Challock Primary School

CHALLOCK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 th - 20 th September 2000

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CHALLOCK 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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CHALLOCK 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. Challock Primary School i

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Lane, Challock, Ashford, Kent.

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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 Challock Primary School ii

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Team members

Westminster Education Consultants Old Garden House, The Lanterns, Bridge Lane, London. SW11 3AD

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Challock Primary School iii

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 11

Attainment in English, mathematics and science The quality of teaching Attitudes, behaviour and relationships Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Leadership and management

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 16

Curriculum planning The school development plan

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Challock Primary School is located in the village of Challock, five miles to the north of Ashford. The school was founded in 1865. The present building was opened in 1952 and has been extended and altered in the 1970s and 1990s. There are 139 pupils on roll, grouped into five mixed-age classes. Three classes are accommodated in the main building and two are in temporary classrooms.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is popular with parents and its numbers have risen over the past few years. About one third of pupils come from outside the local area at parental request. Although its pupils are from a broad range of social backgrounds, many parents are of professional or managerial status. Unemployment levels are low relative to those in other areas of the country, and just 3 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is below the national average. At the time of inspection the special educational needs register was being updated for the new academic year. Fourteen per cent of pupils were already identified as having special educational needs, and newcomers were being assessed. Once the register is completed, the percentage of pupils included is likely to be in line with the national average. Two pupils have statements of special educational needs. All pupils are of white ethnicity, although 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

per cent are from homes in which English is not the principal language spoken.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils are admitted to the school at the start of the academic year in which their fifth birthday falls. Those who are five during the Autumn term are admitted full-time, and all others start school on a part-time basis. At the time of inspection there were 14 under fives on roll. Attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year. Overall, it is about average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school. The high standards achieved by eleven year olds in the national tests in English and mathematics have been sustained over the past few years, even though there have been significant changes both in the teaching staff and in the leadership within this period. The school's continued success is due to three main factors:

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

• the continuity and good leadership provided by the former deputy head, now appointed as the headteacher; • the good teaching appointments made; • the high quality of support provided to pupils identified as having learning difficulties, enabling the majority of these pupils to achieve nationally expected standards by the age of eleven.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Even though the school has an above average income per pupil, it provides good value for money. Challock Primary School 2

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected nationally at the end of Key Stage 2. • The quality of teaching is good, with one in every five lessons very good. • Pupils have very positive attitudes towards school and behave very well. Relationships within the school are excellent. • The school's provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. • The school is well led and managed.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• Curriculum planning. • The school development plan. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors' action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good progress since its last inspection in January 1997. As a result of that inspection six key issues were identified; they have been addressed as follows:

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

• the governing body now fully meets its statutory responsibilities regarding the appraisal of teaching staff, the school prospectus, and the governors' annual report to parents; • good progress has been made in involving staff and governors in the production of the school development plan, although some further improvements still need to be made; • teachers with responsibility as curriculum co-ordinators now produce detailed plans for the future development of their subjects and are responsible for purchasing and maintaining the books and materials used; • all staff now have clear job descriptions; • very good improvements have been made in the school's provision for pupils' cultural education; pupils are now provided with a good range of opportunities to develop an appreciation of their own cultural heritage and the way of life of people in other societies; • parents are kept well informed about what is happening at school, and this includes good

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

information about the curriculum being followed by their children. Challock Primary School 3

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STANDARDS

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

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Performance All schools Similar schools

in: 1997 1998 1999 1999 English A B A* A Mathematics A A A A Science C B B C

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Key

very high A* well above average A above average B average C below average D well below average E

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Key

Standards achieved by eleven year olds in national tests in English and mathematics have been consistently above or well above average for the past three years. The school's performance in science has not been quite as good, with only average standards being achieved in 1997, and results in 1999 average in comparison with those of schools with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. The 1999 results in English placed the school in the highest 5 per cent of schools nationally. A particularly good feature of the 1999 results was the proportion of pupils exceeding the national target of Level 4. This proportion was very high in English and mathematics and above average in science. The rate of year-on-year improvement in the school's average points score in the tests over the past three years has been broadly in line with the national trend. Results of the tests for the year

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Key

2000, published by the school, show that a similar proportion of pupils achieved Level 4 in English and mathematics as in 1999, while in science the proportion significantly increased. However, no national comparisons can yet be made. The school achieved its statutory target for pupils' attainment in the 2000 mathematics test and exceeded its target in English. Overall, its targets are appropriate in mathematics, but too cautious in English.

