Stanhope Primary School

Dates of inspection: 4 – 7 December 2000

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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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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. Stanhope Primary School - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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School address: Mansell Road Greenford Middlesex

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Appropriate authority: The governing body

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Name of chair of governors: Mrs. Susan Miller

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Date of previous inspection: 10 June 1996 Stanhope Primary School - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 2731 Penny Holden Registered inspector Information technology What sort of school is it? Design and technology How well are pupils taught? Special educational needs What should the school do to improve further? 9835 Glenda Spencer Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? (support) How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 25787 Edmond Morris Team inspector Science How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Music 22942 Jackie Cousins Team inspector Mathematics The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Religious education How well are pupils taught? (support) How well is the school led and managed? 21491 Carolyn Maples Team inspector History Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development (support) Under fives Equal opportunities 19774 Maura Docherty Team inspector

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English How well is the school led and managed? (support) Geography English as an additional language 22476 Sue Vale Team inspector Art How well does the school care for its pupils? Physical education 29362 David Cousins Team inspector Art (support) How well does the school care for its pupils? (support) Physical education (support) Stanhope Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N17 9LN

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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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The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Stanhope Primary School - 6 REPORT CONTENTS

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school, with 599 pupils on roll, is a very large primary school close to the centre of Greenford in Middlesex. Pupils represent the ethnically diverse neighbourhood around the school. Over one third of the pupils are white with another third from families of Indian heritage. The rest of the school population includes pupils from many different countries of origin and small numbers of refugees and asylum seekers. The number of pupils speaking English as an additional language is very high with 60 pupils getting additional help to learn English. Attainment on entry is slightly below average. More pupils have free school meals than the national average. The number of pupils with statements of special educational needs is high although the numbers on the special needs register is smaller than average. There is a small unit-class for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Stanhope Primary is an effective school. Standards in Key Stage 2 are good although those of the younger pupils need to be improved. Teaching is good overall and the team of senior teachers work well to improve standards; the school provides sound value for money.

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What the school does well

• Teaching in Key Stage 2 is very good and helps pupils reach high standards. • Pupils’ do well in many subjects at Key Stage 2 and in science throughout the school. • The pupils’ moral development is very good: they understand the importance of truth and honesty. • Pupils’ zest for learning throughout the school helps them work hard. • Pupils have high personal standards for their own behaviour. • The role of the senior management team, particularly the work of middle managers is very effective.

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What could be improved

• Standards of work produced by pupils in Key Stage1 and the under fives. • Systems to monitor and track pupils’ progress and improve their understanding of their own progress. • Recognising, celebrating and using pupils’ heritages and countries of background so they learn from each other and develop mutual respect and understanding. 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 in June 1996. All but one issue from the previous report have been addressed satisfactorily. The results of the National Curriculum tests have steadily improved for 11-year-olds. The trend of improvement for this school is above the national average. However, the results of national tests for seven-year-olds have declined significantly for two years which the headteacher and staff link to weaknesses in teaching that have now been dealt with. There are schemes of work in all subjects. The senior management team monitors the quality of teaching. Subject co-ordinators lead in-service training sessions and are a part of the curriculum development groups. The library and information and communication technology suite are used to promote independent learning skills. The effective work of the senior management team ensures there is a good capacity for future improvement.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

mathematics A B B A average below average C D science A D A A well below average E

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Key

Results for 11-year-olds over the past four years have risen steadily and more than the national increase. They are highest in mathematics and science: when compared with similar schools they are very high. In English, results are below average: fewer pupils reach the highest levels, partly because many speak English as an additional language and partly because some more able pupils under-achieve. Nevertheless, standards are higher than those for similar schools. The school set and exceeded its targets for 2000. By the end of the foundation stage children reach the expected levels in most areas. Some children should do better and make too little progress because work is too easy. In 2000, standards for seven-year-olds were well below the national average in reading, writing and science and very low for mathematics. Inspection evidence shows that standards in lessons are now average in English and science, and below average in mathematics. Standards

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Key

have risen because teaching has improved but are still not high enough. This is because there is still not enough good teaching and because work is not always demanding enough: pupils are capable of better work. In lessons standards of work of 11-year-old pupils in English and mathematics are high and very high in science mainly because of the very good teaching. Standards in information and communication technology and religious education at seven years are too low, but by 11 years, attainment is in line with expectations. Pupils achieve the standards expected for their age, in both key stages, in design and technology, music, art, history and physical education but are below in geography.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good: pupils want to learn and are keen to do well. In lessons they answer questions readily.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good: children have high personal standards and most behave well in classrooms, the playground and around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good: pupils value their teachers and their friends. Pupils choose to raise money for many charities that they select themselves.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory overall: the school works hard to discourage pupils having holidays in term time.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils are very polite to adults and particularly kind to younger children. Except in very isolated incidences they take care to look after equipment in class and property in school. Adults in the school reinforce good behaviour and are supported by the majority of parents. No pupils were excluded in the school year 1999-2000. Stanhope Primary School - 9

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

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

One hundred per cent of lessons observed were satisfactory or better with 61 per cent good or better. Teaching is particularly good in Key Stage 2 with 72 per cent good or better with 28 per cent very good. Teaching of English and mathematics is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. Literacy and numeracy are taught appropriately in Key Stage 1 and well in Key Stage 2. Teachers have good relationships with their classes and manage pupils well. Pupils are treated with respect, given instructions clearly and expected to respond well. Praise is used constructively, and pupils’ achievements are celebrated, which promotes children’s self esteem. The school meets the needs of all pupils satisfactorily. Pupils’ learning is good. Throughout the school they have an enthusiasm for learning. They show curiosity and concentration. An area for improvement is that pupils do not have clear information about how they are doing and therefore cannot say what

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a curriculum that gives good opportunities for pupils to study the subjects of the National Curriculum. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. The requirements of the Code of Practice are understood and followed. Pupils who qualify for extra help are given appropriate support. In the unit class provision is good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory: Bi-lingual pupils learning with English as an additional language make a full contribution in class, particularly when supported by experienced adults.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory overall. Provision for moral development is very good. Social development is good. Spiritual development is satisfactory. Cultural development is unsatisfactory as the school misses many opportunities to celebrate the rich cultural backgrounds of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a secure learning environment for all its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Parents contribute significantly to their children’s learning by encouraging them to do homework; hearing them read and making them understand how important education is. The school has successfully adopted the strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy. The very good moral development is reflected in the calm manner and caring attitudes of pupils who are very willing to take responsibility. Good procedures are in place to ensure that pupils’ needs are met and that they are well looked after. The calm, purposeful atmosphere enables pupils to make full use of the learning opportunities provided. Stanhope Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is well led and managed. The group of most senior teachers in the school have effectively improved standards. Their effectiveness is responsible for the many good features of the school. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are a committed team who understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They have effectively set its targets for performance management. The governors ensure that statutory requirements are met. The school’s evaluation of its performance The managers are well informed about its strengths and areas for development. There is a regular programme of monitoring to evaluate and develop the quality of teaching. The strategic use of resources The use of new technology is good and funding has been used wisely with private sponsorship to establish an up to date information communication suite. Other grants are satisfactorily

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Aspect Comment

used to enhance the learning of pupils. The accommodation of the school is good. There are specialist classrooms for the teaching of science, art, information and communication technology and music. Learning resources are good overall in range, quality and quantity. There is good outside space such as the field and the courtyard gardens but the playgrounds are very potholed. Roles and responsibilities are very well delegated by the headteacher. The senior management team, a group of experienced teachers, meets regularly to discuss all aspects of the school and enables effective teaching and learning to take place. This team promotes a friendly atmosphere in the school, based on every child reaching their potential academically and socially. However, the school aims are not clearly laid out anywhere. Whilst the school always tries to spend wisely and get good value for money it has yet to apply the principles of best value. For example, the governors do not receive detailed financial

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Aspect Comment

breakdowns of spending that would enable them to assess whether the school is making the best use of its finances.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • Children make good progress. • Behaviour is good. • Children are expected to work hard and to achieve their best. • Teaching is good. • The way the senior managers respond to questions and concerns. • Closer relationships with school including information about what is taught. • More activities outside lessons. • Inconsistencies in teaching reading and setting homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Only a small number of parents attended the parents’ meeting or responded to the questionnaires therefore the views expressed may not be representative of all parents. The inspection team agrees with the positive views of parents. Generally, the pupils do enjoy school, behave well, work hard and make good progress. Teaching is very good in Key Stage 2 and satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and the foundation stage. Reading is taught appropriately during the literacy hour and pupils make good progress but parents do not have enough information about this. Generally homework is set regularly and is useful. The school offers a good range of activities out of school for older pupils. The process for dealing with concerns and complaints needs improvement so that it is easily understood by parents who have a guaranteed swift response. Improved information about what pupils are to learn will contribute to developing closer relationships between home and school.

