Sir John Moore Church of England Primary School

AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs Barbara E Parker

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AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 th – 16 th November 2000

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AIDED 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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AIDED 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. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Top Street Appleby Magna Swadlincote Derbyshire Postcode: DE12 7AH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Stella Kent

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 rd March 1998 Sir John Moore Church of England Aided 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

Registered inspector The provision for children under five English Art and design Design and technology Music What sort of school it is and what it should do to improve further The school’s results and achievements How well the pupils are taught How well the school is led and managed

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well the school cares for its pupils How well the school works in partnership with parents Mr Chris Bolton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team inspector Mathematics Science Information and Communication Technology Geography History Physical education How good the curricular and other opportunities offered to the pupils are The effectiveness of assessment Special educational needs Equal opportunities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Schoolhaus Suite 17, BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Walesby Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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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 Sir John Moore Church of England Aided 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? 10

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 24

Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Sir John Moore is a small Church of England primary school for boys and girls four to 11 years old. The building is over 300 years old and is of great historical interest and educational value to pupils. The school has 100 full- time pupils. The pupils’ attainment on entry is typical of that found nationally; the entrance assessment tests show that most pupils are likely to reach the expected level by the age of seven, but very few pupils are predicted to attain the higher level. Seventeen per cent of the pupils have special educational needs, a figure lower than the national average. An above average percentage - three per cent - have Statements of Special Educational Need. All of the pupils come from white, English speaking families. Only one per cent is eligible for free school meals - well below the national average - and many come from socially advantaged homes.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school because very effective teaching and good learning lead to high standards in English, mathematics and science by age 11. Learning opportunities are wide and varied, work is challenging, and pupils enjoy their lessons. The head teacher is an exceptional leader and, since his appointment just before the last inspection, has brought about much improvement. Staff and governors have the desire to make the school even better and because of this, the school is well placed to address its priorities for development and improve further. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • By age 11, pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science and standards are high. • Teaching and learning are good for all pupils in the infant and junior classes. • Literacy and numeracy skills are taught effectively and promoted well through other subjects. • Pupils know how to behave and are enthusiastic about learning. Relationships are very good. • The curriculum is wide and varied. Provision for spiritual development is very good. • Assessment and test results are used well to plan and adapt work. • The school is well led and managed.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The teaching and learning for children in the reception year are unsatisfactory. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school has identified the above weakness as a priority area for development in its school development plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement since its last inspection in March 1998. Standards at age 11 are much higher than they were and the leadership and management of the school are much improved. Management responsibilities have been redistributed to free up some of the head teacher’s time and to make full use of the expertise of the deputy - the lack of time available to the headteacher was a serious weakness that has been successfully dealt with. The good quality teaching seen at the last inspection has been maintained. All of the key issues have been addressed and most of the minor weaknesses have been dealt with. Because of the school’s focus over the last two years on improving the serious and numerous other major and minor weaknesses identified in the last inspection report, the provision for the youngest children has received insufficient focus until recently and has not improved enough. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 7

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Pupils of all abilities achieve well and standards are much higher than could be reasonably expected by the time the pupils leave the school, given their broadly average attainment on entry and by the end of the reception year. The 2000 test results for 11 year olds were very high in English and were in the highest five per cent nationally. They were well above average in mathematics and science. The standards of work seen at the end of the juniors broadly reflect the test results. The school did exceptionally well in comparison with similar schools and with those with similar results to theirs at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1996.

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STANDARDS

The test results for seven year olds show similarly high standards and good achievement in reading and mathematics. However, results in writing are not as good by comparison, and children do not achieve as well as they could by the end of the Foundation Stage. By the end of Year 2, standards in the work seen in reading, mathematics, and science are above average. Standards in writing are as expected and pupils at Sir John Moore attain broadly the same as pupils in other schools.

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STANDARDS

Standards at the age of seven have been maintained over time and have improved by the age of 11. Results in the tests for 11 year olds have risen year on year at a greater rate than results nationally. Targets are realistic and are usually met or exceeded.

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STANDARDS

Pupils are particularly good at reading. As they grow older, they show an increasing interest in books and good knowledge of different authors and their styles. Their writing develops in inventiveness and they choose words well for effect. They are particularly good at mental calculation in mathematics and investigative work in science. Standards in information and communication technology are above those expected by the end of Year 2 and in music by the end of Years 2 and 6.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils concentrate well and work hard.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils behave well in and out of lessons and co-operate with others.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships These are very good. Pupils are polite and courteous towards others and often take the initiative.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Good. Lessons start on time and pupils arrive at school promptly.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils are eager to come to school. They become absorbed in their activities and work productively, which is reflected in their good achievement and high standards. They work constructively on their own and co- operatively in small groups. The older pupils in the junior classes, in particular, show a mature understanding of each other and their different viewpoints. Attendance is above the national average and punctuality is good. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 8

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Good teaching in English, mathematics, science and music in the infant and junior classes leads to effective learning and high standards. Teaching was satisfactory or better in 92 per cent of the lessons seen. It was very good in eight per cent, excellent in 12 per cent, and unsatisfactory in eight per cent. There is a climate of high expectations in the upper infant and junior classes in particular and especially in Year 6. Learning in literacy and numeracy is enhanced through work in other subjects. Very good teaching of basic literacy and numeracy skills leads to pupils wanting to work hard and consequently achieving good results. Computers and other technology equipment such as tape recorders and the digital cameras are used well in all subjects. Teachers throughout the school talk with the pupils about what they want them to learn and because of this, pupils are aware of what they are doing and why and consequently, strive to do even better. Teachers use vocabularies

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

appropriate to each subject exceptionally well and because of this, pupils explain what they are doing clearly and accurately. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they impart to pupils well. Support for pupils of all abilities is good and all pupils learn well as a result.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

All of the unsatisfactory teaching was in the Foundation Stage. There is weak control at times, particularly in physical education lessons, and teaching does not take sufficient account of children’s previous learning. Because of this, work does not always match children’s abilities, and the demands made are too low for some and too high for others. This in turn reduces learning and slows progress. The early stages of writing are not taught appropriately and skills are not built systematically. Therefore, standards in this area of learning are not as high as they could be by the time the children start Year 1.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good for pupils age six to 11; the range is rich and varied and appropriate for pupils of all abilities. Children in reception are sometimes taught simplified Year 1 work.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good in the infants and juniors. These pupils are supported well in lessons and withdrawal sessions and make good progress. Unsatisfactory provision in reception.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. The provision for spiritual development is very good because it is embedded in all that the school does.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Teachers assess their pupils effectively and use the information to challenge pupils of all abilities.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The curriculum is stimulating and well structured and contributes to high standards. It offers a wealth of additional opportunities including sporting activities, instrumental tuition, and residential visits. The promotion of pupils’ own cultural heritage is very good but not enough is done to promote pupils’ awareness of the diversity of cultures in Britain. Teachers know their pupils and care for them well. The school works well with parents. Parents are happy with what the school provides and the standards their children achieve. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 9

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff This is very good. The head teacher is an exceptional leader and the deputy supports the work of the school well. Subject leadership is very effective.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. They always make decisions in the best interest of the pupils and have done well to secure major refurbishment to the school building.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The head teacher and subject managers have a very clear idea about what needs improving and how to do it.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. There are effective procedures in place for ensuring that the school gets the best value for money possible.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management are good overall and contribute very effectively to good achievement and high standards. Subject co-ordinators manage their subjects well and have successfully maintained a high profile for non-core subjects. The governing body’s role is developing in influencing and shaping the direction of the school but is, as yet, limited. Staffing and learning resources are adequate. The accommodation is unsatisfactory but is being refurbished and re-organised in order to meet the demands of the curriculum more effectively for pupils of all ages.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The school is well led and the teaching is good. • Children like coming to school and make good progress. • The way the school expects children to behave well and work hard, and helps them to become mature and responsible. • The approachability of the staff and the range of activities they provide in and out of lessons. • Greater consistency in the setting of homework between classes. • More information about how well their children are doing in the annual progress reports. • The way the school works with parents.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with all of the things that please parents the most and broadly supports the comments about improvement. Homework, although very effective in the older junior class, is inconsistent throughout the school. Although the annual progress reports contain reasonable information about pupils’ progress in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, they are again inconsistent, and do not always contain sufficient information about pupils’ achievements in the other subjects. The school provides good opportunities for parents to meet teachers and encourages parents to become involved in the life of the school, but does not hold curriculum information evenings to inform parents about what is happening in school and how the different subjects are taught. The school acknowledges and agrees with all of the parents’ concerns and intends to deal with each of the issues raised as a matter of urgency.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Pupils achieve well at Sir John Moore Primary School. On entry, the school’s assessments show that most pupils attain levels typical of those found nationally, with very few expected to reach the higher level by the age of seven. By the time the pupils leave at age 11, however, standards are high in English, mathematics, and science, and are above average in music.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The 2000 test results for 11 year olds indicate very high standards in English and well above average standards in mathematics and science. Pupils of all abilities did well last year. The higher attaining pupils did particularly well in all three subjects. Half of the pupils in Year 6 attained the higher level in writing and nearly nine out of every ten pupils reached it in reading. No pupils attained below the expected level in reading or science, indicating good achievement also for the least able pupils and those with special educational needs. In comparison with similar schools, pupils at Sir John Moore did exceptionally well in English and very well in mathematics and science by the time they left the school at the end of Year 6. They did exceptionally well in English, very well in science, and well in mathematics when compared with those schools that achieved similar results at the end of Key Stage 1 in

