Horrabridge Primary & Nursery School

HORRABRIDGE COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Date of inspection: 11 th – 15 th September 2000

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HORRABRIDGE COUNTY 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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HORRABRIDGE COUNTY 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. Horrabridge County Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Walkhampton Road Horrabridge Yelverton Devon Postcode: PL20 7SZ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Jane Waterhouse

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 7 - 10 - 96 Horrabridge County Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Art The characteristics of the school Music The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well pupils are taught Curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils John Ayerst Registered inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Leadership and management of the school The school’s care for its pupils Graham Ellis Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The school’s partnerships with parents English Geography History Physical education Religious education Alison Pangbourne Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Children aged under five Mathematics Science Information technology Design and technology Anthony Green Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Special educational needs Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: QAA Education Consultants Ltd Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU Tel: 01305 251591

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Horrabridge County Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Horrabridge County Primary School is a school of average size with 154 boys and girls of 4–11 years of age. The catchment, from the Dartmoor village of Horrabridge, is mixed and the school’s intake is from a generally average socio-economic spread. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is above average. There are no pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and none have English as an additional language. Taken together, pupils’ attainment on entry is broadly average, but writing skills are below average. A significant number of pupils join and leave the school during Key Stages 1 and 2 and overall the school role is falling.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Horrabridge School makes good provision for the social and personal needs of its pupils and provides them with a safe and secure environment. Attainment is broadly average and is improving. Pupils make satisfactory progress and, while their achievements are below that of pupils in similar schools, the most recent results show improvement. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. The management and leadership of the school is mostly satisfactory, but there are a number of areas that could be improved. Overall, the school uses its resources effectively and provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• While the quality of teaching is mostly satisfactory, there is some good and very good teaching in some year groups • The school makes good provision to teach literacy across the curriculum and standards are above expectations in design and technology at Key Stage 2 and in art at both key stages. • Investigative science is a strength and standards in science are improving in Key Stage 2. • The school makes good provision for the under fives. • Provision for personal and social development is good. • Pupils benefit from very good accommodation. • The quality of display is very good and is an area where the school effectively celebrates pupils’ achievements.

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What could be improved

• The quality of teaching is not consistently good across the school. • Most teachers could use their assessments more effectively to plan for the different needs of pupils. Including those with special educational needs in mainstream classes. • The procedures for monitoring, evaluating and improving teaching. • Standards of writing at Key Stage 2. • The aims of the school are not clear and do not provide an effective framework to prioritise development planning and provision. • Management responsibilities are not equably or appropriately delegated. • The school’s practice in providing positive rewards for pupils’ successes. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in October 1996. Since then the school has addressed the issues raised with mixed success, but overall development has been satisfactory. Over the four years, standards in English, mathematics and science have been at least maintained, when the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in any year are taken into account. More recently there has been a significant rise in standards in writing at Key Stage 1 and in science at Key Stage 2.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The quality of teaching is satisfactory and although there is still some unsatisfactory teaching, there is a significant proportion of good and very good teaching in some classes. The provision for information and communications technology has improved markedly. Resources have improved and teachers have developed their personal skills with computers so that standards are in line with expectations. Horrabridge County Primary School - 7 The quality of assessment has improved and is now satisfactory, but it is still not consistently used effectively for planning. The implementation of planning, and of spending decisions, is monitored, but not evaluated with enough rigour. Priorities in development planning are still not sufficiently clear for the development plan to be a fully effective tool.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English B A D E well above average above average A

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Key

B Mathematics C A C D Average below average C D Science C A C E well below average E

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Key

In the 1999 national tests at the end of Key Stage 1, the average of all pupils’ results in English and mathematics was below the national average and well below average in comparisons with similar schools. The tests taken this year show broadly similar results, but national comparisons are not yet available. The end of Key Stage 2 tests for 1999 show that the average results of all pupils are below the national average for English, and average in mathematics and in science. In comparison with similar schools, the English and science results are well below average and those for mathematics are below average. The Key Stage 2 tests taken this year show improvement in all three core subjects, although the class had a higher than usual proportion of pupils with special educational needs. In addition, a high number of lower attaining pupils joined the school during Key Stage 2. The evidence of lessons seen and

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Key

pupils’ work broadly confirms the test results and shows an improvement in the current year.

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Key

On entry to the reception class pupils’ attainment is broadly average, but a significant number of children have writing skills that are below average. They make sound progress and most attain the early learning goals in all the areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1. Progress is at least satisfactory in all subjects at both key stages, but good progress is apparent in writing at Key Stage 1, in science at Key Stage 2 and in mathematics for pupils in Year 6. In design and technology at Key Stage 2 and in art at both key stages, attainment and progress are also higher. Overall, standards are broadly similar to the last inspection. They declined last year, but since then standards are improving and the school is on line to meet its targets.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Satisfactory. Most pupils are willing to listen and to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The behaviour of pupils in the classroom is satisfactory. Where work is well matched behaviour is good, but where work is poorly matched behaviour is unsatisfactory. Behaviour outside the classroom is good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils work and play well with each other. The school provides good opportunities for personal development.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is good and there is negligible unauthorised absence. Horrabridge County Primary School - 8 Pupils generally have positive attitudes to school and standards of behaviour around the school are good. Behaviour in class is often related to the quality of teaching. When teaching is good pupils are interested and willing learners. When teaching is less effective pupils can become restless, attention wanders and behaviour is sometimes unsatisfactory.

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

Lessons seen overall Good Satisfactory Satisfactory

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

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

Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory, it is sometimes very good, but sometimes unsatisfactory. During the current inspection, teaching was satisfactory or better in 91 per cent of lessons seen, in 42 per cent it was good and very good in 11 per cent. Teaching was unsatisfactory in 9 per cent of lessons. Teaching for the youngest pupils is mostly good and it is good and very good for the oldest. Unsatisfactory lessons occur in the middle years of the school interspersed with some good lessons.

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

The teaching of literacy and numeracy is mostly satisfactory, but there are some good features in both English and mathematics that show that the school is moving forward. Overall, the quality of teaching tends to reflect the class that pupils are in rather than the subject being taught.

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

Where teaching is good or very good, assessments are used well to inform and support planning. The planning is thorough and activities are matched well to the needs of all pupils. In very good lessons the pace is brisk, the learning is rigorous and pupils are intellectually challenged. In satisfactory lessons, assessment for planning is less rigorous and aims of lessons, in terms of the skills to be learned by different achieving groups in the class, are not so clearly identified. Unsatisfactory lessons are characterised by weak planning and aimlessness. Pupils become restless and teachers have insufficient strategies to keep them on task. In all lessons, staff are caring and considerate of their pupils.

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

Teaching of pupils with special educational needs in withdrawal groups is good. Teaching of pupils in classrooms is generally satisfactory and, when work is well matched or pupils have extra adult support, is also good.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum has satisfactory breadth and balance overall and meets the requirements of the National Curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory provision for all pupils with special educational needs. Good provision for those with statements.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory provision for the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils. Good provision for their social development. Horrabridge County Primary School - 9 How well the school cares for its pupils The school makes satisfactory provision for the care of its pupils. Provision for their welfare is good. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ achievement are satisfactory, but the use of assessment to inform planning is still under development and is not yet sufficiently effective. The allocation of time for subjects is generally appropriate, but time for design and technology and music is limited. The school is reviewing its behaviour policy to provide better ways of recognising and supporting positive behaviour.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory leadership overall, but the monitoring, evaluating and improvement of teaching is not fully effective. Development planning is not sufficiently prioritised into an effective tool for taking the school forward.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory, but a need to work more closely with senior management.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Evaluation is good, but the formation of effective policies as a result of evaluation is not well developed.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The school has recently invested in providing for literacy, numeracy and information and communications technology.

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Aspect Comment

At present, while the school is developing and some aspects of its work are improving, the strategic direction of the school is not explicit and its aims are not sufficiently clear.

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Aspect Comment

There are sufficient teachers and other staff, to teach the school’s curriculum. Learning resources are adequate and the accommodation is of a very high standard with a generous amount of space. The school lacks provision of a dedicated play area for the under fives.

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Aspect Comment

The school satisfactorily applies the principles of best value to its management.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Teachers give pupils good, individual attention. • Good support is provided through target setting and reports. • Behaviour is mostly good. • Some parents are concerned that there is bullying in the school that is not dealt with effectively. • Parents are not familiar with the school’s policies for rewards and sanctions in response to behaviour. • The setting of homework is inconsistent in regularity and is not always well matched to their children’s levels of attainment.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

- The inspectors generally agree with the parents’ positive comments about the school. - No evidence was found to support parents’ concerns about bullying and the inspectors are satisfied that the school has an appropriate policy to address bullying and other oppressive behaviour. Horrabridge County Primary School - 10 - The inspectors agree that the setting of homework, its usefulness and appropriateness, is inconsistent. - The managers of the school understand that they need to inform parents fully when the new behaviour policy is formulated. Horrabridge County Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. In the 1999 national tests at the end of Key Stage 1, the number of pupils reaching level 2 or above, was below the national average in English and mathematics. The numbers achieving level 3 were well below average in English, but in line with the average in mathematics. The average results in both subjects were also below the national average and well below in comparisons with similar schools. The tests taken this year show broadly similar results, but national comparisons are not yet available.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The end of Key Stage 2 tests for 1999 show that the average results of all pupils are below the national average for English, and average in mathematics and in science. In comparison with similar schools, the English and science results are well below average and those for mathematics are below average. The Key Stage 2 tests taken this year show improvement in all three core subjects, although the class had a higher than usual proportion of pupils with special educational needs. In addition, a high number of lower attaining pupils joined the school during Key Stage 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Overall, there has been an improvement in standards in English, mathematics and science that is broadly in line with the national trend. Attainment in English at Key Stage 1 has been erratic over the period, but standards have improved overall. The evidence of lessons seen and pupils’ work broadly confirms the latest test results and shows an improvement in the current year. Comparisons of the performance of boys and girls are mixed from subject to subject and from year to year. No clear pattern emerges. The evidence of lessons seen and pupils’ work broadly confirms the test results and shows an improvement in the current year.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Children in the reception class make sound progress and most attain the early learning goals in all the areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1. Evidence from the baseline assessments of the present five-year-olds and inspection evidence shows that attainments on entry are broadly average in all the areas of learning, but a significant number of children have writing skills that are below average.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are improving at Key Stage 1. Progress is at least satisfactory in all subjects at both key stages and pupils are achieving appropriately in relation to their prior attainment. Good progress is apparent in writing at Key Stage 1, in science at Key Stage 2 and in mathematics for pupils in Year 6. Pupils also make good progress and attain higher standards in art at both key stages and in design and technology at Key Stage 2. Overall, standards are broadly similar to the last inspection. Over the four years, standards in English, mathematics and science have been at least maintained, when the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in any year are taken into account. More recently there has been a significant rise in standards in writing at Key Stage 1 and in science at Key Stage 2. Overall, standards declined last year, but have improved since then and the school is on line to meet its targets.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. All pupils achieve standards in speaking and listening that are in line with their prior attainments and overall standards are in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Pupils acquire and consolidate new vocabulary and develop their oracy skills well. Opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills are taken across the curriculum. As was identified in the previous inspection, many pupils have a wide technical vocabulary in subjects such as design and technology, geography and art.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. The attainment of pupils in reading is in line with national expectations by the end of both key stages and pupils are achieving appropriately. There has been a significant improvement in attainment this year, particularly for boys in Year 6, partly because the literacy hour is used effectively to raise standards and to introduce pupils to a wide range of texts, both fiction and non- fiction. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils read texts with reasonable fluency and correct themselves when they make an error. They recognise a good number of common words and have a Horrabridge County Primary School - 12 good knowledge of letter sounds to help them decipher unknown words. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils read a range of fiction and non-fiction texts fluently and enjoy talking about what they have read. They can locate information in the library and use reference books successfully. Pupils use

