Gateway Primary School

GATEWAY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: October 9 th - 13 th 2000

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GATEWAY 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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GATEWAY 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. Gateway Primary School i

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Netheravon Close Carterton Oxfordshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1997 Gateway Primary School ii

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Jean Morley Registered Inspector English. What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are the pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? John Edmond Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development; How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work with parents? Pat Lowe Team Inspector Geography; History; Religious education; Children in the foundation stage; Special educational needs. David Penney Team Inspector Science; Music; Equal opportunities; English as an additional language. How good are curricular opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Clive Lewis Team Inspector Mathematics; Information technology; Art; Design and technology; Physical education. Gateway Primary School iii The inspection contractor was:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Westminster Education Consultants Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SE11 2AD

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Gateway Primary School iv

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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? 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

With 325 pupils on roll, Gateway is a larger than average primary school. It is situated in Carterton, Oxfordshire, and more that 80 per cent of the pupils attending the school are from service families. At approximately 25 per cent, the annual turnover of pupils is very high. At 21 per cent, the proportion of pupils on the register of special educational needs is broadly average, as is the proportion of pupils with statements of special educational need. A very low proportion (2 per cent) is eligible for free school meals although, for this school, this is an unrealistic comparator. There are very few pupils for whom English is an additional language (0.3 per cent). Attainment on entry at the age of five is above average. However, as about three-quarters of pupils enter this school at an age other than five, and do so with attainment which is broadly average, then it is a truer reflection of the situation to judge

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

attainment on entry to the school as average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Gateway Primary School provides good quality education. It contends well with two unfavourable factors that do not apply to most schools. One is the high and constant rate of pupil turnover and the second is that a small but significant minority of pupils transfer from schools in other countries where they have not been taught the National Curriculum. Combined, these features prevent the high quality of the school’s provision from being fully reflected in the test results it achieves. Despite this, standards have risen significantly in the last two years, and the school continues to make refinements that are likely to sustain that improvement. The quality of teaching is good, and the headteacher and key staff provide very strong and effective leadership. The school gives good value for money.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• Standards are high in science, religious education, art, geography, history and physical education. • The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher and key staff. • Teaching is good or better in three-quarters of all lessons, and very good for children under five. • The school provides a rich and varied curriculum for its pupils. • Provision for moral and social development is very good. • Pupils are keen to come to school and enjoy working hard. Gateway Primary School 2

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• The proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels of attainment in English. • Systems for managing the behaviour of a small minority of pupils who sometimes make it difficult for their classmates to learn as they should. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the school’s action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in January 1997. In addition to making good progress on issues raised in that inspection, the school has introduced a number of additional initiatives that continue to have a positive impact on standards. The quality of work in all subjects has been sustained, and in several, including English, mathematics, science and religious education, it has improved. There are no subjects in which pupils achieve unsatisfactory standards. Teaching remains a strength of the school.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

well above average A above average B average C below average D well below average E

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Key

* It is not possible to make a reliable comparison with similar schools as there is no data available that takes proper account of the features specific to this school.

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Key

In English, the proportion of pupils achieving Level 4, the expected level, matched the national average, both in the reading and writing elements. It is the relatively small proportion of pupils achieving the higher level, particularly in writing, that reduces the overall performance to below average. There has been an upward trend in the school’s performance over the last two years in all three subjects, with the proportion of pupils attaining the expected level having risen by 21, 20 and 24 per cent in English, mathematics and science respectively. Furthermore, it is important to recognise that the results do not fully reflect the good work of the school because of the impact upon them of the very high pupil turnover. The school set challenging targets for the 2000 national tests and exceeded them. Gateway Primary School 3

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very positive attitudes towards school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good except when, occasionally, teachers do not apply the school’s policy consistently.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very positive relationships throughout the school ensure that pupils learn well in an atmosphere of mutual trust. Attendance Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils arrive for school very punctually.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils work hard and take a pride in the quality and presentation of their work. They behave well on almost all occasions and get on well with other pupils and with all adults.

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

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

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

Of the teaching observed, 4 per cent was of the highest quality, 36 per cent was very good, 35 per cent good, 20 per cent sound and 4 per cent unsatisfactory. The small amount of unsatisfactory teaching was largely the result of teachers’ failure to manage pupils’ inappropriate behaviour. The same was also true of a few isolated incidents in some of the lessons judged satisfactory. However, there are no weaknesses that pervade teaching generally. English and mathematics, together with literacy and numeracy skills, are well taught.

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

In the lessons observed, 10 per cent of teaching was of the highest quality, 35 per cent very good, 40 per cent good, 15 per cent satisfactory and 5 per cent unsatisfactory. The quality of teaching in English and mathematics is good, often very good, and never less than satisfactory. Literacy and numeracy are taught well and pupils have regular opportunities to use their skills. The needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are catered for well. The overall quality of teaching is a strength of the school. The one weakness is a very occasional disruption to teaching and learning resulting from the misbehaviour of an individual or small group of pupils. Gateway Primary School 4

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good planning systems ensure that pupils learn well in all subjects. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Well-organised provision ensures that pupils receive properly targeted support and learn well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good provision.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development promotes a good atmosphere for learning. Provision for personal and cultural development is good, and for spiritual development it is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils All adults take good care of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school has very effective links with parents. It places a strong emphasis on a broad curriculum and has been particularly successful in maintaining this richness and variety while also raising standards in literacy and numeracy. The school uses assessment information well to ensure that pupils learn according to their needs. Pupils have good opportunities to take part in additional activities both during their lunch breaks and after school.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and key staff provide very clear direction for the work of the school. Subject co-ordinators are particularly good at promoting their subjects, thereby maintaining a broad curriculum and helping to raise standards.

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Aspect Comment

How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities The governing body works diligently in support of the school. It takes its lead from the headteacher and provides unstinting support for all school initiatives. It oversees prudent spending decisions.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school reflects critically on its work. It monitors its own performance rigorously. Its capacity for further improvement is good.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good use is made of all resources, including the school grounds.

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Aspect Comment

Accommodation is very good: spacious, well maintained, and attractive. Resources are good overall, with no areas where they are inadequate. Support staff are generous in number and Gateway Primary School 5 provide very valuable classroom help. The headteacher skilfully leads a team of accomplished teaching staff, all of whom use their expertise very well to develop the areas of the curriculum for which they are responsible. Spending decisions are taken wisely and initiatives are evaluated for the value for money they provide in terms of improving standards.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like to go to school; • Their children make good progress; • The children behave well in school; • The school is well led by the headteacher; • The quality of teaching is good; • Staff are approachable; • Children are expected to work hard. • The information they receive about how well their child is getting on; • The closeness of the partnership between home and school; • The range of extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with all the positive views of parents. It judges that the school maintains very close links with parents and that there is a good range of additional activities for pupils. Reports to parents are very good, and there are ample opportunities for parents to discuss with teachers the progress their child is making. Gateway Primary School 6

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The school’s results and achievements

1. In the end of Key Stage 2 national tests in English and mathematics, in 2000, pupils achieved standards close to national ones in terms of the proportion that achieved the expected level, Level 4. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level, Level 5 was significantly below the national level. Inspection findings indicate that the same still pertains in respect of Level 4 in both subjects. In English, too few pupils achieve Level 5. In mathematics, however, given the current rate of progress, it is likely that at least one-third of the current Year 6 pupils will achieve the higher level in the 2001 national tests. This would be a significant increase on the 14 per cent who did so this year. In science, test results indicate that the proportion of pupils that achieved Level 4 was well above the national average, and that at Level 5 it was broadly average. This standard of performance is likely to be sustained, and it supports the judgement that standards in

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The end of Key Stage 1 tests show that standards, overall, meet national expectations in terms of pupils achieving the expected level, Level 2, in both English and mathematics, and those achieving the higher level, Level 3, in mathematics. The weakness here is again the proportion of pupils achieving the higher level in both the reading and writing elements of English, particularly the latter.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. When they enter the school, most pupils have above average attainment, and they make good progress through the Foundation Stage in all aspects of this curriculum. Hence, by the time the pupils enter Key Stage 1, standards are good: almost all have reached the expected level, and many have exceeded it.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. As standards are good at the beginning of Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at the end, it may appear that pupils make unsatisfactory progress through the key stage. This is misleading, however, because the school’s data and the judgements of inspectors all indicate that the progress made by individuals is good. The apparent drop is very largely the result of high pupil turnover. This year, for example, 48 per cent of the pupils who took the Key Stage 1national tests had already been to at least one other school. Not surprisingly, this group of pupils featured significantly more strongly in the group that failed to reach the expected test level, Level 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards remain satisfactory in English and mathematics and are good in science. Again, throughout Key Stage 2, individual pupils make good progress, but a significant proportion leaves before the end of their primary years. In numerical terms, of the pupils who took the end of Key Stage 2 tests this year, only 27 per cent had started in the reception year. Some had attended for just a matter of months. There are three additional and influential factors. Those pupils who replace the Gateway Primary School 7 leavers arrive with standards that are, at best, average. Secondly, a small but significant proportion, arrives from countries / schools where the English National Curriculum is not taught. Thirdly a larger, albeit variable proportion – sometimes reaching 50 per cent – arrives with no records of attainment precise enough to provide the staff at this school with a benchmark for starting to teach.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. It is not appropriate to make a comparison with standards in similar schools. Such a comparison would be skewed as the free school meal percentage is the criterion used for the comparison and the vast majority (over 80 per cent) of the fathers of pupils are service personnel. There is no data that caters for schools such as these.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. There are no areas of the curriculum in which standards are unsatisfactory. They are good in science, religious education, art, geography, history, physical education and in the singing element of music. In information and communication technology and design and technology, they are satisfactory. The main reason why standards are good across such a wide range of subjects is that the school has ensured that none has been squeezed out of the curriculum in order to make way for English and mathematics. On the contrary, subject co-ordinators have worked hard and successfully to promote their subject in school, using those subjects where written work is an important element, as a vehicle for pupils to develop their literacy and numeracy skills.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. The school successfully uses assessment data and target setting to establish challenging targets. All pupils with special educational needs make identifiable gains in knowledge, skills and understanding as a result of good teaching and focused planning and support. Pupils’ enthusiasm for school, their interest and motivation in activities and their good behaviour, help to promote learning.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. There is only one pupil for whom English is an additional language. She is fully integrated into the class appropriate to her age and is making very good progress in acquiring appropriate standards of English. She participates fully and enjoys the tasks set for her. She is beginning to take a leading role in her group in some activities. For example, during a group reading session she fetched the correct basket of books and told her group that they should read them!