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Above average results in the national tests for seven year olds have been maintained over time in reading and mathematics; they were well above average in reading and very high in mathematics. In writing, however, results were broadly average in national terms and below those of similar schools. This is an area identified by the school for improvement.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Standards have been maintained in Key Stage 1 and have improved over time in Key Stage 2. Results in the national tests for 11 year olds have risen at a greater rate, in all three subjects, than nationally. This is because the school strives for excellence. It sets - and usually exceeds - realistically challenging targets for the number of pupils reaching the expected level and above by the end of Year 6.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Both infant and junior pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets in their Individual Education Plans. This is because of the effective support they receive in lessons and withdrawal sessions. Additional literacy support sessions are particularly effective in helping those with difficulties to improve their writing skills. For example, in one lesson seen, teaching encouraged pupils to think of interesting words to add effect to their stories and the pupils made good progress.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Evidence from the inspection supports the view that standards are well above average in English by the time the pupils leave the school. Pupils achieve particularly well in the junior classes where the teaching is often good and sometimes very good or excellent, particularly in Year 6. Although reading standards are high by the time the pupils reach the age of seven, standards in writing are broadly average. This is because some pupils’ learning is slowed in the early stages. Although children aged four and five in the Foundation Stage achieve satisfactorily in all areas of learning, they do not do as well as they could in writing. This is because the teaching in the reception class does not build children’s learning systematically over time and sometimes children are asked to write too soon, whilst others are not given enough independence to write on their own. This means that there is a lot of ground to make

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The school’s results and achievements

up in Years 1 and 2 and although pupils achieve well in Year 2 in particular, not all of them manage to catch up in time. Nevertheless, most pupils, by the end of Year 2, organise their writing suitably for the purpose, such as for recipes and story telling. They construct sentences to say what is intended and develop ideas logically. The brighter pupils in Year 2 Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 11 use dictionaries to help them to spell unknown words, and put in speech marks appropriately. Pupils achieve well in the junior classes; they write with feeling and choose words very well for effect. Their handwriting is fluent and well presented. They plan, draft, revise, and edit their work and show inventiveness in their stories. They use punctuation well to make of sense to their writing, such as speech and exclamation marks.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Standards in mathematics and science are well above average by the time the pupils leave the school and pupils throughout the school achieve well in both subjects. Because of the effective implementation of mental arithmetic sessions at the start of the mathematics lessons, pupils are particularly good at using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve problems. They use mathematical terminology well when, for example, discussing reflective symmetry in Year 2 and parallel lines in Year 6. They understand the need for fair testing in science and pupils of all ages use their skills of prediction with increasing precision and correctness to formulate hypotheses.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Standards in art and design, design and technology, geography, history, and physical education are broadly as expected by the ages of seven and 11, and pupils achieve satisfactorily in these subjects. Standards are better in music in both key stages, and in information and communication technology by age seven. Pupils achieve well in music because of the specialist teaching and the high demands made on them. Standards in information and communication technology are improving due to new equipment and better provision, and many pupils in Year 2 are likely to achieve better than the expected level by the end of the year. These improvements, however, have not yet had time to impact on pupils’ achievement in the older junior classes, and pupils in Year 6 are unlikely to do better than expected by the end of this year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils' attitudes, behaviour, personal development and relationships with each other and adults are strengths of the school and make a positive contribution towards promoting high attainment and good progress. This conclusion reflects the widespread views of parents and shows an improvement in personal development since the previous inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Throughout the school, pupils' attitudes towards learning are good. Not only do the pupils enjoy their lessons, they also want to be involved in other activities around the school. Pupils in all year groups settle to work quickly and are eager to answer questions. During a Year 5/6 history lesson, for example, pupils were keen to contribute their ideas during the introductory session and this developed into animated discussion during their group work. Pupils of all ages and abilities concentrate well and show interest in what they are doing. They have the assurance to try to work out answers in front of their classmates, for example, during mental mathematics in numeracy lessons. Because of the relationships developed with adults and classmates during their short time in the school, reception pupils feel secure and confident. Pupils maintain their interest even when not being directly supported by adults in the classroom.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils behave well in the classroom, at play, and during lunch times. They are open, well mannered, polite to adults and each other, courteous, and welcoming to visitors. They move around the school in an orderly way. The very youngest wait patiently for their turn to go into school at the end of break times and walk calmly in line without needing to be supervised. Pupils of all ages show respect for property, for example when using the computers, and take care collecting and putting away instruments during music lessons. Nevertheless, in the reception/Year 1 class, in some lessons, pupils spent too long on the carpet and started to fidget and be inattentive. No bullying was seen during the inspection and the school has appropriate procedures if any aggressive behaviour were to take place. There have been no exclusions in the last school year. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 12

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Relationships between pupils, and pupils and adults, are very good and contribute to the quality of work achieved in lessons. Pupils get on well with each other when playing games at break and lunch times. In the classroom, the youngest children respect each other’s space when sitting close together on the carpet. Good co-operation was seen when pupils worked in pairs using computers during an information and communication technology lesson. Year 5/6 pupils worked together well in groups, developing dance sequences during a physical education lesson. These relationships extend across year groups as, for example, when Year 3 and 4 pupils from different classes came together for a geography lesson and worked in pairs considering the cause and effect of pollution.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The pupils' personal development is good. For example, in a history lesson, Year 5/6 pupils showed their ability to understand the feelings of others in their writing home as an evacuee during the Second World War. Year 1 pupils have the confidence to seek out equipment and resources - as seen when they were preparing for group work during a numeracy lesson. Pupils throughout the school have the freedom to use their initiative and have no need to ask permission to move around the classroom to obtain dictionaries and other reference books. They respond well to the many opportunities to take on responsibility. As well as different tasks within the classroom, the older pupils deliver and collect registers, help with assemblies, and support the younger pupils in the playground. Discussions with Year 6 pupils show that these pupils are confident talking to adults and are well on their way to becoming mature young people. The pupils also benefit from collecting for charities and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

meeting older people, broadening their knowledge of the world outside of school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance is good and makes a significant contribution to the achievement of the pupils. Absences are usually due to childhood illnesses. Nevertheless, many parents insist on taking their children on holiday in term time despite the efforts of the school to discourage them. Unauthorised absence is recorded as nil. This is incorrect and does not reflect the occasional holiday that lasts more than two weeks or instances where parents have difficulty bringing their children to school. Pupils are keen to come to school and punctuality is very good. Pupils are rarely late. Registration takes place promptly at the start of the day and lessons begin on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Teaching is good. It is particularly effective in English, mathematics, science and music, and leads to increased learning and high standards in English, mathematics and science and above average standards in music.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The teaching of basic literacy and numeracy skills is good in the infant classes (particularly in Year 2). It is very good in the juniors where there is a climate of high expectation, leading to pupils wanting to work and achieving good results. Teachers enthuse and urge their pupils to do well and pupils consequently take a pride in their work. They produce, for example, in Year 6, excellent pieces of writing, some of it written as homework, using language well and to very good effect. They are creative in their work and produce very good amounts in the time available. Teachers use language well to promote technical vocabulary and consequently pupils use words accurately when talking about their work and describing what they are learning. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they impart to the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Lessons are well organised and resources are used to good effect. For example, in one Year 2/3 lesson when pupils were exploring floating and sinking, resources were readily to hand and consequently the lesson ran smoothly. The structure of literacy and numeracy lessons is particularly effective, incorporating a good range of teacher explanation, practical activity, and evaluation of the work done. This holds the pupils’ interest well and increases the pace of their learning. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 13 18. Some teachers use humour well to make learning fun, such as in a Year 4/5 lesson about doubling and halving numbers and when lively, enthusiastic introductions in the same year group sustain pupils’ interest well. This results in very good relationships throughout the school between teachers and their pupils, which in turn results in mutual respect. This means that pupils listen to their teachers and trust them to know what is best. Particularly

