Stretham Community Primary School

STRETHAM COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 11 th November 2000

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STRETHAM COMMUNITY 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.

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STRETHAM COMMUNITY 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. Stretham Community Primary School - 1

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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: Wood Lane Stretham Ely Cambridgeshire

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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 Brenda Ratcliffe

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 30 th September 1996 Stretham Community Primary School - 2

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Chrissie Pittman Registered Inspector Science Art Religious education Under fives Information and communication technology The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Chris Farris Lay inspector Equal opportunities How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. Peter Thrussell Team inspector Mathematics Geography History Physical education Special educational needs How good are the curricular and other activities offered to pupils?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Dorothy Hunter Team inspector English Design and technology Music

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Stretham Community Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 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? 8 - 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Stretham Primary is a one-form entry community school situated in a residential area in the village of Stretham. The school is similar in size to other primary schools. There are 181 pupils from 4 to 11 in mixed ability classes. The attainment on entry is below average. Most children attend a nursery or playgroup prior to coming to the school. The catchment is a rural area and is made up of families from a mix of backgrounds. The population is white British. There are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils thought to be eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. The number of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and the percentage of pupils with statements of special educational need are above the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with many good features. The very good leadership of the headteacher and good management skills of key staff have created a positive climate for learning. Good teaching throughout the school enables most pupils to make good progress. The school offers good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Effectively monitors its performance to raise standards. • The headteacher's leadership is very good. Her clear and positive vision is well supported by a conscientious and committed staff and supportive governing body. • The school's caring family ethos encourages good pupil attitudes, behaviour and relationships. Pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn and respond well to the positive learning climate. • Levels of attendance are above average. • Teaching is a strength of the school. The teaching in 3 out of 5 lessons is good or very good. • Most pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN), make good progress, overall. • The school has very good relationships with its partner schools.

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What could be improved

• The percentage of pupils achieving the higher level 3 in science at age 7 years. • Standards achieved in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and religious education at age 11 years. • The procedures for and use of assessment to guide curricular planning in all subjects, apart from English and mathematics. 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 inspected four years ago, inspectors found that it had many strengths and a few weaknesses. Teaching was a strength and the school's climate for learning was very good. There were weaknesses in the quality of education provided and the standards achieved by pupils required some improvement. Since then, the school has made good improvement in many areas.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The percentage of pupils achieving the higher level 5 at age 11 in national tests in English, mathematics and science has steadily risen while the number of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) has doubled. Regardless of this, standards have been largely maintained, with the exception of ICT and religious education, where standards have fallen. Teaching remains a strength and is now more effective. The percentage of very good teaching has increased, particularly for the Under Fives. Teachers have developed good systems of assessment in English and mathematics, which informs pupils' individual needs, although there is still room for improvement in other subjects. Procedures for monitoring and evaluating standards and target setting in English and mathematics have improved considerably, although there is insufficient monitoring of teaching and learning in other subjects. Overall, the provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

and cultural development has improved. Communication with parents and the quality of information provided about their children's progress have improved significantly. The monitoring of curriculum provision and lesson plans has enabled the headteacher to ensure that teachers have clear learning goals at appropriate national curriculum levels. Stretham Community Primary School - 5 The school has also improved its performance in other areas. Governors are now more involved in financial planning and supporting the curriculum and co-ordinators have more responsibility for their subjects. Given the quality of its leadership and the commitment of its staff, the school is well placed to develop even further.

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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

1997 1998 1999 2000 2000 well above average A English B A C B B above average average B C mathematics A C B C C below average well below average D E science B A B C C

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Key

There is wide variation in ability between children in different year groups. Most children when they start school are achieving standards below those expected of children of this age. By the time they reach Year 1, their attainment is at the expected standard in many cases.

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Key

By age 11, pupils are achieving standards above the national average in English and in line with national norms in mathematics and science. In comparison with similar schools, they achieve above average results in English and average results in mathematics and science.

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Key

In lessons seen at Key Stage 1, standards are above average in mathematics and in line with expectations in all other subjects. At Key Stage 2, standards are above average in mathematics, design and technology and music. In all other subjects, standards are in line with expectations, apart from ICT and religious education, where they are below. Pupils are making good overall progress in English, mathematics and music, but unsatisfactory progress in ICT and religious education.

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Key

The school exceeded its targets this year in English and mathematics and there has been good improvement in the percentage of pupils achieving at the higher levels, compared to last year. This upward trend is largely the result of successful targeting and monitoring of pupils, to enable them to achieve their potential in English and mathematics. This has been most effective with higher attaining pupils. Taking all the core subjects together for the last four years, the school is achieving results in line with the national trend. There is little difference between the attainment of boys and girls. Pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) make good progress throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are keen to learn and eager to take part in all school activities. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour around the school and in lessons is good, overall. Generally, pupils respect each other and their teachers. Personal development and relationships The personal development of pupils is good, overall. Relationships throughout the school are positive and older children are given specific responsibilities. Provision for personal, social and health education is good. Attendance Attendance is very good. Pupils are punctual and lessons start on time.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils' attitudes to learning are good. They show sustained interest and commitment to their work. Most Stretham Community Primary School - 6 pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. The majority are polite, well mannered and show respect for property, although a small number of pupils, mainly boys, sometimes cause a distraction in a few lessons. There is no evidence of bullying or disruptive behaviour. Personal development of most pupils is good. Older pupils look after younger ones and act as monitors at lunchtime. Very good levels of attendance and punctuality also have a positive effect on pupils' progress.

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

Lessons seen overall very 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.

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

Teaching is good, overall. Three out of five lessons seen were good or better. The rest were satisfactory with a couple of unsatisfactory lessons. There is a positive ethos for learning in most classrooms. The best teaching is in the reception class, where two thirds of the teaching was very good and the remaining third was good. The majority of the teaching at Key Stage 1 was good or very good with just under a half being satisfactory. Overall, teaching in Key Stage 2 was predominantly good or very good, with a third of the lessons seen satisfactory and a negligible amount of unsatisfactory teaching.

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

Planning is particularly effective in matching work to pupils' capability, particularly for those with special educational needs. The quality and use of ongoing assessment are good in English and mathematics and enable teachers to target both higher and lower attaining pupils to achieve better standards. Teachers use time and support staff well. Homework is used well to help raise standards.

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

Teaching in English is good overall. Of the lessons seen, all were at least satisfactory, with two thirds being good or very good. Teachers show good knowledge and understanding and the daily literacy lessons are generally well prepared. However, in some lessons in Key Stage 2, poor use of time and resources lead to instructions being rushed, pupils are not clear what to do and little learning occurs. The teaching of mathematics is satisfactory, overall. From the lessons observed, it is evident that teachers have the necessary subject knowledge and expertise. Overall, pupils make good progress in their learning. They have good opportunities in numeracy to solve number problems in mental and oral mathematics' sessions and are quick to grasp the strategies needed to find a solution. Good learning opportunities are provided in lessons for pupils with SEN.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of the curriculum are satisfactory; provision for religious education and ICT at Key Stage 2 is unsatisfactory. There is an adequate range of extra-curricular activities at Key Stage 2 but none at Key Stage 1. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Individual education plans are well designed to challenge and stretch pupils' capabilities. The provision for higher achieving pupils in English and mathematics is good. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good, overall. The principles of right and wrong are actively promoted and pupils' moral and social development is good. Pupils' spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school’s procedures for monitoring personal development are good. Children are well known and this awareness is used effectively to support their personal development. The procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress are very good in English and mathematics but need to be brought up to the same standard in other subjects. Pupils with SEN are well cared for. Stretham Community Primary School - 7 The partnership between the parents and school is good. Most parents are satisfied that the school works closely with them. The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant and provides an appropriate range of worthwhile opportunities to meet the interests, needs and aptitudes of all pupils. However, at Key Stage 2, the provision for ICT is inadequate. Insufficient time is given to religious education to allow it to be taught in accordance with the Agreed Syllabus. The curriculum for the under-fives is well planned, although there is no

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Aspect Comment

separate enclosed area for outdoor play and insufficient opportunities for pupils to use large apparatus and wheeled toys to develop co-ordination of movement.

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Aspect Comment

The school encourages residential trips and a variety of clubs and sporting activities at Key Stage 2. A number of parents would like to see this extended to Key Stage 1. The general monitoring of academic progress and personal development is good. The school has effectively begun to use assessment data to guide curriculum planning in English and mathematics, although this is still a weakness in other curriculum areas.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The very good leadership of the headteacher ensures clear direction for the work and development of the school. Good management by the senior management team has begun to promote higher standards.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is very supportive of the school and takes an informed interest in forward planning and its day to day work. The governors fulfil most of their statutory duties well. The school improvement plan needs to be over a longer period to enable governors to evaluate the school's strengths and weakness more effectively. The school’s evaluation of its performance Teaching and curriculum development are well monitored by the headteacher, although there is insufficient monitoring of teaching by subject co-ordinators. The school has begun to assess pupils' progress effectively in some subjects. The strategic use of resources Decisions on spending are linked effectively to educational priorities. This ensures that good value for money is achieved and the best use is made of resources.

