Other · Ofsted report
Staunton-on-Wye Endowed Primary School
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116913
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Strengths
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- great enthusiasm by her high expectations and excellent classroom management. p.40
- In the excellent teaching observed in Key Stage 2, the teacher had very secure subject knowledge, gave very clear explanations, modelled various ways of how pupils could carry out experiments, kept a rigorous pace at all times, and ensured that support staff were kept informed at all times as to the part that they needed to play on moving the pupils on in their learning. p.40
- Motivation levels to solve the issues were very high, the teacher gave excellent explanations, asked very challenging questions and moved pupils on in their learning at a very brisk pace. p.19
- The excellent relationships established by the class teacher with her pupils helped to make this an extremely useful and positive exercise for all who took part. p.23
- All staff are hard working, know their pupils very well and excellent relationships prevail throughout the school. p.7
Concerns
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- Pupils’ written work is untidy and poorly presented with uneven handwriting, and there are more spelling errors than are to be expected for pupils of their age. p.36
- A lack of emphasis on standards of presentation, spelling, number formation and informative marking which uses pupils’ mistakes as teaching points, contributes to weaknesses in the overall satisfactory teaching in Key Stage 1. p.11
- Formal assessments are satisfactory in English, but there is a weakness in that there is a lack of identification in relation to the skills in which pupils need to improve. p.37
- However, there is a lack of subject specific skill identification, and expectations of what pupils should achieve by the end of each year are not consistently identified. p.12
- A weakness in Key Stage 1 is that opportunities are missed to teach spelling and standard forms of English. p.40
Next steps
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- Standards in English at the end of Key Stage 1, and standards in geography at the end of both key stages are not sufficiently high. p.9
- Although no unsatisfactory marking was seen during the week of the inspection, scrutiny of pupils’ work reveals that there are nevertheless areas for improvement in teachers’ marking of pupils’ work, and in their use of assessments to structure consistently challenging tasks for all pupils especially the higher attainers. p.9
- Both assessment procedures and use of assessments to inform planning are, at present, in the early stages of development; they are unsatisfactory overall. p.9
- This results in inconsistencies in pupils’ rates of progress. p.9
- The school is in the process of realigning its schemes of work with Curriculum 2000 requirements. p.9
- At present, there is a lack of clearly defined expectations relating to knowledge and skills for each year group incorporated into schemes of work. p.9
- This results in assessments not being clearly linked to p.9
- The religious education curriculum in Key Stage 1 is inconsistent in identification of subject specific skills. p.9
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- 49
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- 22,546
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Full report text
SCHOOL
Reporting inspector: Ms B Matusiak-Varley
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SCHOOL
Dates of inspection: 27 th – 29 th September 2000
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SCHOOL
Inspection number: 224453 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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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. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 4
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Staunton on Wye Hereford
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: The governing body
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Name of chair of governors: Dr Richard Bulmer
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: 14 th October 1996 Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 5
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
B Matusiak-Varley Registered inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Music Religious education Under-fives Equal opportunities The characteristics and effectiveness of the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Teaching and learning Leadership and management Key issues for action J Hughes Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers A Giles Team inspector Mathematics History Physical education Quality and range of opportunities for learning
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
C Parkinson Team inspector English Information and communication technology Geography Special educational needs
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Glenside Education Limited 3 Middlefield Close Weaverthorpe Malton North Yorkshire YO17 8EJ
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Team members 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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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
The Registrar Inspection Quality Division
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Staunton on Wye Endowed 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? 12
The school’s results and achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Staunton on Wye Endowed Primary School is a very small school situated in Staunton on Wye 9 miles from Hereford. There are 69 pupils on roll aged 4 – 11 and they are taught in three mixed age classes by three full-time teachers and one part-time teacher. There are 21 per cent of pupils on the special educational needs register which is slightly above average for a school of this size. One child has a statement of special educational need. Around three per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is below average.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is varied but is average overall, however, not all of the pupils have benefited from pre-school education and it takes them longer to settle into the routines of full-time education. A small minority of higher-attaining pupils leaves the school at the end of Key Stage 1 in order to attend local preparatory schools. This depresses test results at the end of Key Stage 2. There are no pupils with English as an additional language. The school receives part of its funding from the Jarvis Trust.
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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
The school provides a secure and caring environment which contributes to pupils’ very good attitudes to learning. All staff are hard working, know their pupils very well and excellent relationships prevail throughout the school. The school provides a good quality of education for its pupils, which has resulted in the oldest pupils being well prepared for their next stage of education. Standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 1 are improving due to the recent rigour of the headteacher’s very good leadership in providing clear educational direction for the school. Inspection findings show that standards in English are improving in Key Stage 1 and that there is still scope for further improvement in order to bring standards up to the national average. The school has recognised this as an area of priority and the recent systems implemented by the headteacher and the staff concerned have not had time to fully impact on the attainment
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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
The overall quality of teaching is good with the best teaching being in Key Stage 2. Governors fulfil their duties well and are fully involved in the life of the school. The school has good strategies to promote educational inclusion and pupils with special education needs make good progress in their learning. The school provides satisfactory value for money.
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What the school does well
• Standards in science, religious education, art and design, history, design and technology and music are high by the time that pupils leave school. This prepares them well for their next stage in education. • The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers are hard working and have excellent relationships with their pupils. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and this results in pupils making good gains in their learning. • The curriculum is good overall; it is broad and generally well balanced. It is tailored to the interest levels of the pupils and this contributes to pupils developing very positive attitudes to their work. Overall, provision for spiritual, moral, social and culture is very good. • The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. Clear educational direction is provided for both governors, staff and parents. • Relationships with parents are generally good with a high proportion in questionnaires stating that the
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What the school does well
Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 8 headteacher and staff are approachable. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 9
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What could be improved
• Standards in English at the end of Key Stage 1, and standards in geography at the end of both key stages are not sufficiently high. • Although no unsatisfactory marking was seen during the week of the inspection, scrutiny of pupils’ work reveals that there are nevertheless areas for improvement in teachers’ marking of pupils’ work, and in their use of assessments to structure consistently challenging tasks for all pupils especially the higher attainers. • Both assessment procedures and use of assessments to inform planning are, at present, in the early stages of development; they are unsatisfactory overall. This results in inconsistencies in pupils’ rates of progress. • The school is in the process of realigning its schemes of work with Curriculum 2000 requirements. At present, there is a lack of clearly defined expectations relating to knowledge and skills for each year group incorporated into schemes of work. This results in assessments not being clearly linked to
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What could be improved
curriculum planning. Minor issues : • The religious education curriculum in Key Stage 1 is inconsistent in identification of subject specific skills. • The accommodation in the school is cramped and is unsatisfactory overall. Staff make the best possible use of accommodation and this is why it is not having an adverse effect on pupils’ standards of attainment. There is no wheelchair access to the school to facilitate any potential pupils with physical disabilities. • Target setting for pupils needs to be more rigorous and consistent so that they know how to improve the quality of their work. • Provision for multicultural education could be improved throughout the curriculum. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.
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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
The school was last inspected on the 14 th October 1996. The present headteacher has only been at the school for two years and one term. In spite of her heavy teaching commitment she has ensured that good improvement has taken place. Since the previous inspection, she has implemented schemes of work for all subjects which now need refining in light of inspection findings and recent government legislation. Pupil tracking has been introduced and analysis of data has been undertaken. Staff have developed good portfolios of work for each subject and the headteacher has monitored teaching and learning throughout the school. The governing body provide good support to staff and is developing their role as critical friends throughout the school. The quality of teaching has improved with examples of excellent teaching seen in Key Stage 2 in science. Standards have improved in art in Key Stage 1, music in key stage 2 and design and technology in
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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
both key stages. Trends over time suggest that high standards have been maintained in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2. The quality of accommodation has improved slightly on the ground floor but staff still operate in cramped conditions. The school’s capacity for further improvement under the present leadership of the headteacher and governing body is good. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 10
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STANDARDS
The table shows the standards achieved by eleven-year-olds based on National Curriculum test results.
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1997 1998 1999 1999
English C E A B mathematics C E A B science C E* A A well above average above average average below average well below average Very low A B C D E E*
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1997 1998 1999 1999
The table takes into account the number of pupils who achieve at the different National Curriculum levels. It compares the school’s results with all schools in the country and with similar schools which are defined as those with similar percentages of pupils qualifying for free school meals. These results must be treated with caution due to a very small percentage of pupils taking the test and in a very small cohort pupils with special educational needs can artificially depress the statistics. Standards in music, art, history and design and technology are above national expectations at the end of both key stages and all pupils including those with special educational needs make good gains in their learning.
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1997 1998 1999 1999
The 1999 results indicate that standards in English and mathematics are well above average in comparison with all schools and above averages for similar schools in English and mathematics and well above average in science. Analysis of 2000 test results also indicates that these high standards have been maintained. Indications in the inspection are that the current attainment of eleven-year-olds is average in English and mathematics and is above average in science. This is because a different group of pupils have been inspected whose academic profile is not as high as that of the previous two years. Compared with all schools in the country and with similar schools, the 1999 National Curriculum test results for seven-year-olds have been very low for the past three years, but in 1999 the results for mathematics were in line with national averages. In reading in 1999 pupils achieved standards which were in the lowest five per cent nationally.
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1997 1998 1999 1999
This trend of low standards has been addressed by the headteacher and standards are improving with the majority of pupils in the 2000 tests achieving standards expected for their age, but there is a significant lack of higher grades for pupils who are above average ability. Inspection findings show that standards in mathematics and science are in line with national averages, but in reading and writing standards are below those expected of seven-year-olds. This is because the present assessment procedures used by the school do not clearly test skills, knowledge and understanding and there is insufficient evidence to complement teachers’ professional judgements of what pupils’ attainment levels are. Current standards of reading, spelling, writing and presentation are not high enough.
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1997 1998 1999 1999
In the foundation stage, pupils attain the early learning goals in personal and social development, communications language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. By the age of four standards in information and communication technology, history and physical education are broadly in line with expectations of pupils of this age. Standards in music, design and technology and art are high. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards in information and communication technology and physical education are in line with national expectations. In art, music, design and technology and history standards are high. At the end of Key Stage 1 in religious education, pupils achieve standards which are broadly in line with the expectations of the locally agreed Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 11 syllabus whereas by the end of Key Stage 2 standards are above those expected of pupils of a similar age.
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1997 1998 1999 1999
In geography, standards are not high enough by the end of both key stages, this is because of weaknesses in curricular planning. However, good use is made of studying the local environment. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Pupils who are above average make satisfactory progress overall, but there are occasions when their rates of progress are inconsistent due to insufficient challenge by tasks which are too easy. This is because the school at present has underdeveloped assessment procedures.
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Aspect Comment
Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and they demonstrate strong Christian values of acceptance, forgiveness, tolerance and care towards one another. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are polite, very well behaved both in and out of the classroom. Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils take responsibility for helping around their class. Pupils co- operate well with one another. Relationships are excellent. Attendance Satisfactory. Authorised absence is high because of the number of pupils with persistent medical problems. All pupils enjoy coming to school, they arrive on time and lessons start punctually.
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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years
Lessons seen overall Satisfactory Satisfactory Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.
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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years
The overall quality of teaching is good overall, even though it contains a significant proportion of satisfactory teaching in Key Stage 1 within which there are weaknesses which impact on the rates of pupils’ progress and their overall attainment levels in English. Around 9 per cent of teaching seen was excellent, this was in science in Key Stage 2. Twenty-seven per cent of teaching seen was very good, this was in music, literacy and art in Key Stage 2, 32 per cent of teaching was good, this included geography and literacy in Key Stage 1, 32 per cent of teaching was satisfactory, this was seen in Key Stage 1 in numeracy, physical education, religious education and in all areas of the foundation stage of learning. There was no unsatisfactory teaching observed. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good overall, but there are, nevertheless weaknesses in the satisfactory lessons seen. Due to the lack of rigorous assessment procedures teaching does not
p.11
Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years
consistently meet the needs of pupils of different levels of prior attainment in the mixed classes, especially the pupils who are above average ability. A lack of emphasis on standards of presentation, spelling, number formation and informative marking which uses pupils’ mistakes as teaching points, contributes to weaknesses in the overall satisfactory teaching in Key Stage 1. A strength of the teaching in Key Stage 1 is the variety of methods that are adopted to keep pupils on task. Rates of learning are good overall but on occasions are inconsistent. When teaching is good or better pupils make good gains in their learning. The quality of teaching is better in Key Stage 2 than it is in Key Stage 1 and this contributes to the higher standards that pupils have attained in English, mathematics and science over the past three years. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 12
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Aspect Comment
The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is broad and generally well balanced with the exception of geography. However, there is a lack of subject specific skill identification, and expectations of what pupils should achieve by the end of each year are not consistently identified. The foundation stage curriculum is satisfactory. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good support is provided for pupils with special educational needs. Teachers and classroom assistants alike know pupils well and work hard on their behalf. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Spiritual, moral and social development is very good. Provision for cultural development is good. Culturally, western heritage is stronger than multicultural development. Teachers provide good role models in the way that they co-operate and work as a team. How well the school
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Aspect Comment
cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection are very good. The school looks after its pupils well. Whilst the effective systems of tracking pupils’ progress have been established, assessments of pupils’ academic attainment with the exception of science are unsatisfactory. Uses of assessment are not rigorous enough. Parents’ views of the school are good. The staff and headteacher are always available to talk to parents. Pupils’ annual reports are clear and contain ideas about how pupils can improve their work.