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The school’s results and achievements

their reading skills to support other areas of the curriculum; for example, to research information in history and geography and when reading instructions in information and communication technology.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Standards in writing are in line with expectations by the end of Key Stage 1 and pupils achieve appropriately. Pupils make satisfactory and sometimes good progress in developing their skills, so that many, who start school with underdeveloped writing skills, reach the expected standard. The new initiatives introduced at Key Stage 1, have yet to be developed at Key Stage 2, and at the end of Key Stage 2, standards in writing are below expectations. Even so, there has been improvement in the way that pupils plan their writing, which was identified as a weakness in the previous inspection. Pupils in Year 2 use story-boards to plan their stories and spell a range of common words correctly. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 brainstorm their ideas and organise them into lists before writing biographies of a friend or family member. Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 write tense and exciting stories about an escape from danger, showing secure understanding of punctuation and a

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The school’s results and achievements

9. The previous inspection report suggested that English was over emphasised to the detriment of other subjects. However, this is no longer the case and literacy and numeracy effectively support, and are supported in, learning across the curriculum. A strength of the school is that cross- curricular opportunities for extended writing have been carefully identified. Pupils write notes, stories and record investigations. Older pupils produce newspaper reports for history and write their views about the work of artists. Pupils in Year 3 write imaginative prayers in religious education. All these opportunities make a positive contribution to the improving standards in writing. Numeracy is used satisfactorily across the curriculum, but it is not planned as well as in English. In science, graphs are used to record lengths of shadows and angles of mirrors being measured when experimenting with reflection. Careful measuring is used in design and technology by Year 6 pupils when making

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The school’s results and achievements

siege engines and co-ordinates are used in geography.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. Attainment in mathematics is in line with national expectations for the end of both key stages. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils identify odd and even numbers and number patterns, add and subtract small numbers, identify halves and quarters and understand place value of hundreds, tens and units. The more able can add and subtract three digit numbers. Pupils describe common two- dimensional shapes, tell the time on the hour and half-hour, and the time an hour before or after the hour. They draw simple symmetrical shapes, which show the line of symmetry. When handling data, pupils sort objects using a variety of reasons and draw and interpret simple bar charts.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have a sound recall of number bonds and the rules of number. They factorise numbers and convert simple fractions to percentages. They use appropriate language when describing two and three-dimensional shapes, measure acute and obtuse angles with accuracy, and measure in centimetres and millimetres to calculate the area of regular and irregular shapes. They draw graphs and charts to record results of science investigations. Pupils’ skills in mathematics investigations have improved since the last inspection and are now satisfactory. Pupils’ progress is satisfactory overall at both key stages, but varies from unsatisfactory to good at Key Stage 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. In science overall, pupils make satisfactory progress at Key Stage 1 and good progress at Key Stage 2. They make good progress at both key stages in the practical and investigative nature of science and standards in this attainment target are above expectation for the end of both key stages. Overall, standards in science are in line with national expectations for the end of Key Stage 1 and above expectations for the end of Key Stage 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. Pupils develop good scientific knowledge, understanding and skills in relevant practical contexts and achieve well. At Key Stage 1, they ask questions and predict outcomes of their investigations, with increasing confidence. At Key Stage 2, pupils use charts, diagrams and graphs in a variety of ways to record their results and test their hypothesis. In their study of life processes and living things, pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 name the major organs of the body, the main parts of a Horrabridge County Primary School - 13 flower and describe conditions basic to animal and plant life. They understand which foods are healthy or unhealthy. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils make predictions and observations related to the major organs of the body. They understand, for example, how muscles work to make the arm move.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. In their study of materials and their properties, pupils at Key Stage 1 can sort objects by texture, colour, shape, flexibility and hardness. Pupils know that certain materials change when heated and cooled. At Key Stage 2, pupils investigate the properties of materials and record their results in the form of charts and graphs. They predict what will happen and make simple charts of their results. In their work on physical processes, Key Stage 1 pupils have a satisfactory understanding of how sound and light travel.

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The school’s results and achievements

15. In most other subjects attainment is in line with national expectations for the end of both key stages and progress is satisfactory. Standards are above expectations and progress is good in art at both key stages and in design and technology at Key Stage 2. In art, displays of pupils work and examples in pupils’ portfolios demonstrate a good standard of work throughout the school, particularly in colour. In design and technology at Key Stage 2, pupils work well with a range of materials and use simple tools with care when constructing their models. They are able to plan and evaluate their work and suggest improvements. They produce artefacts of good quality.

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The school’s results and achievements

16. The school broadly matched its agreed targets in the current year and is on course to achieve them next year. Expectations for the following year are lower and reflect the make up of that cohort.

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The school’s results and achievements

17. Pupils with statements of special educational needs make good progress. Special learning needs are identified early and appropriate learning targets are set. Other pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The attitudes of pupils to school are satisfactory. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is satisfactory overall and good in the playground. Pupils’ personal development and relationships with adults and other children are good. Pupils are happy coming to school. They arrive in a cheerful manner and go quickly to their lessons at the start of the day. They show an interest in school life. Most parents replying to the questionnaire agreed that their child likes school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Pupils respond well to what the school provides for them. In the lessons, which are well taught, they display positive and enthusiastic involvement. In the majority of classes, pupils take responsibility for their own learning when, for example, the teacher is engaged with another group in the classroom. Pupils with special educational needs have a positive attitude towards learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Pupils’ behaviour is satisfactory. Pupils’ behaviour in the playground and when moving around the school is good. Most parents replying to the questionnaire agreed that behaviour in the school was good. No incidents of bullying or other oppressive behaviour were seen during the inspection week. Pupils feel that they can approach teachers and other adults in the school if they are worried about bullying. There have been no exclusions in the last school year. Pupil’s behaviour in the classroom is satisfactory overall. In lessons where work is well matched to pupils’ abilities behaviour is good and, at times, very good. In a few lessons when the aims are not so clear, work not well matched to pupils needs and pace slow, pupils become restless and this develops into unsatisfactory behaviour.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. The personal development of pupils is good. Children under five enjoy each other’s company and share toys and equipment. They are developing their sense of independence and are prepared to try new things. They are able to tidy away their own work and treat equipment with respect. Pupils help with the day-to-day management of the school in a number of ways. For example, they take the registers to the office. Older pupils prepare the hall for assemblies, support younger pupils in the playground, read to them and look after them when walking to and from the local church. Horrabridge County Primary School - 14 Pupils demonstrate good social skills, with an appropriate awareness of the achievements of others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. Relationships in the school are good. Pupils show respect for the feelings and values of others. They form good relationships with each other, with teachers and with other adults. Adults act as positive role models and pupils generally reflect the respect they are shown. Three quarters of parents who replied to the questionnaire agreed that the school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on their children.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23. Attendance is good. It is currently above the national average and unauthorised absence is negligible. There are no major attendance problems. Pupils are punctual in their attendance and lessons start on time.

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How Well Are Pupils Taught?

24. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory, it is often good, sometimes very good, but sometimes unsatisfactory. During the current inspection, teaching was satisfactory or better in 91 per cent of lessons seen, in 42 per cent it was good and very good in 11 per cent. Teaching was unsatisfactory in 9 per cent of lessons. Teaching for the youngest pupils is mostly good and it is good and very good for the oldest. Unsatisfactory lessons occur in the middle years of the school interspersed with some good lessons. Standards of teaching are similar to those reported in the last inspection.

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How Well Are Pupils Taught?

25. Since the last inspection the school has introduced the national strategies for literacy and numeracy and the teaching of them is mostly satisfactory. The teaching of English and mathematics is also satisfactory, but there are some good features in both subjects that show that the school is moving forward. Overall, the quality of teaching that pupils receive tends to reflect the class that they are in rather than the subject being taught.

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How Well Are Pupils Taught?

26. Where teaching is good or very good, assessments are used well to inform and support planning. The planning is thorough and activities are well matched to the needs of all pupils so that they are motivated by the activities set for them and learning is very effective. Pace is brisk and good organisation allows pupils to work independently. Consequently, lessons are rigorous and pupils are intellectually challenged. A literacy lesson for Year 3 pupils was characterised by very high expectations and a very good understanding of how pupils learn. Skilful teaching enabled pupils to offer imaginative suggestions for alternative verbs and extended their vocabulary and understanding of how words work. In good lessons, teachers use a good range of strategies that matches well the content of the lesson and pupils’ needs. Relationships and control are good. In one challenging lesson for the Year 5/6 class, for example, humour was used well to motivate pupils, while in

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How Well Are Pupils Taught?

another lesson pupils were reflecting deeply as they studied the Diary of Anne Frank.

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How Well Are Pupils Taught?

27. In satisfactory lessons the use of assessment for planning is less rigorous than in the good lessons and expectations of pupils’ work are not so sharply focused. The aims of lessons, in terms of the skills to be learned by different achieving groups in the class, are not so clearly identified. For the most part, the particular learning needs of pupils are met through the teachers’ response to individuals or groups rather than planned at the outset. Consequently, pupils are less clear about what they have to learn and their work is less challenging. In most lessons, teachers have at least sufficient knowledge and understanding of the subject and pupils are confident that they receive accurate information and good support. Unsatisfactory lessons are characterised by weak planning and lack of specific aims about what pupils are learning. Consequently, pupils become restless and insufficient strategies are used to keep them to task. Control deteriorates and learning is minimal.

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How Well Are Pupils Taught?

28. In all lessons, staff are caring and considerate of their pupils. Relationships are good on most occasions. Satisfactory use is made of homework to extend pupils’ learning, but its use is inconsistent from teacher to teacher. Similarly, teachers are not consistent in the way that they implement the school’s behaviour policy. Marking is mostly of good quality. It often informs pupils Horrabridge County Primary School - 15 what they have done well and tells them how to improve, but the good quality of marking is not sustained across the school. All pupils are set individual targets, but these are not yet used consistently in teachers planning.

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How Well Are Pupils Taught?

29. Teaching of pupils with special educational needs in withdrawal groups is good. Teaching of pupils in classrooms is generally satisfactory and, when work is well matched or pupils have extra adult support, is good. The learning support assistants are given good guidance by the class teachers and provide good support for pupils with special educational needs both in the classroom and in withdrawal groups. Pupils with statements of special educational needs are given good support. However, pupils on stage one, two and three of the special needs register are not always given work that is appropriately matched to their needs and the targets shown on their Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Teachers’ planning does not always make specific reference to pupils with special needs and to their learning outcomes in a lesson. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress. Pupils make good progress when work is well matched to their needs, but at other times they face

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How Well Are Pupils Taught?

inappropriate challenge and they make limited progress towards their targets.