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Aspect Comment

There is a good match of teachers to the demands of the curriculum. There are enough support staff and they are well trained. The accommodation is adequate in size, in a very good state of repair and cleaned to a high standard. Resources are adequate in most subject areas, but there are insufficient computers to meet the needs of the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher provides very clear educational direction and has created a cohesive and committed team of teachers to take the school forward. The best value principles of comparison, challenge and competition are effectively applied in the school's acquisition and use of services and resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The school expects children to work hard to achieve their best. • The teaching is good. • Children are making good progress at school. • Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with any problems or questions. • The range of activities provided outside lessons. • The communication between parents and school. • How the school reports on pupils' progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the positive comments from parents. The range of activities provided outside school is Stretham Community Primary School - 8 satisfactory at Key Stage 2, although there is a lack of activities at Key Stage 1. Inspection evidence found that the school communicates well with parents about their children's progress. The school has significantly stepped up its communication with parents following work by the governors’ Communication Committee and parents are well involved in school affairs. Stretham Community Primary School - 9

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Pupils' attainment, when they first join the school at age 4 Years, is below average. They make good progress in their learning and, by the time they start formal education by the age of 5, they are achieving results that are in line with national expectations for children of this age, in most Early Learning goals. Statutory test results show that, by the time they leave, at age 11, pupils are achieving above the national average in English and in line with it in mathematics and science. When compared to similar schools, standards are above average in English and average for mathematics and science. The school’s overall test results over the last three years have improved in line with the national trend. There is little difference in attainment between boys and girls.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. At age seven, in the National Curriculum tests, pupils' results in reading were in line with national averages and for writing were above. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher level 3 was above the national average in reading and well above in writing. In comparison with schools in similar contexts, the results are above average for writing and below average in reading. For the last three years, both boys and girls have been achieving above average results, although girls consistently out-perform boys. The pace of the progress made by most pupils is good, overall. At age 11, pupils achieve results in English which are above national averages and the number of pupils in Key Stage 2 who reach higher levels is well above the national average. In comparison with schools in similar contexts, the results are above average. Results for the last three years show that the performance of both boys and girls was above the national average in English, although the girls achieved slightly

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The school’s results and achievements

better, overall. In lessons, standards are at average levels at the end of Key Stage1 and above average by the end of Key Stage 2. The test results over the period 1998 to 2000 show that, by the end of Key Stage 2, the school has maintained its above average results.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. In mathematics, pupils' attainment in the National Curriculum tests at age 7 is above the national average, as it is, also, when compared with similar schools. A higher than usual percentage of pupils are achieving at the higher level 3. Girls are achieving better than boys, although both are achieving above average by the end of Key Stage 1. By the end of Key Stage 2 at Year 6, pupils, in the statutory tests, achieved in line with national averages and similar schools. The percentage of pupils who achieved the higher level 5 was above average. Boys are achieving in line with the national average while girls are achieving above. In lessons, pupils are achieving above expected standards at the end of both key stages.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. In science, test results at the end of Key Stage 2 show that all pupils achieved in line with the national average. However, the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level 5, was above average. There is no difference in the attainment of boys and girls. In lessons, pupils attained average standards by the end of both key stages. At the end of Key Stage 1 at age 7, teacher assessment showed that the percentage of pupils attaining the nationally expected levels was above average, although attainment at the higher levels was well below the national average.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Standards attained in literacy and numeracy have also been maintained since the last inspection. The school’s targets for literacy and numeracy are appropriate and have been met and slightly exceeded, this year. Targeting and monitoring pupils have enabled teachers to focus more accurately on individual needs, particularly with higher achieving pupils. Pupils have good opportunities for speaking and listening. Discussion is of a good standard in all subjects and teachers actively encourage and develop this skill in lessons. Standards of reading are improving and help pupils to make progress in many subjects. By the end of Key Stage 2, many pupils are confident in the use of subject specific vocabulary in their written work. Pupils use creative language well. By age 11, pupils have a good grasp of numeracy and their mental calculations are good. This was an area that required more development at the last inspection. Numeracy skills are

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The school’s results and achievements

used satisfactorily in other subjects, although this is not yet securely embedded in whole-school planning. At Key Stage 2, pupils follow instructions in textbooks well and know and use correct mathematical vocabulary. Stretham Community Primary School - 10 6. Attainment in information and communication technology (ICT) is in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1, but below expectations by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils do not develop the breadth of competencies expected in the National Curriculum. Information and communication technology has not yet become part of their everyday repertoire of ways to communicate. By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils are confident in word-processing their stories and sending simple e-mails, but there is little evidence that they make progress in manipulating and presenting data, as part of their work in other subjects. Their ability to interpret

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The school’s results and achievements

findings and to question their probability is very limited. They make little progress in using computers to control devices such as a 'roamer' and in predicting outcomes of various decisions. There was no evidence of spreadsheet work. Overall, pupils' have not been getting sufficient time for ICT. This is partly due to the extensive re-building programme and the temporary accommodation. However, the school is now putting systems into action to rectify the shortages and provide more time for teaching the subject.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. By the end of Key Stage 1, attainment is broadly in line with expectations in all other subjects. At the end of Key Stage 2, attainment in all other subjects is in line with national expectations, with the exception of design and technology and music, where it is above, and ICT and religious education where it is below.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. The progress of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is good at both key stages. Thirty three percent of pupils are identified as having special educational needs and just over two percent have statements of special educational needs. This is above the national average. However, all make particularly good progress in relation to the targets set in their individual education plans, especially in those subjects where they have support in class. Higher attaining pupils are making satisfactory progress, overall, in most subjects. They are insufficiently challenged in science at Key Stage 1.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Standards of attainment in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science have improved since the last inspection, in line with the national trend. Overall attainment at the time of the last inspection was in line with the national average by the time pupils left the school in Year 6. This standard has been improved.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils have good attitudes to their work and most are well motivated. They enjoy their lessons and are keen to learn. They settle quickly to work and concentrate well, even when not directly supervised. They particularly enjoy new challenges, such as identifying features on an Ordnance Survey map in Year 2, and working on decision trees for sorting four-sided figures in Year 5. Pupils are keen to air their views in lessons, but they also listen attentively to the opinions of others. When required, they work together co-operatively in pairs and groups, as in the Friday creative art session. They show great enthusiasm for their choral and orchestral activities. However, opportunities for independent study are limited.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The behaviour of pupils is good, overall, but in the classroom it is occasionally unsatisfactory. Pupils treat books and equipment with due care and behave sensibly with school property. They have a well-developed sense of right and wrong and know the school and class rules. They understand that good behaviour helps them to learn effectively. However, during the inspection, behaviour was unsatisfactory in some lessons, which led to less impact on learning. In these lessons, teachers did not maintain full control of the pupils, either because they used inappropriate strategies, or because the lesson content failed to hold the pupils’ attention. Out of lessons and around the school, behaviour is good. Pupils are cheerful and polite, wishing you a cheery ‘good morning’. They are interested in everything that is going on. Behaviour at lunchtime is good. Pupils wait their turn patiently and meals are a pleasant social occasion. Behaviour on the playground is

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

also generally good. Pupils share in the activities and experiences of the Millennium Garden and all age groups play together amicably. No oppressive behaviour was seen during the inspection and most pupils and parents do not see it as a particular problem. There have been no exclusions during the last year. Stretham Community Primary School - 11 12. Relationships are good, both among pupils themselves and between pupils and adults. Pupils support each other well, are understanding of those with special needs and tolerate those who find it hard to conform. They help each other willingly, as for example in the creative art session, when older and younger pupils were working together on a range of interesting art projects. Pupils are sensitive to the needs of others and are quick to help a classmate who is upset or has been hurt. Good relationships extend throughout the school with activities such as ‘swap around days’ and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

‘Friendship week’ leading to good mixing across all age groups. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting noted that there is a pleasant and friendly atmosphere within the school which pupils and staff both enjoy. The inspection findings endorse this view.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. There are good opportunities for pupils to take responsibility within the school. Apart from the usual classroom duties, older pupils help support the younger at lunchtime as well as undertaking office duties. Pupils were selling poppies for Remembrance Day. Pupils in the orchestra are totally responsible for getting their instruments and music set up and ready to play. All pupils undertake their allotted duties willingly and cheerfully and this helps in the smooth running of the school. Pupils showed initiative in organising a Blue Peter Bring and Buy sale.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance during the last reporting year was 96.7 percent, which is well above the national average and is very good. There was no unauthorised absence. Attendance is better than at the time of the last inspection. Registration is carried out quickly and lessons start on time.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Individual education programmes have appropriate and manageable targets which pupils are able to meet.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils are happy at school. Their good attitudes and relationships, as well as their mainly good behaviour, all contribute to the effectiveness of their learning and the standards they achieve. The good attitudes and behaviour of pupils at the time of the last inspection have been maintained.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. Nearly two-thirds of all lessons seen were good or better and just over a third were satisfactory. The best teaching is in the reception class and at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. Overall teaching in the reception class is very good. At both Key Stages 1 and 2 teaching is predominantly good. There is a negligible amount of unsatisfactory teaching in Key Stage 2. There is a good ethos for learning in most classrooms.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The good teaching has been improved on since the last inspection. Staff training has started to focus effectively on raising standards of teaching and learning. In 3 out of 5 lessons teaching is good; there are some very good lessons in under fives, English, science, design and technology and geography. In the very few lessons where teaching is unsatisfactory, it is mainly due to inadequate methods for controlling behaviour and insufficient challenge in the lesson. These are features of lessons in mathematics and science. On balance, however, the high proportion of good teaching makes a significant contribution to pupils' progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. A number of features contribute to the best teaching. Classroom control is very good and encouragement and humour are used well to motivate pupils. There is often a crisp pace through English, mathematics and science lessons and the skilful use of questioning broadens pupils' understanding and promotes thinking and discussion. Questioning is particularly well used to identify progress in most subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers' subject knowledge and planning are particularly good in under fives, English, mathematics, science and design and technology. Teachers of the under fives understand young children very well and challenge them effectively so that they make good progress. However, teachers' expectations of what higher attaining pupils can achieve are low in science at Key Stage 1 and in religious education and ICT for all pupils at Key Stage 2. Organisation and the teaching of skills in science classroom management are occasionally weak and skills are not always taught effectively. Skills in literacy and numeracy are not regularly revisited to re-enforce pupils' learning across most subjects, although literacy and numeracy lessons are taught well and this is beginning to make an impact on standards. All subject co-ordinators ensure that pupils know and correctly Stretham Community Primary School - 12