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Aspect Comment
Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides clear educational direction and is very ably supported by the deputy headteacher. Subject co-ordinators perform their duties well and all staff have made a effective start at analysing data from national assessments in an attempt to further raise standards of pupils’ attainment. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors are conscientious and they support the school, offering time and advice willingly. They fulfil their statutory responsibilities and under the headteacher’s guidance they are monitoring the cost effectiveness of spending. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The headteacher analyses pupils’ performance data with her staff and this year a full set of data has been made available for all staff to predict pupils’ attainment throughout the school. The strategic use of
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Aspect Comment
resources Good. The school’s use of its staffing, funding and other resources is good and governors ensure that any specific grants are spent only on the purposes for which they are intended. Principles of best value are well applied. However, support staff, whilst performing their duties well do not fully intervene in rigorously providing feedback to pupils on improving the quality of presentation of work.
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Aspect Comment
Staffing and learning resources are adequate but the present accommodation is unsatisfactory overall. Classrooms are cramped. There is no access for wheel chairs, pupils with special educational needs on occasions have to be carried down stairs because of the three storeys that classrooms are housed in and the Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 13 overall accommodation for the under fives is cramped. Noise levels disrupt Key Stage 1 pupils’ quiet learning time. Overall, the school provides sound value for money.
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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
• Parents are very pleased with the small school ethos. • The staff are approachable and keep them well informed. • Standards throughout the school are good. • Parents believe that the school is well led and managed. • The school helps their children to grow in maturity and expects them to do their best. • A small minority of parents is not satisfied with the amount of homework that is set. Several parents would appreciate further information of what is expected of pupils by the age of 7 and 11 in English, mathematics and science. • Several parents expressed concern over the limited number of extracurricular activities.
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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
Inspectors endorse parents’ positive views about the school, but find that standards in English could be higher in Key Stage 1. Inspection findings show that homework is set regularly and assure parents that further resources have been bought to vary the homework that pupils bring home. Due to the small number of staff at the school and their involvement in training courses outside school hours, the range of provision for extracurricular activities has been judged as very good. Pupils are receiving a broad and balanced range of extracurricular activities. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 14
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The school’s results and achievements
1. On entering the school at the age of four, the majority of children have skills, levels of knowledge and understanding that are typical for their age. Several of them have had limited pre-school experience. Satisfactory teaching results in these young children making sound gains in their learning. Because of this, by the time pupils begin the National Curriculum at the end of the year in the reception class, most reach the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development. The results of baseline assessments show that standards are average.
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The school’s results and achievements
2. Based on average point scores (a system of comparing test results which takes into account the numbers of pupils who achieve at different levels), standards of attainment in the 1999 National Curriculum test for seven-year-olds in reading were very low when compared with national averages, and in comparison with similar schools standards were in the bottom five per cent. It must be remembered that in that particular year there was a high percentage of pupils with special educational needs and this depressed the results.
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The school’s results and achievements
3. In writing in Key Stage 1, standards were below national averages in comparison with all schools and well below in comparison with similar schools. In mathematics, standards were in line with national averages in comparison with all schools and well below the national average in similar schools. Teacher assessments in science show that standards overall were low.
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The school’s results and achievements
4. Several factors have to be taken into consideration when analysing these results. First of all the cohorts are really too small for any realistic comparisons to be made. Secondly there were very few pupils within the cohort who achieved the higher levels and this would account for the grades being so low. Furthermore, the school has only recently introduced the teaching of reading through a structured skills and phonic approach and whilst there is evidence to suggest that standards are slowly rising, the system has not had enough time to be fully embedded and standards are still too low. The 2000 test results show that whilst the majority of pupils achieved Level 2 in reading and writing, there were very few pupils who achieved Level 3. This fact will once again depress the standards when calculating point scores on the publication of the national statistics. It can therefore be deduced that the trend over time has been on underachievement by the few higher-attaining
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The school’s results and achievements
pupils due to teachers’ expectations not been high enough, which in turn is linked to the lack of rigorous assessments which would aid teachers’ planning. Furthermore, at present, the school’s schemes of work do not fully define clear expectations of achievement for each year group, and in mixed age classes, without these there are difficulties matching tasks precisely to pupils’ prior attainment. Planning for such a wide and varied spread of attainment is very difficult. Furthermore, there is a lack of rigorous assessment procedures that are linked to the planning and which clearly test what pupils know, understand and can do, especially in reading. This results in some pupils, on occasions, not being fully challenged to achieve their full potential. An example of this was seen in a literacy hour in Key Stage 1 when the above average pupils were given holding tasks whilst the teacher concentrated on working with another year group. Another example was
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The school’s results and achievements
seen in a numeracy lesson in Year 1 where pupils had very quickly finished their work which they found easy to execute. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 15 5. A similar picture emerges in pupils’ attainment in mathematics and in science, but there are more pupils attaining the higher levels in science than there are in English and mathematics. However, when taking four years into consideration, standards are slowly rising after they dipped significantly in 1997 in reading, writing and mathematics.
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The school’s results and achievements
6. Results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests for eleven-year-olds show a much better picture, with standards being well above the national average in English, mathematics and science in comparison with all schools and above average in comparison with similar schools in English and mathematics, and well above average in comparison with similar schools in science. In 1998 results were very low but this was because the school cohort of pupils inspected was small and there was a high percentage of pupils with special educational needs. In 1999, the percentage of pupils achieving the higher levels in English and mathematics was above the national average and in science it was well above. This is largely due to the fact that the teachers in Key Stage 2 have high expectations of their pupils which is evident in the high percentage of good or better teaching seen during the week of inspection. Furthermore, the recent introduction of interim testing has enabled the teachers to
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The school’s results and achievements
gain a clearer understanding of how their pupils’ achievement compares to National Curriculum levels. At present, although most teachers assess pupils’ understanding at the end of topics, the information gained is not directly linked to the planning of what needs to be done next. This results in the needs of higher-attaining pupils not being consistently identified and tracked as they move through the school. This year is the first year that the headteacher has a full set of data available and plans are in place to use this data to accurately measure pupils’ performance. In science for example, Year 2 pupils are taught alongside Year 3 and Year 4 pupils in an attempt to further raise standards. This capitalises on utilising the teacher’s subject specialism in improving pupils’ rates of progress.
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The school’s results and achievements
7. Trends over time suggest that over four years in Key Stage 1 standards were well below national average in reading and writing, whilst in Key Stage 2 taking all core subjects together the performance of pupils was close to the national average.
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The school’s results and achievements
8. Evidence in the inspection shows that by the end of Key Stage 1, most seven-year-olds reach expected standards in terms of confidence and willingness to speak and they take turns to speak and listen appropriately. Pupils are making inconsistent progress in their reading. Whilst there is evidence to suggest that pupils’ achievements in reading are improving they are just below the required standards expected for seven-year-olds. The impact of the literacy hours is a contributory factor in the improvement of pupils’ reading skills, but further emphasis on the teaching of rigorous reading skills is needed, especially in the guided reading sessions when pupils are working with support staff. Pupils enjoy their shared reading and are developing the ability to use punctuation as a guide to expression when reading aloud. Several pupils know how to use tables of contents to find information and a few are confident in using alphabetical order to look up items in an index
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The school’s results and achievements
enabling them to apply their reading to research in other subjects. However, these higher skills are not found frequently enough and result in standards being below average. Writing by the age of seven is below average. Some pupils do not form their letters correctly and size and consistency of letters is uneven with pupils not joining their letters. Several pupils continue to miss capitals and lower case letters in their writing. Work in pupils’ folders shows a heavy reliance on published work sheets and there is a lack of rigour in insisting on best work on a daily basis. Spelling is weak. However, the recent introduction of teaching phonics and the hard work demonstrated by the teacher in attempting to redress the underachievement of the pupils is starting slowly to impact on the rates of pupils’ achievements.
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The school’s results and achievements
9. By the age of eleven, in spite of the good and very good teaching seen, standards are average. This is because the academic profile of the pupils is skewed towards average and below average ability Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 16 levels. This year’s cohort is very different to that of both last year and the previous year where pupils’ attainment levels were very high. Pupils attain sound standards in speaking and listening and are keen to share their views both with adults and among themselves. Standards in writing are average.
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The school’s results and achievements
10. Pupils’ responses to teachers’ questions show that most are attentive and are able to offer explanations which contribute well to learning. Pupils are able to offer plausible suggestions as to why experiments might not be fair as was evidenced in a science lesson in Key Stage 2.
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The school’s results and achievements
11. Pupils attain average standards in reading and are familiar with a range of texts and authors and merrily chat away at discussing their responses to plot and characters in relation to the Harry Potter books that they have read. Pupils have good research skills and have produced some interesting writing research on Tudors using both the internet and library books. Their presentation skills improve as they move on up the school with several good examples of work seen in Year 5/6. By the age of eleven pupils can use emotional and descriptive language well.
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The school’s results and achievements
12. In mathematics, standards are broadly average by the age of seven and eleven. Most seven-year- olds have a clear understanding of the place value of tens and units and can carry out simple calculations accurately. They recognise simple number patterns and know the difference between odd and evens. They use money effectively and can work out simple problems mentally. Numeracy is sound with pupils showing competency in handling and talking about numbers, and collecting and displaying information in bar charts. The majority of pupils have a secure understanding of shape, space and measures. In Year 6 most pupils have a sound understanding of number, knowing decimal notation and dividing numbers by ten and a hundred correctly. They have good knowledge of multiplication tables with quick speed recall, fractions and most relate the commonly used ones to decimal form. They can construct simple line graphs, interpret their results
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The school’s results and achievements
and make conclusions, understanding mode and median which they readily apply to their calculations in science. Previously recorded work shows that they are developing their own strategies for working out problems.
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The school’s results and achievements
13. The school sets realistic targets for attainment in English and mathematics by the age of eleven and these have been met.
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The school’s results and achievements
14. In science attainment of seven-year-olds is average. They produce diagrams of the life cycles of frogs, hens and butterflies. They have started to sort the animal kingdom into groups, such as birds, fish, mammals, and know the conditions that plants need to grow. They study materials successfully and know that categories of hardness and roughness can be used to sort them. They investigate shadows and generally make sound gains in their learning. However, the quality of their presentation is untidy and insufficient opportunities are given to pupils to present their findings in a variety of ways.