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Key

Inspection findings reflect the national test scores in English and mathematics achieved in previous years. In science, pupils' attainment is higher than indicated by the 1999 test score and confirms the improvements reported by the school in the most recent tests. In information technology, satisfactory standards are being achieved

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are very keen to learn. They work hard, concentrate very well and take pride in their work. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good, both in and around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent relationships underpin all the school's work. Pupils work and play together very well, even when not directly supervised by adults. Attendance Attendance is good. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Challock Primary School 4

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

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

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

The good quality of teaching observed at the time of the previous inspection has been sustained. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Almost 50 per cent of lessons were good and a further 20 per cent were very good.

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

Teachers are good at teaching basic skills of literacy and numeracy. They manage their pupils well and, because they have good subject knowledge, they are able to choose the most appropriate way of teaching different topics. Lessons are well planned and teachers have high expectations of what their pupils will achieve. As a result, pupils learn well.

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

Pupils identified as having special educational receive very good quality teaching when they are withdrawn from lessons for tuition in small groups. The quality of this teaching, together with the good support provided within class lessons, results in pupils with special needs making very good progress.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced, but work to ensure that pupils do not repeat work as they move between mixed-age classes is not yet complete. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils' special educational needs are identified at an early stage, and clear, precise plans are drawn up to help each individual. Pupils' progress is very carefully monitored. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Pupils with English as an additional language are very well integrated into the school and play a full part in all activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils' personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils' moral and social development is very good. Good opportunities are provided for pupils' cultural development. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Pupils flourish within the school's caring environment. Arrangements for ensuring that Child Protection legislation is implemented are sound. Challock Primary School 5

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides good leadership and manages the school well. Teachers with responsibility as subject co- ordinators provide good help and guidance for their colleagues.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors have close contact with the school and give very effective support for its work. They have ensured that all legal requirements are met. The school's evaluation of its performance Staff are good at critically examining what they do and seeking ways to improve. Governors compare the school's performance against national data and carefully consider the effects of spending decisions. The strategic use of resources The school uses its premises, staff and resources well. Additional funding received for special educational needs is very well spent.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy coming to school. • The progress that their children make. • Standards of behaviour. • The quality of teaching. • Teachers are approachable. • The school's high expectations of its pupils. • The way in which the school is led. • The quantity of homework provided. • The school's partnership with parents. • The range of extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors' judgements fully support parents' positive views.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

With regard to the areas that some parents would like to see improved:

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• the quantity of homework provided is broadly typical of many schools; • the school is very open and welcoming towards parents. It does its best to keep them informed and involved in its work; • the range of extra-curricular activities provided is good for a school of this size. Challock Primary School 6

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

1. In the 1999 national tests at the end of Key Stage 2, pupils achieved standards that were above the national average in science, well above average in mathematics, and very high in English. Data from the tests in the year 2000, provided by the school, shows that results were similar in English and mathematics and had improved in science. However, no national comparisons are currently available.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

2. Standards achieved in the most recent tests were confirmed by inspection evidence, which shows that skills in English, mathematics and science are systematically developed as pupils move through the school. This is because teachers plan their lessons well and make good use of opportunities for their pupils to practise in other subjects the skills they have learned, particularly those of literacy and numeracy.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

3. From an average starting point, pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1. Progress becomes even more rapid throughout Key Stage 2, so that the proportion of pupils in their final year at the school currently on course to achieve the nationally expected Level 4 is above average. About one third of these pupils are also in line to achieve the higher Level 5. A significant factor in this very good progress is the high quality of support provided for pupils identified as having special educational needs. These pupils are identified at an early stage; they are taught very well when withdrawn from lessons for tuition in small groups and are well supported in class lessons. As a result, almost all of these pupils are likely to achieve nationally expected standards by the age of eleven.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