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

spell the words required for learning their subjects, although few get time to monitor their colleagues and provide help with the teaching of specific skills in that subject. Teaching and non-teaching staff share expertise and support each other well. Classroom assistants and parent helpers work well with teachers and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teachers’ confidence and understanding of the curriculum are generally sound and particularly good in Early Years, English and mathematics. Overall, they are weaker in ICT and religious education. There is good planning in many subjects, although most schemes of work have not yet been tailored to the specific needs of the school. Detailed planning is an effective feature of most lessons. It generally provides a clear structure and focus for lesson activities. Lesson plans usually have clear objectives, although some lessons, regardless of subject, are sometimes too prescriptive and provide insufficient opportunities for pupils to learn independently.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers have high expectations of pupils' performance, overall, and particularly in the under fives. For example, in letter recognition, children are set challenging tasks through play. Year 6 pupils looked at the way light behaves in different contexts. All took part in an exercise about optical illusions and were enthusiastic about the idea of disproving accepted results. In a less successful science lesson in Key Stage 2, where expectation was not so high, the pace was too slow; the teacher's expectations were too low and the pupils became disinterested and did not learn as much as they could have during the lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Almost all teachers make effective use of a wide range of control and managing strategies. The positive relationship staff have with pupils creates a very good learning environment. Good behaviour is a feature of almost all lessons. Pupil/teacher relationships are very good and all adults are good role models. The active involvement of pupils helps to sustain interest. In a geography lesson, in Key Stage 1, pupils were encouraged to use their own initiative to record their own ideas. These were then used by the teacher to motivate the remainder of the class. In lessons, where there is too much teacher direction and advice, pupils’ personal development and progress are undermined.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Most teachers use time and resources well. They are particularly effectively used in some physical education and music lessons. For example, a physical education lesson was planned, involving the use of a variety of skills and techniques. The range of skills used made a significant contribution to the quality of pupils' learning. The good teaching was organised effectively and pupils were managed well, with frequent changes of activity and challenges at a level that involved them in attempting to improve their performance. This meant that pupils learned to use skills previously taught to develop more complex sequences on the apparatus. Where teaching was less successful, instructions were not clear and pupils' did not understand the requirements of the activity and some found opportunities for disruptive behaviour.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers are particularly aware of pupils with special needs. These pupils are well known and supported through detailed individual education plans. Support assistants are used very effectively throughout the school. In English and mathematics, teachers present different work to pupils of differing capability, so that all are challenged. In all other subjects, teachers use various methods of providing the work needed by pupils with SEN, from matching work to pupils' ability to withdrawing them to work on guided reading or structured activities. Work for pupils with SEN is planned with reference to their individual education plans, which are reviewed and targeted regularly and used by teachers as working documents in the classrooms. There is good liaison between the co-ordinator for special educational needs, the teacher and the support assistants and this supports the pupils in effective learning and in making good progress in all curriculum areas.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Teachers' day-to-day assessment of pupils’ learning is good in many classes, but the quality varies in some, where it is not recorded or used to improve further planning. Where marking is good, written comments are constructive and help pupils improve the quality of their work. However, it is often cursory and not followed up to re-enforce learning. Homework is well used, overall, although the standard of the homework set is sometimes variable. In some classes it is well focused, involves research and is improving standards. In others, it is inconsistent, lacks purpose and needs improvement.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. The general standard of teaching has improved since the last inspection with a greater emphasis on Stretham Community Primary School - 13 planning, targeting and assessment.

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PUPILS?

28. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum in Under Fives, Key Stages 1 and 2. It generally meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. However, there is no secure facility for outdoor play for the Under Fives and not all strands of the ICT curriculum and the agreed syllabus are covered adequately. 29. The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs is good. Their needs are well met by the school. Support staff are well qualified and provide sensitive and effective support for pupils both in class and when they are occasionally withdrawn for extra help, particularly in literacy. Consequently, they make good progress throughout the school in meeting the targets identified in their individual education plans.

p.15

PUPILS?

30. There are effective strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy. Both are carefully planned to ensure continuity and progression across the school. There is a strong focus placed on these areas of pupils' learning and, as a result, standards are rising. However, in some other subjects, termly plans and lesson planning are often too general and lack a clear focus. They include topics to be taught rather than details of how learning objectives are to be achieved. Consequently, there is no clear indication of how skills are to be systematically developed, year on year, throughout the school.

p.15

PUPILS?

31. The time allocated for religious education in Key Stage 2 does not meet the recommendations of the locally agreed syllabus. It is not sufficient to cover what pupils need to learn adequately. Although information and communications technology (ICT) is being used throughout the school to support the curriculum, this use is inconsistent. Time to teach ICT skills does not appear on all timetables and, in part, due to this, pupils do not reach the required standards by the age of eleven. The provision for personal, health and social education (PHSE) is good and time for this is shown on class timetables. There are policies for drug awareness and sex education.

p.15

PUPILS?

32. The provision for extra-curricular activities is satisfactory and clubs are well attended. They include seasonal sporting and musical activities. However, there is no provision for pupils in Key Stage 1. The school takes part in some competitive sport. Orchestral and choral music are strong traditions in the school and pupils have the opportunity to learn to play a range of musical instruments. There is a good range of visits and visitors to the school to support the curriculum, including residential visits for Years 5 and 6. Overall, the school's curriculum is fully inclusive and promotes equal opportunities.

p.15

PUPILS?

33. The community makes a good contribution to pupils' learning. Pupils make visits to fast-food restaurants and other local industries and a local football team has provided training sessions. The village is used as a focus for studies. The school takes part in village events and pupils visit local sheltered housing to take gifts and to talk to residents. Older people from the community come into the school to talk to pupils about days gone by. There has been strong community involvement in the planning and construction of the school's millennium garden.

p.15

PUPILS?

34. Links with partner institutions are very good. Early years' staff visit the local playgroup, whose leaders visit the school regularly and have had numeracy training and been helped with their action plan, following inspection. In the summer term, playgroup children use the school hall to help familiarise them with the school. Links with the secondary school help to ensure that pupils, including those with special educational needs, are able to make a smooth and secure transfer at eleven. There are visits to and from the secondary school and some training days are shared.

p.15

PUPILS?

35. The provision for spiritual development is satisfactory. It is promoted through the school's daily assemblies, which have planned themes and, where well conducted, provide a quiet time for reflection and prayer. However, in some assemblies, the general, restless behaviour of some pupils detracted from the reflective atmosphere. Arrangements for a collective act of worship meet statutory requirements. Religious education lessons in Key Stage 2 do not provide sufficient time Stretham Community Primary School - 14 and opportunity to learn about the main world religions and elements of their religious beliefs and celebrations, so as to enhance pupils' spiritual development.

p.15

PUPILS?

36. The provision for moral development is good. All staff provide good role models and take many opportunities to teach the principles which distinguish right from wrong. Assemblies often have a moral theme and there is timetabled provision for PHSE, where moral issues can be introduced as part of an ongoing programme. Classrooms display school rules, showing what is expected of pupils. These, along with teachers' expectations of pupils, are discussed by classes at the start of the school year. Classes have their own reward system for work and behaviour, but there is no whole school, structured reward system.

p.16

PUPILS?

37. The provision for social education is good. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for routine tasks in classrooms and to look after the pets which the school keeps. There are opportunities for older pupils to take responsibility around the school. Pupils organise fund-raising activities to support local and national charities. Personal and social skills are further developed through visitors to the school and the visits that pupils make, including residential visits in Years 5 and 6. Within lessons, especially numeracy and literacy, pupils are expected to work independently in groups whilst the class teacher focuses on a particular group.

p.16

PUPILS?

38. The provision for cultural education is satisfactory. At the last inspection, pupils' knowledge and appreciation of other cultural traditions were reported to be insufficiently developed. The school has made satisfactory improvements here through the range of books now in the library, reflecting world cultures and its improved collection of religious and cultural artefacts. There are established links, through letter writing and e-mail, with a school in another part of the country, whose pupils are of different backgrounds. However, in religious education lessons, pupils do not have satisfactory opportunities to study other cultures linked to the different world religions. Pupils learn about cultures past and present in art, geography and history. Visits that pupils make to museums and study centres and visitors to the school, such as authors and musical groups, add to the opportunities for cultural development. Overall, the school has maintained its provision for pupils'

p.16

PUPILS?

spiritual, social and cultural development and improved its provision for moral development since the last inspection.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Overall, the school cares for the pupils well and there are appropriate procedures in place to ensure their safety and wellbeing. There are many strengths, but, also, a few weaknesses. At a practical level, the school is a warm and friendly place in which pupils are happy and secure and able to learn without fear in a caring environment. Staff provide a high level of affectionate support. Pupils feel able to talk to staff about any worries or problems they may have and the relationship between adults and pupils is relaxed. Child protection is effectively managed: the headteacher has designated responsibility and has undergone relevant training. Staff are regularly briefed on any changes to the child protection procedures and are kept informed of any concerns.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school has an appropriate policy for health and safety and the management of it is good, with all the necessary elements in place. A governors’ committee carries out an annual inspection and evaluates any perceived risks. Fire drills are held each term, the alarm is tested each week and fire appliances are serviced at the correct interval. All this is properly logged. Testing of portable electrical appliances is up to date and appliances are marked accordingly. First aid procedures are good. There is a fully qualified first aider and several other staff have had emergency aid training as well. Accidents are all recorded and, when a more serious accident or bump to the head occurs, parents are notified immediately and a note confirms this. Appropriate procedures exist for the administering of prescription medicines to pupils.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. There are satisfactory procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance. Any unexplained absences are followed up by a note, but most parents notify the school immediately if their child cannot attend. The importance of regular attendance is emphasised by the headteacher. The pupils enjoy their school life and want to attend.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Behaviour management is good. There is a system of class rewards and sanctions that is well Stretham Community Primary School - 15 understood by the pupils, which helps to motivate them to behave well. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and provide good role models for them. Most teachers manage the behaviour in class very effectively, but there are a few occasions when it is not sufficiently under control and this disrupts the learning of the class as a whole. The school has good procedures for minimising any bullying. Midday supervisory staff provide good support in the hall and on the playground during lunchtime. This has a positive effect on behaviour and safety.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics are good. In addition to national testing in Years 2 and 6, pupils in Years 3,4 and 5 are given Qualification and Curriculum Authority tests in these subjects. Pupils are given regular reading and writing tasks, which are carefully assessed. In mathematics, pupils are given assessment tasks at the end of each unit of study. There are no systematic procedures for assessing pupils' progress and attainment in other subjects. Pupils' work is usually marked consistently, but is of variable quality. The school has recently reviewed its marking policy.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Assessment data, for English and mathematics, are analysed very carefully and outcomes are used well to monitor pupils' academic progress and to set both school and individual targets. Where these targets are not being met, further support is provided by groupings in lessons, extra classroom support, additional literacy support and booster classes for some Year 6 pupils.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The use of assessment information to guide curriculum planning is unsatisfactory, overall. In English and mathematics, pupils' responses to test questions are starting to be analysed to identify particular strengths and weaknesses. Weekly planning also shows that ongoing assessments are being used well to modify future planning. There is some indication that assessment is starting to inform planning in other curriculum areas, for example in Year 2, where this was evident in science and geography. Generally, however, teachers keep their own ongoing records which show the work that has been covered, with little reference to the developing skills within each subject, needed to plan work to meet the needs of all pupils.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The school‘s support for the pupils’ personal development is satisfactory, overall. There are some significant strengths, but also one weakness. Teachers know the pupils well and any concern over a pupil’s development is logged and followed up. There is a good programme of personal, social and health education, which includes sex and drugs education at a level appropriate to the age of the pupils. The school demonstrates its ‘family’ nature by running events throughout the year in which pupils of all ages are mixed together in teams. This gives a sense of responsibility to the older pupils and a realisation of the part they have to play in a team to the younger pupils. This enhances the self-esteem and social skills of both. The less satisfactory aspect of the provision for the pupils’ personal development is that they are sometimes given too little opportunity to use their own initiative in planning and carrying out their own work, particularly when doing investigations in maths

