The Abbey Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 2 − 3 November 2000

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 224776 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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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. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Grove Road St Albans Hertfordshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Clare Baynes

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1996 The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 4

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Team members

Open Book Inspections 6 East Point High Street, Seal Sevenoaks Kent TN15 0EG

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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:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 5

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REPORT CONTENTS

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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PART B: COMMENTARY

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 15 - 16

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PART B: COMMENTARY

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17 - 20 The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is of average size, with 194 pupils and a good balance of boys and girls. The social and economic context of its work are very favourable, and few pupils are entitled to free school meals. Most children join the school with well above average skills. The proportion who have special educational needs is relatively small, but significant. A small number of pupils are members of ethnic minorities, and a very small number speak English as an additional language.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The Abbey Primary School is very effective and achieves high standards. Teaching is very good, and the school is very well led and managed. It makes very good provision for pupils' personal development in the context of its strong Christian ethos. Value for money is very good.

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What the school does well

• Standards are high overall and are rising. • The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good. • The school is very well led and managed. • Attitudes, behaviour and relationships in the school are excellent. • Provision for pupils' personal development, and for their health and well-being, are very good. • Volunteer parents, grandparents and governors make important contributions to teaching and learning. • There are very good opportunities for learning in addition to lessons.

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What could be improved

• Higher-attaining pupils need to be more consistently challenged in subjects other than English and mathematics. • Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are below average, and computers are under-used. • The quality of homework is satisfactory overall, but varies too much between classes. • Information for parents, including reports, does not always give a full and clear picture of the school’s work. 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

When the school was last inspected, in February 1996, overall standards were above average, teaching was a major strength, and provision for pupils' personal development was very good. The school was very well led and managed, enjoyed strong support from parents and gave good value for money. More time needed to be spent on mathematics, the quality of work in groups needed to be improved, and pupils' progress needed to be more effectively assessed. Standards in mathematics are now very good to excellent throughout the school. Pupils' progress is assessed effectively in English, mathematics and science, and is beginning to be tracked in ICT. This pattern reflects national priorities. Pupils’ work in groups has improved significantly, and is a strength in most lessons. The school has built very effectively on its most important strengths. Management systems have been further developed, and now have some excellent features, including the role of the deputy

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

headteacher and the use of additional teachers for younger pupils. On the other hand, while The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 7 most parents continue to support the school strongly, a significant minority now feel that their children should be achieving more. While these parents’ concerns need to be addressed, the school has made very good improvements in many key areas of its work. Overall, the rate of improvement since the last inspection has been good, and the school is very well placed to improve further.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11-year-olds based on National Curriculum test results.

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Key

1998 1999 2000 2000 top five per cent of all schools 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

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Key

These test results for 2000 were all close to the top of their respective bands, and were reflected in very high standards of work in all three subjects, including literacy and numeracy, during the inspection. Test results for seven-year-olds in 2000 were very high in reading, writing and mathematics when compared with all schools. In comparison with similar schools, these results were very high in writing and mathematics, and well above average in reading. This very high overall standard was also reflected in work during the inspection, particularly in mathematics. Limited evidence of standards in science at seven indicated that they were above average. Children up to the age of five, who had been in school only for two months, were reaching very high standards in all aspects of their work, and many were already making excellent progress in the National Curriculum.

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Key

The school has maintained these high standards very consistently over recent years, and it sets demanding targets to sustain and improve them. Pupils from ethnic minorities, including those who speak English as an additional language, make progress similar to that of others in their classes. Pupils with special educational needs also make very good to excellent progress, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. The level of achievement in the school is now very good throughout the school in English and mathematics, and very good in science by the time pupils move on to secondary school.

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Key

Standards are below average in ICT, though the school is beginning to make suitable arrangements to raise them. Standards in other subjects are very good overall at seven and eleven, but are not consistently above average in individual classes. This reflects the lack of consistent challenge to higher-attaining pupils, particularly in history and geography, but also in some science lessons. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils are strongly interested in their work, and always do their best.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Excellent. Pupils work and play very well together. They are polite and friendly to adults in the school, to visitors and to each other.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Pupils are willing and happy to take on responsibility. There is a strong atmosphere of co-operation and mutual support throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Well above-average, with very little unauthorised absence.

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Aspect Comment

Young children joining the school make an excellent start, and build on this very effectively throughout their school career. Pupils' attitudes and behaviour make a major contribution to the high quality of learning in the school.