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The school’s results and achievements
15. By Year 6 attainment in science is high. This is due to the overall very good quality of teaching. A particular strength is the way that pupils set up their own experiments and the variety of ways in which they record their findings. They know properties of materials, the solar system and how to look after our environment. They use information and communication technology well to support their learning. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with expected levels in both key stages and pupils make sound gains in their learning. Growing confidence amongst staff, appropriate support from the information and community technology co-ordinator, improvements in resources have contributed strongly to this. Standards in religious education are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus at the end of Key Stage 1 and are above expectations at the end of Key Stage 2 with sound and good progress made respectively.
p.16
The school’s results and achievements
Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 17 Insufficient emphasis is placed on teaching subject specific skills in religious education in Key Stage 1 and further opportunities for developing literacy are needed. The co-ordinator has recognised this as an area for improvement.
p.17
The school’s results and achievements
16. Standards in music, art, history, design and technology are above national expectations in both key stages and all pupils make good gains in their learning. Particular strengths in attainment were found in design and technology in planning, designing and evaluating products; art in mixing colours, observational drawing and line drawing, music in singing and performing at the end of both key stages and history in research and chronology and use of artefacts at the end of Key Stage 2. However, standards in geography at the end of both key stages are not high enough due to inconsistencies in curriculum planning. The school has recognised this as an area for improvement. Standards in physical education are in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages and the school attained good results in swimming. Pupils identified as special educational needs are carefully assessed and tasks are matched to their needs. An analysis of their work, both in class
p.17
The school’s results and achievements
and when receiving individual tuition shows that they make good progress in relation to their prior learning across the whole school, especially in literacy and understanding of number. These pupils are well supported by all staff.
p.17
The school’s results and achievements
17. Since the previous inspection standards have noticeably improved in art, music and history in Key Stage 1, design and technology in both key stages, and history in Key Stage 2. Due to the increasing emphasis on literacy in the science curriculum, standards in science at the end of Key Stage 1 are now sound rather than good, with standards in English and religious education not as high as judged in the previous inspection at the end of Key Stage 1. This is partly due to a different cohort of pupils being inspected whose academic attainment is different to that of the previous cohort inspected in 1996.
p.17
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
18. Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development are very good and this helps them to become effective learners.
p.17
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
19. Pupils really enjoy coming to the school. They are enthusiastic and eager to learn and persevere very well with the tasks set in lessons. Many are very keen to talk about their work, the books they read and their interests, both in and out of school. They are proud of their school and respond very well to the caring attitudes of the headteacher and all the adults working in the school. Pupils with special educational needs respond equally well to the positive climate for learning and show delight when they complete a task or errand correctly. For example, one little girl delivered milk money to the secretary and very carefully repeated the message with which she had been sent. Her sense of achievement was evident for all to see as she beamed her way back to class.
p.17
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
20. The number of pupils with special educational needs is slightly above average, and one pupil has a statement. The majority of these pupils are categorised as having mild to moderate learning difficulties and one has severe learning difficulties.
p.17
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
21. Pupils with special educational needs have very good attitudes to learning. They are confident and keen to work both independently and in response to additional adult support. The wide range of learning ability and different stages of learning in the mixed age classes, help to ensure that pupils do not feel singled out. Pupils are usually identified quickly because the teachers work together very closely. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 18 22. Behaviour is very good both in classrooms and around the school and this has a very positive impact on pupils’ learning. Lessons are conducted in a calm and productive atmosphere and the school functions as a very orderly community. There have been no exclusions from school over the past year. Pupils have a very clear understanding of what is acceptable and they are well mannered in their exchanges with their peers and with adults. Lunchtimes and playtimes are very pleasant social
p.17
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
occasions where pupils obviously feel at ease with teachers and the lunchtime staff.
p.18
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
23. Relationships throughout the school are excellent and are central to the school’s caring ethos. Younger and older children work and play very well together and they are quick to help each other with any problems. For example, one little girl struggled to open her drink bottle at the lunch table so the boy sitting opposite opened it for her without even a break in the conversation. Pupils are confident that adults in the school are always sensitive to their needs and this encourages them in all aspects of their academic and personal development.
p.18
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
24. Pupils’ personal development is very good and this helps them to become increasingly mature and independent. They share resources well and respond sensibly during personal discussions during circle times when they talk thoughtfully about aspects of their own personal lives. These are confident children who are able to express themselves orally with some clarity. They really enjoy chatting to visitors about what they are doing. Such self-assurance is a direct response to the positive role models the staff provide. Many pupils participate in the varied programme of very good extracurricular activities; some of these such as football and chess include involvement in community events and sporting occasions that extend their experiences of the wider world.
p.18
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
25. The quality of pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development is similar to the high standards reported in the previous inspection report.
p.18
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
26. Levels of attendance are satisfactory although lower than reported at the time of the previous inspection. This is mainly due to the amount of authorised absence accrued by some pupils with specific medical needs. There is no unauthorised absence. Pupils are brought to school on time and there is a prompt start to the day.
p.18
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
27. The quality of teaching is good overall and contributes to the good gains that pupils make in their learning. This results in the oldest pupils being well prepared for their next stage of education in secondary school.
p.18
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
28. Nine per cent of teaching was excellent, this was seen in science in Key Stage 2, 27 per cent of teaching was very good, this was seen in literacy, music, art and history in Key Stage 2, 32 per cent of teaching was good, this included literacy and geography in Key Stage 1, 32 per cent was satisfactory, this was seen in Key Stage 1 in numeracy, physical education and religious education and in all areas of learning in the foundation stage. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the week of inspection but there are nevertheless areas for improvement within the satisfactory teaching. The quality of teaching in the foundation stage of learning is satisfactory overall, but there are insufficient opportunities provided for pupils to record their work.
p.18
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
29. The quality of teaching is better in Key Stage 2 than it is in Key Stage 1 and results in pupils making faster gains in learning. This is because teachers have higher expectations of their pupils in this key stage and insist on them producing neatly presented work. In Year 3 and Year 4 the teacher has to catch up on teaching pupils skills which they should have acquired in Key Stage 1, such as correct letter formation, neat lay out and presentation, spelling and extended sentence construction. In Key Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 19 Stage 1 there is a lack of rigour in marking, using pupils mistakes as teaching points, providing challenging targets for pupils to improve the quality of work, and using support staff to intervene in raising pupils’ awareness on how they can improve upon their previous performance. The range of teaching methods used in Key Stage 1 is good overall, this was seen in literacy and numeracy and
p.18
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
this is a contributory factor to pupils developing positive attitudes to learning and staying on task. However, when tasks are not challenging enough such as in Year 2, above average pupils participated in holding activities consisting of pencil play and letter formation, rates of progress slow down and inconsistent gains are made in learning. Teachers in both key stages have excellent relationships with their pupils and are successful in providing a secure learning environment within which pupils can voice their concerns if they are struggling with work. Time is generally used effectively and lessons are managed at a brisk pace. Teachers are skilled at making the content of lessons relevant to pupils’ experiences and generally use well-prepared resources and worksheets. This was seen in literacy in Key Stage 1; the teacher taught phonics to pupils using a range of interesting games such as ‘swap shop’, ‘lotto’ and ‘I spy’. In numeracy opportunities were
p.19
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
provided for pupils in Key Stage 1 to whisper and shout odd and even numbers. Very good use was made of two pupils who were put in role as a magician and his assistant who needed help adding up numbers from two bags. This strategy caused pupils to stay focused in order to help the magician add up the numbers.
p.19
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
30. Teachers’ planning is satisfactory overall, but it could be better. It lacks definition of skills that pupils are to acquire and this is because not all of the present schemes of work clearly identify the skills that need to be acquired in by the end of each year. In mixed age classes this often results in the oldest pupils having more opportunities to consolidate their knowledge rather than extending it. The best planning was seen in science in Key Stage 2, this is because the teacher has a detailed scheme of work to plan from. A good feature of all teachers’ planning is the identification of subject specific vocabulary, this enables pupils to make good gains in learning technical vocabulary, for example in Key Stage 1 in numeracy, the teacher provided ample opportunities for pupils to understand the terms ‘addition’, ‘equals’, ‘the same as’, and ‘the sum of’. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils, for example in Key Stage 2 in music the teacher taught the pupils how
p.19
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
to sing in four-part harmony in a very short time. However, expectations in Key Stage 1 could be even higher if schemes of work identified very clearly what pupils should know, understand and do in every year group, and if assessments clearly identified the gaps that pupils have in their knowledge, especially in their reading skills in Key Stage 1. Teachers manage their pupils very well, firm classroom routines are established and this results in pupils learning in a secure environment. Very good opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their skills of independence in Key Stage 2 through the various forms of group work. For example, in Years 2, 3 and 4, pupils worked as geologists examining rocks and in Year 5 and 6 pupils worked as advisors to a paper manufacturer who had to respond to a series of letters from customers who were experiencing problems with the type of paper and card that they were using.
p.19
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
31. This fictitious context for learning enabled pupils to get to grips with the real problems that manufacturers experience. Motivation levels to solve the issues were very high, the teacher gave excellent explanations, asked very challenging questions and moved pupils on in their learning at a very brisk pace. Opportunities for pupils to develop their skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology were numerous and this contributed to the very good short-term gains that pupils made in their learning because they were challenged both intellectually and creatively. In both key stages teachers used good questioning in order to cater for the different needs of pupils.
p.19
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
32. Teachers’ marking is very variable throughout the school. It is satisfactory in Key Stage 2 and unsatisfactory in Key Stage 1. This results in the younger pupils not knowing how to improve the Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 20 quality of their work. The best examples of marking were seen in Year 5/6 in English where the teacher made it very clear for the pupils where they had made mistakes and what they could do to improve on the quality of their work. Teachers do not fully use pupils’ mistakes as teaching points and this limits their rates of learning especially in spelling in Key Stage 1. There is insufficient rigour in ensuring that pupils date their work, underline work that is finished, present their work neatly and have opportunities to correct the parts that they have got wrong. Support staff in Key Stage 1 miss opportunities, when working with pupils, to correct spelling mistakes and poor letter
p.19
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
and number formation. The teaching of children in the foundation stage is satisfactory overall but there are insufficient opportunities provided for children to record their work. For example, in structured play activities in the Doctor’s Surgery and in the sandpit insufficient emphasis is placed on developing pupils’ recording skills supported by adult intervention. These missed opportunities slow down the children’s pace of working. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers in both key stages have high expectations of these pupils and offer appropriate support to ensure that they make good gains in their learning.
p.20
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
33. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. Individual educational programmes are informative in both key stages and teachers are clear about pupils’ needs. Marking of pupils’ work could be better, but individual work with pupils is good. Recording procedures are sound. Teachers value the help of external agencies and use their suggestions well. Relationships between pupils and teachers are very good and this helps all pupils to feel valued and at ease.
p.20
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
34. Since the previous inspection the quality of teaching has improved, as there is a higher percentage of excellent, very good and good teaching.
p.20
PUPILS?
35. The school provides a good balanced curriculum appropriately structured to enable all pupils to have good access and opportunity to the majority of subjects. This is a good reflection of the aims and values set by the school, especially the strong focus that is placed on developing pupils’ personal and interpersonal skills. All statutory requirements are met. There is a daily act of worship that complies with the legal requirements and which is broadly Christian in character. Clearly established planning using National Curriculum guidelines is an improvement since the previous inspection and plans are underway to ensure that the new curriculum 2000 legislation is put in place. The curriculum for the foundation stage of learning is satisfactory overall and provides a broad range of activities which cover all areas of learning. However, opportunities for these young children to extent their learning experiences into formal recording of their work are limited even
p.20
PUPILS?
though a significant number of them are ready for it.
p.20
PUPILS?
36. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and both these initiatives have had recent and positive affects in raising standards. Recently introduced reading initiatives such as the phonics and structured reading approach are starting to have a positive impact on standards. Curriculum planning within the school is making appropriate use of all these schemes to improve pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in all other areas of the curriculum. For example, in Year 6 several pieces of extended writing were seen in history and design and technology. Pupils, in both key stages, wrote clear explanations of how they can improve their models and the importance of measuring their pre-planned designs accurately. There is a balance of the government’s requirements to emphasise the core subjects of English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and religious education. Most other subjects receive an
p.20
PUPILS?
appropriate allocation of time. The exception to this is geography which has had a minimal, and at Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 21 times, insufficient curriculum allocation and this is a contributory factor to standards being below expectations at the end of both key stages.
p.20
PUPILS?
37. Very good provision is made for pupils' personal and social education. Health education is covered within the science, personal, social, health education and general curriculum. There is a consistent approach to developing pupils’ personal skills through effective teaching strategies that include pupils in discussion. The school has a clear and informed policy on sex and drug education and pupils work with the school nurse and local police when learning these issues. Productive circle time further encourages pupils to co-operate in sharing feelings and pupils’ concerns. Older pupils tackle sensitive issues through lesson and assembly themes. Positive behaviour and discipline is fostered through personal responsibility and respect for other people.
p.21
PUPILS?
38. Policy documents are in place and are being reviewed for all National Curriculum subjects. All policies are effectively implemented, regularly reviewed and provide a whole-school focus for learning. A rolling programme for mixed-age classes ensures a logical and coherent structure to each unit of work that logically connects each stage of the pupils' learning as they move through the school. Planning in all subjects identifies learning objectives, but there is a lack of expectations of what pupils should attain in each year group at the end of the year. This results in classroom tasks not always identifying appropriate core work, extension and support group activities that ensure a match of task to age and ability, and results in relatively few pupils attaining higher levels.
p.21
PUPILS?
39. The school is committed to providing equality of opportunity for all its pupils. This is reflected in policy statements that have statements regarding equality of access and opportunity and it is evident in the practice around the school. All pupils receive a full entitlement to the subjects of the National Curriculum. Work is carefully adapted to meet their differing prior attainment, but not always to their true potential. The school has made progress to redress this issue. It rearranges classes in English, mathematics and science to ensure the most able pupils receive appropriate teaching. The problem is more evident in the mixed-age Key Stage 1 class where planning is not always catering for the most able pupils, when they are taught as a whole class with Year 1 and reception pupils.
p.21
PUPILS?
40. The community makes a very good contribution to pupils’ education. The emergency services organise cycle training, personal safety and first aid days. Village facilities such as the hall and church are often a focus for pupils’ performance. Arts funding is used to support the visits of local artists, photographers and theatrical performers. Well-attended technology events are a feature of the school and sharing the technology facilities and expertise in a local secondary school further enhances pupils’ knowledge. The school shares valuable dual learning experiences with their cluster primary school group. They also have very good contacts with the pre-school that shares the same site.
p.21
PUPILS?