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

and science. The good quality of support for pupils has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Through its very good links with the pre school playgroup and baseline assessments, the school is able to make an early identification of pupils with special educational needs. Realistic and manageable targets are set on their individual education programmes, which are reviewed three times a year, but more frequently, if required. Pupils' progress is tracked very carefully throughout the school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The school has a good relationship with the parents and works closely with them on the education of their children. The views of parents, expressed at the pre-inspection meeting, in the questionnaires and during interviews in the inspection week, all strongly support the school. Parents see the school as providing a good education and having a positive work ethic. They see their children liking school, being well looked after and making good progress as they grow and develop. All find the school very welcoming. The inspection findings support these positive views. On a less up-beat note, a third of responses to the questionnaire expressed concern at the range of extra- curricular activities provided and a quarter felt that the school does not work closely enough with parents or keep them sufficiently informed of their children’s progress. The inspectors feel that the Stretham Community Primary School - 16

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

range of extra-curricular activities is satisfactory, overall, and similar to that found in many schools. However, the provision is only for pupils at Key Stage 2, with nothing for pupils at Key Stage 1, which is unusual and justifies the parents’ concerns. The inspection findings do not support the parents’ views on the quality of the information provided on progress and the relationship between school and home. The school has significantly upgraded the information it provides, following work by the governors’ Communication Committee and parents are involved in school affairs to a significant level.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The school provides parents with a very good level of information about their children’s progress and about general matters. There is a fortnightly newsletter from the headteacher and a termly one from the governing body. Each term, teachers send details home of the curriculum and topics to be studied. The prospectus and governors’ annual report both contain a wealth of information and meet statutory requirements. Pupils’ annual reports contain relevant details of their attainment and progress, together with targets for improvement and also meet statutory requirements. For new parents there are ‘rough guides’ to provide the information they need, prior to their child starting in school. There are consultation evenings each term and open afternoons when parents can come and see their children’s work. Teachers are available daily to talk to parents. Workshops have been held in literacy and numeracy and parents have been able to visit the Life Education caravan.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Overall, this represents a more comprehensive level of communication than is found in many schools.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Parents make a good contribution to the learning of their children and to the life of the school. A significant number of parents help in the classroom, on outside visits, around the school and provide valuable help that the school itself could not afford. Parents help with a wide range of activities including craft-work, gardening, swimming, cycling proficiency, orchestra and athletics. They provide help at home with their children's reading and other homework. Reading diaries are well used. The Parent Staff Association is active and well supported and raises significant funds that are put to good use in improving school facilities such as the Millennium Garden, purchasing resources for the school and providing both financial and practical help to a wide range of school activities.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. Parents are kept well informed of children with special educational needs. They are fully informed of reviews and of the targets set for their children. The good relationship with parents and community has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher's leadership is very good and ensures clear educational direction for the school. The management of key staff is good. It is well structured and its aims and purposes are clearly identified and appropriate. The manner in which these aims and values are practised in the school is the result of careful planning, purposeful leadership and effective communication. A committed staff share these aims and are working hard to achieve them. All aspects of the school have been reviewed in the past year and this has enabled the school to establish a good ethos in which to implement its aims and policies in a positive way and promote higher standards.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The governors are actively involved in promoting the interests of the school, fulfil their statutory duties and show high levels of commitment to their work. They have appropriate committees, which enable them to be effectively involved in decision-making processes. They have also recently begun monitoring the quality of education being provided and the effectiveness of budgetary decisions throughout the school. However, governors' monitoring of curriculum provision, as a whole, is insufficiently developed to identify specific areas of weakness in the quality of the education being offered.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The headteacher and her staff form a cohesive team. Her commitment, enthusiasm and clear sense of purpose have been significant factors in the school’s continual improvement. Decisions are arrived at by a thorough analysis of the problem or issue. A good working relationship with staff has created a climate of trust. The headteacher has been effective in monitoring the work of the school and this has had a positive impact on raising the quality of teaching. Staff support each other effectively and policies and schemes of work are developed collaboratively, although subject co-ordinators, with the exception of English and mathematics, are not monitoring teaching Stretham Community Primary School - 17 sufficiently to help teachers assess outcomes and plan future activities which build on previous learning. The school development plan is well organised, costed and sets realistic targets. It now

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

needs to be planned over a longer period to enable the school's strengths and weaknesses to be evaluated more effectively.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school is well managed; staff, resources and accommodation are deployed efficiently. Good financial controls ensure that efficient use is made of all available funds. All spending is carefully monitored and regular financial statements are available for governors. All plans are carefully costed and relate well to the overall budget. The school is very cost-conscious and makes significant savings in relation to the purchase of its equipment. The recommendations of the most recent audit have been implemented. Specific grant is used effectively for its designated purpose. Expenditure is managed effectively, so that good use is made of resources and the best value is achieved for the money spent.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. School administration is also good; it gives clear support to staff and pupils alike and enables the school to operate in quiet, good order. The school has a satisfactory SEN policy and the co- ordinator regularly reviews provision through pupils' individual education plans. The governing body appropriately includes a statement on the provision for pupils with SEN in their annual report to parents. All pupils have equal access to the education offered. The school has met its targets well.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. There is a good match of teachers to the demands of the curriculum and a good mix of experienced senior staff and teachers new to the profession. Staff have had appropriate training in literacy and numeracy. There is a satisfactory number of support staff who have been well trained. The process for the induction of newly qualified teachers is good. Staff are well supported by a range of courses, both in school and in other institutions. Appraisal procedures have been suspended, although the headteacher has regular professional interviews with all staff. The special education needs co- ordinator provides very good leadership and management of special educational needs provision. She has a very clear picture of all the needs within the school and how they are being met.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The accommodation has been improved greatly since the last inspection and the school has virtually been rebuilt. However the accommodation is still inadequate, as it lacks facilities on the school premises for teaching the full curriculum. For example, children under five have no safe external play area where they can use large play toys and equipment to develop their physical strength and muscular dexterity. There are adequate resources for learning in the school, overall, although resources are inadequate for the Under Fives and in ICT. The school's plans for the development of ICT indicate that this is an area targeted for development. Science equipment needs to be extended for whole class teaching in some areas. The use of new technology is good. Stretham Community Primary School - 18

p.19

Raise standards of attainment in science for higher attaining pupils at Key Stage 1 by:

• using assessment and targeting to raise the performance of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 to higher levels in National Curriculum tests; • using regular assessment to identify higher attaining pupils and ensure that lessons are appropriately challenging; • ensuring that all attainment targets are covered adequately and, particularly, investigative science;

p.20

Raise standards of attainment in ICT and religious education at Key Stage 2 by:

• providing sufficient computers to enable pupils to have regular access to modern technology; • ensuring that all aspects of the ICT curriculum and the County Agreed Syllabus are covered adequately for all pupils; • increasing the time allowed for religious education at Key Stage 2; • identifying the use of ICT skills in all subjects in teachers' planning; • improving assessment, monitoring and targeting pupils' progress; • improving the skills of teachers, in both ICT and religious education, with regular training.

p.20

Raise standards of attainment in ICT and religious education at Key Stage 2 by:

Paragraphs 6, 7, 21, 28, 31, 58, 94, 121, 122, 123, 142

p.20

Improve the way assessment is consistently used to guide curriculum planning by:

• developing systems for assessing pupils' work, in all subjects except English and mathematics, to ensure that potential weaknesses are identified early; • ensuring that assessment outcomes are used to inform teachers' daily lesson plans and develop the use of self assessment by pupils; • regular reviews of assessment and marking policy and practice by senior management.

p.20

Improve the way assessment is consistently used to guide curriculum planning by:

Paragraphs 26, 43, 45, 87, 97, 104, 119, 142

p.20

Other issues for consideration

i) Fix the school improvement plan over a longer period (3 years) so that the governing body can oversee the development of school priorities more effectively.

p.20

Other issues for consideration

ii) Provide a designated secure area to enable children under five to use fixed play equipment and large wheeled toys.

p.20

Other issues for consideration

iii) Monitoring of teaching by subject co-ordinators.

p.20

Other issues for consideration

iv) Provide more opportunities for independent study.

p.20

Other issues for consideration

v) Develop strategies for dealing with the unsatisfactory behaviour of a very few pupils who disrupt the learning of others.

