Perryfields Primary School

PERRYFIELDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: R S Moseley RgI’s 16886

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PERRYFIELDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 31 st October and 1 st November 2000

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PERRYFIELDS 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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PERRYFIELDS 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. Perryfields Primary School- 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Apsley Road Oldbury West Midlands

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Wilfred Lunn M.B.E.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1996 Perryfields Primary School- 4

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Team members

R S Moseley 16886 Registered inspector S Drake 9843 Lay inspector V Emery 14997 Team inspector

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Team members

Quality Assurance Associates Ltd. 2 Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Perryfields 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Number of full-time pupils 232 (ave) Pupils with English as an additional language 3.8% (low) Pupils entitled to free school meals 10.3% (ave) Pupils on the register of special educational needs 37 pupils, one with statement (high)

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Attainment on entry to the school is average. The numbers on roll at the school are rising each year. With the help of the local authority the school has to implement a rigorous admissions policy.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school with many good and very good features. Pupils make very good progress in English, mathematics and science and standards are well above average in these subjects by the time they leave the school. The quality of teaching is very good overall with just over half the teaching being very good or excellent. The school has developed an excellent and challenging climate for learning. Pupils’ attitudes to their work are very good. There are very good relationships in the school. The school is very well led and managed and provides very good value for money

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What the school does well

 The school provides an excellent challenging climate for learning and pupils have developed very good attitudes to their work. This has resulted in very good standards in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the school.  Teaching is a strength of the school and promotes progress of all pupils very well, including those with special educational needs. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is very good or excellent.  The school provides very well for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships and their behaviour is very good.  The school’s partnership with its parents is a strength. It has ensured that the contribution of parents to children’s learning at school and at home is very good.  The headteacher, with the support of the deputy headteacher, subject co-ordinators and

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What the school does well

governors, provides outstanding leadership and a clear educational direction for the school.

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What could be improved

 The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the further development of staff expertise in information and communication technology.  The overall leadership and co-ordination and the curriculum for music.  The school’s policy for Heath and Safety and the procedures for Child Protection.  The arrangements in the summer term for the induction of four year-olds into the school. 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 November 1996. It has overcome most of the weaknesses pointed out in the last inspection and has improved in many other ways. With regard to the key issues in the last report, teachers now use a range of strategies for pupils to become more independent in their learning; the guidelines for mathematics, including assessment and record-keeping have been improved and are now very good. Open-ended investigations are often carried out in science and mathematics. Very good opportunities have been provided for pupils to develop their computer skills but the use of these skills to support learning across a wide range of subjects has still to be developed further.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In addition, the leadership has introduced many other significant improvements. For example, there has been a steady improvement in the school’s performance in the National Curriculum tests over the last few years. This also includes an improvement in the number of pupils reaching the higher level 5 at Key Stage 2. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been introduced very well. Individual targets for pupils have been introduced in reading, writing and in mathematics. This means Perryfields Primary School- 7 that pupils have a very clear picture of what they have to do to improve in these areas. Curriculum co- ordinators monitor the curriculum, the teaching and the pupils’ learning in their subject very well. This is a major area of improvement and another reason for improvement in standards. There have been good improvements in the provision and especially in the teaching of those pupils who are in the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Foundation Stage in their education. There is also improved support for pupils with special educational needs, both in classes and during withdrawal sessions. Attendance has improved. The school is well placed to maintain these and other improvements and has a very good capacity to make further improvements.

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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 C B A A well above average above average A B Mathematics C B A A* average below average C D Science B B A A well below average E

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Key

 The results over the last few years have shown a good improvement. These results, especially in the last two years, indicate good and recently very good progress from what is an average attainment on entry to the school into the reception class.  When the 2000 results are compared to similar schools, where the comparison is made with schools with a similar number of pupils claiming free school meals, they indicate well above average results in English and science and very high results in mathematics.  The inspection findings indicate that, for this year’s pupils in Year 6, standards have been maintained with well above average attainment in English, mathematics and science. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with national expectations. It was not possible during the inspection to make a judgement on attainment in religious education. Attainment in literacy and numeracy is well above the national expectation by the time pupils leave

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are very eager to learn and give of their best at all times. They are responsive and responsible and show very good attitudes in all they do.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour by almost all pupils in lessons and around the school is very good. Pupils are polite and courteous to each other and to adults.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development and relationships throughout the school are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good Pupils are proud of their school. They demonstrate very positive attitudes in all aspects of school life. They care about each other, respect each other’s views and most show a great deal of confidence by the time they leave the school. Perryfields Primary School- 8