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Teaching of pupils: under fives aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

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

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Teaching of pupils: under fives aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Teaching during the inspection was very good or better in 75 per cent of lessons, satisfactory or better in 95 per cent and unsatisfactory in 5 per cent. The teaching was most consistently outstanding in work with children up to five, which made the most of the opportunities presented by a very small class, and in work with the oldest pupils in the school, which was demanding in all subjects. Teaching and learning in English and mathematics consistently ranges from very good to excellent. Teachers in these lessons adapt work, including the provisions of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy, very well to meet the needs of the pupils. This includes both the highest-attaining pupils, and the relatively small but significant number who have special educational needs.

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Teaching of pupils: under fives aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Teaching is satisfactory in some history lessons for pupils aged seven to eleven. In these lessons, pupils are given adequate opportunities to learn and sustain interest in their work. However, teachers' planning is not finely-tuned to the range of abilities and learning needs in the class, so that higher-attaining pupils do not work at full capacity. On the single occasion on which teaching was unsatisfactory, the organisation of the class did not allow the teacher to direct learning effectively, and too little was achieved. The school has a good arrangement with a local secondary school to provide additional teaching in ICT, but there were only isolated examples of effective use of computers in lessons during the inspection. Some classes receive good homework, supported by good guidance on completing it. There is, however, too little consistency in the range and quality of homework between classes, and

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Teaching of pupils: under fives aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

this limits the long-term contribution of homework to learning.

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Teaching of pupils: under fives aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The strengths of the school's teaching far outweigh these weaknesses, and the proportion of very good and excellent teaching is exceptionally high. In conjunction with pupils' excellent attitudes to work, this teaching leads to excellent learning in most lessons, and to an overall quality of learning which is very good throughout the school. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall, with very good emphasis on English and mathematics and very good learning activities outside the classroom, including a residential visit.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Very well organised, and good use of flexible staffing to provide additional teaching. Work in lessons is matched well to these pupils' needs.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language These pupils are very small in number and are not in the early stages of learning English. During the inspection, their learning and progress were similar to those of most other pupils in their classes.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good opportunities for pupils to develop positive attitudes to life and to assume responsibility. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their work and on moral and social issues, and the school offers a broad range of cultural activities, with outstanding provision for music. Key values of other cultures are effectively presented.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Excellent care for pupils' health and well-being within the school's strong family atmosphere. Arrangements for tracking and promoting progress have very good features, but need to be extended to all subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The school's Christian ethos, including provision for religious education and its close relationship with St Albans Abbey, makes an excellent contribution to pupils' personal development. Pupils take an active part in organising charitable work. The curriculum for children up to five is excellent. A very effective after-school club has recently been started for the youngest pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher, deputy headteacher and other key staff combine a strong personal lead with very clear organisation, an emphasis on high standards, and commitment to the school's inclusive, Christian ethos. They create a strong atmosphere of teamwork and a climate of high expectation within the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are well-informed, well organised and very effective. They are actively involved in all aspects of the school's work and give very good guidance.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school uses all available sources of information very well to track its performance and set targets for improvement in line with national priorities and its own values.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good overall. Additional staffing for younger pupils is deployed very effectively and the library is used well to promote reading. Resources are used very well in English, mathematics and science. Computers are under-used in most classes. The educational resource of the Abbey is used very effectively. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 10 The overall quality of the school's work with parents is good. However, while it has an excellent relationship with most parents, it does not always present its work well, and annual reports to parents do not give a convincing account of the personal achievements of each pupil. The principles of best value are well understood and applied.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school and make good progress. • The teaching is good. • Children are expected to work hard. • The school is approachable and helps with problems. • Behaviour is good. • The management of the school. • The quality of co-operation with parents. • Information, including reports. • Homework. • Provision for higher-attaining pupils. • Activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Most parents have a positive view of the school, but a significant minority do not. Inspection evidence confirms all of the points which pleased parents, but suggests that improvements are needed in the presentation of information and reports, in the challenge to the most able pupils in subjects other than mathematics and English, and in homework. However, the leadership and management of the school emerged as a significant strength during the inspection, and there was consistently good co-operation with parents, including some excellent work in difficult circumstances. The range of learning activities outside lessons is broader than in most schools, and the quality of these activities is very good. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 11

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Standards are high overall and are rising

