slows down towards the end of Key Stage 2, because the quality of teaching is too variable and the curriculum is not appropriately balanced. Pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language generally make good progress. Individual education plans are used well to help pupils to progress in relation to their individual targets.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Children under five develop very positive attitudes towards school and become interested in learning from the time they start in the nursery. They settle very quickly into their school life, benefiting from the sense of fun with which staff imbue their sessions. This stimulating and supportive atmosphere ensures they quickly gain confidence and understand right from wrong. Progress in personal and social development is very good. Children love coming to the nursery and want to please their teachers. They play well together. For example, they enjoy seeing who can get the most water into a container and all want to answer questions about their story. When children transfer into one of the two reception classes they are proud to be part of the main school. The positive attitudes and good work ethic they have already learnt are continued as they begin the more formal stage of their education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. The majority of children and pupils are eager to come to school and almost all arrive on or before time in the morning. Their attendance has improved since the last inspection and is currently satisfactory. The certificates for good attendance are popular. Children and pupils in the foundation stage and Key stage 1 are enthusiastic about their lessons and want to be involved in any activities. In reception, children listen, fascinated, as their teachers read the story of ‘Sukkot’ and are very keen to assist in decorating the hut. Those in a Year 2 oral mathematics session were keen to be chosen to give the answers. At Key Stage 2, Year 3 pupils concentrate hard when mixing their flesh tints before painting the computer-processed portraits of themselves. As they get older a few pupils lose their enthusiasm for learning and a minority present challenging behaviour to the detriment of the rest of the class.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Relationships are good at the lower end of the school and satisfactory in the older pupils' Key Stage 2 classes.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Behaviour at school is satisfactory overall, in the Foundation Stage it is very good. In the majority of lessons the atmosphere is lively and purposeful. Pupils understand what is expected of their behaviour and know the sanctions if they do not follow the code. However, as they move from classroom to assembly hall there is often Richard Atkins Primary School - 14 pushing and jostling in the corridors and on the stairs. Pupils' attention during assemblies occasionally wanders, but during the infants' ‘Showing Assembly’ all were very impressed with their efforts and applause was very enthusiastic. In the infant and junior playgrounds, play is exuberant and can be very boisterous, resulting in many minor incidents requiring first aid, and pupils standing against the wall. However, no bullying behaviour was observed during the inspection. There have been several fixed term exclusions due to poor behaviour and the school monitors the

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

situation carefully, although pupils are not always managed well in lessons at Key Stage 2.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils' personal development is satisfactory. Through linked ‘circle times’ and assemblies, pupils develop good moral and social values. They are welcomed by their peers whenever they start school and quickly become part of the school community. Membership of the Children's Committee is valued and pupils do believe this can be a means for change. At this meeting all representatives are invited to state their class concerns, for instance the fact that one football goal was smaller than the other was mentioned and the difficulties, even fights this caused. Some put forward sensible ways of dealing with other matters raised. Pupils are given responsibilities as they get older and carry these out conscientiously; for example, pupils in Year 6 move benches and chairs carefully after assembly. However, pupils are not often encouraged to take the initiative. The residential trip to the Isle of Wight,

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

much enjoyed by adults and Year 6 pupils, gives the latter greater confidence and increases their self-esteem and self-reliance. They are prepared well for the next stage in their education.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

11. The quality of teaching is good overall. In 90 per cent of lessons seen teaching was satisfactory or better, and of those lessons 58 per cent were good or very good. Teaching for the children under-five in the nursery and reception classes is sometimes excellent. However, teaching was unsatisfactory or very poor in ten lessons at Key Stage 2 when a lack of specific subject knowledge and poor classroom management impeded pupils’ progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12. Teaching for children under five is very good overall. All teachers in the nursery and reception classes have a very good understanding of the needs of young children and they are supported very effectively by the expertise of the nursery nurse and classroom assistants. This very good working relationship is one of the strengths of the provision for children under five at the Foundation Stage. All teachers are skilled at promoting the children’s learning by the systematic and regular practice of basic skills. There is a wholly appropriate focus on the development of children’s speaking and listening skills and the acquisition of the English language as well as the development of their social skills as a major priority. There has been good improvement at the foundation stage since the last inspection, especially in the development of the effective use of all the areas of learning which children need to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

experience. The working ethos in the nursery and reception classes is warm and welcoming. Children are made to feel secure and valued.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 is good overall. Throughout the key stage, teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and in the majority of lessons, teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour was very good. This resulted in pupils’ good attention and involvement in lessons. Language support and classroom assistants are well briefed and purposefully deployed by teachers. They provide good levels of support to promote pupils’ learning. Teachers monitor the work of pupils in Richard Atkins Primary School - 15 lessons well. They use good questioning techniques to assess prior learning and ensure clear understanding. Teachers often use good demonstration techniques to introduce new ideas and skills such as in numeracy lessons and in physical education and this enables pupils to make effective progress in their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 is a more varied picture, but satisfactory overall. In Years 3 and 4 teaching is generally good, but for older pupils there is often insufficient challenge and some inappropriate match of learning activities to pupils’ capabilities. Most teachers have a good knowledge of literacy and numeracy and the implementation of the national strategies for both has had a beneficial effect on teachers’ expectations for their pupils and their own subject knowledge. In more practical subjects, in Years 5 and 6, where there has been no in-service training for some time, there are weaknesses in teaching, such as inconsistent management of pupils’ behaviour and pupils do not all receive a balanced curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The quality of teaching in information and communication technology and in design and technology has not improved since the last inspection and remains unsatisfactory. At Key Stage 2, teachers’ planning shows little or no emphasis on developing pupils’ skills and there are insufficient opportunities provided either to teach skills systematically or to use computers to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The teaching for pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language is good. In lessons, these pupils are supported well. This is partly because of the very good early identification at the Foundation Stage and also to the very good support staff who work well with class teachers in setting individual targets for pupils and planning new tasks to build upon the targets met. Pupils work in a variety of settings with their support staff. Some work alongside peers in classes and where appropriate a few are withdrawn to work on a one-to-one basis. This good provision ensures that activities are closely matched to clear learning objectives that also address pupils’ individual needs. Individual education plans are regularly reviewed and members of staff make due reference to them when planning lessons. In addition, the school employs a specialist ‘Raising Standards’ teacher, who works

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

solely in Years 2 and 6 to boost pupils’ learning. This has a very beneficial effect on pupils’ achievements, especially in literacy and numeracy.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The quality of teachers’ planning is very good in the nursery and reception classes and good at Key Stage 1. At Key Stage 2, the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are used to good effect and have improved standards in teaching and resulted in improved pupils’ learning outcomes. Year group teachers plan co- operatively for pupils’ learning activities, but the over-reliance on published materials without adaptation to pupil needs, is impeding pupils’ progress in some subjects, such as design and technology. Teachers are beginning to make appropriate use of assessment data in the core subjects to inform future planning, but this process is less well developed in other subjects. This results in higher achieving pupils being insufficiently challenged and their literacy skills not being sufficiently developed across the curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. During the inspection very little homework was given to pupils, or collected in for marking. Reading books are taken home regularly and pupils are sometimes asked to research areas for new class topics at home, but overall this is still an area for development. Richard Atkins Primary School - 16

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PUPILS?

19. Although all National Curriculum subjects are taught throughout the school there is a lack of depth in the provision for pupils at Key Stage 2. For example, not all aspects of information and communication technology and are taught and this subject fails to meet statutory requirements. In science, very little investigational work is carried out by pupils, and there are only limited opportunities for pupils to learn new skills in design and technology. At the time of the last inspection, information and communication technology and design and technology did not meet statutory requirements and there has been limited improvement since then. The school has concentrated on teaching literacy and numeracy more effectively over the past few years and has, through successfully implementing the national strategies in these subjects, raised standards noticeably. Although there are schemes of work in place

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PUPILS?

for the foundation subjects, they do not always provide sufficient guidance for teachers to enable them to plan exactly how best to use the time available and teach all aspects of each subject effectively. The length of the school day and the amount of time allocated to the teaching of each subject is, on paper, sufficient to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, but this time allocation is not always reflected on teachers’ timetables nor in practice.

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PUPILS?

20. The curriculum provided for the children under five is good in both the nursery and the reception classes. It provides effective learning opportunities for children of this age. The co-ordinator and staff enjoy the trust of parents and carers through having built up very useful links with families in an effective professional manner.

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PUPILS?

21. The quality of provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school fully meets the requirements of the Code of Practice 3 and statutory reporting requirements. Individual education plans are in place and are regularly reviewed. Staff use these in their planning. Specialist support staff know their pupils well and offer support to individual pupils within the classroom, as well as working with pupils who are withdrawn from their classes. They keep the pupils on task and provide positive reinforcement and encouragement. Teachers ensure support staff are well briefed, and provide work appropriate to pupils' prior attainment.

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PUPILS?

22. The curriculum committee of the governing body has not met regularly for over a year and, at present, has no chair. It has, therefore, been unable to discuss strategies and monitor the school’s provision. However, some individual governors have taken responsibility for overseeing and supporting a particular subject such as numeracy. They visit the school and liase closely with subject co-ordinators and some have been able to join teachers in training sessions to increase their understanding of new initiatives. The governors have adopted appropriate policies for sex education and drug awareness. Parents are fully consulted about this provision. Personal, social and health education is included in the curriculum. The school has an equal opportunities policy in place to ensure that all pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life.