41. The provision for extracurricular activities is very good and staff work diligently to provide a wide range over the year. These include craft, computer, various sports, dancing and chess. Additional science and mathematics classes also aid understanding and motivation. Many pupils take part in a range of regional displays and inter-school competitions and visit a wide range of places of educational interest such as Caerleon Roman remains and the Hartlebury museum.
p.21
PUPILS?
42. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Individual educational plans are used well and support assistants work effectively and unobtrusively with pupils. The co-ordinator for special educational needs uses the time allocated to her for her duties to give pupils individual support, although additional time is made available for administrative duties from time to time. The headteacher deals with additional duties arising from day to day. The school is in the early stages of introducing sign supported English to help to develop spoken language for those with difficulties. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 22 There is recognition of its benefits and the need for it to be used fluently and consistently by as many people as possible for it to have good effect. Resources are good and staffing is efficiently used.
p.21
PUPILS?
43. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. This is strength of the school and contributes to the excellent relationships that exist. Very good spiritual awareness is developed through the wonders of life. In history and religious education pupils are taught about human endeavours in spite of adversity, such as the work accomplished by Louis Pasteur and Florence Nightingale. In science, pupils are amazed looking at graphs showing gestation and incubation of animals. Work from a visit to Shortwood farm displays the splendour of new life in animals. Pupils have a vast experience of the wonders and features of Roman, Saxon and Victorian culture. Pupils who are under five marvel at new technology when instructing a computerised roamer to travel round their village maps. Social interaction is consistently developed in classes with high expectations of collaborative group work. Group problem solving is a feature of
p.22
PUPILS?
mathematics work. Older pupils are buddies to the younger ones and read to them in class. There are positive residential experiences with pupils from other primary schools.
p.22
PUPILS?
44. Moral development is encouraged through interpretation of Bible readings, teasing out the message of stories, such as that in the story of the ‘Good Samaritan’. Acts of collective worship encourage pupils’ moral to reflect on their conscience and how their acts can have significant impact on the lives of other people.
p.22
PUPILS?
45. Circle times (opportunities for pupils to engage in deep and meaningful conversations) encourage pupils to think about relationships and how other people have feelings. Pupils’ social development is encouraged through very good opportunities for group work. At playtimes and lunchtimes pupils have very good opportunities to play together and the older pupils look after the younger ones, ensuring that no one is left out during these social encounters. Pupils make termly choices about fundraising and sponsored events for good causes such as Christmas boxes for Eastern Europe children. Work across the curriculum makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development. Technological and artistic appreciation is consistently featured in arranged aspects of pupils’ work. They learn about a wide range of famous artists and composers. In religious education and history they study the culture of the Romans and the faiths of different religions, such as Islam, Buddhism,
p.22
PUPILS?
Judaism and Hinduism. They have many opportunities to become aware of their own culture such as participating in horse shows, village fêtes and have taken part in musical presentations at Hereford Cathedral. Their understanding of the cultural mix of contemporary Britain is only satisfactory as insufficient emphasis is placed upon both art and music of different cultural mixes.
p.22
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
46. The school takes very good care of its pupils; this has a very positive effect on their attitudes and the progress they make. This is one of the strengths of the school’s provision and is highly valued by parents.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
47. All aspects of health and safety are carefully addressed by the school. Staff work well together to provide a safe and secure learning environment. First aid arrangements are effective and the school carefully records the provision and administration of any first aid.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
48. Child protection arrangements are very secure and are well known to all staff. The deputy headteacher is designated as being responsible for this area and she works closely with the headteacher to ensure the well being of all pupils. This is a very caring school where the headteacher and all the staff are very conscientious in their duty of care. Outside support agencies Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 23 are very supportive of the school and their expertise is well used by the school to ensure the best possible solution to problems for parents and their children.
p.22
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
49. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are satisfactory and the majority of pupils attend school very regularly. Class teachers monitor the attendance of pupils in their classes and are quick to identify pupils who have frequent absences. The school seeks support from the educational welfare officer to help resolve individual problems. In such a small school, the authorised absence of a few pupils with persistent medical problems can make a significant difference to attendance rates and this accounts for the slight fall in attendance figures since the last inspection. Parents are conscientious about informing the school of reasons for their children’s absence and consequently, there is no recorded unauthorised absence.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
50. Very effective procedures are in place to promote good behaviour and this has a significant impact on pupils’ learning as they waste little time during the school day. Adults are very consistent in their promotion of positive behaviour and the Friday assembly celebrates pupils’ noteworthy achievement, effort and behaviour. There is very little oppressive behaviour and the school has suitable systems in place to deal with any rare occurrences. Led by the headteacher, the school promotes an ethos of communal responsibility which ensures pupils are sensitive to the needs of others.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
51. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by the special educational needs co- ordinator and teachers make good use of the individual education plans that are drawn up for pupils in their class. New facilities are in place to help with the care of pupils with specific physical disabilities and the school provides as fully as possible for these pupils, bearing in mind the difficulties posed by the three storey accommodation.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
52. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory overall. Staff have a broad understanding of what pupils know and can do but a formal system of whole school assessment and monitoring has yet to be implemented. At present, assessment is centred on portfolios of work and end of unit tests. It does not, however, provide a close enough analysis of pupils’ work to identify exactly what it is that they can and cannot do and this prevents pupils of varying abilities from reaching their highest potential, particularly in reading and writing at Key Stage 1. The school has made an effective start at tracking pupils’ progress but as yet this information does not fully provide detailed breakdown of what pupils know, understand and can do. Good examples of assessment were seen in science, but these are not uniformly applied throughout the school.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
53. The school provides very good levels of support and advice for pupils to promote their personal development. The programme of personal, social and health education is well considered and teaches pupils how to listen to the opinions of others and to be sensitive to their needs. Pupils respond very well to these opportunities. For example, during circle time in a Year 3 and 4 class, pupils talked about what made them worry. They all remembered the convention to listen carefully during this special circle time and they all managed to make sensible contributions which ranged from being worried when left alone in the house to what would happen if their pet got lost. The excellent relationships established by the class teacher with her pupils helped to make this an extremely useful and positive exercise for all who took part.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
54. Parents are very happy with the care given to their children and feel able to approach the school with any concerns they may have. Support, guidance and pastoral care is of a similarly high standard as at the time of the last inspection and the school should be proud of this provision. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 24
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
55. Parents and carers hold positive views of the school as expressed in questionnaire responses, at the pre-inspection parents’ meeting and to inspectors during the inspection. These are similar to the views they held at the time of the last inspection. Parents are particularly impressed with standards of behaviour at school and with the care their children receive.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
56. The school maintains good links with parents and carers who are generally very appreciative of the work of the school. The headteacher tries to constantly reinforce the lines of communication between home and school and takes note of any suggestions made by parents. The school positively encourages parents’ involvement in their children’s learning and most parents feel well informed about the progress their children make although a small number would like even more information. The home school agreement is very well constructed and communicates the ethos of the school to parents without overwhelming them with too much detail. This very much reflects the thoughtful and considerate approach of the headteacher.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
57. The school provides good levels of curriculum information for parents through a detailed section in the current prospectus, regular letters and attractive displays. Parents understand what their children are learning and are able to offer positive support and encouragement at home. Parents make a particularly strong contribution to their children’s reading skills. The school emphasises the importance of parents reading to their children and hearing them read each day. Pupils’ burgeoning daily reading diaries are proof of parental diligence in this area. There are occasions when a few parents feel the school sends out information about topics or events rather late. This prevents parents from being able to make long-term plans.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
58. There are many opportunities for parents to learn about the progress their children make during the year. Informal discussions are regular occurrences at the end of the school day and staff are readily accessible to parents. Regular parents’ evenings provide more formal occasions when parents can discuss this progress with class teachers and look at the work their children have completed. The end of year written reports to parents are of good quality and provide a clear picture of what children can do and what they need to do to improve.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
59. Parent helpers, governors and members of the community all play a significant role in the support of pupils’ learning. They work well with class teachers to ensure their skills are best employed, either to benefit individual pupils or small groups. The Curate is a regular visitor to the school and plays an active part in the spiritual and moral development of all pupils. Parents are active fundraisers for the school and contribute a variety of learning resources to support pupils’ learning.
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
60. The good levels of involvement of parents and carers with the work of the school have a positive impact on children’s learning and are similar to those reported in the previous inspection report. 61. This is a positive area of the school’s work and it makes a strong contribution to pupils’ learning.
p.24
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
62. The leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher has only been in post just over two years and is providing clear educational direction for the school in order to further raise standards throughout the school, especially in English, mathematics and science in Key Stage 1. The headteacher’s vision is underpinned by strong Christian principles and this results in valuing all members of the school community. This contributes to the very good ethos which permeates all aspects of the school’s work. The headteacher is very ably supported by a hard working and knowledgeable deputy headteacher. The small number of staff places heavy demands on the Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 25 curriculum co-ordinators who fulfil their duties well. They are interested in the practice of their subject and they have worked very hard at producing portfolios of work in all of their subjects in
p.24
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
order to keep a record of work that has been covered and standards that pupils have reached. The headteacher has monitored teaching and learning throughout the school in spite of her own heavy teaching commitment and has rightly identified areas for improvement. She has made a very good start at analysing data from national test results and with the help of the local education authority inspector has started to analyse how the school compares with other schools. This information is shared with the staff and governing body and issues identified have been made priorities on the school development plan which give a cohesive steer to the school’s work. The school understands its strengths and weaknesses and is taking positive action to further raise standards. For example the headteacher has rightly identified the need to implement a rigorous phonic programme in Key Stage 1 in order to raise standards in reading and writing. This has been effectively implemented
p.25
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
but has not had time to become fully embedded and standards are still not high enough, but during the week of inspection evidence supported the fact that pupils were starting to make sound progress. The headteacher has recognised the need to further improve assessment procedures. She has set up a detailed system for tracking pupils’ progress and targeting pupils who are underachieving, but as yet assessments are not fully linked to curriculum planning and are unsatisfactory overall.
p.25
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
63. Management of special educational needs is very good. The teachers and staff are clear about their input, and information about the pupils is shared so that they can work together consistently. Time and resources are efficiently used and relationships with parents are good.
p.25
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
64. The governing body fulfils its duties well, governors receive good information from the headteacher and they are fully conversant with the implementation of performance management. They have set the headteacher realistic but challenging targets and the headteacher has in turn appraised the staff and has identified with them areas for further development of their practice. Procedures are in place to monitor the outcomes of this work. There is a shared commitment to improvement and the headteacher’s very good skills of leadership, decision making, management of change and communication help the school to be successful in its undertakings. The school has explicit aims and values, including a commitment to good relationships, equality of opportunity and is totally dedicated to the implementation of effective inclusion strategies which results in good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Management of special educational needs is very good. The
p.25
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
teachers and staff are clear about their input, and information about the pupils is shared so that they can work together. The headteacher has rightly identified the need to provide challenging opportunities for higher-attaining pupils and these Key Stage 1 pupils in Year 2 are on occasions taught with Year 3 and 4, and Year 4 pupils have the opportunity to work with Year 5/6. Educational priorities are supported through careful financial planning and the governors have rectified all the issues identified in the auditor’s report. School administration is very good. The school secretary is very supportive and all administrative systems run smoothly. Governors are given regular printouts of spending incurred and both resources and grants are used strategically. The school receives donations from the Jarvis Trust and governors effectively apply the principle of best value when purchasing resources. There is an appropriate match of teachers and support staff
p.25
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
and the school is generally well resourced. The school has recently purchased good resources for English and mathematics and this is contributing to the very good attitudes of pupils. However the accommodation is unsatisfactory overall.
p.25
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
65. The school is housed on three floors and moving equipment is very difficult. Pupils with special educational needs have to be carried downstairs in case of a fire alarm and those with dipelgia cannot manoeuvre the stairs easily. The accommodation for the youngest children is very cramped and noise levels carry and disturb the quiet time of Year 1 and Year 2 pupils. The staff and Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 26 governing body have worked very hard to improve the accommodation and ensure that this does not impinge on pupils’ levels of attainment. However, large canvas work in art, larger group work in all subjects and gymnastics cannot be fully undertaken without displacing both staff and pupils.
p.25
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
66. Overall, the school makes the best possible use of the limited finances and provides satisfactory value for money. Since the previous inspection there has been a change of headteacher. The leadership and management of the school remains very good but further progress has been made in developing rigorous systems and procedures to ensure accountability. The governing body is more involved in strategic decision making and the previous action plans have been implemented successfully. Income per pupil is very high due to small school funding, the quality of teaching is good overall, and standards are generally in line by the time pupils leave school with high attainment in science, art, history, design and technology, music and religious education.