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

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

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

 Throughout the school the quality of teaching is either good or better for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. Fifty-nine per cent of the teaching seen was very good or better and 12 per cent was excellent. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. This level of teaching ensures that pupils’ learning is good and often very good in many areas and they successfully acquire skills, knowledge and understanding in all the subjects they are studying.  Particular strengths are the teachers’ high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour and the effectiveness of their teaching methods and ideas. Lessons proceed at a very good pace, teachers’ assessment of pupils’ capabilities is good and they keep good records, which they use well to plan future work. Teachers also plan to encourage pupils to develop the skills needed to become independent learners. However, planning for independent work and research using

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

computers across a range of subjects is under-developed. Homework is planned well. All these strengths encourage pupils’ intellectual, physical and creative effort, ensure lessons are productive and pupils retain interest to the end of the lesson.  The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught very well.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a good quality broad, balanced and relevant curriculum for all its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good provision. Pupils make very good progress both in lessons and during withdrawal sessions. The contribution made by the specialist support staff is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Although very little extra support is needed for these pupils, what is given is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for spiritual development is good. That for social and cultural development is very good. The provision for moral development is excellent.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides good care for its pupils. The policies and procedures for Child Protection and for Health and Safety, although adequate, are in need of further development and revision.

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Aspect Comment

There are very effective links with parents. The quality of information provided for parents, particularly about pupils’ progress is very good. The contribution of parents to children’s learning at school and at home is also very good. For example, the individual support given to pupils by parents and grandparents each morning is outstanding.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- The headteacher, deputy headteacher and the subject co-ordinators Perryfields Primary School- 9 ment by the headteacher and other key staff have worked very well as a team and have introduced many improvements. Overall, leadership and management is very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body fulfils all their responsibilities well. The chair of the governing body is very supportive and works very closely with the headteacher.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher, staff and governors are fully aware of the school’s performance. They have a very clear idea of what they want to improve.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. Resources are readily available and used well. All money available to the school is spent wisely and carefully.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher has been very effective in deciding the school’s priorities and providing the opportunity for all teachers to develop their leadership skills. He has forged a very effective team who all work together well to create a successful school. The school always applies the principles of best value effectively in all aspects of school life.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

 Their child likes the school.  Their child is making good progress.  The teaching is good.  They can approach the staff with any problems.  Their children are expected to work hard and do their best.  The school is well managed.  The school helps their children to become more mature and responsible.  The school provides an interesting range of activities outside the classroom.  Behaviour in the school is good.  Their children get the right amount of work to do at home.  They are kept well informed about how their children are getting on.  That the school works closely with them.  A very few parents felt that their children did not get the right amount of homework.  A very few parents felt that they were not well informed about their child’s progress.  A few parents felt that the school did not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors’ judgements support all of the parents’ positive views. They also judged that pupils got an appropriate amount of work at home, that parents are well informed about the progress their children make and the school does provide a satisfactory range of activities outside lessons.

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very good attitudes to their work. This has resulted in very good standards in English,

mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the school.

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very good attitudes to their work. This has resulted in very good standards in English,

1. The headteacher and staff have created an atmosphere in the school where pupils want to learn. Classrooms and corridors are laid out to stimulate learning. For example, in Class 6 definitions of scientific words were covered with a cardboard flap. Pupils were challenged to Perryfields Primary School- 10 explain words like condensation, solution and evaporation before lifting the card to see if they had got the right answer. Pupils are expected to take a great pride in their written work, in their books and in every aspect of work displayed on the walls. The whole school, both inside and outside, is clean and bright and full of interest. Pupils’ successes are always celebrated. Regular assemblies are held where these achievements are shared. All staff display a caring attitude, which enables each individual to feel that he or she is important and can succeed. This encourages the pupils’ self-esteem and confidence. For example, in a Year 2

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very good attitudes to their work. This has resulted in very good standards in English,

mathematics lesson, a rather shy pupil was encouraged to explain to the rest of the class the way she had worked out odd and even numbers on a table. The teacher worked hard to coax the answer, the whole class listened carefully and the pupil gained confidence in arriving at the correct answer. In this particular lesson, the teacher’s approach created a successful climate for learning for all abilities.