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PUPILS?

23. The curriculum is enhanced by a range of visits to museums and art galleries such as the National Gallery, Wandsworth Museum and the Natural History Museum.

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PUPILS?

3 On SEN Code Of Practice: This gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. Richard Atkins Primary School - 17 There is an annual residential school trip to the Isle of Wight which gives pupils good quality educational and adventurous activities as well as many opportunities to develop socially and live harmoniously in an environment away from home. Pupils who do not go on the residential trip have a ‘home school journey’ with well-planned visits and interesting educational experiences. There are a number of visitors to the school who talk to, and often work with, the pupils. Recently, the school hosted the Pavilion Opera Company’s performance of, ‘Il Travatore’ to give Year 6 pupils an

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PUPILS?

opportunity to appreciate an opera sung in Italian. Pupils are also given the opportunity to participate in the Royal Ballet’s ‘chance to dance’ project. All pupils who wish to are able to learn a musical instrument such as the recorder, guitar or steel pan. They are able to perform, not only in school, but also in public and the steel band recently performed at the Clapham Park Estate’s Fun Day. As in the last inspection there are few extra-curricular activities for pupils to participate in at lunchtime or after school. The guitar club at lunchtime gives four pupils an opportunity to improve their skills but there are no sporting activities available. The after school class for Year 6 pupils to help them cope better with the secondary transfer tests is well attended and gives them good support. The school has firm plans to improve the extra-curricular provision in the near future by working with an

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PUPILS?

external agency to provide a wide range of activities every evening which will include swimming, drama, cookery, science and various games.

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PUPILS?

24. The school has a few links with local businesses. For example, Year 5 pupils were able to work on a project with an architectural company to investigate the local area and its amenities. As the school sends pupils to over 20 secondary schools, it has proved extremely difficult to build up any useful links. However, the school has regular contact with other local primary schools and the subject co-ordinators are able to share ideas and expertise with colleagues from those schools at curriculum meetings.

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PUPILS?

25. Spiritual development is mainly fostered satisfactorily through assemblies and religious education lessons. It is also developed through work in other subjects such as art and science. For example, in a Year 1 science lesson pupils were looking at the different ways animals move and were able to wonder at the diversity of the natural world by observing how snails and spiders move.

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PUPILS?

26. The provision for pupils’ moral development is good. It pervades all aspects of the school’s daily life and is actively supported by all members of the school community. The behaviour policy is implemented in a consistent and caring manner. Staff provide good role models in their dealings with each other and with pupils. Pupils are taught right from wrong from the moment they join the school and are actively encouraged to reflect on their own behaviour and the impact it has on both adults and other pupils. The school rules are understood by pupils, as are the rewards and sanctions used to encourage good attitudes and behaviour. Pupils value highly the certificates they receive for good work, being helpful and behaving appropriately.

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PUPILS?

27. The good relationships in the school support pupils’ social development well. Pupils willingly take responsibility and perform a number of jobs around the school such as setting up the hall for assembly and taking class registers to the office. The Children’s Committee meets regularly to enable pupils to express their opinions on issues that concern them. They were consulted over the content of the home school contracts and made useful suggestions. At a meeting during the inspection they discussed a range of topics including playground games, the condition of the toilets and lunchtime arrangements. The meeting was chaired by a pupil and all present learned useful lessons as to how the democratic process operates. An annual Richard Atkins Primary School - 18 residential visit helps pupils to learn valuable lessons in living together. The school has plans to extend the range of opportunities for older pupils to take responsibility for

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PUPILS?

younger pupils. 28. The provision for cultural development is satisfactory with pupils learning about their own and other faiths in religious education and about other cultures in lessons such as art and music. The school has a range of interesting cultural artefacts from around the world to be used in displays and lessons and some dual language books in the library to be used with pupils who have English as an additional language. The many languages spoken in the school are valued and this is reflected in the use of pupils’ home languages in notices around the school. Visits to the school from Ballet and Opera companies further enhance the provision and give pupils experiences they would otherwise be unlikely to have.

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PUPILS?

29. The school’s provision for equality of access and opportunity is good. The school has an effective policy for equal opportunities. Good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. This enables pupils to be effectively supported in classrooms and receive full access to the curriculum. The school’s commitment to equal opportunities is evident in classroom practice. In the Year 1 art lesson the class teachers’ good awareness gender and pupil ability enabled each to extend their skills in using pencils when drawing their reflected image. Resources are carefully purchased to provide positive images and provide a very culturally diverse display and curriculum; this is very evident in the under fives area of the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. The school has a well-written policy and good procedures to ensure child protection. The headteacher recognises the need for more than one member of staff to be trained. Health and safety enjoy high priority. Risk assessments take place regularly and security is always under review. Practice of first aid is good and pupils can always be sure of a welcome when they visit the welfare assistant. However, despite being mentioned in the last report, the outside toilets have still not been renovated and are in an unsanitary condition. Inspectors recognise the difficulties of dealing with listed buildings, but missing slats in doors within the junior girls' toilets require replacement to ensure privacy. Costings for replacement of the toilet blocks have already been completed and the bursar is hopeful that new funds can be found to carry out this work in the near future, subject to planning consent.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. Pastoral care is a strength of the school and greatly valued by parents and their children. Teachers know their pupils well, and are aware of home circumstances. They give good support and guidance. The language teachers, behaviour support team and the teacher now working with Years 2 and 6 pupils to raise their achievement are part of the school's good provision to support all pupils. Staff have sought appropriate help from the Travellers support team and to assist other refugees. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are well supported and integrated well with their peers to the benefit of all.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The school keeps good records of pupils' attendance. Latecomers have to report to the office and are noted. Registers are completed correctly, regularly monitored and stored securely. The educational welfare service is involved with persistent latecomers and absentees when necessary. The number of absences has reduced since the last inspection, and parents are aware they should not take their children on long holidays during term time. Richard Atkins Primary School - 19 33. The positive behaviour management policy is under continual review and monitored weekly. It is well known to, but not always implemented consistently or effectively by, all staff. Pupils trust adults to deal with their concerns and they value the rewards for good behaviour. All know what to expect if they do not follow the school rules. Time is spent in other classes to reduce tension when necessary. Any instance of bullying

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

or inappropriate behaviour is dealt with promptly and effectively. The school's policy of inclusion is satisfactory.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils' personal development are satisfactory. Older pupils are given sufficient opportunities to take responsibility and respond to these well. They include clearing the hall after assemblies. The children's committee meets regularly. ‘Circle times’ and linked assembly themes develop pupils' social and moral values and alert them to the dangers and difficulties outside their school environment. Unfortunately, no visits have been made by the school nurse and local police representative for the past year due to vacancies. Through such occasions as the Royal Opera House initiative ‘Chance to Dance’, pupils are encouraged to discover their talents and to use them. The residential visit enables Year 6 pupils to gain in confidence, and increases their sense of self-worth and self- reliance. They understand citizenship and are ready for transfer to their secondary

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Pupils are assessed carefully when they arrive at the school and the data is used well to identify individual needs. Assessment and planning are particularly good in the foundation stage. The school has installed a new computer program to identify pupils' attainment, and is carrying out good, detailed analysis to see where and how pupils' progress is made. Recent whole-staff in-service training is beginning to improve their planning and record-keeping. Targets are now set for all pupils in English and mathematics, and displayed on their desks during lessons. Class evaluations are carried out and individual pupils' records are updated once a term. Teachers know their pupils and monitor their progress through satisfactory use of marking and verbal comment during lessons which informs pupils how they can improve. Pupils' personal development is included in the annual reports. The ‘Raising Achievement’

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

teacher is well targeted in Years 2 and 6 to ensure maximum results. However, the use of assessment to guide curricular planning throughout the school is unsatisfactory, and as yet no curricular links have been established with local secondary schools.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs contain clear, achievable targets, which are reviewed and updated regularly. These pupils are well supported and make good progress. Through effective deployment of the committed language teachers and learning support staff, pupils who speak English as an additional language and refugee children who arrive mid-term receive appropriate and well-targeted help. Most make good progress and are well integrated with, and supported by, their peers.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. The school has now established satisfactory links with parents, thus addressing a key issue in the last report, and is always seeking to improve on these. Parents are pleased their children attend this school and support the school's aims and ambitions for their children. The school strives hard to involve parents in school life with limited success. They are invited to help where they can but few accept this invitation. The home/school agreements have not yet been completed. Parents' attendance at the Richard Atkins Primary School - 20 two consultation meetings averages only 65 per cent, but teachers are conscientious in contacting parents who do not come to these. The annual report is handed out at the Summer meeting to encourage parents to come. Attendance at the governors' annual general meeting is very poor but there is always a ‘full house’ for school productions. 38. There is still no formal parent teacher association, but a recent international food