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

effective is the way teachers share with their pupils what they want them to learn by the end of the lesson. This means that pupils have a good understanding of their own learning, and increases their motivation.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Learning is good in the infant and junior classes because teachers use every opportunity to promote it. There are very good planned links between subjects, and learning is improved in literacy and numeracy, in particular, through the work pupils do in other subjects. For example, pupils read about historical events, such as World War II, and write stories of evacuees in Year 6. They measure angles in design and technology when making weight- bearing structures in Years 4 and 5, and draw graphs of their scientific findings. Computers are used equally well. Pupils in Years 4 and 5 word-process their stories and newspaper accounts and in Years 2 and 3, they produce graphs about, for example, how they travel to school. Other technology equipment, such as the digital camera and tape recorders, supports learning well in, for example, science and music.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Assessment is used effectively by teachers and so they know what pupils can do and then adapt lessons and plan future ones. Questions from teachers probe pupils’ understanding because they are well focused and subject specific. This results in effective lesson planning and suitably challenging work to match the pupils’ abilities. It is used particularly well in the junior classes to adapt work for those pupils with special educational needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Throughout the school, teachers and support staff provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs. The quality of their Individual Education Plans is good and there is good liaison between teachers and support staff. This means that the adults working with these pupils know what individuals need to learn and how well they are expected to do. Teachers provide support assistants with prompts about what to ask and what pupils are expected to achieve. This is particularly good in Year 2 for all helpers, including parents. During both in-class and withdrawal sessions, the support staff demonstrate good ability in motivating the pupils to learn by urging them to try hard and achieve more.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teaching is unsatisfactory for children aged four and five in the reception class, where two of the four lessons seen had more weaknesses than strengths. Children sometimes behave inappropriately because the demands made on them to concentrate and listen are too low. Children’s learning is slowed because teaching does not take sufficient account of what children already know and teachers do not have a secure enough understanding about how young children learn through observation and exploration. The work is too often similar to the National Curriculum work of Year 1. It is often too formal and does not always match children’s abilities accurately. For example, whilst some of the brighter children are ready to work with numbers up to and beyond 10, the least able still need to explore smaller numbers up to five. Some children do not yet draw recognisable pictures and are not ready to write letters, words and sentences, whilst others are ready to start to write letters and words on

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

their own. In many of the lessons and much of the work seen, however, children are asked to do similar work and this slows their learning.

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PUPILS?

23. The quality and range of the school’s learning opportunities for promoting high achievement are good at Key Stage 1 and very good at Key Stage 2. The range of the curriculum is rich and varied and incorporates all of the subjects of the National Curriculum and many other learning experiences, including school clubs, musical tuition, and residential visits. It meets the needs of all pupils in the infants and juniors, including the higher attaining and those with Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 14 special educational needs. Curriculum provision for children under five, however, is unsatisfactory because it does not always meet the children’s different abilities and levels of maturity. Not enough regard is given to how young children learn through exploration and observation and too often these children are given a simplified Year 1 National Curriculum.

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PUPILS?

24. The curriculum meets statutory requirements for all subjects. It is well supported by schemes of work in English, mathematics, and science and these help to ensure pupils make good progress as they move through the school. The school is in the process of adapting schemes of work in other subjects to take account of the new National Curriculum. The strategies for improving literacy and numeracy in the light of national initiatives are good and have been implemented very effectively. The good planning for personal, social and health education, the awareness of the dangers of drug misuse, and sex education, helps ensure pupils’ personal development is promoted well.

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PUPILS?

25. The school’s provision for equality of access and opportunity is good. Good opportunities are provided for pupils with special educational needs to ensure that they have full access to the curriculum. These pupils are supported well in classrooms and have effective additional support during withdrawal sessions. Higher attaining pupils are challenged well in lessons through well-focused questions and activities that extend their thinking.

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PUPILS?

26. The school provides a very good range of popular sporting and cultural extra-curricular activities, which makes a significant contribution to pupils’ overall development. The school welcomes and makes effective use of a number of visitors, such as a multicultural dance group and a Shakespearean workshop, to extend pupils’ experiences and perceptions of life. Good use is made of resources within the community to provide a range of planned activities, which contribute positively to pupils’ learning. A good range of historical, geographical, and cultural visits takes place, such as to the New Walk Museum and Leicester Cathedral. These broaden pupils’ experience and bring relevance to the curriculum. The Internet has been used well recently to access current topics and to e-mail. The school is a member of a well-developed partnership of local schools, which work well together to support the curriculum. Productive links have been established with the local

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PUPILS?

secondary schools to which pupils transfer at the age of 11. Sound contacts exist with local businesses, which help fund initiatives within the school.

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PUPILS?

27. The good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has been maintained since the last inspection. The school has significantly improved the provision for spiritual development, which was satisfactory in the last report. It is now very good and is promoted very successfully in assemblies and through the care and concern shown towards pupils by staff. For example, music by Chabrier played in assembly was listened to quietly by the pupils and this music, echoing around the great historical school hall, helped to create a sense of awe and reverence. Across the curriculum, particularly in English, art, music, and history, pupils have opportunities to explore their ideas and feelings.

p.14

PUPILS?

28. Pupils’ moral development is good. Pupils of all ages respect and value their own achievements and those of others, and act considerately towards each other, their teachers and visitors. Pupils are aware of the high standards of behaviour expected of them and have a clear sense of what is right and wrong. Such issues are specifically planned for in the personal and social education programme. Pupils’ concern for those less fortunate than themselves is achieved through several subjects. For example, in history, in their study of World War Two, pupils develop empathy with evacuees and make comparisons with their own lives.

p.14

PUPILS?

29. The school makes good provision for social education. There is a strong sense of community within the school. Adults work together well and provide good role models on which pupils can base their own relationships with others. There are many good examples of pupils in lessons working with each other in pairs and groups. Pupils are given a range of responsibilities as helpers and take a pride in the tasks they complete. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 15 30. Cultural development is good overall. Pupils increase their knowledge and understanding of their own culture through art, literature and music, visits to museums and Leicester Cathedral, and through studying the historical background of their own school. The promotion of pupils’ own cultural heritage is very good. There are some worthwhile opportunities to study other cultures, for example, in their study of India and working with

p.14

PUPILS?

Indian dance and music groups. However, there are insufficient planned opportunities for pupils to develop their awareness of the richness and diversity of the different cultures represented in British society.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. Staff show appropriate concern for the needs of the pupils and provide good role models to encourage their development. Parents are pleased with the level of support in the school, seeing it as a caring community where staff are approachable if there are any problems.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. There are effective procedures in place for child protection and for ensuring the welfare of pupils; the school follows locally agreed procedures satisfactorily. All staff, including lunchtime supervisors, receive guidance on how to deal with any situations that may arise and know who in the school to report to if necessary. The provision for first aid is satisfactory; there is member of staff who is fully trained in first aid. Necessary records are kept of treatment and the school sends home letters informing parents if their children have bumped their heads. Health and safety procedures are satisfactory. The teachers ensure that pupils are made aware of health and safety issues during lessons such as science, physical education, and design and technology.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. The procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic progress and personal development make a satisfactory contribution to raising pupils’ achievement. Good use is made of assessment information to guide the planning of the curriculum. There have been significant improvements in assessment since the last inspection and a clear and effective policy is in place. Teachers know their pupils well and because of this, challenge pupils of all abilities. This is reflected in the good progress of pupils with special educational needs and the high standards by the ages of seven and 11. Very good use is made of school and national tests in the core subjects of English, mathematics, and science to identify pupils for additional support and extra challenge, and to inform teachers’ planning. Records of pupils’ progress in the core subjects are well detailed and give sufficient information to guide teaching. The recording of pupils’ achievements in other subjects is variable and the school has recently