p.20

Other issues for consideration

Paragraphs 10, 11, 21, 22, 24, 46, 54, 58, 66, 80, 87, 97, 104, 118, 128, 135. Stretham Community Primary School - 19

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 35

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.21

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.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 196

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 10

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 54

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

p.21

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.21

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Stretham Community Primary School - 20

p.21

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 13 9 22

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 10 10 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 8 9 9

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82 (89) 86 (92) 95 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 12 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 9 9

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82 (92) 95 (94) 95 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 90 (87)

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.22

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 15 16 31

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 11 10 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 13 15

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 84 (77) 74 (83) 90 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 18 18 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 7 7 6

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 90 (83) 90 (83) 94 (86) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Stretham Community Primary School - 21

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.23

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.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: 1999 – 2000

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7.8 Financial year 1999 – 2000

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.1

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: 1999 - 2000 Total expenditure 337 737

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7.0 Expenditure per pupil 1 724

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 113 Balance brought forward from previous year 18 278

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent Balance carried forward to next year 15 191

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

. Stretham Community Primary School - 22

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child likes school. 54.1 36.5 8.2 0.0 1.2

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 44.7 42.4 10.6 2.4 0.0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 23.5 58.8 9.4 4.7 3.5

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38.8 49.4 9.4 1.2 1.2

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The teaching is good. 42.4 47.1 5.9 1.2 3.5

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 27.1 40.0 18.8 7.1 7.1

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57.6 35.3 1.2 4.7 1.2

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 54.1 34.1 10.6 1.2 0.0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 32.9 44.7 15.3 7.1 0.0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 38.8 43.5 12.9 2.4 2.4

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 29.3 42.9 11.9 4.8 4.8

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 25.9 35.3 23.5 10.6 4.7 Stretham Community Primary School - 23 Stretham Community Primary School - 24

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. The education provided for the under-fives is broad and balanced and in line with the nationally recommended areas of learning. Most children, when they start at the school, have below average levels of attainment in language and literacy. By the age of five, attainment of the majority is in line with that outlined in the Early Learning Goals. Children make good progress in language and literacy, number work and personal and social development. Progress is less marked in their knowledge and understanding of the world and the physical and creative areas of learning. There is good provision for children with special educational needs.

p.26

Personal, social and emotional development

60. Pupils start at the school with below average personal, social and emotional development. By the time they are five, they make good progress and are attaining at the expected level for pupils of this age. Most know how to work in groups and follow instructions. They become more confident in making choices and, although they still need a lot of direction, they are eager to explore new learning. Their ability to think up activities which are imaginative remains weak. They understand what is right and wrong and why, and can take turns and share fairly.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

61. Teachers in the reception class place suitable emphasis on developing language and literacy. Communication and listening skills are encouraged in every activity, including role-play. Many children talk confidently about what they like doing. Children make a satisfactory start to early reading and writing skills and many show rapid progress. All children are encouraged to take books home regularly. They enjoy books and handle them carefully. Some can tell stories, using the illustrations within the book, and answer simple questions. Most are able to recognise initial sounds associated with the letters of the alphabet and many can recognise key words from their first reader. Children hold their pencils correctly and many can shape letters accurately. Most can trace over or copy the teacher’s writing. Many are keen to produce their own emergent writing. They can draw simple artistic figures well and are confident when talking about their drawings and

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

mark-making. Most are achieving at the expected standard by the age of 5 Years.

p.26

Mathematical development

62. Children make good progress in the mathematical area of learning. Most are familiar with number rhymes, songs and counting games. They can match, sort and count, using everyday objects. Most recite numbers to ten and beyond and can recognise number symbols from one to ten and write them independently. Some children can recognise basic geometric shapes and identify them in everyday objects in the classroom. Most can sort and match objects by shape, colour and size. Their basic knowledge of capacity and weight, from practical experiences, for example from sand and water activities, is limited as there is little space within the classroom for these activities. However, most have developed a correct understanding of terms such as 'full ' and 'empty' and are achieving in line with expectations by the time they start their formal education at 5 Years.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

63. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is not as good as their understanding of mathematics and language, although the progress made is satisfactory, overall. They use their senses successfully to identify materials. They are able to tell the difference between living and non- living forms and know that living things need food and water to survive. By the time they are aged 5, pupils are attaining just below average when compared to others of a similar age. They are able to explore and select from a range of constructional toys to make imaginative models and use skills such as cutting, joining and building with increasing confidence. They use simple computer programs well. Stretham Community Primary School - 25 Stretham Community Primary School - 26

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Physical development

64. Children show satisfactory progress in their physical development. They follow instructions and move confidently and imaginatively. However there is no safe outside area for children Under Five to play on large wheeled toys or fixed climbing apparatus to improve their manual dexterity. Older under-fives demonstrate a good range of co-ordinated movements when playing outside although some lack an awareness of space. Children show satisfactory hand and eye co-ordination.

p.28

Creative development

65. Pupils show satisfactory progress in all areas of creative learning; some show good progress. Pupils use poster and powder paints with confidence. They successfully use sponges and various other materials to print and produce effective paintings. They handle tools safely and many can cut and stick a variety of materials. They are increasingly able to depict their ideas and feelings through role-play, telling stories, drawing, painting and collage. They know many songs and nursery rhymes by heart and always sing enthusiastically.

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Creative development

66. The quality of teaching in the reception class is very good. Lessons are well planned, taking account of the requirements of the curriculum for under-fives. A wide variety of stimulating and well- structured activities are provided within each session. Children’s responses are supported and extended sensitively. Appropriate interventions are made to give direction and enable learning to be consolidated. Teaching staff and assistants work very well together and have a clear understanding of how young children learn.

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Creative development

67. The under-fives curriculum is planned and organised well. However, there is no provision for a separate enclosed area for children to play and no large wheeled toys and climbing equipment to develop physical strength and co-ordination. Children are assessed by careful on-going observations. A simple baseline assessment has been successfully carried out. Parents are encouraged to be involved from the beginning of their children’s education and to follow their progress throughout. Regular formal and informal consultations, before and after admission, are well received by parents and effectively establish common objectives between home and school.

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Creative development

68. The reception classroom is visually pleasing and stimulating, but there is little space for clearly defined learning areas. Overall, indoor resources are satisfactory. There are sufficient books for pupils to use and borrow. Children’s development of early computer skills is good, but there is a need for more software to support the work being done. Regardless of this, pupils under five are making good progress and are prepared very well for more formalised work in Key Stage 1. There has been good improvement in the progress made by children under five since the last inspection.

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ENGLISH

69. At the time of the last inspection, overall attainment in English was satisfactory and in line with national standards. Since this time, standards in English have risen, especially at Key Stage 2, so that, in the last statutory tests, nearly half the pupils at age 11 attained standards higher than the national average and higher than the average for similar schools.

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ENGLISH

70. By the age of seven years, attainment is in line with national expectations. By the age of 11, pupils’ attainment is above the expected levels. Boys consistently achieve at a level similar to girls, against the national trend.

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ENGLISH

71. Pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is below average on entry to school, but they learn appropriate strategies and make good progress, so that, by the age of seven years, they are able to speak clearly, using varied language. Pupils were able to talk lucidly about dinosaurs, giving thumbnail sketches of their appearance and diet.

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ENGLISH

72. By age eleven, pupils speak confidently on a range of topics, giving good, thoughtful answers, using varied and extended vocabulary. They offer opinions on books read and can discuss choices they have made, explaining plots and making logical predictions. However, in the lessons seen, there was little opportunity for pupils to engage in debate or offer and challenge others’ opinions. Stretham Community Primary School - 27 73. Progress in reading is satisfactory. By age seven, reading attainment for most pupils is in line with the national expectation. They are eager to read, showing a keen interest in books. They have learned strategies to enable them to read with good understanding and accuracy and are able to use words and pictures to gain an insight into the meaning of the text. The best readers read fluently and expressively and can use their voices to good effect in the dialogue. Pupils understand

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ENGLISH

how to use the library and can use their knowledge to find information books. They can read instructions and understand the importance of correct sequencing. Reading at home is actively encouraged and teachers have good arrangements for books to be checked and changed daily. Parents are closely involved in supporting their children’s learning. Reading diaries are inconsistently used throughout the school.

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ENGLISH

74. Reading is actively encouraged throughout the school, so that, by age eleven, the pupils have experienced a range of texts, including poetry and plays, which challenge the higher attainers. The class libraries and non fiction books available in the library area offer an extensive range of stimulating reading material which is well used. Year 4 pupils were able to research the past to make stories more convincing when planning writing on ‘Going back in time’. Most pupils read quietly every day, with younger ones often reading with adults. Older pupils, especially the lower achievers, have little opportunity to read individually to an adult in school.

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ENGLISH

75. By age seven, pupils’ attainment in writing is in line with national expectations. They are taught to write in a joined up style and, by Year 2, most pupils have clear, legible writing which aids good presentation. They use capital letters and full stops appropriately and many are able to write sentences using commas.

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ENGLISH

76. In the reception class pupils can write letters and attempt their name. They have confidence to make marks on paper and understand that writing communicates to others. For example, pupils ‘addressed’ parcels in the class post office and delivered them to their peers. In Year 1, they can organise their work both for themselves and for the reader. A group of pupils were labelling parts of a house ‘so that you know what things are’. In doing this task they also marked off words they had used and demonstrated good organisational skills in their working. By year 2, at the end of the key stage, they can begin to redraft their work, using dictionaries to check spellings, and can produce a piece of work, using a word processor. They understand the importance of different styles of writing for different purposes. They can order lists, write instructions and are given good opportunities for extended writing, using varied language according to the mood of the piece of work. Pupils create

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ENGLISH

poetry about their feelings ‘I feel sad when …. ‘ ‘I feel happy when …. ‘ They are able to imagine situations and can write about them, for example on ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch.’ By Year 6, most pupils are achieving at levels expected for their age with some achieving above.