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Pupils enter the school in the nursery with levels of attainment which are below average. A very high percentage of pupils speak English as an additional language and a significant proportion of pupils enter the school at various points with little or no understanding of English. The attainment on entry to Reception class is well below that expected of children at this age and bi-lingual pupils begin their formal education through English as an additional language. While bi-lingual pupils do not attain standards that meet national expectation by the time they are seven, by the time they are 11 they have made good progress and attain standards which are above those achieved by similar schools. Overall, in the foundation stage (the nursery and Reception classes) the standard of work seen was satisfactory in all areas except knowledge and understanding of the world. Some individual pupils do not make sufficient progress because activities do not always stretch them.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Teacher assessments and tests for seven-year-olds in 2000 demonstrate that attainment is well below average compared to national averages: • well below average for reading, writing and science; • very low for mathematics.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The school has carefully analysed these results to discover that the very high proportions of pupils with English as an additional language is an important factor and as a result new strategies have been adopted to address pupils’ low attainment. The standards of attainment in Key Stage 1 could be higher in all core subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. In 2000 the school’s results in the national tests for its oldest pupils in core subjects show that performance compared to national averages was above average overall: • below average in English; • above average in mathematics; • well above average in science.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. When pupils’ results are compared to schools with similar intakes, performance was: • above average in English, • well above average in mathematics and science.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Results for the school’s 11-year-olds over the past four years have steadily risen and the trend is above the national increase. English results in 2000 were below average due to a very high proportion of pupils with limitations associated with English an additional language, so a low percentage of pupils reached above average scores in their English tests. Standards are not high enough for more able pupils in English. However, more able pupils achieve very high standards in science as 59 per cent gained above average scores in the tests.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. The school set realistic targets for 2000 and exceeded them. It has set targets for English and mathematics for 2001 which aim for overall improvement and are based on appropriate testing and teachers’ assessments of pupils.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Inspection findings for the current Year 2 pupils are that, due to improvements in teaching, they are working at average levels of attainment in English and science, although mathematics remains below average. Overall, pupils make unsatisfactory progress in Key Stage 1. However, progress is good in Key Stage 2; Year 6 pupils demonstrate that their attainment is above average in English and mathematics, with attainment in science being well above average. The school is maintaining high standards in Key Stage 2. There are no significant differences between the attainment of boys and girls in any subject. Stanhope Primary School - 12 9. In English, by the age of seven, many pupils are attentive listeners, but lack a wide English vocabulary. They do not easily use the technical vocabulary connected with mathematics. They have confidence to speak to small audiences and by the age of 11 years have developed the skills

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The school’s results and achievements

to speak to larger audiences. In reading they are mostly fluent and accurate by the age of seven years and they mature so that at 11 years they read expressively and can deduct what will happen next using the text. Throughout the school pupils write in a wide variety of forms and for different audiences, but their attainment in writing is affected by the limitations of their vocabulary.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. In mathematics, by the age of seven years, pupils’ knowledge of number, shape, space, measurement and data handling is below average. Pupils can halve and subtract a simple number. By the age of 11 years, pupils have an above average level of understanding of number and most manipulate large numbers easily and can explain their methods of calculation fully. They have an above average knowledge of aspects such as shape, measurement and data handling. The current initiative to improve number work through the Numeracy Strategy has been successful but has, in turn, led to an under-emphasis in the recording of pupils’ skills in investigative work throughout the school. Pupils’ understanding of numeracy equips them well to deal with this aspect of their work across the curriculum.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. Pupils’ understanding of all areas of science is average by the age of seven. Pupils’ understanding of experimental and investigative science is very good, and this is evident in the work seen in Year 6 classes. These pupils also show a very high level of understanding of life and living processes, materials, electricity, light and sound.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Standards have been maintained or improved in non–core subjects, those other than English, mathematics and science, since the last inspection. However, pupils do not reach expected standards in information and communication technology by the age of seven years, but at 11 years their attainment is broadly average and they have made better progress since the opening of the new computer suite. In religious education while progress is satisfactory in Key Stage 1, pupils’ achievements are below average by the age of seven years. However, progress in religious education is good in Key Stage 2 and enables pupils to gain average standards by the age of 11. Standards are not high enough in either key stage for both these subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. Pupils make good progress and achieve average standards in both key stages in design and technology, music, art, history and physical education. Standards for geography are below average throughout because the school places less emphasis on this subject at present.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. In general pupils make good progress and achieve well over the time they are in the school. The progress they make in Key Stage 2 is better than that in Key Stage 1 where it is not good enough. In the lessons seen progress is predominantly good and reflects the success of recent initiatives and successful staff changes. Pupils with special needs make satisfactory progress throughout the school. Pupils’ needs are identified specifically and clearly. The targeted help supports them positively and thoughtfully. Pupils in the unit class make good progress because of the carefully adapted curriculum they receive and the good teaching. The school has relevant support and procedures to assist pupils with English as an additional language and they make satisfactory progress until they reach the age of eight years when they begin to make good progress. There is no evidence of significant variation in the progress made by boys compared to

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The school’s results and achievements

girls. Particularly talented pupils make limited progress in the foundation stage, but this improves as pupils go through the school. They make satisfactory in Key Stage 1 rising to good progress in Key Stage 2.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The vast majority of pupils show very good attitudes to the school. They are keen to learn and concentrate well in most lessons. They listen attentively and are eager to contribute their ideas and opinions to class discussion. Pupils are self disciplined and well disposed to helping each other, this is exemplified in personal, social and health education lessons, lunchtime and assembly where pupils readily help those who are less confident. Most pupils persevere with tasks and take pride in their work. They are eager to take part in the range of activities provided including clubs and Stanhope Primary School - 13 sporting activities and they appreciate various trips and visits the school organizes. Pupils who attend the special unit class, many of whom find learning and school-life in general difficult, have very positive views of their class and the adults who work with them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The quality of behaviour is very good and is a strength of the school. Pupils are clear about the code of behaviour and the rewards and sanctions used. Pupils respond to the school rules well, and are courteous and spontaneously enter into conversation with visitors and talk about their work. At play time and lunchtime pupils play well together, for example, pupils are asked to look after new pupils and ensure they are asked to join in activities. They show respect for school property and this is clearly reflected in the way the school environment is well cared for.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. The very good attitudes and behaviour have mainly been brought about through the effective induction pupils receive before starting school and the successful implementation of the positive behaviour policy supported by parents. Pupils move safely and sensibly through the corridors and when they go outside. Pupils respond well to the simple lining up routine at the start of the day. The school provides a calm learning environment for all pupils. There are no incidents of permanent exclusion or fixed term inclusions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils drawn from a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds enrich the school. Relationships formed by all pupils are excellent and the respect they have for family celebration and religious observance is very good. Bi-lingual pupils are willing to talk about their family experiences, for example, their knowledge of the world from visiting extended families all over the globe. This aspect of pupils’ lives is not used frequently enough to inform work in all subjects. Relationships between individual pupils and adults are very good. This is reinforced by the positive examples of a number of staff who act as good role models.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. The vast majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire and most of those who attended the parents’ meeting said their children liked school. The school has a relaxed atmosphere where staff and pupils feel comfortable with one another, they play co-operatively together, take turns fairly and share resources well. They wait patiently while their classmates speak during lessons. Children take responsibility for some aspects of their learning. They make choices, select and manage equipment and clear up well after activities. Pupils are encouraged to get involved in some daily routines of the school, for example by taking registers to the office and helping to tidy up after lessons. Pupils are given some, but not enough, opportunities to show initiative. They correct their own work and raise money for charities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Levels of attendance at the school now are satisfactory; the school works hard to promote good attendance and this change has been brought about by the school putting in place some effective measures to ensure that parents understand the importance in sending their child to school. Holidays during school term are very few and the school works very hard to maintain this good practice.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teaching overall is good, although it is particularly so in Key Stage 2. However, there is not enough consistency in quality throughout the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teaching has improved since the last inspection mainly because of changes in staff. New effective staff have been appointed and this is having a positive impact on standards.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. In the nursery and Reception classes teaching is satisfactory and 23 per cent of the lessons observed were good. Teachers provide a supportive and secure learning environment so that children are happy, confident and keen to learn. They set high standards for behaviour and manage children well, supported effectively by nursery nurses and other adults. Praise is used constructively, and children’s achievements at all levels are celebrated, which promotes children’s self esteem. One of the reasons for the weaknesses in teaching this age group is that the planning for the foundation curriculum is inadequate. What children to are to learn is not clearly defined. Not enough attention is paid to building on what children already know; on challenging the most able or Stanhope Primary School - 14 supporting individual children with special needs. Too much time is given for the children to play freely without adult involvement or challenge.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. In Key Stage 1 teaching is still satisfactory overall, although more lessons, just under half, were good or very good. A weakness in some infant lessons is the use of time; lessons are quite long and teachers sometimes run out of activities or tasks are completed and extension activities are less effective.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. In Key Stage 2 teaching in almost three quarters of lessons was good or very good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. A strength of teaching throughout the school is the way pupils are managed. Teachers have good relationships with their classes. Pupils are treated with respect, given instructions clearly and expected to respond well. In return pupils have their own high personal standards of behaviour so that even when not closely supervised they behave well. For example, pupils change class twice every day to go into sets for English and mathematics. They do this quickly and without fuss, wasting no time. In lessons they listen closely to the teachers because they expect lessons to be interesting and know that learning is important. A few pupils said their teachers were over harsh and teased them when they got answers wrong or could not understand or that they shouted too often. In no observed lesson did this occur.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Other strengths of teaching at Stanhope include:

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

• the use of plenary sessions to recap on what pupils have learnt and understood, • using individual whiteboards in literacy and mathematics lessons to get every pupil to answer every question, • teachers’ questioning, especially the way they ask pupils ‘why do you think that’ and ‘how did you come to that answer’, • teachers using different subjects’ technical vocabulary well, they do not use babyish language.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

• teach basic skills such as literacy and numeracy very well, • they use their knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach very well to make lessons interesting and work challenging, • expect a lot from their pupils both in the difficulty and the amount of work they must do.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. The quality of lesson planning is a weakness in teaching throughout the school and leads to some work being too easy or too hard for pupils. Sometimes it means the subject content is not actually taught well and tasks involve writing, drawing or colouring rather than knowledge or skills in the subject. However, teachers are well organised and are clear about the content and activities of lessons but have not always worked out exactly what pupils are to learn by the end of the lesson. These learning objectives are often very broad and are an indication of what pupils will do; sometimes they are long-term goals rather than objectives for each lesson. This is more often a weakness in non-core subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Bi-lingual pupils make good progress by the time they leave the school helped though the good teacher-pupil relationships. Experienced English as an additional language staff are well deployed to give additional support to bi-lingual pupils and this is effective, helping these children make better than expected attainments, particularly by the end of their junior years. However, teachers' planning does not always indicate specific support for bi-lingual pupils and in English, where standards achieved are below those in mathematics and science, teachers do not always give enough support to allow bi-lingual pupils full access to the meanings of the text or the key learning points of the lesson. Teaching of pupils in the unit-class is consistently good and the work they are given is carefully tailored to suit their needs so that gaps in their learning are addressed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Pupils’ learning is good overall partly because of these strengths in teaching. The greatest single strength in pupils’ learning throughout the school is their thirst and keenness for work. They Stanhope Primary School - 15 show curiosity and concentration and are prepared at all ages to work hard and produce good amounts of work. They take their learning seriously and have positive views about the importance of doing well in school. They do not however have clear information about how they are doing. Even the most able cannot say what they need to do to improve other than in general terms, such as, work harder or write more neatly.

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PUPILS?

32. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum for its pupils. All National Curriculum subjects and religious education are taught throughout the school and statutory requirements are met. Despite the recent focus on literacy and numeracy, which has proved successful, the school has continued to provide pupils with a range of learning opportunities in other subjects. In science for example, all aspects of the subject are taught very thoroughly and the standards reached by pupils when they leave the school are very good indeed. The amount of time allocated to the teaching of each subject is appropriate and enables pupils to increase their skills and knowledge as they move through the school. In subjects such as physical education and music many pupils have additional opportunities to develop their expertise through individual and group tuition and school clubs. There are useful schemes of work in place for all subjects and

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PUPILS?

these are being used successfully by teachers to plan worthwhile activities for their pupils. Recent changes to the National Curriculum are currently being taken on board by subject co-ordinators who are making appropriate changes to their schemes of work to comply with the new requirements. The school has successfully implemented the national strategies for literacy and, in particular, numeracy and the effect on standards attained by pupils aged 11 has been considerable.

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PUPILS?

33. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. The requirements of the Code of Practice are understood and complied with. Pupils who qualify for extra help are given appropriate support, and in addition, the school tries hard to help pupils whose needs are not so severe but where parents are particularly anxious. The small numbers of pupils in the special unit class have a good experience of school life. Lessons in class are individually matched to meet the learning needs of each pupil and they have good adult support to help them learn. Where possible the pupils also join in with school lessons and activities, for example, for physical education or for a literacy lesson.

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PUPILS?

34. The curriculum committee of the governing body meets regularly to approve policies and discuss future strategies. They have adopted appropriate policies for sex education and drugs awareness. Some subject co-ordinators have made presentations to them to explain developments in their subjects and to help the governors assess the effectiveness of their spending decisions on new initiatives. At present there is a governor who takes responsibility for overseeing the provision for literacy in the school and one for special educational needs but no other subject areas have governors designated to support them. Governors visit the school but as yet have not been into classes to observe how well pupils learn and the standards they attain.

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PUPILS?

35. All pupils are included in the life of the school enabling them to benefit from the many learning and social opportunities provided. However, during each week a number of pupils are withdrawn from classes for additional learning support or to receive instrumental tuition. These pupils, particularly those having music tuition, are sometimes withdrawn from the same class lesson each week. Too many pupils are withdrawn from assembly to work in class or read, not because of religious observance. Missing these opportunities has a detrimental impact on the progress they are able to make in the subjects they miss on a regular basis and on their inclusion in an aspect of the spiritual side of school. The school should monitor the withdrawal of pupils to ensure that they do not always miss the same lesson and receive their full entitlement to the curriculum provided, including assembly.

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PUPILS?

36. The curriculum is enhanced by a range of visits to places of interest such as London Zoo, Bethnal Green Museum, Gunnersbury Park Museum and the Britain at War Experience. These visits are closely linked to what the pupils are studying in school and make their work more Stanhope Primary School - 16 interesting and meaningful. Year 5 pupils have the opportunity to go on a residential trip to Boreatton Park in Shropshire and Year 6 pupils to Beam House in Devon. These visits include good quality educational and adventurous activities as well as giving pupils many opportunities to develop socially and live harmoniously in an environment away from home. Year 6 pupils also go on a day trip to St. Omer in France to study a location abroad. Recent visitors to the school include the local police, fire officer, doctor and an author who talked to younger pupils about story writing.

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PUPILS?

37. The school provides for its pupils a good range of additional clubs and out-of-school activities. Many pupils take advantage of these and some, particularly the computer club, are heavily oversubscribed. As well as the computer club, pupils can participate in many varied activities such as music making, guitar, drama, football, gymnastics, gardening, model making, needlework, rugby, cricket and fitness training. All of these are organised by the teachers during lunch breaks and after school and are much appreciated by the pupils who attend them. There is also a lunchtime homework club and booster classes are run in the Easter holiday for Year 6 pupils to help them with their preparation for the National Curriculum tests.

p.16

PUPILS?

38. There are strong links with two of the local secondary schools whose pupils visit Stanhope and demonstrate their skills in areas such as music and dance, sometimes by performing in assemblies. By working with a local business the school has set up a high quality computer suite with Internet access. Pupils are at present using the suite, not only for class lessons, but to design their own web site. They hope that this will give them further links to the world outside the school and bring a new dimension to pupils’ learning.

p.16

PUPILS?

39. Overall, the school makes satisfactory provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of its pupils. Provision for moral development is very good and is a strong indication of the importance the school puts on this aspect of its pupils’ learning. It has a noticeable impact on all aspects of school life and is responsible for the calm, caring and often mature attitudes of the pupils. The provision for cultural development is less than satisfactory and there are many missed opportunities to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of individual and groups of pupils in the school.

p.16

PUPILS?

40. Spiritual development is satisfactory and mainly fostered through assemblies and religious education lessons. Few examples of planned opportunities for pupils to reflect on the wonders of the natural world were evident during the inspection and this is an area that the school could consider more when planning the curriculum. The sending up of ‘prayer balloons’ is a particularly novel and worthwhile practice. Pupils write their own prayers and these are attached to balloons, which are released, with great excitement, from the school playground. The balloons carry the school address and, to everyone’s delight, a reply was recently received from as far away as Southend.

p.16

PUPILS?

41. Pupils are taught right from wrong from the moment they join the school and are actively encouraged to reflect on their behaviour and the impact it has on both adults and other pupils. Staff provide very good role models in their dealings with each other and with pupils. The school rules, and those negotiated by class teachers with their pupils, are implemented in a consistent and caring manner. The strong moral climate of the school pervades all aspects of its daily life and is actively supported by all members of the school community.

p.16

PUPILS?

42. The provision for social development is good. The good quality relationships found in the school support social development well. Pupils willingly take responsibility and perform a number of jobs around the school such as helping teachers prepare for lessons and taking registers to the office. The school has firm plans to start a school council in the near future to give pupils opportunities to be more actively involved in making decisions about the issues that concern them. Of particular note is the charity fundraising instigated by the pupils themselves. This has developed into a strong tradition in the school and pupils willingly give up their time to raise money for Blue Peter appeals and other charities such as the Big Help. They make small items to sell or run dance classes for pupils to attend during lunch breaks. The annual residential visits help pupils to learn valuable lessons in living together. All of these planned opportunities help develop a sense of

p.16

PUPILS?

community in the pupils and they feel a useful and valued part of the school. Stanhope Primary School - 17 43. The school fails to exploit all the opportunities for pupils' cultural development, which the rich diversity of the school offers. Pupils learn about other faiths in religious education lessons and in assemblies and all pupils are treated with great respect. However, there are few planned opportunities for pupils to demonstrate what they know or to learn from each other of the ways different families conduct their lives. This is a lost opportunity for children to understand and appreciate our multi-faith, multi-cultural society. Subjects in the curriculum do not reflect the contributions that different cultures have made in world history, scientific and mathematical thinking and literature. The school library has limited stocks of books about other cultures and displays of artefacts and notices in other languages are rare.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school has a positive ethos in the care of its pupils. Their well-being is supported by all staff who are good role models. Procedures for child-protection are in place and all staff are aware of the procedures. Health and safety in the classroom is good. The structured lunch and break times have been organised with great care to ensure that each area of activity is properly zoned. Supervision is good. The good relationships in the classroom extends to the playground where children play together in harmony.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Measures to promote good behaviour are good. This, in conjunction with the fully deployed personal, social and health education programme, has provided a firm basis on which to build good behavioural patterns through the promotion of self-confidence and awareness of others. There is a well-developed system for pupils to take pride in their work and develop a sense of responsibility towards others and the school property. For example, in the celebration assembly stickers are given for social awareness, academic achievement and effort.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The headteacher and teaching staff satisfactorily monitor attendance. The teaching staff marks registers correctly and the school secretary follows up any unexplained absences or lateness. The school ensures that parents are briefed about the taking of holidays in term time.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Pupils’ personal development is informally monitored by their class teachers. The school provides a secure learning environment for all its pupils. Good procedures are in place to ensure that pupils’ needs are met and that they are well looked after on a day –to –day basis. The calm, purposeful atmosphere enables pupils to make full use of the learning opportunities provided.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school has successfully set targets for all pupils to reach at 11 and has exceeded them in English, mathematics and science. Satisfactory procedures are in place for statutory assessment of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2 and for baseline assessment in the Reception year. Test results are closely looked at and decisions made to improve the pupils’ learning from this analysis, for example, in Key Stage 1, classes have been re-arranged and extra resources directed here to support the raising of standards. Weaknesses in overall performance are identified and used as a basis for changes in provision.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Ongoing assessment within lessons is good and ensures that higher attainers have opportunities to progress at their own rate, for example, in a mathematics lesson in Year 2 more able pupils are given extension work in their topic about collecting data for graph work. This successfully challenges their learning ability. Less able pupils also have opportunities to improve their skills. This is particularly enhanced by the very good plenaries held at the end of most lessons where pupils can describe their successes and difficulties. At the end of every half term both key stages have an assessment week. Pupils are assessed on the work they have done that half term, in English and mathematics. In science, pupils are regularly assessed at the end of each unit of study. This ensures that teachers are able to provide a better match of activities to pupils’ learning needs and this helps them to make consistently good progress.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. There are limited opportunities for pupils to enhance their learning through aiming for individual learning targets. Whilst these are referred to in end of year reports, they are not referred to during lessons for pupils to be reminded of them. There is currently no system for the careful Stanhope Primary School - 18 monitoring of individual pupils’ academic progress throughout their time at the school that uses their own targets for improvement.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. There are satisfactory procedures in place for identifying and assessing pupils with special educational needs and for those who speak English as an additional language. The school has provided specialist English as an additional language staff for bi-lingual pupils and an English as an additional language plan has been produced to ensure equality of opportunity, curriculum inclusion and targeted support for bi-lingual pupils. The progress of pupils learning with English as an additional language is monitored by the specialist teacher and the planned support is provided for newcomers to English. Careful planning with the class teacher ensures that classroom support meets the needs of the pupils in specific lessons and projects. The school needs to ensure that the expertise of the English as an additional language teacher helps them plan to meet the pupils' needs, even where specialist support is not available.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. There is good teaching and liaison with class teachers for those pupils who attend the special moderate learning class in the school. These pupils receive a very good standard of care. Following assessment, the needs of pupils with specific learning difficulties are identified and in accordance with recommendations, individual targets are drawn up and reviewed regularly. Annual reviews are carried out in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Code of Practice.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The school’s links with parents are satisfactory. In view of the limited response to the parents questionnaire, and the small number of parents at the pre-inspection parents’ meeting there is insufficient information to make an overall judgment on the parents’ views of the school. There are a significant but small number of parents who are unhappy about aspects of the school’s provision, such as, how reading is now taught and how complaints are dealt with. However, most who did respond indicated that they were happy with the level of information they received from the school. The view of the inspection team is that reading is taught appropriately in the literacy hour but that there needs to be a better process for dealing with and resolving concerns and complaints from parents. Whilst parents receive newsletters of what is happening in school there is not enough information about the work and successes of the school to help parents understand what is