1. Eleven-year-olds’ results in national tests for 2000 were just outside the top five per cent of schools, both nationally and when compared with the results of similar schools. They continue a pattern of well above-average results at eleven, which has been sustained for several years, and show an improvement, in comparison with similar schools, on results in 1999. Very nearly all pupils now reach the standard expected nationally, and the proportion exceeding this standard is also well above average in English, mathematics and science. The school’s very good to excellent teaching of mathematics and English, based on very effective use of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy, is giving further impetus to rising standards. The effects are particularly marked in test results for seven-year-olds, which in 2000 were in the top five per cent for similar schools in writing and mathematics, and very close to this level in reading. These results also showed an

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Standards are high overall and are rising

2. Test results were broadly consistent with standards seen during the inspection. In some cases, such as science work of very high quality from the oldest pupils, there was evidence of further improvement. In others, such as the writing and science of six-year- olds, standards were not quite so high. There was less consistency in the standards reached in subjects other than English, mathematics and science, where slower progress among eight and nine-year-olds was followed by a strong recovery in response to excellent teaching of the oldest pupils in the school. The school has begun to take steps to raise standards in ICT, including an imaginative scheme with a local secondary school, which it was not possible to observe. Nevertheless, this and other initiatives are not yet followed through into the work of each class, and standards in this subject are too low.

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Standards are high overall and are rising

3. The overall position reflects the school’s very effective attention to national priorities for literacy and numeracy, and strengths in standards substantially outweigh the areas that still have to be addressed. While the proportion of pupils with special educational needs is below average, at 15 per cent of the total number on roll, it is significant, and these pupils are making very good progress. One nine-year-old, for example, was able to write to a level very close to the nationally expected standard in response to excellent individual guidance during her English lesson. Overall, the results currently achieved in the school are high in relation to pupils’ starting points, and are a significant improvement on those reached at the time of the last inspection.

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The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good

4. Pupils and teachers approach each lesson with interest and enthusiasm. This gets learning off to flying start, and it is sustained by teaching whose overall quality is very good. The proportion of very good and excellent teaching is very high, at three-quarters of the total lessons observed, and teaching is good or better in eight lessons out of ten. Outstanding teaching is at its most consistent in work with children up to five, in English and mathematics, and with the oldest pupils in the school. However, there is also teaching of very high quality in other classes and subjects, and in instrumental music.

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The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good

5. Children up to five were benefiting during the inspection from a very small class size, which was used to ensure that work was very closely matched to individual needs. For example, a pupil who could form three out of the four letters in can't accurately received The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 12 immediate guidance on the remaining letter, which he quickly learned to write. Reading material for this class is very well matched to the advanced skills of most of the pupils. On the day before Bonfire Night, for example, they were reading and discussing a code of safety that would normally be presented to older children, with excellent understanding for their age. Physical education was also planned and carried out to an excellent standard, with a well thought-out range of activities that gave plenty of scope to the highest-attaining children while building the confidence of all in the class.

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The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good

6. The teaching of pupils aged five to seven benefits from the flexible deployment of a member of the senior management team, which enables pupils to be grouped flexibly and helps their teachers to match work to their learning needs. This contributes to very good learning in English and mathematics. The teaching of higher-attaining pupils is of particularly good quality in these subjects, and grouping in the second half of numeracy lessons allows teachers to pitch work at a very demanding level. For example, some six- year-olds were working on square numbers up to six and seven with good levels of understanding. Teachers in English and mathematics make very good use of questions to probe pupils' understanding and develop their thinking, and there is a very good balance of activities within lessons, including very effective use of attractive and well- designed resources. Much teaching of other subjects is also very good, and contributes

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The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good

to a consistent pattern of learning; for example, by integrating art with poetry pupils have been reading and making effective use of computers. There was, however, one example of unsatisfactory teaching, caused by a weakness in organisation that left too much to voluntary helpers and did not enable the teacher to keep track of learning in the class. This was, however, an isolated example and the overall quality of teaching and learning for pupils of this age range remains very good.

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The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good

7. The quality of teaching for pupils aged seven to eleven ranges from excellent to satisfactory and is very good overall. English and mathematics are taught imaginatively, and lessons are very carefully planned, with material from national strategies very well adapted to provide the right balance of activities for pupils in each class. Classes are managed very well, and teachers make consistently good use of questions, providing extensive opportunities for pupils to reflect on their work and improve it. Excellent teaching of English to pupils in the two oldest classes brings about accelerated progress in writing, and excellent mathematics teaching enables pupils of all abilities to extend and apply mathematical concepts, for example when considering the relationship between perimeter and area. Analysis of the pupils' work showed evidence of excellent science teaching, including a wide-ranging study of methods of scientific investigation. Excellent

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The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good

teaching was also observed in design and technology for younger pupils and in physical education for the oldest, who were also taught to a very good standard in art.