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

developed a more consistent approach that identifies key skills learnt in these areas. Pupils with special educational needs are identified at an early stage and receive good support, well matched to their needs. Older pupils engage in self-assessment and write their own progress reports. This gives them a better understanding of the progress they are making and encourages them to strive for further improvement. Annual reports to parents are satisfactory. They are clear and helpful in English, mathematics, and science, but less so in other subjects.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The monitoring of pupils' personal development is less structured than that of their academic progress, but the teaching and support staff have a good understanding of the needs of the pupils and discuss them informally. Staff work hard to improve the pupils’ social awareness and their emotional well being. Pupils’ personal qualities are enhanced by the various tasks they have to do around the school and the opportunities to undertake responsibility. The residential trip for the older pupils makes a significant contribution to their ability to work as a team. The school encourages pupils to recognise the value of hard work, good behaviour, and showing care, supported well through the awarding of certificates.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The procedures for monitoring and promoting behaviour are good. The school developed its behaviour policy with parents and has sent a copy to all parents. Teachers ensure that pupils understand what is expected of them and the head teacher discusses any whole- school behaviour issues with pupils during assembly. Any poor behaviour is recorded in a Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 16 behaviour book, but there are few entries. The inspectors saw many examples in lessons of teachers ensuring that pupils did not talk when someone else was talking. The staff adopt a consistent approach throughout the school. Though the parents could not recall any instances of bullying or racism, the school takes appropriate action if any occur. Any pupils who show sustained difficulty with behaviour are monitored well through the special educational need support system.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. The pupils are keen to come to school and the good relationships the school has with parents result in little absence. The school reminds parents of the need to avoid holidays in school time. Nevertheless, a number still insist on taking their children out of school for up to two weeks (and occasionally longer) in term time and some of this unauthorised absence is not recorded as it should be. Registration takes place promptly. Good records are kept and are checked each year by the local authority’s education welfare officer.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. Parents are very pleased with what the school does. This is supported in the parents’ responses to the questionnaire and at meetings with the inspectors. Their comments are similar to those made at the time of the previous inspection. Some doubts were expressed about the amount of work pupils are given to do at home. Evidence from the inspection shows that homework is set inconsistently from class to class, except in Years 5 and 6 where it contributes very effectively to pupils’ learning. The school acknowledges that this is a weakness and is planning to review its approach. A few parents feel they are not well informed about the progress that their children make, although the great majority of them are satisfied with the amount of curricular and other information that the school provides. The inspectors support the latter. Reports, however, although adequate, are inconsistent, and sometimes do not contain enough information about how well pupils are doing in the non-

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

core subjects. A few parents also feel the school does not work closely with them, though evidence shows that the school provides good opportunities for parents to meet teachers and that the school encourages parents to become involved in their children’s learning.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. The school has established satisfactory links with the parents and contacts between home and school are effective. The head teacher sends newsletters home every week or so outlining the various activities that the pupils are involved in, as well as providing general administrative information. He also provides details of the school’s approach to behaviour and homework. The school provides an excellent outline of what is to be taught in each subject in each class during the coming term. However, no meetings have been held in recent years to discuss the teaching of the different subjects and parents are consequently unsure about the school’s approach to the teaching of some of them. The prospectus and brochure on starting school are attractively produced and provide extensive guidance on how parents can help their children at home. The school reminds parents that the teachers are very willing to meet with them at any time and several relaxed conversations took place

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

during the inspection, both before and after school. The parents were involved in devising policies on behaviour and homework and the home-school agreement. Formal meetings between parents and teachers take place in the autumn and summer terms for parents to find out how their children are doing. The school is considering introducing a spring term meeting. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are appropriately involved in the setting and review of their children’s Individual Education Plans.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. Parents’ involvement with the school makes a good contribution to its work and to the attainment of the pupils. New parents receive extensive information on how they can support their children. Reading books go home every day and many of the reading records include useful comments from parents; a particularly good example of dialogue between parents and teacher was seen in Year 2. Discussion with pupils showed that their parents actively encourage and help them at home. The ‘Friends of Sir John Moore School’ association is Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 17 very supportive, arranging both fund-raising and social events for the benefit of the pupils. During the inspection, a fund-raising tea organised by the association provided a pleasant opportunity for parents, pupils, and staff to mingle informally. They also work to enhance the site and have, for example, installed climbing equipment next to the playground. Every class

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

has parents helping on a regular basis and many more help on trips out.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40. The leadership and management of the head teacher, deputy and other staff with management responsibility are good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The head teacher has a very clear knowledge and understanding of what is happening in school and why. He knows how to improve things and takes action to do it. This is reflected in good quality teaching in the infant and junior classes and pupils’ high standards by the age of 11. He and the staff recognise that the provision for four and five year olds in the mixed reception/Year 1 class is an area needing improvement and are taking action, through their development plan, to improve teaching and learning for these children. They employ an early years’ consultant to advise and support the teaching and this is already starting to increase teachers’ knowledge about how young children learn. There is some way to go yet, though the school is working hard to deal with this weakness.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. Subject management is good and contributes to effective teaching and learning and high standards in English, mathematics and science. The role of the subject co-ordinators has improved since the last inspection as they are now fully involved in finding out about what is happening in their subjects and influencing improvement. Because this is a small school, the staff work very closely together through in-depth discussions about teaching and learning across all subjects. This means that other subjects have not been neglected at the cost of raising standards in English, mathematics, and science. They have maintained their importance within the curriculum and are used very effectively to promote learning in literacy and numeracy in particular.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. The governing body fulfils its statutory duties satisfactorily. Much of the governors’ recent time and energies have been taken up dealing with finalising the plans for the major refurbishment of the building. Governors have thought carefully about this; particularly about what they are doing and why. For example, their decision to keep the school in its present building was made only after much thought and great debate, and, most importantly, in the best interests of the pupils. Because most their time has been spent on this matter, however, their influence in improving teaching and learning has been limited. For example, although they look at test results, they are not fully involved in analysing and evaluating them and identifying areas for improvement, relying on the head teacher and senior managers to do this. As at the time of the last inspection, their role is developing, and although there has

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

been some improvement over time, it is not enough and they have only a limited influence in shaping the direction of the school.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. Although much of the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning is informal, it is nevertheless effective. There has been a good start made in making it more structured and rigorous in order for it to be even more effective. The head teacher, however, uses the information gained well to bring about improvement. For example, writing has been identified as an area for further development, particularly in the early years and some effective strategies have been, and are being, implemented to deal with it.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. The school makes effective use of its money. It uses grants and additional funding well to deal with weaknesses, such as the teaching and learning in the reception class, and to improve pupils’ learning and achievement throughout the school. Developments identified in the school development plan are supported through good financial management. The governing body seeks the best value for money through effective tendering processes and by looking for ‘bargains’ without sacrificing quality. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 18 45. Staffing and learning resources are adequate to meet the demands of the National Curriculum. Improvements have been made since the time of the last inspection in the provision for staff development. None of the staff are trained, however, in the teaching of children under five and consequently, the provision for these few children is inadequate,

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

although this is being addressed through in-service support and training.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. Pupils benefit immensely from the historical richness of the school building and many of their studies stem from it. The building is, however, in need of improvement and is currently unsatisfactory to meet the demands of the curriculum fully. There is no separate office for the head teacher and staff, and classrooms are small and cramped, making practical work difficult. Physical education lessons in the hall are made difficult because of the continuous stream of people passing through. As at the time of the last inspection, there is no outdoor learning area for reception children and no wheeled toys for them to push and pull. Consequently, there is little opportunity, other than during their physical education lessons in the hall with the Year 1 pupils and playtime with the rest of the pupils, for these young children to run, climb, and take part in boisterous activity or other outdoor learning

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

experiences. The cramped conditions in the classroom mean that role-play areas are inadequate for imaginative play. Although other learning experiences are provided, such as in the sand and water, these are not always available, due again to the limited space. The worktops are always covered with equipment and apparatus and this means that there are no interesting objects put out for children to look at, touch, and explore. Funding has been secured, however, and a programme of refurbishment is to begin later this year. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 19