p.26
by:
• further developing schemes of work with clearly defined expectations for each year group to aid medium and short-term planning; • developing and implementing a rigorous handwriting and spelling policy; • placing further emphasis on the teaching of reading, especially in group reading activities; • continuously assessing what pupils know, understand and can do and planning tasks which challenge them further. (Paragraphs 4, 6, 62, 79, 80, 110)
p.26
Improve the satisfactory teaching to good and better teaching by:
• ensuring that all teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly, do not accept work that is clearly not their pupils’ best and use pupils’ mistakes as points for teaching; • use formal assessments to plan the next steps in pupils’ learning ensuring that the above average attainers are suitably challenged; • developing rigorous assessment procedures in all subjects which clearly identify what pupils can and can not do both in knowledge acquisition and skills progression; • further develop schemes of work in all subjects with clearly defined expectations for each year group stating clearly what knowledge is to be covered, which subject specific skills are to be taught and what aspects of the subject will be assessed; • ensuring that support staff are responsible for marking and intervening in their pupils’ work in an attempt to raise standards in spelling and in the presentation of pupils’ work. (Paragraphs 4, 6, 29, 30, 32, 39, 52, 62, 82, 88, 89, 92, 95)
p.26
plan:
◊ ensure that the religious education curriculum in Key Stage 1 identifies subject specific skills to be taught; ◊ improve the quality of the accommodation as and when funds allow; Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 27 ◊ introduce individual target setting so that pupils know how to improve the quality of their work; ◊ provide further opportunities to introduce aspects of multicultural education such as art, music and dance into the curriculum in order to further prepare pupils for adult life. ◊ Provide more opportunities for pupils who are ready in the foundation stage of learning to record their work in a written format. (Paragraphs 15, 35, 64, 76, 134) Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 28
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 69
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 2
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 15
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
English as an additional language No of pupils
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 4
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2 Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 29 Attendance
p.28
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 14
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above School 57 (66) 86 (66) 86 (88)
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above School 64 (66) 86 (88) 57 (66)
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 30 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total
p.29
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 10
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Percentage of pupils at NC level 4 or above School 90 (50) 90 (50) 100 (50)
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Percentage of pupils School 90 ( 50 ) 100 ( 50 ) 100 ( 50 )
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Due to the very small cohorts of pupils gender breakdowns have been excluded.
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0
p.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 31 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.30
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Teachers and classes Financial information
p.31
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4 Financial year 1999/2000
p.31
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.9
p.31
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 154785
p.31
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 2310
p.31
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Total aggregate hours worked per week 54.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 12764
p.31
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Balance carried forward to next year 19335 Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 32
p.31
Percentage of responses in each category
Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
My child is making good progress in school. 53 44 3 0 0
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
Behaviour in the school is good. 41 47 9 3 0
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 28 47 16 6 3
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 31 19 0 0
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 72 22 3 3 0
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 34 6 0 0
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
The school works closely with parents. 38 47 16 0 0
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
The school is well led and managed. 47 38 13 3 0
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 47 6 0 0
p.32
Percentage of responses in each category
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 25 50 22 0 3 Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 33
p.32
AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
67. Children who are under five years of age are taught in the mixed reception Year 1/Year 2 class by a teacher and two classroom assistants. During the week of inspection there were six children in the foundation stage. Children’s attainment on entry is varied but is average overall. Several children have not experienced pre-school education. During their time in the reception class all children make sounds gains in their learning and achieve the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development.
p.33
Personal, social and emotional development
68. By the end of the foundation stage all children have very positive attitudes to learning and are confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in groups. During text level work in the literacy hour they maintain concentration and are sensitive to the needs of others. They take turns in conversation, understanding that there needs to be agreed values and codes of behaviour to work together harmoniously. They are able to play imaginatively using basic equipment, such as coloured play dough to represent mosaics. They can persevere with jigsaws until they are finished to their satisfaction. Children can express their feelings confidently and begin to tell others what they like and dislike particularly in terms of what frightens them or makes them laugh, such as the ugliness of the Troll in the story of ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’.
p.33
Communication, language and literacy
69. By the end of the foundation stage children have appropriate speaking and listening skills which they demonstrate in one to one situations with the class teacher, during story time, in role play. They respond to the pictures and text of a story making comments such as “the baby billy goat gruff is scared of the troll”, they recognise some simple words and appropriate questions. They develop clear speech that is understandable by adults. They can recognise their name and many of them know initial sounds. They can identify patterns in rhymes and begin to associate sounds with syllables understanding that they are those parts of words that can be sounded separately. All children in the foundation stage enjoy looking at pictures in books and behave as readers do, turning the pages, telling the story and identifying simple words that they know in the text. Children can identify capital letters, italics and simple punctuation. They can experiment with writing, making
p.33
Communication, language and literacy
marks, letters and words on paper to convey meaning. They know that books are written by authors and illustrated by artists and illustrators. They speak clearly and audibly with confidence and control and show awareness of the listener by their appropriate use of conventions such as greetings, ‘please’, ‘thank you’. Pupils can sequence events in order and are able to write familiar words and captions but they do not know the correct orientation of letters and this results in them often producing written work that is not well presented. Opportunities for recording work are limited and several of the children are ready to write with more precision.
p.33
Mathematical development
Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 34 70. By the end of the foundation stage most children use numbers appropriately in familiar contexts. They count the number of objects they see in a group counting to 10 and counting back from 10. They recognise the relationship between a figure and a number of objects referred to, for example two eyes, ten toes and five fingers. They can recognise numerals at random and can match the right number of objects to a figure, for example by selecting 6 teddy bears from the sandpit and putting them next to a printed number 6. However, they do not have sufficient opportunities for the early recording of number. Children can recognise shapes and use words such as circle, triangle, square and rectangle to describe properties of shape and they can follow directions to place objects in, under, on, behind or in front of other objects. During a physical education lesson they understand
p.34
Mathematical development
and follow instructions such as ‘stand in front of’, ‘go behind’, and ‘sit on the mat’. In lessons seen they begin to use their own initiative in using mathematical words and phrases, such as ‘add’, ‘take away’, ‘half’, ‘more than’, ‘fewer than’, ‘count’, ‘sum’, ‘total’ and ‘numbers’.
p.34
Knowledge and understanding of the world
71. By the end of the foundation stage, most children can investigate objects and materials by using all of their senses. They experiment with the drum and can explain in simple language how many syllables can be beaten to their name, they use their sense of sight to explore the world by visiting the local environment. When visiting a farm they look with awe and wonder at young animals, and their paintings reflect the colours of what they have seen, such as the changing colours of leaves. They use their sense of touch to explore the natural world telling the difference between materials, such as hard and soft. They understand when making gingerbread men that hot things will burn, sharp things will cut and rough things will graze. They use their sense of taste to express preferences between foods they like or dislike and they are able to distinguish between foods that are salty and sour, and, when given opportunities to combine a number of ingredients, such as flour,
p.34
Knowledge and understanding of the world
sugar and fat to make cakes, they will notice the difference in taste before and after they are cooked. They use their sense of smell to comment on the smell of food cooking and commented on the inspector’s perfume saying that it was very strong. All children show an interest in places and animals and know what happens on farms during the different seasons. They know that at harvest time we give thanks for food and they can use scissors effectively when selecting and cutting fruit and vegetables out of magazines for their harvest baskets. They can use a programmable toy effectively and they know that switches control machines and they can use tape recorders to record music that they have composed. They can name the most important buildings in the locality. They know the importance of major festivals and they can identify old and new objects.
p.34
Physical development
72. By the end of the foundation stage children move with control and co-ordination. They can handle tools, objects, construction and workable materials safely and with increasing control. In a dance lesson they show good awareness of space, being able to travel, turn and stop when the teacher gave instructions. In outdoor play pupils can walk, run, skip, hop, climb and engage in rough and tumble, in the confidence that their bodies will respond as they require. When aware of the presence of others they avoid bumping into them. They can stand in line, hold the door open for an adult or another child and give way to a flow of people moving in a particular direction. They know when they should wash their hands after using the toilet and before touching or eating food.
p.34
Physical development
73. In all physical activities children display a growing confidence and dexterity in movement.
p.34
Creative development
Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 35 74. By the end of the foundation stage most children can recognise and name the primary colours and recognise black and white. They select variously coloured crayons and paints for colouring harvest fruits and vegetables and they employ a wide range of materials to make pictures, such as chalks, pulses, simple printing, finger painting and a variety of paints. They can sing songs and nursery rhymes, they express their feelings appropriately and they move spontaneously and appropriately to rhythm and music. They are developing competence in using tools, such as scissors, paintbrushes and a variety of work making instruments.
p.35
Other factors including the quality of teaching
75. The curriculum for the foundation stage is satisfactory overall, but there are insufficient opportunities provided for children to record their work in a variety of ways as there are several children who show signs of readiness for more structured work. Appropriate plans are in place to fully introduce the early learning goals but as yet skills progression in curriculum planning is less well developed than knowledge content. Baseline assessments are administered but formal observations on pupils outlining their preferred learning styles competency and skills are limited. The accommodation for the under fives is unsatisfactory. These children are taught alongside the Year 1 and Year 2 pupils and when the youngest children are engaged in structured play they cannot fully express themselves because of the cramped conditions. There is insufficient space throughout the school for movement and for quiet time and reflection.
p.35
Other factors including the quality of teaching
76. The teaching of the children who are in the foundation stage is satisfactory overall. The teacher has secure subject knowledge and together with the classroom assistants provides good quality resources. Relationships are excellent. Children are valued and treated as individuals. Introductions to activities are sound with clear explanations given, but follow up work on occasions lacks focus on providing further opportunities for pupils to develop their recording of literacy and numeracy skills. For example when pupils were working on identifying numbers they were not given sufficient opportunities to record them. The teacher has a broad repertoire of teaching styles that she uses to engage all pupils. She offers good explanations and ensures that children are on task. However, further responsibility could be given to the two classroom support assistants to help pupils record their work and provide support for children’s emerging letter and number formation.
p.35
Other factors including the quality of teaching
The management of behaviour is good. Children operate from within an environment where clear boundaries are set for acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Good relationships are made with parents and they are considered as true partners in their children’s learning. The sound quality of teaching contributes to the satisfactory gains that children make in their learning.
p.35
Other factors including the quality of teaching
77. The previous inspection report did not contain judgements on the provision for under fives, therefore comparisons cannot be made.
p.35
ENGLISH
78. The 1999 test results show that in reading at the end of Key Stage 1, standards have been well below the national average in comparison with all schools and very low in comparison with similar schools. In writing, standards were below national average in comparison with all schools and well below average in comparison with similar schools. Very few pupils attained the higher levels. The pattern of underachievement has continued over four years. However, results must be treated with caution due to the fact that the cohorts of pupils who took the test are very small. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards improve considerably. In 1999 in comparison with all schools, pupils’ results were well above national averages. In comparison with similar schools, standards were above average. Standards have fluctuated over the past three years from being in line in 1997, well below in 1998 to being very high in 1999. This is because cohorts are small and attainment levels of pupils
p.35
ENGLISH
Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 36 fluctuate from year to year depending on the percentage of pupils who are on the special educational needs register, or who are of below average ability. Inspection findings show that based upon this year’s attainment, levels of pupils’ standards in English are average in Key Stage 2, but are below expectation in Key Stage 1. There is some improvement in both reading and writing due to the good systems that have been put in place by the headteacher to raise standards, such as the teaching of structured reading skills and phonics, but inspection findings indicate that standards in literacy are still below the expected level in Key Stage 1. At the end of Key Stage 1 results of 2000 tests show there has been a improvement in results, but very few pupils attained the higher levels. At the end of Key Stage 2, test results of 2000 show that pupils have maintained the high
p.36
ENGLISH
standards seen in 1999. Inspection findings indicate that standards at present are in line with national averages because the cohort of pupils inspected differs from the cohort of last year. The academic profile of the pupils, which is largely skewed towards the average, and below average levels of attainment. Inspection findings show there are no significant differences in attainment by gender by the end of both key stages, but national statistics show that in both key stages girls performed worse than boys in reading and in writing.
p.36
ENGLISH
79. In the youngest class in the school, children of the foundation stage and Years 1 and 2 are in the same classroom and so there is a wide range of ability and age for the teacher to teach and manage. Some pupils have special needs, and these vary in degree from mild to severe. Pupils in Year 2 join Year 3 for one literacy hour per week to ensure that the work is suitably challenging. There is additional help from a classroom support assistant and a special needs support assistant to enable the teacher to work with all age and ability groups.