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

evening organised by the school was much enjoyed and attracted a large audience. The headteacher believes this will lead to more celebration of the school's rich cultural community and more involvement of all parents in the school.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. Parents who speak little or no English are supported well. The school seeks to empower and involve them through the many support groups which meet on the premises. The educational psychologist is to hold surgeries twice a week, and the Afro-Caribbean/home mediation group meets regularly to discuss any problems. Parents can always see the senior administration officer and others in the office for help. Interpreters from the local authority are involved with parents who need their assistance and are always present at secondary school transfer meetings. This help is facilitated through the language teachers who constantly look for ways to help ethnic minority pupils and their parents. The school is careful to involve parents of children with special educational or other needs when reviewing their individual education programmes and keeps them well informed of progress. Parents receive satisfactory information from the school, through the prospectus, governors' annual

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

report and letters. Although none is directly translated into other languages the most important information is condensed and sent out in any of the ten languages available from Lambeth. Parents approve the new format of the annual report and find this useful. Communication between school and all parents has improved over the last four years.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. Overall, the school has made sound progress since the last inspection in involving more parents in their children's lives at school. Those who are able to do help with homework and hear younger children read. They make useful comments in the reading books. Through their support for the school and ambitions for their children parents make a satisfactory contribution to their achievements and to their personal development.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. The leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff is satisfactory overall. The headteacher has a clear vision for improving the standards at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 in literacy and numeracy and for encouraging pupils’ high self- esteem through success in these subjects. This has resulted in much improved results in national tests in the core subjects. The stated aims of the school stress a commitment to good relationships and equal opportunities and these are borne out in practice. There is much evidence of positive relationships between staff. Pupils are highly valued and the needs of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are well met. The school environment is cared for well. However, although a school development plan has been complied, a lack of strategic thinking and limited communication between senior managers and the rest of the staff

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

present obstacles to further improvement.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. The school has partially addressed the key issue relating to leadership and management which arose from the last inspection. The function of the English and mathematics co-ordinators has been enhanced with the introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and they have had some involvement in monitoring Richard Atkins Primary School - 21 the introduction of these strategies and observing lessons. However, the development of the senior managers’ roles still has a long way to go before they are fully effective in moving the school forward. Other subject co-ordinators have had too few opportunities to monitor the work in their subjects and little chance to contribute to decisions or to staff and school development. The minimal number of staff meetings at all levels, senior management team, key stage and whole staff, has resulted in a lack of communication and discussion. Consequently, much needed initiatives, such

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

as the implementation of a school behaviour management strategy, have had limited impact in practice.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The role of the governors is improving, but they are not yet sufficiently involved in shaping the future direction of the school. The governing body is unable to fulfil its role as a critical friend because it does not have a clear understanding of the current strengths and weaknesses of the school. The governing body largely relies upon reports from the headteacher and discussion with teacher governors to form a view of the development needs of the school. Although the headteacher provides a written report to governors, it does not provide sufficient detail for adequate monitoring. For instance, there is only a report on progress against targets identified in the school development plan once a year. The governors discharge most of their statutory duties. However, they do not provide all of the necessary details in their annual report to parents, they have not set targets for the headteacher for the year ending

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

September 2000, and they have not received progress reports on the induction of the newly qualified teacher.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. The headteacher, deputy headteacher, and the English and mathematics co- ordinators have made some classroom observations of literacy and numeracy lessons during the past two years. However, this emphasis on English and mathematics has been at the expense of other subjects and areas of school life. For the past two years the school has used all staff meetings and training days to implement the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. There has been no whole- school development of planning or teaching in other subjects during that time and this has prevented the sharing of good practice, and led to a wide range of quality of teaching in each subject. The informal appraisal system has lacked precise targets for teacher development and has failed to contribute significantly to raising the quality of teaching. The headteacher is committed to introducing performance management, and is currently preparing a draft policy for the governing body.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The school development plan is comprehensive and there have been a number of changes since the last inspection which have helped improve the national test results. The time for teaching English and mathematics has been significantly increased at the expense of all other subjects, and after-school lessons are provided to help children prepare for the entrance tests for secondary schools. In addition, Year 6 parents can buy commercially produced homework textbooks and extra teacher time is provided for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6. However, there are too few opportunities for the staff to take part in the formulation of aims or of considered policies and procedures to pursue them. For instance, teachers have not been involved in the decision to reduce the time given to teaching non-core subjects, and no guidance has been produced on how to take account of those reduced hours in their planning. This

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

has led to a disparity between what is taught or left out in each subject in different classes.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The school benefits from appropriately experienced and qualified staff that provide pupils with a continuity of education and care. The recent programme of in-service training has helped raise standards in numeracy and literacy. This, however, has Richard Atkins Primary School - 22 been at the expense of other subjects, such as design and technology and geography where standards have fallen since the last inspection. There are numerous additional support assistants in the school who all make a significant impact on raising standards for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. The majority are well informed and are used effectively at all stages of the lesson. There remains, however, the need for further improvement in sharing planning, communication and their use to support pupils at every stage of the lesson. The school has judicially employed a teacher to help raise standards in Years 2 and 6

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and this is being very effective. The administrative, clerical staff and welfare staff are suitably trained, experienced and greatly assist in the smooth running of the school. There are sufficient midday supervisors, cleaners and caretaker to ensure that the school runs smoothly at lunchtimes and the building is clean, tidy and well cared for. The introduction of performance management is embryonic and staff appraisal has been undertaken through informal interviews that have lacked specified targets to promote standards or develop staff expertise. Staff development has not improved significantly since the last inspection when it also gave cause for concern, although the school has the systems in place to provide a sound induction for new teachers.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. Overall, the school’s accommodation is good and allows the curriculum to be effectively taught. It is clean, tidy and well kept and provides a welcoming and secure learning environment in keeping with the school ethos. There are three spacious and bright halls used for a variety of purposes, including physical education and assemblies, and one of the halls houses the school’s non-fiction library. There are specialist rooms for the teaching of music and food technology, although this room’s equipment is in a poor condition. The first floor of the dining block has been refurbished. This space is to house the new computer suite. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Although there are no playing fields at the school, the playgrounds are used to good effect during physical education lessons. The outdoor environment has been greatly improved to compliment the beauty of the main building; staff have thoughtfully added plants, benches and play equipment to soften

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the harshness of the urban environment. The outdoor area for the children in the nursery is good and its frequent use has a positive effect on physical development. However, as noted in the last report, the outside toilets are in a very poor state of repair and hinder the schools’ ability to provide a healthy environment. These poor facilities also stand in opposition to the schools ethos of providing a caring and nurturing learning environment.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. Resources are good for English, geography, history and indoor physical education and very good for all areas of the under-fives. The use of these resources have helped staff to raise standards in English and to provide a very good educational experience for children in the nursery and reception classes. Resources for information technology are barely adequate with some teachers in lower Key Stage 2 valiantly attempting whole class lessons with only one computer in their classroom. This will be partly remedied by the opening of the new computer suite, with Internet access. However, there remains a lack of resources to develop aspects of control and monitoring at Key Stage 2. The school makes good use of the local environment in subjects such as geography, and encourages visits to a wide range of museums, such as the natural history museum, and places of interest such as the farm.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. Financial planning by the headteacher and governors is satisfactory. They have a secure overview of the school’s finances and are well supported by the bursar who always seeks to obtain the best value when purchasing resources for the school. The budget is also monitored by the deputy headteacher and a senior teacher to ensure that all spending is linked to the needs of the pupils. Financial planning is Richard Atkins Primary School - 23 appropriately linked to the priorities set out in the school development plan. Subject co-ordinators manage their own budgets and bid for funds to maintain and improve the educational provision in their particular subject areas. These bids are carefully considered by the senior management team and governors, and form the basis of the development plan. Careful housekeeping by all staff and governors has led to secure financial management with a small amount of money carried forward to help fund

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

future improvements to the school building.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. All specific grants are used effectively to improve the standards attained by the pupils they are designated for. Pupils with special educational needs and those from ethnic minority backgrounds are well supported and make good progress as they move through the school. Much of their specific funding is spent on additional teachers and teaching assistants who give good quality support to the pupils in their care. The targeting in Years 2 and 6 of pupils who are borderline in reaching the expected levels in English and mathematics is also having a positive impact on standards.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Not all areas of the school are used as efficiently as they could be. The food technology room is rarely used and much of the equipment stored in it is in a poor condition. The school library is also underused as a resource and pupils are not timetabled for regular class lessons to improve their research and library skills. Pupils who are withdrawn from lessons to learn to play the recorder do so at the same time each week. This means that they constantly miss part of the same class lesson each week and their progress in such lessons is diminished.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school administration is good and is quietly effective in supporting the work of the school. It provides a welcoming first point of contact to visitors and enables teachers to concentrate on their work. The most recent audit in 1999 made a few minor recommendations and the school has successfully addressed all of these. It also recognised that internal financial controls were operating effectively. Taking into account the overall good quality teaching, the good attitudes of the pupils, the standards achieved and the unit cost per pupil then the school gives satisfactory value for money.

