West Park CofE Primary (Controlled) School

WEST PARK FIRST AND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 th – 28 th November 2000

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WEST PARK FIRST AND MIDDLE SCHOOL

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

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WEST PARK FIRST AND MIDDLE 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. West Park First and Middle School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Marlborough Road Worthing West Sussex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 – 25 April 1996 West Park First and Middle School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members David Marshall 27681 Registered inspector Carolyn Webb 9614 Lay inspector Robert Lever 16492 Team inspector Gail Robertson 24137 Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE West Park First and Middle School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

For the primary phase, West Park is a very large school. There are 785 pupils on roll. There is another large intake at Year 4, and from Year 4 to Year 7 there are five classes in each year group, with approximately 155 in each year i.e. 600+ pupils. The school also has two special support units on the site, known as The Willows, which take around 11 pupils each. One is for specific learning difficulties, the other for those with physical disabilities. To attend these units all the pupils must have completed Statements of Special Educational Need. These pupils are fully integrated into the mainstream school. In the whole school there are 158 pupils on the special educational needs register and 32 with Statements of Special Educational Need, both of which are well above the national average. Ninety two per cent of pupils are from white/UK heritage. There are seven pupils with English as an additional

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

language. In the last school year there have been three fixed period exclusions, and one permanent. There are three per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is below the national average. The majority of pupils come from favourable socio-economic backgrounds.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

West Park is a very good school that provides a happy and stimulating learning environment for its pupils. There is a very positive ethos, and staff and pupils work hard. Pupils achieve good standards in literacy and numeracy, and achieve well in all other subjects. The quality of teaching is very good; pupils are challenged and make good progress whatever their previous attainment. The school offers a very broad curriculum. It also provides very well for the pupils’ personal development. The school is very well led by the headteacher and deputy headteachers, with very good support from all staff and the governing body, and provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their potential by the time they leave school. • The overall quality of teaching is very good, with over 80 per cent being good or better. • The school is outstandingly led and managed by the headteacher, the deputy headteachers, the governing body and key staff. • Pupils’ behaviour and personal development are very good. They are polite, courteous and enthusiastic. They co-operate very well, think of others, and make excellent relationships. • The staff promotes a very good school ethos for learning through the broad curriculum and very good range of additional activities. • Staff accurately assess the pupils' achievements and use the information effectively to ensure best progress. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The school’s relationships with parents are good.

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What could be improved

• The provision for pupils’ cultural development so that they fully appreciate their place in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society. • The provision for the physical development of children in the Foundation Stage. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. West Park First and Middle School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in 1996 when there were a number of key issues to address. The improvement it has achieved since then is good overall. The senior management team created since then includes representatives from all phases of the school and they work together very effectively. The school now has clear planning policies and schemes of work for all year groups and an effective system for assessing pupils’ progress in all subjects, which enables good records to be kept and the curriculum modified appropriately. Financial management is now very clear and less complex and there are good systems for making sure that all spending is cost-effective. The finance committee of the governing body monitors all spending and is involved in putting together the annual budget and school development plan. There is now a very good information and communication technology suite, and many other computers. These allow the full requirements of the National

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Curriculum for information and communication technology to be taught. The quality of home-school links has improved. In particular, the information provided for parents has significantly improved, although it was good at the time of the last inspection. The staff have made every effort to maintain the good ethos and direction of the school that made such a positive impact at the time of the last inspection, and they have been completely successful.

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English C B C D well above average above average A B

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STANDARDS

Mathematics B B C C average below average C D

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STANDARDS

The overall results in English, mathematics and science throughout the school in national tests for 11 year olds in 2000 were average by the time pupils left school when compared with the national test results. However, when their results are compared to similar schools they appear to be lower than could be expected. It is important to remember that the school has two units for pupils with learning difficulties and severe physical problems. In any one year group over a third of the pupils may be on the school’s register of pupils with special educational needs. Therefore, many pupils come into the school with low skills in reading and speaking and listening. This affects their ability to focus on the tasks that are expected of them. In the last three years the school’s improvements in all core subjects of the curriculum have followed the upward national trend. Those pupils with above average potential make