4. Skills in speaking and listening are developed well. Pupils are very good at listening, and by the end of Key Stage 2 most of them answer teachers' questions clearly and with correct use of grammar. Pupils benefit from the good start given in Class 1, where they have well-planned opportunities to develop confidence in speaking and self-discipline in listening. For example, as part of their science work about 'Ourselves' pupils in the class were given the opportunity to find out about babies and baby care by questioning two mothers who visited with their very young babies. Questions were carefully planned in advance, and pupils read them out clearly and confidently while others listened attentively.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

5. Pupils read well. From an early age pupils learn to use a range of strategies to decipher unfamiliar words and, by the time they are in Year 6, most read fluently and expressively. They read from a good variety of books and speak confidently about favourite titles or authors. They show a good understanding of what they read and answer questions about their books by quoting from the text. They know how to use the school reference library to locate books about various topics and know how to locate information in a book by using its index.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

6. Writing skills are well taught across the school. Handwriting is regularly practised, so that by the time they are in Year 6 almost all pupils produce neat, joined script with letters of a consistent size. Pupils' ability to use punctuation develops well as they progress through the school, and as reading skills develop so does pupils' range of vocabulary and the accuracy of spellings. For example, in Year 1 pupils are able to write in simple sentences, while in Year 2 they punctuate more consistently with capital letters and full stops. Work produced in Year 3 shows an increasing range of vocabulary, while in Year 4 pupils are writing at greater Challock Primary School 7 length. Writing by pupils in Year 5 shows greater variety, with spellings of more complex words such as 'completely' or 'genuine' being generally accurate. Year 6 pupils use their skills to good effect in subjects such as history, geography and religious education, writing in

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

a wide variety of styles and for different purposes. For instance, they used journalistic style to good effect when producing headlines and text for the ' Challock Gazette' during a history lesson.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

7. Skills in numeracy develop well as pupils progress through the school. Counting skills and the value of numbers are successfully taught to the youngest pupils. For example, most pupils in Year 1 can confidently count to 20, identify random numbers up to 20, and count on from these starting points. This knowledge is effectively built upon as pupils learn about place value, understanding that ten units is equivalent to one ten, and is later extended to calculations using three and then four digit numbers. Skills of estimation are carefully developed from an early age, so that pupils quickly become aware of what their answers are likely to be. Pupils' understanding of the relationship of numbers within calculations is another important factor in their progress. Pupils in Year 2 know that 2 x 8 = 16 and that 16 ÷ 2 = 8, and this understanding of inverse operations later helps pupils in Years 5 and 6 to

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

check their answers when using larger numbers. For example, they checked the accuracy of a calculation such as 58 x 9 = 522 by then trying 522 ÷ 9. As they get older, pupils become familiar with the patterns created by numbers and they use this knowledge in learning multiplication tables. Pupils in Year 6 tested on their knowledge of tables were very quick and accurate in their answers. Good skills in numeracy help pupils in their work in other subjects. For instance, pupils in Year 6 accurately recorded their measurements of wind resistance and then converted the data into a graph.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

8. Skills in scientific enquiry are well developed. By the time pupils reach Year 6 they are secure in their understanding of the principles of fair testing and achieve good standards in a range of topics, from electrical circuits to the classification of animals. Skills in information technology develop satisfactorily. Pupils use computers competently to support their work in many subjects. They are confident in using information technology and generally have good keyboard skills by the time they are in Year 6.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

The quality of teaching is good, with one in every five lessons being very good.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

9. The good quality of teaching observed at the time of the previous inspection has been sustained. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Almost 50 per cent of lessons were good and a further 20 per cent were very good.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

10. Teachers are good at teaching basic skills of literacy and numeracy and provide pupils with a good platform for their work in all subjects.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

11. Lessons are well managed. The very good working atmosphere created through high expectations of behaviour, the excellent quality of relationships between teachers and pupils, and very clear classroom routines enables all pupils to concentrate on their work and learn without distraction.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