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

53. The headteacher, governors and staff should:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) increase the progress pupils make at Key Stage 2 in information and communication technology, religious education, design and technology, geography and history; (paragraphs 1 and 6)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve the quality of teaching, at Key Stage 2 by:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- making sure that all lessons have clear learning objectives and that work is suitably matched to pupils’ prior attainment; - raising teachers’ expectations of their pupils, especially the most able; - applying a consistent approach to the management of pupils’ behaviour; (paragraphs 14, 15 and 33) Richard Atkins Primary School - 24 (3) develop the curriculum to provide sufficient breadth and balance by:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- planning more closely to the National Curriculum Programmes of Study in the foundation subjects; - using the time allocated to the curriculum more effectively; (paragraphs 19 and 22) (4) strengthen and develop the leadership and management of the school by:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- improving the role of the subject co-ordinators; * - monitoring the curriculum and the quality of teaching and learning more rigorously than at present; - improving the strategic management role of the governing body; (paragraphs 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition, there are a few minor areas for improvement. These are indicated in paragraphs 18, 30, 46, 48, 85 and 117. They relate to irregular homework, the poor condition of the outdoor toilets, a lack of staff development programmes, limited resources for the library and information and communication technology, the under-use of specific rooms, such as the food technology room and the library, and the quality of teachers’ marking.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(* denotes areas that were identified for improvement during the last inspection, but have not been sufficiently addressed.)

p.24

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

54. The provision for pupils who learn English as an additional language is good. Pupils are identified quickly for language support when they enter the nursery and help is provided well through the extra funds available from the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant. Planning is appropriately linked to the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and specialist language teachers work closely with class teachers. In response, pupils have positive attitudes to learning and work hard. They sustain long periods of concentration and apply themselves with interest to the tasks set.

p.24

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

55. Pupils make good progress in their learning overall, especially when they are given focused support in small groups. This is because the quality of specialist teaching undertaken by the co-ordinator, support teachers and additional staff is good. Pupils’ language needs are assessed carefully and individual education plans are drawn up. The best practice makes good use of praise to motivate and inspire pupils, and good questioning techniques to focus learning. The school’s strong priority on the provision for pupils who learn English as an additional language helps to ensure that resources and expertise are shared well to the benefit of the pupils. Richard Atkins Primary School - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 26

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.25

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.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 413

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 236

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 5

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 11 144

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 142

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 32

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.25

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.25

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Richard Atkins Primary School - 26

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 29 31 60

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 20 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 23 27

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 77 72 88 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 22 26 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 27 25

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 75 88 80 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 27 29 56

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 21 20 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 13 16

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 67 59 75 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 22 23 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 13 19

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 69 64 80 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75 Richard Atkins Primary School - 27

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 85 Black – Caribbean heritage 3 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 67 Black – African heritage 5 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 8 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.27

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.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 19.8 Financial year 1999/2000

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 1,159,995

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 17 Expenditure per pupil 2,730

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 219 Balance brought forward from previous year 40,397

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 48,178

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 33

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Richard Atkins Primary School - 28

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 51 42 5 0 3

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 42 10 3 5

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 18 34 28 10 10

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 44 11 4 1

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 63 35 0 0 1

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 34 5 1 4

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 33 46 16 3 3

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 41 46 4 1 9

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 48 29 6 1 15

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 28 24 9 20

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

NB: Not all parents responded to all questions, therefore totals may not add up to 100.

p.28

Other issues raised by parents

Twenty parents attended a meeting held at the school, and eight parents wrote to the registered inspector. The majority of comments were positive and parents expressed their satisfaction with the education provided by the school. Several parents stated that the school is well managed, has a stable staff and is a calm, orderly environment. A few parents would like the school to provide more homework and more extra-curricular activities. Richard Atkins Primary School - 29

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. Children under five are taught in the nursery and in two reception classes. They are admitted in the year in which they are four and the majority attend part time, either in the mornings or afternoons, before transferring to one of the reception classes the following autumn. Some of the children have attended playgroups or other pre-school establishments and they settle into the nursery routines well.

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. Children enter the nursery with a very wide range of attainment, but overall it is well below average because most children come from homes where English is an additional language and many have no knowledge of English at all on entry. The nursery staff endeavour to speak some words in all of the home languages and the school has good language support which the nursery can call upon if required. The provision for children under five is very good and has improved well since the last inspection. The school recognises the need for early acquisition of language and social skills and this is a priority for the nursery staff. The quality of teaching is very good overall and is an area of strength in the school. Teaching is sometimes excellent in the nursery and the reception classes. The co-ordinator has a very good vision for the development of the early years’ provision and strong working relationships have been developed between all members of the teaching and support

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

staff. This helps to ensure a good exchange of assessment data is used by all.

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

58. All adults in the nursery have high expectations for the children to develop independence and effective skills of social interaction. Staff provide good opportunities for them to begin to make personal choices and organise themselves in group activities. This develops self confidence. They take turns patiently and begin to share toys and equipment amicably. They learn to be sensitive to the needs of others by stroking and feeding, ‘Brandy’ the guinea pig. A wonderful experience was shared by all children when a mother brought in her baby for the children to see. In order to support their understanding of a topic on, ‘Ourselves’ the children watched the baby being bathed and cared for. The children were excited, asked many questions and made insightful comments. They showed respect for each other’s point of view. They develop independence by dressing and undressing themselves for physical

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

education and outdoor play. They are able to care for themselves when using the toilet or washing their hands. This very good progress continues in the reception classes. Children act responsibly and sustain good levels of interest and concentration in their learning tasks. They have a growing sense of what is right and what is wrong and teachers use stories and incidents in class and at play to reinforce these concepts.

p.29

Language, literacy and communication

59. In the nursery, children’s progress in developing their knowledge and understanding of the English language and developing their literacy skills is very good. Staff ensure, through carefully structured planning, that children experience a very good range of opportunities to build upon confidence and self esteem so that they learn effectively. Staff model language well and provide very good role models, they use effective Richard Atkins Primary School - 30 questioning techniques and supportive clues to stimulate children’s interest and desire to talk about their experiences. ‘Sydney the Sound Sorceror’ (a hand puppet) is regularly used by the teacher to make language work more enjoyable and effective. Teachers know the children well and often use their home language which helps children to respond more readily and develop confidence. Children handle books with increasing confidence and respect. They begin to know that text carries meaning and

p.29

Language, literacy and communication

they can use picture clues to help them to retell a story which has been read to them. Higher achieving children can recognise letters from their own name, can say their sounds and sometimes the letter name.

p.30

Language, literacy and communication

60. In the reception classes, children continue to enjoy stories, songs and action rhymes to develop language. Teachers use stories as a suitable starting point for much of their learning. Teachers are beginning to use aspects of the literacy strategy to encourage children to write well. Children can form letters which they write unaided and the majority can string writing shapes together and can say what it represents. Children work in pairs to use the computer with increasing confidence and skill to manipulate text on the screen using an alphabet programme. This promotes discussion, they co-operate well and negotiate their next moves. They celebrate each other’s success and congratulate themselves on good work. Children for whom English is an additional language, continue to make good gains in their learning and some achieve the expected standards for their age in reading.

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Mathematical development

61. Most children in the nursery count reliably up to three and many are confident counting to five. They recognise the written form of the number through playing matching games with dice, counters, objects, number cards and dots. Many children correctly match numbers up to five. Teachers use a wide variety of opportunities to reinforce children’s language for number work. They are introduced to ‘big’ numbers, up to 50 by talking about their house numbers, telephone numbers and such. Children know the names of many shapes which they model in dough or draw. They enjoy singing number songs such as ‘five little monkeys’ and ‘five in a bed’. They can correctly subtract one each time until none are left.

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Mathematical development

62. In the reception classes, children’s mathematical development continues to progress well. They can count to ten and take great pleasure in counting backwards, using the space system count down to ‘blast off’. They use play dough to make large numerals and can match dots in a domino game which extends their understanding and sustains concentration. Most children reach the expected standard in mathematics by the time they are six years old.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

63. The children come from a rich variety of backgrounds, cultures, languages and traditions. They celebrate festivals and mark events like birthdays. These are used well to raise awareness of the world around them. In the nursery, children develop simple scientific ideas and language such as ‘floating and sinking’ when playing at the water tank with a variety of light and heavy objects. Teachers provide a very good range of objects such as sharks, crabs, sea-shells and boats to make the learning experiences more fun.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

64. In the reception classes, children learn about their bodies, they know about bones and can say the names of many in the skeletal system. Teachers use humorous stories like ‘Funnybones’ as suitable starting points. Children begin to recognise useful links Richard Atkins Primary School - 31 in their learning by designing and making simple but effective cardboard puppets with moveable limbs, jointed with split pin paper clips to extend their scientific understanding of how their bodies work. 65. Computers are available for children to use in both the nursery and reception classes. Children usually work alone or in pairs. They can use the mouse successfully to work through simple progressive programmes and use headphones so as not to disturb others. Children’s concepts of history are appropriately developed by gaining an awareness of self and exploring ideas about how they have changed and grown since

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

they were babies. Most children achieve the expected standards by the time they are six years of age.

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Physical development

66. Children in the nursery make good progress in developing dexterity and control of tools. They acquire skills of cutting, sticking, painting, drawing and modelling with new materials and some recycled household objects. Teachers provide a wide range of opportunities to develop these skills further, such as making figures out of art straws and scraps of fabric. Children explore ways of cutting and fixing materials together to make simple puppets. They have regular opportunities to play outside, using the tricycles and other vehicles, they steer then around a planned route and deposit them successfully for the next person at the appropriately numbered parking lot. Under careful supervision, children climb, balance, jump and run well in the outdoor play area. Teachers provide very good opportunities for physical and social development through structured challenges.