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Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development

10. Pupils greatly enjoy coming to school. Their attitudes to learning are very positive, especially when the teacher has high expectations, as seen, for example, in a Year 4 games lesson and in Year 6 computer work. Pupils concentrate well. Their brisk pace of working and, and in most cases, the very good relationships with the teacher and with Gateway Primary School 8 each other, help to promote good order. Pupils co-operate well in pairs and in groups. They work well independently of the teacher, and their capacity to persevere is good. They have a strong desire to improve their work and take pride in the finished product, as is obvious from the displays around the school, of local history and design and technology, for example.

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Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development

11. Behaviour around the school is civilised. Pupils behave well when arriving at and leaving school; they walk quietly between lessons and are sensible in the dining hall. They play constructively at break time and there were many examples of mature behaviour during a wet dinnertime. No incidents of untoward behaviour were seen. Respect for property is high, and there is a pleasing absence of graffiti or litter around the site. Parents consider that staff successfully maintain high standards of behaviour, and inspection findings support this view. In a small minority of lessons, however, teachers fail to apply the school’s behaviour and discipline policies consistently. When this happens, learning is disrupted for all the pupils in the class, not simply the few perpetrators.

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Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development

12. Last year there were no permanent exclusions and only one temporary one. The school has introduced practical measures for identifying those pupils at risk of exclusion and for working with staff and parents to do everything possible to keep them in school. Those excluded temporarily are usually away for only three days and are re-integrated unobtrusively. The school maintains proper records of exclusions.

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Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development

13. The school impresses on new pupils and their parents the need to consider others, and pupils react positively. Respect for others’ feelings, values and beliefs is high, and pupils are very supportive of those with special educational needs. There was a particularly heart-warming instance of a Year 4 boy comforting a very young pupil who had hurt himself, as he led him by the hand to the medical room for treatment.

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Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development

14. Pupils take an active part in school life. Year 6 pupils carry out their many responsibilities very willingly and all pupils, including even the youngest ones, are assiduous in performing their multiple classroom tasks. The levels of take-up of the school’s extra-curricular activities are good.

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Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development

15. The school lays great emphasis on good relationships between staff and pupils. It has been very successful, and this ensures that pupils learn well in an atmosphere of mutual trust. There was one very pleasant instance of a teacher in the junior section laughing and joking with pupils in a lesson without any loss of authority. Pupils are courteous to each other and are friendly to staff. Pupils react politely when addressed, are friendly and helpful to visitors and eager to show them round. Gateway Primary School 9 16. The last inspection report noted that attitudes to learning were an outstanding feature of the school, with pupils displaying high levels of concentration and enjoyment of their work. They were confident in asking and answering questions and in joining in discussions. They displayed very good behaviour and there were high levels of mutual respect. Pupils were courteous, thoughtful and trustworthy and proud of their school.

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Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development

The school has maintained these high standards.

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Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development

17. Pupils’ attendance at 93.8 per cent in 1998/1999 was a little below the national average. The rate of unauthorised absence at 0.5 per cent was exactly on the national average. The school has been successful during 1999/2000 in raising the level of attendance to 95.4 per cent, which is similar to levels in earlier years. The satisfactory attendance makes a positive contribution to the attainment and progress of pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. At the time of the last inspection, teaching was judged a strength of the school. In more than nine lessons in every ten, teaching was sound or better, and in half it was good or very good. The quality of teaching remains a strength of the school. It is now good overall and with no significant difference in its quality between the Key Stages 1 and 2. Pupils aged under five are taught very well. Of the teaching observed in the current inspection, 4 per cent was of the very highest quality, 38 per cent was very good, 34 per cent was good, 20 per cent satisfactory and 4 per cent unsatisfactory. Of the three unsatisfactory lessons, two resulted from the unacceptable behaviour of a small group of pupils in one class. The third was the combined result of the teachers’ slack time-keeping and inadequate subject knowledge. Overwhelmingly, however, teaching in this school is systematic and thorough.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well to all pupils in the school. Basic writing skills are well taught. There are two particular reasons why. Firstly, pupils are given good opportunities to develop their writing skills in many areas of the curriculum. Secondly, the school rarely uses worksheets, and so pupils benefit from the additional practice that regularly writing ‘ from scratch’ provides. Throughout the school, but most particularly at Key Stage 2, the writing skills associated with higher achievement are less well developed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Overall, teachers’ subject knowledge is good. The influence on colleagues of the infectious enthusiasm of co-ordinators, together with their expertise in the subjects they oversee, are two factors which have a positive impact on the quality of teaching in the school. Geography, history, music and physical education are all good examples.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are taught well. Basic skills are taught very well. The work of learning support assistants makes a particularly valuable contribution to the progress of both these groups of pupils. Gateway Primary School 10 22. Teachers know pupils very well and can make an accurate assessment of their work. They use this knowledge effectively when setting pupils’ targets, all of which clearly demonstrate a very precise understanding of their ability. Relationships between pupils and all adults in the school are good. Homework is used effectively to reinforce what pupils learn in school. While teachers ensure that this is regularly set, they are careful that it does not intrude excessively on pupils’ time outside the school day.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teachers are always clear about what they want pupils to learn and they make a habit of sharing this with them at the beginning of each lesson. Most use the last few minutes of each lesson to afford pupils opportunities to share, with their classmates, what they have learned. This doubles up as a well-used opportunity for teachers to check that pupils have learned what they were intended to. This was done particularly well in a Year 6 English lesson when pupils explained the differing features of autobiographies and biographies.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The management of pupils is good overall. With the exception of a very few occasions, teachers are successful in establishing, in their classroom, an environment where pupils can learn effectively. To accomplish this is more of a challenge here than in many schools because of the very high levels of pupil turnover. Hence, teachers’ expectations of attention and of classroom routines have to be constantly repeated and reinforced, as the pupils who need to abide by them come and go. Furthermore, a small but significant minority of pupils does present particularly challenging behaviour. This could be significantly more disruptive were it not for the skill of the teachers. While it does not represent a major problem, there are occasions when pupils’ learning is adversely affected.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. In addition to the good work of all the teaching staff, the work of the classroom support staff has a significant impact on the progress pupils make, and the standards they achieve. For example, the quality of the additional literacy sessions is very good, as is small group support in classrooms. Since the last inspection, the school has significantly increased the hours of support it purchases. Training has been provided for support staff and they are all formally invited to participate in the schools’ performance management arrangements, to consider the quality of their work and to identify what support or training they need to enable them to improve upon it.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Pupils are keen to learn. They have good listening skills. They present their work well without constant reminders to do so, and take a pride in what they produce. They have a responsible attitude to their work and their behaviour is invariably good, even when working independently of their teacher. They work at a good pace on nearly all occasions because the work provided for them is challenging yet attainable. They know what they are good at and where they need to improve, and pay attention to the targets they have agreed with their teacher. Gateway Primary School 11

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

27. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. It is coherently planned to the Early Learning Goals and provides a good range of stimulating and well- balanced experiences that lead smoothly into the demands of the National Curriculum.

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

28. The curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2 complies fully with the recently amended National Curriculum statutory requirements, and with those for religious education. It has been planned very well to ensure that all aspects of all subjects are taught over time, and in a way that ensures that pupils develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in a logical sequence. Criticisms in the previous inspection report, relating to the provision for the teaching and learning of science in Key Stage 1, have been fully addressed: science is now taught separately in this key stage. There is a good balance between subjects. The school takes positive steps to ensure equality of access and opportunity for all pupils, for example through the purchase of reading books to interest boys and through the after-school football club for girls. However, those pupils who take part in instrumental music lessons do so at the same time each week, which means that they miss

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

the same lessons regularly. Although suitable provision is made to enable them to catch up on the work they miss, no other timetabling arrangements have yet been explored.

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

29. A good breadth of extra-curricular activities takes place regularly, mainly, but not exclusively, for the older pupils, who support them well. This contradicts the opinions of a number of parents, who were critical of this aspect of the school’s provision for their children. Pupils make many visits, linked to the topics they are studying, for example to a Roman villa or to Shakespeare’s birthplace. This makes a good contribution to their learning. Particularly effective visits, which enhance pupils’ personal and social development, are the annual residential visit to Dorset in Year 6 and the ‘Country Watch’, during which Year 5 pupils have to cope with various ‘incidents’, such as simulated accidents or fires. In addition, good numbers of visitors, such as the town’s mayor and the community policeman, bring an added vitality to pupils’ experiences. Very good links have been established with feeder nursery schools, partner schools, and a

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

30. The school has been consistent in its commitment to retaining a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils, while ensuring the successful integration of the nationally required strategies for literacy and numeracy. Both strategies have been implemented well, with the result that pupils’ standards at the end of Key Stage 2 have risen substantially over the last two years. National guidance has been used wisely to form the basis of the planning for other subjects. This guidance has been adapted well for the school’s schemes of work, which provide very clear ideas of the basic skills that pupils should learn in each lesson or series of lessons. They support teachers’ efforts very well. The activities contained within these schemes of work are often relevant to the pupils’ own experiences. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 are weighing up the benefits and potential problems of the building of a new housing estate in Carterton.

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

Gateway Primary School 12 31. Provision for pupils with special educational needs, and for those for whom English is an additional language, is very good throughout the school. Pupils’ needs are successfully met, mainly through good levels of support in class. The learning support assistants make a particularly good contribution to the progress made by these pupils.

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

32. The school makes good provision for pupils’ personal development. It has very recently adopted the local authority’s good scheme of work for personal, social and health education (PSHE). This ensures that all aspects of the subject, including sex education, the use and misuse of drugs, aspects of health and safety, and citizenship, are taught over time. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when sex education had been omitted from the school’s provision. PSHE now appears on the timetable for each class every week, which is satisfactory. However, according to the relevant policy, the time is ‘discretionary’. This ambiguity in wording requires attention.

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

33. The provision for pupils’ spiritual education is satisfactory. Time is provided in many acts of collective worship for pupils to reflect on matters of importance. Religious education and science lessons provide planned opportunities for pupils to think about their place in the world. Some displays stimulate a sense of wonder at the natural world, and this was particularly evident in a Year 2 class. Throughout the school, relationships are very good, and the mutual trust evident between adults and pupils enables pupils to share important moments in their lives and to celebrate the successes they have enjoyed.

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

34. Provision for pupils’ moral and social education is very good. Class and school rules are clearly displayed in classrooms. Pupils have a clear sense of what is right and what is not. They understand and appreciate the school rules, which are, for the most part, consistently applied by teachers. There are, however, occasions when this is not the case and these are the times when pupils do not behave as they should. When their behaviour has become unacceptable, pupils are encouraged to reflect upon their actions and to suggest what they might have done instead. This is a good system because it makes them aware that there are alternative ways of dealing with their emotions. In many lessons and in most subjects, opportunities are planned for pupils to work closely in groups of varying sizes. They generally collaborate to good effect. For example, pupils in Year 5 devised and rehearsed their own ‘street cries’, based on Victorian examples,

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

before performing them to the class. In most classes, pupils have specific responsibilities which promote an awareness of the part they have to play in an ordered society. In addition, the oldest pupils undertake a wide range of duties around the school, including helping with younger pupils during wet lunch times and running the school tuck shop.