12. Teachers use assessment well during lessons and as a result are able to step in when they see that pupils are having difficulties with their work. Particularly skilled assessment and intervention by the teacher is a feature of teaching in Year 5 and 6. For example, during Challock Primary School 8 an English lesson in which pupils were answering questions about a passage from '101 Dalmatians' the teacher moved well from group to group and quickly realised that part of the text was causing problems. Her timely intervention and clear explanation of what was required improved the quality of pupils' work and helped to sustain a good pace to pupils' learning.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

13. The quality of lesson planning is good. Within their planning, teachers clearly identify what they intend pupils to learn and, in most classes, share these intentions with pupils at the start of lessons so that the purpose of the work is made very clear. Teachers' time management skills are less good, but are satisfactory overall. Most lessons are well structured and provide a good balance between time for direct teaching of skills, time for pupils to practise these skills, and time to review what has been learned and to consolidate pupils' understanding. Occasionally teachers spend too long on the introduction to their lessons, with the result that not enough time is available for the important review of what has been learned. This means that teachers are not able to check how well their original learning intentions have been achieved, while pupils lose the opportunity to reflect on their own

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

progress and to clarify any points that they may not have fully understood.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

14. Teachers generally have a good knowledge of the subjects they teach and the difficulties that are likely to be encountered as pupils learn. This knowledge enables them to use the most appropriate ways of presenting information to pupils and to sustain a good pace to their lessons. Particularly good examples of this practice are to be found in the teaching of reception children, where the teacher's skill in providing achievable challenges for children of differing abilities results in children working hard and growing in confidence because of the success they achieve.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above what is expected

15. Pupils identified as having special educational needs receive very good quality teaching when they are withdrawn from class for tuition in small groups. The teacher's good questioning helps to determine precisely what pupils understand and ensures that all pupils take a full part in sessions. Skills are very well taught and lessons are conducted at a good pace. There are excellent relationships between the teacher and pupils, and lessons are greatly enjoyed by all. Homework set as a result of these lessons is of good quality and provides pupils with interesting ways to practise the skills they have learned. Within class lessons, these pupils benefit from good quality help provided by skilled learning support assistants whose work is well directed by teachers.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes towards school and behave very well. Relationships

16. Throughout the school pupils' attitudes to learning are very good, and this contributes significantly to the academic standards they achieve. Pupils enjoy coming to school and being at school. They are highly motivated and are keen to learn. Teachers are skilled in providing a good range of interesting activities and in sustaining a good pace to their lessons through questioning and well timed help. As a result, pupils listen carefully, set about their work quickly, and sustain very good levels of concentration. Teachers' high expectations of their pupils are reflected in the good standards of presentation of work. Pupils are proud of their efforts and are eager to share their work with adults. Challock Primary School 9 17. Pupils' behaviour is of a high standard. They move about the school sensibly and show consideration towards others. When entering the school hall at the beginning and end of

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Pupils have very positive attitudes towards school and behave very well. Relationships

assemblies, pupils do so in silence. Pupils work and play together well, even when not directly under adult supervision.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes towards school and behave very well. Relationships

18. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. Pupils are friendly, polite and well mannered, and many enthusiastically initiated conversations with the inspection team. The fruits of these high quality relationships are seen in lessons, where pupils work together very well in paired and group work, share tasks equally, and organise their work without fuss.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

19. The school has improved the quality of its provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development since the previous inspection.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

20. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is satisfactory. Acts of Worship are well planned and give pupils adequate opportunities for reflection. Pupils' work is valued and celebrated through good quality displays in the hall, corridor and classrooms. A strong emphasis is placed on caring for and respecting others. However, opportunities for pupils to reflect on their own values and to become more aware of their own development as individuals are less evident in lessons.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

21. The school provides pupils with a very clear moral code as the basis for behaviour, and this is carefully promoted through the life of the school. Pupils are very well aware of what is expected of them and know the rules so well that there is little need to refer to them. Adults in the school provide very good role models through their courtesy and respect for pupils and in their interest in what pupils are doing or in what they have to say. A good reward system helps teachers to celebrate individuals' good behaviour and offers encouragement to others.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