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ENGLISH

77. Work within the literacy hour is generally challenging and offers all pupils, regardless of ability, the chance to succeed. Whole class learning is good, with opportunities for pupils to develop skills and knowledge, although individual tasks sometimes do not stretch pupils’ thinking. Pupils write narrative, develop characterisations, produce information sheets, write accounts of personal activities and spend time on extended writing. Spelling is generally satisfactory, but banks of words are insufficiently developed using pupils’ own errors as the basis for the lists. By Year 6, pupils’ handwriting is generally well formed, but presentation skills are not as well developed, except where used for display work. Pupils produce work on word processors and illustrate these with digitally produced photographs.

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ENGLISH

78. Teaching in English is good, overall. Of the lessons seen, all were at least satisfactory, with two thirds being good or very good. Teachers show good knowledge and understanding of the subject, overall, and the daily literacy lessons are generally well prepared. However, in some lessons at Key Stage 2, inconsistency in timing sometimes leads to instructions being rushed and pupils are not clear what to do. This affects the quality of learning. In lessons where the quality of teaching is good or very good, teachers use questioning well and extend pupils' learning with independent activities to enhance their achievement.

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ENGLISH

79. Planning is good, with relevant work being taught in literacy lessons allowing ample opportunity for pupils to use their learning in other subjects such as history. This cross curricular element in the older pupils’ classes is a strength of their learning. There is a good use of the learning support Stretham Community Primary School - 28 assistants who are well prepared and who plan with the teachers. A programme of additional literacy provides well for those pupils who have special needs. They are well supported and generally make good progress in English.

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ENGLISH

80. There is evidence of good learning throughout the school. Regular checks are made on pupils’ progress. English is assessed well and pupils work towards clear, set targets, which are regularly checked. Assessment informs teachers’ planning so that work matches pupils’ needs. Marking of work is variable. The best marking clearly tells pupils what to do next in order to improve, but the marking in some books is cursory.

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ENGLISH

81. Pupils are interested and involved in their learning and tackle tasks with enthusiasm. Attitudes are good, overall, although there are some pupils whose behaviour detracts from the learning of others when there are no strategies in place to deal with them and when they are unclear about what to do.

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ENGLISH

82. The co-ordination of the subject is good. Results of national and other testing are used well to track pupils' progress. There has been good improvement at Key Stage 2 since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

83. The results of the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 show that pupils are achieving standards that are above the national average and that for similar schools. At Key Stage 2, the results of the national tests show that pupils, overall, achieve standards that are in line with national averages and the results of similar schools. The percentage of those achieving the higher levels, at both key stages, is above the national average and the average for similar schools. In the Year 2000, there was a significant number of pupils in the Year 6 class with special educational needs, who did not achieve national averages, so reducing the overall grading for attainment at the end of Key Stage 2.

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MATHEMATICS

84. The inspection findings show that seven and eleven year-olds attain standards that are above average and that all, including those with special educational needs, make good progress to achieve these results. Improvement is due to the effective introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy, the staff development that has accompanied it and the support provided by the subject co-ordinator.

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MATHEMATICS

85. Pupils in Key Stage 1 make good progress in the knowledge and understanding of number facts. They can count in odd and even numbers to 20 and can count on and back in twos and fives to 100 and beyond. They have a good understanding of tens and units and have strategies for adding on numbers such as 9, 19 and 21. Pupils in Year 1 are able to count on in tens from a unit digit and some can use strategies when estimating numbers of objects. In Year 2, pupils are familiar with halving and doubling numbers up to 100. They can clearly name two and three dimensional shapes and describe their characteristics. They can tell the time to the hour and half-past and can work out simple time problems. Most have a good understanding of money up to one pound; pupils with lower ability can work out how to pay for things priced up to twenty pence. They have a good understanding of ordinal numbers, with above average pupils able to quickly identify the half way and

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MATHEMATICS

quarter way points between two numbers. Lower ability pupils are able to order small groups of objects by size, recognising first, second, third and fourth. They have a good knowledge of standard measures, with above average pupils able to select the appropriate measures to use, for example when measuring the length of a door or a book.

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MATHEMATICS

86. In Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress in their learning. They have opportunities to solve number problems in mental and oral mathematics' sessions and are quick to grasp the strategies that are needed to find a solution. This demonstrates an improvement from the last inspection, where mental mathematics was judged to be an area for development. The majority of eleven year- olds are able to add and subtract numbers up to 1000 and beyond and have a very good understanding of place value, able to multiply numbers by 10, 100 and 1000. They know and understand decimals to two places and know common equivalent decimals, fractions and percentages. They know how to find perimeters and many can calculate the area of rectangles. They clearly understand two and three-dimensional shapes and are able to relate the lines of symmetry of regular two-dimensional shapes to the number of sides. In Year 5, many are able to

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MATHEMATICS

identify horizontal, vertical and parallel lines and perpendiculars on two-dimensional shapes. They are able to compare results and make conclusions by drawing block and line graphs. Stretham Community Primary School - 29 87. The teaching of mathematics is satisfactory, overall, with only one lesson being unsatisfactory. One lesson was judged to be very good. From the lessons observed, it is evident that teachers have the necessary subject knowledge and expertise. There are clear learning objectives for each lesson, which are shared with pupils at the start, but are not always referred to in the conclusions to lessons, when pupils consider what they have been learning and how well they have achieved. These concluding sessions are sometimes missed out or rushed, with teachers not allowing sufficient time for them. Work is generally set for different ability groups, as in Year 6, where pupils were working on time problems, using the 24 hour clock. Appropriate activities were planned for all

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MATHEMATICS

abilities, including pupils with special educational needs, enabling them all to make very good progress. In one Year 5 lesson, however, although the work was challenging for the higher ability pupils, no appropriate work was planned for other ability groups. An analysis of pupils' work also shows that pupils are sometimes expected all to do the same activity or exercise, with the higher ability pupils finishing more than the rest. Where work is set for higher ability pupils, it, sometimes, just expects them to use higher numbers in calculations than the rest of the class, instead of providing challenges based on previous learning.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

88. Good use is made of learning support assistants and voluntary helpers. Teachers plan well with them so that they can provide effective support. This was clearly evident in a good Year 1 lesson where pupils were developing estimating skills. Where lessons move forward with sufficient pace and activities are well planned, pupils maintain interest and concentration. However, in some lessons, the pace was interrupted by constant unsatisfactory behaviour, with the teacher not having effective management strategies to deal with it. In one Year 3 lesson, missing digit cards and activities which were unclear, linked with unsatisfactory behaviour, limited pupils' learning. Work is consistently marked, but there are few comments made to aid pupils' future learning.

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MATHEMATICS

89. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator has effectively overseen the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy; lessons have been observed and the strengths and areas for development shared with staff. For example, plenary sessions have been identified as an area of concern. Results of national and other testing are used well to track pupils' progress, to group pupils in lessons and to identify where to place any additional support. There has been good improvement in the subject since the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

90. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' overall attainment, as assessed by teachers, is above national expectations. It was well below at the higher level 3. By the end of Key Stage 2, attainment in the National Curriculum tests at the expected Level 4 was in line with national averages and those for similar schools. Achievement, at the higher level 5, was above average. There is no difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Over the last three years, pupils have been achieving results above national averages and similar schools.

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SCIENCE

91. By the end of Key Stage 1, attainment in lessons is at the expected level. Most pupils can identify a range of common materials and describe similarities and differences between them. They also know how to identify and record, with bar charts, their own differences and similarities. They know, and can label parts of the body and understand that changes occur, for example, growing old. They know, that their heart beat changes when they take exercise and the faster they exercise, the quicker their hearts beat. From a scrutiny of past work in Year 2, it is possible to see that pupils have done work on the life cycle of a butterfly, and they know that a caterpillar becomes a chrysalis before it becomes a butterfly and lays eggs to start the whole cycle again. Pupils have also done experiments about how quickly different things will change into liquid. For instance, they have looked at how long it takes for an ice cube, or a chocolate button, to melt. The higher attainers can

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SCIENCE

make predictions about this. However, although most pupils are attaining standards at the expected level there is little work at the higher level 3. Higher achievers are not being adequately challenged. There is a lack of work in experimental and investigative science. Pupils undertake simple experiments, but are not provided with sufficient opportunity to set up their own experiments and ask questions about what might happen next. There is little use of charts, tables and ICT to show the results of experiments. Stretham Community Primary School - 30 92. By the end of Key Stage 2, attainment is in line with expected levels, overall, although above average work was evident, predominantly in Year 6. Many pupils are at the expected Level 4 already. For example, they can recognise the need for fair tests, varying one factor, answering questions on their own investigations and making appropriate predictions. Many pupils are

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SCIENCE

achieving higher standards, for example, in the way they identify key factors to be considered when a fair test is part of the investigation or in terms of their understanding of how materials change. They understand the constituents of a solution and why some solids are soluble and others are not. Pupils are able to express themselves in writing, using appropriate scientific vocabulary. Higher achieving pupils have looked at various situations in which evaporation or condensation will occur. They know that all forces have a size and direction and that two or more forces can be balanced or unbalanced. Higher achieving pupils in Year 6 benefit from consistent assessment to challenge them. Progression from one key stage to the next is slow, because there is little higher level knowledge at the end of Key Stage 1.

p.32

SCIENCE

93. Teaching ranges from unsatisfactory to very good and is good overall. The good monitoring and teacher expertise in Year 6 enable children to make very good progress. In a very good lesson, the teacher made effective use of children’s existing knowledge about light to lead them to make valid and correct conclusions about why light behaves differently in different contexts. In an unsatisfactory lesson on magnetism and the forces it creates, in the same key stage, the teacher's lack of discipline meant that pupils were not clear as to the objectives of the lesson and were not given the opportunity, in a plenary session, to ask their own questions based on their own investigations. In a Year 4 lesson, the teacher used time and resources well to set up an activity which involved pupils in researching how animals adapt to their environment. This involved having fun as well as finding information, such as, why polar bears have small ears. All teachers make good

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SCIENCE

94. In good lessons, teachers' planning is well organised and high standards are expected of pupils in terms of behaviour, application to work, effort, co-operation and recall of previous work. Lessons move along briskly, with good practical content. These strategies are effective in sustaining the interest of pupils. In satisfactory lessons, all the above qualities are present to a lesser degree, but whilst learning objectives and activities are clearly stated, not enough thought is given to the assessment of pupils' work and the outcomes of the lesson in terms of what pupils know and understand. These lessons lack challenge for the higher attainers. In unsatisfactory lessons, pupils quickly become disinterested because of the teachers' lack of organisation and low expectations of behaviour and application to work. In these lessons, time and resources are not used well.