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Physical development

67. In the reception classes, physical education classes in the hall provide very good opportunities for children to develop mobility, confidence and spatial awareness. They enjoy performing actions on the floor and can do side-rolls, using space sensibly. They travel well along benches using crawling and sliding movements. Teachers demonstrate well, this has a positive impact on standards. Children try hard to copy and raise their own performance levels. Children learn good practice, they bend their knees on landing and keep a safe distance from others when moving around the hall. Most children achieve the expected standards by the time they are six years of age.

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Creative development

68. Many opportunities are provided by staff for children to explore ideas and express them in a variety of ways. Children develop a sense of fun by singing songs such as ‘Shake My Sillies Out’ and nursery staff provide a vibrant, stimulating and colourful learning environment. They create a happy ethos in which children become adventurous and even joyful when learning to mix powder pigments to paint large pictures using big brushes to effectively achieve coverage and gain confident painting skills. Children choose freely from a very good range of creative activities, play dough modelling, painting, drawing and collage activities. Children are enabled to feel secure, confident and happy. They learn to share toys, and equipment. The nursery staff have a detailed knowledge of individual children and their families and this is a real strength of the department. They are also adept at early identification of

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Creative development

children’s special educational needs; they intervene effectively and access provision early to alleviate further problems later.

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Creative development

69. In the reception classes, teachers build upon pupils’ earlier achievements in singing, role play and art work. Children enjoy and develop a good repertoire of clapping rhymes, songs and poems. They use artistic skills to make pictures of square robots Richard Atkins Primary School - 32 to extend their mathematical understanding. They also paint colourful self portraits and use effective low relief modelling techniques to model plasticene faces of themselves to support work about their bodies in science. Teachers show that they value children’s work by displaying it with care.

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ENGLISH

70. The standard test results for 1999 in English showed that at Key Stage 1 standards were below the national average in reading but above those of similar schools. The percentage of pupils gaining the higher Level 3 was in line with national trends. At Key Stage 2 standards were below average in English but when compared with similar schools were well above. Standards have improved since the last inspection, largely due to the successful introduction of the National Literacy Strategy. The school has a high percentage of pupils with English as an additional language and pupils with identified special educational needs. In respect of this, and particularly in the early stages of schooling, a major priority is given to pupils’ language development. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are sound at the end of both key stages which is good improvement since the last inspection.

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ENGLISH

71. Standards in reading at the end of both key stages are satisfactory for the majority of pupils and there are able readers in all year groups. Most pupils enjoy books and take pleasure in reading. The majority of younger pupils can use a good range of strategies to support their reading, including the use of phonics and picture clues. The school has a wide variety of reading and commercial schemes as well as story and information books. These are well matched by teachers to pupils’ prior attainment. Careful monitoring by teachers ensures that pupils make good progress. Pupils read to adults regularly and have targeted reading activities within the literacy hours. A few pupils belong to public libraries and enjoy choosing their own books. The school has a good library, but it is underused by class teachers. Fiction books are kept in classrooms and many of the non-fiction books have been taken out and

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ENGLISH

placed in topic collections held in classrooms. This has resulted in the library being under stocked, with mainly dual language and some non-fiction books remaining. As a result, many pupils’ understanding of information retrieval and classification systems is underdeveloped and they are unsure about how to use the library to improve their knowledge. Pupils at Key Stage 1 enjoy supported reading sessions in the literacy hour, they read aloud from enlarged text books with their teachers. In Year 2 pupils know that books can be divided into story books and books for information. In one lesson they read an instruction book ‘How to plant seeds’. Pupils show interest, develop confidence in speaking clearly, raise sensible questions, share information and develop ideas, through discussions with teachers and each other about the ideas they meet in books. At Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 3 read a good range of fiction and

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ENGLISH

non-fiction, including poetry and play scripts. They know about characterisation and how dramatists organise and construct texts. They understand the importance of stage directions. Pupils read scripts with appropriate levels of expression and comprehension. Older pupils, in Year 6 compared newspaper reports of the same incidents, the recent death of a well known holiday camp pioneer and the achievements of British athletes in the Olympic Games in two different newspapers. They know that newspapers are divided into broadsheets and tabloids. They develop a good working vocabulary and can identify features of page layout such as banner headlines, sub headings, paragraphs, bold and italic fonts. In conversation, a group of pupils recalled how in Year 5, they had read extracts from Macbeth by Shakespeare and had enjoyed a presentation in school by a visiting theatrical group.

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ENGLISH

72. Standards in writing at both key stages are sound and this is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils practise both in handwriting exercise books and in their Richard Atkins Primary School - 33 final drafting of stories, reports and poems in their workbooks. The school has a good handwriting policy and scheme, which is used by all teachers. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils know that writing is a recognised means of communication which has a variety of purposes. Most can write with developing confidence and fluency. Pupils know that writing has a variety of purposes including story telling and writing lists or letters to other people. Progress is good at Key Stage 1 where pupils often combine a mixture of illustration and written texts to sequence stories. In a few classes only, in Key Stage 2, teachers use writing in other subjects such as history and geography to help raise pupils standards of attainment across the curriculum. By the end of this

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ENGLISH

Key Stage pupils can write for a variety of purposes and are using writing to develop, organise and communicate ideas. A few pupils find spelling difficult, the majority are careful and refer regularly to the ‘word mats’ and vocabulary lists provided by teachers in many lessons. The school has provided a good range of dictionaries in each class which teachers match well to the varying levels of pupil needs. This ranges from simple picture dictionaries in the younger classes to more detailed versions at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils are encouraged to redraft from an early age but computers are only just beginning to play an important part in this process.

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ENGLISH

73. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 is very good and this represents very good progress since the last inspection. At Key Stage 2, teaching is good and has improved since the last inspection. Teachers have established good routines and they provide a stimulating environment for learning. They plan lessons well, and clearly identify their aims and objectives, but do not sufficiently share these with pupils and this is an opportunity lost to involve pupils in their own development. Most teachers have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement. They have adopted sound procedures for assessing pupils’ work and this helps them to plan appropriately structured tasks to match new elements of work for all pupils, regarding different levels of need and prior learning. The teaching support staff work well with class teachers in assisting pupils in their development. Close planning with the

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ENGLISH

language support staff helps to raise pupils’ attainment. Teachers offer insufficient opportunities for pupils to evaluate their own learning, particularly at the top end of Key Stage 2 where much of the teaching is over directed and reliant on photocopied published worksheets. Few opportunities are given for higher achieving pupils to follow some of their own interests and extend their knowledge and skills in their written work. The co-ordinator works hard to develop strategies for improving the subject throughout the school. The national literacy initiative has been well established and to support its implementation, all teachers have benefited from training courses, either from within the school or from external sources. They have developed good levels of subject knowledge and expertise and this has raised levels of confidence as well as competence. Regular systems for monitoring teaching are

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ENGLISH

not sufficiently developed by the school and need to be prioritised in order to raise standards further.

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MATHEMATICS

74. Standards are in line with the national averages at the end of both key stages. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when standards at the end of Key Stage 2 were judged to be below national expectations. In 1999, the results of the Key Stage 1 tests showed that pupils attained levels close to the national average with a good proportion reaching higher levels. When compared to similar schools, pupils’ performance was well above average. Inspection evidence and the results of the most recent tests show that standards at Key Stage 1 have been further improved. In the 1999 Key Stage 2 national tests, the percentage of pupils attaining the expected level was well below the national average, but above average in relation Richard Atkins Primary School - 34 to those found in similar schools. However, the most recent tests taken indicate that pupils have made a significant improvement in attainment and are now reaching

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MATHEMATICS

levels close to those found nationally. The inspection evidence bears this out and the current Year 6 are working at levels in line with national expectations. The successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy and the use of a raising achievement teacher to work with Year 6 pupils who are borderline level 4 have had a significant impact on the improvement of standards at the end of Key Stage 2. Progress is good throughout the school.

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MATHEMATICS

75. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have a secure knowledge of place value to at least a hundred and can quickly recall addition and subtraction facts to twenty. Pupils can multiply by two and ten confidently and higher attaining pupils can multiply by five. They understand the language of number and can apply numerals and other mathematical symbols such as plus and equals signs in a range of different situations. Pupils know the names and some of the properties of two-dimensional shapes such as squares, rectangles, triangles, pentagons, hexagons and circles. The highest attaining pupils can also identify some of the properties, such as the shape and number of faces, of three-dimensional shapes including, cubes, pyramids and cylinders. Pupils can tell the time in hours and most know a quarter and a half past each hour. They can work accurately with money to solve shopping problems and calculate change from at least one pound. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils

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MATHEMATICS

have a good understanding of place value to at least a thousand with many pupils able to handle numbers to a million with confidence. Pupils use correct mathematical vocabulary and a growing mental recall of number facts including multiplication tables. They understand the relationships between fractions, decimals and percentages and can convert from one to the other accurately. Their understanding of data handling is particularly good with all pupils able to find the range and mode of a set of discrete data such as pupils’ performance in the long jump. Pupils are able to suggest appropriate groupings to record frequency, complete a tally chart and display their findings as a block graph. Higher-attaining pupils can also find the mean using a calculator. Pupils use information technology to support their learning through the use of the ‘successmaker’ program that gives them reinforcement of mathematical skills

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MATHEMATICS

at a level closely matched to their ability.