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very good attitudes to their work. This has resulted in very good standards in English,

2. Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are very good. Pupils are very interested in their work. For example, in a literacy lesson for pupils in Year 5 pupils investigated the characters of a story. All the pupils were able to discuss these characters with their partner, explain to the class their different characteristics and remained interested and fascinated to the end of the lesson. Even at the end they enjoyed acting out the parts of the characters and asking related questions. Pupils are always keen to participate in class and sustain concentration. Pupils enjoy lessons; they work in pairs and are responsive to their teachers. This was seen in a physical education lesson for pupils in Year 6. They worked hard and quickly with their partner to develop a sequence of good movements to music based on an Olympic theme. They produced a high level of performance responding to the teacher’s guidance with a variety

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very good attitudes to their work. This has resulted in very good standards in English,

of styles and tempos. The contribution of the staff and the challenging environment, together with the attitudes of the children has resulted in high achievement in many areas but in particular in the National Curriculum tests. There has been a steady improvement in all the national test results over the last few years, including the numbers of pupils achieving the higher levels in the tests. The latest national tests in 2000 indicate well above average results in reading and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 and in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2. The pupils achieved very high results in writing at the end of Key Stage 1. This indicates very good progress by the time pupils leave the school.

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Teaching is a strength of the school. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is

3. Throughout the school, teachers prepare their lessons very well by identifying precise learning objectives. These are always displayed on the board so pupils have a very good knowledge of what they are going to learn. Lessons proceed at a good pace and are always well structured with a step by step approach. As a result, pupils are clearly motivated and sustain their interest well to the end of the lesson. These features, together with the teachers’ enthusiasm about their work, their positive attitudes to pupil discipline and the very good support given by the classroom assistants, contributes significantly to the high standards achieved and the progress the pupils make, including those with special educational needs. One other very good feature of lesson planning is the fact that all teachers have a very clear knowledge of what the children have learned and covered in previous years. For example, in a Year 3

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Teaching is a strength of the school. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is

lesson on magnetism, the teacher was very aware of what the pupils had covered in Year 2 when studying forces. She used this knowledge wisely to introduce this new topic by a successful question and answer session. This consolidated pupils’ previous knowledge and the pupils were able to rapidly move on to new discoveries with confidence, using their previous knowledge well.

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Teaching is a strength of the school. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is

4. Teachers’ subject knowledge in almost all areas is very good and this enables them to prepare stimulating lessons. This was seen in a literacy lesson for pupils in Year 4. Pupils were given the task of planning a board game and writing the instructions. The teacher’s very good knowledge of English enabled her to give very good guidance to the individual pupils on how to achieve their purpose. The teacher’s whole-class intervention was of very good quality and very appropriate enabling pupils to develop their individual ideas well. Some of the teachers have a weaker subject knowledge of aspects of information and communication technology. Teachers use resources well to motivate and interest pupils. This was seen in a science lesson on materials for pupils in Year 2. The teacher had a very good range of resources for pupils to sort into groups and describe their different characteristics. For

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Teaching is a strength of the school. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is

Perryfields Primary School- 11 instance, they were able to explain that metal is hard and shiny and that rubber bends and is flexible. A number of pupils were also able to say that leather came from a cow and rubber from a tree.

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Teaching is a strength of the school. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is

5. Particular strengths of the teaching are the obvious high expectations the teachers have of the standards they expect their children to achieve. All abilities in the class receive challenging work appropriate to their needs. For example, in all numeracy lessons seen, a wide range of tasks were prepared to accommodate a wide range of levels and abilities. The more able were constantly encouraged to reach their individual targets and to move to higher, challenging work. This sometimes consisted of explaining the thinking process they had used to reach the correct answer. The lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs receive challenging work. This was seen in a Year 1 lesson where, because of the nature of the exercise, the lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs progressed well. Pupils were introduced to double numbers and by the end of the lesson were

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Teaching is a strength of the school. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is

beginning to understand about tens and units. Another strength of the teaching is the way teachers seek to encourage pupils to develop the skills needed for them to become independent learners. This is an improvement on a weakness pointed out in the last inspection. For example, in many lessons, there are sections built into the planning where pupils are given independent or group work with the minimum of guidance. This means that they have exercises where they have to work out their own approach. Almost all pupils in all years are encouraged to work on individual projects, which are often completed for homework. Also, as most pupils have good reading skills, this enables them to carry out individual work and research using books and documents. The use of computers and CD-ROMS to carry out individual research work to help learning across a range of subjects is, however, limited as there is a shortage of appropriate software and computers in the classroom. The school is,

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Teaching is a strength of the school. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is

however, aware of this weakness and is planning to support this area as funds become available.

