Tetherdown Primary School

TETHERDOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: September 19 th and 20 th 2000

p.1

TETHERDOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

p.1

TETHERDOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Tetherdown Primary - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Grand Avenue Muswell Hill London

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Amelia Sussman

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 nd January 1996 Tetherdown Primary - 4

p.3

Team members

Penny Holden Registered inspector Rosalind Hall Lay inspector Brian Oppenheim Team inspector

p.4

Team members

Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N 17 9LN

p.4

Team members

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

p.4

Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Tetherdown Primary - 5

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6-9

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Tetherdown is a one-form entry community school for girls and boys aged 4 to 11. It is about average in size with 212 pupils on roll. Most pupils are from white European backgrounds although there are some children from other ethnic groups. Twenty-one pupils are on the school register for special educational needs which is below average. Those needing particular individual help have a variety of learning difficulties and autism. Attainment on entry is good. Five per cent of pupils speak English as an additional language but only two pupils are just beginning to learn English. Four per cent of pupils qualify for free school meals, which is low.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Tetherdown is an effective school that gives its pupils a broad and interesting education. Pupils achieve high standards because everyone in the school takes learning seriously. The headteacher, staff and governors are committed to improving the school and working together to maintain high standards. The school gives good value for money because pupils have a rich experience and reach high standards.

p.6

What the school does well

• Pupils have very good attitudes to learning: they are keen to learn and do well and this is one of the reasons why they make good progress in their lessons.

p.6

What the school does well

• The headteacher leads the school very effectively and is well supported by governors and staff: together they evaluate where things are and how to improve.

p.6

What the school does well

• There is a broad curriculum; clubs, visits, assemblies and other activities considerably enrich pupils’ learning.

p.6

What the school does well

• Teaching is good because pupils are given exciting and demanding work, which promotes the high standards they achieve.

p.6

What the school does well

• There is a strong partnership between the school and parents: parents get useful information about their children’s education and in turn support the school.

p.6

What could be improved

• Assessment is comprehensive, but it is difficult for teachers to extract the information they need, in order to plan the next stage of pupils’ work or to set individual targets so that pupils know how to improve their work.

p.6

What could be improved

• Parents do not always know how homework is to be done; teachers’ expectations for homework are not always clear and there is some variation in implementing the homework policy from class to class.

p.6

What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress on all the important issues raised in the last inspection of January 22 nd –24 th 1996, except the consistency of homework where there is still room for improvement. Very good progress has been made in the contribution governors make to the management of the school and in improving the partnership with parents. Both governors and parents receive increased amounts of useful information from the school. Many improvements have taken place since the appointment of the new headteacher last year: teaching has improved and standards have continued to rise. Co-ordinators have a better understanding of their work as they know what is expected of them and have begun to check and improve teaching and standards in their subjects. Tetherdown Primary - 7

p.6

STANDARDS

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

p.7

Key

1997 1998 1999 1999 very high A* English A A A A well above average above average A B mathematics A A* A A average below average C D science A A A* A well below average E

p.7

Key

Pupils at 11 years old achieve very high standards: the A* grade for science in 1999 indicates that the school is in the highest five per cent nationally. In all three subjects, even when the school’s results are compared to similar schools it does very well. Trends in results over time are consistently very good varying between well above average and very high. The school’s target is to work towards A* in all subjects. Results for 1999 in English show that pupils at eleven are a year ahead of pupils nationally and over a year ahead in mathematics and science. Pupils begin school with skills that are slightly above average and they make good progress by the time they are seven years old when they achieve results that are well above average. This progress is maintained well so that by the time they are eleven standards remain well above average or very high.