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MATHEMATICS

76. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. At Key Stage 1, all of the teaching observed was good or very good. Teaching in Key Stage 2 is less consistent with teaching ranging from very good to unsatisfactory, although the majority of the teaching was good or better. Teachers generally have a good understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy and structure their lessons accordingly with all aspects of the subject being well covered each year. Lessons are carefully planned with clear objectives that are usually shared with pupils at the start of each lesson. This enables pupils to focus on the main areas of learning and helps them to make good progress in numeracy. Every lesson commences with a brisk mental mathematics session that, in the best lessons, fully involves all the pupils and gives them opportunities to explain and discuss the mental strategies they used in finding the

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MATHEMATICS

correct answer. This was particularly well demonstrated in a Year 4 lesson where pupils were using number cards to show their answers to the teacher. They used the cards to answer a variety of questions about halving numbers and multiplication tables. All pupils joined in with enthusiasm and the teacher, at a glance, could assess their level of understanding and ask questions to further extend and challenge them. Pupils willingly ask and answer questions and often make valuable contributions to class discussions. This was particularly noticeable in a Year 1 lesson about two- dimensional shapes. The class teacher and a support teacher did a most effective ‘double act’, asking and answering questions to identify the name of a shape hidden in Richard Atkins Primary School - 35 a bag. All pupils wanted to be involved when their turn came and the enthusiasm was palpable; they cheered when the shape was identified correctly. This also

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MATHEMATICS

demonstrated the good management skills which feature in many lessons. Teachers are confident enough to allow pupils to become excited in their learning knowing that they can calm them down again in an instant. Teachers manage their pupils well and create a calm and purposeful working atmosphere in their classrooms that helps pupils to concentrate on their work, free from intrusive interruptions. Pupils respond well to this and behaviour in lessons and attitudes to learning are always satisfactory and often good or very good. Where teaching is less successful, teachers’ subject knowledge is weak and pupils are not always taught the correct procedures. Learning support assistants are generally used well to support the learning of individual or specific groups of pupils. They are most effective when their work is planned in advance, they are fully involved in all parts of the lesson and they make notes to help

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MATHEMATICS

keep the class teacher informed of the progress of the pupils they are supporting. The pupils they support make good progress towards the targets set for them. All pupils have individual targets set for them and they are always visible to the pupils either in their workbooks or on their tables. This keeps the targets in their minds as they are working and they are very proud when they have successfully achieved one of them. Pupils enjoy their lessons and are eager to do well and reach the highest possible standards.

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MATHEMATICS

77. The co-ordinator gives good leadership in the subject and supports her colleagues well. She has taken a leading role in introducing the numeracy lessons by giving staff in service training sessions. She has been well supported by the designated numeracy governor who visits the school frequently and also attended numeracy training. Parents were involved in the implementation of the numeracy strategy by being invited to an evening workshop to demonstrate investigational work. This was well attended by parents and also the teachers who showed them the strategies used in lessons. Teaching and teachers’ planning have been successfully monitored to identify any areas in need of further input and to ensure that all aspects of numeracy are taught over time. Test results are carefully analysed to identify areas for improvement and to set future targets for individuals and groups of pupils. The school

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MATHEMATICS

is fully committed to raising standards even higher and statutory requirements are fully met.

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SCIENCE

78. Performance at Key Stage 1 in 1999, based upon the teachers' assessments, indicates that the percentage of pupils achieving Level 2 was below the national average, but broadly average when compared with schools in similar contexts. According to teacher assessments, the percentage of pupils achieving Level 3 was very high compared with the national average. Based upon national tests, performance at Key Stage 2 in 1999 indicates that the percentage of pupils achieving Level 4, and Level 5 was below the national average, but both were above the average when compared with schools in similar contexts. Since the last inspection, standards in the school have risen by about the same amount as national standards. During the inspection standards at Key Stage 1 were judged to be broadly in line with national expectations. Standards in the early part of Key Stage 2 were broadly in line but dropped to below national average in the older classes. Nonetheless, the additional

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SCIENCE

tuition put in during the remainder of Year 6, and the other measures introduced have a positive effect on helping to raise attainment.

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SCIENCE

79. Pupils’ learning at Key Stage 1 is good. They gain a real interest in the world around them and an enjoyment of science. Clear learning objectives and high motivation Richard Atkins Primary School - 36 mean that the children acquire skills and language at a good rate and can express their knowledge appropriately. Learning at Key Stage 2 is satisfactory overall, although pupils make the best progress in the early part of the key stage. Learning is good when pupils are motivated by knowing what is expected of them, following clear explanations of the scientific principles. It is unsatisfactory when explanations concentrate on the task rather than the process and children copy down facts and definitions that they do not understand. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language frequently receive extra help and make satisfactory, and often good, progress in relation to their previous attainment.

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SCIENCE

80. The quality of teaching is very good at Key Stage 1. It is satisfactory overall at Key Stage 2, but much more variable and sometimes unsatisfactory. Lessons are based on a comprehensive scheme of work. At Key Stage 1, when teachers take elements from different stages of the scheme depending upon the assessment of children’s attainment, teaching is very effective; at Key Stage 2, where the scheme for a particular year is followed regardless of pupils’ prior attainment, teaching is less effective. A good feature of the teaching at both key stages is the practical nature of much of the learning and the stimulating contexts used. For example, Year 1 classes greatly enjoy learning about movement through watching the way that different mini- beasts move. Year 6 pupils explore the need for roots and the differences between tap and fibrous roots through examining a wide variety of plants. Marking of pupils'

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SCIENCE

work is regular, but usually refers to spelling and punctuation rather than scientific concepts or knowledge. At Key Stage 1, lessons are well planned, with clear learning objectives for the different abilities of pupils. Planning is based on the scheme of work, with learning outcomes taken from earlier work for pupils of lower attainment. Teachers have an appropriate level of subject knowledge and use a wide range of specific scientific vocabulary. Well chosen tasks with attractive resources motivate the pupils and inspire them to a lively interest in the subject, as with Year 1 pupils who were fascinated by the different movements of a variety of mini-beasts. In Year 2 classes, the life cycle of plants was illustrated using attractive cut-outs of plants with separate leaves, stems, roots, flower parts and seeds appropriately positioned on a display board. Consistent recognition of good behaviour leads to very effective

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SCIENCE

behaviour management with children paying attention, listening well and responding enthusiastically. At Key Stage 2, planning is based on the scheme of work for the year group and shows no regard for the prior attainment of the pupils. As a result, the concepts presented are sometimes too advanced for a significant proportion of the class who consequently do not make acceptable progress in the lesson. In better lessons, teachers assessed, encouraged and developed pupils’ understanding by asking questions and using scientific vocabulary. Unfortunately many of the lessons seen were presentations by the teacher, copied down by pupils, with few questions to determine or develop knowledge and understanding. Behaviour management throughout the key stage lacks consistency. Expectations are not always high; for instance, teachers frequently talk over children without waiting for them to listen.

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SCIENCE

81. The subject co-ordinator is enthusiastic and has a clear sense of how to develop the subject. Resources are satisfactory in range and good in quantity with, for instance, sufficient magnifying glasses for a whole class to examine the root hairs of plants. The older children use computers to follow a course of programmed learning in science. Year 6 pupils can also purchase commercially produced homework books to increase their subject knowledge for the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2. However, the great emphasis placed upon literacy and numeracy has precluded any whole school discussion of the planning and teaching of science, and development of the subject throughout the school has been a low priority. The curriculum time for science has been reduced to not much more than one hour a week at Key Stage 1, Richard Atkins Primary School - 37 and considerably less than two hours a week at Key Stage 2. This has had an

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SCIENCE

adverse effect on teaching and learning. Richard Atkins Primary School - 38

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ART

82. Overall, standards are similar to those expected for pupils’ age by Year 6. Pupils use their observational skills appropriately to critically analyse the work of famous artists and are able to interpret techniques in their own work. Pupils use colour boldly when painting and they experiment successfully when making careful pencil drawings of plant life. They achieve a good standard in drawing self-portraits and observational studies, but insufficient attention is given to tone and shade in their representations and to three-dimensional work. At Key Stage 1, they tackle collage work with confidence and are able to complete pieces for class displays to compliment their work on historical displays. Pupils generally make satisfactory progress, including those who have special educational needs and pupils who learn English as an additional language, but the potentially higher attainers are not sufficiently encouraged

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ART

to conduct their own research on topics. Throughout the school, pupils’ visual perception is improved satisfactorily through an appropriate focus on recording observations. Their understanding of colour-mixing techniques is increased steadily throughout the school and good links are forged between art and other curriculum areas, such as literacy and numeracy, which help to reinforce their knowledge. 83. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, and sometimes good, at both key stages. Teachers generally have sound subject knowledge and plan their lessons effectively to give pupils a broad range of experiences. Good displays of pupils’ work, posters and artefacts help to create a colourful, stimulating environment. In response, pupils have enthusiastic attitudes to learning and usually enjoy their work. However, the use of assessment to guide curriculum planning and the monitoring of the subject are not well established and have not been improved since the last

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ART

inspection. These are areas which the school recognises as issues for further development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