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STANDARDS

good progress. Taking into account the two intakes at reception and Year 4, the very large number of pupils with special educational needs, and the recent increase in overall numbers, these results show the school is successful in meeting its agreed targets for improvement. The school has targets for pupils to attain before they leave the school at the end of Year 7. These targets, based on the school’s own very good assessments, indicate that standards are set to continue their upward trend. Standards in information and communication technology are above average and rising well thanks to pupils’ greater access to computers in the suite. Pupils also achieve good standards in religious education. The overall West Park First and Middle School - 8 achievement of pupils in music is very good, and good in all other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good overall. Pupils are enthusiastic, eager to learn and enjoy coming to school. They take an increasing and good level of responsibility for their own learning as they go through the school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour is very good overall. There is no sign of bullying or oppressive behaviour and pupils understand how their actions affect others.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils form excellent relationships with their teachers, other adults and each other. This makes a very significant contribution to the school’s positive ethos.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Pupils are eager to attend school and arrive on time. Sessions start promptly.

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Aspect Comment

The excellent quality of the relationships throughout the school is a significant strength. Pupils particularly enjoy the successes of others. The strength of these relationships enjoyed by all is testament to the success of the school’s policy of inclusion.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years Aged 7-12 years

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is at least good across the school. There was no unsatisfactory teaching observed during the inspection even though two permanent Foundation Stage staff were absent. Over four-fifths of the teaching was good or better, and over a third was very good or excellent. Teaching in literacy and numeracy is consistently good and the national strategies have been effectively implemented. Teachers encourage pupils to improve their mental mathematics skills through effective planning. The attention paid to developing pupils’ writing skills is enabling older pupils to write lively prose and evocative poetry. Literacy and enquiry skills are well taught through other subjects of the curriculum, so pupils produce interesting topic work in geography and history. The use of numeracy skills in other subjects is very evident. A great strength is the excellent teamwork of the staff, who plan very

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

thoroughly in year teams and provide interesting work for pupils. Setting for mathematics is allowing teachers to target work very precisely and this benefits pupils’ learning. A further strength is the way teachers assess informally in lessons and adjust what they are teaching if needed, to the learning stages of the pupils. Teachers set a brisk pace in lessons and use questions effectively to explore new ideas with pupils and give them feedback on their learning. Good work habits are encouraged throughout the school and this is demonstrated in the good presentation and organisation of pupils’ work as they mature. West Park First and Middle School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is very broad and well balanced. There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities. The needs of older pupils are well catered for by specialist subject teaching.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and a strength of the school. Learning support is effective when pupils are withdrawn from lessons for extra help. Individual education plans are good and are reviewed systematically and regularly. All pupils are enabled to take part in the full curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Pupils with English as an additional language are given good support and make good progress when withdrawn. The quality of teaching is good and ensures their good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development There is good overall provision with a particular emphasis on developing very good moral and social attitudes. There is good provision for pupils‘ knowledge of their own culture, but aspects of the pupils’ multi-cultural development are unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils There is good provision for the pupils’ health and welfare. Careful assessment procedures systematically applied mean that all staff know the pupils’ needs well and all are very caring. Behaviour and discipline policies are in place and are consistently applied by all staff.

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Aspect Comment

The school makes great efforts to work closely with parents and their contribution to their children’s education is encouraged and appreciated. The curriculum is very broad, and pupils get specialised teaching in appropriate subjects as they get older.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent overall. The headteacher provides very caring and purposeful leadership and enables the school’s aims to be achieved through his vision and careful day-to-day management. The deputy headteachers and management team are extremely effective.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their responsibilities well. They visit regularly and understand the needs of the school well.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good overall. The school takes appropriate action to evaluate the results of all decisions and addresses priorities and areas for development very well.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good use is made of all resources. The time available and the accommodation are used very efficiently. West Park First and Middle School - 10 The current level of staffing is more than adequate to meet all the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school accommodation is good and enables the staff to meet the requirements of individual pupils in full. The level of resources is very good and meets the needs of all pupils and the National Curriculum. Currently, the experience and expertise of teachers and support staff provide well for all pupils regardless of ability or background. The good partnership that the headteacher and managers have created enables all staff to give of their best and create a supportive learning environment.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The good standards achieved in all subjects. • The great encouragement given to all pupils regardless of their needs. • The Christian attitudes the school promotes. • The good behaviour of all pupils both in and out of the classroom. • The effective links with parents. • The atmosphere for learning in the school. • The way that teachers are always available to talk to them and nothing is too much trouble. • The amount of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection evidence confirms the positive views of the parents. A few feel that the nature of some of the homework activities leads to some pupils being put under pressure. Some others felt that their children were not given enough homework. The inspection team does not agree with some parents about the homework their children are given. The tasks given as homework are linked with the work being covered in lessons, parents are well informed so they can help, and pupils’ progress is enhanced as a result. West Park First and Middle School - 11