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OFFERED TO PUPILS?

35. Pupils’ cultural education is well provided for, although the school has recognised that there are further ways to extend pupils’ understanding of the multi-cultural element in society. Regular opportunities to study the art, dance and music of India have been planned in the respective subject schemes of work. A visit from Banghara dancers has further enhanced this area of the curriculum. In addition, aboriginal art and African music are regularly studied. The stock of multi-cultural musical instruments has been increased. Gateway Primary School 13

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school complies fully with child protection guidelines, and staff are well trained in identifying potential neglect or abuse, even though no instance of either has been recorded in recent years. Liaison arrangements with external agencies are very good. The last inspection report made a similar comment.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school complies with legal requirements for health and safety, although the two ponds are not, at present, sufficiently secure against unsupervised access by children. The school has a good health and safety policy. It backs this up with practical and regular inspection procedures, which include staff reporting any matters of concern immediately to the head teacher. Provision for medical care and first-aid is good and there is a medical room where sick pupils can lie down, when necessary. Regular tests are carried out on all types of equipment, and risks are assessed as required. The last inspection report commented that health and safety procedures were clear in a number of areas and that inspections were carried out regularly, with risks being continuously assessed. The position remains broadly unchanged.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Systems for the support and guidance of pupils and for the provision for their welfare and personal development work well and make a positive contribution to educational standards and to helping pupils feel happy and secure. Assemblies, and the effective use of the personal health and social education programme, help pupils to develop a strong moral and social sense and to act responsibly. The school has a very welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Class teachers support their pupils well and are familiar with their strengths and weaknesses. They keep a close eye on personal progress, especially that of pupils with special educational needs, and pupils know that they can turn with confidence to them or other staff for help. Each pupil’s personal record is reviewed every half term. The last inspection report noted that each pupil’s personal development was successfully fostered.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Measures for monitoring and improving attendance are good, and the school works effectively with the local education welfare service to pursue those few pupils with known difficulties in attending.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Procedures for monitoring and promoting discipline and good behaviour, and for eliminating bullying, are extensive and highly effective. They include proper records for noting poor behaviour. Pupils negotiate their own class rules and know that the school expects them to make their own ‘wise choice’ on how they behave. This is a phrase used often and effectively, by pupils and teachers alike. Entering names in the ‘unreasonable behaviour book’, and reporting bad behaviour to parents, acts as an effective deterrent. The last inspection report noted that good behaviour and regular attendance were actively promoted and reinforced by a system of rewards and sanctions. These high standards for behaviour have generally been maintained, although in one or two classes they are not always consistently implemented. Gateway Primary School 14 41. The school has very good procedures for the assessment and recording of pupils’

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

attainment and progress. These are used well in a variety of ways to ensure that teachers plan appropriate lessons to meet the needs of all pupils. However, much of this process is currently too wasteful of the time and efforts of the headteacher and key staff. This is because the school has not received the training necessary to use the helpful computer program it has had for some years. The school has not been able, therefore, to make satisfactory use of new technology in its efforts to raise pupils’ standards and increase their rate of progress.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Annual testing in English, mathematics, science, and information and communication technology (ICT), based on national guidance, is used well, both to help teachers report accurately to parents on their children’s progress and to identify weaknesses in the school’s provision. For example, as a result of close analysis of mathematics results, teachers received training on the best ways to teach, ‘the construction and interpretation of graphs and tables’.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. For many years, a very good programme of regular half-termly testing has taken place in English, mathematics, science and ICT. Assessments of the standards of this work are closely related to National Curriculum level descriptors, used to judge pupils’ rate of progress, and the results are stored as evidence in useful individual pupil profiles. This information has been analysed well to provide data about individuals and groups within the school, for example differences in the performance of boys and girls and of those pupils who have had little or no National Curriculum experience before joining the school. A very good piece of recent analysis has shown that all those pupils who joined the school as reception children, and took the end of Key Stage 2 tests this year, achieved at least the nationally expected levels. Assessment information is also used to set and review targets for individual pupils and to improve the quality of the school’s provision,

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

for example by supplementing the book stock suitable for boys. The school has recently adopted the local education authority’s planning and assessment guidelines to supplement their own system. As a result, assessments are now scheduled to take place approximately every half term in most subjects

p.20

PARENTS?

44. Parents’ views of the school are mainly very positive. They confirm that their children enjoy coming to school, and consider that they make good progress. Parents feel that behaviour and teaching are good. They feel comfortable about approaching the school, and recognise that it both expects their children to achieve their best and helps them to mature. They consider that the school is well led. These positive views were confirmed by the inspection. Gateway Primary School 15 45. However, about one third of respondents to the questionnaire did not consider they were kept well informed or that the school provided an interesting range of activities outside lessons. About a quarter doubted that the school worked closely with parents. Those at the parents’ meeting recognised that it was not always possible for parents to attend information evenings provided for them, but felt that it was up to the parents to

p.20

PARENTS?

contact the school if they required information they had missed. One fifth were not satisfied with the amount of homework allocated, though the consensus of those who attended the parents’ meeting was that it was about right. The inspection does not support these minority views. Its judgement is that the school maintains very close links with parents and that there is a good range of additional activities.

p.21

PARENTS?

46. The school’s links with parents are very effective. Parents want their children to do well. Most see that homework is done and complete the high quality homework diary. The school consults them when developing new policies, for example the introduction of the new home-school contract in September 1999, and has plans to introduce questionnaires to establish parents’ views on its performance and on a range of other matters. There is an annual meeting at the start of each academic year to discuss the curriculum, but parents’ response is usually disappointing. The school holds regular, better-supported parents’ meetings to discuss pupils’ progress, and actively encourages informal contact at any time. The school invites parents to a range of musical and dramatic productions and other activities, such as the harvest service and sports day. The Gateway School Association of parents and friends brings in substantial sums for the

p.21

PARENTS?

children’s benefit, through social and fund-raising events. There are appropriate measures in place for maintaining contact with parents with disabilities or learning difficulties.

p.21

PARENTS?

47. The overall quality of information provided for parents is good and the tone of the school’s documentation is welcoming and professional. The prospectus is readable and informative and of high quality. Both the prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents meet statutory requirements. Half-termly newsletters keep parents informed on specific school events and requirements, and the school provides a parent helpers’ guide and a high quality annual induction pack for all parents.

p.21

PARENTS?

48. There is an effective homework policy, and a helpful homework diary. The annual report to parents on pupils’ progress is of high quality. It sets out a summary of what the class has studied, tells parents what pupils know, can do and understand, and evaluates performance clearly in all subjects. It provides for target setting in the core subjects and for formal, parental comment. Parents of pupils with individual education plans or statements of special educational need are fully involved in the reviews of their children’s progress.

p.21

PARENTS?

49. The contribution of parents to children’s learning at school and at home is good. Parents have the opportunity to keep themselves informed of their children’s homework and to support day-to-day progress through the homework diary. Currently, a large number of parents and other volunteers work effectively to broaden pupils’ experience in Gateway Primary School 16 school. They help in class, mostly with reading and general classroom assistance, but also with sports coaching, computer training, and support on outings. Some help with maintaining the school’s buildings and environmental facilities.

p.21

PARENTS?

50. The previous inspection report noted that the school welcomed parents and kept them well informed. Despite the short amount of time many of the service families stayed on the neighbouring air force base, staff were successful in encouraging them to play a full part in the life of the school and provided an excellent level of home-school communication. The school has continued to maintain these high standards.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The school is very well led by the headteacher and key staff. The headteacher has a perceptive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and realistic ideas about how the weaker areas might be strengthened. She works well with the deputy headteacher on ways to move the school forward. In addition, she provides support for all staff, particularly other key staff, encouraging them to take real ownership for the areas of the curriculum for which they are responsible. Hence, those who oversee the school’s work in English, mathematics and science make budget decisions, undertake audits, monitor the quality of teaching and, for their colleagues, offer advice and provide training. This is a successful package because not only is the expertise of teachers used to good effect, but teachers, in turn, have opportunities to develop professionally. Furthermore, the strategies that have been put in place in these key areas have been

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

successful in raising standards significantly since 1998: by 21, 20 and 24 per cent in English, mathematics and science, respectively. Co-ordinators who have responsibility for other subjects also provide high quality leadership and support for their colleagues.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. In addition to the monitoring undertaken by subject co-ordinators, the quality of teaching in the school is regularly monitored by the headteacher, her deputy, key stage co-ordinators, and advisers from the local education authority. Periodically, there are also visits from Her Majesty’s Inspectors, as the school is participating in a nation-wide monitoring programme linked to literacy.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Monitoring is not restricted to the work of teachers: the headteacher recognises the significant potential of the work of the non-teaching staff in helping to raise standards in the school. She has taken steps to involve them in the school’s performance management systems, and they now have opportunities, with the help of the deputy headteacher, to assess their own work and identify their training needs. This is a relatively new initiative, and the school has plans to check on its effectiveness by looking, specifically, at the progress made by the groups of pupils with whom these support staff spend the most significant amounts of their time. Gateway Primary School 17 54. The school has made good progress on the key issues identified in the last report. Two were dealt with very swiftly as they only needed minor adjustments: one to the timetable relating to teaching science in Key Stage 1 and the other to the inclusion of sex

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

education into the school’s teaching plans and prospectus. In addition, the school was charged to:

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. ‘ Improve attainment and progression in English by further developing a scheme of work.’

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

The school has fully implemented the National Literacy Strategy.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. ‘Develop the existing assessment arrangements so that they influence the planning of learning.’ The school operates a system of assessment that is very effective at all levels – for individuals, classes, year groups, key stages and for the school as a whole. It is currently trialling a comprehensive assessment package developed by the local education authority.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. ‘Review the deployment of staff and the procedures for supporting pupils with special educational needs.’