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

47. The headteacher and governing body should:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the teaching and learning of the children in the reception year by:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• increasing the teachers’ knowledge about how young children learn so that the curriculum is more relevant for these young children and matches their maturity level and learning capabilities more suitably; • improving the teaching of the early stages of writing so that the least able children are not asked to write too soon and the more able learn at a satisfactory rate and achieve better; • ensuring teaching takes sufficient account of what individual children already know in order that the work they are given makes suitable demands on them and children pay better attention; • improving the provision for outdoor learning and physical development. (Paragraphs 6, 22, 23, 45, 46, 48, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58)

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the weakness above, the governing body should consider the following less important issues for inclusion in their action plan:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Improve pupils’ awareness of the other cultures represented in British society (paragraph 30). 2. Increase the governors’ influence in shaping and influencing the direction of the school (paragraph 42). 3. Improve the consistency of the pupils’ annual progress reports and ensure that they contain sufficient information about all subjects of the National Curriculum (paragraph 37). 4. Ensure greater consistency in the setting of homework (paragraph 37). 5. Inform parents more effectively about how the different subjects are taught (paragraph 38). Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 20

p.19

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 100

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 1

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 17

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.20

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.20

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 21

p.20

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 8 3 11

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 7 7 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 3 3 3

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (100) 91 (94) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 7 7 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 3 3 3

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 (100) 91 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 9 7 16

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 8 8 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 7 7 7

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 94 (100) 94 (81) 100 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 7 7 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 7 7 7

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 88 (88) 88 (88) 94 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 22

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.5 Financial year 1999/2000

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.6

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 206839

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 1989

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 55 Balance brought forward from previous year 15947

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 13192

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/a

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/a

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/a

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/a

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 23

p.22

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 47 44 3 0 6

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 47 0 0 12

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 35 35 0 0

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 38 41 18 3 0

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 56 38 6 0 0

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 44 44 6 0 6

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 35 44 21 0 0

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 41 44 9 0 6

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 50 3 0 3

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 59 32 9 0 0 Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 24

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. Whilst much of the teaching seen during the inspection was satisfactory, two of the four lessons seen had more weaknesses than strengths. Although teachers find out what each child already does and does not know, they do not take sufficient account of this information to plan work to match children’s differing abilities. In addition, not enough regard is given to how young children learn through exploration and observation, and too much of the curriculum for these very young children is over directed and some of it is simplified Year 1 work, which is inappropriate.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49. There has been little improvement in the provision for children aged four and five since the time of the last inspection. However, having prioritised and dealt with other weaknesses successfully, the school has now identified this as a priority area for development. It employs a consultant in early years’ education to guide and support the teaching, and staff already have many ideas for improvement.

p.24

Personal, social and emotional development

50. Teaching and learning in this area are satisfactory and whilst there are some strengths, there are also some weaknesses. Nevertheless, most children reach the early learning goals by the end of the reception class. They want to learn and become excited at trying new things. They particularly enjoy the ‘free choice’ sessions, when they are given some freedom to try out a range of set activities. Teaching during these times, however, is sometimes focused on hearing children read or is too structured to allow children to become independent and learn through experience. For example, in one of the sessions, one child worked alone to make a book, taking care to fold the paper and tape the pages together. She wanted to draw and write about dogs but instead of encouraging her to have a go at doing this independently, the teacher suggested that she drew round templates. This dampened the child’s enthusiasm and restricted her learning.

p.24

Personal, social and emotional development

51. The children enjoy school, but because the work does not always match their abilities, their concentration sometimes drifts and they daydream when the teacher or support assistant is talking to the group as a whole. They are well behaved, nevertheless, during these times and usually sit quietly. They enjoy good relationships with the adults and their classmates. They take turns and share fairly because activities promote this effectively. However, the intentions of the activities are not always clear and adults do not share these with the children so that they know what they are practising or learning. Teachers do not direct particular children who need to develop and practise particular skills to those activities that will help their development most effectively. Consequently, some of the activities lack purpose and teaching sometimes lacks direction.

p.24

Communication, language and literacy

52. Communication skills are taught satisfactorily. Children talk clearly and confidently about what they are doing and respond relevantly to questions about, for example, their pets and families. They engage in talk with adults and classmates at work and play. Reading is taught satisfactorily and most children attain the early learning goals by the time they start Year 1. Children enjoy listening to stories. They know that the text carries meaning because teachers ask them to look at the pictures and guess what the words might say, encouraging them to use the first letter of the words as a clue. Children point to words when reading, and sometimes correctly match them to the text. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 25 53. The teaching of writing is unsatisfactory because it does not develop children’s skills systematically over time. During some lessons and, from looking at the work in children’s

p.24

Communication, language and literacy

past and current books, it is evident that achievement in writing is not as good as it could be given the children’s attainment on entry. Teachers have an insecure knowledge and understanding about how to teach the early stages of writing and consequently ask some children to write before they are ready and others to copy under adults’ writing when they are capable of writing independently. Most children have a good understanding of letter sounds through their word work and shared-text reading and practise their letter writing on worksheets. They do not, however, always apply these skills to their story writing and when writing their own names, and do not always use the correct sequence of strokes to form letters.

p.25

Mathematical development

54. Children’s achievement in this area of learning is good and most children have a secure understanding of number by the end of the reception year. This is because teachers’ knowledge and understanding is better in this area and teaching builds children’s learning over time in a systematic, step-by-step way. Teaching is satisfactory, although not enough regard is always given to the abilities of the children and sometimes the work is too difficult for some and too easy for others. Some of the children can already count reliably up to and beyond 10 and recognise numerals to nine. They find one more than a number from one to 10 and recognise simple two-dimensional shapes. This is good for this time in the school year. Not enough is done, however, for the few that struggle with the idea of number and the demands on them are sometimes too great, slowing their learning.

p.25

Knowledge and understanding of the world

55. Although the teaching is generally effective, much of the work in this area of learning is based on the subjects of the National Curriculum, for example science, design and technology, history, and geography. Nevertheless, some of the children’s experiences are good and contribute effectively to their satisfactory learning and standards. For example, children visit the local museum and go on a teddy bears’ picnic along with their Year 1 classmates. They build using construction equipment, such as a house using bricks. They use the computer confidently and use the ‘mouse’ to move the cursor around the screen with developing control. They look at different toys to find out how they move, and roll cars down ramps to see which one travels furthest. Their work is over-directed, however. Although the lessons usually begin with some opportunity for children to explore the materials through ‘free play’, the adults are keen for children to record their work. They move

p.25

Knowledge and understanding of the world

them too quickly onto directed tasks, when the less able in particular need more time to think about what they see is happening and to talk about what they doing and learning.

p.25

Physical and creative development

56. Whilst children’s creative development is promoted satisfactorily, the teaching of their physical development is unsatisfactory. Despite this, children attain the early learning goals in both areas of learning by the start of Year 1. The lack of an outdoor learning area means that the opportunities for children to move freely are limited to the cramped classroom and physical education lessons in the hall with Year 1 pupils. Although, by the end of reception year, most of the children attain the early learning goals in both areas, their limited experiences prevent them making more rapid achievement in physical development. Although children move around the room with a good awareness of space, they do not move about the hall safely because teaching does not make sufficient demands on them to do so. Children are noisy and inattentive at times during physical education lessons and although their control and co-ordination is developing, for example, in throwing and catching balls,

p.25

Physical and creative development

their learning is curtailed because their concentration is not good enough. Their control of Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 26 pencils and scissors, however, is developing successfully through their more focused work in the classroom, such as tracing and cutting out and icing biscuits. 57. Creative development is sound. Children explore ready mixed paints, although their paintings are not always recognisable, and they sing simple songs from memory. They choose from various resources to make, for example, books and cards, and create interesting collages using different papers. They enjoy role-play, although opportunities for this are limited because of the poor provision of space within the classroom.

p.25

ENGLISH

58. Standards in English are well above average by the end of the juniors and are better than they were at the time of the last inspection. Test results at the age of 11 have improved year on year since 1997 (when they were below average), at a much greater rate than those nationally. Targets are usually exceeded and results this year were very high in comparison with all other schools, those with similar free school meals, and when based on pupils’ prior attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1996. This is because teaching is effective in the infant and junior classes, and is very good in Year 6. Results in reading are well above average by the end of Year 2, but they are broadly typical of those found in most other schools and below those of similar schools in writing. This is because the early stages of writing are not built systematically in the reception year and pupils make a slow start in learning to write. Although teaching and learning are sound in Year 1 and good in Year 2,

p.26

ENGLISH

pupils have some ground to make up, and their progress is not rapid enough to bring their results in line with those in reading.