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

1. The pupils achieved average standards in English, mathematics and science in their National Curriculum Tests in 2000 when compared to all schools; but below average when compared to similar schools. It is important when making these judgements to be aware of the school’s separate intakes at reception and Year 4. Over 60 per cent of the pupils’ being assessed in Year 6 have been in the school for less than three years. Many of those pupils in last year’s Year 4, who had been in the school for the majority of their academic careers had above average scores in non-compulsory national tests administered by the school. The school also has a policy of inclusion that is exemplary. The fact that Year 6 in 2000 had at least ten pupils with severe learning difficulties had an impact on the result at the end of Key Stage 2. Regardless of the specific needs of individual pupils, the school works tirelessly to provide

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

whatever is required. Overall, the pupils’ achievements throughout the school in other subjects are above average.

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

2. The language development of about half of the pupils is above average when they enter the reception class. Many children are already able to read and write a few words, and most can hold and use a pencil well. Most pupils talk with confidence about things that interest them and many can count up to ten. The children make good progress as the teachers assess their ability carefully and build on what they already know. Particular emphasis is placed on discussion and pupils are encouraged to review their work from an early age. For example, in one lesson in a reception class, when the teacher took the children on ‘a bear hunt’, her questions were challenging, but fun. This carefully planned opportunity for discussion helped them to extend their vocabulary as well as to reflect on what they already knew.

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

3. The range of activities that the school provides through the framework of the literacy hour is appropriately varied. The teachers are very aware of how to modify the literacy hour to meet the priorities they have outlined. Because writing has been the focus of the school development plan, all teachers are making this an integral part of every lesson. Through monitoring their lessons the school now has a programme for English that is carefully planned and meets the needs of all pupils. This is evident in the range of work completed by all classes this year. In Year 6, in the first few weeks of the year, the pupils were able to write good descriptions with simple, but effective, vocabulary. Last year, after two terms, where they have concentrated on many different genres and language forms, they were writing powerful and effective descriptions in well-organised sentences. This work is prompted well by the

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

teachers’ use of the literacy hour. For instance, one pupil when writing an extended story had added a great deal of effective description. The teacher’s praise and question of – “You added more good description, but how could you have improved your piece further?” – had the effect of prompting further progress. The work in this pupil’s book shows that she could not have written this effectively at the beginning of the year.

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

4. Pupils quickly learn to read, and by the age of seven, most have good strategies for tackling unfamiliar words and show a good awareness of how to read aloud, with expression, in order to help others to understand the meaning of a book or story. The oldest pupils in Year 7 read very confidently from a range of different sources when West Park First and Middle School - 12 considering different interpretations of Chaucer’s ‘The Pardoner’s Tale’. When interviewed these pupils talked about how much they enjoy reading and commented knowledgeably about the fiction they have read, and how they used the library to discover the information they needed in their history and religious education lessons. Throughout the school pupils take the opportunities for researching information and using reference books with great enthusiasm and growing skill.

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

5. Writing skills develop well across the school and are at least average by the end of Key Stage 2 in English and in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils learn to organise their work into coherent paragraphs, and in Years 5, 6 and 7 spelling and punctuation are accurate. All pupils quickly learn to appreciate the purpose of narrative and non- narrative forms of writing and experiment with different grammatical structures. In Year 5 an extended project on play scripts demonstrated the insights that work on different forms of writing, that had preceded these tasks, had enabled. Teachers are always careful to make sure pupils are using words at their appropriate level. This was apparent in a Year 2 lesson when pupils were given a complicated tune to ‘play’ in a music lesson and the teacher used the correct terms throughout. The pupils learnt these terms quickly and enjoyed using them in the plenary session with the rest

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

of the class. Most pupils in the middle school write neatly in ink, with well formed, joined letters. Pupils take great care with the presentation of their work throughout the school.