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SCIENCE

95. Progress in learning is satisfactory at Key Stage 1, slows in Year 3 and is good by the end of Key Stage 2. Where they are able to carry out investigations that let them explore their own ideas, pupils of all levels of attainment often make good progress. This was seen in a Year 6 lesson where pupils investigated optical illusions. At Key Stage 1, a scrutiny of the work completed and lessons observed during the inspection show that pupils are making insufficient use of data to draw conclusions and record them adequately. There is little use of simple charts, tables and drawings to show the results of experiments. There is little use of ICT to record results at Key Stage 2.

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SCIENCE

96. Teaching support is usually good and pupils with SEN and higher achieving pupils make good progress both during lessons and in the work they have completed over time. Work is often well matched to their needs.

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SCIENCE

97. Pupils’ attitudes to science are mostly good and sometimes very good. They enjoy the practical work and carry it out carefully and safely. They increasingly show good levels of independence when they are allowed to work in groups. In these lessons, pupils work well together, share equipment and help each other. Pupils show good levels of concentration and are developing good habits in listening and recording. They enjoy their science lessons. Behaviour is never less than satisfactory and is usually good.

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SCIENCE

98. The science curriculum meets statutory requirements. It provides good access for pupils with SEN. However, although assessment procedures are used well at the end of Key Stage 2, they are not yet effectively established through the school. Some teachers are not consistently evaluating what Stretham Community Primary School - 31 pupils know, understand and can do, in order to inform further curriculum planning, or setting targets for improving pupils' individual performance. The co-ordinator does not have enough allocated time to adequately monitor the teaching of the subject to ensure that skills are taught across all year groups. There is a need for more specialist training amongst the staff. Science resources are inadequate for whole class teaching in some areas, although the school makes good use of the local environment. Since the last inspection, the standards achieved in lessons have been

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SCIENCE

maintained at Key Stage 1. At Key Stage 2, standards were above average and are now in line with expectations.

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ART

99. Overall, attainment in art is in line with expectations at the end of both key stages. From the time pupils start school, they are encouraged to experiment with paint and colour, to explore pattern, to work from observation and imagination and to respond to examples of art in the world around them. Children in the reception class have enjoyed working on cross-stitch designs on the computer.

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ART

100. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' attainment, especially in drawing, is at the expected level. This competence in using dry media, pencils, collage etc, stands pupils in good stead at Key Stage 2. Pupils' attainment in other aspects, such as painting, shows an average range of skill and understanding. Pupils in Year 1 have used stippling and cross hatching to make a fruit bowl and pupils in Year 2 have combined their efforts to produce a poster of the Lighthouse Keepers Lunch, using powder paint. There is sound development of practical skills in some classes, although this depends largely on the subject expertise of the teacher. The oldest pupils in Year 2 have learnt to use a larger range of materials and show increasing control of tools.

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ART

101. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are competent at colour mixing and matching, using pastels and are able to use a variety of media, like charcoal, to achieve the results they want. Year 4 has experimented with aborigine paintings, while Year 5 has produced some atmospheric paintings of Graffham water in pastels. Painting is pupils' weakest skill, overall, but standards achieved are within the average range. Some higher attainers in Year 6 show a very high degree of competent drawing, including minute detail of pattern and line.

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ART

102. Extra-curricular work, done at Key Stage 2 in the creative arts programme, enhances the art curriculum for those who are not in the choir or orchestra. Pupils choose their groups for interest and the good work produced shows their high level of commitment and involvement.

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ART

103. Pupils enjoy their artwork and are enthusiastic about the practical nature of the tasks. Attitudes are good. Most pupils demonstrate concentration, collaboration and respect for the work of others. They work as individuals and most can also co-operate well in groups, when required to do so. Behaviour in lessons is always good.

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ART

104. The quality of teaching is good, overall. Teachers have a good understanding of the subject, although some lack confidence in certain areas of learning and need more training in how to teach art skills. Teachers' planning gives details of learning objectives and careful attention to the development of skills and techniques, as in Year 6, where pupils are building on their knowledge and skills in their observational drawings of historical artefacts. Teachers are responsible for their own assessment. However, teachers are not assessing and recording pupils’ individual progress in art. Although satisfactory learning is taking place at both key stages, there is insufficient monitoring of the quality of teaching, assessment and the standards being achieved. Examples of good learning and progress include a clear development in pupils’ observational skills and in their understanding of artistic elements, as seen in Year 5 and 6. Progress in the presentation of

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ART

illustrative work in other curriculum areas is weaker. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, overall, and use the skills they acquire in other subjects. Computers are used well for graphic work in Year 2, although the use of information and communication technology for graphic work is under developed through the school.

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ART

105. The subject co-ordinator is committed to reviewing the scheme of work and plans the art curriculum well. However, she does not have the time to monitor the teaching of the subject adequately or what is being learnt. There is no whole-school overview to monitor pupils' progress. Consequently the co- Stretham Community Primary School - 32 ordinator cannot monitor progress effectively and assessment does not adequately inform curriculum planning. Pupils' level of skill in art and the progress they make at both key stages have been maintained since the last inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106. At the time of the last inspection, overall attainment in design technology was broadly in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Since this time, standards have improved and, by Year 6, the attainment of most pupils is above the expected level.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. By age seven, pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations. They select materials from a given range to make face masks and can consider and modify their designs. They understand that it is acceptable to change the design if, by doing so, it can be improved. Pupils use materials well and are able to handle tools safely.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. By age eleven, pupils have used ICT to assist in design. They plan to make cars and use the design to carry out the making task. They are able to co-operate well and use the correct terminology. For instance, when explaining how wheels turn, pupils in Year 3 could demonstrate ‘the engine turns the axle and the axle turns the wheels.’ The oldest pupils are able to carry out investigations, such as designing an object to help them see over tall people in a football match. They are able to use past knowledge to extend their understanding. They can collaborate and are enthusiastic, showing sustained concentration when working at a task.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. Teaching is satisfactory, overall. Teachers are supported by the planned programme of work, which allows for clear progression based on national curriculum requirements. The best teaching is characterised by clear direction and good questioning which extends the children’s thinking about how to improve their work. There is little evidence that assessment helps individual teachers’ planning. Monitoring, through observation by the subject co-ordinator, is insufficiently developed.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. Those pupils with special educational needs receive adequate support, so that they learn through their activities, but there were instances where tasks did not match specific needs and opportunities for these pupils are limited.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. Management strategies ensure that pupils work safely and independently, gradually learning to clear up equipment after it has been used. They have a good understanding of how to use and look after tools and take pride in both the equipment and their own work.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. Geography and history are blocked on the timetable for Key Stage 2 and, at the time of the inspection, no geography was being taught at this key stage. Evidence from discussions with pupils, lessons observed in Key Stage 1 and an analysis of past work, show that standards, overall, are in line with those expected nationally and have been maintained since the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. Pupils in Key Stage 1 make good progress; they can identify the various parts of the United Kingdom. Through their studies of Stretham in Year 1 and of Ambleside in Year 2, they demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of their own locality and of one beyond. They understand and can point out physical features and how human features have shaped the environment. By following a route around school, placing features on a village map and looking at ordnance survey maps, they understand direction and how different features can be represented on maps. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are familiar with the map of the world and can identify continents and locate countries within them. They are familiar with the terms weather and climate and can give examples of both. They know about the water cycle and understand the possible effects of global warming and declining world resources on people's lives. They realise that the environment can be

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GEOGRAPHY

spoilt and how improvements could be made. Pupils with SEN make good progress.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2. However, from the lessons observed in Key Stage 1, teaching is good at this key stage. Lessons are well planned and prepared with clear learning objectives, showing development and giving Stretham Community Primary School - 33 evidence of good subject knowledge. Pupils are questioned well, as in Year 1, where pupils were asked about photographs of the village to develop their knowledge and understanding of the local environment. They could, for example, explain the purpose of the local pumping station. Lessons have good pace which helps to maintain pupils' strong interest and concentration and enthusiasm. This was evident in the Year 2 lesson where pupils were recording features on an imaginary trip from Stretham to Ambleside, moving at a good pace throughout the lesson to reach their destination. In

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GEOGRAPHY

this lesson, the task was also an assessment activity, carried out before planning future lessons, to show pupils’ understanding of features such as a village, a city, a motorway and mountains.

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GEOGRAPHY

115. There is a good range of resources, carefully stored in topic boxes. Visits to the local village and other visits, for example to field study centres, provide further learning opportunities.

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HISTORY

116. History was able to be seen taught only at Key Stage 2 during the inspection. From an analysis of pupils' work, the lessons observed and a discussion with pupils, standards, overall, are judged to be satisfactory, with pupils reaching expected standards at the end of Key Stage 2. This shows that standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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HISTORY

117. In Key Stage 1, pupils show a satisfactory awareness of the differences between past and present in their own and other people's lives and, through observations, answer questions about the past. For example, Year 2 pupils compared a visit to the seaside with one which their grandparents may have made. In Year 1, following a walk around the village, pupils were able to recall many features about life in time gone by, such as the 'great fire of Stretham', that many houses had thatched roofs and that there were many more public houses, now converted into private dwellings. They are developing an increasing sense of chronology.

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HISTORY

118. In Key Stage 2, pupils have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of British history, of how invaders and settlers in the past helped to form a nation. In their studies of the Victorians, Year 5 pupils clearly recognise the development during this period and how life changed for many people. Pupils in Year 6 are aware of the effects of World War II and how life has changed since. Their writing about the war, with detailed research and sensitive accounts of evacuees, demonstrates their very good knowledge and understanding of events in these times. Pupils use books and CD ROM's well for research.