p.7

Key

In lessons standards are without doubt very high. Pupils have good reading and speaking skills but on occasions their spelling is less good. They write with well-formed handwriting, readily invent stories and write down their ideas fluently. Their mathematical and scientific skills are good. They have very good general knowledge and their love of learning means they work hard and do well in all subjects.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to school: they are keen to learn and do well. They enjoy school take their work seriously and expect adults to treat them with interest and honesty. They readily volunteer ideas and want to take part in discussions and activities.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is extremely good. Even with the building work and the very limited outdoor play space, pupils play together very peacefully and creatively. In lessons pupils work together very well.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good. Pupils talk easily to adults and each other. Independence is fostered in the pupils from their reception year.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Pupils are punctual and keen to arrive in class on time.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Pupils come to school expecting to enjoy learning and teachers work hard to plan work that is interesting. They are very friendly and social, happy to talk about their work and to explain how they feel about it. They work and play together very well, willing to help those having difficulties. They are particularly kind to any pupils with special needs. Tetherdown Primary - 8

p.7

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

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

p.8

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

Teaching is good because teachers are inventive and make lessons out of the ordinary. They plan original or unexpected starts to lessons. They choose tasks that will quickly fascinate the pupils and make the work challenging. The pupils’ curiosity and good general knowledge is often used to motivate and stimulate them. On the inspection a quarter of the teaching observed was very good or excellent and was at least satisfactory in all other lessons. Pupils have very good attitudes to work. They want to learn and are keen to do well. They are encouraged to be independent and deal with difficulties in their work with persistence and determination. In lessons girls and boys work together very well, readily taking part in activities and volunteering perceptive ideas.

p.8

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

The school works hard to meet the needs of all pupils; this is most effective where teachers plan different work to support those with learning difficulties and to stretch those who are high attainers. If all lessons had really clear learning objectives for all parts of the lesson that both teachers and pupils understood, teaching would be even better. Literacy and numeracy are taught well: teachers use inventive and interesting ways to introduce the topics and use their good subject knowledge to develop the pupils’ understanding. The school plans to give pupils their own individual targets for English and mathematics. These targets will help pupils and teachers focus on the specific learning needs of each pupil.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Pupils are given many absorbing activities. The work they do covers a broad and interesting curriculum. The school teaches all the National Curriculum subjects and religious education. Italian is being taught in all classes from Year 2 this year. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school has increased the support it can give to special needs, through the special needs co-ordinator, this year. This support is effective.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very few pupils are just beginning to learn to speak English and those that are have additional help and guidance from their class teachers.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is particularly good. Pupils have many occasions to experience a range of cultural activities. Opportunities for reflecting on social and moral issues are threaded through school life. Assemblies and many subjects develop the pupils’ spirituality.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Each pupil is very well known to the adults in the school who take good care of them. Teachers record what pupils have done in English and mathematics. However, there is too much detail to see easily what each pupil knows and understands in order to plan their next steps.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Nearly a third of pupils take instrumental music lessons and all learn to play the recorder during their time in the school. Swimming is taught and adventurous activities are offered through the school journey Tetherdown Primary - 9 in Year 6. School teams did particularly well in cricket last year and extra-curricular clubs give pupils more sporting opportunities. All pupils take part in the school productions that are of a high standard.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is very well led by the headteacher who is strongly supported by the deputy headteacher, staff and the governing body. All staff, including non-teaching staff, contribute fully to the smooth running of the school.

p.9

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors understand their role well and are conscientious in carrying out their responsibilities.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has a strong commitment to improvement and now reviews its work in a much more rigorous and systematic way.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The money available to the school is used effectively and efficiently to develop the areas it needs to improve.

p.9

Aspect Comment

In the comparatively short time the headteacher has been at the school she has maintained the school’s strengths and made important improvements in areas where needed. Few school procedures were supported by clear written policies and these are appropriately being put in place. Each subject is being further developed by reviewing schemes of work; through clear co-ordinator roles and observations of teaching and learning.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The school is beginning to apply the principles of best value effectively; for example, it has improved the insurance to cover for staff illness at a lower cost.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Standards of achievement • That the school is well led and managed • The good teaching • Improved communication • The sense of community in the school • Guidance about homework • The range of activities offered by the school

