Carswell Community Primary School

CARSWELL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 7 th November 2000

p.1

CARSWELL 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.

p.1

CARSWELL 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. Carswell Primary School i

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bostock Road Abingdon Oxon

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Dr M Barkham

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1997 Carswell Primary School ii

p.3

Team members

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

p.4

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:

p.4

Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members

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

p.4

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Carswell Primary, situated near the centre of Abingdon, is a larger than average sized school for boys and girls aged 4 - 11. The number of pupils has increased by over 50 since the previous inspection. The current roll stands at 309. It is a popular school, which admits pupils from a wide area of the town and outlying districts. Nearly 40 per cent of pupils come from outside the designated catchment area of the school. About 25 per cent of pupils live at the local army barracks. There is a high turnover of these pupils because their families are often posted to other places. Twenty three per cent of pupils have special educational needs, a proportion slightly above that of other primary schools. Four of these pupils are assigned Statements of Special Educational Need. Fifteen per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is broadly in line with the national average. Five pupils do not

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

speak English as their first language. Attainment on entry to the school at age four is slightly below expectations for children of this age. Attainment for most pupils who join the school at other ages is below national expectations, particularly in mathematics.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Pupils make good progress over time in English, numeracy and science in this effective school. The quality of education provided is good. This includes the quality of teaching, which is good overall. The school is well led and managed, and it has made good progress in dealing with the issues raised at the previous inspection. Pupils have good attitudes to learning, and their personal development and behaviour are also good. When account is taken of all these factors, as well as the above average costs per pupil, the school gives satisfactory value for money.

p.6

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ progress and levels of attainment. Teachers use well the results of assessments to set targets and to plan their lessons. • There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • The school has a very strong and effective partnership with parents. • The school is well managed.

p.6

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way in which effective teaching strategies are shared. • The quality of pupils' finished work. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Carswell Primary School 2

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since its last inspection in January 1997, the school has made a sound level of improvement. There are now many occasions for pupils to write in a wide range of styles. These include reports, newspaper articles, science investigations and analyses of historical facts. In order to undertake some of this writing, pupils use books and computers to research information. Facilities are much better than they were for pupils to acquire and practise skills in information and communication technology, and most pupils now achieve satisfactory standards at both key stages. This is because there are more up-to-date computers and better staff training, and planning for the subject specifies many opportunities for pupils to use computers to support work in other subjects. The good assessment procedures identified in the previous report are even better than they were. The results of assessments give teachers

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

an accurate picture of pupils’ attainment, and a reliable basis on which to set targets for pupils to achieve, both in the short and long terms. There is improvement in the quality of pupils’ handwriting because the teachers train pupils from an early age to write in a joined, cursive style. However, there is still too much untidy finished work. Whilst over half the teaching is good or better, it is not as good overall as it was at the previous inspection.

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

Performance all schools similar schools

in: 1998 1999 2000 2000 English D B D D mathematics D A E E science C B E E

p.7

Key

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

p.7

Key

By the time children begin National Curriculum work in Year 1, most make good progress and achieve the early learning goals in most areas of learning. By the age of seven, pupils attain broadly average levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Attainment in English, mathematics and science at Key Stage 2 varies from year to year, and depends upon a number of factors. For example, attainment in 2000 was lower than in 1999 because a high proportion of pupils had special educational needs. Additionally, only 17 of the 42 pupils who took the 2000 end of Key Stage 2 assessments had remained at the school since they took the end of Key Stage 1 assessments in 1996. Twelve of the 42 pupils joined the Year 6 class during the year. Of these, ten had below nationally expected levels of attainment for their age in mathematics. In effect, in the case of many pupils, the school does not have them in its care long enough for them to reach nationally expected levels of attainment, despite

p.7

Key

their often making good progress. Inspection findings suggest that most pupils currently in Year 6 are likely to achieve nationally expected levels in English and science at the end of the key stage. However, it is likely that a lower than average proportion of pupils will attain the nationally expected Level 4 in mathematics. Carswell Primary School 3