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How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

30. The school provides satisfactory learning opportunities through a broad and balanced curriculum that meets statutory requirements for the National Curriculum and the Locally Agreed Syllabus for religious education. The time allocated for design and technology and for music is below average, but because of careful planning, pupils generally make satisfactory progress in music and satisfactory or good progress in design and technology. The programme for personal and social education includes sex education and drugs awareness. Additionally, French is normally taught to pupils in Year 6 by visiting teachers from the local secondary school, but this had not started in the current year at the time of the inspection. The school provides equality of access to its curriculum and opportunity for all pupils to make progress.

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How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

31. The curriculum provided for the pupils under five is appropriate, relevant and of good quality. The scheme of work and the experiences provided focus well on the early learning goals. This enables most children to attain the expected goals.

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How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

32. In the previous inspection report, time for science and for information and communications technology was judged to be insufficient and pupils lacked opportunities for investigation in science and mathematics. Most of these issues have been remedied and there is now appropriate time for science and information and communications technology. Investigation in science is now a strength and is satisfactory in mathematics. The previous inspection commented that, whilst teachers’ planning helped to promote continuity and progression, learning objectives were not detailed enough. Progress since then has been mixed; some subject planning, for example in science, design and technology and music, is of good quality but in other subjects there is still a lack of detail. The concern of the previous inspection, that there was insufficient focus on subject specific learning rather than on English skills, has been successfully addressed. Teachers are making good

p.15

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

use of the framework of the National Literacy Strategy. Literacy skills are used well across the curriculum. Planning for numeracy is satisfactory and follows the framework of the new National Numeracy Strategy.

p.15

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

33. While most areas of the curriculum are taught as separate subjects, a distinguishing feature of the school’s curriculum is that geography, history, art and design and technology are taught through common themes. Normally the starting point for these themes is a visit to a local, or further, place of interest, such as a museum or a natural feature. There are deficiencies, however, which were noted in the previous inspection report, in the use of assessment data when planning cross- curricular themes and topics.

p.15

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

34. The school is beginning to analyse statistical data from national and school based tests but is not yet fully using the data to inform curriculum planning. The senior management team and the assessment co-ordinator are aware of the present shortcomings in assessment and are beginning Horrabridge County Primary School - 16 to implement whole school procedures, which include an ‘Individual progress tracker’ for English, mathematics and science. The tracker is designed to monitor and assess every pupil’s progress from reception to Year 6 and to set targets to be achieved by the end of each key stage

p.15

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

35. The school provides good opportunities for children to be involved in activities outside daily lessons. There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities provided for all age groups including among others football, netball, needlework, choir, badminton, art, a computer club and gymnastics. All teachers run either an after-school or lunchtime club of some kind. There are also visits from theatre companies, artists and musicians and other external speakers address assemblies and make presentations to pupils. Regular visits to places of interest and residential visits for Year 6 to France, are an integral part of the curriculum and are used as a starting point for much of the work. All of these activities add breadth and interest to the curriculum and provide valuable experiences for pupils.

p.16

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

36. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. The provision for pupils with statements of special educational needs is good. Pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum. Individual education plans are well written and contain specific targets for pupils to achieve. Careful consideration is given as to whether support is more effective in the classroom or in small groups with the learning support assistants. However, not all teachers match the work sufficiently to the specific needs of the pupils.

p.16

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

37. The school’s provision for developing pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is satisfactory. The provision for social development is good. The arrangements for the delivery of daily collective worship for Key Stage 2 meet statutory requirements, but at Key Stage 1 the requirements are not always met.

p.16

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

38. Opportunities for spiritual development are satisfactory. They are promoted mostly through assemblies and religious education lessons, where pupils are encouraged to reflect on issues such as bullying and personal responsibility. Appreciation of the natural world and responsibility for its care is promoted through activities in the school and during residential and day visits. Pupils listen carefully to teachers and visitors who lead the assemblies and have opportunities to reflect about the issues under discussion. During the inspection the theme for assemblies was the wonder of the ‘Creation’. In a history lesson for Year 5 and 6 pupils, they were discussing the Second World War and reflecting on the lives of people under military occupation and in camps. The lesson had a strong spiritual content for teacher and pupils.

p.16

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

39. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ moral development. Pupils are taught to understand the difference between right and wrong and teachers provide good role models, treating children with respect and showing tolerance for their views. Observation of pupils in lessons and in the playground demonstrates that pupils work and play effectively together. The school’s behaviour policy is under review to seek ways to provide better recognition of good behaviour. The present policy is not applied consistently by all teachers.

p.16

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

40. The promotion of the pupils’ cultural development is also satisfactory. The school has links with a school in France and pupils learn French. Wall displays of artwork show value for art and for pupils’ cultural achievement. Musical ensembles, theatre groups and artists visit the school, often to work with pupils and there is a good programme of visits with an artistic focus. Pupils gain experience of other cultures in religious education, English and other subjects, but the preparation for pupils to live in a multi-cultural society is less evident than in many similar schools.

p.16

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

41. Provision for personal, social and health education is good. The raising of pupils’ self esteem and widening their social experiences are at the heart of the school’s curriculum. There are comprehensive programmes at both key stages that encompass personal, social and moral education lessons. There are good arrangements for the teaching of health education and drug awareness. Sex education is appropriately taught to the older pupils with the assistance of the school nurse. Y6 pupils attend a life skills course at Okehampton. Horrabridge County Primary School - 17 42. The school has satisfactory links with the local community. There are effective links with local churches and the local senior citizens are invited into school for productions and the harvest festival. Effective use is made of the immediate village environment as a resource. There are also regular visits to the wider area, which are related to curriculum themes. For example, Plymouth

p.16

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

airport (flight), Morwellham Quay (rocks, mining and minerals) and the Western Morning News (work and structures).

p.17

How Good Are The Curricular And Other Opportunities Offered To Pupils?

43. The school has good relationships with partner institutions and makes good use of the consortium of local schools for initiatives and projects that enrich the work of the school. Teachers from the local secondary school visit Horrabridge to teach French to Year 6 pupils. The school enjoys good relationships with the local nursery school and staff from the local Nursery come regularly to support the Reception class.

p.17

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

44. The school provides satisfactory care for its pupils within a secure and caring working environment. The previous inspection report stated that within a safe and caring environment, staff had good knowledge of pupils and that they had good relationships with pupils. This continues to be the case. The use of educational and personal support and guidance is satisfactory. Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. Overall, the school’s procedures for support and guidance for its pupils make a satisfactory contribution to their learning and the standards they achieve.

p.17

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

45. There is good, comprehensive pastoral care provided by the headteacher and all staff who know individual pupils well. At the parents’ meeting some parents felt that not all teachers were effective in their personal and social support to pupils. However, the inspectors found that personal support and guidance to pupils by class teachers is generally good and this is acknowledged and valued by the majority of parents. The monitoring of pupils’ personal development is based on teachers’ good knowledge of pupils. The recording of pupils’ personal achievements is undeveloped and without systematic arrangements, opportunities for the celebration of pupils’ personal accomplishments are missed. There are no long term records of significant personal achievement by pupils.

p.17

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

46. Pupils are provided with good opportunities to exercise responsibility. They are regularly involved in supporting charities. In all classes they carry out various regular duties and older pupils also undertake more responsible positions. For example, assisting with assemblies, putting out and tidying up equipment, library duties and helping the younger children with their reading.

p.17

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

47. The school provides a safe and healthy environment. The governors have adopted an appropriate health and safety policy and internal responsibilities are understood. The care and protection of pupils’ is a high priority and staff are watchful of health and safety requirements. There are regular safety inspections, in which members of the Governing Body are involved. There are good arrangements for the care and support of pupils who are taken ill at school, first aid and appropriately maintained accident records. The arrangements for the supervision of pupils at break times and lunch periods are well organised and carried out with care.

p.17

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

48. The policies for promoting and monitoring good behaviour do not fully reflect present practice and are not consistently applied. The school has recognised the shortcomings and is in the process of review to improve systems for recognising and supporting positive behaviour. At present opportunities are missed to celebrate good, responsible behaviour and pupils’ academic and personal achievements. While the overwhelming majority of parents feel that the school is successful in achieving good behaviour, at the parents’ meeting there was a view that bullying exists and that it is not always well handled. However, the inspection found that there are effective procedures in place for dealing with bullying and no oppressive behaviour or bullying was observed during the inspection Horrabridge County Primary School - 18 49. Attendance is satisfactorily monitored and promoted with effective communication of procedures to

p.17

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

parents. There is effective liaison with the educational welfare service and the school actively follows up the very few instances of unexplained absence.

p.18

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

50. The present procedures for assessing pupils’ academic attainment and progress are generally sound. At the time of the last inspection assessment procedures were judged to be in an early stage of development in subjects other than English. Pupils’ progress in English, mathematics, science and information communication technology is beginning to be systematically recorded, although the procedures are not yet fully embedded in every classroom. Termly targets are set for every pupil, which are discussed with parents and the pupil at parents’ evenings. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 are now being set targets in English which are reviewed continually, rather than termly. The pupils have their targets on cards on their desks so they can refer to them during the lesson. Overall, however, the use of assessment to inform planning is mixed. Some teachers use assessment well, particularly in science and in writing at Key Stage 1, but it is not used

p.18

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

consistently well in all classrooms and, in some, its use is unsatisfactory. Consequently, the use of assessment to improve standards is similarly mixed.

p.18

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

51. Portfolios of moderated and assessed work, to support teachers in their judgements of the levels of attainment of pupils, have been developed for all subjects. The portfolios for English, mathematics and science are useful documents with descriptions of the skills and levels achieved in the samples of work. Other portfolios contain evidence of work, but are not annotated. Teachers have limited opportunities to discuss and moderate samples of pupils’ work, in order to inform their expectations in relation to national standards. This has resulted in a mismatch between teacher assessments and national test results in English and mathematics.

p.18

How Well Does The School Care For Its Pupils?

52. Good procedures are in place for assessing the under-fives. The arrangement for the assessment and identification of pupils with special educational needs are good and are being implemented in accordance with the Code of Practice. Individual educational plan are regularly reviewed. Liaison with outside agencies and external support staff is good. Good links have been established with the local psychology service, which have a base in the school. Pupils with statements of special educational needs are helped in a positive manner to meet their targets in learning and behaviour. Support for pupils on stages one, two and three of the register for special educational needs is not always so effective, however, and varies from class to class, especially at Key Stage 2.

p.18

How Well Does The School Work In Partnership With Parents?

53. The school’s links with parents are good. Parents provide general and financial support to the school and many appreciate what it provides and achieves. The school values its partnership with parents and on the whole maintains effective relationships with them. The generally good quality of information provided to them by the school is acknowledged and appreciated by parents. There is good involvement of parents in the school and parents’ contribution to their children’s learning is satisfactory.

p.18

How Well Does The School Work In Partnership With Parents?