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agree with the positive views of parents, many of which are identified as strengths of the school. Homework is a difficult issue for the school to get right because some parents would like more homework and others less. There is a comparatively new homework policy which the school must communicate clearly and monitor to ensure that it is being implemented consistently by all teachers. Instructions for some pieces of homework are not always clear to parents who worry that they cannot help their children. The school offers an appropriate range of activities for its size and type. Tetherdown Primary - 10

p.9

Pupils have very good attitudes to learning: they are keen to learn and do well and this is one

of the reasons why they make good progress in their lessons.

p.10

Pupils have very good attitudes to learning: they are keen to learn and do well and this is one

1. Pupils have very good attitudes to work. They want to learn and are keen to do well. They are encouraged to be independent and deal with difficulties in their work with persistence and determination. In Year 3 English the groups of pupils worked very quickly and independently and settling quickly found their own resources. In lessons girls and boys work together very well, readily taking part in activities and volunteering perceptive ideas. In a Year 6 English lesson when the class were asked who would like to read part of Macbeth every pupil volunteered. Boys and girls happily read parts for the opposite gender. In reception pupils who are still very new to school readily collect their own literacy files from their drawers and return their completed work. This despite quite cramped conditions in the classroom.

p.10

Pupils have very good attitudes to learning: they are keen to learn and do well and this is one

2. Pupils come to school expecting to enjoy learning and teachers work hard to plan work that is interesting. In a Year 5 mathematics lesson exploring ways of writing down multiplication, the good teaching ensured pupils settled quickly to their work, they concentrated, thought for themselves and applied themselves well. Pupils are very friendly, happy to talk about their work and to explain how they feel about it. Their social skills are good and they readily get into conversation with adults and other children. They enjoy the company of others and informal occasions such as lunchtime are popular times for exchanging news. Circle time gives the pupils opportunities to discuss important issues of personal development, to which they respond well. They work and play together very well, willing to help those having difficulties. They are particularly kind to any pupils with special needs. They respond with

p.10

Pupils have very good attitudes to learning: they are keen to learn and do well and this is one

enthusiasm to opportunities to help and support others, such as the book buddies scheme.

p.10

staff: together they evaluate where things are and how to improve

3. The school is very well led by the headteacher who is strongly supported by the deputy headteacher, staff and the governing body. All staff, including non-teaching staff, contribute fully to the smooth running of the school. Parents support the leadership and a very large percentage, 95 per cent, felt the school is well led and managed. Governors understand their role well and are conscientious about fulfilling their responsibilities. They understand the difference between their role and that of the headteacher, which ensures all their efforts are complimentary and beneficial to the school. They are able to fulfil their role well because the headteacher ensures they have all the management information they need.

p.10

staff: together they evaluate where things are and how to improve

4. In the comparatively short time the headteacher has been at the school she has maintained the school’s strengths and made important improvements in areas that needed it. Few school procedures were supported by clear policies and these are appropriately being put in place. Each subject is being developed through schemes of work, clear co-ordinator roles and observations of teaching and learning. The school has a strong commitment to improvement and is beginning to review its work in a much more rigorous and systematic way. All policies are timetabled for review and update in a methodical and logical manner. The school has begun to monitor the quality of teaching and learning and to work to improve it where necessary. Aspects such as literacy and numeracy have been monitored by the co-ordinators to make sure these are working well.

p.10

staff: together they evaluate where things are and how to improve

5. Parents spoken to felt the parent and teacher meetings were very helpful and gave a useful opportunity to share information about the child and to work out strategies for improvement. Comments were made about the huge change in parents’ involvement in the last few years under the leadership of the last and present headteachers who welcomed contact with parents.