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

The work of support staff is of very high quality. More of their work is now undertaken in the classroom than was the case previously. It is a system that works well, but far from being complacent the school is actively seeking ways to judge the quality of this provision with a view to improving it still further. The special needs co-ordinator has been instrumental in this improvement. The specific grant for special educational needs is used effectively for its designated purpose. Through its designated governor, the governing body supports and monitors well the provision for special educational needs. Reports are made regularly to the full governing body.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The governing body provides good support to the school, with all members contributing according to their particular strengths. A governor is ‘ attached’ to each class and, in addition, there are governors linked to literacy and numeracy. Both have regular contact with the appropriate subject co-ordinator and with the headteacher. They have undertaken training linked with new initiatives, and this has given them an improved insight into what is expected. Taking the lead from the headteacher, governors have a good awareness of the strengths of the school and of the areas that need their attention. They give their full support to all initiatives, though they do not always ask probing questions. They are suitably involved in setting the budget and spend prudently, taking appropriate steps to secure good value for money. Office routines are well established and school administration runs smoothly.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Accommodation is spacious and good use is made of all areas. The block used by the younger pupils in school is particularly attractive, and good use is made of the communal area. The grounds are spacious and attractive and they are used well to support work in the curriculum. An example occurred with Year 1 pupils, who were Gateway Primary School 18 learning about materials in science and were shown the difference between tarmac and concrete. They suggested why metal was used for the pillars that help to support a roof and noticed that the wood, used to make some large plant pots, soaks up water.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. No area is under-resourced. Curriculum co-ordinators carry out annual audits and ensure that the school has all it needs to teach subjects well. The library is small and contains only non-fiction books but the fiction books, available in classrooms, are attractive and plentiful. There is basic science equipment in every classroom, with more specialised resources stored centrally. This is a useful arrangement. The school has ‘top sports’ bags for several activities in physical education, and good links with other schools in the cluster result in additional resources being available to share. There is a good range of artefacts to support the teaching of major world faiths. Gateway Primary School 19

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

61. The headteacher, staff and governors should work together to raise standards.

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Increase the proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels in English by: (Paragraphs: 78, 81)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* using the assessment data and the analysis that the school already carries out, to highlight the specific features of pupils’ work that restrict their attainment to average levels; * putting in place strategies that will target the features identified and open up opportunities for higher levels of achievement.

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Eliminate the small pockets of unruly classroom behaviour that, on some occasions and in some classrooms, prevent pupils from learning as well as they should. (Paragraphs: 11, 24, 34, 40, 76, 90, 126)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

62. In order that all pupils can make the progress they should, adjust the deployment of staff to ensure that pupils’ behaviour is managed consistently well throughout the school. Gateway Primary School 20

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 74 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 24

p.26

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

4 38 34 20 4 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.26

Pupils on the school’s roll No of pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 287 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 7 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.26

Special educational needs YR – Y6

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 67

p.26

English as an additional language No of pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

p.26

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 63 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 64 Gateway Primary School 21

p.26

% %

School data 5.7 School data 0.5 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year: 2000 15 29 44

p.27

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 10 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 22 27 26

p.27

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 73 (73) 87 (84) 84 (87) at NC Level 2 or above National (82) (83) (87)

p.27

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 11 13 15 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 27 26 29

p.27

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 86 (76) 89 (75) 100 (93) at NC Level 2 or above National (82) (86) (87) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Gateway Primary School 22

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year: 2000 24 25 49

p.28

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 13 19 24 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 24 18 22

p.28

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 76 (70) 76 (68) 94 (84) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.28

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 14 18 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 20 24

p.28

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 77 (75) 76 (68) 94 (89) at NC level 4 or above National (68) (69) (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Gateway Primary School 23

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Permanent

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.29

Permanent

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.29

Permanent

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 285 White 1 0 Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.29

Permanent

This table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Gateway Primary School 24

p.29

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12.8 Financial year 1999-2000

p.30

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.7

p.30

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Average class size 25.3 £ Total income 520891.00 Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total expenditure 514526.00 Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 1584.00

p.30

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 160 Balance brought forward from previous year 4863.00

p.30

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 11228.00 Gateway Primary School 25

p.30

know

My child is making good progress in school. 38 50 9 0 3

p.31

know

Behaviour in the school is good. 31 60 4 0 4 My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 22 58 17 3 1

p.31

know

The teaching is good. 45 50 1 1 3 I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 25 41 25 9 0 I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 45 48 5 2 1

p.31

know

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 42 54 3 0 2

p.31

know

The school works closely with parents. 27 46 19 7 1

p.31

know

The school is well led and managed. 32 52 7 2 8 The school is helping my child become mature and responsible 30 60 6 0 4 The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 21 23 27 9 21 Gateway Primary School 26

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. At the time of the last inspection, there were no children under five years of age. At the present time, there are six children in the Foundation Stage and there will be a further intake in January 2001. All attend full-time: three in each of the two Year 1 classes. Provision is very good, as is teaching, in all six of the areas of learning. This is having a positive impact on children’s learning. Attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage is above the national average, a judgement confirmed by the Oxfordshire baseline assessment that is conducted within the first seven weeks of school. The majority of these children are on course to achieve the early learning goals in each of the six aspects. For pupils who do so before the end of their time in the Foundation Stage, there are opportunities to work towards Level 1 of the National Curriculum. None of these children has special needs. One has English as an additional language, and this is being

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

addressed particularly well through appropriate support.

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Arrangements for the induction of children into the Foundation Stage are very good: the co-ordinator visits the three nurseries from which most of the children are drawn, and prospective entrants visit the school for a morning prior to entry, staying for lunch. Parents are given plentiful information: about baseline assessment, the curriculum, and supporting their child at school, for example.

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

65. The children very much enjoy coming to school and settle quickly into the routines. The good progress they make reflects the skilful teaching they receive. They are constantly encouraged to feel confident about their achievements and positive about their goals. They work and play together well and show interest and involvement in all activities. Their attitudes and behaviour are very good. They are helped to know the difference between right and wrong and between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, and to understand the impact of their actions on others. They are learning to show respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others. They begin to understand the concept of friendship and what being a good friend entails. They act out their favourite stories in role-play and are encouraged to think about how the characters might be feeling at different points in the story.

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Personal, social and emotional development

66. Adults promote children’s personal development very effectively by ensuring that resources and equipment are readily accessible to them and that they understand the need for care in using them. This helps the children to become independent learners in a secure and safe environment. Gateway Primary School 27

p.32

Communication, language and literacy

67. In one-to-one situations, in small groups, and as a class, there are numerous daily opportunities for children to speak and listen to each other and to adults. Adults use every opportunity to guide the children.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

68. Story times provide children with stories that excite, interest and inform. They are introduced to library skills, and know the difference between information books and story-books. They listen attentively to favourite nursery rhymes, stories and songs, join in repeated refrains, and anticipate key events and important phrases. Working with their teacher, they made good progress in writing a colour poem and a rainbow poem, using adventurous adjectives: slimy seaweed, crunchy apple, crinkly cabbage, juicy strawberry, velvety roses. They record their poems on a tape. The children enjoy illustrations in books and know that print and pictures tell them what the story is about. They know that print is read from left to right and from top to bottom. The teaching of handwriting is good, and progress over time is evident from work samples. Pupils are beginning to write sentences independently.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

69. Supplies of paper, pens, pencils and crayons are readily available, and children make good use of them as they write out receipts in the ‘shop’ or make a label for Barnaby Bear’s suitcase. All children, including any with English as an additional language, receive appropriate support and, as a result, make good progress.

p.33

Mathematical development

70. The emphasis is on using numbers in a practical context, for example counting how many children are present at registration and how many pennies there are in a purse. Children learn to measure the length of familiar objects and to predict whether one object is heavier or lighter than another. With support, they engage in role-play, setting a picnic table for six people, using mathematical language, and making lists of what they will need. The children develop their understanding through using the ‘Adding and Taking Away’ CD-ROM. They explore ‘one more’ and ‘one less’ and notice a pattern, for example how many more are needed to make eight?

p.33

Mathematical development

71. Activities in the classroom, the outside area, and the school hall support mathematical development. For example, there are book displays relating to number, games and number tapes. Pupils count objects, thread and count beads, make patterns and count the colours they have used. They promote their mathematical language as they use and act positional language in the hall. Every opportunity to develop children's counting skills and mathematical knowledge is seized upon by staff. Gateway Primary School 28

p.33

Knowledge and understanding of the world

72. Teachers build on children’s basic general knowledge to help them to understand more about the world in which they live and the people whom they encounter. Children study the weather and, in response, select pictures and words for the daily weather chart. They learn about the seasons and night and day in different parts of the world. They explore the school grounds and learn about new life in spring: planting bulbs, growing seeds, exploring the pond area and observing plants and insects closely. They begin to understand the concept of visiting other places, talk confidently about where they live, what they like and dislike about their environment and about changes that have occurred there. They develop their vocabulary with words such as travel, country, passport, holiday, land, sea, roads, motorways, suitcase, luggage label, vehicle, airport, ticket. They use information and communication technology well to support their learning. For

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

example, they use the program ‘Colour Magic’ on the computer to draw and paint a picture and develop their knowledge through the use of, ‘My First Amazing World Explorer’. They learn that materials are chosen for specific purposes on the basis of their properties. With the song ‘There’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza’ in mind, they consider which materials are most suitable for stopping water leaking through a hole. With help, they investigate and develop techniques for joining sheet materials and 3D containers with masking tape and glue. They try different methods of making hinges.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

73. At every opportunity, children are encouraged to raise questions and suggest solutions and answers. Adults support children well in investigating their surroundings and in encouraging them to discover things for themselves. They make focused observations throughout the day, noting what each child understands, knows and can do, in order to build progressively on their knowledge, understanding and skills.

p.34

Physical development

74. In physical development, children make good progress towards achieving the early learning goals. They are given time to explore, experiment, and refine movements and skills in the safe outdoor play area. They gain in confidence as they develop control of their bodies and the way they move, such as when they ride wheeled toys, change direction to avoid obstacles, and climb over, under, through and around apparatus. The well-planned and resourced outdoor area, which supports and extends children’s learning in many areas of the curriculum, is an important factor in helping children to make good progress in developing their physical skills.

p.34

Physical development

75. During the inspection, pupils were beginning to learn why exercise was good for them. They recognise the importance of keeping healthy and the need for fresh air, exercise, food and water. They are beginning to understand which foods are healthy and why. They learn co-ordination and co-operation skills which they can develop and use in later life. They develop increasing control over small and large pieces of games Gateway Primary School 29 equipment and take part in activities that have set rules. They make progress during the lesson in their ability to throw and catch, quoits, balls and beanbags. They are enthusiastic and put a great deal of physical and creative effort into their work. In the classroom, they use a range of small and large equipment confidently. They handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing confidence.

p.34

Creative development

76. Children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Their creativity is developed productively within a rich learning environment. They are given time to explore and experiment with ideas, materials and activities. They feel secure in trying out new ideas as adults work alongside them, talking to them about their work and introducing appropriate vocabulary. They explore colour, texture, shape, space and form and talk about their observations. They examine wood, metal, fabric, plastic, glass, paper and stone and discuss their properties and uses. They scrunch, twist, fold and tear paper as they create different textures and patterns.

p.35

Creative development

77. They learn to mix colours and produce portraits of themselves and others. In music, the teacher models different body sounds, for example knee-slapping and toe- tapping, and children take turns in copying her and then changing the sound, so that everyone has to listen, watch and copy the leader. They experiment with sounds that can be made with untuned percussion instruments and learn to recognise which instrument can be used to produce a particular sound. In dance, they explore different body sounds made by moving the body. They sing familiar nursery rhymes and songs enthusiastically, tap out repeated rhythms, and compose and tape music. They are good at using their imagination in art, music, dance, imaginative and role-play and stories.