22. The school is very successful in developing pupils' social skills. Pupils of all ages are given responsible jobs to do, such as taking registers to the office or preparing the hall for assemblies. The house system in place provides pupils with an additional sense of identity within the school, and older pupils are given responsibilities such as house captains and sports captains. At playtimes the school makes play equipment available, to encourage co- operative play, and requires pupils to take good care of it. Activities such as 'Circle Time' in reception and Year 1 not only help to develop pupils' speaking and listening skills, but also give them good opportunities to develop social awareness. Target setting for individual pupils, such as that in place in the Year 1 and Year 2 class, helps pupils to become more involved in their own learning and more aware of their own potential. Pupils are helped to

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

develop a sense of citizenship through participation in community activities such as The Challock Goose Fair and the distribution of Harvest Festival produce to elderly people within the locality. Issues of social responsibility are well promoted through fundraising in response to appeals by 'Blue Peter', Children in Need, and Barnardos.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

23. Significant improvements have been made in the school's provision for pupils' cultural development, which was judged to be poor at the time of the previous inspection but is now of good quality. Pupils are given a good range of opportunities to appreciate their own cultural traditions and those of people in other countries, through their work in subjects such as history, geography, religious education, art and music. Many additional activities enhance Challock Primary School 10 this provision. For example, during an 'Arts Week', held towards the end of the summer term 1999, pupils experienced live musical performances by a classical guitarist and a piano trio, while a visiting arts group added activities with a South American influence. Other cultural activities included a performance by a Ghanaian drummer and pupils' participation in a performing arts event, organised by a Polish artist, to celebrate the summer solstice. Visitors

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

to the school from countries such as Romania and America, and visits by pupils to the theatre and to places of historical interest, further enrich pupils' cultural experience.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

24. The school is well led and managed by the headteacher, who is ably supported by his acting deputy and by all staff and governors.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

25. Since the time of the previous inspection there have been two changes in the leadership of the school in addition to other changes in staff. During the lengthy illness of the former headteacher, the present headteacher provided important stability and continuity in a temporary capacity before his permanent appointment. He effectively built on the progress previously made in addressing the key issues from the inspection and has ensured that the school's action plan to address the issues has been successfully implemented.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

26. The headteacher knows his staff and pupils well and has a very clear understanding of the strengths of the school and areas for further improvement. He has a very clear view of the future development of the school, although a long-term view of priorities is less evident in the school development plan.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

27. A clear commitment to improvement is evident in the way in which curriculum developments are managed and in the very good way in which additional help for pupils is carefully targeted. The monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning by subject co- ordinators reflects the priority placed on national initiatives in literacy and numeracy. Co- ordinators for English and mathematics have observed lessons and provide effective support for colleagues. Science is an agreed priority for the current academic year, and monitoring of science lessons has begun.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

28. The governing body is well organised, very effective, and successfully fulfils the role of 'critical friend' to the school, by monitoring its work informally and through an effective committee structure and formal meetings. Many governors are parents of children who are current or past pupils, and they take a keen interest in the school's work. A number of them visit regularly and provide practical help in a variety of ways. For example, two of the governors spent a considerable amount of time during the summer holiday period redecorating one of the classrooms.

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The school's provision for its pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

29. A significant strength of the school is the high quality of management of the school's support for pupils with special educational needs. The special needs co-ordinator carefully assesses pupils to determine what sort of help they need, produces clear plans for each individual, and regularly monitors their progress. Records are very well kept and parents are regularly involved in reviews of their children's progress. The co-ordinator keeps herself well informed and liaises closely with professional agencies providing additional support for pupils. Challock Primary School 11

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

30. The school has adapted the recommendations of the National Numeracy Strategy and is in the process of adapting the National Literacy Strategy to reflect the way in which pupils are grouped within its mixed-age classes. To underpin the school's curriculum plan for numeracy, a record keeping system has been devised. This enables teachers to record what has been taught and the level of each pupil's understanding. As part of the work to review its planning for literacy, the school is developing a similar recording system to track the development of pupils' skills.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

31. In many other subjects, the school has adopted guidance provided by the national Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as the basis for planning the curriculum. This has addressed the shortcomings in curriculum coverage identified at the time of the previous inspection. However, the national guidance is of a general nature and needs to be adapted by schools to meet their individual circumstances. This adaptation of the curriculum is under way, but so far has only been completed in science and information technology. The science curriculum is underpinned by a good quality recording system, similar to that used for numeracy.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