p.10

There is a broad curriculum and clubs, visits, assemblies and other activities considerably

enrich pupils’ learning. Tetherdown Primary - 11 6. Whilst the school places an emphasis on literacy and numeracy it teaches all the National Curriculum subjects and religious education. Italian is being taught in all classes from Year 2 this year. Literacy and numeracy lessons are well planned and cover the range of English and mathematical topics in stimulating and engaging ways. The good teaching ensures that pupils are given many absorbing activities and ensures that the work they do covers a broad and interesting curriculum. The quality of lessons in science, history and geography for example is very good. Pupils are fascinated by the content of these lessons and bring a well-developed curiosity and good general knowledge to enhance their work. Visits and visitors play an important part in enriching the pupils’ experiences and these range from a visiting falconer team to visits in the local craft centre. Music is both a class activity and a

p.10

There is a broad curriculum and clubs, visits, assemblies and other activities considerably

small group and individual one. Nearly a third of pupils take instrumental music lessons and all learn to play the recorder during their time in the school.

p.11

There is a broad curriculum and clubs, visits, assemblies and other activities considerably

7. Opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are particularly good. They are effectively included in assemblies, in personal and social education lessons, circle time and within subject lessons. Pupils have many occasions to experience a range of cultural activities including visiting adult dancers and musicians to taking part in a range of school performance and concerts. They have opportunities to consider social and moral issues in many aspects of school life. Pupils have very strong views about what is right and what is wrong and feel a responsibility for major world issues. Assemblies and many subjects develop the pupils’ spirituality and give them opportunities to think and reflect. Religious education lessons cover the different beliefs of major religions and pupils show respect and interest in the faiths of others. In a Year 3 lesson about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish children in the

p.11

There is a broad curriculum and clubs, visits, assemblies and other activities considerably

class shared their own experiences and knowledge of the festival. Some read the Hebrew greetings in some New Year cards to the class. The pupils listened intently and gained a great deal from hearing these personal stories.

p.11

There is a broad curriculum and clubs, visits, assemblies and other activities considerably

8. Swimming is taught to all pupils in Year 6 and although some parents would like more this does ensure the school meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school journey in Year 6 gives pupils who go the opportunity to take part in adventurous activities. Sport is encouraged and school teams did particularly well in cricket last year. There are also extra-curricular clubs which give pupils more sporting opportunities.

p.11

high standards they achieve

9. Teaching is good because teachers try to be inventive and make lessons out of the ordinary. They plan original or unexpected starts to lessons. In a Year 6 literacy lesson the pupils sat entranced whilst the teacher, pretending to be Shakespeare, unpacked objects such as a crown and a skull from an inspiration box until he arrived at a cutout witch. The lesson then centred around reading the play Macbeth and discussing how play scripts are written. The pupils were so engaged by the notion of a Shakespeare play because of the introduction that they listened intently as individuals read the parts. This concentration was important as the text was quite challenging and required the pupils to pick up clues from the sense of the speeches.

p.11

high standards they achieve

10. Teachers choose tasks that will quickly fascinate the pupils and make the work challenging. The pupils’ curiosity and good general knowledge is often used to motivate and stimulate them. In a Year 4 history lesson the pupils who were comparatively new to the topic, Celts and Romans, already had a good knowledge of many aspects. They used this well in their work. In the lesson they were asked to piece together an artefact from the time and decide what it might have been used for. The teacher constantly questioned the children to check their understanding and to challenge their thinking. This is a common feature of the good teaching at Tetherdown. Very often the beginning of lessons include short well planned questions which probe pupils’ knowledge and assess their understanding. This allows the teachers to give extra help to those who are struggling as well as setting the next steps for those who have grasped the work. Teachers also set the pupils interesting questions as their tasks.

p.11

high standards they achieve

In a Year 3 literacy hour the pupils doing guided reading had to work out where the story Julian Secret Agent was set. Pupils used both clues from the story and their good general knowledge to determine that it was the USA. Partly because of the interesting teaching pupils have very good attitudes to work, they want to learn and are keen to do well. Tetherdown Primary - 12 11. The pupils within each class cover an unusually wide spread of attainment, from those with special needs to those who are particularly able. Teachers are generally good at meeting the needs of all pupils and do so most effectively where they plan work at different levels of difficulty to support pupils with varied abilities. In a Year 2 geography lesson the teacher grouped the pupils well so that two groups of varying ability worked on different tasks whilst he worked with another group who needed consolidation. When this group began to work independently he moved to each group in turn helping

p.11

high standards they achieve

each with their hardest task. This effectively challenged pupils of all abilities and was a good use of the teacher’s time.