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ENGLISH

78. In the end of Key Stage 2 national tests in 2000, pupils achieved standards that were below the national average overall. However, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected level, Level 4, was in line with the national average. The weakness lay in the proportion of pupils who achieved the higher level, Level 5. Furthermore, this weakness was greater in writing than in reading. Despite this weakness, however, standards had risen over those of 1999 and by more than the national trend. Inspection findings confirm that this rise in standards, which has amounted to 21 per cent over the last two years, is being sustained. Given the current rate of progress, the proportion of pupils who achieve the expected level at the end of this school year is likely to exceed the national average, although the proportion achieving the higher level will remain low.

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ENGLISH

79. In the national tests at Key Stage 1 in 2000, pupils achieved standards that were close to the national average for the expected level, Level 2, but below the national average for the higher level, Level 3. This still pertains. Overall, however, there has been an improvement in standards at both key stages since the last inspection. Gateway Primary School 30 80. The very high turnover of pupils, a prominent feature of this school, does have a detrimental impact on standards overall. Few pupils spend all of their primary years in one school. This year, for example, only 27 per cent of pupils who took the end of Key Stage 2 tests had been at the school from the beginning. It is evident that those who do have continuity benefit from the good teaching this school provides. Hence, of the 27 per cent, 85 per cent achieved Level 4, or higher, and 23 per cent Level 5. Both exceed national averages. The picture is similar in Key Stage 1. Of the pupils who took the

p.35

ENGLISH

national tests in 2000, only 48 per cent had been at Gateway Primary since the beginning of their school career. The reading and writing standards achieved by these pupils exceeded those achieved by the 52 per cent of pupils who had joined the school at a later date.

p.36

ENGLISH

81. There is no significant difference in the standards that pupils attain in the speaking, listening, reading and writing components of English. All are satisfactory. It is the fact that onlya small proportion of pupils achieve the higher levels that is the problem, particularly in writing. Skills in literacy make a good contribution to work in other areas of the curriculum, in geography, history and religious education in particular. Equally, it is the good opportunity afforded to pupils to write in other subjects that contributes to the good progress they make in developing literacy skills. There is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls. Pupils with special educational needs receive support well matched to their ability and, usually, this includes small group support in their literacy lessons.

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ENGLISH

82. Standards in speaking and listening are satisfactory. In the majority of lessons, pupils listen well, but in a few they do not. This is because their teachers do not insist on it, and are not consistent in expecting pupils to put up their hand when they wish to speak. Most pupils listen carefully to instructions and, without fuss, follow them independently. They have the confidence to speak in front of their classmates. They are happy to perform: a small play-script, for example. However, teachers do not always make best use of speaking opportunities by helping pupils to refine these ‘public’ speaking skills. In this respect, the last ten minutes of each literacy lesson are not used to the best advantage.

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ENGLISH

83. Standards in reading are satisfactory. Pupils make good progress while in this school but the constant changeover of pupils means that those whose standards have progressed to being good often transfer elsewhere. The school works hard to encourage parents to read with their children, and the home-school reading diary, which supports this system well, operates in all classrooms. Pupils with special educational needs receive additional support with reading, and all pupils read books which challenge them but are not too difficult. The school has been quick to recognise the need to provide books of interest to boys. Year 6 pupils, for example were engrossed in, ‘Alan Shearer’!

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ENGLISH

84. Standards in writing are satisfactory and, again, pupils make good progress. There are two features in particular which help. Firstly, the school uses very few worksheets. Hence, from the very early stages, pupils write ‘from scratch’. Secondly, writing opportunities are not restricted to English. There are many planned, regular and exciting Gateway Primary School 31 opportunities to write in other subjects. Standards of presentation are always good. Spelling is satisfactory, as is the use of punctuation. However, few pupils in either key stage possess the skills to help them attain the higher levels. By the end of Key Stage 2, for example, most pupils use full stops accurately to form sentences, but few regularly use commas to introduce or conclude direct speech, or to separate clauses in a sentence. Few use punctuation to create different effects: suspense, for example. Few use figurative language in independent writing, even though they have some wonderful ideas.

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ENGLISH

For example, Year 4 pupils, when asked to think about sounds that humans could not hear, suggested, “Tree roots, rustling underground, searching for water”. Few experiment with sentences of different lengths or use really adventurous language. This is a shame because it does not do full justice to the good quality teaching in the subject.

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ENGLISH

85. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in lessons are generally good. Where teaching is lively and the teacher is a good motivator, pupils respond well and show real interest. In Year 6, for example, pupils couldn’t wait to see the ‘Alan Shearer Big Book’ that the teacher nonchalantly flicked through for himself! Year 4 pupils were equally enthralled having listened to ‘A Poem to be Spoken Silently’, by Pie Corbett. Pupils work well independently, respecting the fact that their teachersometimes needs to work with others. They collaborate well. Year 3 pupils, for example, chose parts in a play script without fuss and read sensibly without supervision. On rare occasions, pupils’ behaviour is not good enough, because their teacher does notinsist on it. In a Year 2 lesson, for example, learning was barely satisfactory because the teacher failed to insist on the kind of behaviour that would enable pupils to learn well. Too many pupils shouted out and there

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ENGLISH

was no consistency in the approach to dealing with the incidents.

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ENGLISH

86. Of the 13 lessons seen, the quality of teaching was excellent in one, very good in four, good in six and satisfactory in two. Overall it was good. The school has adapted the National Literacy Strategy to its needs and nearly all teachers make their lessons interesting. Planning is very good. In almost all lessons, teachers manage pupils well. They assess pupils’ progress well and adapt their teaching accordingly. The weakness in the two lessons that were satisfactory was the lack of adequate discipline. The result was a reduction in pupils’ learning.

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ENGLISH

87. Expectations are high except, on occasions, for the most able pupils. The school clearly has specific difficulties to contend with, but it is not sufficiently systematic in ensuring that its most able pupils are taught the skills to fit them for achieving the higher levels. More specifically, it has not explored all possible avenues. These might include: clear identification of the skills associated with higher levels, followed by planning which takes account of this; setting arrangements for teaching the subject; and some modification of the school’s very low key approach to helping pupils prepare for national tests.

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ENGLISH

88. Resources in English are good. There is an adequately stocked non-fiction library, fiction libraries in each classroom, ample dictionaries, and attractive books in a range of genre for class, group and individual reading. The co-ordinator is efficient and is aware of the strengths and weaknesses. Recent initiatives have been wisely selected and have Gateway Primary School 32 been successful in raising standards. The school continues to pursue higher standards, though It has not yet made full use of the data available, to establish why so few pupils achieve the higher levels. Nor has it thought clearly enough about how this proportion might be increased.

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MATHEMATICS

89. In the end of Key Stage 2 national tests in 2000, most pupils achieved standards that were equivalent to the national average. However, the proportion of pupils who achieved above the expected level was below the national average. Given the current rate of progress of the present Year 6 cohort, the proportion of pupils achieving Level 5 at the end of the current school year is likely to improve substantially to at least national levels. This assumes that the school maintains its curriculum initiatives, such as continued additional support for pupils with ‘booster groups’ and the planned higher-attainers mathematics group. Standards at the end of the year are likely to be satisfactory overall.

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MATHEMATICS

90. It should be noted, when comparing the school's results with national figures, that only 27 per cent of the pupils in the Year 6 cohort, in 2000, had been in the school from the beginning of Key Stage 1. Of these pupils, 92 per cent (significantly higher than the national percentage) achieved Level 4, the expected level for their age, and 38 per cent achieved Level 5. This is a clear indication that pupils make good progress during their time in the school.

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MATHEMATICS

91. In the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1, in 2000, pupils achieved standards in mathematics that were equivalent to the national average. Lesson observations during the inspection, and a survey of pupils' work, confirm that these standards still pertain. By the end of the key stage, most pupils in the current Year 2 are likely to attain standards equivalent to national expectations.

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MATHEMATICS

92. During last year, the school successfully adopted and implemented the National Numeracy Strategy. As a result, pupils undertake a wide range of work in all areas of mathematics. Samples of pupils’ work demonstrate that in both key stages there is an appropriate variety of work on shape, space and measures, and on a range of problems involving data handling and investigation. Lesson observations confirm that pupils make satisfactory use of their numeracy skills in other curriculum areas such as science, history, and information and communication technology.

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MATHEMATICS

93. Most pupils in Year 1 understand subtraction as ‘taking away’. Most are able, for example, to answer correctly, ‘If I start with 10 and take some away, leaving 7, how many have I taken away?’ They use related vocabulary, such as ‘subtract’ and, ‘how many are left?’ They understand the = and the – sign and use these correctly in constructing a subtraction sum. A significant proportion of Year 1 pupils are attaining above national expectations, both for their age and for this early stage of the school year. Gateway Primary School 33 94. Pupils in Year 2, describing and classifying two dimensional and three dimensional shapes, complete a ‘properties table’ of the number of faces, edges, and points. They build three dimensional shapes, using construction equipment. A minority of Year 2 pupils investigate whether a cube is the best shape for a die. In doing so, they are working at levels above expectations for their age and showing above average

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MATHEMATICS

understanding in the use of mathematical vocabulary.

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MATHEMATICS

95. In Key Stage 2, Year 3 develop mathematical vocabulary, using such terms as ‘faces’, ‘edges’ and ‘vertices’ when naming, classifying and describing properties of shapes. They count forwards and backwards in 5s and develop their ability to do the same in 4s. Year 4 pupils describe and visualise two-dimensional shapes and classify them according totheir properties, using criteria such as the number of sides, right angles and symmetrical properties. They know that a quadrilateral is a four-sided shape and can explain the difference between a regular and an irregular polygon. A significant proportion of Year 4 pupils attain above expected levels for the start of the school year. Most Year 5 pupils understand the purpose of frequency and bar charts. They are able to construct graphs using data collected on the frequency of words in a Roald Dahl text,and, subsequently, answer questions about these graphs. Year 6 pupils understand the concept

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MATHEMATICS

of proper and improper fractions, change improper fractions to mixed numbers, and convert fractions to their lowest form, for ordering. In another lesson, Year 6 pupils represented data about Carterton on a line graph, confidently round population numbers to the nearest 500, and draw conclusions from questions asked about the data. A minority of above average pupils use the line graph to make estimates of future population density.

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MATHEMATICS

96. The quality of learning in the lessons observed ranged from very good to satisfactory at both key stages. It was good overall. The quality of learning was closely linked to the quality of teaching. Where teaching was good or very good, teachers ensured that pupils were well motivated and that the pace of lessons was brisk. A good variety of activities ensured pupils' attention and a high level of motivation. This resulted in good progress. Pupils with special educational needs were catered for well and made satisfactory progress towards the targets set for them.