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ENGLISH

59. Pupils enter the school with speaking and listening, reading, and writing skills which are broadly typical of those found in most schools nationally. Their speaking and listening skills are developed well because teachers make high demands on pupils to listen carefully to explanations and instructions. They develop pupils’ vocabulary by example, using expressive words and phrases such as “This is an exceptional story, one of great sadness”, before reading an extract from Anne Frank’s diary to pupils in Year 6. Consequently, the older the pupils become, the more effective and accurate they are in expressing their own thoughts and feelings. Teaching in Year 2 focuses well on the use of interesting words and this is reflected in the pupils’ good communication skills by the age of seven. Pupils of all ages choose their words carefully and for effect when talking and writing. They talk confidently about what they are doing and use words such as ‘fiction’ and ‘non-fiction’ to describe the

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ENGLISH

different texts they read. Pupils in Year 2 use words such as ‘detached’ and ‘transform’ when talking about books on robots and relate parts of the stories they have read clearly. They communicate effectively, for example, when talking about the different writing they do. They use linguistic terms accurately when explaining, for example, that instructions have “verbs at or near the beginning of the sentence”. They choose words for effect in their story writing. For example, one pupil wrote “I zoomed down the winding tunnel…it was fun”.

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ENGLISH

60. Pupils do well to attain high standards in reading by the time they leave the school at the age of 11, given their broadly average attainment on entry. Pupils in Year 2 understand that text is presented in different ways according to its purpose. They read accurately and with reasonable fluency and understand the relevance of speech marks. When reading aloud, when the text increases in size, their voices increase in volume. They understand the main points made in fiction and information text and refer to particular sentences and phrases when answering questions about it. They express preferences about particular books and stories. By the time they reach Year 6, because of the expression teachers use in their voices when reading to pupils, most pupils read with very good effect, accuracy and fluency, holding the attention of the reader and making them want to hear more. Pupils justify their likes and dislikes of particular books and refer to the text when talking about the content.

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ENGLISH

They are critical of books they do not like and have preferences towards particular authors and their styles. They develop their reading well through work in other subjects, such as history and science when finding out, for example, about space and astronomy. They use Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 27 the Internet to research, for example, projects on the Soviet Union, life in Egypt, and animals and their habitats. 61. Writing standards are high by the time the pupils leave the school, signifying good achievement over time. Most seven year olds use words well, for example, to describe animals which they find ‘terrifying’, ‘deadly’ or ‘fierce’. The Year 2 teacher works hard to get pupils to suggest better words and this helps pupils to use an adventurous vocabulary in their stories and accounts of events. Pupils learn how to plan their writing section by section and because of this, understand the importance of sequencing and incorporate sufficient

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ENGLISH

detail before moving on to the next part, developing an understanding of paragraphing. They use punctuation well and look up spellings in dictionaries to achieve accuracy in their work. They are beginning to understand the need to change the style of their writing in a diary as opposed to a story, for example. By the age of 11, pupils show good use of language and make excellent use of words for effect in their stories, for example writing “butted in Roger….”. They write with real feeling and show inventiveness in their stories. Their writing is imaginative and creates mood successfully, through sentences like “We don’t normally have visitors, wondered the enchanter”. They set the scene well – “The sea was calm, a few waves here and there…..We set off, bobbing along.” They are practised in drafting and redrafting and so plan, draft, revise and edit their work confidently. They understand the importance of good presentation and consequently show well-presented, fluent and legible

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ENGLISH

handwriting. They understand general spelling patterns and systems, which help them spell words with developing accuracy.

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ENGLISH

62. Teaching is good in both the infant and junior classes. There were no unsatisfactory lessons. Teachers have a good understanding about how to teach reading and writing. Some of the teaching in Year 6 is inspirational because it challenges pupils and consequently achievement is high. Pupils find the work interesting because of the way the teacher urges them to do well. They work productively due to the responsibility put on them to find things out for themselves. For example, the teacher encourages the pupils to use the text to find out and explain what ‘passive’ and ‘active’ verbs are. This works exceptionally well, as children understand what they are doing and why. He incorporates a range of learning into one lesson, exploring phrases such as ‘on the edge’ and writing in the first and third person. A sense of urgency is added to the work as the teacher asks pupils “Do you think we can manage to do this between now and lunch time?” This gives the pupils a goal

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ENGLISH

to aim for and they apply effort to their work because of it.

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ENGLISH

63. Teachers use support staff well to support the lower attaining pupils in particular and those with special educational needs. Additional literacy support lessons are effective because the support assistant taking the lesson is clear about what she wants pupils to achieve and this gives the lesson pace and purpose. Her questions and explanations are well focused and so the pupils make good progress in their understanding of, for example, how describing words make sentences and stories more interesting. The teaching of the least able pupils in Year 6 is exceptionally good because the work is suitably challenging. It is based on a thorough and accurate assessment of what individual pupils already know and need to learn next. The setting of homework is also exceptionally effective in this class since the teacher makes it clear to the pupils what they are to do, the quality of work he expects from them, and the

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ENGLISH

times within which they have to complete it. His marking of the work is excellent, with constructive comments to bring about improvement and praise to celebrate what individuals do particularly well.

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ENGLISH

64. Management of English is good. The literacy co-ordinator has a very clear idea about what works and does not work in teaching and learning through his monitoring and evaluation of lessons and pupils’ work. Consequently, there has been vast improvement in teaching and learning in the junior classes in particular over the last four years. He has some idea about the cause of the comparatively lower standards by the end of Year 2, and has several strategies planned to raise standards, including improving the learning of the youngest children in reception, extended writing lessons in Year 2, and shared writing sessions throughout the school. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 28

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MATHEMATICS

65. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 attain above and well above average standards respectively, with a significant minority on course to achieve the higher level by the end of this year in numeracy and all areas of mathematics (number, space, shape and measures and data handling). In the 2000 national tests for seven and 11 year olds, results were well above those of other schools nationally and similar schools, with almost half of the pupils achieving the higher level. There has been good improvement since the last inspection, with standards improving year on year at a greater rate than nationally. Pupils in Year 6 last year achieved very well compared with other schools who had similar results at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1996. In the work seen, the current Year 6 pupils have made good progress in Key Stage 2 so far, representing good achievement.

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MATHEMATICS

66. By the age of seven, pupils solve problems involving addition and subtraction up to 20 and beyond. They have a good grasp of ‘tallying’ and representing information in simple graphs. Pupils classify two-dimensional shapes by their properties and use appropriate mathematical vocabulary to describe them. By the age of 11, pupils use a variety of written and mental strategies to solve problems. Examples of previous work show that pupils have a good understanding of decimal notation and fractions. They are able to estimate and measure accurately. They have a good knowledge of two- and three-dimensional shapes and can identify different kinds of angles.

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MATHEMATICS

67. The pupils’ achievements are good in both the infant and junior classes. Pupils in Year 1 develop a sound knowledge of number facts up to 10. Year 3 pupils have a good understanding of reflective symmetry. Year 4 pupils have a good knowledge of halving and doubling numbers and are able to count forwards and backwards in groups of two, five and 10. Higher attaining pupils work quickly and accurately and are able to explain their strategies for problem solving well. Older pupils have a good understanding of co-ordinates and accurately explain the use of horizontal and vertical axes. Those with special educational needs are well supported and achieve well. There are very good opportunities for pupils to apply their numeracy skills in other subjects such as science when they organise and classify data in graphical form, and in design and technology when they make structures to carry a given weight.

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MATHEMATICS

68. The quality of teaching is good, with some excellent teaching seen in the junior classes. As at the time of the last inspection, there is no unsatisfactory teaching. The teachers are familiar and secure with the National Numeracy Strategy, which they apply very effectively. In most lessons, there is a sharp focus on precisely what is to be learnt and this is shared with pupils so that they know what is expected of them. Teachers expect pupils to concentrate in lessons and this has a positive effect on the quality of work produced. A feature of the very good lessons is the skilful use of questioning to encourage pupils to extend their thinking. Mathematical vocabulary, such as ‘commutative’, is used well to challenge pupils, thus enabling pupils to explain their strategies for problem solving with increasing clarity. Direct teaching of the basic numeracy skills is thorough and very good opportunities are provided

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MATHEMATICS

for pupils to use these in their investigations.