p.36
ENGLISH
80. Standards in speaking and listening at the end of both key stages are average. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are responsive to the teacher’s well-structured teaching of speaking and listening. It allows them to copy new language patterns, become more aware of expression when reading and to speak in front of the class with confidence. They enjoy performing the play they performed of the Three Billy Goats Gruff and took part with pride. They make sound progress in speaking and listening as a result of the teacher’s creativity and her quickness to seize opportunities for learning. However, their standards of literacy, including the pupils who are of above average attainment, are not high enough. Several pupils have difficulty in reading, although most read regularly to their parents, have up-to-date reading records and take books home. They lack skills in predicting unknown words and in drawing information from the text. However, in Year 1, the majority of
p.36
ENGLISH
pupils are reading at or above the level expected for their age. Pupils’ written work is untidy and poorly presented with uneven handwriting, and there are more spelling errors than are to be expected for pupils of their age. Most pupils enter Year 3 with unjoined handwriting, although they acquire the skill rapidly once there. This is because there is a weakness in the overall satisfactory teaching and this is related to the teacher’s expectations not being high enough in this element of work. Pupils work at a steady rate, and this reflects good teaching pace. They are happy to work alone using word processing skills, and the teacher supports them, although spelling errors remain uncorrected. Pupils generally work with confidence and independence, and there is a happy and purposeful atmosphere in the classroom. The management and presentation of the literacy hour is good. Teaching seen during the inspection was satisfactory with strengths in planning, teaching of
p.36
ENGLISH
speaking and listening skills, pace and relationships with the pupils. However, the weakness in the more structured elements of teaching reading and writing reduces the pupils’ progress in these areas and makes it unsatisfactory overall. Support staff, whilst used to support pupils’ learning, offer good pastoral care, but on occasions lack the rigour in correcting spelling mistakes and indicating to pupils how to form their letters correctly.
p.36
ENGLISH
81. In Key Stage 2, the two classes also have mixed age groups and a wide range of ability. Teaching is good and the pupils respond well to the high expectations of the teaching and its good pace. The Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 37 literacy hour is well planned and managed, and pupils of all abilities are challenged consistently by the demands made of them so that they make good progress. This includes pupils with special educational needs. Teaching is good. Pupils benefit from very clear directions, challenging tasks and brisk pace, which encourage them to work with purpose and at a steady pace. Relationships between adults and pupils are very good and pupils benefit from strict but caring class management and the way teachers generally use errors constructively as teaching points. Teachers introduce and exemplify new vocabulary very well, and this is particularly useful for pupils who have weaker
p.36
ENGLISH
speaking and listening skills. Pupils are able to benefit from a range of different literary styles introduced to them through the literacy hour and other areas of the curriculum, such as history. The standard of reading is average for pupils of their age, and they read a wide range of texts with enjoyment and understanding. They use word-processing skills at a satisfactory level, and benefit from a course of lessons devised to develop these skills. By the time pupils are in Year 6, handwriting is joined and fluent, and punctuation is good. Their knowledge of grammar is satisfactory and they are able to write imaginatively and use text to find information.
p.37
ENGLISH
82. Teachers in both key stages record their work consistently and their planning of the literacy hour is good. However, marking is weak in both key stages, and assessment procedures from day to day do not give clear direction to indicate quickly when pupils are developing difficulties in particular areas. This means that some pupils do not have work suitably graded for them to help them make even better progress. No individual targets are set. Formal assessments are satisfactory in English, but there is a weakness in that there is a lack of identification in relation to the skills in which pupils need to improve.
p.37
ENGLISH
83. Pupils in both key stages have very positive attitudes to learning. They want to succeed and please their teachers. They thoroughly enjoy being given the opportunity to express their opinions on books that they have read and pupils in Key Stage 2 are very proud of the research that they have undertaken, for example in history relating to family trees and the Tudors. A thorough analysis of data gained from national tests has been undertaken and, in a supportive environment, appropriate emphasis is now placed upon rigorously teaching phonics, reading and writing skills in Key Stage 1 in a further attempt to raise standards. This is having a positive effect on pupils’ phonic awareness.
p.37
ENGLISH
84. The co-ordination of English is shared by two teachers. Their leadership in the subject is effective and both have worked hard to raise standards. This has been most successful in Key Stage 2. Learning resources are good, carefully chosen for best effect and are very well used. Learning support assistants give valuable support and help to raise standards, especially to pupils with special educational needs, who make good progress in both key stages.
p.37
ENGLISH
85. Since the previous inspection the school has made sound improvement. Although standards are below national average at the end of Key Stage 1 this is due to the particular cohort of pupils whose attainment levels are very varied and weaknesses in teaching, which are being addressed. The literacy hour has been effectively implemented and systems are in place to ensure further progress.
p.37
MATHEMATICS
86. Key Stage 1 1999 standard assessment tests results are in line with national averages. This is an improvement on the previous two years when they have been very poor. Key Stage 2 results in 1999 are very good, this reflects a greater rate of improvement in recent years than the progress achieved at Key Stage 1. The most recent 2000 results continue this trend of improvement at both key stages. They also show an improvement in results when compared to similar schools nationally. Up until 1999, and since the last inspection, these comparisons have been poor at both key stages. The successful introduction of the numeracy hour has strengthened mathematical provision Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 38 throughout the school. Teachers devise exciting and challenging mental activities in their lessons. Younger pupils are riveted when their teacher uses a magician’s top hat to introduce number bonds.
p.37
MATHEMATICS
Older pupils use their hundred squares very well to formulate addition and subtraction strategies. Pupils listen attentively to questions and are eager to contribute to these sessions. This especially has given less able pupils confidence to articulate their thoughts in practical contexts, enabling them to make good progress. However, at both key stages there is not always sufficient rigour and challenge in lessons. Teachers inconsistently identify and extend the skills, knowledge and understanding of the most able pupils as they move through the school. There is a continuing trend of achieving lower than average National Curriculum results at the higher levels in tests – the exception being last year’s Key Stage 2 mathematics results when 55 per cent of pupils achieved Level 5.
p.38
MATHEMATICS
87. Inspection findings show the majority of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 are achieving satisfactory National Curriculum levels of attainment and are making satisfactory progress. They understand place value in tens and units and are adding and subtracting to 20. Knowledge and understanding in shape and appropriate measurement is secure, they understand the reasons for collecting data, can compare examples and represent findings in simple tables. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils similarly have satisfactory levels of achievement. They have developed flexible and effective methods of computation, they record and use these with good understanding. They have a sound understanding of relevant multiplication facts, use mental strategies for solving problems and understand and use the relationships between the four mathematical operations. They use numeracy very well in science, recording their results accurately and producing detailed line graphs.
p.38
MATHEMATICS
The inspection findings of present standards indicate that these fall short of the 1999 results and reflect the trend of inconsistency in the size and variation of ability of the Year 2 and Year 6 cohorts of pupils. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to learn, enjoy challenges, treat resources carefully and work very well in groups, sharing information and helping one another.
p.38
MATHEMATICS
88. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers’ weekly planning shows a good understanding of the national Numeracy Scheme and National Curriculum requirements. Good numeracy teaching is extending pupils’ strategies for using number bonds and they apply these skills well in a variety of activities. This is a major contributory factor to the raising of standards in recent years. Older pupils in the school show a mature ability in their investigative work because they are given opportunities to problem solve in real life contexts. Teachers enhance these skills with their high expectations of pupils’ application to practical problem solving situations. Years 5 and 6 pupils achieve this well when explaining computational variations in subtraction problems. Teachers effectively interact with their pupils, they respond to their needs and offer praise and encouragement in class, but not always through marking. In all lessons observed the pupil response
p.38
MATHEMATICS
to these expectations are very good. They enjoy the structure of the numeracy hour and as a result they work hard and are very keen to do well. In a lower Key Stage 2 class pupils respond positively to speed challenges in their mental calculations. Pupils’ endeavour to produce good quantities of work, which is further enhanced by regular homework. Present teaching and planning has not accounted for the same quantity of work in data analysis and shape and measurement. There is also insufficient expectation of appropriate presentation for these aspects of pupils’ work. Work seen at both key stages show that teachers are not consistently taking into account the higher levels within the National Curriculum mathematics framework. In a Key Stage 1 lesson the higher- attaining pupils are under-challenged dealing with number bonds to thirty. The younger pupils at Key Stage 2 only consolidate their good understanding of co-ordinates. Whilst the oldest pupils do
p.38
MATHEMATICS
well to reason and communicate rounding up in computation but do it using under-challenging subtractions. Pupils with special educational needs are appropriately challenged and make good gains in their learning. This is largely due to the fact that the school is in the early stages of Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 39 formalising its assessment procedures and, as yet, full use is not made of assessments to inform future planning. The school has recognised this as an area for development on its school development plan.
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MATHEMATICS
89. The good co-ordination of mathematics throughout the school has significantly improved standards in the last two years. The present co-ordinators have addressed the need for a whole-school mathematics policy and a scheme of work and has initiated a detailed audit of resource provision. Testing is beginning to feature in the Key Stage 2 work and the results help teachers identify progress. However, there is still limited assessment criteria covering a range of National Curriculum level descriptors in the planning to enable staff to make necessary provision for individual pupil target setting. The results of assessment are not always taken into account when areas of work are revisited. Activities are sometimes given which consolidate understanding rather than challenge and extend it further. This weakness is more evident at Key Stage 1. For example, a small group of above average attaining Year 1 pupils was under-challenged in a numeracy lesson.
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MATHEMATICS
This was because the tasks set were too easy for them and they were not sufficiently challenged. This resulted in them indulging in friendly chatter at the expense of not getting on with work that could have been provided through extension activities.
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MATHEMATICS
90. The school has made satisfactory improvements when compared to the standards identified in the last inspection. Improvement has been good over the last two years with identified weaknesses addressed and standards improved. Pupils’ continuing strengths in number has been more consistently identified in other areas of the curriculum. Accurate calculations in science and technology experiments as well as the use of grids in geography considerably improve learning in these areas of the curriculum. Teaching is also effectively using literacy strategies to improve learning. Key vocabulary is systematically identified in planning. Pupils learn the words ‘ascend’ and ‘descend’ effectively doing grid work. Older pupils master and clearly understand the concept of equivalents in their number work and information and communication technology is appropriately used to support learning.
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SCIENCE
91. Results of the 1999 national teacher assessments show that pupils’ attainment in science at the end of Key Stage 1 was very low and that the proportion of above average attaining pupils was broadly in line with national averages, with the exception of their attainment of ‘Life and Living Processes’ which was below national average. By the end of Key Stage 2 a much better picture emerges with standards being well above national averages both in comparison with all schools and in comparison with similar schools. The recent tests in 2000 confirm that pupils have maintained high standards. Currently standards attained by pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 are in line with national averages with all pupils making sound progress, standards by the end of Key Stage 2 are high and all pupils including those with special educational needs make good progress especially in experimental and investigative science.
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SCIENCE
92. By the end of Key Stage 1 standards attained by pupils are average in scientific understanding but written work is often characterised by weak presentation. There is an overuse of worksheets which hampers pupils presenting their own findings in a variety of ways and consequently restricts further use of literacy and numeracy. It may also contribute to the low achievement in tests than would otherwise be the case. Pupils are taught the full programmes of study that results in the required breadth and balance. Pupils know about the life cycle of frogs, hens and butterflies. They learn how to sort the animal kingdom into groups, for example into fish, birds and animals and they know the conditions that plants need to grow. They have studied their local habitat and made Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 40 comparisons between polar and desert habitats, local habitats, focusing on specific plants and
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SCIENCE
animals and adaptations and feeding relationships.
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SCIENCE
93. Pupils have studied a range of materials, sorting them out according to hardness and roughness and can set up an experiment to see if yeast needs sugar to grow. They know that friction stops things moving and they take good delight in finding out whose shoe grips best on linoleum. They know what happens when you filter brown sugar, lentils, flour and coffee. They use accurate scientific language to describe how well fabrics absorb water, they can measure how far the water has been absorbed by cotton wool and nylon. They can record the distance travelled by toy cars on different surfaces and they are making good gains in developing their understanding of ‘fair testing’. They are making good gains in their observational skills and when put in role as geologists they accurately record which rocks absorb water and give plausible suggestions as to why this is so.
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SCIENCE
94. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have very good skills in setting up their own experiments. They can use an ecolog probe accurately to measure light and record their findings in a variety of ways. They explore and compare properties of various materials and understand how these properties affect how paper is used for specific purposes. They find scientific answers to questions such as which paper is the strongest by using Newton’s Force on measuring absorbency of card. They know how to group paper on the grounds of strength and absorbency and they know that by undertaking tests three times improves the reliability of conclusions. They use skills of literacy and numeracy well, by writing out appropriate hypotheses for experiments and working out mean averages on data collected. They know which materials are the best in insulators and they can construct and interpret line graphs. They understand the concept of aseptic surgery and the
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SCIENCE
problems of infection. They appreciate the work of great scientists such as Louis Pasteur and how Newton, Faraday and Morse contributed to the development of our society.