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HISTORY

119. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1. However, in Key Stage 2, teaching, overall, is judged to be satisfactory. Activities are generally well planned and teachers question pupils carefully during lessons to help develop their understanding of history, as in Year 5 where pupils discussed aspects of a Victorian childhood through toys and how children must have been more imaginative in their play than children today. Pupils enjoy their lessons and show strong interest in what they are learning and work hard to complete tasks. This was evident in a Year 5 lesson when pupils were making replicas of Victorian toys and in Year 3 where they were considering Anglo Saxon runes and using them to write their own names. At times, the behaviour of some pupils detracts from learning and teachers do not always have effective strategies to deal with this. Good use was made of information and control technology where pupils

p.35

HISTORY

used a simulation activity based on the Victorians. Presentation of work is variable, from very detailed and carefully written accounts in Year 6 to unfinished, untidy work sheets, showing a lack of depth in knowledge and understanding.

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HISTORY

120. History is well resourced, with materials stored centrally in topic boxes. There is a good selection of history books in the library and the school often makes use of topic boxes from the local library and museum. Displays around the school, showing pupils' work and historical artefacts, enhance the learning environment. Visits to museums and activity centres add to pupils' learning experiences, for example, the day spent by Year 6 as evacuees at Stibbington. There is no formal assessment of history. Teachers record the work covered by classes, but do not show pupils' developing skills as an aid to future planning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Stretham Community Primary School - 34 121. During the current inspection, only one lesson in Key Stage 1 was seen. (Pupils were sometimes observed working in pairs with limited adult intervention). Information was gained from wall displays and talking to pupils. Standards are in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 but below expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Standards have deteriorated since the last inspection when they were found to be in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages, overall.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. Pupils in Key Stage 1 use "Splosh" to make pictures and patterns. By the end of the Key Stage they are able to use text in upper and lower case, drag with the mouse and delete mistakes. However, they have very limited experience of recording information in tables. Few pupils are able to enter, save and retrieve information unaided. Although there are ‘roamers’ in school, there was very limited evidence of their use.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils use word processing well and are familiar with many fonts and display work well, using various lay outs. They complete and then edit first draft work, using instructions to move, copy, correct and highlight text. However, this good practice is not evident through the other three strands of the National Curriculum required for information and communication technology. Most pupils have limited experience in data handling, for example in classifying information in graph or table form or in analysing information. They are unable to create, test, modify and store sequences of instructions, for example rotations, or hypothesise and predict results.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. Information and communication technology is a priority in the school development plan. Teachers are all undergoing in-service training to improve their own skills and familiarise themselves with National Curriculum requirements. Current resources are inadequate in quantity and variety. Pupils have supervised access to the Internet and e-mail. However, information and communication technology is not yet used as an effective tool to support learning across the curriculum.

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MUSIC

125. At the time of the last inspection, overall standards in music were above and often well above the national expectation. Significant numbers of pupils achieved well above average by age 11 in both playing and singing. This achievement has been maintained.

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MUSIC

126. Only two class lessons of music were seen, one in each key stage, but there were opportunities to hear the school choir and orchestra, to talk to pupils and to look at records held by the music co- ordinator.

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MUSIC

127. By the age of 7, pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations. They have opportunity to sing rhymes, songs and hymns, play tuned and untuned percussion instruments, to explore their feelings through dance and to listen to music of various times and cultures. They understand pulse and rhythm and have opportunities to make music as a response to sounds, to communicate and to express feelings and mood. They enjoy opportunities to perform with others. They listen to a story and use percussion to create musical effects.

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MUSIC

128. By the end of Key Stage 2, older pupils listen to music such as the Carnival of the Animals and imagine which animal is being represented by the music. They are encouraged to work in groups, using percussion to compose a piece which represents an animal, which is to be performed in an assembly.

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MUSIC

129. Most pupils listen well in lessons, but a minority can be inattentive and become disruptive. Where teachers are confident and are clear in their objectives, pupils are responsive, enthusiastic and well disciplined. Teaching in the two lessons seen was satisfactory. Teachers' subject knowledge is good. There is a good use of musical terminology and teachers demonstrate the instruments. By the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils make appropriate progress in their learning. They are given good opportunities to make their own music and explore different sounds on different instruments. Pupils with SEN make good progress.

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MUSIC

130. Too few lessons were seen to make an overall judgement on teaching, although the teaching was Stretham Community Primary School - 35 satisfactory in each lesson seen at both Key Stages 1 and 2.

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MUSIC

131. Many pupils join the choir where they learn to sing folk songs, spirituals, popular modern songs and three part rounds. They become skilled in pitch and sing in tune with obvious enjoyment. Pupils with special educational needs take full part in the curriculum and have every opportunity and encouragement to succeed. They show great enjoyment in choir and are eager to show what they can do. Pupils sing clearly and tunefully and perform well in front of an audience.

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MUSIC

132. All pupils aged between 7 and 11 years are encouraged to join the school orchestra, which is made up of wind instruments, brass, strings, recorders, percussion and keyboards. Pupils show self discipline and respect for each other when they rehearse and are obviously proud of their achievements. They are led by the music co-ordinator whose expertise influences the standards they reach. The quality of teaching by a skilled musician is very good and is well paced with high expectations which pupils relish. The fun element of the sessions adds to their enjoyment and keeps motivation high. Pupils are able to benefit from the rich and broad experience that good quality music teaching brings.

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MUSIC

133. Although the subject follows National Curriculum guidelines, the music policy needs reviewing and updating. The school gives all pupils the opportunity to learn an instrument after the age of seven. There is insufficient group music for pupils aged between five and seven.

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MUSIC

134. There is a good take-up of private music tuition in brass, string and wind instruments. Pupils entertain the local community on special occasions, such as Christmas, and this adds an extra dimension to the school’s relationships with the village.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. During the inspection, three lessons were observed, one at Key Stage 1 and two at Key Stage 2. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, are achieving in line with expectations at the end of both key stages and make satisfactory progress throughout the school. The curriculum includes gymnastics, dance, games and swimming. Most pupils achieve the national target of being able to swim 25 metres by age 11 years.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils can move safely around the school hall, stopping, starting and changing direction when instructed. In a satisfactory lesson In Year 2, pupils were able to contrast travelling in straight and zig-zag lines and were able carry these themes over into their work on the apparatus. In Key Stage 2, Year 4 pupils are able to respond to music through dance, expressing their feelings in individual movements and in group performances. By the end of the key stage, Year 6 pupils are able to use apparatus safely and can develop sequences, containing a series of movements, with satisfactory fluency. Pupils have the opportunity to watch and evaluate others and improve their own performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. Teaching is satisfactory, overall. The most effective lessons are challenging and varied, with clear instructions and time for pupils to practise movements. There is a clear stress on health and safety, with warm up and winding down sessions in lessons. Pupils are enthusiastic, but, in some lessons, the behaviour of a few pupils detracts from learning, with teachers having to stop and start the lesson. Large apparatus is well organised, reflecting the theme of the lesson, as in Year 2 where mats were placed to develop pupils' zigzag movements.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. Pupils have two lessons of physical education each week and, over the year, cover all aspects of the subject. There is a satisfactory range of extra-curricular sport, covering netball, football, swimming and athletics. The school takes part in district athletics' events and has recently started to play competitive football. The subject will be monitored as part of a programme for all subjects. Assessment in physical education is informal; the development of individual skills is not yet recorded. There are adequate resources. In the past, the school has benefited from the top sports scheme which it hopes to rejoin. The school has its own outdoor swimming pool and good outdoor hard surfaced and grassed areas for games. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection Stretham Community Primary School - 36

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are achieving in line with the expectations of the county Agreed Syllabus for this age. Pupils in Year 1 are just beginning to explore and consider their own activities and compare them with simple moral codes. However, some older pupils can express their ideas clearly and demonstrate a growing awareness and understanding of the Christian faith. They can talk with confidence about their visit to a church and relate some of the stories of Jesus. At Year 2, pupils have looked at the natural world and have been introduced to "reflection." They are beginning to explore their feelings.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards of achievement are below expectation and very few pupils have a sound grasp of religious concepts. Some understand the metaphors used to demonstrate aspects of Christianity, although there is little religious understanding of the beliefs and practices of other religions. For example, most older pupils know some of the Christian symbols, although few can explain their religious significance adequately or know why religion often interprets itself in symbolism. Some higher attaining pupils can raise perceptive questions about the nature of religious practices, although only a few know of the festivals and practices from other religions or their purpose in the religious sense. Their knowledge and understanding of religious belief and their ability to talk about the significance of religious activities are insufficiently developed, overall.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

141. Pupils with special education needs are not achieving satisfactory standards in relation to their capability and are making unsatisfactory progress, overall.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. In the lessons seen, pupils' attitudes were positive. They were interested and motivated and approached the lesson with confidence. Behaviour was good and relationships with the teacher were very good. Pupils concentrated and worked together well.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. The quality of teaching and learning is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2. In the one lesson seen in Year 2, the teacher had a good rapport with pupils and used praise and encouragement constructively. A good feature of this teaching was the skilful use of questioning to promote thinking and discussion. In the best learning situations, pupils gain religious insights into people's beliefs, practices and celebrations. Where learning is unsatisfactory, skills are under developed and do not extend pupils' ability to think for themselves. The result is that little progress is made in religious understanding.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. The current scheme of work does not enable staff to assess pupils' achievements or to ensure that lesson planning is systematic and makes progressive demands on pupils. Overall, teachers have insufficient knowledge of the subject to enable them to use the Agreed Syllabus to pupils' best advantage. The limited amount of time given to the teaching of the subject in some classes, particularly at Key Stage 2, does not allow for it to be taught in enough depth to meet the requirements of the County Agreed Syllabus. This situation is a concern.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. Pupils’ attainment in religious education has deteriorated since the last inspection when pupils' knowledge was satisfactory at both key stages.

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