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. Written annual reports for parents are very good. They give parents very good information about what their children can do as well as what they have covered and contain information on what needs to be improved. None of this information is translated into home languages, since the school takes the view that because most families are second and third generation settled they have literacy skills only in English. However, where parents are not speakers of English, the English as an additional language staff provide translations and support parents' communications with the school. Meetings have been held to help parents understand the literacy hour but as yet the school has not held a numeracy workshop. There are informal opportunities for parents to meet their children’s class teacher at the beginning and ending of the school day. Consultation evenings are well attended. Parents of children with special educational needs are regularly kept up to date about

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

their children’s progress. The special unit-class takes great care to keep parents informed about activities and the pupils’ progress.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. Parental support for pupils learning at home is good. A significant number of parents help their children at home by listening to them read. A number of parents help in the school and on school trips and swimming. The Friends of Stanhope Association is instrumental in raising funds for the school over and above that which the local authority gives. Stanhope Primary School - 19

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school continues to be well led and managed. The senior management team of middle managers have been effective in leading the school’s drive to raise standards. They are responsible for developing the curriculum. The senior management team promote a friendly atmosphere in the school, based on every child reaching their potential academically and socially. However, the school aims are not clearly laid out anywhere so not everyone has a clear view of what it hopes to focus on and achieve.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Roles and responsibilities are very well delegated by the headteacher which enables him to support the raising of standards in Year 6. The senior management team is a well-established group of experienced middle managers that meets regularly to discuss all aspects of the school and enables effective teaching and learning to take place. The mathematics and science curriculum groups have been particularly successful in promoting a rich curriculum which raises standards, however, the literacy curriculum group is not as effective. Consideration should be given to restructuring the latter group to ensure that it contains a higher percentage of the senior management team. The leadership and management of religious education is unsatisfactory as no one is leading this subject at present, despite the school’s attempts to recruit a suitably experienced and qualified teacher.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. All issues in the previous report have been addressed satisfactorily. Schemes of work have been created in all subject areas and are regularly reviewed. The senior management team now regularly monitor the quality of teaching, for example, through classroom observation and book sampling. Subject co-ordinators now lead in-service training sessions and are a part of the curriculum development groups. There is a leading mathematics teacher within the school and some members of staff have had opportunities to observe him to spread the good practice. The library and information and communication technology suite are now used to promote independent learning skills.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The results of the National Curriculum tests have steadily increased for 11-year-olds. The trend of improvement for this school is above the national average. However, the national tests for seven-year-olds have declined significantly for two years. The headteacher and staff linked this to weaknesses in teaching. They have thoroughly analysed this and specific and effective strategies have been instigated to address this.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The governors are a committed team who have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. However, they do not receive detailed financial breakdowns of spending that would enable them to assess whether the school is making the best use of its finances. While they do receive the school development plan there are limited opportunities for them to contribute to its formation. The school and governors have effectively set its targets for performance management with the advice of an adviser. The governors ensure that statutory requirements are met.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school’s financial planning supports the priorities of the school development plan well. However, success criteria are not set. There is effective control and administration of financial systems. The use of new technology is good and the National Grid for Learning fund has been used wisely with funding from a private sponsor to establish an up to date information communication suite. The ethnic minorities achievement grant is satisfactorily used to enhance the learning of these pupils.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. There is a wide range of expertise among the teachers and classroom support assistants, including those with responsibility for pupils with special educational needs, to deliver the National Curriculum and other areas of learning in the school. English as an additional language is well co- ordinated so that pupils, particularly newcomers to English, are well supported. Currently, the English as an additional language specialist does not monitor in classrooms nor give feedback to the senior management team on the classroom support provided by non-specialist classroom teachers. Few teachers have had any training linked to the teaching of pupils with English as an additional language. Although the team work of the senior management team is strong, some Stanhope Primary School - 20 members of staff do not feel fully involved in the school’s future plans. The provision for newly qualified teachers and new staff is insufficient and does not offer them effective support.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The accommodation of the school is good. There are specialist classrooms for the teaching of science, art, information and communication technology and music. However, the classrooms for Year 3 and Key Stage 1 are cramped. One of the school buildings has recently been reroofed and has had a replacement boiler and windows. The school buildings now require considerable redecoration. The three halls are of a good size and are used for physical education and assemblies amongst other activities. There are two good-sized playgrounds, but the potholes in the main playground require attention so that pupils can use both areas safely all the time. There is a large grass playing field, which allows for games and athletics. The school also has an environmental area and two large courtyard gardens, which are under-used at present but offer great potential.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. Learning resources are good overall in range, quality and quantity. The school has focused improvement in resources on appropriate provision for English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. Pupils can develop their research skills well by using the library in Key Stage 2 where they have the support of librarian. The spacious library holds a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction books, but many of the books are old and not all contain up to date facts.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i) raise the standards of work produced by pupils in Key Stage 1 and the under fives by:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• continuing to improve teaching through setting precise targets for pupils’ learning;

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• planning different activities for pupils at different stages in their learning so that work is challenging enough for everyone in the class;

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• developing senior management team involvement in monitoring the progress of this age group. Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 8- 11

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ii) increase the pupils’ understanding of their own progress by:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• developing simple and practical systems which monitor and track individual progress and which helps them understand how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve;

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• using the pupils’ targets in lessons and referring to them when marking work. Paragraphs 31, 50, iii) improve the opportunities children have to contribute to, understand and appreciate our multi-faith, multi-cultural society by:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• using the pupils’ backgrounds, faiths and heritages more explicitly throughout their time at the school so they learn from each other;

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring subjects reflect the contributions that different cultures have made in, for example world history, scientific and mathematical thinking and literature. Paragraph 43

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Minor issues for consideration: Stanhope Primary School - 21 • Produce a clear aims statement that reflects and reinforces the good ethos of the school; • Develop a process for dealing with concerns and complaints so that it is easily understood by parents who are promised a swift response and a clear answer; • Improve the information that goes home about the school and pupils’ successes and what pupils are to learn; • Develop an induction programme to improve support for newly qualified teachers and new staff; • Give pupils more responsibility around the school. Stanhope Primary School - 22 • PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 27

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 24 575

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 138

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 12

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 83

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 336

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 67

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 57

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.22

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Stanhope Primary School - 23

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 36 30 66

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 26 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 25 21

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 76 (83) 77 (79) 65 (86) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 25 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 26 24 25

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 74 (81) 74 (84) 73 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 42 29 71

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 31 32 40 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 23 26

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 77 (67) 77 (72) 92 (72) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 29 32 39 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 23 26

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 72 (67) 77 (72) 92 (72) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Stanhope Primary School - 24

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 13 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 26 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 23 Other minority ethnic groups

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 21 Financial year 1999/00

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 28.9

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 1,205,337

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Expenditure per pupil 2,123

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

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

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 35,941

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Stanhope Primary School - 25

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 54 40 3 0 2

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 52 39 7 0 2

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 50 38 8 1 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 47 38 8 6 2

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 58 30 3 3 6

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62 29 3 0 6

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 47 31 16 2 4

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 49 31 4 8 8

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 48 37 9 1 6

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 36 37 12 4 11

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

A small number of parents attended the parents’ meeting and responded to the questionnaire. Some of the parents’ who attended the meeting had very strong negative views of the school. The inspection findings are often at variance with these views. Standards at Key Stage 2 are good and teaching is good. Individual parents felt their children had not had the special needs support they should but on investigation the team found these pupils had been given more support by the school than strictly merited. The school is not good at explaining clearly to parents what it does well and what decisions have been made and why. Stanhope Primary School - 26 PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. Children are admitted to the part-time nursery in the September after their third birthday. They transfer to the two Reception classes in the September after their fourth birthday. At the time of the inspection over half of the children in both Reception classes were still four years old. There were considerable staffing difficulties in the nursery during the inspection as the teacher was working with temporary staff she did not know. This is the first time the Foundation stage has been inspected.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. Children’s abilities on entry to the nursery are below average in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world, average in physical and creative development and above average in personal, social and emotional development. Children make satisfactory progress so that they are on target, by the end of their Reception year, to be achieving appropriately in all areas except knowledge and understanding of the world, which, at current rates of progress, will remain below average. Some children in the early stages of learning English when they arrive at the school will not meet all the early learning goals in communications, language and literacy. Children’s personal, social and emotional skills are maintained at an above average level.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. Teaching is satisfactory. All three classes provide a supportive and secure learning environment so that children are happy, confident and keen to learn. Teachers set high standards for behaviour and manage children well, supported effectively by nursery nurses, classroom assistants and parent volunteers. Children respond well to these high expectations, with many already developing self-discipline and consideration for others. Praise is used constructively, and children’s achievements at all levels are celebrated, which promotes children’s self esteem. All three classes have adequate resources.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. Planning to deliver the foundation curriculum is inadequate and this is why teaching is only satisfactory overall and is one reason why progress is not as good as it should be for each child. Assessment is not used to inform planning. Teachers and nursery nurses have good knowledge of children’s abilities but do not record this knowledge in a systematic way, so cannot share it with each other and do not use it to plan for individual needs. Learning objectives are not clearly defined and not enough attention is paid to building on what children already know and challenging the most able. There is a lack of pace to many activities. Children with special educational needs and those with EAL are not recognised in planning and not routinely provided with support. In Reception classes there are extended periods when both the teacher and nursery nurse are involved with small groups and other children are left to play freely with no adult involvement. This play is

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

unchallenging and unstructured with no targets being set for children’s learning.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

69. In the nursery, children spend considerable stretches of time listening in one large group with only a few children actively taking part by making comments or answering questions. There is a rich and stimulating environment, but children’s opportunities to explore and apply their learning, interacting with adults either as individuals or in small groups, is limited to short periods between whole-group activities.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

70. The Reception classrooms are very small. Currently, arrangements have been made to overcome the problem of cramped accommodation by groups of children from both Reception classes spending large parts of their day in a third classroom with nursery nurses. This room is also used to store many teaching resources and to provide opportunities for children to participate in some activities, like role play and computer work, which are not available in their classrooms. Although it is carefully worked out so that all children spend equal amounts of time outside their classroom, this arrangement is not ideal. Resources cannot be stored in an easily accessible way so that children can be self sufficient in their learning. Support staff cannot be used in the best way. Children miss teaching points that occur during activities and those working outside their classroom miss the teacher’s summing up at the end of sessions. There are plans to redevelop the

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Stanhope Primary School - 27 accommodation for children in the Foundation Stage in the near future, so these difficulties should be resolved.