p.12

high standards they achieve

12. On a few occasions, those pupils who find writing comparatively easy, complete the tasks set for them in the time they have been given but they could have worked faster to produce more. If all lessons had really clear learning objectives for all parts of the lesson, that both teachers and pupils understood, teaching would be even better. The school plans to give pupils their own individual targets for English and mathematics; this will help pupils reach their potential. These targets will help pupils and teachers focus on the specific learning needs of each pupil.

p.12

about their children’s education and in turn support the school

14. Both staff and parents value the partnership between the school and the parents. Many governors, as well as parent governors, are parents and play an important part in helping to lead the school. Governors interviewed felt that the involvement of parents in the education of their children was a particular strength of the school. In the parents’ questionnaire responses, ninety per cent of parents felt the school worked closely with them. Parents said that the school responded very quickly to any queries and that the headteacher was always willing to take time to discuss concerns and was open to ideas. This they stated was particularly true of the current headteacher.

p.12

about their children’s education and in turn support the school

15. The school gives parents a great deal of useful information and offers them many opportunities to visit school. The headteacher writes a weekly newsletter giving news and information of a general nature. Each class teacher sends out a letter at the beginning of term setting out the curriculum for the term so parents understand what their children will be working on. There are regular head teacher consultation days when the headteacher is available from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening. Teachers hold parents’ meeting evenings in the autumn and spring as well as a termly open afternoon where parents can visit their child at work. Parents receive a clearly written report about their child’s progress in the summer term and are invited to discuss concerns.

p.12

about their children’s education and in turn support the school

16. Large numbers of parents support school events, from class assemblies to end of term productions. There is a rota of parents who help in the literacy hour. In a year 6 English lesson a parent worked extremely skilfully with a group of pupils to produce a scene from their own ‘Shakespearean style’ play. Her expertise both complemented and added to that of the teacher and contributed significantly to the pupils’ understanding and progress in the lesson. Other parents support by looking after the library, by taking groups for cooking or helping on school trips for example. The thriving parent and school association organises many social events for families as well as providing the school with many additional resources. Parents’ meetings have been held and information given about new curricular initiatives such as the literacy and numeracy strategies.

p.12

about their children’s education and in turn support the school

17. The reorganisation of the building, moving the office and Headteacher’s room down to the ground floor has been a great improvement and the administrative staff are efficient, friendly and accessible. Many parents commented on how very friendly a community the school was, rather like a village school. This very good partnership with parents strongly affects pupils very positive attitudes to school, their teachers and their work. Tetherdown Primary - 13

p.12

know, understand and can do it is difficult for the school to set individual targets: pupils do not

18. Assessment is comprehensive and teachers record many aspects of what pupils have been taught. Each teacher keeps a class assessment folder which is passed on to the following teacher. They also hold a termly assessment week where pupils’ work is kept as an exemplar of the standards they have achieved. However, the current information does not give teachers easily accessible information about what pupils know, understand and can do in order to plan their next work.

p.13

know, understand and can do it is difficult for the school to set individual targets: pupils do not

19. The school works hard to meet the needs of all pupils; most teachers plan different work to support those with learning difficulties and to stretch those who are high attainers. The school has tried to win additional funding to meet the needs of gifted and talented pupils even more effectively but has not been successful. It has links with its local secondary school who has such funding and is developing some joint projects. The new special needs co-ordinator’s job includes seeing that the needs of gifted pupils are met. To make sure pupils know what they are going to learn in each lesson teachers give their pupils clear learning objectives for the lesson overall but not all give them for each part of the lesson. This means that in the middle of lessons where pupils are working individually they sometimes do not work as hard as they could but do just enough to complete the task. Clearer individual learning

p.13

know, understand and can do it is difficult for the school to set individual targets: pupils do not

targets for pupils would increase the challenge here. The school plans to give individual targets for English and mathematics, which will help pupils, and teachers focus on the specific learning needs of each pupil.