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Teaching is a strength of the school. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is

6. Teachers use assessment information effectively to plan future work, as seen to very good effect in a literacy lesson for pupils in Year 6. The teacher changed part of her original planning for the lesson in the light of her assessments of pupils’ successes in the previous lesson. This demonstrated a very good understanding and knowledge of her pupils and their needs. The individual targets that pupils have in reading and mathematics are constantly reviewed by the teacher and the pupils and this also gives all pupils a very good understanding of their own abilities. End of topic assessments in science provides the teachers with a clear picture of pupils’ progress. Some good examples of marking were seen in pupils’ books. The supportive comments written by the teacher clearly indicated to the pupils what had to be done to improve their work. The school uses records of assessment particularly well in the reception class to plan work to lead to the Early Learning Goals. As a

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Teaching is a strength of the school. All the teaching is good or better and 59 per cent is

result of the good provision and teaching, children make good progress, especially in their personal and social development. This provision for children in the Foundation Stage shows a considerable improvement since the last inspection.

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moral, social and cultural development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships and their

7. The school’s overall provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Particular strengths are to be found in the provision for pupils’ moral development, which is excellent. Pupils are taught the difference between right and wrong and to respect the views, feeling and beliefs of others. The school encourages high self-esteem as well as self-respect and discipline. Staff provide a very strong moral code. They give clear guidelines for acceptable behaviour. A sense of fair play is fostered effectively in the playground. The school rules, written and agreed by pupils, are well understood and consistently applied. The school provides very well for pupils’ personal development. All pupils are given responsibility and, in particular, the older pupils take care of the younger ones in several different ways. For example, they read stories to them on occasions and look after them during wet playtimes.

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moral, social and cultural development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships and their

The school also places a great deal of emphasis on pupils as individuals and encourages the development of personal skills. For example, pupils are given opportunities to speak to groups of pupils in lessons. This was seen in a Year 6 literacy lesson where pupils were asked to explain their original ideas in their story writing in connection with “The Haunted Perryfields Primary School- 12 House”. Many pupils were able to create an atmosphere by their very good use of language and expression. They could speak with confidence and without embarrassment.

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moral, social and cultural development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships and their

8. The caring ethos of the school, together with this provision for personal development and the spiritual, moral, social and cultural emphasis, has resulted in very good behaviour by almost all pupils. This also has a very positive impact on the learning. Pupils respect each other’s contributions to a lesson. They listen quietly to each other and do not shout or speak to make themselves heard above other pupils. They can be quite noisy at times when they are involved in individual or group investigations but this is mainly because of their enthusiasm. They are in fact often encouraged to work together or share their ideas verbally with others. It is a measure of their personal control that there is almost instant silence in class when this is required. The headteacher and staff have also encouraged very good relationships in the school. During the inspection, pupils were seen to be polite and helpful to each other. They

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moral, social and cultural development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships and their

wait and hold doors open to let others through before themselves. They share resources during lessons and work very well together, giving mutual support and help.

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The school’s partnership with its parents is a strength. It has ensured that the contribution

of parents to children’s learning at school and at home is very good.

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The school’s partnership with its parents is a strength. It has ensured that the contribution

9. The school has very good links with the parents and their support is a strength of the school. In the high response to the parents’ questionnaires, the parents indicated that they appreciate the school and are very pleased with the progress made by their children. The parents are kept well informed of their children’s progress through good annual reports and three parents’ evenings. The governors’ annual report to parents meets statutory requirements. The parents are kept informed about school events through the attractive regular newsletter and correspondence. The school prospectus is an attractive and informative document. There is a home/school agreement linked to homework and parents support their children’s reading and homework very well. There is an active parents’ association. The chair of the Friends of the School is very proud to be associated with the school. The association raises a great deal

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The school’s partnership with its parents is a strength. It has ensured that the contribution

of money to help the school. For example, they helped to raise £2500 at the summer fair. They have contributed to the cost of computers and helped to decorate the new computer suite. A number of parents, grandparents, friends and relatives help regularly in the school and on educational visits. One excellent feature is the support given each morning for pupils with special educational needs. A number of adults work with children to help them, often in a one to one basis, with reading, writing and mathematics. This results in good progress for those pupils and is deeply appreciated by the school. Many parents also help with after- school activities, such as cross-country and football. The school works consistently hard to improve its relationship with parents and has recently carried out its own survey of parents’ views through an extensive questionnaire. It has implemented many of the suggestions that

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The school’s partnership with its parents is a strength. It has ensured that the contribution

came from this survey. For example, the improved arrangements for homework.