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

6. In every class, the requirements of the numeracy strategy have been adopted with enthusiasm. Pupils relish the challenge of mental arithmetic ‘quick fire’ questions to start the lesson. In a Year 3 lesson on multiplication as an array, the teacher encouraged the pupils to set their own examples after carefully outlining the objectives of the lesson. This meant that once the more able pupils had completed the basic tasks they were able to set each other some very challenging examples and stretch their own ability without being prompted by the teacher. Pupils answer questions confidently from an early age, and share ideas and strategies for solving problems building on previous work and methods. This means that by the time they reach Years 5, 6 and 7 the teachers are able to concentrate on enhancing the pupils’ ability to use and apply their mathematical skills in an advanced way. A lesson in Year 6

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

where the pupils were being asked to explain how to solve problems, and were able to after careful thought, was an example of the good progress they make.

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Standards are good in all subjects and pupils achieve their own potential by the time

7. In science, the majority of lessons are based on pupil investigations, set initially by the teacher and then from their own research. A good example was in a Year 6 topic on solubility. Pupils in their different groups conducted their investigations with great care. They all had a good understanding of what makes a fair test and interpreted and evaluated their findings well, knowing which elements in the investigation to change and when. The way that pupils were then able to use mathematical ideas to record their findings unprompted by the teacher, was very good. In a Year 2/3 class the level of discussion the teacher created was the significant factor in the pupils wanting to complete their investigation on whether the magnet ‘attracted or repelled’. The constant use of the correct vocabulary ensured the good progress in both knowledge and understanding.

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The overall quality of teaching is very good, with over 80 per cent being good or

8. The overall quality of teaching is a strength of the school. There was no unsatisfactory teaching observed during the inspection even though two permanent West Park First and Middle School - 13 Foundation Stage staff were absent. Over four-fifths of the teaching was good or better, and over a third was very good or excellent.

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The overall quality of teaching is very good, with over 80 per cent being good or

9. Teachers’ planning is very thorough with every possible detail covered. They plan across the parallel classes to ensure consistency of what is taught and this helps to maintain the very high standards achieved throughout the school. Lessons are carefully sequenced to ensure full coverage of a topic or programme of study. Plans outline clear objectives for each lesson, and teachers always tell the pupils exactly what they are going to learn. Grouping is considered very carefully and teachers ensure that activities are always planned to match the attainment level of all pupils. In a Year 2 music lesson, the teacher was careful to make sure that the pupils were sitting in a particular order to make sure they all took part. She did this without any effort and without alerting the pupils to her intentions. The lesson moved forward smoothly as a result.

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The overall quality of teaching is very good, with over 80 per cent being good or

10. A good recap at the beginning was a feature of every lesson observed which prompted pupils’ memories and allowed some useful assessments to be made. A Year 2/3 teacher made great play with the words ‘attract’ and ‘repel’ by allowing the pupils to enjoy their discussions as a recap on their previous lesson on magnetism. In a Year 7 English lesson on how time can alter meaning, the teacher drew from the pupils’ own experiences to place the lesson in context before embarking on the text they were to study. They thoroughly enjoyed exploring words like ‘wicked’, ‘sound’ and ‘smart’. This had the effect of making the pupils aware of the plot, setting and characters before they had even begun and which words they were to look for in the text.

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The overall quality of teaching is very good, with over 80 per cent being good or

11. Teachers have very good skills in managing classroom activities and pupils’ behaviour. They create a very positive atmosphere by giving plenty of praise and always valuing their pupils’ responses. This very supportive, encouraging approach gives pupils great confidence and enhances their self-esteem. During a Year 5 English lesson it was inspiring to watch as a teacher gradually teased out a complicated explanation from a boy with learning difficulties and extended his, and others in the group, vocabulary in the process. This took several minutes of praise and encouragement and involvement of others but succeeded well in the end to the delight of all who took part.

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The overall quality of teaching is very good, with over 80 per cent being good or

12. Throughout the school teachers have very good subject knowledge and understanding. This means they do not miss any opportunity to extend the scope of lessons or the experiences of the pupils. This was evident in a Year 7 English and drama lesson when the teacher took the opportunity to introduce the personal and social learning aspects of a lesson based on designing a Christmas advertisement. The discussions concerning choices and truthfulness went far beyond the original planning of the lesson and added a dimension that was appreciated by all. The fact that the teacher with a Year 4 class, after a museum visit, could draw out so much good history in a literacy lesson was very impressive and motivated the pupils even further.