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

71. Children enter the nursery with above average skills in this area of learning and their skills are well developed so that most Reception children have already reached the early learning goals for personal, social and emotional development expected for them by the end of the year. All teachers have high expectations, which children respond to. Children behave well and are good at following instructions. They sit quietly, even when the subject is not interesting or appropriate for their level of understanding. They are motivated to learn, show good concentration and persist at activities. Even the youngest nursery children share equipment well and take turns. Reception children show high levels of self-care, being able to change for physical education with very little adult help except verbal reminders of the order in which to do things, with some even folding their clothes carefully. Relationships are good, with one girl spontaneously helping another child to put

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

on their gym shoes. Many children have already learnt to take responsibility for their own equipment, and one girl knew that her reading book was in her bag hanging on her peg in the corridor and was able to fetch it independently. Reception children take a lot of responsibility for tidying up their classrooms at the end of sessions including washing up paint brushes and paint pots, using their own initiative and needing very little prompting.

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

72. Overall, children’s skills are below average in this area of learning on entry to the nursery. Staff place great emphasis on developing literacy and children make satisfactory progress so that by the time they end their Reception year nearly all of them will be achieving the early learning goals. Although there is great diversity in children’s language skills upon entry to the nursery, they are all read the same story in one group rather than dividing children, according to their language skills, into different story groups, to make better use of support staff. Children in their first term in the nursery enjoy stories and handle books appropriately, turning the pages one at a time, with most knowing that words convey meaning and that books are read from left to right. Many nursery children can already recognise the first letter of their name and some can name the letter, but staff do not use the opportunity to link the letter name with the sound it makes. Reception children can

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

name most letters of the alphabet but are only in the early stages of being able to give letter sounds. This means that even the most able read through memory, as they are unable to sound out words they get stuck on. Most children in the Reception classes can write their first name recognisably, although the least able still do not write even the first letter of their name. Some children learning English at school will not reach all the learning goals in this area.

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Mathematical development

73. Although children enter the nursery with below average skills in mathematical development, a lot of time is devoted to developing their skills in this area and by the end of their Reception year most children will be achieving the early learning goals for mathematics.

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Mathematical development

74. Nursery children practise the number chant daily in a real context, counting children at registration. This is extended in Reception classes to children counting their classmates independently before offering their answer to the teacher. They are not yet able to do it accurately, but the task is appropriately challenging for the most able to work towards and takes no extra time. The teacher takes the opportunity to develop children’s sense of number by telling them, for example, that “there are thirty in the class, twenty eight here and two not here.”

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Mathematical development

75. In the Reception classes the most able children are able to write numerals to at least ten, add one on and record the answer accurately. The least able are still unable to count to three without support. All can chant to ten, some to 20. Most can look at the number of fingers held up (up to five) and give the right answer. Stanhope Primary School - 28

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

76. Children enter the nursery class with below average skills in this area of learning. Through the two years of the foundation stage they make satisfactory progress in exploration and investigation, but not enough in other areas, particularly designing and making skills, and information and communication technology. Overall, at the current rate of progress, few children will meet the early learning goals for knowledge and understanding of the world by the end of the year.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

77. Work is done in both years to build on children’s curiosity and encourage them to use all their senses to explore objects and materials. There are bulbs growing on the nature table in the nursery, which children are observing, developing their sense of time passing. Good use was made of magnifying glasses to study thumbprints children had made. The Reception classes keep mice, and there is a rabbit that runs freely in the nearby courtyard, which stimulates children’s interest in living things. Nursery children, eager to show off their skills, spontaneously took plastic sea creatures from the water tray and matched them correctly to corresponding pictures on a nearby poster. Reception children listened intently to a sound lotto of everyday sounds and whilst only some were able to identify paper being cut with scissors, all recognised a dog barking.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

78. There is a computer in the nursery and another, which both Reception classes share, in the activity room, but during the inspection neither computer was seen switched on, despite being referred to in plans. There are no programmable toys, but many Reception children are able to operate an audiocassette machine and use terms like “winding back the tape”.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

79. Opportunities for designing and making work are limited, are usually directed towards a pre-determined outcome and are restricted by a narrow choice of materials. For example, Reception children were each in turn asked to make a Christmas card, but instead of being able to use their own imagination and develop their independence in selecting appropriate materials, shapes had already been cut out for them, so all they had to do was assemble the pieces.

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Physical development

80. Children ‘s physical skills are average on entry to the nursery and they make satisfactory progress. In the nursery, children’s access to the outdoor play area is restricted to short periods and was not observed during the inspection. Children in both years are taught during hall sessions about the use of space and are developing awareness of space appropriately. In both music and movement sessions observed, children followed taped instructions which allowed little scope for them to move creatively or respond imaginatively to the music and little challenge for the most able. Children in both years are provided with opportunities to make marks with pens and paint and use both their hands and tools to manipulate dough.

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Creative development

81. Children start in the nursery with average creative skills and make satisfactory progress in creative development. Musical skills are particularly developed, with musical instruments available in the nursery for children to use during free play and a specialist teacher who teaches music to Reception class children in the Music Room. Children enjoy singing, with many nursery children joining in familiar songs and all Reception children enthusiastically joining in. Some nursery children and all Reception children can clap a simple rhythm in time to a song and most of the older children can move to the beat of a song.

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Creative development

82. Role-play is encouraged in the nursery through the provision of three well-presented imaginary play areas, a shop, a home corner and an optician’s. Good quality props, including real vegetables in the shop, and multi-cultural dressing up clothes are provided to enhance children’s play. Small models of everyday objects such as toy houses, cars and people, are displayed attractively to stimulate play. Stanhope Primary School - 29

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ENGLISH

83. 2000 results in the National Curriculum tests that pupils take at seven and 11 show that the school is performing below national expectation but, while 11-year-olds reached levels above standards in similar schools, the seven-year-olds performed well below expectation when compared with similar schools. The school's performance in reading and writing by the time pupils are seven years old is well below standards in English in comparison with similar schools. This is attributed to the high numbers of bi-lingual pupils, many of whom are newcomers to English, and to entry attainment at the beginning of Year 1 is below that expected of children of this age. Generally there has been improvement since the last inspection in Key Stage 2 not Key Stage 1, the school has recognised this and has improved teaching somewhat at Key Stage 1 although there is still some way to go.

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ENGLISH

84. While the school's performance in English, when pupils are 11, was above average in comparison with similar schools, pupils' overall achievement was below the standards achieved in mathematics and science. This is understandable since these more visual and practical subjects allow bi-lingual pupils easier access to the meanings of the tasks. The school now needs to ensure that bi-lingual pupils are offered more support in English to understand the meanings of texts and clear models for expected ways of working in writing. The bi-lingual support teacher works with newcomers to English to help them gain understanding of the classes' key texts through pupils' first languages but class teachers need to offer as much visual support for meaning as possible. For example, in a Year 6 class two newcomers to English were unable to participate in a lesson in which the rest of the class were giving oral presentations of work covered and there were no visual

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ENGLISH

85. The school is aware that standards in English need to improve, particularly in Key Stage 1, and has deployed a experienced English teacher and classroom assistants to give particular support to bi-lingual pupils to good effect. The literacy action plan, drawing on data from the school’s analysis of end-of-year tests, identifies key areas of development to raise standards. This strategy is currently working effectively, during the inspection standards throughout the school meet national expectation in all aspects of English. In speaking and listening, attainment is good. By age seven, pupils listen carefully in whole-class and group work. They are alert and offer answers to often challenging questions. They make good connections with previous learning, for example connecting Grace’s fantasy world when reading the book “Amazing Grace” with the Brer Rabbit stories from previous lessons. They also discussed Grace’s feelings when she was told that as a

p.29

ENGLISH

black girl she could not play Peter Pan in a pantomime. They spoke with great sympathy and awareness of this sensitive issue, but also worked hard to tease out the different meanings of ‘persuade’ and ‘pretend’. In English language work, they use the appropriate language, for example ‘phoneme’ and ‘verb’ when feeding back from group sessions. Bi-lingual pupils learning with English as an additional language make a full contribution in class, particularly when supported by the experienced specialist teacher or classroom assistants.

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ENGLISH

86. Standards in reading are satisfactory in infant classes. At age seven, pupils are beginning to read fluently and independently and with enjoyment. They are able to recall with pleasure particular parts of the story they are reading, for example one boy flipped back the pages to read the part where the robots were attacked by rusty machines. They use the text’s punctuation to improve expression and have good self-correcting strategies, using the picture and story context to help with unfamiliar words, for example ‘frightened’. They use appropriate change in expression, when their reading moves from linking narrative to dialogue. One pupil, trying to make sense of the phrase ‘a close shave’ made a good attempt at the meaning, but also understood that the expression was book language and nothing to do with men’s grooming.

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ENGLISH

87. Pupils are able to write independently for a range of purposes. Spelling is satisfactory and they use phonetically plausible spelling, even when they are making errors. The half-termly ‘writing weeks ‘ give pupils an opportunity to demonstrate their developing skills as writers. Handwriting in pupils’ books is often unsatisfactory, though some children have developed a good joined-up style. In both reading and writing bi-lingual pupils are performing satisfactorily, particularly when they Stanhope Primary School - 30 receive support from the specialist staff. This intervention helps these pupils to make better than expected progress.