84. During the inspection very few lessons were timetabled. At Key Stage 1, standards are in line with national expectations and have been maintained since the last inspection. At Key Stage 2, standards are below national expectations and this is unsatisfactory progress since the last inspection when the subject was judged to be a key Issue for development. At Key Stage 1, the pupils in Year 2 make satisfactory progress when designing and making products. They make simple wheeled vehicles from their own annotated drawings and plans. They combined skills learned in art and design lessons when modelling with card and recycled materials, with more specific skills in cutting and joining in technology. They assembled axles cut from lengths of dowel and used ready made wooden wheels which they fixed to the chassis using appropriate joining techniques. Pupils discussed the processes and methods by which they produced their models and made useful written evaluations of

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

their achievements. At Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 6 considered different kinds of shelters and issues surrounding their design and manufacture. They discussed waterproofing and suitable construction techniques and materials. They made drawings but lacked the necessary communication skills to be able to show plan, elevation or perspective views and had to rely on their writing skills to annotate and make them more understandable. Prior to the lesson, they had followed a focused practical task with their teacher, but when questioned, pupils could not make any connections between the frames and their own proposed structures.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

85. The quality of teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1, but unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2. Although teachers’ planning is taken directly from a recognised teaching programme, it is too often insufficiently matched to the pupils’ prior experiences. Richard Atkins Primary School - 39 Pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise the necessary skills over time, to equip them to design and construct models. Opportunities are lost for pupils to use their prior achievements in other subject areas; for example, in one lesson at Key Stage 2 all the components were supplied ready measured and cut to size, including card triangles for reinforcing corner joints. This restricted the problem-solving exercise and limited pupils’ ability to think for themselves. Opportunities were also lost for pupils to use their skills in geometry to support their design work when considering suitable shapes for roof angles and doors. Teachers at Key Stage 2 lack

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

the confidence and expertise to teach the subject well. The curriculum time available is too limited and the success in raising achievement in some areas has been won at the expense of time taken from others. Teachers have had no training since the last inspection and many of the resources are neglected or inappropriate. The co- ordinator recognises the low performance and profile of the subject in the school and has plans to raise its status in order to provide pupils with a more broadly balanced curriculum. The school has adopted, but not provided, monitoring or training time for the staff to adapt a nationally acknowledged programme of work units. However, it is unsuitable as a progressive scheme of work without being more closely matched to the school’s particular needs. At Key Stage 2, resources are inadequate. The specialist food technology room is out of use and the cooker is disconnected from the

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

power supply. There are insufficient opportunities for older pupils to work with more challenging and resistant materials, such as jelutong strip, plaster and fired clay.

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GEOGRAPHY

86. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are in line with national expectations but below at the end of Key Stage 2. Although pupils made sound progress in the lessons observed at Key Stage 1, over time, progress is unsatisfactory. Standards have fallen since the last inspection where attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 was judged to be above expectations and at the age of 11 to be in line. This is attributed to the current emphasis and time placed on numeracy and literacy to the detriment of this subject. In Year 6, pupils have not fully understood the processes of erosion and the part it plays in forming a meander. In attempting to measure the length of a river, pupils struggled with the physical act of measuring and using scale. In Year 2, pupils successfully described, in pictures, the differences between city and island life in terms of both human and natural features.

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GEOGRAPHY

87. Teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1, but unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2. In the good lessons, the class teachers used an effective range of teaching techniques and resources to reinforce the difference between cities and rural islands. Activities are suitably matched to pupils’ interests and abilities, as in the Year 4 study of local environmental issues. Good planning builds successfully on previously learnt skills and knowledge so that pupils are able to make good progress in these lessons. Classroom control is firm and consistent so that pupils complete their work. Effective teaching uses questions that encourage pupils to extend their thinking and apply their knowledge. Pupils enjoy such lessons and make a considerable effort to participate and finish their work to a high standard. High expectations of work for pupils of all abilities ensure all, including those with special educational needs and English as a

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GEOGRAPHY

second language make good progress. These two groups are well supported by very effective classroom support assistants, as in the Year 5 lesson on water pollution. Unsatisfactory teaching is primarily the result of a lack of teaching time and sufficient pace. Lessons in the upper Key Stage 2 are often too short to be effective in meeting the lessons objectives, or insufficient work is planned to use the whole lesson, and time was therefore wasted. Teachers’ weak subject knowledge, and lack of confidence in areas such as, physical and environmental geography, leads to Richard Atkins Primary School - 40 confused explanations by teachers. For example, pupils remained unclear of the water pollutants of Africa. Teachers in these year groups asked simple questions that required pupils to recall facts, rather than encourage them to think. On such occasions, pupils make unsatisfactory progress because they become restless and

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GEOGRAPHY

are not involved in the lessons. There has been too little training for teachers to extend their knowledge and develop their skills. The school has recently adopted national government guidelines that provide a useful framework. Its introduction has not yet had effect on pupil’s attainment. In addition, the work planned is sometimes unsuitable. For example, in Year 6 the work on rivers was not well matched to pupils’ prior knowledge and they were unable to produce the expected level of work in order to benefit from the study of the topic. The co-ordinator has had no opportunity to monitor the delivery of the subject. This lack of insight into the state of the subject is having a negative impact on its delivery across the school. During the course of the inspection and in the scrutiny of pupils work, other than in Year 2, there was little evidence of the use of information and communication technology in this subject and

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GEOGRAPHY

no evidence of planned links with either numeracy or literacy.

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HISTORY

88. Standards are below national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. No judgement could be made at Key Stage 1 as there was no history being taught during the inspection week and there was no history work in the pupils’ books. In the Year 6 study of ancient Greece, after reading a set script, pupils are able to identify the names, symbols and relationships of the gods of Olympus. Their current knowledge of this period of history includes a limited understanding of how ancient Greece was governed and the differences between living in ancient Greece or Sparta. However, pupils have little knowledge of historical evidence or understanding of how to use historical research skills.

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HISTORY

89. Teaching and learning at Key Stage 2 is satisfactory overall. The majority of lessons were well planned and prepared so that the steady pace of the lesson ensured pupil involvement. Questions were used effectively to set the context of the lesson and assess pupils’ knowledge of their previous learning. The actual topics of ancient Greece and the Victorians in Year 5 were well matched to pupil interest and in many instances pupils were keen to answer questions. In Year 5, the teacher used pupil responses well to expand on the important historical point of change over time. The practical differences between Victorian England and present day, such as the use of ink pens, was discussed and pupils made sound progress. In all lessons, clear instructions and timed expectations were given so pupils moved on quickly in their work and applied themselves well. In Year 6, there was a good link with information

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HISTORY

and communication technology where pupils entered factual information about the Greek gods on to a database. Teachers subject knowledge is sound, but in some lessons there is insufficient emphasis on the use of historical skills. For example, there are missed opportunities for pupils in Year 6 to conduct historical research and extend their skills. Additionally, work is not suitably matched to pupils’ differing abilities when the same photocopied sheet is given to all. Consequently, during parts of the lessons observed, a few pupils made unsatisfactory progress. The school has recently adopted national government guidelines on the planning of the history curriculum. This provides a suitable plan that builds on previous knowledge and understanding. However, there is too little attention given to the development of the appropriate historical skills and links with other subjects. There has been no recent

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HISTORY

staff training to increase teachers’ knowledge and confidence in the subject. The subject co-ordinator is working hard to develop suitable resources to support the Richard Atkins Primary School - 41 topics, but her role is not sufficiently developed to include monitoring of the delivery of teaching and learning.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

90. Standards at the end of both key stages are below the national expectations, although they have improved slightly since the last inspection. Pupils now have greater skills and experience of the subject, especially at Key Stage 1. Due to the good teaching skills of the subject co-ordinator in Year 6, pupils are currently developing multimedia ‘books’ on topics such as music and cats. These cover several pages and incorporate text and voice recordings. Pupils have, however, only recently been introduced to cutting and pasting graphics from one application to another and therefore remain very hesitant in applying this new skill. Other aspects of the subject, such as Internet access and control and monitoring, have not been developed because of a lack of hardware. At Key Stage 1, pupils have experienced controlling the floor robot by giving it simple instructions. However, their word processing skills

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

are rudimentary. Year 2 pupils know the keys to use to cut and paste text and are able to rearrange sentences using these skills.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

91. The teaching is satisfactory overall and good in the one lesson observed in Key Stage 1. This is an improvement since the last inspection. All teachers make good use of the resources that they have at their disposal. In Year 6, the introduction of a digital camera into the lesson was very effective at gaining the attention of all pupils and introduced new language and the possibility of new applications to the pupils work. Pupils were keen to use these skills and improve on their efforts. In all lessons, teachers displayed at least sound knowledge and understanding of the subject. This increased confidence and expertise is an improvement since the last inspection and has helped raise levels of attainment. In the majority of lessons, class teachers shared their lesson objectives clearly and used questions effectively to encourage pupils to think and explain their answers. Such techniques help pupils to deepen their

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

understanding of the subject. Teachers use a good range of teaching approaches, such as pupil demonstrations, displays and well prepared resources to maintain effective pace while introducing new skills and knowledge. Pupils for whom English is an additional language and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of the quality of guidance they receive from support staff. These assistants worked well in team teaching situations with class teachers, as in Year 2 lesson. In a few classes where there is limited hardware for pupils to use, teaching is too directed and pupils do not have the opportunity to immediately practice their newly acquired skills. The direct teaching of the subject is an improvement on the last inspection. The thirty minutes planned for some of these lessons, however, is too short. The lessons are rushed, pupils do not have time to practice their new skills