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SCIENCE
95. In two of the lessons seen during the week of inspection, all pupils, including those with special educational needs in Key Stage 2 made very good gains, because the teacher presented the knowledge that she wanted the pupils to acquire in a meaningful context. In Years 2, 3, 4, pupils worked in role as geologists observing the proprieties of rocks and in Year 5/6 they were placed in role as advisors to a paper manufacturing company. This excellent use of establishing a fictitious context spurred the pupils on to investigating real life problems and contributed positively to their motivation levels.
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SCIENCE
96. Pupils in both key stages have very positive attitudes to learning, particularly when doing practical investigations. They co-operate very well with others which results in overall good learning in practical sessions. They handle resources well, ask questions, make predictions and are keen to improve the quality of their work.
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SCIENCE
97. Teaching is good overall and contributes to the good gains in learning in Key Stage 2. Examples of excellent teaching were seen during the week of inspection in Key Stage 2 and satisfactory teaching was seen in Key Stage 1. There are insufficient opportunities provided for pupils in Key Stage 1 to set up their own experiments and on occasions expectations for Year 1 pupils are not high enough. This is because assessments are not sufficiently rigorous and are not used to inform the next stage of planning. In the excellent teaching observed in Key Stage 2, the teacher had very secure subject knowledge, gave very clear explanations, modelled various ways of how pupils could carry out experiments, kept a rigorous pace at all times, and ensured that support staff were kept informed at all times as to the part that they needed to play on moving the pupils on in their learning. The teacher had such a deep passion for sharing her knowledge with the pupils that she engendered
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SCIENCE
great enthusiasm by her high expectations and excellent classroom management. Very good links were made with pupils’ previous knowledge and very good opportunities were provided for pupils to Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 41 further develop their skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology across the curriculum due to the various contexts that the teacher set up. For example, once the experiments had been carried out to test paper resistance, Year 6 pupils had to reply in writing to the customers advising them on various choices. Teachers’ planning reveals that a strong emphasis is placed upon developing subject specific language and this contributes to the good gains that pupils make in their learning. A weakness in Key Stage 1 is that opportunities are missed to teach spelling and standard forms of English. There is a false assumption made that Year 1 pupils, for example
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SCIENCE
are too young to focus on rigorous recording. This is a contributory factor to standards being lower in Key Stage 1 than in Key Stage 2. Expectations are generally higher in Key Stage 2.
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SCIENCE
98. The curriculum is planned to meet the needs of all pupils, and continuity and progression is at present monitored by the use of a ‘wall system’ a graphic representation, which charts topics and areas of knowledge that pupils have covered. Whilst this denotes coverage, it is not rigorous enough however to ensure that pupils in mixed age classes are not repeating skills with which they are already familiar. Support staff are generally used well to help pupils with their work. Teachers assess pupils’ knowledge and understanding at the end of each topic, examples of good assessments were seen in Key Stage 2, which were clearly based upon skills and knowledge underpinning the programmes of study. In Key Stage 1, although pupils’ work is assessed, information gained from these assessments is not fully used to show progress made during the topic or to plan the teaching of higher order skills.
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SCIENCE
99. The co-ordinator fulfils her duties very well. There are restrictions in the amount of monitoring that she can do as she only works part-time and when she is at school she has a heavy teaching commitment. Since the previous inspection good standards have been maintained at Key Stage 2, but standards in Key Stage 1 are judged to be satisfactory when previously they were judged as good. This is because pupils in Key Stage 1 have underdeveloped writing skills, a different cohort of pupils is being inspected and whilst pupils have sound command of a scientific knowledge base, they are unable to record their findings as well as might be expected.
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ART AND DESIGN
100. By the end of both key stages standards in art are high. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and therefore make good gains in their learning in relation to their prior attainment due to the very good teaching of subject specific skills and techniques. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils share ideas and meanings through investigating visual and tactile qualities in a range of materials and processes resulting in a large and decorative display of lengthy dyed wool which they had felted. They have good observation skills and have produced detailed line drawings when attempting portraits. They have good knowledge of repeating patterns and have designed curtain material using fabric pens. They use a range of media in order to develop both their skills and imagination, this is because the curriculum is planned in such a way that every half- term there is a focus on learning through visual elements using a variety of skills. Pupils have
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ART AND DESIGN
produced detailed drawings of leaves, they have also printed with them acquainting themselves with autumnal colours. They have focused on minute details of veins which has contributed positively to their development of observational drawings. They have made pine cones using clay, three- dimensional butterflies on logs using a range of tissue overlapping skills and they have created clay gingerbread men using a variety of tools to accentuate finer details. They have created a range of patterns using wax and have had opportunities to work with a range of different textures such as playdough when making coloured mosaics and painting with sand mixed with glue. Pupils have produced some interesting religious artefacts such as a rosary made out of strips of magazine to supplement their learning in religious education, and symmetrical patterns have been made using a range of shapes and colours to support pupils’ skills of numeracy.
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ART AND DESIGN
Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 42 101. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils can talk about the work of Monet, Van Gogh, Klee, Seurat and Picasso and recognise their styles. They know that Klee enjoyed working with shapes and that Picasso exaggerated and distorted shape to produce a desired effect. Pupils have a good knowledge of hues, colour mixing wheels and using complimentary colours for contrast. A very good example of use of pastels was seen with very careful attention paid to detail inspired by the work entitled ‘The Panda on the Mountain’. Pupils have produced high quality masks to support their interpretation of a story studied. In Year 4 pupils produced an image of ‘The Iron Man’ with good knowledge of the use of tin and in Year 6 pupils replicated Tudor armour cutting out silver shapes on a black background. Several examples of still life drawings of logs produced in Year 6 demonstrate that pupils have a good understanding of how to produce texture using a range of
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ART AND DESIGN
shading skills. With the help of a parent, pupils have explored a range of batik making skills and have used colour very effectively.
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ART AND DESIGN
102. The co-ordinator is very knowledgeable and has attended a course on the teaching of visual elements which has contributed to improving teachers’ knowledge and this has resulted in standards of art work being above national expectations. She has produced, together with the help of other teachers, a very detailed portfolio of pupils’ work which clearly demonstrates the good gains that pupils have made in both their knowledge and skills developed.
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ART AND DESIGN
103. The quality of teaching is very good overall. A very good lesson was seen during the week of inspection. In this lesson the teacher gave very clear explanations about the various types of lines that can be used in art and modelled cutting techniques. She demonstrated how space can be filled on paper and gave pupils the opportunity to test various layouts of their patterns in an attempt to develop their aesthetic awareness. The teacher encouraged the pupils by her very good questioning to pay attention to detail and used praise constructively, clearly identifying what areas needed to be improved upon. She demonstrated how to use wax crayons effectively by applying the correct amount of pressure. Behaviour management was very good, this resulted in pupils keeping on task and producing good quality work.
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ART AND DESIGN
104. Pupils in both key stages have very positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to give of their best and do not get put off when attempting difficult techniques, such as keeping a straight line of stitching. Resources are good. Pupils have the opportunity to work with a wide range of media and this contributes to the high standards that pupils obtain.
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ART AND DESIGN
105. Since the previous inspection standards in Key Stage 1 have improved and in Key Stage 2 the good standards have been maintained. The school continues to benefit from the opportunity of working with local artists and this contributes to the high standards that pupils’ attain and to the overall effectiveness of an exciting curriculum.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
106. Standards in design and technology exceed those indicated in the last inspection and are now above those expected for seven and eleven-year-olds. Teachers now follow much wider programmes of work with a far greater emphasis on the development of basic skills and the use of a variety of materials. The results of constructed hand puppets, bags and money boxes show good accuracy in measuring and joining. Pupils accurately measure and mark materials. Pupils from an early stage judge the effectiveness of their finished models and decide how to repeat the task with improvements. Year 5 and 6 pupils make very good progress in using a clearly defined framework for designing and making bags. They expertly label designs and diagrams and include fastenings to Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 43 complete the construction. The bags are made to a good standard and pupils evaluate their effectiveness. This contributes well to pupils’ skills of literacy and numeracy.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
107. Clear progression is evident in the younger pupils’ co-ordination skills when they make paper characters and large textile pictures of a gingerbread boy. Year 3 and 4 pupils enhance their knowledge of the role of yeast in baking by visiting a local bakery. The older pupils thoroughly examine the potential for varied yoghurt recipes. They also increase their knowledge of food technology further by designing pots to attract sales. They similarly design snack bar covers for the same purpose. This enables them to understand the language of persuasion used by manufacturers.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
108. No teaching was observed during the inspection. A scrutiny of work and displays shows the results of the teachers’ imaginative approach to the subject. A focussed technology week allowed older pupils to carry out a sensory analysis of ginger food products. Within the same study they show very good connections to their science work by designing, making and testing devices to propel the gingerbread boy across the river. They also use control technology at the local high school to work traffic lights and the use of electrical devices in moving buggies. Teachers’ collaborative planning is successful in ensuring the correct progress in learning. The focus week using a whole-school theme was excellently planned for all ages and abilities. Work planned consistently inspires the pupils in their work. This is evident in the high quality of constructions and written work in the classroom displays. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning. Year 5 pupils eagerly talked about
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
the ‘pop up’ books that they have made, guiding the inspectors attention to the intricate detail of design and talking about the possibility of the cost involved in manufacturing the product.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
109. Effective leadership by the co-ordinator has resulted in very good improvements since the last inspection. The revised curriculum organisation and schemes of work has resulted in major improvements in the development of pupils’ skills. A design and technology focus week is an excellent example of the way the school has planned for this improvement, especially linking the studies to a range of other subjects. Using the story of ‘The Gingerbread Man’ the whole school undertook a range of technological activities. Very good links have been established with local secondary school and pupils experience specialist facilities in their visits there.
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GEOGRAPHY
110. Present standards in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 geography are unsatisfactory when compared to national expectations. Pupils presently make unsatisfactory progress in their geography studies. At the end of both key stages they are developing a limited range of geographical skills and evidence from the relevant programmes of study. This is largely due to a lack of time allocation and inconsistencies in planning. Sound features of the work observed at Key Stage 1 work include working with local village maps and the use of relevant geographical terms in describing directions. Pupils can order events in the water cycle and begin to use map keys when tracking Captain Hurricane’s balloon journey.
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GEOGRAPHY
111. Pupils at Key Stage 2 identify a variety of land uses in their study of settlements. They consider different levels of services in villages, towns and cities. They make good use of historical references to further understand the reason for the settlements and the economic characteristics of localities. However, progress is less than satisfactory because of a lack experience in comparing their local environment with contrasting localities and the opportunity to study distant lands in any detail. The older pupils especially have produced limited work. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 44 112. Teaching in one observed Key Stage 1 geography lesson is good. Planning takes into account the ability ranges to appropriately challenge and extend thinking. It makes use of pupils’ interpretations of their local village and they make good gains in map orientation. Knowledge is further extended when pupils identify village locations by examining digitally produced photographs. Younger pupils
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GEOGRAPHY
in the class improve their understanding of directions when they instruct a computerised roamer to travel around the village map they have made. Scrutiny of the work in books shows a lack of evidence of pupils effectively being involved in National Curriculum Programmes of Study at both key stages.
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GEOGRAPHY
113. A new policy has set a relevant perspective for geographical study in the school. The newly adopted scheme of work, with relevant areas of study experience, has yet to be successfully applied across the school. In the recent past there has been a lack of a whole-school plan to deliver appropriate units of geography. Pupils have not been sufficiently exposed to specific geographical learning. They have not developed skills allied to their level of ability and to national expectations. There is a lack of guidance on effective teaching strategies and the selection of interesting and inspiring tasks to optimise the learning of all pupils. Effective collaborative planning aids a key stage 1 lesson observed. The general lack of structures to monitor teachers’ planning and pupils’ work presently reduces the potential to raise standards further.
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GEOGRAPHY
114. The school has not successfully maintained the levels of attainment outlined in the last inspection. Pupils do well in identifying geographical features in other areas of study. They apply co-ordinates in maths to plot shapes and directions. They show a sound understanding of map features in other subjects. However, the school has not maintained an appropriate geographical focus within the planned curriculum. Pupils have limited experiences in developing discrete geographical skills of collecting, recording and analysing the issues within the National Curriculum themes and units of work. The school has rightly recognised this as an area for improvement. Since the previous inspection the standards have not been maintained. Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 45
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HISTORY
115. The short time allocated to the inspection and curriculum planning made it possible to see only one history lesson. Judgements on pupils’ attainments are drawn from their previous work, discussion with pupils and scrutiny of teachers’ planning.