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ENGLISH

88. In junior classes, standards are good and pupils’ current performance suggests they will meet or better national expectations at the end of the key stage. This is due to the good teaching that they experience and the pupils’ own motivation. The school has already reached its 2002 target for English, 77 per cent of 11-year-olds making Level 4 last year, and through its literacy action plan and analysis of end-of-year tests is providing targeted support to make sure that the present trend of improvement is maintained.

p.30

ENGLISH

89. Standards in speaking and listening in junior classes are generally good. Younger pupils responded well to a poem, “At the End of the School Day”, drawing on their own experiences to explain the exuberance of the children in the poem and to suggest reasons why the sun winced at their outburst. At age 11, pupils express their views well and with confidence. For example, they are able to identify the sad irony of Anne Frank’s diary confession that she wanted to be famous and only became so after death. They linked this with artists who were also famous only after their death. They are able to speak with authority about topics they are studying, using appropriate vocabulary, for example when talking about the Titanic, they included vocabulary like ‘presentiment’, ‘pandemonium’, demonstrating their understanding of particular meanings. They are able to speculate on people’s feelings, for example Anne Frank ‘s on her sister’s death, and a survivor of

p.30

ENGLISH

the Titanic’s on her new life in America. They were able to share their topics with other pupils, with very high presentational skills.

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ENGLISH

90. Reading attainment in junior classes generally meets national expectation. Pupils read with good expression and are able to scan a text to find supporting evidence for assertions they make. For example, in describing the character of a boy who was brainy they drew attention to his words in the text: “I can’t think of another explanation” and the fact that he scratched his head while thinking, a gesture they recognised as a literary device to suggest deep thought. They are able to recognise features of texts, for example, different types of punctuation for direct and indirect speech and how to lay out a dialogue. By the time pupils are 11 they can explain the difference in layout between the first-hand written account and a journalist’s factual account of the same event. In reading, pupils express preference when discussing the books they have read. In one class a ‘could not put it down’ book list helps them share their pleasure with friends, and pupils are clearly

p.30

ENGLISH

building up favourite authors. For example, in the library one pupil explained, having read “Flat Stanley” and “Stanley in Space”, she now wanted another “Stanley” book. In library sessions pupils are clearly used to giving book reviews, offering a good summary of story line, “but not how it ends because that would spoil it for you”.

p.30

ENGLISH

91. Eleven-year-olds’ writing attainment is good and sometimes very good. They can spell accurately; apply rules well, group ideas into paragraphs and use literary conventions, for example ‘PS’ at the end of a letter. Their written work derives from a range of literary forms, for example, play scripts, letters, poetry and newspaper articles, indicating their knowledge of the convention for headlines, including alliteration like ‘Titanic Terror’, and full sentence captions. As part of their investigative projects, they produced project files of good quality work and while some of their research notes are taken wholesale from the Internet, for example ‘weather work’, with its obvious American context, they are demonstrating their scholarship by using all the learning resources available to them. Bi-lingual pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and sometimes good and very good. Newcomers to English who arrive in junior classes are given good support from specialist

p.30

ENGLISH

staff but on other occasions are left without support when class teachers fail to give them enough visual access to the meaning of the lesson.

p.30

ENGLISH

92. Teaching is satisfactory and sometimes good in the infants and good in the juniors. Pupils’ achievement in English is clearly enhanced by good teaching and is generally well planned with clear learning objectives. The Framework for Teaching of the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) is evident in long-term planning, but the short-term planning does not always reflect the rationale and structure of the literacy hour nor present it in a consistent way. In lessons observed there was not always evidence of guided reading and writing nor sufficient word level work which will help them Stanhope Primary School - 31 become independent readers and writers. Children’s achievements in reading is also affected by the good support they receive from their parents and carers.

p.30

ENGLISH

93. Teaching is supported with a good range of resources, including Big Books, white boards and individual slates. Class libraries are generally of a poor standard, with old and shabby books which certainly do not offer a real invitation to read. On the other hand, the weekly visit to the library is a good learning opportunity and is clearly giving pupils confidence in using this vital lifetime resource. The excellent library assistant offers pupils the opportunity to talk about the books they have just read and to hear about the new books on the shelves. Pupils know the layout and can access the classification system well. The library is also used by pupils during dinner-time and after school to develop their independent study skills which is part of the school’s action plan. While pupils have this opportunity to develop this capacity for personal study, it is generally completed outside classroom activities, without support from teachers. Pupils are beginning to understand

p.31

ENGLISH

how to cross-reference information from a wide range of resources, but there was little evidence of children demonstrating the value of writing to organise and develop ideas or of the important skill of note-taking. Most teachers demonstrate a high level of skill in questioning, checking understanding and helping pupils verbalise complex ideas. Teachers’ assessment and record-keeping in English is extensive. Half-termly samples of written work and weekly reading records make it possible to chart pupils’ progress. However, teachers need to mark books more effectively to help pupils understand how to improve. Over-generalised praise is not a clear enough pointer, nor is unchallenged poor presentation and uncorrected spelling.

p.31

ENGLISH

94. There is good leadership of the subject. The monitoring of written work and reading and the implementation of whole-school strategies for assessment and record-keeping has begun.

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ENGLISH

95. There are some excellent developments:

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ENGLISH

• The ‘writing week’, where pupils’ extended writing is assessed against National Curriculum levels; • the common format for reading records; • the prompt sheet for helping adults hear children read which shows good commitment to the school’s aim of working closely with parents and carers.

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ENGLISH

96. The English curriculum team, reinstated in summer 2000, is not yet functioning with a representative from each phase, so its wider responsibility to communicate back to the senior management team is not yet effective. This will make it difficult to achieve the improvement of a more responsive management structure identified in the school development plan. The literacy action plan, although it currently does not have time scales or success criteria, identifies important areas of development which will certainly help achieve the desired improvement, particularly in Key Stage 1. This, along with the action plan for pupils’ learning with English as an additional language, should ensure that all pupils have access to a curriculum that will achieve the school’s mission statement objectives.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

97. Standards in Year 2 were well below average in tests carried out this year in all areas of mathematics (number, algebra, space shape and measurement and data handling). However, in Year 6 test results were above average and well above average when compared to similar schools, pupils are making good progress. Standards for 11-year-olds are sufficiently high. Standards have been below average for three years in Key Stage 1 due to a high proportion of pupils with English as an additional language and weaknesses in teaching. Pupils were not making enough progress in Key Stage 1. Standards in Key Stage 1 are not high enough, the school is aware of the problems and is working to address them. Teachers’ expectations are not sufficiently high and assessment is not well used to inform teachers of pupils’ levels of knowledge. There is no significant difference in the performance between girls and boys. Pupils with special educational needs and English as

p.31

MATHEMATICS

an additional language make satisfactory progress and pupils with English as an additional language make good progress in Key Stage 2. Stanhope Primary School - 32 98. By the age of seven pupils have a limited knowledge of number. Pupils can halve a simple number and subtract simple numbers. They know some properties of 2- and 3-dimensional shapes such as a rectangle and hexagon. There is little evidence of open-ended investigations in either key stage. By the age of 11 years pupils have an above average level of knowledge of number. Pupils use all four rules of number to two decimal places. They reduce fractions to their simplest forms by cancelling common factors. Data handling is well developed; for example, pupils draw line graphs to illustrate the progress they have made in their spelling tests over the term. They measure accurately using millimetres and make sensible estimates of a range of measures.

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MATHEMATICS

99. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good. This is an improvement since the last inspection when teaching was satisfactory overall. In the lessons seen the quality of teaching was always satisfactory and usually good. The very good teaching was all found in Key Stage 2. The analysis of work revealed that assessment was not being fully used in Key Stage 1 to raise teachers’ expectations of pupils. There are no personal targets for pupils in their books linked to attainment in either key stage. Teachers’ planning could be developed by the consistent inclusion of challenges for the more able pupils and the identification of more specific learning objectives.

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MATHEMATICS

100. A number of strengths account for pupils’ good progress: • Teaching is based on good subject knowledge that enables teachers to ask challenging questions which ensure that pupils think deeply about their learning. They use specific vocabulary that enables pupils to develop understanding of technical language. • Effective learning methods are used when mental warm ups develop problem solving skills and accuracy of calculations. • Resources are used well, when pupils record their answers in a variety of ways, so that it is easy for teachers to monitor pupils’ levels of attainment. This was seen in a Year 6 lesson where pupils displayed ratios on their white boards. • Praise is used effectively to encourage pupils and gentle correction is used where teachers invite pupils to think again about an incorrect response. • Very good behaviour management by teachers means that pupils concentrate well, behave

p.32

MATHEMATICS

101. Teachers are secure in their knowledge of the National Numeracy Strategy, which is applied very effectively now. The three-part lesson structure is well established. The plenary is used to revise the learning objectives. Classroom assistants in Key Stage 2 support pupils with English as an additional language well enabling them to make good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

102. Information and communication technology is under-used at present in numeracy lessons to support learning and there is limited software on Key Stage 1 computers. Pupils used mathematics in other subjects satisfactorily such as when they draw graphs in science lessons to show the temperature change in insulated beakers over time.

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MATHEMATICS

103. The leadership and management of mathematics are very effective. There is a clear action plan for the subject which is driving the school’s efforts to raise standards even higher. Considerable progress has been made since the last inspection, for example, standards have risen, mental maths warm up are now used in every lesson and pupils now have greater knowledge of their multiplication tables.

p.32

SCIENCE

104. Attainment in science is similar to that found nationally for pupils aged seven and well above the national average for pupils aged 11. In 2000, the overall attainment of pupils aged seven, based on teacher assessment, was well below the national average. Inspection evidence indicates that standards for pupils currently in Year 2, especially in life and living processes, are now in line with those expected nationally. Improvements brought about by better teaching. The 2000 test results for pupils aged 11 showed a very considerable increase when compared to the previous year of the number of pupils reaching the expected level for their age. Standards were well above Stanhope Primary School - 33 the national average, particularly in the percentage of pupils attaining the higher level, which was very high compared to national figures. Pupils at present in Year 6 are working at a similarly high

p.32

SCIENCE

level and this shows a very good improvement since the last inspection when standards were judged to be unsatisfactory in some classes. Indeed, apart from a small blip in 1999, standards have continued to rise in science year on year. Pupils throughout the school are given many opportunities to carry out their own experiments and learn scientific principles through a practical approach. This is working well to improve their knowledge and understanding of the subject as well as making the work more interesting, enjoyable and relevant. By the time they leave the school, pupils have achieved very well in science with many pupils reaching levels that are most commendable and reflect on the good teaching they receive. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make similar progress to their classmates which is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6.