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

and in some cases not all the intended lesson is covered. It is also at this time, that the otherwise good skills in classroom management fail and pupils become restless and inattentive.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

92. In lessons observed during the inspection pupils made good progress due to the quality of teaching: every lesson now introduces something new. Over time, however, pupils have not received sufficient teaching in all aspects of the subject and the lack of access to hardware to use these skills has meant that progress is unsatisfactory. Insufficient time, too few resources and no clear assessment procedures have an adverse effect on standards. The school has identified many of these shortfalls, and steps have been taken to improve the current situation with the imminent opening of a computer suite. Since the last inspection, the recent appointment of the subject co-ordinator has done much to raise the profile of the Richard Atkins Primary School - 42 subject and provide the staff with a very effective school based support. The imminent opening of the new computer suite and the development of new aspects of

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

the subject, such as Internet access, will require further staff training. In response to the last report the school has adopted national guidelines to ensure that skills and knowledge are developed. This plan, however, has not been modified to clarify the teaching and learning of skills and knowledge that are needed by pupils at the school. Monitoring procedures are weak. The provision has improved since the last inspection, but has yet to achieve a satisfactory level. The school is now in a good position to raise standards, by reason of the co-ordinator’s good subject knowledge and enthusiasm and the opening of the new suite.

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MUSIC

93. Only singing lessons and small group instrumental tuition were observed during the inspection, as class music lessons were not scheduled until later in the school year. From the lessons seen the standards pupils attain in music, particularly singing, are as expected for their age. This is a similar judgement to that made in the last inspection. As the school keeps no recordings of pupils’ work in aspects, such as composing, and no musical appreciation lessons took place then no judgement can be made on the standards attained in these areas of study.

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MUSIC

94. Most of the singing lessons observed were taken by a specialist music teacher and took place in the school hall with a large number of pupils, often more than a hundred, in each lesson. Pupils in Key Stage 1 sang with enthusiasm and in tune with good diction. A few pupils were given the opportunity to play a series of notes on a xylophone for other pupils to sing and try to match the rhythm and melody. This they did reasonably successfully and all pupils wanted to join in the activity. Pupils in Key Stage 2 sing an interesting range of songs from this country and around the world with obvious enjoyment and interest. They can identify a calypso rhythm and sing with good phrasing and thoughtful delivery matched to the mood of the song. However, in the Key Stage 2 lessons, pupils were not involved in accompanying any of the songs despite some of them being reasonably proficient guitar and recorder

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MUSIC

players and no percussion instruments were used to enhance the performance. All pupils have the opportunity to learn to play the descant recorder and the guitar and those pupils who persevere reach a good standard of performance.

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MUSIC

95. The quality of the teaching of singing is always satisfactory and often good. At Key Stage 1, the school bursar accompanies the singing on the piano and at Key Stage 2 the specialist music teacher plays the guitar. Both of these are proficient musically and give good support in lessons. The large number of pupils in each lesson, however, limits the opportunities for individual or groups of pupils to be actively involved in playing an instrument to extend their expertise in accompanying a song. Teachers manage their pupils well and have an enthusiastic approach that is reflected in the enjoyment pupils derive from their lessons. Years 5 and 6 pupils sang the song, ‘Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off’ with tremendous panache and with due regard for the mood of the lyrics. Pupils behave well and concentrate on improving their performance. The music co-ordinator is keen for all teachers to be more actively

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MUSIC

involved in teaching music to their own classes and is completing an audit of staff confidence to identify areas that would benefit from more training. She has introduced a new scheme of work and monitors teachers’ plans to ensure full coverage of all aspects of the subject. There has been no monitoring of teaching or assessments recorded of pupils’ attainment to assess standards and identify areas for improvement. Pupils who are withdrawn from class lessons to attend recorder Richard Atkins Primary School - 43 groups miss part of the same lesson each week and, although they benefit musically, this sometimes has an adverse effect on their learning in other subjects.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

96. Standards in physical education are now similar to those found in schools nationally but this represents a decline since the last inspection when they were judged to be good. This is partially due to the result of allocating less time to teaching the subject. Pupils attain appropriate standards in the aspects defined in the scheme of work. Key Stage 1 pupils are aware of the changes that happen in their bodies when they exercise, such as an increase in heart rate. They demonstrate a suitable range of balances on different parts of their body and then move on in a suitably controlled manner. Children jump with both feet together and land safely, bending their knees. The pupils run at different speeds and chase and dodge and they show a good awareness of the need to behave in a sporting manner. Key Stage 2 pupils are well co-ordinated in their work. In gymnastics, pupils make good use of the floor and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

apparatus to demonstrate sequences of controlled movements. In small-sided team games children are suitably competent, being well co-ordinated and well balanced. There is no record of how many pupils can swim the recommended 25 metres by the end of Key Stage 2.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

97. The pupils' learning is satisfactory as they move through the school and they benefit from taking part in as wide a range of activities as the school site will accommodate. Key Stage 1 pupils learn the need to warm up in preparation for physical education lessons and are aware of the changes that happen in their bodies when they exercise, such as an increase in breathing rate. They have a good awareness of space, effectively developing control in their movements and balances, learning progressively more difficult activities. In dance they begin to interpret a story, making appropriate shapes and movements. Key Stage 2 pupils further develop the skills they have learnt at Key Stage 1. They learn a range of balances, bounces and hops and understand how to link movements together to form short sequences. The school has adopted small-sided games that are suited to the playground and gymnasium. The children gain the basic games skills of passing a large ball with

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

chest passes, running, marking and dodging and develop their skills and understanding of tactics appropriately. However, opportunities for orienteering and some team sports are limited by the nature of the site. Teachers usually support pupils with English as an additional language well by using simplified instructions as well as more complex ones.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

98. The quality of the teaching is generally satisfactory with some good lessons. The lessons are planned to develop children's skills in a suitable manner, based on the progression of the scheme of work. The teachers prepare their lessons and resources well, generally maintaining good pace throughout the lesson. However, there is insufficient emphasis on quality of performance, and although children are praised for performing a particular action and some are asked to perform in front of others, the reasons for judging it to be good are not pointed out to the other pupils and teaching points are missed. Pupils are not asked to suggest strengths or weaknesses in their own or others’ performances. This means that progress is limited. In a few lessons poor planning leads to pupils spending insufficient time taking part in an activity. On these occasions behaviour deteriorates, pupils learn little

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

and make poor progress. The pupils are encouraged to reflect on the meaning of sporting behaviour and to develop trust in others. Resources for gymnastics and dance are good with plenty of indoor space and a wide range of gymnastic equipment. The quantity of equipment for games skills practice and small-sided Richard Atkins Primary School - 44 games is also good with, for instance, sufficient balls for all the pupils to practice with balls of a given size. There is a suitable scheme of work to assist teachers in planning a programme of well-sequenced activities. The school is planning to arrange after school games activities through a commercial company upon payment by parents.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

99. Pupils’ attainment in religious education does not meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus at the end of both key stages. At Key Stage 1, pupils are introduced to world religions, such as Christianity and Islam. They begin to learn significant words, including mosque, Qu’ran and prayer mat. They are aware that the church and the mosque are important but they do not know why. They can recall stories told to them, such as the feeding of the five thousand. The pupils know of the life of Jesus and of major Christian festivals, especially Christmas. At Key Stage 2, pupils explore situations that lead to different emotions. The younger pupils are able to express feelings, such as excitement and anger. Pupils develop a greater awareness of Christianity and its teaching through Bible stories. They learn about Christian symbols, such as the cross and understand its significance. Pupils learn about the

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Hindu and Muslim religion and note special festivals, including Eid and Ramadan. However, they have little understanding of the importance of religious ideas to the adherents of different religions. They study religious buildings and they learn about the meaning of some of the symbols used in Christianity, such as how the cross with, and without, Jesus upon it relates to the time before or after the resurrection. However, at both key stages, the curriculum provided for religious education lacks the breadth and depth of religious subjects to meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils develop an awareness of the relationship between religion and everyday life through discussion of the feelings they have experienced. Stories such as the feeding of the five thousand are used to demonstrate sharing. They have an increasing understanding of the meaning of Christian stories, miracles, parables and

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

festivals. Most pupils maintain satisfactory levels of concentration, listen attentively and answer questions clearly. They are confident in sharing their own ideas and opinions and are developing enquiring minds. Pupils show care for one another and respect for artefacts when handling them.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

100. The quality of teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1, but unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2. There are some opportunities for the exploration of religious views and a deeper understanding of religious symbols. For example, during the inspection, pupils from Year 2 went to the local church and engaged in an interesting session with the local vicar when they asked him questions about the church. However, expectations of pupils’ behaviour and work are often not high enough at Key Stage 2. Lessons are sometimes inadequately planned and the behaviour of pupils is not managed well. Consequently, pupils’ learning in these lessons is unsatisfactory. The marking of pupils’ work is also unsatisfactory with some work not marked, and comments only on spelling and handwriting.

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