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The overall quality of teaching is very good, with over 80 per cent being good or

13. All lessons observed during the inspection proceeded at a brisk pace with a variety of activities that engaged and challenged pupils throughout and made the teachers’ high expectations clear. For example in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, the teacher’s enthusiasm, as she made the mental tasks harder and quicker excited the whole class. The questions were carefully planned so pupils of all abilities were part of the opening session and were challenged well. Teachers also understand the need for time for reflection and careful responses. This was particularly evident in a Year 5 West Park First and Middle School - 14 personal, social and health education lesson on drug abuse. The teacher quickly and effectively drew out pupils’ responses and related them to other questions they had already studied in order to make sure they had all fully understood. When pupils began to talk about their own feelings the teacher gave them time to compose their

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The overall quality of teaching is very good, with over 80 per cent being good or

responses, using periods of quiet and reflection on what other pupils had said earlier.

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The school is outstandingly led and managed by the headteacher, the governing

14. The overall leadership and management of the school are excellent. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and a very clear educational direction for the school. His main focus is to improve the already good standards and to continue to include all pupils and to realise the potential of them all whatever their individual needs, skills and talents. With his drive he enables his colleagues to develop fully the potential and personality of the pupils in their care. Several years ago the headteacher made the pledge that every child whatever their needs would be admitted to the school and given the individual support he or she needed in their time at the school. To this day he has never failed to achieve this promise.

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The school is outstandingly led and managed by the headteacher, the governing

15. The senior management team of the headteacher and deputy headteachers has rewritten the school development plan through careful consultation with all staff that guarantees their co-operation. The current plan is exemplary as it identifies all relevant priorities and shows progress in all areas including the curriculum, organisation, management and premises with expenditure identified. Very full monitoring and evaluation opportunities are built into the plan. This means the school takes all appropriate steps to analyse and evaluate how it is performing across all aspects. Effective strategies are in place to address any weaknesses that are identified. These include non-teaching time being made available for classroom support, lesson observations and presentations to other staff and governors by subject co-ordinators, on a regular basis.

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The school is outstandingly led and managed by the headteacher, the governing

16. Over the last three years the senior management team and the curriculum co- ordinators have monitored planning, teaching and standards in all subjects. The monitoring of all teaching, especially in literacy and numeracy, is well recorded and has led to greater consistency in planning and delivery of lessons. Co-ordinators have also been given appropriate non-contact time to up-date their policies and schemes of work. This again contributes to continuity and progression in pupils’ learning in all subjects. The many good cross-curricular links that are a feature of the lessons are well documented.

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The school is outstandingly led and managed by the headteacher, the governing

17. The governors are knowledgeable, supportive and involved. They have established very good committees, each with carefully agreed terms of reference and excellent chairpersons. The chair of the full governing body has a very good relationship with the headteacher and very successfully fulfils the role of ‘critical friend.’ All governors review their priorities, including test results, and are actively involved in overall target setting. Governors fulfil all their responsibilities very successfully and their involvement in the strategic direction of the school is extremely effective.

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courteous and enthusiastic. They co-operate very well, think of others, and make

18. Throughout the inspection, pupils’ behaviour both in lessons and in the playground was very good. Pupils in the Foundation Stage and at Key Stage 1 learn what is West Park First and Middle School - 15 expected of them from the teachers as expectations are known and understood by all. Older pupils at Key Stage 2 and in Year 7, when given responsibility for their own learning and library research, respond in a mature and sensible way and work hard to finish all tasks on time. Throughout the school pupils take a great deal of pride in their work and presentation. They show concern and care for each other’s feelings, supporting each other in lessons without competitiveness. There were many good example of this observed in a number of lessons when pupils with physical difficulties were encouraged and involved by the others in their groups to join in. This is always done naturally and easily with no embarrassment or lack of care.

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courteous and enthusiastic. They co-operate very well, think of others, and make

19. Towards the end of one Year 7 English lesson on different uses of language, the teacher gave the children time to reflect on all they had learned and discussed. There was no silliness or wasting time as they tried so hard to pronounce very difficult words from Chaucer’s ‘The Pardoner’s Tale.’ The teacher created great delight when the pupils heard the history of spelling from the time of William the Conqueror. They began to understand their problems with different spelling rules and the text they were reading. It was a time that was appreciated by all and showed a level of maturity that was exceptional.