54. The school communicates frequently with parents and the quality of information is good. The governing body’s annual report to parents is in a readable and informative style. The well-produced prospectus is an attractive, useful document for parents, containing detailed, yet relevant information. There are regular general newsletters and communications to parents. Each term the school provides curriculum information related to the relevant year group theme. However, at the parents’ meeting there was a view that further advance curriculum information would be welcomed. Parents also have the opportunity for further information at particular curriculum meetings that have been arranged, for example on literacy and numeracy, but unfortunately these have not been well attended.

p.18

How Well Does The School Work In Partnership With Parents?

55. The annual reports to parents are generally good. They provide extensive information In the core subjects, though less so for the foundation subjects. They include detailed descriptions of the areas of work that pupils have covered and intensive comments on their personal development. Parents Horrabridge County Primary School - 19 particularly value these. They also usually include targets for improvement and in the core subjects. While they are not specifically related to national curriculum levels, the detailed comments do usually provide sufficient information on what pupils know, understand and can do. Parents’ information about their children can also be broadened by their discussions with staff throughout the year.

p.18

How Well Does The School Work In Partnership With Parents?

56. The school arranges three opportunities for formal consultation during the year including one following the issuing of pupils’ annual reports in the summer term. At each meeting targets are discussed with parents although at the parents’ meeting it was felt that they would be improved if children’s work was always available to focus discussion. Although they were consulted on the home - school agreement, not all parents have positively responded to it.

p.19

How Well Does The School Work In Partnership With Parents?

57. Good links exist with parents whose children have special educational needs. They receive early notification of their children’s needs and are kept fully informed. Parents are encouraged to be fully involved in their children’s learning. Targets are discussed and set with the pupils and their parents on a regular basis.

p.19

How Well Does The School Work In Partnership With Parents?

58. There is a systematic homework policy and homework arrangements provide parents with valuable opportunities for involvement enabling them to make an impact on their children’s education. However, from comments at the parent’s meeting, parents do not always perceive homework provision as consistently relevant or well matched to their children’s needs. The inspectors agree that the quality of homework set is not consistent from class to class, but found that the provision was satisfactory overall.

p.19

How Well Does The School Work In Partnership With Parents?

59. The majority of parents consider the school makes satisfactory provision for their children. They are generally appreciative of the caring and supportive environment, which it provides. However, despite the school’s open door policy, a significant minority does not find it easy to approach the school. There is also a significant number who do not feel that their complaints are always well handled. However, most parents feel that they are encouraged to play an active part in the life of the school, that it is accessible and that are able to raise issues which are satisfactorily resolved. There is good parental involvement in school with a number of parents actively helping in lessons. Parents give good support to school activities and there is an effective Parent Teacher Association, which provides financial support to the school.

p.19

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

60. The quality of management and leadership is satisfactory overall, but there are some shortcomings. The headteacher, with strong support from the deputy head teacher, provides a clear structure for the day to day running of the school. There are systems in place for evaluating performance that use assessment and other indicators, but the information gained is not used effectively to set priorities and devise strategies for improvement.

p.19

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

61. The headteacher has a vision for the school, but it is not explicit and is not part of a corporate understanding with governors. The aims of the school do not outline a clear direction to take the school forward; they are too detailed and there are too many of them. Consequently, policies to develop the school and improve the provision that it makes do not have a clarity of purpose. Even so, in some areas the school has recently made good progress. For example, in raising the standard of attainment in science and in pupils writing at Key Stage 1.

p.19

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

62. The ethos of the school is satisfactory and recognises the need to raise standards, particularly in English, mathematics and science. The governing body is very supportive of the school and most understand well its strengths and weaknesses. The governors are mindful of their responsibilities and fulfil their statutory duties. A number of governors regularly visit the school to work with pupils and most present a united front in defending the pressures on the school. There is a need, however, for governors and head teacher to work more closely together to clarify the school’s aims and strategic direction. Horrabridge County Primary School - 20 63. The school improvement plan is comprehensive and covers all of the areas for development in detail. It is the outcome of evaluation and review of the school’s work. Again, however, because it is not linked to an effective strategic vision, priorities and strategic planning are unclear. Governors

p.19

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

contribute to the plan after it is drafted. The school agrees that it would be helpful for governors to join the discussions at an earlier stage in the process. There is particular need to plan the school’s future against a background of falling roles.

p.20

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

64. Relationships between staff are good and there is a strong sense of teamwork. The senior team effectively monitors the curriculum, planning and pupils’ work. The quality of curriculum leadership varies, but is mostly satisfactory. The monitoring of teaching is shared by the curriculum co- ordinators. While this is a satisfactory arrangement for oversight of subject provision, the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning is less structured. It is not sufficiently evaluative and does not always satisfactorily promote effective action. The present arrangements do not ensure that the management of the school has sufficient information to improve and maintain the quality of teaching and learning, and the progress that pupils make.

p.20

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

65. Following a report from the local authority the school has improved its financial management, which is now satisfactory. Resources are used well to support development within the constraints of the school improvement plan. The school’s income has increased considerably in the current year following a number of national initiatives that have benefited the school. Moneys provided for specific purposes are used well for those purposes. The school applies best value principles to its work, but these are not yet embedded in school policies.

p.20

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

66. Almost all teachers have additional responsibilities. Many of these were arranged when the school was larger and more funding was available. Reductions in income have created budgetary difficulties for the school in the recent past. The school is now successfully reducing its deficit.

p.20

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

67. At the time of the inspection, the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) had only been in post for one week. However, she displays a good knowledge of the pupils on the register of special educational needs and an enthusiasm for her new post. The transition from the previous post holder to the new one has been a smooth one. The co-ordinator is aware of the need to update her personal knowledge of the Code of Practice, and has applied for appropriate in-service training. She is given good support by well qualified learning support assistants. The named governor for special educational needs has been in post for one year. She provides good support for teachers, pupils and parents. She is aware of the need to update her knowledge of the Code of Practice and has also applied for suitable in-service training. During the inspection week she was observed giving good support for a number of pupils with special educational needs. She reports regularly to the

p.20

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

68. The day-to-day administration of the school is good, largely due to the quality of work of the school administrator, who makes effective use of new technology. The school is organised and orderly and pupils are safe and secure. Relationships between pupils and all adults in the school are good and contribute to the purposeful working environment. All statutory requirements are met.

p.20

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

69. There are sufficient staff to teach the National Curriculum and religious education. All teachers are well qualified and most have at least one subject responsibility. The school makes good use of the local cluster of schools and this is its main source for the provision of professional training. Staff appraisal is up to date. In the recent past, priority for training has been given to English and mathematics to ensure the successful introduction of the national literacy and numeracy strategies. Provision for the induction of new teachers is satisfactory.

p.20

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

70. Because the number of staff is small, all have additional responsibilities. At present some have too many and they are not always set at an appropriate level, for example, the monitoring of teaching and learning.

p.20

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

71. Overall, there are sufficient resources to support learning. The school has improved its stock of books and these are now of good quality. The school has worked hard to improve its provision for Horrabridge County Primary School - 21 information and communication technology since the previous inspection. There is an interesting range of historical artefacts. The resources are well organised, easily accessible and appropriately used. There is currently no designated outdoor play area for children aged under five, however, and there are no wheeled toys and large equipment to develop their physical skills.

p.20

How Well Is The School Led And Managed?

72. The school building provides modern, airy and spacious accommodation, which is very well maintained with good internal decoration. The classrooms are large enough to provide very good accommodation for the number of pupils. There is a large hall, which was built as a shared community use. There is a separate purpose built music room and a computer suite. The external facilities are generally good. The playgrounds are well maintained and attractively laid out. However, there is no separately enclosed outside space for the Under-fives. Overall, the school’s accommodation is very good for its needs. Horrabridge County Primary School - 22

p.21

73. What Should The School Do To Improve Further?

To raise further the standards of work and the good quality of provision apparent in many aspects of the school, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.22

73. What Should The School Do To Improve Further?

1. Improve the quality of teaching by: - Disseminating the good teaching practices evident in the school to ensure that the quality of teaching is more consistent across all classes. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraphs 24 and 27) · Ensuring that teachers’ lesson plans identify clearly the skills and understanding to be developed by pupils or groups of pupils in the class, and assessment information is used more consistently. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 27) - Improving the procedures for monitoring, evaluating and taking effective action to improve teaching. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 64)

p.22

73. What Should The School Do To Improve Further?

2. Continue to improve the standards of writing at both key stages by: · Establishing a policy for the systematic development of spelling skills throughout the school. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraphs 7 and 89). · Develop further the use of assessment to identify weaknesses in pupils’ work and to set targets for improvement. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 50)

p.22

73. What Should The School Do To Improve Further?

3. Improve planning for the school so that a clear strategic direction is set and priorities are clearly understood. · Refine the aims of the school so that they provide an effective framework for prioritising development planning and provision. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 61) · Improve the development plan so that it is an effective working tool that reflects the priorities of the school’s aims. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 63) · Use data from assessment, review and evaluation more effectively to identify priorities and devise strategies for improvement. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 60)

p.22

73. What Should The School Do To Improve Further?

4. Review the arrangements for delegating management responsibilities and make appropriate adjustments, so that tasks are equably or appropriately delegated. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraphs 64 and 70)

p.22

73. What Should The School Do To Improve Further?

5. Improve the school’s practice in providing positive rewards for pupils’ successes. By: - Introducing systems to record pupils’ personal achievements, so that they may be more effectively celebrated in the longer term. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 45) - Continue with arrangements to revise the school’s behaviour policy so that more focus is given to reward for good behaviour. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraphs 39 and 48) - Apply behaviour policies consistently. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 28)

p.22

Additional issues:

In addition to the key issues above, plans to improve the following less important weakness should be implemented.

p.22

Additional issues:

i) Ensure that all acts of worship meet requirements. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 37) ii) Provide dedicated space and resources for outdoor play for the under fives. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraphs 72 and 80) Horrabridge County Primary School - 23

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 31

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) - 154

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals - 12

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 3

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register - 41

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 24

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Horrabridge County Primary School - 24 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 11 16 27

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 9 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 12 13

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 82 (54) 81 (59) 81 (86) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 9 9 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 16

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 85 (64) 85 (86) 100 (82) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 7 9 16

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 4 5 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 5 8

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 76 (83) 63 (84) 81 (96) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 4 5 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 6 7

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 62 (88) 69 (71) 75 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Horrabridge County Primary School - 25 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6 Financial year 1999-2000

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.6:1

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 286051

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 1799

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 36 Balance brought forward from previous year -5768

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year -3097

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Horrabridge County Primary School - 26

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 44 42 7 5 1

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 36 49 12 0 2

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 37 16 9 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 40 44 10 6 0

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 44 44 9 2 0

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 36 58 1 1 4

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 25 49 19 2 5

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 17 52 21 4 6

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 28 64 5 2 1

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 44 22 7 2

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Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

- Teachers give pupils good, individual attention. - Good support is provided through target setting and reports. - Behaviour is mostly good. - Some parents are concerned that there is bullying in the school that is not dealt with effectively. - Parents are not familiar with the school’s policies for rewards and sanctions in response to behaviour.