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HISTORY
116. Standards of work appear to be very similar to those indicated in the previous inspection report, and the good standards have been maintained in this subject.
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HISTORY
117. In Key Stage 1, pupils are not due to begin history until the second half of this term. Scrutiny of their written work and displays indicate that standards are high. Pupils learn about famous people such as Louis Braille and Florence Nightingale and their discoveries and attempts to help people in need. They learn about their village and its development and begin to develop a sense of time. They are developing sound skills of chronology. They know how transport has changed throughout the ages and they can identify both new and old features in photographs.
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HISTORY
118. In Key Stage 2, attainment is good and pupils develop a good idea of time and how time was spent differently because mechanisation was at an earlier stage. For example, in response to the teacher’s provision of artefacts and very good questioning, pupils realise that most articles were handmade and they recognise and marvel at the very neat and delicate stitching on shantung silk. They also begin to understand that there are implications for the length of time spent on making clothes and other articles. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 study the invaders of the British Isles. Displays are good, and pupils are very interested and are eager to discuss their work in Year 5/6. Pupils have good knowledge of life experienced during the reign of Tudors. They eagerly write from a range of perspectives about life in Tudor times, describing the social conditions of the time. An excellent display demonstrates pupils’ awareness of costume relating to the period. The quality of
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HISTORY
teaching seen in Key Stage 2 is good. The co-ordinator is passionate about her subject and gives very clear guidance for pupils on how to deduct information from artefacts. The learning of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is good. Teachers’ planning is good, and indicates balanced coverage of the National Curriculum. The teaching seen gave pupils many opportunities to research independently but at the same time gave good support through the provision of interesting resources and challenging questions. The school has made sound improvement since the previous inspection.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
119. Standards in information and communication technology are satisfactory in both key stages, and pupils, including those with special educational needs learn at a steady pace. Literacy is used well. No judgement was made on standards in the previous inspection report because insufficient work was seen. However, there has been an improvement in the provision of hard and software, and in the frequency and quality of pupils’ use of the equipment provided.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
120. Judgements on standards are drawn from a scrutiny of pupils’ past work and present displays, one lesson on word processing and observations of pupils using information and communication technology during their lessons.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
121. In Key Stage 1, pupils use word processing with confidence. They can delete information, use full stops and capital letters, use the space bars, save their work and move from line to line. They work confidently, and teaching supports them through effective questioning and by encouraging pupils to experiment. The scrutiny indicates that information and communication technology software is used Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 46 in all subjects except music, and that the digital camera is used to record experiences and discoveries in a variety of situations. Pupils use programmes effectively in art work, to record stories, to download clip art to illustrate stories, and to review books. They observe, describe and compare gingerbread men they have made. They use a roamer to begin to programme machines, and use a range of programs to learn control techniques, such as ‘My World,’ ‘Talking Stories’ and
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
122. In Key Stage 2, pupils make satisfactory progress in developing keyboard skills, such as different fonts, colours and punctuation. They use more complex control devices, using software to research information independently and to present data clearly and accurately. Their work in all subjects becomes more detailed and complex. They use graphs to present their work in mathematics and science, and record their design technology effectively. Pupils in Year 5/6 use data loggers effectively to support their science work. Teachers work effectively and enthusiastically with pupils, giving them confidence and independence through careful planning of work in the context of the lesson and allowing pupils opportunities to experiment with newly purchased software. There is a helpful lunch time computer club, which is well attended and this allows pupils to extend and practise their skills.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
123. The management of the subject is good. The school has improved and extended its information and communication technology resources since the previous inspection and the school now has access to the Internet. The staff is due to receive training on information and communication technology this term. Resources are efficiently used, and planning and policies for the subject are very effective. Since the previous inspection the school has made sound improvement and a scheme of work has been appropriately developed and resources have improved.
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MUSIC
124. Very little music was observed during the week of inspection and judgements on standards are based upon the scrutiny of pupils’ work, listening to recordings of their work, teachers’ planning, observations of hymn practice, assembly and one short lesson in Key Stage 2. Overall, pupils make good gains in their learning in both key stages and very good gains are made in singing in Key Stage 2 where pupils are aware of the effect that music has on feelings, this was evident by listening to a tape which the teacher had recorded. Standards are high in both key stages. The class experimented with composing music to create the idea of fear. Pace and dynamics were used appropriately and the use of silence and surprise in their compositions achieved the desired effect. When singing the ‘clicketty’ song pupils can build up a cumulative structure and throughout the performance they can keep a steady beat. Pupils make good gains in learning by understanding
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MUSIC
how high and low sounds can be attributed to a bird flying up and down, and in their composition based upon a cat and a bird, they select appropriate instruments to achieve the desired effect.
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MUSIC
125. Pupils make good gains in their learning in relation to their prior attainment when accompanying stories with percussion instruments. They use a range of vocal techniques and dynamics when joining in with words. They all enjoy joining in the repetitive nature of the song and they are aware of the effect that silence has on the listener.
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MUSIC
126. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have good skills of composition and their diction skills are very good. They compose their own verses for a song about servant life in Victorian times and they can control the dynamics of their voices to good effect and use tuned percussion instruments to accompany the chorus. A good example of chant composition was heard in Years 3/4 where pupils listened to an Eastern chant and analysed its structure producing their own version. Pupils have good knowledge of identifying and repeating patterns, notating group rhythms on a grid and playing Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 47 from memory. Pupils sing very well. This is because they have been taught the correct techniques of breathing, posture and pronunciation of words, and have taken part in public performances such as the recent production of the ‘Song of the Mapmaker’ at Hereford Cathedral. Pupils listen
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MUSIC
attentively with a focus on detail and internalise and recall sounds with developing aural memory. They communicate their ideas and feelings about music using musical vocabulary and have good knowledge of duration of notes. In assembly they listen attentively to music played and when singing hymns their vocal techniques are good. Pupils have very good attitudes to music. They take their work seriously and listen to their teachers when they are given advice on how to improve the quality of their work. They co-operate well in groups, improving on their previous best performance. Pupils with special educational needs make good gains in their learning.
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MUSIC
127. The quality of teaching is very good. In hymn practice and assemblies teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge and their love of music energises the pupils which results in good gains being made in learning. Teachers have high expectations, they teach subject specific vocabulary appropriately and they are successful at teaching pupils four-part harmony. Teachers encourage their pupils at all times and this results in pupils feeling confident about themselves. The use of information and communication technology is underdeveloped in music. The headteacher and staff have recognised this as an area for future development. The teaching of music contributes positively to pupils’ listening skills.
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MUSIC
128. The co-ordination of the subject is very good. The co-ordinator has worked very hard at producing a tape recording of the range of skills that pupils acquire. This clearly demonstrates the contribution that music has made to pupils emerging skills of literacy because pupils have been taught how to evaluate the effect that sounds have on the listener. Resources are generally good but further use could be made of music from different cultures to enrich pupils’ awareness of the range of music in a multicultural society.
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MUSIC
129. Since the previous inspection the school has maintained its high standards in music.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
130. Pupils’ attainment and progress in physical education is satisfactory at both key stages. Teachers are planning for work systematically in the relevant National Curriculum areas and pupils benefit from a wide range of activities. Younger pupils express feelings and excitement in response to musical and word stimuli. They make sound progress in contrasting speed and direction depending on their creativity. In football older boys have good co-ordination when controlling a ball. They have made good progress in using both feet to aid direction in movement. Girls generally have good hand and eye co-ordination in catching and throwing. They also make good progress in understanding the rules and playing conventions of netball.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
131. Standards in teaching in the two lessons observed range from satisfactory to good. Year 1 and 2 pupils make sound progress in building and performing sequences when working on their Jack and the Beanstalk dances. However, in this lesson pupils are not further challenged to improve the quality of their movement through evaluation and refinement of their work. Teaching lacks the variety to stop and start the commercial tape to impart further learning outcomes. Pupils respond well to clear teaching instructions. They work safely with equipment and show good understanding of the importance of warming up before exercise. The older girls willingly practise new netball skills and techniques set in varied contexts by the support teacher. They apply themselves very well. This perseverance has meant rapid recent improvements in playing the game. Teachers give due regard to safety procedures and their organisational and management skills always ensure that
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
pupils stay focused and sustain concentration. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding has been Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 48 improved by team-teaching with a number of visiting coaches. This has given them access to curriculum guidelines and activities to help plan for lessons, and to guarantee appropriate continuity and progression. A Year 6 football lesson had good target setting and learning outcomes for the development of end of key stage skills. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning. They take turns, collaborate well with one another and ensure that there is no rough play.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
132. The school has an established and relevant policy for the subject. There is presently no provision for the monitoring of teaching standards although new planning procedures ensure good curriculum breadth and balance. There are no assessment guidelines in place to inform teachers in their judgements about pupils' performance and to use these to plan accordingly for their next learning experience. Very good curriculum provision and targets to identify appropriate standards have aided pupils’ progress in swimming. They also receive valuable outdoor and adventurous activities in their residential trips. With the help of the co-ordinator and parents a number of pupils take part in a very good range of extracurricular activities and sporting competitions. These significantly improve attitudes and standards in the subject.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
133. The positive ethos for physical education has been maintained since the last inspection. Standards in swimming remain high. Physical education makes a valuable contribution to the personal and social aspects of pupils’ learning. The school does particularly well to use external expertise, especially to cater for the wide age ranges within each class. A parent willingly helps out with netball and pupils benefit greatly from her skills. Since the previous inspection the school has maintained its sound provision. The previous report judged standards in Key Stage 2 as above national expectations. Based upon the evidence seen during the week of inspection, standards are in line with national averages at the end of both key stages.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
134. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils achieve the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and make sound gains in their learning. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and make good gains in their learning in relation to their prior attainment. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in both key stages. The school is at present at an interim stage of introducing a new locally agreed syllabus and this contributes to certain inconsistencies in curriculum planning as religious concept skills and attitudes are less clearly defined than knowledge content.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
135. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils know a range of Bible stories and they understand that Jesus performed miracles. They know that a church is a sacred place of worship and that people celebrate festivals such as Harvest, Christmas and Easter. They know that the Torah is a sacred book and that special food is eaten at Sukkoth. They know that harvest celebrations give thanks to God for the food that we receive, but they have inconsistencies in their learning in relation to the development of subject specific skills of religious education, for example the meaning underpinning collective worship and how faith has brought about endurance in difficult times.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
136. There is very little evidence of written work in religious education and opportunities are under-used for pupils to further develop their skills of literacy. For example when pupils were designing posters in an religious education lesson in Key Stage 1 for a harvest festival, little reference was made to the use of possessive language or layout techniques which would grip the reader’s attention.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
137. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are making good progress in relation to their prior attainment. Scrutiny of work reveals that they have studied Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism alongside Christianity. They know that all religions have leaders, sacred books and places of worship. They know symbols Staunton on Wye Endowed School - 49 are used in religions and that Allah, although being one person has many characteristics. This they relate to their own lives when they study the many traits that make up a human personality. They know the story of the Ramajana and that good triumphed over evil. They understand the concepts of acceptance, tolerance and empathy and a very good example was seen in collective worship of pupils discussing the meaning of conscience and how to answer God’ calling to us. Pupils know the difference between the Old and the New Testament and they can compare rites and rituals of
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
weddings in Bible times with those of today. Good links are made with literacy. For example when studying the poem of Sir Walter Raleigh, pupils in Year 5/6 were able to empathise both with anguish and joy of the poet who was approaching death. This contributed very positively to pupils’ spiritual development.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
138. In both key stages pupils have very positive attitudes to learning and they show reverence towards other people’s beliefs. In Key Stage 1 they handle artefacts carefully and are genuinely interested in concepts that are difficult to understand such as the part that faith plays in defining people’s principles.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
139. Very little teaching of religious education was seen during the week of inspection. In a satisfactory lesson seen in Key Stage 1, the teacher had very good relationships with the pupils and kept the lesson going at a steady pace. She matched tasks to pupils’ needs and used questions appropriately to deepen pupils’ understanding of what it means to give thanks to God for food. Good use was made of resources but further emphasis could have been placed upon developing pupils’ skills of literacy, when designing posters to entice people to attend a harvest festival. Insufficient emphasis was placed upon the language of persuasion and opportunities were missed to further develop pupils’ writing skills.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
140. Scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work reveals that this balance is redressed in Key Stage 2 where higher expectations are placed upon pupils to develop their literacy skills. Pupils’ work reveals that good opportunities are given to pupils to become increasingly aware of themselves as individuals reflecting on their own experience in an attempt to develop a sense of their own identity and have confidence to explain their belief system to others.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
141. Since the previous inspection good standards of work have been maintained in Key Stage 2, however in Key Stage 1 standards are judged as satisfactory due to the lack of recorded work.
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