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school

10. The headteacher is a very effective leader of the school. He has developed a strong sense of purpose amongst the staff in the period since the last inspection. The headteacher encourages all staff to feel part of a team, involved in moving the school forward with a clear educational direction. There is now an excellent shared commitment to strive for constant improvement. The headteacher works very closely with his deputy headteacher and senior management team. This is a very effective partnership. He is also very effective in enabling all staff to lead in various areas. For example, all subject co-ordinators are given every encouragement to be active leaders in their subject. All core subject co-ordinators monitor the teaching, learning, planning, curriculum and pupils’ work on a regular basis. This is very effective in ensuring good coverage of all aspects of the curriculum. Co-ordinators of core

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subjects are given time to observe and work with other teachers. Co-ordinators of non-core subjects are also given these opportunities as their particular subject is a focus for development. The work of the subject co-ordinators is a strength of the school. They prepare an audit statement for all core-subjects, there are several action plans for all subjects and a subject profile of pupils’ work is maintained for each subject. In addition, the headteacher Perryfields Primary School- 13 monitors and supports the co-ordinators by identifying the strengths of the subject and suggesting areas for further development.

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school

11. The headteacher also monitors the quality of the teaching and gives verbal and written feedback. All this monitoring of the curriculum and the teaching has been very effective. It has resulted in the raising of educational standards and an improvement in the quality of the teaching.

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school

12. The governing body gives sound leadership and provides very good support. The chair of the governing body is totally committed to the school and regularly engaged in professional dialogue with the headteacher. He is also the chair of the finance committee. He keeps a close check on all spending and is fully aware of the effectiveness of present and previous spending. For example, he is aware that extra spending on part-time teachers has had a major influence on the quality of education provided. These teachers not only help to reduce class sizes on occasions but also allow other teachers who are subject co-ordinators, to have curriculum time to monitor the teaching and the curriculum effectively. He is also aware that spending on computers and the creating of the computer suite has raised standards in information and communication technology. Members of the governing body have been appointed to support literacy, numeracy and special educational needs. These appointments

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13. The leadership has developed an excellent ethos in the school. This is exemplified by the very good attitudes to work, the very good relationships and the commitment by all to raise standards further. There is a commitment to equal opportunities for all. Very careful financial planning effectively supports educational development and priorities. The school wisely uses the money at its disposal and the headteacher, school secretary and chair of the governors finance committee are aware of the need to get the best value for its pupils. For example, the school’s finances are in very good order. For the first time for a number of years there is a healthy surplus and sufficient reserves are in place to deal with the identified priorities, which include a maintenance of the very valuable part-time teachers and improvements to school buildings. The management systems now in place, including the very effective leadership by

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the headteacher, deputy headteacher, dedicated team of teachers, support staff and governors have ensured a number of important improvements since the last inspection. The school has now a very good capacity to develop further improvements.

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

further development of staff expertise in information and communication technology.

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

14. The school’s resources for teaching information and communication technology have improved considerably in the last few years. The school has an excellent computer suite, which is used very effectively to raise the level of basic computer skills. There are some areas of the curriculum for information and communication technology that are taught particularly well leading to sound and sometimes good standards. For example, most pupils in Year 6 can produce text showing an awareness of the suitability of fonts, size and styles and they can incorporate clipart into their work. Standards in this aspect are often above the national expectation for their ages. However, the use of information and communication technology to support learning across a range of subjects is limited. The computer has not yet become a natural everyday tool for learning for the majority of pupils. The school is also short

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

of appropriate software, for example, to support research work in subjects like science, history and geography. The software to support learning in the teaching of mathematics is also limited. The school is well aware of these weaknesses and has outlined the action it is due to take on the school development plan. The school is hoping to install computers with CD- ROMS in each classroom, together with appropriate software, when the money becomes available. Perryfields Primary School- 14 15. Staff expertise in using computers and their knowledge of teaching information and communication technology has improved considerably over the last year. For example, courses have been run in school with the help of the local education authority. These have concentrated on using the computer to develop basic computer skills for pupils. In addition, a number of teachers have been on courses at the local teachers’ centre. However, there is still

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

a need to deepen teachers’ knowledge in all aspects of information and communication technology. The school has planned courses for the near future to help staff develop the use of computers to support learning across a range of subjects.

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

The overall leadership and co-ordination and the curriculum for music.