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Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

The inspectors generally agree with the parents’ positive comments about the school. No evidence was found to support parents’ concerns about bullying and the inspectors are satisfied that the school has an appropriate policy to address bullying and other oppressive behaviour. The managers of the school understand that they need to inform parents fully when the new behaviour policy is formulated. Horrabridge County Primary School - 27

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

74. Children are admitted to the reception class on a full-time basis at the beginning of the term in which they have their fifth birthday. At the time of the inspection, the children were in their second week of schooling. They are accommodated in a large double classroom that also accommodates pupils in Year 1. Most children have experienced some form of pre-school provision and are well prepared for school. Evidence from the baseline assessments of the present five-year-olds and inspection evidence shows that attainments on entry are broadly average in all the areas of learning. However, a significant number of children have writing skills that are below average. Children receive a positive start to school and participate fully in all activities provided. They make sound progress and evidence from the children who have just left the foundation stage, shows that most children attain the early learning goals in all the areas of learning. During the inspection, the

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

good teaching seen enabled children to make good gains in their learning in most lessons. This is a similar picture to the findings of the previous inspection.

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

75. Children have good opportunities to develop their personal and social skills through varied opportunities to work and play together in small groups and they make sound progress. They are eager to come to school because they know that they will be offered an exciting range of activities and that their opinions are valued. The quality of teaching in personal, social and emotional development is good and children are on course to meet the early learning goals by the time they leave the foundation stage. Children are already secure in class routines and co-operate happily with each other when playing in the role-play area. All children take turns to be ‘helpers of the day’ and their responsibilities include taking the register to the office in pairs. This contributes positively to the development of independence. Children also develop their mathematical understanding because the elder child carries the register and the children are encouraged to find out who is the

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

76. Children take responsibility for their own belongings and form good relationships, which means that they are secure and confident with all adults. This was evident during the inspection, when most children showed sufficient confidence to tell the class their name and something about themselves. Children are well behaved, even when not under the direct supervision of an adult, because they know what is expected of them. For example, they happily take turns to be the bears in the role- play area when their teacher is working with another group. The well-established routines, the consistent expectations of behaviour and the caring attitudes of all adults make a significant contribution to the sense of security felt by the children.

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

77. The majority of children are on course to attain the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy by the time they leave the foundation stage. A significant number of children have underdeveloped writing skills when they start school and the teacher takes every opportunity to develop these skills. As a result, children make good progress in writing. Appropriate opportunities are provided for children to develop their speaking and listening skills, for example, through role-play in the bears’ house. Literacy sessions are used effectively to develop speaking and listening skills. During the inspection, children joined in with parts of the story of ‘Mrs Wishy Washy’ using expressive voices. Discussions about bedtime toys provide good opportunities for the children to develop their oracy skills. For example, when children show their toys to the class, other children are expected to offer a statement such as ‘I can see two ears, a nose and a red bow-tie.’ The

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

teacher uses end-of-session reviews effectively to encourage children to talk about the activities they have done, in response to sensitive questioning.

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

78. Many children are developing writing skills that are on course to meet the skills expected for their age. Samples of writing from the present five-year-olds show that by the time they are five, many write recognisable words, leaving spaces between the words. They learn to form letters correctly through regular practice and many make a good attempt to write their names. Higher attaining Horrabridge County Primary School - 28 children are beginning to write recognisable sentences. Good emphasis is placed on developing reading skills, and many children share the books that they regularly take home with their parents. Children enjoy stories and try to join in with their teacher when reading. Higher attaining children read simple words and know some initial sounds. The quality of teaching is good overall and as a result, children make good gains in their learning. The teacher takes every opportunity to teach

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

children how to use their phonic skills to build unknown words and this has a positive impact on the good progress in reading and writing. Activities are appropriately matched to the needs of all children and effective use of questions enables them to make good gains in their learning.

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

79. Attainment in mathematical development is on course to meet the standard expected by the time children are five years old. Children develop their mathematical skills through a variety of practical activities. They learn the correct mathematical language to describe shape, size, position and quantity through their play. For example, they learn the difference between long and short, and big and small when they compare model sharks and whales in the water tray. The development of mathematical skills has high priority and numbers are displayed prominently to stimulate understanding. Children develop their counting skills through singing number rhymes such as ‘Four little rabbits’ regularly and they learn to count using a range of objects. Attractive resources such as folding clown pictures are used well to encourage children to count and add at speed. Most children are confident in using numbers to ten and count backwards to zero with support. Higher

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

attaining children understand ‘three more than’ and ‘three less than’. The quality of teaching in this area is good and leads to good learning. In the lessons seen during the inspection, children made good gains in their learning because the teacher posed questions at speed, which were well matched to the abilities of all children and ensured that no time was wasted. For example, the teacher encouraged children to set the hands of the ‘teaching clock’ to reinforce the concept of time while waiting for a group to finish tidying up. Children made appropriate gains in their understanding of pattern as a result of first hand opportunities to thread beads and link coloured bricks.

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

80. The children’s physical development is generally on course to meet the standards expected at the end of the foundation stage and they make sound progress in most aspects. Children gain confidence in using space through regular opportunities for physical education in the hall. They jump and skip in and out of spaces, showing an awareness of others. They dance in time to a steady beat and travel round the hall using their backs, tummies and bottoms. Children do not have access to their own outdoor play area and there are no wheeled toys or large apparatus to develop their skills and this is a constraint on progress in some aspects of their physical development. The quality of teaching is good. The lessons seen were among the first for many of the children and they were characterised by a good understanding of the needs of young children and good demonstration by the teacher. Children handle small toys and scissors regularly to develop their

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

manipulative skills. For example, they cut out pictures of teddy bears, build towers with small bricks and fit a variety of shapes into jigsaws.

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

81. The children’s creative development is on course to meet the standards expected at five years old. Children learn to use paint appropriately to paint pictures of sea creatures and bears, showing developing hand control. They learn how to use pastels to produce attractive pictures of ladybirds and develop their observational skills well when they draw themselves. They develop their printing skills by making symmetrical folded prints. Children know a range of simple songs by heart and join in enthusiastically when singing the story of Mrs Wishy Washy on a tape. It was not possible to see any teaching in this area of learning during the inspection.

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

82. Children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is on course to meet the standards expected at five years old. Through their topic work, they learn to identify objects hidden in a bag, such as a candle and a torch, through touch. They learn the difference between hard and soft and heavy and light through opportunities to discuss these items. They know that exercise has an effect on the heart because they are encouraged to feel their hearts before and after exercise in the hall. During the inspection, children made good gains in their understanding of light through opportunities to explore an oil lamp. They learn the difference between old and new when examining oil lamps and torches, and when discussing their bedtime toys. They develop an understanding of the world around them through discussion and many children know that Scotland is far away. Children use computer programs confidently to support literacy and numeracy skills. All children use

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

Horrabridge County Primary School - 29 construction toys and small world toys appropriately to develop their own ideas as well as their manipulative skills. The quality of teaching is good and enables children to make good gains in their learning. Well chosen resources such as oil lamps and beeswax candles challenge children’s thinking and the teacher takes every opportunity to extend their learning.

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Areas Of Learning For Children In The Foundation Stage

83. The quality of teaching is good overall and contributes to good learning. It is a strength of the school. Seven out of eight lessons were judged to be good and the other was satisfactory. Strengths in the quality of teaching include a good understanding of how young children learn, appropriately planned lessons and well managed children. No time is wasted and the classroom assistant and volunteer helpers are used effectively to ensure that children receive as much individual and small group support as possible. This contributes positively to the progress made, particularly for children with special educational needs. In the satisfactory lesson, a few group activities had insufficient structure to ensure that children understood what they were going to learn. The high quality of the teaching has been maintained since the previous inspection.

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English

84. Inspection evidence shows that standards in English overall are in line with the national expectation by the end of both key stages and that pupils are achieving appropriately. This represents satisfactory improvement since 1999, where the statutory tests show that standards were below average in reading and in writing at the end of both Key Stages 1 and 2. The number of pupils eligible to take the tests for Key Stage 2 in 1999 was small and too much emphasis should not be placed on the test results for this year.

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English

85. This year’s tests, for which comparative figures are not yet available, show that a slightly smaller number of pupils reached the expected level at the end of Key Stage 1. At Key Stage 2, while the proportion achieving the expected level was broadly similar, the numbers of pupils exceeding the expected level have improved significantly. The cohorts of pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 in 2000 each included one third of pupils with special educational needs, which had a significant effect on the standards attained. In last year’s Year 6 a significant number of pupils with lower achievement, joined the school during Key Stage 2 and this also had an adverse effect on standards. The school’s intake includes an above average percentage of pupils who have special educational needs and a significant number of pupils with underdeveloped writing skills. The school has developed well focused strategies to improve standards of writing at Key Stage 1 and has been effective in raising

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English

standards at this level. Overall, pupils achieve satisfactorily in reading and in speaking and listening. In writing, their achievement is now good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2.

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English

86. The previous inspection report indicated that the majority of pupils achieved standards in national tests, at the end of both key stages, which were broadly average, with a significant majority reaching above average standards. The school has broadly maintained these standards since the previous inspection. The school is working towards its target of 72 per cent of pupils reaching the expected level by the end of Key Stage 2.

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English

87. Standards in speaking and listening are in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. All pupils make sound progress in developing these skills in their lessons. In a Year 2 lesson, for example, pupils gave clear definitions of a ‘Rap’ in response to questions from the teacher. Pupils use language to share their ideas, both in whole class and small group sessions. Opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills are taken across the curriculum. For example, in a personal and social education lesson for pupils in Year 3 they expressed their feelings in response to the teacher’s own description of being frightened. As was identified in the previous inspection, many pupils have a wide technical vocabulary in subjects such as design and technology, geography and art because teachers take care to introduce correct vocabulary.

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English

88. The school has introduced the National Literacy Strategy well and standards of reading are in line with national expectations by the end of both key stages and pupils are achieving appropriately. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils read texts with reasonable fluency and correct themselves Horrabridge County Primary School - 30 when they make an error. They recognise a good number of common words out of context and have a good knowledge of letter sounds to help them decipher unknown words. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils read a range of fiction and non-fiction texts fluently and enjoy talking about what they have read. Boys, in particular, have benefited from the new literacy strategies and there has been a significant improvement in the standards of boys reading. Pupils use their reading skills to support other areas of the curriculum; for example, to research information in history and geography and

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English

when reading instructions in information and communication technology.

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English

89. The quality of writing is now in line with expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and pupils achieve well. Many pupils who start school with underdeveloped writing skills reach the expected standard by the end of the key stage. Pupils take home spellings to learn and this contributes to improving standards. At Key Stage 2, progress is slower because the approach is less structured and standards in writing and spelling are below expectations at the end of the key stage. Mainly because the present Key Stage 2 pupils have not had the benefit of the school’s new strategies. However, the school is extending its new approach to include Key Stage 2 pupils. In the meantime, however, there are some good examples of developing skills and techniques that support effective writing. In Year 4, for example, pupils use verbs in the present, past and future tenses when writing newspaper articles. Pupils in Years 5 and 6, organise their ideas them into lists before writing

p.30

English

biographies of a friend or family member. Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 write tense and exciting stories about an escape from danger, showing secure understanding of punctuation.