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courteous and enthusiastic. They co-operate very well, think of others, and make

20. Pupils really enjoy school, as they confirmed when interviewed, and are always keen to join in lessons. One Year 6 boy, who had attended a different school for some years, observed that he “didn’t know school could be so cool.” They work hard at all times and showed good levels of concentration during all of the lessons observed during the inspection. Pupils above Key Stage 1 persevered even when they found the work very challenging. All pupils showed good levels of attention both in class discussions and group activities. They understand and appreciate their own targets for improvement. They always listen attentively both in whole-class discussions and in small group activities. The pupils’ enthusiastic response to the very good teaching contributes much to their learning.

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courteous and enthusiastic. They co-operate very well, think of others, and make

21. From the earliest years, pupils show good levels of responsibility. When they are given tasks to perform they carry them out sensibly. Pupils are given the opportunities to act independently from the time they start at the school, and respond well. As a result, pupils’ personal development is excellent. Older pupils are keen to help the younger children and take great care when sharing the playground and dining hall with them. Pupils know the school and classroom rules and do their best to follow them. Pupils form excellent and constructive relationships with adults and with each other. These excellent relationships permeate the life of the school and promote the pupils’ consciousness of the school community as a whole. As two Year 6 pupils observed, it is important for them all to work together so they can “Share strengths and think about what you need to do to get better.”

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The staff promotes a very good school ethos for learning through the broad

curriculum and very good range of additional activities.

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The staff promotes a very good school ethos for learning through the broad

22. The school offers a very broad and well balanced curriculum which provides opportunities for pupils to make very good progress in their academic work but also in their all round personal and social education. One major strength is teachers’ awareness of cross-curricular possibilities in lessons. These are developed very well within the high quality planning which ensures consistency across the parallel classes. Thus, pupils will use information technology in a science lesson to explore forces and the Internet to see how the weather may be affecting other parts of the world. Insights into the life and work of a book illustrator, discussed when using a Big Book in a literacy lesson, were used in an art lesson later in the week. West Park First and Middle School - 16 23. Pupils feel comfortable, confident and happy to be at school. One reason is the way that their written and creative work is so attractively displayed in classrooms and

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The staff promotes a very good school ethos for learning through the broad

other areas of the school, which gives pupils a sense of pride in their achievements. Another reason is the quality and range of the extra-curricular activities that add to the opportunities pupils have to enhance their individual skills and interest. The board games and book clubs offers unusual challenges and there are clubs to extend the art and design, music and dance activities the school offers. The many football, netball, cricket and cross country clubs make a significant additional contribution to the pupils’ social development. The Lighthouse Club also makes a good contribution to their spiritual development.

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The staff promotes a very good school ethos for learning through the broad

24. All staff make their own contribution to the effectiveness of the school. The bursar and secretaries are very efficient. They enable the management and teaching staff to concentrate on their own work by attending to many details through their own initiative. In addition, in an organisation with a complicated budget, they make details available whenever necessary and keep up-to-date at all times. They know every pupil and their parents well. Parents and visitors feel reassured when contacted by them that they are giving them accurate and sensible information. The parents are very appreciative of the helpfulness of the support staff. Those pupils in The Willows are helped especially by the good support they receive and as a result enjoy school and make good progress.

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make sure of the best progress. The provision for pupils with special educational

25. The baseline assessment used after the pupils have completed the early years’ stage is very carefully administered and analysed. This means that lessons in the reception class are appropriately challenging and effective. The lesson plans contain ways in which all pupils can be enabled to make good progress. During the year a number of assessed activities are carried out and pupils’ progress mapped. This process is carried out every year. The results of the assessed work have been used to create a portfolio of work that teachers agree represent the various levels of achievement. This moderated work is checked each term by the appropriate curriculum co- ordinator and shared with all other teachers at a staff meeting. This work enables all teachers to plan suitably for all pupils and know that their lessons are an appropriate challenge.

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make sure of the best progress. The provision for pupils with special educational

26. The pupils are arranged in to higher, middle and lower sets for mathematics from the beginning of Year 4. This arrangement is based on a very careful analysis of the end of Key Stage 1 National Assessment Tests. At the end of each year the school uses the optional QCA (Qualification and Curriculum Authority) tests. These are then analysed and the sets for mathematics are modified for the following year as appropriate. This painstaking work ensures that each pupil is working at an appropriate level and making optimum progress. This was particularly evident in two different Year 6 classes where the work being covered on patterns and predictions was similar. However, the planning and preparation was so thorough that the vocabulary and practical examples being used by the teachers were different and appropriate to the level of ability of the pupils concerned.