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MATHEMATICS

97. The quality of teaching in both key stages ranged from satisfactory to very good and was good overall. Of the 11 lessons observed, teaching was very good in four, good in four and satisfactory in three. Teachers used a good range of strategies to motivate and interest pupils. They followed closely the recommended numeracy lesson format and programme of study, planned lessons well, provided a good range of resources, and used praise and questioning well. In most cases, they ensured that all pupils were paying attention, used correct mathematical vocabulary and terminology, and gave pupils good opportunities to explain their methods and practice of what they knew. Teachers provided appropriate activities and support for the differing levels of ability in their Gateway Primary School 34 classes, challenging higher-attaining pupils appropriately and supporting those pupils who needed additional help. However, in three lessons that were satisfactory in all other

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MATHEMATICS

respects, including good planning and subject knowledge, teachers’ behaviour management strategies were ineffective in controlling pupils’ inattention and ensuring that they remained focused on their allotted task.

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MATHEMATICS

98. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in mathematics lessons are satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. Most pupils enjoy and are enthusiastic about their mathematics work, especially the mental and oral warm-up activities. They respond well to their teachers and work together well without the need for constant intervention by the teacher. However, in some Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2 classes a small minority of pupils require constant and repeated intervention to maintain concentration. This slows the overall pace of learning for the whole class.

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MATHEMATICS

99. The school has implemented the National Numeracy Strategy effectively. Resources for the subject are satisfactory overall, and funding has been allocated for the purchase of additional resources to support the implementation of the curriculum. The joint co-ordinators for the subject have developed a good overview of mathematics in the school.

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SCIENCE

100. In the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2000, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected levels rose by 10 per cent on the previous year, to 94 per cent. This is above the national average. For the higher levels, the proportion rose by 22 per cent to 31 per cent, which is now close to the national average. There are no National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1. However, teachers’ assessments indicate that pupils’ standards in the year 2000 improved over those of the previous year and were well above average when compared with those nationally.

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SCIENCE

101. Because so many pupils are from service families, there are frequent movements into, and out of, the school. A significant proportion of those pupils joining the school have had either no previous National Curriculum experience or have had their learning interrupted for some period of time. Analysis shows that, in 2000, fewer than half of the pupils who sat the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 had spent the previous two years in this school; of these, all achieved the nationally expected levels and just under half achieved the higher levels. The same analysis shows that, at the end of Key Stage 2, only 27 per cent of pupils had attended only this school. Again, all of these pupils achieved at least the nationally expected standards in the National Curriculum tests and over half achieved the higher levels.

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SCIENCE

102. Currently, standards match those expected nationally at the end of Key Stage 1 and exceed them at the end of Key Stage 2. In both cases, this is an improvement since the last inspection, brought about by discrete teaching in Key Stage 1, improved planning systems throughout the school, and a better standard of teaching. Gateway Primary School 35 103. The requirements of the National Curriculum are fully met through very good planning systems. These clearly identify what it is that all pupils are intended to learn in each sequence of lessons in every class, and ensure that pupils acquire the expected knowledge, skills and understanding in logical sequence. All aspects of the subject are fully covered over time; most aspects are taught to the class as a whole, and little attention needs to be given to the differing needs of either the lower or higher attaining pupils beyond their language needs.

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SCIENCE

104. Each term there is a good emphasis on scientific enquiry and experimentation, which is an improvement since the last inspection. It is in this area of the subject that some pupils in each class make progress at a rate which differs from that expected nationally. Pupils in Year 1 record in suitable ways the findings of their observations of, for example, the growth of a pea plant. Year 2 pupils build soundly on these early experiences when they generate suitable questions to focus their investigations into the melting of an ice cube. They have a reasonable grasp of fair testing, observe events closely, and record them generally accurately. Higher attaining pupils in this class begin to explain what is needed to make a test a fair one and suggest sensible ways of finding out answers to scientific problems.

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SCIENCE

105. Pupils continue to make at least satisfactory progress through Key Stage 2. Nearly all Year 4 pupils understand the need to control variables and conduct tests fairly. They record their findings in a variety of suitable ways, such as drawings, cartoon strips and text, and hypothesise soundly. Some higher attaining pupils measure with good degrees of accuracy and record their findings clearly in tables. By the end of Year 6, pupils have made good progress in devising and conducting experiments. They have a very secure understanding of how to devise a fair test. They conduct tests carefully with good consideration of which variables to keep constant and which to manipulate. Higher attaining pupils make sensible predictions based on their previous experiences and draw appropriate conclusions from the information they have amassed. Nearly all pupils take accurate measurements and record their findings in their own words clearly and logically,

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SCIENCE

sometimes using line graphs and tables. These skills are of a higher level than those expected of pupils of this age.

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SCIENCE

106. Teaching is of good quality overall in both key stages. No teaching was less than satisfactory. There were examples of good teaching in both key stages and of very good teaching in half the lessons in Key Stage 2. This high quality of teaching is a major factor in the progress that pupils make over time and in lessons. Teachers’ planning is very well supported by the scheme of work; it is very clear in every lesson exactly what it is that pupils are expected to learn. They choose activities and resources carefully to suit the purpose of the lesson and to interest the pupils. Teachers have high expectations of Gateway Primary School 36 pupils’ standards of behaviour, application and attention. Because relationships are very good throughout the school, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, respond well and are keen to do well. They settle to their tasks generally promptly,

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SCIENCE

concentrate well and work productively, often collaborating to good effect. This makes a good contribution to their personal and social development as well as to their learning of science.

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SCIENCE

107. Where lessons are most effective and pupils make most progress, the pace is swift and the teacher’s understanding of the subject is very good. This ensures that underlying scientific processes and concepts are suitably emphasised and that pupils are actively engaged in learning for a high proportion of the time. On occasions, when there are too few adults in the class, lower or higher attaining pupils do not make progress fully enough. The former are unable to communicate their ideas clearly or immediately enough, and the latter are not being challenged to extend their understanding of scientific concepts. In these lessons, strengths and weaknesses in teaching are more finely balanced.

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SCIENCE

108. The subject is very well led and managed by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable co- ordinator. He has adapted the planning and assessment procedures very well to meet the needs of the school’s changing year group structure as well as to the recently amended national requirements. Assessment procedures have been strengthened significantly since the last inspection. There has been very useful analysis of assessment information from annual testing. This has resulted in teachers being able to focus clearly on individual and group areas of weakness, for example when pupils review what they have learned prior to National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2. Termly assessment tasks are clearly identified in the scheme of work and are closely matched to what pupils should have learned during that term. They are matched to national expectations and form the basis for judging the extent of progress individuals are making. Resources are good and

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SCIENCE

support teachers’ efforts and the demands of the curriculum well. The co-ordinator has recently monitored the quality of teaching in some classes. The evaluations, shared with teachers, strike a good balance between recognising successes and giving ideas for further improvement. However, there is no system to ensure that the observations will be followed up to see whether these improvements have been made.

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ART

109. Pupils’ attainment and progress in art at the end of both key stages is above national expectations for their age, and pupils in both key stages make good progress. Although no Key Stage 1 art lessons were seen, a survey of work confirms that attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is above expectations. Three lessons were observed at Key Stage 2, and these confirmed that attainment in Key Stage 2 is also above expectations. Work on Gateway Primary School 37 display in classrooms and around the school suggests that a good range of work, in a variety of media, is planned at an appropriate level for each year group, and that pupils in both key stages have sufficient opportunities to develop an understanding of artists’ work and apply it to their own. It is not possible to make judgements on pupils’ attitudes to the subject or on the quality of teaching and learning at Key Stage 1.

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ART

110. In Key Stage 1, pupils have made careful pencil studies of their friends from front and side views, produced paintings in the style of L S Lowry, constructed paper sculptures and collages, made observational studies of flowers in vases, and drawn jungle animals. In Key Stage 2, Year 3 pupils are printing using polystyrene blocks to make a repeated pattern and are recording their ideas in sketchbooks. They take time to make considered choices of shape and position and consider carefully the use of colour, choosing contrasting or complementary colours to good effect. Pupils in Year 4, in their collaborative work on ‘Dreams’, are developing their knowledge, skills and understanding through exploring a variety of materials and processes. They are collecting visual information for their work, using photographs to provide ideas for their print designs, for example. Pupils in Year 6 are involved in an on-going art project to

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ART

create a finished piece of still-life art, starting with the basic selection and composition of objects and using preliminary sketches and photographs. They are learning about the visual elements of colour, line, tone, shape, form and space and are combining and organising these elements and making good quality, careful observational studies of their compositions. They are working collaboratively, employing a range of materials, including the use of a sketchbook to compile visual information to assist with the development of their ideas.

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ART

111. Pupils’ response in Key Stage 2 was good overall. They enjoy their art activities, respond well to practical guidelines, and show pride in their work. Where teaching is very good, pupils make very good progress, are highly motivated, and work together well without the need for constant intervention by the teacher. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 ranges from very good to good, and is good overall. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge, maintain a good pace throughout the lessons, and resource lessons appropriately. They motivate pupils well, and through good one-to-one support encourage them to evaluate their work in progress.

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ART

112. The co-ordinator for the subject is well qualified, has a good overview of art standards throughout the school, and is very supportive of colleagues. Resources for art are of satisfactory quality, are used well, and are readily accessible. Gateway Primary School 38

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Three design and technology lessons were observed during the inspection, two at Key Stage 1 and one at Key Stage 2. Evidence was gathered from these observations and from a survey of samples and photographs of work on display throughout the school. This evidence indicates that pupils in both key stages undertake an appropriate range of activities in which they design, make and evaluate products. It also shows that attainment and progress in design and technology are satisfactory at the end of both key stages.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. In the two lessons seen at Key Stage 1, Year 1 pupils were using basic joining techniques for three dimensional modelling and making simple hinges. They explained which tools and materials they were using to mark out, cut and shape materials. With help, they found ways of joining and combining materials, trying out masking tape, sellotape, glue, staples, Blu-tak, and rubber bands, and deciding through experimentation and discussion which is best for joining card together. Year 2 pupils designed and made wheeled-vehicles, showing with pictures and words what they wanted to make, and explaining how they were making it and which tools they were using. Other pupils designed and made model vehicles using construction kits. In the one lesson observed at Key Stage 2, pupils made musical instruments, working confidently with tools, equipment and materials.In a previous lesson, pupils had generated ideas, employing

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

information from a range of sources, including information and communication technology. They chose tools and techniques appropriately and considered the progress of their work, distinguishing between what worked well and what could be improved.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. Pupils’ attitudes to their design and technology lessons at both key stages are good. Pupils enjoy the lessons and work together well, without the need for constant intervention by the teacher. The quality of teaching and learning is good at both key stages. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge, resource and plan their lessons well and, in the best cases, motivate pupils very well with their own enthusiasm and subject knowledge.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. The school has adopted the government-recommended scheme of work for the subject. The subject co-ordinator is well-qualified and enthusiastic and has organised staff training in new aspects of the Curriculum 2000 design and technology curriculum. There is a good range of resources for the subject. Gateway Primary School 39

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GEOGRAPHY

117. Attainment at the end of both key stages is good. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in both key stages. This represents an improvement since the last inspection, when attainment was judged to be at least in line with national expectations at both key stages. During the inspection it was possible to observe only one lesson at Key Stage 1. It was not possible to observe any lessons at Key Stage 2. Judgements are based on the lesson observed, a scrutiny of pupils’ work, teachers’ long and medium-term planning, photographic evidence, current displays and a discussion with the co-ordinator.