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English

90. At the time of the last inspection, English was over emphasised to the detriment of other subjects. This is no longer the case. In order to raise standards in writing, the school has deliberately identified cross-curricular opportunities for extended writing and this is a strength of the school. There are good examples of pupils use of their literacy skills in art, history and geography. Pupils of all ages use their literacy skills effectively to record their investigations in science and to record their designs in design and technology. All these opportunities make a positive contribution to the improving standards in writing.

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English

91. Pupils have satisfactory attitudes to their work overall. Where tasks are interesting and the quality of teaching is good, attitudes and behaviour are good. Most pupils are attentive and respond well to their new teachers. At the time of the inspection, many pupils were building relationships with their new teachers. Most pupils are willing to persevere and share ideas because they know that their contributions are valued. This promotes their learning well. Pupils of all ages are keen to join in reading the text during the literacy hour because texts are well chosen and interesting. Pupils work well in groups and willingly share resources. Relationships between the pupils themselves and with their teachers and other adults are good and this contributes positively to the steady progress made.

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English

92. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and as a result pupils make satisfactory gains in their learning. Two lessons for pupils in Key Stage 1 were judged to be good. In these lessons activities were well matched to the needs of all pupils, there was a brisk pace, good organisation that allowed pupils to work independently and exciting activities that motivated and challenged them. Where lessons are satisfactory, pace is slower and activities are less interesting; worksheets, for example, are sometimes uninteresting and over used. As a result, pupils response is less enthusiastic and their learning less rigorous. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 is also satisfactory, although examples of good and very good teaching were seen. A very good lesson, taken by the English co-ordinator, was seen in Year 3. The lesson was characterised by very high expectations and a very good understanding of how pupils learn. Skilful teaching of literacy enabled

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English

pupils to offer imaginative suggestions for alternative verbs and pupils were intellectually challenged. The teaching in Year 5 and Year 6 is consistently good. Very good relationships and the effective use of humour, motivate the pupils. Challenging questions are used effectively to promote learning. For example, when eliciting information about members of Anne Frank’s family the teacher pressed pupils for more information saying ‘Is she outgoing? Mousey? Keep thinking!’ Skilfully chosen sentences challenged pupils to think about suitable conjunctions to link them. Where teaching is less successful, activities are not well matched to the needs of lower and higher attaining pupils and class management is less secure. Consequently, pupils are less motivated and learning is less effective. Horrabridge County Primary School - 31 93. The headteacher is currently managing the subject alongside his other responsibilities and he

p.30

English

provides sound leadership. He has identified areas for improvement, such as attainment in writing for younger pupils. Consequently standards in writing are improving at Key Stage 1, due mostly to a structured approach of assessments that are used to identify weaknesses and set targets. However, the school has not yet implemented a policy at all levels for the development of spelling skills or a structured programme based on the analysis of assessment data to improve areas of weakness. Consequently, improvement is less well advanced than might be expected. There is a good range of books, which are of good quality.

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Mathematics

94. The average results of all pupils in the national tests for mathematics in 1999, were below national expectations at Key Stage 1 and in line with them at Key Stage 2. Compared with pupils in similar schools results were well below the national average at Key Stage 1 and below the national average at Key Stage 2. Results at both key stages for 1999 shows boys performing better than girls, but this was not evident during the inspection. The latest tests show a similar proportion of pupils achieving the national expectation at Key Stage 1and an improvement at Key Stage 2, but national comparisons are not yet available. The size of the cohorts is small and results vary from year to year. Inspection evidence shows that by the end of both key stages, for the present cohorts, using and applying mathematics is in line with national expectations. Pupils achievements are broadly in line with their prior attainment at the end of both key stages and they use number effectively to

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Mathematics

support their work across the curriculum.

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Mathematics

95. By the end of Key Stage 1 the majority of pupils can identify odd and even numbers and number patterns, add and subtract small numbers, identify halves and quarters and understand place value of hundreds, tens and units. The more able can add and subtract three digit numbers. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have a sound recall of number bonds and the rules of number. They can factorise numbers and convert simple fractions to percentages, At both key stages pupils can describe their mental strategies for recalling number facts. They are encouraged to use personal strategies as well as traditional methods. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, when mathematics investigations were judged to be below expectations. During the inspection, Year 6 pupils were observed to confidently explain their strategies for multiplying two digit numbers by two digit numbers. They then transferred their strategies to multiply two digit numbers by a

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Mathematics

decimal number. Numeracy is used satisfactorily across the curriculum but its use is not always specifically planned for. Examples were seen in science of graphs being used to record lengths of shadows and angles of mirrors being measured when experimenting with reflection. Careful measuring is used in design and technology by Year 6 when making siege engines and co- ordinates are used in geography.

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Mathematics

96. In their work on shape, space and measurement Key Stage 1 pupils describe common two- dimensional shapes, tell the time on the hour and half-hour, and the time an hour before or after the hour. They draw simple symmetrical shapes, which show the line of symmetry. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils use appropriate language when describing two and three-dimensional shapes, measure acute and obtuse angles with accuracy, and measure in centimetres and millimetres to calculate the area of regular and irregular shapes.

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Mathematics

97. When data handling Key Stage 1 pupils sort objects using a variety of reasons and draw and interpret simple bar charts. For example, pupils draw graphs to show the most popular month for birthdays. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils draw graphs and charts to show the most popular name in the class and to record results of science investigations into the properties of rocks and the dissolving of “mystery powders”.

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Mathematics

98. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ rate of learning is satisfactory and their achievements are in line with their prior attainment. At Key Stage 2, the rate of learning is satisfactory overall. However, progress in lessons varies between classes. At the lower end of Key Stage 2 progress for the lower attaining Horrabridge County Primary School - 32 pupils is unsatisfactory due to work not being appropriately matched. At the upper end of Key Stage 2 progress is good in lessons and, at times, very good, because work is well matched for the lower and higher ability pupils. Pupils continually feel a sense of achievement at being able to complete work and move on to the next stage of learning.

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Mathematics

99. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in lessons is generally satisfactory at both key stages. In the lower end of Key Stage 1 pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in one lesson observed was very good. Although behaviour is satisfactory overall at Key Stage 2, it varies from class to class. At the beginning of Key Stage 2 pupils’ behaviour is unsatisfactory due to a lack of appropriately matched work and unsatisfactory class management by the teacher. When work is not well matched pupils become bored and frustrated with the task and exhibit unsatisfactory behaviour. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ response is often good or better. This is because work is challenging and well matched to the abilities of the pupils and also because of good class control and good subject knowledge by the class teacher. Year 6 pupils are especially eager to share their mental strategies with each other. They do so in a spirit of support and encouragement from their peers. They are not afraid to

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Mathematics

offer answers and strategies, which may be incorrect. In doing so they learn from their mistakes.

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Mathematics

100. At both key stages the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. In one lesson, however, observed at the beginning of Key Stage 2, teaching was unsatisfactory due to unsatisfactory class management, which led to restlessness and pupils off task. Teaching at the upper end of Key Stage 2 is good and, at times, very good. The variation in teaching at Key Stage 2 is similar to the judgements of the previous report. The implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy is beginning to have a positive impact on teaching and standards. Teachers’ subject knowledge is generally sound at both key stages and pupils learn with confidence in their teachers and respond well to the challenges set. In the majority of lessons good use is made of recapitulation and review sessions, which encourages pupils to share and explain their work and so refine and develop their understanding. However, not all teachers discuss the objectives at the start of the lesson or review

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Mathematics

whether they have been understood at the end of the lesson. Throughout the school, the majority of teachers’ marking is satisfactory although not all write meaningful comments which can be used by the pupils to take them on to their next stage of learning. The use of information technology to support mathematics is underdeveloped, especially at Key Stage 2. Good use is made, however, of the classroom assistants to support the lower attaining pupils.

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Mathematics

101. Satisfactory procedures are in place to assess pupils’ understanding of work covered. The co- ordinator has developed a good portfolio of moderated work to help support teacher assessment. Assessment sheets are in place for tracking the progress of each pupil and for whole class assessments. However, they are not fully embedded in their use and do not fully inform curriculum planning. Optional national tests are used in Years 3, 4 and 5 to assess progress, skills and understanding. Results of all tests are beginning to be analysed but have yet to fully inform planning. In some lessons, teachers do not use assessment sufficiently to plan for the different learning needs of pupils in the class. The co-ordinator has identified the use of assessment as a priority for the subject and the need to develop the use of information technology within mathematics. Since the last inspection standards have remained similar, but the quality of

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Mathematics

mathematical investigation has improved and is now satisfactory.

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Science

102. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum teachers’ assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 show that pupils’ attainment was very high in each aspect of science when compared to the national average. At the end of Key Stage 2, the attainment of eleven-year-olds in the national tests was close to the national average as it has been for the last four years. Pupils’ results were below the national average for similar schools, but represent a satisfactory level of achievement for those pupils in comparison with their prior attainments. This years test results at Key Stage 2 indicate an improving trend. Horrabridge County Primary School - 33 103. Inspection evidence indicates that attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with expectations. Attainment in the practical application of science and enquiry, Attainment Target 1 of the National Curriculum for science, is above expectations. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is above

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Science

expectations. Pupils are developing good scientific knowledge, understanding and skills in relevant practical contexts. At Key Stage 1, they are encouraged to ask questions and predict outcomes of their investigations, which they do with increased confidence. For example, Year 2 pupils were observed using torches and mirrors to investigate how light travels and reflects off different objects. The pupils confidently discussed their predictions and understanding with each other, the class teacher and the learning support assistants. By the end of Year 6 attainment in practical and investigative science and the use of ‘fair tests’ is above national expectations. Pupils use charts, diagrams and graphs in a variety of ways to record their results and test their hypothesis.

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Science

104. In their study of life processes and living things, pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 are able to name the major organs of the body, the main parts of a flower and can describe conditions basic to animal and plant life. They understand which foods are healthy or unhealthy. They can identify “minibeasts” to be found around the school. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to make predictions and observations related to the major organs of the body. For example, Year 6 pupils were observed identifying the positions of the major organs of the body and describing their functions. They then went on to make a simple model of the triceps and biceps muscles in the arm. They made good progress in their understanding of how muscles make the arm move by experimenting with the positioning of elastic bands and string, which represented the muscles, at the hinged joint of two pieces of wood, which represented the arm. The lesson made a good

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Science

contribution to the spirituality of the pupils, as there was clear evidence of awe and wonder as the pupils made the “arm” move and they could see how the “muscles” contracted and expanded.

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Science

105. In their study of materials and their properties, pupils at Key Stage 1 can sort objects by texture, colour, shape, flexibility and hardness. Pupils know that certain materials change when heated and cooled. As part of their farm topic, Year 2 pupils make bread and carry out a fair test to discover the best way to keep bread fresh. At Key Stage 2, pupils investigate the properties of materials and record their results in the form of charts and graphs. For example, Year 3 pupils test a variety of materials for flexibility, conductivity, floating and sinking. They predict what will happen and make simple charts of their results.

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Science

106. In their work on physical processes, Key Stage 1 pupils have a satisfactory understanding of how sound and light travel and can compare brightness of light from a variety of objects. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have a good understanding of forces. Following their visit to Ironbridge, pupils are able to design and carry out a fair test to investigate how well different shaped models of canal boats travel through water, in order to find the most resistant free shape. Pupils also test model cars down different inclines of a ramp to discover what happens to model figures on the car when the car hits a wall.