32. The school has devised a 'curriculum map', which sets out in general terms what areas of the curriculum are to be covered and when this is to be done. This map has proved useful in enabling teachers to identify possible links between different subjects and to adjust their planning. However, planning in most foundation subjects 1 has yet to be refined to set out precisely what is to be taught to pupils of different ages in different classes, and at what level. As a result work is sometimes repeated. For example, a Year 6 history lesson about the development of the railways, observed during the course of the inspection, repeated work done by some of the pupils when they were in Year 5.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

33. Good progress has been made in producing a more detailed school development plan, even though there have been two changes of headteacher in the three years since the last inspection. The present headteacher has a clear view of the future development of the school and has set this out in a 'Vision Statement' that complements the current development plan. However, the current plan has a number of weaknesses:

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• it contains too many targets for action and may therefore be unrealistic; • it relates solely to the current academic year and gives no idea of proposed developments beyond this; • while whole-school priorities have been agreed for the current year, there is no clear statement of likely priorities for future years.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

34. The plan is formed from this year's part of the longer-term, individual development plans for all subjects, special educational needs and under-fives, with additional sections for community links and the governors. These plans set out a clear timetable for action, although in some sections there is not enough detail about likely costs.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

1 Foundation subjects are those other than the ‘core’ subjects of English, mathematics and science . Challock Primary School 12

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Devise a clear programme for the adaptation of nationally recommended curriculum guidance in the foundation subjects to reflect the way in which pupils are grouped in mixed-age classes. Underpin these curriculum plans with recording systems to ensure that:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

∗ work is not repeated unnecessarily; ∗ teachers are able to track pupils' progress.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Review the way in which the school development plan is constructed, so that:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

∗ longer-term targets for improvement are included; ∗ whole-school priorities for each year are agreed and are clearly set out. Challock Primary School 13

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 19 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 9

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Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

0 21 47 32 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Pupils on the school's roll Nursery YR – Y6

Number of pupils on the school's roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 134 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals N/A 4 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 2 Number of pupils on the school's special educational needs register N/A 32

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pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 4

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pupils

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

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% %

School data 4.6 School data 0.1 National comparative data 5.7 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Challock Primary School 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for the latest reporting year 1999 11 13 24

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 7 8 7 Level 2 and above Girls 12 13 12 Total 19 21 19 Percentage of pupils School 79 (85) 88 (85) 79 (90) at NC Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Teachers' Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 7 7 11 Level 2 and above Girls 12 12 13 Total 19 19 24 Percentage of pupils School 79 (90) 79 (95) 100 (95) at NC Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for the latest reporting year 1999 9 4 13

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 8 7 7 Level 4 and above Girls 4 4 4 Total 12 11 11 Percentage of pupils School 92 (76) 85 (76) 85 (81) at NC Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Teachers' Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 7 8 6 Level 4 and above Girls 4 4 4 Total 11 12 10 Percentage of pupils School 85 (86) 92 (81) 77 (81) at NC Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Challock Primary School 15

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Permanent

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Permanent

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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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 122 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 3 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Permanent

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

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YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6.5 Financial year 1999/2000

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YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.4

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YR – Y6

FTE means full-time equivalent Total income 268,83.00

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YR – Y6

Total number of education support staff 6 Expenditure per pupil 1,793.00

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YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 95 Balance brought forward from previous year 21,278.00

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YR – Y6

Balance carried forward to next year 26,670.00 Challock Primary School 16

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Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 139 Number of questionnaires returned 32

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know

My child is making good progress in school. 50 41 3 3 3

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know

Behaviour in the school is good. 63 34 0 0 3

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know

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 41 34 13 6 6

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know

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 50 16 0 0

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know

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 75 19 6 0 0

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know

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 72 22 3 0 3

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know

The school works closely with parents. 34 47 16 3 0

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know

The school is well led and managed. 75 19 0 0 6

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know

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 69 16 3 9 3

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know

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 44 28 9 16 3

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know

Almost a quarter of pre-inspection questionnaires were returned and 15 parents attended the meeting with the Registered Inspector. The views of parents attending the meeting were overwhelmingly positive and supportive of the school.

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