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GEOGRAPHY

118. In the lesson observed in Year 2, pupils used geographical vocabulary to identify and describe where places are and how to travel to them. The teacher drew on pupils’ experiences in travelling abroad to trace Barnaby Bear’s journey from Plymouth to Roskoff in Brittany. Pupils revealed a very good knowledge in their discussions. They knew the compass points, the position of the four countries in the United Kingdom , France, Germany, the Far East and Mexico. They showed a good knowledge of methods of transport, particularly aeroplanes and cars, and talked confidently about how many hours it takes to get to various places, for example, ten hours to Mexico. Pupils use geographical vocabulary as a natural part of their speech: Heathrow, Gatwick, Waterloo, Eurostar, country, city, capital, United Kingdom, Europe and the English Channel.

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GEOGRAPHY

119. Pupils in Year 3 study aerial and other photographs of Carterton and make plans and maps of the school grounds and the local area. They study modern Egypt, making links with their study of Ancient Egypt in history. Pupils in Year 4 conduct a traffic survey in Alvescot Road and use their mathematical skills to produce a chart and block graph. They conduct a survey of people in Carterton asking their name, occupation, place of work, hours of work, how far they travel to work and by what means. They compare Carterton to a village in India. Theyalso study the water cycle in detail. Pupils in Year 5 investigate how the roads were named in Carterton. They discuss issues relating to the new housing development and consider the environmental consequences. They compare and contrast Carterton with St Lucia. Pupils in Year 6 use Ordnance Survey maps to study Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties. They look at the course

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GEOGRAPHY

of a river from its source to its mouth and carry out mapping work on the River Thames at Radcot. They walk from Witney to Minster Lovell along the River Windrush, study the meanders, and measure the speed and width. On a residential visit to Fernhill, in Dorset, they collect fossils at Charmouth, visit Lyme Regis and use their mapping skills to find co-ordinates, compass directions, road numbers, and distances, and to spot heights. They learn about erosion and weathering.

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GEOGRAPHY

120. Pupils’ attitudes to geography are good. They show interest and enthusiasm and commitment to their work. They raise questions and take an active part in discussion. Their work reveals that they are particularly interested when carrying out investigations in the environment. They describe their own locality well. Relationships between pupils Gateway Primary School 40 and between pupils and adults are very good and, together with good behaviour, contribute positively to learning. Pupils use resources, particularly maps, with care. Pupils in Year 6 show initiative and personal independence in their search for information. They listen carefully to what others have to say and respect their contributions.

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GEOGRAPHY

121. Teaching is good overall at both key stages. It was very good in the one lesson observed at Key Stage 1. Although no lessons were observed at Key Stage 2, an analysis of pupils’ work shows that teaching is based on very good planning, good knowledge and understanding, very good use of time and resources, very good use of ongoing assessment, and the use of homework to support work in the classroom, when appropriate, at both key stages. Teaching methods are effective and the management of pupils is good. Teachers’ expectations are satisfactory overall and higher during fieldwork. As a result of good teaching, pupils’ acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding is good. They apply intellectual effort to their work, particularly at Key Stage 2.

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HISTORY

122. Attainment at the end of both key stages is good. This maintains the position at the last inspection. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in both key stages, as at the last inspection. During the inspection, three lessons were observed, all at Key Stage 2. Judgements are based on these lessons, a scrutiny of work, teachers’ long-term and medium-term plans, the scheme of work, current displays, photographs, and discussion with the co-ordinator.

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HISTORY

123. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ written work is of a good standard and shows good coverage of the scheme of work. Pupils in Year 2 know that symbols, for example poppies, represent commemorative events, list a number of events that we celebrate each year and know why it is important to remember these events. They use historical enquiry skills to find out information when they visit the Carterton war memorial, and list dates, names and symbols. They record through drawing and writing and use vocabulary associated with the passage of time. Pupils study the development of Carterton after the arrival of the RAF, the period of USAF involvement and the current north-east housing development. They compare the shops, houses and population in 1920 with those of the year 2000 and use ordnance survey maps to locate field and road names in 1900, 1910 and more recently.

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HISTORY

124. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are developing a good sense of chronology, with Year 4 pupils working at a more advanced level, making use of CD-ROM and the Internet. During the year, they learn about the Ancient Egyptians, the Second World War and more about local history. They observe pictures of objects in detail and begin to make Gateway Primary School 41 inferences and deductions. They decide what they know about Ancient Egyptian artefacts and formulate questions about what they want to know, for example ‘What is it?’ ‘What was it used for?’ ‘What was it made of?’ They use their developing research skills to find the answers from information books, making use of the contents and index pages.

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HISTORY

125. Pupils in Year 5 continue to study local history, in particular, the growth of Carterton from the early twentieth century, using information from the Oxford Times of 1906. They discover that land was £10 per acre and that there was a limited water supply, with 65 houses having wells or reservoirs. They also study the Tudors in detail. Pupils in Year 6 use historical data, namely an extract from Kelly’s Directory, to understand the way of life in Carterton in 1920. Pupils find out who owned businesses and make a tally, which they use to compile a block graph, to show how many agriculturalists, hagglers, insurance agents, hauliers etc. there were in Carterton. They have a well-developed sense of chronology. They make progress in their understanding of historical vocabulary and are able to compare the past with the present and evaluate change over time.

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HISTORY

126. Pupils’ attitudes to history are very good. They show interest, enthusiasm and involvement in their work. They are motivated and contribute readily to class discussions, ask questions, and listen carefully to what the teacher has to say. Their relationships with their peers and with the teacher and other adults are very good and, together with good behaviour, contribute to their learning. They use resources with care and are particularly interested in artefacts from the past. Pupils in Year 6 show initiative and personal independence in their search for information. They are responsible in the way they select and put away resources. They apply intellectual effort to their work, particularly in Key Stage 2, and work at a good pace. They show respect for the contribution of others.

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HISTORY

127. Of the three lessons observed in Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching was very good in two and good in one. Although none was seen in Key Stage 1, a thorough analysis of pupils’ work shows that it was good. The teaching of historical enquiry skills is good. The effectiveness of teachers’ planning is very good, as is the use of time, support staff and resources, and the quality of ongoing assessment. Teaching methods are effective and the management of pupils is good. Teachers’ expectations are sound, but there is the potential for higher levels of achievement. As a result of good teaching, pupils’ acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding is good. They apply intellectual effort to their work, particularly in Key Stage 2. Their productivity and pace of working is good. Gateway Primary School 42

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128. Three short, whole-class information and communication technology (ICT) lessons were observed during the inspection at each key stage. They generally took the form of ‘demonstration’ lessons by the class teacher, to be followed up by pupils working at computers in the following days, on a rota basis. By the end of both key stages, pupils' attainment is equivalent to national expectations for their age in all the information technology attainment targets. This was illustrated through pupils’ answers and responses during these lessons and observations of pupils at work on the class computers during the week. In addition, by the end of Key Stage 2, a significant proportion of pupils have above-average attainment in word-processing skills.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

129. In Key Stage 1, Year 1 pupils are familiar with key vocabulary such as toolbar, mouse, click and drag. They know how to erase text and are able to select the appropriate draw and paint icons such as the pencil, brush, and eraser. They are exploring ICT tools and discussing the use of ICT in and out of school. Pupils in Year 2 know how to change the size of a font, understand the use of the backspace key, and know that the red underlining in their text means that ‘the computer doesn't like how you spell it’! They are reviewing, modifying and evaluating their work as it progresses and are developing their understanding of how text can be altered using basic editing skills.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

130. In Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 3 know how to log on to their own file of work, understand what a screen-saver is, and know how to use icons on the toolbar to change text size and font style. Pupils in Year 4 are editing text, using cut and paste facilities, and refining their ideas by organising and re-organising text: in this case, sorting a mixed-up version of Monday's Child into the correct order. In Year 6, pupils understand how to justify text, how to use bullet points and how to import a picture from Clip Art. They understand that images might be imported into their text via a scanner, a digital camera, a CD-Rom or from the Internet. They understand the need to prepare information ready for development, using ICT, and are discussing what information is required. Pupils throughout the school are able to use the Internet and are able to send messages from class to class in the Key Stage 2 building.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

131. The quality of learning in Key Stage 1 ranges from satisfactory to unsatisfactory and is satisfactory overall. Where the quality of learning was unsatisfactory this was because the teacher's classroom management skills were ineffective in ensuring that the majority of pupils concentrated on the task and made sufficient progress.The quality of learning in Key Stage 2 was very good in three of the four lessons seen and satisfactory in one lesson. Where learning was very good this was because the teachers maintained a very good pace throughout the lessons, motivated the pupils very well, and demonstrated very good subject knowledge. Gateway Primary School 43 132. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour ranged from satisfactory to unsatisfactory in Key Stage 1 but were satisfactory overall. Where attitudes and behaviour were unsatisfactory, in the one lesson, this was because of the inappropriate behaviour of a significant

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

minority of pupils. This had a negative impact on the behaviour of the majority of pupils. Pupils’ concentration and attention to the teacher, and hence progress, were unsatisfactory as a consequence. Pupils' attitudes and behaviour in Key Stage 2 ranged from excellent to satisfactory and were very good overall.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

133. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 was satisfactory overall: satisfactory in two of the three lessons observed, and unsatisfactory in the remaining one. In Key Stage 2, the overall quality of teaching was very good. Of the four lessons observed, teaching was very good in three and sound in the fourth. Where teaching was good or better, teachers had very good subject knowledge and high expectations of pupils' work and behaviour, and made very good use of time. Where, in one lesson in Key Stage 1, teaching was unsatisfactory, the teacher had to work hard and consistently to motivate and control pupils. The time needed to constantly and repeatedly manage inappropriate behaviour had an effect on the pace at which the teacher could move the lesson forward, despite generally good planning and provision of resources.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

134. The school has a satisfactory ratio of computers to pupils. A system for recording individual pupils' progress in the ICT attainment targets has been recently introduced, and this record sheet will follow pupils through the school. The school is developing internet links with a school in Wisconsin and encourages internet links with pupils who move abroad. The subject co-ordinator, with the help of a parent, has designed a school web- site which,at the time of inspection, was about to go on-line.