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MATHEMATICS

69. There is greater use of school and national tests since the last inspection to identify areas of weakness and to set realistic targets for pupils – which are usually met or exceeded. This information is used well to inform teachers’ planning and has contributed to the rise in standards. The co-ordinator has conducted a comprehensive review of the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy and provides good leadership in the subject.

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SCIENCE

Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 29 70. In the 2000 national tests for 11 year olds, the results were well above average both in national comparison and in comparison with similar schools. It was a similar picture at Key Stage 1, with pupils attaining very well in the teacher assessments in comparison with pupils in other schools. Pupils in Year 6 last year did very well against those schools that achieved similar results at Key Stage 1 in 1996. This school shows an improving trend in test results since 1997, rising at a greater rate than nationally.

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SCIENCE

71. Evidence from the inspection shows that a significant number of the current Year 2 and Year 6 pupils are achieving above expected levels, based on the standards in lessons observed, the examination of their past work, and school records. Since the last inspection, above average standards have been maintained in Key Stage 1 and have improved to well above average by the end of Key Stage 2.

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SCIENCE

72. By the age of seven, pupils have made good gains in scientific knowledge. They are adept at practical investigation. This captures pupils’ interest and provides the basis for good discussion, which allows for good skills of enquiry and prediction. Pupils in Year 2 experiment, for example, with objects that will float or sink and make sensible suggestions as to why some float and some do not. They make simple recordings of their experiments and use drawings, charts, and labelling effectively. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a good knowledge of the many topics they have studied. They know about the main systems and organs of the human body and effectively investigate the effects of exercise on pulse rates. They have good scientific knowledge of the movement of the earth, sun, and moon, and relate this well to time zones across the world. They have good ideas as to the variables that need to be taken into account when measuring light with a sensor connected to a computer.

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SCIENCE

73. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well in science. From an early age, pupils receive good grounding in scientific knowledge and methods of enquiry. They undertake a coherent, planned programme of work, relating to growth and development in plants and animals, physical processes, and materials and their properties. Early on in the infant classes, pupils are able to make predictions, such as how to make toys move in different ways. Year 2 pupils make more detailed observations and their understanding develops well as they collect and record evidence. They explain their findings with a growing scientific vocabulary. In the junior classes, pupils become more confident in exploring ideas and considering possibilities. Year 3 pupils, for example, test different materials to find the best type of surface for a slide in the village recreation ground and develop their understanding of friction. Older pupils’ knowledge of a fair test develops well

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SCIENCE

when, for example, growing cress seeds under different conditions. Year 5 pupils have a good ability to use a computer program to record and organise information they have gathered. Pupils’ scientific knowledge and vocabulary builds well as they move through the school.

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SCIENCE

74. The quality of teaching is good in both the infants and juniors. Lessons are well planned, with a clear structure and learning objectives that are shared with the pupils so that they know what is expected of them. Teachers are careful to use and emphasise the correct scientific terminology. There is good attention to giving pupils valuable and relevant practical experiences, and the appropriate provision of resources enables pupils to work independently. Teachers question pupils skilfully to establish what they know, revise previous learning effectively, and consolidate learning at the end of sessions. Pupils respond positively, are keen to participate, and show interest in their work.

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SCIENCE

75. Science is very well managed across the school. Teachers’ planning and pupils’ work is monitored on a regular basis and targets set to raise standards. Assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection. A consistent approach is in place across the school, which is used to plan future work for pupils. Resources are sufficient and used well.

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ART AND DESIGN

Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 30 76. Attainment is in line with that expected for pupils aged seven and 11. There were no art lessons seen during the inspection and so no judgement is made about the quality of teaching in either the junior or infant classes. However, the work seen and discussions with pupils in Years 2 and 6, show that standards are broadly as expected and pupils’ learning is sound as they move through the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

77. The school has successfully addressed the one issue from the last inspection by ensuring pupils’ continuous learning from year to year. Despite the concentration on literacy and numeracy over recent years, the subject has maintained its status within the curriculum and is used very well to support work in other subjects, and in literacy in particular. For example, pupils in Year 2 write about the paintings that they see during their visit to a local museum and discuss how the pictures of Victorian families tell them about what life was like in Victorian times. They draw historical artefacts from times gone by, for example, and look at artwork from other countries. They explore, discuss, and copy the different styles of artists such as Picasso and Monet and create patterns in the style of William Morris. Pupils in Years 2 and 3 imagine the scene set by paintings by finishing sentences such as “Let me

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ART AND DESIGN

take you to…..” with “ a place in the countryside” and “Where…” with “ there is a big oak tree”.

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ART AND DESIGN

78. Pupils experience using different artistic materials such as clay, paint, and pastels. Whilst the work of the majority is mainly of an acceptable standard, however, the paintings of the younger pupils are immature. They lack quality of detail and line and are sometimes unrecognisable.

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ART AND DESIGN

79. The school has benefited from a visiting artist and photographic evidence shows that pupils in Years 3 and 4 have produced good quality work copying her style of sunflower paintings.

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ART AND DESIGN

80. Pupils enjoy art and talk excitedly about what they have done. The older pupils, in particular, evaluate works of art and say what they like and dislike about them. They talk, for example, about how the “colours contrast each other” and how one particular painting looks like “the style of Van Gogh”. They understand the need to draft out their pictures first, using their sketchbooks to plan their work carefully.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

81. Standards in design and technology are broadly as expected by the end of both key stages. There were no lessons seen during the inspection and so no judgement is made about the quality of teaching. There was only a limited amount of work to look at. However, from photographic evidence available, scrutiny of curriculum plans, and talking with pupils, it is clear that the requirements of the curriculum are met and that pupils experience a wide enough range of designing and making tasks.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

82. The school has successfully maintained the profile of the subject since the time of the last inspection. What is particularly impressive is the way staff use the subject to promote and develop pupils’ learning in mathematics. For example, pupils through the school make structures to carry given weights, such as a crane to lift 100 grams in Year 6, and a newspaper structure to carry as much weight as possible in Years 3 and 4. Pupils in the same years make towers 30 centimetres high and rigid two-dimensional shapes incorporating right angles. Links with science are also good. Pupils, for example, mix ingredients together when baking and watch how they change when heated. They grow cress seeds, investigating what they need to make them flourish, and then use the plants in their food technology lessons to make cress sandwiches.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

83. Pupils use a good variety of equipment, including woodwork tools. They evaluate what they make and rise well to teachers’ challenges. This adds interest to their work and pupils talk Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 31 enthusiastically about what they have done, such as make yoghurt pots in Year 2. They talk about how they use waterproof material so that the liquid is retained and why a lid is needed for hygiene. Year 1 pupils have made some good quality and well proportioned houses, with removable lids so that they could be used for small-world play.

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GEOGRAPHY

84. The standards achieved by pupils in Years 2 and 6 pupils are in line with the expectations for their age. By the time the pupils leave the school, standards are similar to those at the time of the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

85. The oldest pupils in the infants have a good knowledge of their locality. They produce very good imaginary maps with appropriate use of symbols. Year 3 pupils build upon previous learning to produce plans of a town centre with the main features and access roads. They have a sound knowledge of simple co-ordinates. Pupils locate the main cities in the British Isles on a map and name the main continents of the world. They have good ideas for preserving the environment. Year 4 pupils make good use of grid references in their map work. In their study of climate, they use precise geographical vocabulary well. In Year 5, pupils have a sound grasp of how climate and location affect people’s lives, for example, in their study of India. Year 6 pupils can name the major rivers, continents and oceans of the world. They have a good knowledge of different world climates. They know many ways in which people can cause damage to and repair the environment and can effectively explain

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GEOGRAPHY

the effect of environmental changes on people’s lives. Their mapping skills have developed well and they have a good knowledge of scale and the use of grid references. They have a sound understanding of world time zones based upon the Greenwich Meridian.

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GEOGRAPHY

86. Timetable constraints meant that only one lesson in geography was seen during the inspection and it was not possible to make an overall judgement about teaching. However, discussions with pupils and teachers about their work, and observation of teachers’ documentation and pupils’ work show that the subject is taught appropriately. The consistency in the development of pupils’ knowledge and skills has improved since the last inspection with the implementation of a less detailed and manageable scheme of work. Teachers have good curriculum plans for geography, which are implemented using appropriate resources, such as comparing aerial views of their village with a map and identifying the same features. Pupils use their information and communication technology skills well for research, for example, in finding out about children in other countries.