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good; pupils enjoy their lessons. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall, both in lessons and around the school. Pupils respond well to their teachers’ expectations and follow the school rules. Personal development and relationships Pupils take a responsible attitude to their work in school. They have good relationships with their teachers and their classmates Attendance Satisfactory; in line with the national average. Most pupils arrive on time, and lessons start promptly.

p.8

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

Lessons seen overall 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.

p.8

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

The quality of teaching ranges from very good to unsatisfactory. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is never less than good. In the rest of the school, teaching is very good in 19 per cent of lessons, good in 50 per cent, and satisfactory in 25 per cent. It is unsatisfactory in six per cent of lessons. Whilst teaching is good overall, it does not match the overall high quality seen at the previous inspection. There is a higher proportion of good and very good teaching in Key Stage 1 than in Key Stage 2. Nevertheless, literacy and numeracy are taught well, and the way in which teachers plan their lessons is a strength. Teachers cater well for the needs of all pupils, including those who have special educational needs. Any shortcomings in teaching are usually to do with the way teachers control their pupils. Carswell Primary School 4

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum meets all statutory requirements. The curriculum is broad and well balanced, and covers well the requirements of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The school caters well for the range of pupils’ abilities and ages in each class, thus ensuring that all pupils have equal access to the curriculum. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school gives these pupils very good support. They make good progress at both key stages. There are specific targets contained in individual education plans, the use of which helps pupils to make systematic gains in knowledge and understanding. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language These pupils take a full part in the activities of the school and their rate of progress matches those of their classmates.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school’s very good programme for personal and social development is well established. Consequently, provision for pupils’ social development is very good. Provision for their spiritual and moral development is good, and for their cultural development it is satisfactory. How well the school cares for its pupils The school’s strategy for monitoring and assessing pupils’ progress and attainment, and the way in which it sets targets for pupils to achieve, are particular strengths of the school.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The acting headteacher and deputy headteacher run the school well. The other teachers give them good support, and respond well to the day-to-day and longer term needs of the school. Some monitoring of teaching and learning takes place, but this does not happen systematically. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body comprises members who have considerable relevant expertise. The governors are fully involved in decision making, which is based on their detailed knowledge of the school, its resources, and the need to provide the best quality of education for promoting the highest standards. The school’s evaluation of its performance The acting headteacher and the governors regularly analyse the school’s effectiveness, and set relevant targets for all pupils to achieve. The staff and governors have come to the end of the last

p.9

Aspect Comment

three-year development plan. There is now a need to draw up a new plan, a strategic document that takes account of all relevant data to raise and maintain standards. The strategic use of resources The school makes sensible decisions to ensure that best value is obtained from the available resources, with the result that most pupils make good strides in their learning over their time in the school. Carswell Primary School 5

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy school and make good progress. • The school is well led and works closely with parents. • There is good quality teaching. • The school welcomes parents and works closely with them to support children’s learning. • Their children are expected to work hard. • The school caters well for the needs of all children in its care. • The amount of work children are given to do at home. • The range of out-of-school activities for children to take part in. • Information that the school gives to parents about their children’s learning and achievements.

p.10

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the positive statements made by parents. They also find that the school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities, and that homework is set regularly. It supports well the work done by the pupils in school. The school gives regular detailed information to parents about their children’s progress. Carswell Primary School 6

p.10

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ progress and levels of attainment. Teachers use well the results of assessments to set targets and to plan their lessons.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Procedures for assessing pupils’ progress and attainment are well established in the school. They play a key role in ensuring that work given to pupils is challenging and supports their learning.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Assessment of children takes place soon after they enter the school in the early years unit. This quickly establishes their attainment in language, mathematics, and personal and social development. The teacher and support assistants regularly assess children’s progress through the Foundation Stage of their learning. By the time the children enter Year 1, the school has a clear picture of each pupil’s level of attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and personal development. All pupils take the statutory tests at the end of both key stages. The school regularly tests pupils in English and mathematics, both in lessons and at the end of each term, including the use of optional statutory assessment tests at the end of Years 3, 4 and 5. In this way, the school builds accurate profiles of each pupil. The school uses these to set targets for pupils to achieve each term, by the end of each academic year, and at the end