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make sure of the best progress. The provision for pupils with special educational

27. The careful assessments are used to provide appropriate lessons regardless of the pupils’ age and ability and this means the provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The special educational needs co-ordinator manages this aspect West Park First and Middle School - 17 of the school's provision exceptionally well. She knows the individual pupil’s needs well, which ensures they receive the support they require. There is a comprehensive policy, covering all the statutory requirements.

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make sure of the best progress. The provision for pupils with special educational

28. The individual education plans for pupils on the special educational needs register are appropriate and reviewed regularly. The targets are appropriate to the pupil concerned and represent sensible, small steps forward that are understood by all involved. The parents are well involved with the individual plans and are enabled to make a good contribution to their children’s progress.

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make sure of the best progress. The provision for pupils with special educational

The school’s relationships with parents are good.

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make sure of the best progress. The provision for pupils with special educational

29. The parents work in partnership with the school effectively. Parents feel welcome in the school at all times and regard themselves as part of the school community. The large number of parents who take part in the many school activities is a tribute to the hard work the school devotes to this issue. Every child in the school is involved in all activities, as is every family. It is no surprise that so many parents out of the school’s catchment area choose to send their children here.

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make sure of the best progress. The provision for pupils with special educational

30. The school's newsletters are varied and very informative. Parents are very appreciative of the fact that they really know and understand what their children are doing in the school, and why. The end of year reports are very detailed and enable parents to know that their children are succeeding and how best they can help them to progress in the future. The teaching staff make themselves available to parents at all times and the consultation evenings are appreciated by all and make a real contribution to the progress the children make.

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The provision for pupils’ cultural development so that they fully appreciate their

place in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society.

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The provision for pupils’ cultural development so that they fully appreciate their

31. Although the pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory overall, and in the case of art and music it is good, there is a lack of a multi-cultural dimension in the teachers’ lesson planning. There is evidence that pupils are given opportunities to study major figures like Nelson Mandela and areas of the world like Kenya, where they support a child through their involvement with a charity. However, this is not in sufficient depth nor does it relate to their place in our own multi-cultural society.

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The provision for pupils’ cultural development so that they fully appreciate their

The provision for the physical development of the youngest children.

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The provision for pupils’ cultural development so that they fully appreciate their

32. Children attain satisfactory standards of physical development by the age of five and most can move confidently around the classroom and show pleasure in the progress they make as they run, jump and catch and kick balls in the hall. However, physical activities for these young pupils are limited by the lack of permanent climbing apparatus, planned areas and large toys for use outdoors, and this inhibits their overall physical development.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

33. In order to raise further the overall standards of pupils’ attainment in all aspects of the curriculum, the governors, headteacher and staff should jointly:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) Consider the necessary changes in the school’s schemes of work for Curriculum West Park First and Middle School - 18 2000 where particular emphasis should be given to aspects of the pupils’ multi- cultural education so that they fully appreciate their place in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society and the contribution made to learning from outside Europe. West Park First and Middle School - 19 b) Enable further opportunities for physical activities for pupils in the Foundation Stage by providing suitable permanent climbing apparatus, planned areas and large toys for use outdoors. West Park First and Middle School - 20

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 785

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 34

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 32

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 158

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 26

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 21

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. West Park First and Middle School - 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 16 30 46

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 27 27

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 (95) 91 (89) 91 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 26 28

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 (95) 89 (98) 93 (95) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 85 70 155

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 61 68 77 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 54 53 56

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 74 (77) 78 (73) 86 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (68) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 54 67 70 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 54 54 55

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 70 (69) 78 (76) 81 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. West Park First and Middle School - 22

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 4 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 34.8 Financial year 1999-2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total expenditure 1,528,760

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 22 Expenditure per pupil 1,936

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 347 Balance brought forward from previous year 46,248

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 55,551

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. West Park First and Middle School - 23

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 42 51 4 2 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 36 58 3 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 34 52 8 1 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 33 58 7 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 36 2 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 63 36 1 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 36 54 6 1 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 51 42 2 2 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 48 49 1 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 43 45 7 1 4

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