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MUSIC

135. No teaching of music was observed in Year 6 because of the timing of the inspection. Evidence about standards at the end of Key Stage 2, therefore, includes standards of singing in assemblies and choir practice. In their class music lessons, pupils achieve standards at the end of both key stages that match those expected of pupils of their age. However, the standards of singing, particularly at the end of Key Stage 2, are above those expected.

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MUSIC

136. Teaching is of good quality overall in both key stages. In the reception and Year 1 class, pupils developed their listening skills well because the teacher chose good activities, which excited their interest and captured their attention, and had high expectations of what they could achieve. They attained standards above those expected when they successfully repeated short rhythmic phrases played by their peers. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils respond physically with satisfactory attention to the rhythm of the Gateway Primary School 44 music they hear. They sing in reasonable pitch and suggest sensible ideas for sounds to illustrate a given story line. In the lesson observed, they made less progress than they could and should have done because they did not listen or behave well enough to benefit from the teacher’s subject expertise and their behaviour was not managed effectively enough.

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MUSIC

137. Pupils’ listening skills were also not good enough in one lesson in Key Stage 2 and their behaviour was poor in spite of the teacher’s consistent application of the school’s behaviour management strategies. This also resulted in progress in the lesson that was less than it should have been, and a standard of work that was below the expected levels. Elsewhere, however, teaching in this key stage is good, with some examples of very well taught lessons. Teachers have good and occasionally very good levels of personal expertise and understanding, which enables them to focus clearly on the key elements to be taught. They manage pupils well and conduct lessons at a brisk pace, successfully ensuring that pupils are actively taking part for a high proportion of the time. Because relationships are very good and teachers expect a great deal of pupils, they respond accordingly, put a lot of effort into their work and, consequently, learn at a good rate.

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MUSIC

138. Pupils in Year 4 devise their own tunes and represent them graphically to enable them to perform them to an audience subsequently. They repeat short untuned motifs accurately and a few recognise correctly the sounds of, for example, a saxophone, a trumpet and a piano. Year 5 pupils build satisfactorily on this experience when they devise their own repeating motifs based on Victorian street cries, sometimes using tuned percussion instruments to provide some pitch to their work. They sing sweetly and with good attention to pitch and rhythm, successfully maintaining their own part when singing with two other parts. Similar standards of rhythm and pitch are achieved in the class of Year 5 and 6 pupils but many pupils do not enjoy singing and are inhibited.

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MUSIC

139. The subject is very well led and managed by a co-ordinator whose enthusiasm and personal expertise have a beneficial effect on the confidence with which her colleagues approach teaching the subject. The scheme of work provides very good support to teachers. The school has very recently adopteda good and manageable assessment and recording system to enable them to judge pupils’ attainment levels and the progress they make; it is too early to judge its effectiveness. Resources are good and support teachers’ efforts well.

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MUSIC

140. There is a good range of extra musical activities during the week that are generally well supported by pupils. These include peripatetic teaching of strings and woodwind, which occurs during lesson time at the same time each week because of the availability of the visiting teachers. Because of this, pupils miss the same part of their lessons every week. This is an area of provision that requires some attention to ensure that no pupils are disadvantaged in other areas of the curriculum while they benefit from the extra teaching they receive. Other activities include an orchestra, three recorders groups and a Gateway Primary School 45 choir, which is well supported by Key Stage 2 pupils. Standards in the choir are high and pupils sing accurately and expressively in three parts. These high standards have a beneficial effect on the standard of singing in assemblies. In addition, pupils take part in

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MUSIC

a good range of activities in the community, including singing to senior citizens, and participate in choral events locally and in London. Music continues to have a high profile in the school, as it did at the time of the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. Observations of physical education lessons indicate that pupils make good progress overall in physical education at both key stages and that pupils' attainment at the end of both key stages is above national expectations.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. In Key Stage 1, Year 1 pupils understand that exercise is good for their health and are pursuing activities that develop their endurance and muscular strength. In undertaking a range of activities, they respond willingly to the teacher’s instructions and work well together. Year 2 pupils, in a dance lesson, moved as clowns in a circus and were able to devise and perform simple movements, pretending to be on a high-wire, for example. In another Year 2 lesson, pupils created the movements of tennis players and devised travelling sequences of slow movements. They were attaining above expectations for their age.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143. In Key Stage 2, Year 3 pupils devising a sequence to depict the breakdown of a machine were performing dance with an awareness of rhythm, dynamics and expressive qualities. Year 4 pupils, creating dynamic sequences to meet a set of given conditions, were working at well-above expectations for their age. They devised sequences of movements to music incorporating four stretched shapes and two curled shapes. Pupils chose and used appropriate skills, actions and ideas and showed co-ordination and control in applying them. Pupils in Year 5 extended their rugby skills, and developed the idea of passing the ball, and of maintaining possession. They consolidated their skills and acquired new ones, performed with increasing skill and quality, developed their knowledge of the principles underlying strategies, and applied rules appropriately. Pupils in Year 6 understood the need for warming up before exercise and recognised the short-

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

term effects of exercise on the body. They created movement appropriate to a stimulus and choreographed a finished dance in co-operation with others. In performing dances and devising movement patterns, they worked to improve their performance by identifying aspects that made it effective. For one term every year, all pupils in Key Stage 2 attend a local swimming pool for a weekly lesson, and, by the end of the key stage the great majority of pupils are confident swimmers and are able to swim 25 metres easily. Gateway Primary School 46 144. The quality of learning in Key Stage 1 was good in two lessons and excellent in one. The quality of learning in Key Stage 2 lessons ranged from satisfactory to excellent and was very good overall. Pupils' attitudes and behaviour in their physical education lessons are very good overall at both key stages. Pupils participate very enthusiastically; they work together very well, relating well to their peers and to adults, and take part in

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

the activities very confidently. Pupils enjoy the activities and respond very well to their teachers' instructions and challenges, supporting each other.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

145. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 was excellent in one lesson and good in the remaining lessons, and was good overall. The overall quality of teaching in the Key Stage 2 lessons was very good. Where teaching was excellent or very good, the teachers demonstrated very good subject knowledge, used praise appropriately, had very high expectations of pupils' work and behaviour, gave very clear instructions and maintained a very good pace throughout the lesson, changing activities frequently to maintain pupils' interest and enthusiasm.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

146. There is a good range of resources for the subject, and accommodation is very good. The school has a large, well-equipped hall and a range of outdoor paved and grassed games areas. In addition, the school has good connections with partner institutions which, on a rota basis, allow the use of Top-Sport bags of equipment. A good range of sport-related extra-curricular activities is provided throughout the year. The enthusiastic subject co-ordinator provides very good leadership for the subject and good support for colleagues.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147. At the end of both key stages, pupils reach standards that are above those specified by the locally Agreed Syllabus. This represents an improvement since the last inspection, when standards were above expectations at Key Stage 1 and in line with expectations at Key Stage 2. Pupils are required to know and understand about religions and also to engage in enquiry and evaluation and to give explanations of related elements in their own experience. They are given opportunities to communicate their thoughts and ideas. All pupils, including those with special educational needs make good progress in both key stages. Judgements are based on these lessons, a scrutiny of work, current displays, and discussion with the co-ordinator.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148. Year 1 pupils learn about baptism. Some pupils are able to draw on the experience of their own baptism or a baptism at which they were present. They understand that baptism is a choice. Pupils know that Jesus came to help people to do what is right. They are able to talk about Jesus’s birth, his childhood, and some of the stories that he told as an adult. They know that Jesus is special to Christians. They listen to stories Gateway Primary School 47 such as ‘ The Lost Sheep ’, ‘ The Lost Coin ’ and ‘ The Prodigal Son ’ and they empathise with anyone who feels lost. By the end of the key stage, pupils are able to compare and contrast, at a simple level, the beliefs, buildings, furnishings, worship, festivals and celebrations of Christians, Jews and Hindus. They understand more about types of prayer, why prayer is important and how Jesus taught us to pray.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

149. In a lesson in Year 3, pupils related their knowledge of signs and symbols in their experience to religious symbols and recalled symbols seen on a visit to the local church. They began to understand the symbolic meaning of the parables that Jesus told, such as ‘The Sower’,‘The Talents’ and ‘The Rich Fool’. They learned about symbolism in Judaism and compared and contrasted it with symbolism in Christianity. In Year 4, pupils reflected on their own lives and values in relation to Hindu values, and showed respect and tolerance by recognising that others have the right to hold views which are different from their own.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

150. Pupils in Year 5 study the creation stories as told in the Jewish and Christian traditions. They study special people in Judaism, such as Joseph and Moses, and Jesus, Peter and Paul in Christianity. They visit an Oxford synagogue and see the furnishings and the special book and hear about the role of the rabbi, the use of the synagogue and Jewish festivals. Pupils in Year 6 complete their study of Joseph and produce a newspaper story covering the events. They know that Joseph is a very important person in Jewish history. They debate whether there can be any justification for favouritism within a family, and they relate to the jealousy which Joseph’s brothers felt about their father Jacob’s preference for first Joseph and then Benjamin.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

151. Pupils’ attitudes to religious education are very good, and they show interest and involvement in their work. They have a developing sense of responsibility to themselves and others. Their understanding of the impact of their actions is very good, and they show considerable respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

152. Teaching is good overall at both key stages. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the Christian religion and other major world religions is good at Key Stage 1 and very good at Key Stage 2. They teach the basic facts well. Their planning is very good and their teaching methods are effective. Teachers’ expectations are satisfactory butthey do not always grasp opportunities to enable pupils to show initiative and personal responsibility in developing their own learning. The management of pupils is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. Learning support assistants make asignificant contribution to pupils’ learning. The quality of ongoing assessment is good,and homework is set, where appropriate, to extend the learning in the lesson. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, learn well as a result of good teaching. Pupils apply intellectual and creative effort to their work, particularlyat Key

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Stage 2. Their level of interest, concentration and independence is good. They understand what they are doing, what they have learnt, and what else they want to know. Gateway Primary School 48 153. The appropriate statutory curriculum is in place. There is equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. Literacy skills are used effectively. Religious education lessons make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There are opportunities for prayer and reflection, discussions on right and wrong, and opportunities for pupils to work together in pairs or groups and to take responsibility for their learning. Visits to the local church and the synagogue and the study of other religions in addition to Christianity help to prepare pupils for life in a multicultural society. Pupils are encouraged to relate the content of the lesson to their everyday lives.

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