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SCIENCE

105. By the age of seven pupils identify living and non-living things and understand the growth cycle of animals with a main focus on human development. They know the conditions required for sustaining life and are beginning to understand the relationship between food and healthy living. Pupils know that light comes from a variety of sources and that it reflects off shiny surfaces. They learn this by looking through a peephole at objects in a sealed box, first without any light entering the box and then with a torch is shining through another hole. Pupils were fascinated by this and readily understood the concept. At the age of 11 pupils have a very good understanding of the need for fairness in their scientific investigations. This was very clearly seen in a Year 6 class writing their reports on an experiment they had carried out to find ways to separate mixtures. They knew that similar amounts of the substances tested must be used or the results could be flawed. Pupils are

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SCIENCE

often set challenges to make their work more interesting and make them think scientifically. For example, a Year 4 class were asked to choose from a range of different materials to make a jacket to keep water in a container hot for as long as possible. They worked extremely well together in small groups, discussed and considered the various possibilities, then designed and made the jackets. This was completed in one lesson and all pupils made very good progress in their investigational skills as well as their understanding of the concept. Pupils have been thoroughly taught all aspects of the science curriculum by the time they leave the school and, with the focus on practical activities, develop a questioning approach that deepens their understanding.

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SCIENCE

106. The quality of teaching is always satisfactory and often good or better. Teachers plan their lessons carefully and share the lesson objectives with their class to enable pupils to focus on the learning intentions. The correct scientific vocabulary is stressed and pupils, from an early age, learn to use it appropriately. Teachers manage their pupils well and create a calm and purposeful working atmosphere that helps pupils to concentrate on their work without interruption. Many lessons start with a lively introduction by the teacher, which immediately grabs the interest of the pupils and makes them very receptive to the planned learning. A good example of this was seen in a Year 1 class studying light. The teacher used a box and had the pupils on tenterhooks wondering about its contents. All pupils were most eager to peep into the box and the level of enthusiasm generated was palpable. Behaviour in lessons is always good or better and the pupils have a

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SCIENCE

mature attitude to their learning. They talk willingly and confidently about their work and are very proud of their many achievements.

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SCIENCE

107. Leadership in science is good and the school carefully analyses the test results to identify areas of strength and those requiring further development. For example, the interpretation of graphs was identified as an area for more input and, interestingly, this area was also identified in the analysis of the mathematics test papers. Steps have been taken to rectify this and pupils are now much more confident and capable in this aspect of their work. The science room is a very useful resource and is used well for practical work. Stanhope Primary School - 34

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ART

108. Standards of achievement in art are satisfactory in both key stages and as expected for pupils’ age. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection, and the issue of art being under taught in the last inspection has been addressed.

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ART

109. Across both key stages evidence of pupils’ work on display shows that they work with a range of media, materials and techniques. However, during the week of the inspection mainly sketch work was seen being practised by pupils.

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ART

110. In Key Stage 1 much of the pupils’ work is related to their work in literacy, for example, in Reception the learning of new sounds and letter recognition is reinforced through their artwork. Older pupils in Key Stage 1 produce some interesting work connected with their literacy work about ‘The owl who was afraid of the dark.’ In Key Stage 2 pupils in Year 4 make good observational sketches of well-known pictures depicting the Journey of the Magi, some pupils produce high standards of observational sketches. In Year 6 pupils also work on sketches connected with their history work. They particularly note shaded areas from the black and white photos they are working from. In another Year 6 class pupils successfully use their imagination to depict the effects of the blitz denoting the confusion that arises from a bombing attack. Pupils are helped to gain an understanding of the work of different artists, for example, in a scrutiny of pupils’ art folders there

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ART

are examples of individual pupils’ work in the style of Monet and Van Gogh.

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ART

111. Whilst there is little evidence of the use of sketch books in Key Stage 1 they are used well during the first two years of Key Stage 2. They are inconsistently used towards the top end of the school. Pupils use a variety of different techniques particularly in Key Stage 1, for example, printing with string, cutting, sticking and a wide variety of different painting media.

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ART

112. Teaching and learning are at least satisfactory in all lessons and in two lessons in Key Stage 2 they were good. The pace of lessons is satisfactory in both key stages. The most successful feature is the effective teaching of observation techniques in Key Stage 2 and the plenary discussions held at the end of the lessons. Pupils learn to improve their techniques successfully during these discussions. Most pupils behave well and show obvious interest in their art lessons.

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ART

113. In the best lessons, questioning is particularly good in the plenary sessions when pupils discuss what they found easy and difficult in the work they have produced, and how they want their own work to develop. For example, in one Year 4 lesson the teacher asked the pupils what materials they would need for their next lesson to continue from their sketches in order to produce a finished collage of work.

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ART

114. There is a satisfactory scheme of work in place and this is obviously followed throughout the school. There are good cross-curricular links between art and other subjects in both key stages.

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ART

115. Assessment in art is of a high standard during lessons. The plenary sessions held at the end of the lessons have a positive impact upon the pupils’ learning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. At the end of both key stages, pupils are working just at the level expected for their ages at seven and 11. At the last inspection pupils were working below or in line with expectations.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117. The pupils follow a design and technology curriculum so that all pupils have experience of the subject. However, as the subject has understandably, not been the focus of a staff training or curriculum development for some time, tasks are often not demanding enough. Sometimes the tasks focus on making rather than on design, planning and evaluation. In Key Stage 1 pupils make models and look at how things work and develop the skills to make. Their basic design and making skills are satisfactory. Pupils, when working on making moving vehicles, were able to use scissors Stanhope Primary School - 35 for cutting, and tape for sticking, safely and effectively. However, the quality of the finished product was disappointing and the pupils had difficulty making the model move as the wheels jammed on the axle because of the design they had been given to work with. Other groups can use picture instructions to make vehicles from a construction kit and can build and invent with other

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

construction toys. They are asked to evaluate orally their work but need help to frame their inquiry. Their achievements in this subject are not high enough, as by the end of Key Stage 1, these pupils should be drawing and annotating designs and starting to make evaluative and perceptive written evaluations of their designs.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

118. At Key Stage 2 pupils continue to cover a fair design and technology curriculum but are not being stretched enough because of the nature of some activities. Whilst skills are developed from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 and pupils have opportunities to make they do not have sufficiently rigorous chances to plan, review and improve their ideas. There is, for example, too little use made of focused practical activities or of computers for design work as a way to sharpen pupils’ skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. Pupils enjoy design and technology. They listen to the views of others and make sensible comments in discussions. They are able to stay on task and most of them are able to make reasonable attempts to solve their own problems. They become involved in their tasks.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

120. Teaching is satisfactory. Classroom management is good and lessons usually well planned and prepared. Resources are used satisfactorily. Time is occasionally less well used, too long is spent introducing tasks and sometimes the task is finished very quickly by the more able pupils. These pupils spend the rest of the lesson helping others rather than developing their own analytical and evaluative skills.

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GEOGRAPHY

121. During the inspection, geography lessons were seen in Years 2, 3 and 6 only, since the balance of the humanities curriculum was on history this term. Judgements are based on these observations, examination of children’s work and discussions with children and the curriculum co- ordinator.

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GEOGRAPHY

122. Overall, pupils attain standards which are generally in line with national expectation, although limitations in teachers’ subject knowledge appears to be restricting achievement.

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GEOGRAPHY

123. As pupils approach seven, they are beginning to show awareness of places beyond their own locality, identifying differences as well as similarities in way of life, for example, an island community of Struay and multi-cultural Ealing and travel by sea. They are beginning to build up knowledge about Europe and capital cities and that a continent is a group of countries with different languages and ways of life. They check new knowledge against preconceptions, for example a Year 2 group were surprised that Paris as a potential holiday resort did not have a beach. They are familiar with purposes of maps and plans and from their own experience of travel are coming to understand time and climatic zones.

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GEOGRAPHY

124. At age 11, pupils’ attainment is also in line with national expectation. They work with good subject knowledge in talking about holiday destinations and climate. They also research flags and currencies and the kind of amenities available for travellers. Children know a good deal about countries in different parts of the world because of travel to their extended families. Opportunities to show this has not been built into the curriculum, but even so one pupil was able to refute with confidence the statement that India was always hot. She explained her experience of India was that it was hot in the day and cold at night. Two children found that they were both travelling to Pakistan in the summer and were happy to compare notes and knowledge with me. In Year 6, pupils developed their research skills and investigated weather. They produced detailed work, much of it of very good quality, demonstrating use of a range of learning resources to enhance their study, for

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GEOGRAPHY

example, the Internet, the library, newspapers and a W H Smith project pack. They have very good presentational skills, highlighting the breadth of their study on the contents page and using overhead projector transparencies. While this work was of a very high standard, they had not drawn on very unusual weather conditions in Ealing to measure such as wind-force, rainfall and temperature. Stanhope Primary School - 36 125. Pupils’ response to teaching is satisfactory. They appear interested in the subject and enjoy checking maps and information sheets. They concentrate well, are keen to answer questions and complete tasks. Teaching is satisfactory overall, although some teachers’ lack of subject knowledge allows pupils to work on tasks where the geography is subservient to English language study. For example, a geography lesson focusing on holidays taking account of climatic features became an English language exercise, with children considering the appropriate text type for a

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GEOGRAPHY

postcard. While it is a good idea to bring subjects together to strengthen understanding, where there is only a small amount of geography being taught the learning objectives for geography must be met. In another class where pupils were learning about refugees from Northern Pakistan, children thought Pakistan was in India and there was no map of the world on which they could check. As many pupils come from families with different backgrounds in the subcontinent this is an important misunderstanding.

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GEOGRAPHY

126. The school has responded well to the key issues of the last inspection with a good range of development, including staff training in humanities, but the impact is not yet obvious. The delay in real implementation of the national schemes of work and systematic monitoring means that pupils can be given inappropriate work in the name of geography and teachers have no way to chart pupils’ progress across the strands of the geography curriculum. The production of a portfolio of pupils’ work samples which will start in the spring term is a good development, particularly if assessments are made against National Curriculum levels of attainment. The quality and quantity of geography resources is generally satisfactory, supplemented by topic boxes from LEA and the schools’ library service. Most classes have a map of the world and some have a map of the UK and atlases. The maps were not always at child height for easy reference.