p.13

know, understand and can do it is difficult for the school to set individual targets: pupils do not

20. Tracking individuals’ progress, starting with their baseline assessment, is a new and very valuable initiative for the school that is providing vital information to ensure every individual pupil achieves their maximum. Parents are concerned that in a school where results are high and national averages are always achieved it was important to measure individuals against themselves. Individual targets and pupil tracking will ensure the progress of pupils is rigorously monitored and encouraged.

p.13

Parents do not always know how homework is to be done; teachers’ expectations for

homework are not always clear and there is some variation from class to class.

p.13

Parents do not always know how homework is to be done; teachers’ expectations for

21. Whilst the relationship with parents is a real strength of the school and generally communication is very good, homework is not so clearly understood by all parents. Parents realise that they can come into school for additional information as they recognised that the door is always open but as homework is such an everyday routine matter this is not practical.

p.13

Parents do not always know how homework is to be done; teachers’ expectations for

22. Every child does have a useful home/school diary but not every book looks the same or is used in the same way by the teacher, which has confused some parents. There are also times when the home/school diary does not give enough information about the task to be done and parents do not know how to help. Sometimes it is not clear how long the child should take over the homework or when it should be given in. Parents also expressed their concerns that it was difficult to always know what homework had been set and that they were not sure what happens to it after it was handed in.

p.13

Parents do not always know how homework is to be done; teachers’ expectations for

23. Homework is a difficult area for the school to deal with as parents hold widely differing views about the amount and frequency of homework they would like. The school homework policy is published at the back of the school prospectus but as it was new in 1999 not all parents remember seeing it. This is a policy the school needs to communicate clearly and regularly. It also needs to be regularly monitored to ensure that all teachers are implementing it consistently. Some parents would also welcome more guidance about how to help their children learn to read.

p.13

Parents do not always know how homework is to be done; teachers’ expectations for

24. Little homework was set during the inspection and it is difficult to comment on how it extends or enriches the work of the lesson. Many teachers set reading or mathematical tasks and in some classes pupils carry out research. The research projects carried out by last year’s eleven year olds about the local area are comprehensive, detailed and thoughtful pieces of work showing high standards Tetherdown Primary - 14 of achievement. These pupils clearly learnt a great deal about the neighbourhood but also about independent study and many about using information technology.

p.13

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. In order to improve the already good work that goes on the school should:

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) develop manageable assessment systems that give teachers the information they need about what pupils know, understand and can do so that they can::

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• plan work that takes pupils to the next step in their learning;

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• set specific targets in English and mathematics for individual pupils so that they know what they need to do to improve in their work;

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• track each individual pupil’s progress throughout their time at the school to ensure each does as well as they can.

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• communicating the homework policy clearly to parents; • ensuring instructions for homework are clear to parents who want to help their children; • checking that the homework policy is being implemented consistently by all teachers. Tetherdown Primary - 15

p.14

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 1

p.15

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.15

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.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 212

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 8

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 21

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 10

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

p.15

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.15

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Tetherdown Primary - 16

p.15

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 16 14 30

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 97 97 100 at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 97 100 100 at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 18 14 32

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 17 16 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 13 14

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 94 91 97 at NC level 4 or above National 71 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

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

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 91 91 91 at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71)

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Tetherdown Primary - 17

p.16

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.17

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.17

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 54 Other minority ethnic groups

p.17

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.17

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 1999/2000

p.17

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 29

p.17

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 426,105

p.17

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 2,027

p.17

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 89.25 Balance brought forward from previous year 9,603

p.17

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 22,658

p.17

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Tetherdown Primary - 18

p.17

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 46 41 7 1 5

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 36 4 0 2

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 43 12 9 7

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 48 11 7 1

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 62 28 5 1 3

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 50 41 3 1 4

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 41 49 3 4 2

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 53 42 1 0 3

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 43 2 0 2

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 16 32 34 8 11

p.18