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Science

107. The attitude of pupils at both key stages is generally satisfactory. The attitudes of pupils in Year 6 are very good. Pupils are enthusiastic about science, particularly when there is a practical and investigative component to the lesson. They are keen to share their knowledge and understanding with each other. They are co-operative when working in groups and want to learn more. However, when work is not sufficiently challenging or matched to their ability, pupils become restless and bored. For example, pupils at the lower end of Key Stage 2 were totally on task when testing the properties of different materials. However, when pupils began to write about their experiments the lower ability group became bored and restless, as they were required to copy information from the whiteboard, which was too difficult for them. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils contribute enthusiastically to discussion, concentrate on their task and show good levels of curiosity and

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Science

interest. Boys and girls work well together and make similar progress. All pupils are aware of the safety routines and work sensibly during experimental work.

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Science

108. The quality of teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1and good overall at Key Stage 2. At the end of Key Stage 2 teaching is very good. The quality of learning is good at both key stages in the practical and investigative nature of science and pupils make good progress towards this attainment target. In other aspects of the subject learning is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Horrabridge County Primary School - 34 Stage 2. All teachers have at least a sound understanding of the subject and have the confidence to ask well-focused questions that challenge pupils. Practical activities are usually well matched to the abilities within the class, but in one lesson for pupils at the start of the Key Stage 2, written activities are not well matched and pupils were not challenged. Assessment of previous work is not always used to plan lessons. In a Key Stage 2 lesson observed, pupils became restless because

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Science

the work they were set had also been set and completed the previous year. Long and medium term plans are comprehensive and show progression of skills, knowledge and understanding. Medium and short-term assessment of pupils’ work is in place but its use varies across the school. In the good lessons observed assessment of previous work informed planning. However, in lessons where pupils were restless or bored it was clearly because assessment information had not been used to plan well matched work for each group of pupils. A well-presented portfolio of work has been established by the co-ordinator, which is a good document to support teachers in their assessment of pupils’ skills and knowledge. Effective use is made of support staff and volunteer helpers. The class teachers give them good guidance. For example, good use was made of a learning support assistant and a parent in a Year 2 lesson on light. Both used effective questioning to move pupils

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Science

on to their next stage of development. The support given for pupils with special needs was very good and ensured equally good progress.

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Science

109. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and has had a good impact on the improvements in science since the previous report. He is a good role model for the teaching of the subject. Although he is able to give good, informal, support to staff and has provided some in-service training, he has few opportunities to regularly work alongside colleagues in order to support and monitor teaching and learning. The co-ordinator is also overloaded with other curriculum responsibilities in major subject areas. The use of information communication technology to support the subject is under developed in many classes.

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Science

110. Since the last inspection the school has worked hard to improve the provision for science and standards are higher. In particular, the quality of investigative work has shown marked improvement. The good quality of teaching for older pupils of Key Stage 2 is improving the standards of attainment at the end of the key stage.

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Art

111. There was very little opportunity to see pupils working in art during the inspection but the work on display, and other artwork seen, gave an indication of standards that are above national expectations in many aspects of the subject at the end of both key stages. Pupils make good progress in art as they move through the school and achieve well, particularly in their painting and work with colour. Much of the artwork takes place in ‘Theme’ lessons when pupils are focusing on history, geography and design and technology as well as art and, in general, this is an effective arrangement. Often, the starting point for these lessons is a visit out of school where pupils draw or paint from careful observation and they do so with good attention to detail. Most represent their ideas successfully in visual forms in a variety of media. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and also make satisfactory progress. In the last inspection, attainment in art was

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Art

above national expectations and standards have been maintained.

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Art

112. Only one art lesson could be seen during the inspection and this was insufficient to make overall judgements about the quality of teaching, but the lesson seen was of good quality. It was well organised with clear aims so that pupils worked efficiently with a sense of purpose. For much of the time pupils were left to work on their own while the teacher worked on other topics, and this was successful in developing an independence in pupils’ learning. At the same time pupils were reminded that there was an expectation and a rigour to their work. As far as they impact on art work, relationships are good; teachers value pupils' efforts and provide positive support, which gives pupils the confidence to make artistic decisions for themselves. In the displays around the school, where much of the work is of high quality, pupils’ achievements are celebrated. Horrabridge County Primary School - 35 113. The subject meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, but work with information

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Art

technology is relatively undeveloped. The curriculum is broad and balanced, and pupils work in a good range of media and scale. Planning for the development of drawing skills, however, is not as effective as the planning for extending painting skills. The school has sufficient resources for art and they are used well.

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Design And Technology

114. Lessons in design and technology were not taking place during the inspection week. So no teaching was observed. Judgements are based on pupils’ current work, displays, photographic evidence, examples of work from the previous year, planning and discussions with pupils and teachers. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ standards of attainment are broadly in line with expectations for their age. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment is above expectations. Judgements are similar to the previous inspection report. Pupils work well with a range of materials and use simple tools with care when constructing their models. They are able to plan and evaluate their work and suggest improvements.

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Design And Technology

115. Pupils’ progress, including those with special educational needs, is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. Overall, pupils achievement is high in relation to their prior attainment. They build upon previous skills in their work. For example, Key Stage 1 pupils design and make vehicles with moving wheels. By Year 6, the skills learnt when making the vehicles are used to design, make and evaluate working water wheels and working models of siege engines. At Key Stage 1, pupils design breakfast invitations. These skills are built upon in Year 3, where pupils deconstruct and evaluate cereal boxes before designing and making their own. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils design, make and evaluate videotape boxes. At Key Stage 2 design and technology is also linked to science. Pupils in the lower part of Key Stage 2 make shadow puppets, which are used in their work on light in science. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 evaluate supermarket carrier bags,

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Design And Technology

as part of their work on forces, to investigate which is the strongest for carrying a heavy load of shopping.

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Design And Technology

116. As no lessons were observed, judgements can not be made about teaching or pupils’ attitudes in lessons. However, the pupils spoken to clearly enjoy design and technology and have a good recall of past work. Year 6 pupils were especially proud of the their working siege engines. The policy and scheme of work has recently been revised. The scheme of work is comprehensive and referenced to a newly introduced national scheme. A portfolio of work is being developed by the co-ordinator to help support teacher assessment. However, the examples of work are not yet placed in context or levelled against national curriculum criteria. There is no formal system of assessment of skills in place. Resources are adequate. Accommodation is good. Spare classrooms and outside work areas give ample space for practical activities. The school has a small cookery area with oven and hob. The co-ordinator has identified assessment of skills and allocation of time to the subject as

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Geography And History

117. Too few lessons were seen during the inspection in either subject to enable judgements to be made about the quality of teaching and learning. Judgements on the quality of pupils’ work and progress are based on a scrutiny of their work, from displays in classrooms and around the school, from talking to teachers and pupils, and from looking at teachers’ planning.

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Geography And History

118. By the end of both key stages, standards in both subjects meet those expected for pupils of their age and have been maintained since the previous inspection. Pupils are achieving as they should. In the two lessons seen in history, one in each key stage, the quality of teaching was good and enabled pupils to make good gains in their learning, because tasks were interesting and teachers are skilled in clear explanations. In the only geography lesson seen, for pupils in Year 3, the quality Horrabridge County Primary School - 36 of teaching was unsatisfactory. In this lesson about the weather, class management was insecure and planning was brief resulting in pupils being unsure of what they were expected to do. Pace was slow and the worksheet was inappropriate.

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Geography And History

119. In history, pupils in Year 2 understand the differences between Victorian schools and those of present day. They have an understanding of life in Tudor times and develop their historical knowledge through a series of visits. For example, to the kitchen at Buckland Abbey. They know the story of Theseus and the Minotaur and place sources of light in chronological order. Pupils are starting to use basic historical evidence; for example, they make comparisons between light sources of the past and those of present day. Pupils acquire knowledge of famous people and significant events such as Guy Fawkes and Henry the eighth. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils express a sound understanding of the past and are beginning to identify reasons for actions in history; for example, the changes across Tudor times. Through their study of the diary of Anne Frank they understand the reasons for conflict during the Second World War. Pupils in Year 4 and

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Geography And History

Year 5 develop their historical investigation through their study of the life of the Ancient Egyptians. By the end of Year 6, pupils are beginning to interrogate primary and secondary sources of information effectively and make comparisons between different societies in the past.

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Geography And History

120. In geography, pupils in Year 1 learn about crops grown in other countries and suitable clothing to wear in different climates. They develop early mapping skills through drawing simple plans of the school. By Year 2, mapping skills have developed so that pupils include a simple key to support their plans of a pond. By Year 3, pupils draw plans of the school, their classroom and Pennywell farm showing good attention to detail. They compare homes in Kenya with their own village. By Year 5, pupils use secondary sources of information effectively to place different types of bridges on maps. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have a wide knowledge of their own area through their study of Dartmoor and have gained wider knowledge of the world through their studies of countries and maps. Visits, both to the local area and further afield, such as to Ironbridge and France give pupils first hand experience of life in other places.

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Geography And History

121. Pupils show appropriate attitudes to both subjects. In history, they work well together in small groups, placing light sources in chronological order. They listen to the views of others when discussing the Second World War. In geography, they show a natural interest in their immediate environment and the world around them as well as an appreciation of the past.

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Geography And History

122. Both subjects are planned through a thematic approach and activities are deliberately planned to extend pupils’ literacy skills. This makes a significant contribution to the development of literacy skills. For example, in history, pupils of all ages write extended accounts of life in other times and in geography, pupils effectively record their experiences when they visit other places. Information and communication technology is also used effectively to support these subjects. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 6 successfully researched the Internet for information about Dartmoor.

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Geography And History

123. The co-ordinator for geography is recently appointed and has a clear view for the development of the subject. The previous inspection identified that too few geography lessons constrained pupils’ opportunities to develop geographical skills. Examination of samples of work suggests that this has improved. The co-ordinator has already identified the need to update the policy and scheme of work and to introduce assessment procedures to ensure that pupils develop their skills steadily and systematically. The experienced history co-ordinator has worked hard to produce a good scheme of work which is linked to each theme and clearly identifies what each year group will learn. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Both co-ordinators have had insufficient opportunities to monitor teaching and standards in their subjects and this remains a weakness from the previous inspection. A wide range of visits supports both subjects. For example, pupils visit the local area

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Geography And History

and Morwellham Quay to support historical studies. Residential visits to France and Shropshire make a positive contribution to both subjects. Members of the local community visit the school to share their experiences to give pupils an understanding of life in the past and how people change. Resources for both subjects are satisfactory and include a wide range of artefacts, which are used well to support both subjects. Horrabridge County Primary School - 37

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Information Technology

124. By the end of both key stages, pupils' attainment is in line with national expectations. This represents a good improvement since the previous inspection, when attainment was judged to be below expectations. Most pupils’ achievements are satisfactory in the subject. They are familiar with keyboard and mouse operations from an early stage. For example, pupils in reception use a simple ‘drag and drop’ program to dress a teddy bear and to count and match numbers. By the end of Year 2 the majority of pupils can word process simple sentences, check errors, which the computer has highlighted, and load and access ‘talking books’. They can change the size of fonts and delete and alter errors before printing the final draft of their work. By the end of Year 6, pupils confidently manipulate screen icons using the mouse, select items from an on-screen menu and use the ‘drag and drop’ features of a program. They write poems, stories and fact-files using

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Information Technology

different fonts, font sizes, colours and border patterns and use the spellchecker. They can search the Internet for information and manipulate images to combine clip art pictures, scanned work and digital photographs with their own writing. For example, Year 6 pupils search the Internet for information about the Dartmoor National Park. They can access a local authority approved search engine to research from the Dartmoor National Park web-site and copy and paste photographs and information in to their own fact-file page, alongside their own writing. They can drag and resize photographs added to a page of their own text and then add borders.