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HISTORY

127. History is taught in all classes throughout the year, but is given particular prominence in Key Stage 2, when more time is devoted to it. In addition to lesson observations, past work, displays, planning and resources were examined and discussions held with pupils and the co- ordinator. Since the last report there has been progress in one area. Pupils’ sense of chronology is now developed throughout the school through the effective use of time lines. However, planning of history, including the division of time to be spent on history and geography, is left to individual class teachers and although a national scheme of work has been agreed, the details of how this will be applied within the school have not been worked out yet. Currently all monitoring of history teaching and learning is done on an informal basis. No systems are in place to ensure consistency, or a balance between history and geography. Evaluation is based on work on display around the school

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HISTORY

together with informal discussions with colleagues. Resources are satisfactory but are still largely limited to books. Historical enquiry skills are not sufficiently enhanced by the use of artefacts, CD- ROMs, pictures, audio and videotapes. Although there is evidence of the use of ICT in pupil’s work, computers were not used in any of the lessons observed.

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HISTORY

128. Pupils at both key stages have appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding for their age. Year 2 pupils know that the “Lady with the Lamp” was called Florence Nightingale and that she carried a lamp “because they didn’t have electricity then”. Historical knowledge and understanding is also taught in other subjects, with work in Science in Year 1 comparing an “old” doll made of china and with human hair to a “new” doll made of plastic with nylon hair. Year 6 pupils display substantial knowledge of life during the Second World War both in written work, including well- organised, illustrated studies presented in folders, and orally, in classroom question and answer sessions.

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HISTORY

129. Six history lessons were seen during the inspection, all in Key Stage 2. The teaching is good, with well-planned lessons. Teachers have good subject knowledge and present facts in a clear accessible manner, which promotes an attentive and enthusiastic response. Pupils are eager to talk about their work and authoritatively repeat facts they have learnt. Most lessons simply teach historical knowledge and understanding, but in one Year 5 class pupils were taught that the same events are interpreted in different ways by different groups of people, which is an important Stanhope Primary School - 37 historical skill. Pupils were able to understand and speculate on the fact that canal boatmen did not welcome the invention of steam engines. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to compare different interpretations of the same event.

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HISTORY

130. There is a wide range of history work displayed throughout the school, both in classrooms and in corridors. Visits to the Imperial War Museum, Hampton Court, Gunnersbury Park Museum, and a Roman Day staged in the school by visiting artistes have had a major impact on pupils, extending their historical understanding and boosting their interest in the subject. Year 3 pupils of all abilities showed good recall of historical facts about Roman life ranging from the fact that people weren’t allowed to wear purple, to “Boudicca swallowed poison because she didn’t want to be captured by the Romans”.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

131. Standards are below those expected of pupils at the age of seven but they make good progress and are in line by the time they reach 11 years old.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

132. This subject has improved considerably since the last inspection when it was identified as an area in need of development.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

133. Improvements include: • A new well equipped networked information and communications technology (ICT) room for Key Stage 2. There are enough computers in the room to allow pupils to work in pairs. The networking allows teachers to demonstrate on all the machines so that pupils can easily see; • Teachers plan lessons that teach their pupils the aspects of ICT in the National Curriculum and will soon have the guidance of a newly revised school curriculum; • Assessment is built in to the end of each unit of work; • Computers in the network room are kept in good running order; • Teachers can project a computer screen onto a new white board and use it to show pupils how different programmes and functions work; • Effective subject co-ordination; • Clear development plan identifying effective action to improve standards in all aspects of the subject; • Teachers have all received training in ICT and can ask for help from a group of very enthusiastic

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

134. The difference in standards between key stages is mainly because the youngest pupils have limited access to computers. Although there are computers in every classroom they are only used occasionally and as there is no network room for Key Stage 1, teachers find it difficult to teach skills to the whole class. A computer room for these pupils is planned in the near future.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

135. The youngest children can use the mouse to move the cursor around the screen and by the end of Reception can use the mouse to select and move an object. In Year 1 pupils are learning to write text in a word processing package and how to insert appropriate clip art pictures. Year 2 pupils are beginning to use a graphics package and to make their own pictures. They are also beginning to sort information on computers to find the answer to questions. Pupils in Year 3 have begun to use text and graphics to convey specific information to readers. Most pupils can highlight text, change font, colour and size of letters. They can also use bold and italic and explain where they might find these or use them, themselves. Year 4 pupils are building on the Year 2 work and are using a branching database to sort information into categorises. They are starting to collect and interpret data from familiar contexts. In a lesson the pupils understood the programme well so

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

that they could write questions to collect information for their database needing a variety of answers, including multiple choice. They could also identify many real life applications for databases ranging from shops to police stations. Pupils in Year 5 are using a spreadsheet to calculate the solutions to a variety of problems. They have also used a graphics program to copy and make their own interpretation of the painting The Snail by the artist Henry Matisse. In Year 6, pupils are beginning to understand control technology and to use it to control external databases. Stanhope Primary School - 38 They have also developed their understanding of word processing and many have good keyboard skills and can work quickly. They are enthusiastic users of the Internet and are keen to research information from CD ROMs and other sources.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

136. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, although some teachers bring their own enthusiasm and interest in computers and teaching is good in their lessons. Conversely some teachers are tentative about computers themselves and find teaching difficult. The improved school curriculum and guidance will support these teachers well. Where there are weaknesses in teaching these can be traced back to the lesson plan. Often, too much is expected in lessons, either in amount or difficulty or in the way pupils are introduced step by step. A specific area for improvement in planning is the lesson or learning objective. Some learning objectives cover enough work for a term or are very general and are difficult to measure. Teachers need to be clearer about what they expect pupils to learn by the end of each lesson.

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MUSIC

137. Unfortunately the specialist music teacher, who teaches all the classes in the school, was away during the inspection. Therefore, apart from singing in assemblies, videos of Christmas productions and a few Year 6 pupils who are members of the lunchtime composing club, very little music was observed. No judgement can be made about overall standards in the subject although the singing in assemblies and on the concert videos was tuneful and enthusiastic. Pupils who were interviewed said they enjoyed musical activities and some of them are able to learn instruments such as the recorder, keyboard and guitar with specialist instructors each week. The music teacher is new to the school and planning was only available for this term so it was impossible to assess the extent of the coverage of the subject over a longer period.

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MUSIC

138. The pupils from Year 6 who are in the composing club performed two of their own compositions using tuned and untuned percussion instruments. They played well, with a good sense of rhythm and their music had a good structure and was pleasing on the ear. They had, however, only a very basic understanding of notation and were unable to write down their compositions. They were extremely enthusiastic about their work and very proud of their efforts, insisting that they should be listened to during the inspection. The Christmas concerts, well attended by appreciative parents, are a highlight of the school year. Music is often played at the start and end of assemblies but pupils are not always informed about the composer, the name of the piece or its significance.

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MUSIC

139. The school does not record pupils’ work on audiotape as a means of assessing standards and showing progress of different groups of pupils as they move through the school. The introduction of a published scheme of work to give class teachers more confidence and help them to become more involved in the teaching of the subject could also help with maintaining the provision.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. Standards in physical education are in line with expectations for pupils’ age and ability at the end of both key stages. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. In certain areas of the curriculum for example in rugby and gymnastics lessons in Key Stage 2, standards have risen since the last inspection. During the inspection, lessons were only seen in gymnastics in both key stages and outdoor games in Key Stage 2, but the school covers all other areas of the physical education curriculum at other times of the year, including, swimming, orienteering and dancing.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. In Key Stage 1, pupils move safely on the apparatus and show awareness of posture and balance. Pupils use space sensibly, and control their body movements and vary form speed and agility. They refine their movements and produce different sequences to show to the class. In Key Stage 2 pupils’ ability varies from satisfactory to a good standard. In games pupils learn and develop skills in rugby, football and hockey. Pupils understand the effect of exercise on the body Stanhope Primary School - 39 and appreciate the importance to the body of warming up and cooling down activities. In gymnastics in Key Stage 2 pupils achieve a high standard of work. They are able to refine and improve their work through the support and knowledge of their specialist teacher.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. The quality of teaching and learning is never less that satisfactory. In gymnastic lessons in Key Stage 2 it is good and often very good. Teachers have secure knowledge of the subject and challenging expectations about the quality of the movements pupils are to produce. They use praise appropriately and provide good opportunities for pupils to demonstrate their ideas to others. The specialist teaching is particularly effective in enhancing pupils’ learning and attainment. Pupils respond readily to their teachers’ instructions. In the best lessons learning objectives are clearly explained and these are referred to throughout the lessons. Good habits of correct dress and safe handling of equipment are instilled in pupils. In the majority of lessons pupils are managed well and motivated to stay on task, they enjoy the subject and take part with enthusiasm. Behaviour is good and pupils work co-operatively together.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143. The curriculum is greatly enhanced by the number of extra-curricular activities on offer. For example pupils in Key Stage 2 have the opportunity to participate in rugby, football, and dance clubs. At other times of the year other clubs are offered depending on the season. The school participates in many different competitions and matches within the borough and is frequently successful in its participation.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. By the age of seven pupils’ knowledge and understanding of religious education is below average, however, by the age of 11 it is average. The standards in Key Stage 1 are partly due to the lack of knowledge pupils have of religions when they enter the school. However, standards could be higher in both key stages if the subject had a higher profile within the school and a co- ordinator to develop the subject. There has been little change since the last inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. The strengths of teaching are as follows:

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

• Effective learning methods of teachers often revise previous work, which helps pupils to build on prior understanding and link knowledge. They use questioning effectively to discuss the symbolism of various objects. This was seen in a Year 4 lesson where pupils were asked about the symbolic meaning behind the gifts that the three kings gave to Jesus at his birth. • Teachers’ high expectations of behaviour ensure that pupils co-operate with one another and behave politely. Teachers’ enthusiasm for topics means that pupils are keen to learn and improve their work. • Resources are well used when pupils are asked to make model diva lamps and are given homework to research how their family came to live in Greenford.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146. To develop teaching further more detail could be added to teachers’ planning and learning objectives could have a more specific aim. There is an under-use of the teacher’s and pupils’ expertise of other faiths throughout the school. Pupils with English as an additional language make good progress in Key Stage 2. Information and communication technology is under-used to support learning at present.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147. The leadership and management of this subject is unsatisfactory. There is no co-ordinator at present although the school has advertised the post recently. However, since the last inspection there have been satisfactory improvements, for example a scheme of work has been written in the light of the locally agreed syllabus. There is also a curriculum map for the subject which allows the headteacher to oversee the maintenance of standards. The school development plan also includes the subject and the school’s objectives which will develop this area of the curriculum more effectively.

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