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The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good

8. While there was good teaching in other subjects for pupils in this age range, there were some lessons in which too little was demanded of the most able pupils, resulting in learning that was satisfactory rather than good. In some history lessons, for example, pupils were not taught to dig beneath the surface features of Greek and Victorian society to consider why things were as they were, or how these societies developed. Analysis of pupils' work showed inconsistency between classes in the quality and presentation of written work in subjects other English, and in teachers’ marking. Where the writing was weak, the tasks given to pupils were not demanding enough, and marking did not pick up consistently on errors, even when they were significant. The outstanding quality of teaching for the oldest pupils, combined with the very high standards of teaching in English and mathematics and examples of excellent teaching in other subjects, produce

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The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good

teaching and learning of very good overall quality. However, parents' concerns at inconsistencies in the teaching and learning of higher-attaining pupils were in part borne out by inspection evidence. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 13

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The school is very well led and managed

9. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and their colleagues with management responsibilities give the school a strong and effective sense of direction, based on commitment to high standards and to a Christian ethos which includes all pupils. Governors share these values. They are well informed and well organised, and carry out all of their duties to very good standard. The senior management team works flexibly and effectively, and makes best use of individual skills, for example in interviewing and appointing teachers. The school development plan is a flexible and effective working document, and well integrated with financial planning, which allocates funds effectively to educational priorities. The strengths in the school's management are a key factor in the school's achievements.

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Attitudes, behaviour and relationships in the school are excellent

10. A happy, co-operative and purposeful atmosphere permeates all aspects of the school’s life. All adults in the school are a constant support and encouragement to pupils, and pupils in turn co-operate willingly with all aspects of the school's work. They are unfailingly polite, listen carefully to teachers and other adults, and contribute ideas constructively, both in discussions with the whole class and when they are working in groups. Pupils are happy to accept responsibility, for example in looking after younger pupils and organising the smooth running of the dining hall. They often take the initiative, organising charitable activities, such as a cake sale which was being planned during the inspection. They support each other very effectively in times of trouble, including bereavement.

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very good

11. The school's ethos, its teaching and its broad range of learning opportunities outside the classroom make positive contributions to pupils' personal development. Pupils are effectively encouraged to reflect on their work and on their place in the world, and to consider the needs of others. There is a good range of opportunities for them to take responsibility, and suggestions and initiatives from pupils are encouraged. Provision for cultural development is very extensive. Art is very well taught, and there are very good opportunities for learning music, both within the school and through its connection with St Albans Abbey. Pupils are effectively introduced to the values of other cultures as well as their own, for example through learning about Islam in religious education and about the Caribbean through an appeal organised by the Bishop.

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very good

12. The curriculum makes good provision for health and safety, beginning in work with children up to five, who learn about safety in a range of contexts, including firework safety and the safe lifting and moving of large items of apparatus. Teachers and other adults in the school know the pupils well and follow up issues relating to attendance effectively. There is a very good atmosphere at lunchtime, sustained by appetising and well thought- out midday meals. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 14

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teaching and learning

13. Parents and other volunteers help in school from the start of the day, hearing pupils read and encouraging them with music practice. Volunteers are well qualified and well informed. They help in a broad range of lessons, providing opportunities for pupils to ask questions, and often giving valuable individual guidance in areas where they have specialised knowledge. This has made an important contribution to the improvement in group work in the school since the last inspection. A grandparent runs the library efficiently, and governors frequently help. The consistency of this skilled adult support builds pupils' confidence and concentration, and helps teachers to focus their attention where it is most needed.

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There are very good opportunities for learning outside the classroom

14. The range of after-school clubs has recently been extended. It includes an excellent club for the youngest pupils, with a broad range of artistic and sporting activities, a chess club organised by a chess grandmaster, and a good range of team sports. There are effective additional classes to enable pupils to reach the nationally expected standards in English and mathematics. Older pupils take part in a well-organised residential visit. All pupils joining clubs take part in teams, and their activities are celebrated through displays of well-taken photographs.