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

16. It was not possible during the inspection to make any judgement about the standards attained in music. The headteacher has a concern about the leadership and co-ordinator in music. It has not been possible to appoint a co-ordinator for music and consequently there is a lack of leadership and guidance. The quality of teaching is, however, considered by the headteacher to be at least satisfactory and all available evidence suggests that there is broad coverage of the national curriculum in music. Singing is lively and enthusiastic, the school mounts school productions with a sound music content and a number of children are learning to play musical instruments. However, there are a number of weaknesses. For example, there is no whole- school policy for music and this results in a lack of clarity about the main aims and objectives of the subject. Although the school has a sound range of musical instruments, these are not

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

fully utilised within class lessons and there are an insufficient number of keyboards for effective teaching in this area. Teachers usually plan lessons well but the area for creating and developing musical ideas and composing music is underdeveloped. The school is well aware of these weaknesses and has indicated in the school development plan its future proposals to improve music provision.

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

The school’s policy for Heath and Safety and the procedures for Child Protection.

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

17. Although most school policies are of good quality, there are two areas where the policies are in need of further development or revision. The school’s arrangements for child protection are broadly sound and work well in a day to day basis. However, the guidance is limited and does not give sufficient guidance to teachers and non-teaching staff, regarding the signs and symptoms to be aware of. Also, teachers do not have detailed guidance about the action needed if they have any concerns.

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

18. The policy for Health and Safety also is in need of updating, with particular reference to whole-school risk assessments. The school also needs to be more active in identifying possible areas of risk around the school, for example, constantly checking for trailing flexes or regularly monitoring the school site for security. The present policy does not give a clear guidance on assessing any risk on a regular basis, neither does it give detailed plans and examples on identifying any action to take.

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

The arrangements in the summer term for the induction of four year-olds into the school.

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The use of computers to support learning across a greater range of subjects and the

19. The provision for children under five in the foundation class is good and a considerable improvement since the last inspection. However, the arrangements for the induction of new pupils to the school are inadequate. At present, children attend for one day only in the summer before the term that they start school. There are not enough opportunities available to ensure a smooth transition process from home to the school or from the variety of playgroups and nurseries. Although there is good liaison with the playgroup, which meets in the school, there is only limited contact with other playgroups in the area and with the nursery schools that the children sometimes attend. Perryfields Primary School- 15

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

To maintain the quality of education and promote further development, the governing body, headteacher and the staff should address the following issues:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) Continue to improve the provision for information and communication technology by:-  Devising strategies and providing more opportunities for computers to be used to support learning across a wide range of subjects  Developing teachers’ knowledge, understanding and confidence in the use of computers.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

These are indicated in paragraphs…4, 5, 14, 15…

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) Improve the provision for pupils’ musical education by developing the co-ordination of the subject across the school.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3) Further improve the provision for child protection and the health and safety of pupils by revising and updating the policies and procedures.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

These are indicated in paragraphs 17, 18…….

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4) Devise strategies to improve the induction programme in the summer term for very young children entering the school to provide a smoother and more gradual introduction to the school.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

These are indicated in paragraph…19…… Perryfields Primary School- 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 17 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 24

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 12 47 41 0 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 232 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 24

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 37

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 1 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 3.95 School data 0.02 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Perryfields Primary School- 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 19 15 34

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 18 18 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 14 14

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 97(89) 94(94) 91(97) at NC level 2 or above National 86(82) 88(86) 93(87)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 16 17 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 14 14

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 91 (91) 91(83) 94(97) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 92 (87) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. NA – Not available at the time of the inspection.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 11 23 34

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 10(12) 11(15) 11(17) Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 21(12) 18(10) 21(12)

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 91 (73) 85 (76) 94 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 78 (70) 75 (69) 89 (78) Perryfields Primary School- 18

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 10(12) 11(15) 11(16) Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 19(11) 18(8) 20(12)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 85(70) 85(70) 91(85) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 12 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 7 Black – other 0 0 Indian 15 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 162 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 3 Other minority ethnic groups 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. Perryfields Primary School- 19

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR– YR 6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.8 Financial year 1999/200

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR– YR 6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.6

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR– YR 6

Average class size 33.1 £ Total income 464,459

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR– YR 6

Education support staff: YR – YR6 Total expenditure 427,557

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR– YR 6

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1,767

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR– YR 6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 62 Balance brought forward from previous year 17,991

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR– YR 6

Balance carried forward to next year 36,902

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR– YR 6

FTE means full-time equivalent. Perryfields Primary School- 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 48 45 1 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 46 52 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 34 48 7 2 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 36 49 10 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 32 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 71 28 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 56 36 6 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 64 33 1 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 41 2 1 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 26 49 13 3 9

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