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GEOGRAPHY

87. There is a good development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in geography. Pupils study co-ordinates, for example, and produce sustained pieces of writing on how changes in the locality affect the lives of people.

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GEOGRAPHY

88. Geography is well managed throughout the school and the co-ordinator has maintained the provision of the subject well, despite the constraints of time. Clear assessment and recording procedures have been introduced recently, which will be used to plan future work for pupils. Good use is made of the school grounds and field trips to develop learning in geography.

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HISTORY

89. During the inspection, only one history lesson was seen. Additional evidence was obtained from discussions with teachers and pupils and the analysis of pupils’ completed work. Currently, the attainment of the oldest pupils at both key stages is in line with expectations for their age. Achievement overall is good within the topics studied, for example, in the study of Ancient Greece in Year 6 and Victorian artefacts in Year 2. Although standards are not as high as at the time of the last report, because of less time available, the school has maintained a rich and balanced approach to the teaching of history. Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 32 90. By the time they are seven, pupils have gained a good knowledge about the historical periods they have studied. They are able to record the differences between the clothes worn in Victorian times and the present day. They understand aspects of the passing of time and

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HISTORY

effectively sequence events in the development of a Victorian family. They are learning research skills and can find things out for themselves, for instance, by using books and examining historical objects. They learn about famous people such as Florence Nightingale and understand the things they did that made them important people. In Year 6, examination of work about Ancient Greece and the Second World War show that pupils are developing a good knowledge about different historical periods and the ability to seek knowledge from a variety of sources, including computer programs. During the inspection, pupils in Year 6 put themselves in the place of evacuees during the war, writing a letter home. After examining the evidence in a previous lesson, they were well able to justify the pleasant and unpleasant aspects of evacuation.

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HISTORY

91. Literacy and numeracy skills develop well in history. Pupils analyse dates and time lines and produce extended writing about the period they are studying.

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HISTORY

92. It was not possible to see sufficient lessons in history to make a judgement about the quality of teaching. However, evidence shows that history is taught appropriately. Good use is made of the school building as a historical source, exploring old desks with ink wells and examining the cupboard that housed the wash basin for boarders during Victorian times. Pupils’ experiences in history are much enhanced by trips and visits, such as to the New Walk Museum and the Roman Museum. Exciting projects, such as a ‘Victorian Day’, when pupils dress up and write on slates, help pupils understand key ideas and develop historical skills. History is well planned and the school has recently introduced a key skill assessment sheet to record pupils’ progress as they move through the school.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

93. Standards in information and communication technology have improved in the infant classes since the time of the last inspection and are now above average. They have been maintained in the juniors and are broadly as expected by the time the pupils leave the school at the age of 11. Although standards are not as high as they could be at Key Stage 2, the provision of a new computer suite and a scheme of work are already having an impact on raising standards. It is unlikely, though, that pupils in the current Year 6 will achieve above expected levels by the end of the year. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their abilities and are well supported.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

94. By the end of Year 2, pupils use the ‘mouse’ with confidence to load and select various functions on the computer. They know how to use the ‘shift’ and ‘backspace’ keys and why you need both hands on the keyboard to aid speed. Most are able to delete and amend a class story and can change the colour, size and style of fonts. They can store data gained from sorting information gathered from other pupils, such as their favourite fruits as part of a topic, and present this information in block graphs and pie charts. They have a good understanding of when and why e-mails are useful, and that you need an e-mail address and password. The e-mails that they send show a good sense of audience. A digital camera is used well to take photographs of various shades of green in the grounds as part of their artwork.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

95. Year 6 pupils use computers well in other subjects, such as to compose and record a melody using a music program. They have good skills in researching information for their topics using, for example, the Internet and CD-ROMs. They have a sound grasp of control programs. Pupils learn to use computers for monitoring and measurement. In a science lesson observed, pupils were introduced to a light sensor to collect data for their study of the sun’s position during the day. Such work and that of developing ideas and making things happen, is less in evidence than work in communicating, finding and developing information Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 33 through the use of technology. Pupils have a good understanding of how information and communication technology is used outside school.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

96. Pupils enjoy the subject and their behaviour in lessons is good. They co-operate well when sharing a computer, tackling tasks as genuine partners. They display good relationships by offering suggestions and taking turns. Pupils treat computers with care, using them sensibly and looking after them well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

97. Teaching in the few lessons seen was good. Teachers show pupils how to use programs by instructing the whole class. A Year 2/3 lesson seen illustrated many good qualities. The teacher gathered all the pupils into a position where they could see the computer screen in their own classroom and demonstrated how to use a word-processing program to underline text. Good questions and prompts reminded pupils of the need to use both hands on the keyboard and the use of the ‘caps lock’ key. A programme of regular access by pupils working in pairs throughout the day had been well organised so that they could practise their newly acquired skills. A checklist was used to identify work covered. A similar approach is used with older pupils, who use the computer suite, supported by well-briefed and enthusiastic ancillary staff.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

98. The co-ordinator is well informed about the requirements of the information and communication technology curriculum and provides appropriate support for colleagues. National funding has been acquired to develop staff expertise further in the near future, which includes the development of consistent assessment procedures across the school.

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MUSIC

99. Standards in music are above average because of very effective specialist teaching. Around a third of the pupils in school take part in instrumental tuition and there is an orchestra and several after-school clubs. This reflects pupils’ interest and very good attitudes to the subject and contributes significantly to the above average standards. During the class music lessons, pupils particularly enjoy making music and record their compositions in a variety of ways, such as on the computer and through the use of different made-up symbols.

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MUSIC

100. Teaching is very good because of the teachers’ very good subject knowledge. The specialist teacher taking the class music lessons is particularly good at probing pupils’ understanding and using what she learns about it to adapt current lessons and plan future ones. Teaching makes high demands on pupils and because of this, pupils try hard and apply good effort to their performing and composing. They show great interest in the subject and talk enthusiastically about their work. Their concentration is sustained well when listening to music in assembly and evaluating each other’s work in lessons. The teacher asks well- focused questions such as “Any suggestions from other groups about how this group can make it easier to do their work?” She uses musical vocabulary well when talking to the pupils, but the pupils do not retain this very well and few of them use subject-specific words when talking about their work.

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MUSIC

101. The subject is managed well and has retained its status in the curriculum since the time of the last inspection. High standards have been maintained because improvements have been made to the scheme of work and pupils’ learning is built well over time.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

102. During the inspection it was possible to observe only one lesson of games and one of dance, both in the juniors. However, from discussions with staff and the examination of documents it is clear that the physical education curriculum is broad and balanced. In 2000, nearly all Year 6 pupils achieved the national expectation in swimming. It is not possible to Sir John Moore Church of England Aided Primary School - 34 make comparisons with the previous inspection report where a larger number of lessons were observed.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

103. In the two lessons seen, pupils achieved well in both dance and games. Year 6 pupils demonstrate good physical skills in their dance activities, moving to music in an imaginative way with control and co-ordination. The majority of pupils are able to put together a sequence of ‘machine-like’ movements to music to create a dance. They demonstrate good spatial awareness. Year 4 pupils are able to dribble a ball with a satisfactory degree of control and some have the ability to pass the ball whilst on the move.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

104. In the two lessons seen, the quality of teaching was good. Activities are well structured and designed to improve pupils’ skills. The teachers have good subject knowledge, making useful teaching points, for example, on how to pass the ball whilst on the move. They give clear explanations of the task, which means pupils know exactly what is expected of them. They plan appropriate opportunities for pupils to evaluate their performance and improve their skills. Overall, pupils have very good attitudes to their lessons. They listen well to instructions and work hard to improve. There is a good range of out-of-school activities, including football coaching by a professional coach. Pupils achieve considerable success in ‘friendly’ matches with local schools. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and leads the subject well. Resources are generally satisfactory. At the time of the last inspection, the provision of large equipment for use indoors was found to be unsatisfactory.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

It still is, although there are plans to improve this when the building is refurbished. As in the findings of the last inspection, the biannual residential trips provide pupils in Years 5 and 6 with an opportunity to experience outdoor and adventurous activities like canoeing, which contribute well to pupils’ learning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

105. Religious education is inspected separately under Section 23.

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