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than English and mathematics

15. There are good arrangements to identify higher-attaining pupils, including those with special gifts and talents, soon after they have joined the school. These pupils' progress is effectively fostered in English and mathematics, and musical talent is carefully developed. There are, however, lapses and the quality of their learning suffers in a minority of lessons, in which teachers' planning does not make sufficient use of the more demanding elements of the National Curriculum, in both level descriptions and programmes of study. There is also too much variation between classes in designing and marking learning tasks for more capable pupils. In some classes, they are expected to produce work of high quality in their writing in all subjects, but in others they are allowed to write to a lower standard in subjects other than English, and marking allows them too much latitude with basic errors. To this extent, parents' concerns about the challenge to

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than English and mathematics

higher-attaining pupils were borne out by inspection evidence.

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and computers are under-used

16. The range of pupils' skills is still below average, and the potential of computers to extend the skills of the highest-attaining pupils, as well as to help those with special needs, is not being fully exploited. There are some good examples of word-processing, and the school has set up a good system for pupils to assess their own work and progress, but pupils are still catching up on the more basic elements of the National Curriculum. The school is giving priority to improving standards in this subject, including an imaginative scheme with a local secondary school, which was not, unfortunately, in operation during the week of the inspection. This initiative, however, is not yet supported effectively by work with computers in the school. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 15

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The quality of homework is satisfactory overall, but varies too much between classes

17. A substantial proportion of parents were concerned prior to the inspection about inconsistencies in homework, sometimes between classes, and sometimes for different pupils in the same class. Some examples of good homework, supported by good clear briefing to pupils, took place during the inspection, and there is an effective reading scheme for younger pupils. However, the school does not have effective arrangements to track homework and to monitor its quality and its contribution to learning, and accepts that it needs to do more to meet parents’ concerns about the issue.

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picture of the school’s work

18. Annual reports to parents give an accurate picture of pupils’ achievements, but are written in an impersonal style, based on a bank of statements, that does not do justice to the level of care and the quality of teaching the pupils are receiving. Newsletters are very frequent, but very plain. Their presentation does not make use of the technology the school has available, and some parents think that they receive too many. These factors limit the picture some parents have of the vibrant and lively learning atmosphere in the school.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

19. To build further on the high standards currently achieved, the headteacher and governors should take the following steps. (The first two key issues have been identified as priorities in the school development plan.)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the consistency of the school’s challenge to higher-attaining pupils, by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensuring that teachers make consistent use of the more demanding elements of the National Curriculum in planning lessons; • Ensuring that reading and writing tasks for these pupils are pitched at a level that will stretch them; • Establishing consistently high expectations from teachers when work is marked; • Tracking progress more effectively in subjects other than English and mathematics; • Rewarding excellence more consistently in its award schemes. Paragraphs 8, 15.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Raise standards in ICT and improve the school’s use of computers, by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Accelerating its arrangements for ensuring that all pupils achieve nationally expected levels for their age; • Setting targets for pupils to reach high levels of attainment in the National Curriculum; • Identifying and exploiting the contribution which computers can make to work in specific subjects and with specific groups of pupils; • Ensuring that available computers, including those with Internet connections, are more fully used; • Training volunteers to provide individual support for pupils. Paragraph 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the quality and consistency of homework, by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Establishing effective systems for recording the work that has been set; • Ensuring that homework is effectively matched to pupils' learning needs; The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 16 • Monitoring the quality of homework and its contribution to learning in each class. Paragraph 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Present the school's work and achievements more effectively to parents, by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensuring that annual reports to parents reflect the range and quality of the school's work and of pupils' achievements; • Improving the presentation of newsletters and other information for parents. Paragraph 18. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 194

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 35

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 11

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Attendance

National comparative data 94.1 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 14 19 33

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 17 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (94) 94 (91) 94 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 17 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (94) 94 (97) 94 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 82 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 17 14 31

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 97 (84) 97 (94) 100 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 17 15 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 14 14 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 100 (91) 94 (94) 97 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 4 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.2 Financial year 2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 350,758

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Expenditure per pupil 1,687

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 104 Balance brought forward from previous year 7,017

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 12,863 The Abbey Church of England Primary School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 35 53 6 1 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 37 57 3 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 23 58 14 3 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 21 52 20 2 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 42 41 9 6 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 42 50 4 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 23 48 18 8 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 30 35 16 14 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 30 52 10 1 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 12 32 26 22 8

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