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Information Technology

125. The quality of teaching at both key stages is satisfactory overall and promotes satisfactory learning for pupils. In Year 6 in particular, teaching is good and is carefully matched to the needs of the pupils who are intellectually challenged and make good progress. Teaching has improved since the previous inspection, when teaching and teachers’ knowledge was judged to be unsatisfactory. Now, teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of the subject. Planning for each year group is in place, but the co-ordinator is aware that it needs to be improved in order to ensure a systematic development of skills and knowledge through the school. Progress of pupils is generally satisfactory, but the lack of a systematic approach to the assessment and recording of skills restricts the progress of the more able, and those who bring skills from home. Short term planning does not always make specific reference to the skills to be taught to the different ability and age groups within a class.

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Information Technology

However, the co-ordinator has addressed this with newly developed individual tracking sheets and class assessment sheets.

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Information Technology

126. Computer programmes are selected to support other areas of the curriculum. For example, at Key Stage 1 pupils word process and listen to talking books in literacy and use number programs to support mathematics. At Key Stage 2, pupils use word processing and the Internet to support geography and history and a graphics program to support art. Year 6 pupils were observed highlighting nouns, verbs and adjectives using a passage from the “Diary of Anne Frank”.

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Information Technology

127. Pupils’ response to information technology is good. They are generally well motivated, well behaved, and co-operative with each other. They remain on task and should things go wrong are prepared to experiment. For example, a Year 2 pupil was observed confidently reloading a mathematics programme when it “crashed” and a Year 6 pupil was observed making every effort to start a printer that failed to work. He systematically checked the print driver for errors, the printer menu and the printer network. Pupils take a pride in their work and enjoy showing and discussing their computer skills with other pupils and adults.

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Information Technology

128. The co-ordinator for information communication technology provides good leadership and has raised the profile of the subject considerably since the last inspection. He is a good role model for the teaching of the subject and has good subject knowledge. He is aware of the areas for development. These have been identified in the school’s improvement plan. Priorities for development are staff training, development of the scheme of work, development of the computer suite and improved use of control technology. Training of staff is to be addressed this year through a national initiative. A portfolio of work is being developed to support teachers in their assessment of pupils’ attainment. Although the co-ordinator is able to give good, informal, support for staff, and has provided some in- service training, he has had few opportunities to regularly work alongside colleagues in order to Horrabridge County Primary School - 38

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Information Technology

support and monitor teaching and learning. The co-ordinator is also overloaded with other curriculum responsibilities in major subject areas.

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Information Technology

129. Since the previous inspection, a small computer suite has been established in Key Stage 2, which is linked to the Internet and has a scanner and digital camera. However, there are not enough computers in the suite for whole class teaching and where classes are large, only a third of the class can use the computers at one time. The computer suite is under used. Although there is a timetable for class use, it is only used for a small percentage of the week. Teachers’ organisational skills in the suite vary. In one end of Key Stage 2 lesson observed, the teacher ensured that while a third of the class used the computers the remainder of class worked quietly at their tables on other related tasks. However, in a lesson observed at the lower end of Key Stage 2, pupils not using the computer were restless and distracted the teacher from giving full attention to those using the computer. There are a sufficient number of computers at Key Stage 1, but they are showing signs

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Information Technology

of age. During the inspection week two of the computers failed to load programmes. This was frustrating for pupils and the class teacher. Good use is made of the computers to support pupils with special educational needs. The co-ordinator has ensured that parents are kept fully informed about which search engines are used and that permission is given by parents before pupils work is placed on the Internet.

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Music

130. During the inspection opportunities to see pupils making music were too few to judge the quality of work overall. In those aspects of the subject seen, however, standards at the end Key Stage 2 are in line with national expectations. In Year 6, pupils’ achievement in singing is appropriate and they are beginning to sing in parts. They demonstrate satisfactory skills of pitch and rhythm and they listen attentively. Composing skills were less evident during the inspection. In most lessons, pupils are involved in practical music making and they sing regularly in Assembly. A small number of pupils play instruments and display higher levels of attainment and notation skills.

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Music

131. In the lessons seen during the inspection the teaching was satisfactory. In general, teachers’ personal musical skills, and their knowledge and understanding of the subject, are limited. They are aware of the shortcomings and use a published scheme of work that largely covers the deficiencies. Pupils accept the arrangement and respond with enthusiasm for their learning. Lessons are well planned with clear learning outcomes and pupils are clear about the aims that they are working to. Relationships and control are good, teachers manage their classes well and lessons are challenging. Pupils respond well to the rigour and make good progress during the lesson. Evidence of assessment and its use to inform planning is limited, however.

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Music

132. The requirements of the National Curriculum are met, but time for music is insufficient. Consequently the good progress made in lessons is not sustained over time. Opportunities for extra curricular activities include instrumental lessons and singing. Each year the school presents a production that has music as a major element and in which all pupils take part. The music curriculum includes elements of world music, but this is not a significant feature and opportunities to raise multicultural awareness are missed. The use of information technology in the subject is limited.

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Music

133. At the last inspection musical attainment was below national expectations. The school has partially addressed the issue by introducing a structured framework for pupils to follow and standards have improved, but pupils’ progress is still constrained by insufficient time for the subject.

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Physical Education

134. In physical education, pupils are meeting the expectations for the end of key stage requirements. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, where standards were below those expected Horrabridge County Primary School - 39 for the oldest pupils in Key Stage 2. Presently, there are particular strengths in the standards attained by pupils by the end of Key Stage 2 in swimming, as almost all attain the end of key stage requirement to swim 25 metres well before they leave the school. This is because the school places a high priority on the development of swimming and all pupils have swimming lessons.

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Physical Education

135. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on the quality of teaching and learning at either key stage because it was only possible to observe one gymnastics lesson for pupils in Key Stage 1, one games lesson and one gymnastics lesson, both for pupils in Years 5 and 6. However, in the lesson seen for pupils in Years 1 and 2, pupils made satisfactory gains in their movement skills through a sound plan to the lesson, which included the regular teaching and development of skills. Good demonstrations by the teacher ensured that pupils learned how to balance effectively on three body parts. However, opportunities to evaluate the performance of others were sometimes missed. Pupils with special educational needs were well supported by the classroom assistant enabling them to play a full part in the lesson. Pupils show satisfactory attitudes to the subject and share a mat willingly when producing a sequence of movements including, rolling, travelling and balancing.

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Physical Education

They are well behaved and respond willingly to instructions, whilst at the same time having a good regard for safe practice.

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Physical Education

136. In Key Stage 2, pupils develop their gymnastic skills effectively and show very good body control, co-ordination and spatial awareness. In the lesson seen, the quality of teaching was very good. Very high expectations and very good pace ensured that pupils travelled on three different body parts with accuracy, balance and style. The teacher’s good knowledge of the subject enabled pupils to move seamlessly from one activity to another. In the games lesson, good demonstration by both the teacher and pupils contributed to good gains in learning. Good teaching points are made at the start of each activity, based on good subject knowledge. A good variety of tasks are planned. For example, pupils played various games to improve their skill in sending and receiving balls. Most pupils show satisfactory attitudes to the subject and organise themselves into groups sensibly. During the previous inspection, over half the lessons seen at Key Stage 2 were

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Physical Education

unsatisfactory and there has been good improvement in teaching since then.

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Physical Education

137. The co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory. The headteacher has responsibility for the subject in addition to his other responsibilities. Planning is based on the local authority’s scheme of work, which enables pupils to develop their skills steadily and systematically as they move through the school. Monitoring of teaching and learning is underdeveloped but has been identified as an area for improvement by the school. Resources have been audited and updated and the school benefits from a large hall and playing field. Extra curricular activities continue to make a positive contribution to the standards attained. There is a badminton club, which is led by a parent volunteer and some pupils have represented Devon. Pupils participate successfully in competitive sports with other schools, contributing positively to their social development. For example, pupils have recently won football and tag rugby matches in the West Devon borough sports.

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Religious Education

138. Judgements are based on the one lesson seen in each key stage, scrutiny of work, discussions with the co-ordinator and pupils and examination of planning documents. Standards at the end of both key stages are in line with those of the locally agreed syllabus. This is a similar picture to the findings of the previous inspection. The curriculum is currently under review and the school is considering tailoring the agreed syllabus to more closely meet the needs of the school. However, the subject does not currently have a high profile in the school and there was little written evidence on which to base judgements. Pupils receive religious education in lessons and assemblies as well as through personal and social education lessons, when pupils are encouraged to share their own feelings and learn to accept and respect those of others.

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Religious Education

139. The work seen indicates that knowledge of Bible stories increases steadily as pupils move through the school. Pupils in Year 1 are familiar with the stories of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel and relate incidents in the stories accurately. By Year 2, pupils are familiar with ‘The Baby in the Horrabridge County Primary School - 40 Bulrushes’ and by Year 6 pupils are familiar with ‘The Ten Commandments’ and write their own, modernised, versions.

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Religious Education

140. In developing their understanding of and respect for other customs and beliefs, pupils in Key Stage 2 explore Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism and then compare them to the Christian religion. For example, they are beginning to appreciate that all religions have rules for living. In exploring celebrations and their associated symbols, pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn the importance of birthday symbols such as candles and cards. Older pupils in Year 4 and Year 5 explore how religious groups recognise and celebrate order and pattern in the world. Through examination of a range of pictures of harvest in different cultures they learn that religious adherents have special festivals.

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Religious Education

141. Because it was only possible to observe two lessons during the inspection, it is not possible to make an overall judgement on the quality of teaching or learning in the subject. However, in the lesson seen for pupils in Key Stage 1, the quality of teaching was unsatisfactory. Slow pace, the use of closed questions and inappropriate worksheets, which consolidated what pupils already knew, contributed to unsatisfactory attitudes and behaviour because the task was uninspiring and the pupils became bored. In the lesson for pupils in Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching was satisfactory and made a positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. For example, pupils shut their eyes and pictured the harvest scene as their teacher read the poem ‘Harvest Home’. During the inspection, opportunities to set an atmosphere conducive to learning in Key Stage 1 assemblies by the use of inspiring music and singing were missed. In Key Stage 2 assemblies,

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Religious Education

pupils learned to understand versions of the story of ‘The Creation’ as told in different religions.

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Religious Education

142. The co-ordinator has a clear view for the development of the subject. Her role in monitoring classroom teaching and learning is in need of further development, as are procedures for assessment and its use. Good use is made of resources, including visits by members of the local clergy. Local places of worship are well used as a source of information as well as for services. Resources to support the study of other religions have been improved since the previous inspection.

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