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

of each key stage. For example, the school has already made predictions about the levels of attainment Year 3 pupils are likely to achieve in English and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2, though teachers may alter their predictions on a termly basis according to the results of ongoing assessments.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Notably, assessment is extended to information and communication technology, and religious education. For example, the teacher in a lesson in the computer room focused on six pupils as they worked. She used predetermined criteria against which she assessed their skills, and recorded her findings. All teachers’ planning shows that the results of assessments such as these are used well to prepare future lessons. Planning for lessons takes into account the needs of individuals, for example in the difficulty and extent of the work set and in the way in which teachers group pupils by ability in lessons.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. As they move through the school, pupils take an increasing part in setting their own targets in the core subjects. They do this in partnership with their parents and teachers. All parties sign a document that specifies what the pupil needs to do to achieve the targets. Written annual reports focus on how well pupils learn, and always specify the next steps in their learning in the core subjects. On the basis of their good assessments of pupils’ achievements in information and communication technology, and in religious education, teachers are now in a position to identify in written reports the next steps for pupils’ learning in these two subjects. Pupils take responsibility for identifying targets for their own personal development, and formally record their targets.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Many pupils join the school other than at the usual time of first admission. However, the consistent use of the very good assessment procedures substantially overcomes some of the difficulties presented. The school very quickly establishes the needs of these pupils, and teachers provide them with appropriate work. Indeed, parents are particularly pleased with the way in which the school identifies at an early stage any weaknesses in learning that their children may have, and then deals with these. Carswell Primary School 7 There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. The school works hard to provide for pupils with special educational needs. The co- ordinator, employed on a part-time basis, is well qualified and experienced in her work. She gives very good leadership for this area of the school’s work, and helps to make it a strength of the school. In both key stages, pupils with special educational needs make good progress. This is because the work they do is closely matched to their individual needs, both in lessons in their own classes, and at the times when they are withdrawn to work with the co-ordinator and support assistants.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. All staff work well together to assess, identify and provide for these pupils. An initial assessment of children when they start school in the early years unit helps to identify those with special educational needs. The school uses its very good assessment procedures to identify those pupils with special educational needs who enter the school at other ages.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. The recently updated policy fully meets the requirements of the Code of Practice. It gives clear guidance on procedures, which are consistently applied. A recent good innovation is the writing of individual education plans undertaken in partnership between the co-ordinator and teachers. Plans are specific to individual pupils. They describe clearly the teaching methods to be used, and set targets for pupils’ learning. It is notable how well teachers plan for classroom and support assistants to work with particular groups of pupils in lessons, in accordance with the strategies identified in individual education plans. There is regular consultation between the special educational needs co-ordinator and other teachers, to identify and discuss any difficulties, and to ensure that pupils make best progress. Support assistants give good support to pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs, often

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

working with them under the clear direction of teachers in lessons, or in short periods of withdrawal from the main class.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. The school successfully promotes a working partnership with parents of pupils with special educational needs, and ensures their full involvement. Parents have regular opportunities to discuss their children’s progress and to learn about how they can help their children at home. Those parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting voiced their wholehearted support for the way in which the school helps pupils with special educational needs to learn. A recently formed committee of governors to oversee provision for special educational needs is a good initiative, prompted by an increased influx of pupils to the school with low levels of attainment.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school has a very strong and effective partnership with parents.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. Ninety five per cent of parents in the 77 responses made in the parent’s questionnaire felt that the school works closely with them. All parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting voiced their satisfaction with the degree of home/school partnership.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. The school keeps parents very well informed about their children’s progress and school matters. The prospectus is detailed and informative, and clearly encourages the development of a positive partnership with parents. The school sends a newsletter each week to parents, who say that this keeps them up to date with school activities. Carswell Primary School 8 12. Some newsletters itemise the work that specific classes will be studying during a subsequent term or half term. Parents find this useful because they can discuss related issues with their children, or work alongside their children when they bring work home. Indeed, some parents say that they collect information from a library to support their child’s learning.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

13. Annual written reports on pupils' progress are detailed. They give a clear and accurate picture about pupils’ progress in all subjects and in their personal development, and describe what pupils need to do in English, mathematics and science to further their learning. Of particular note is the way the school involves parents and pupils together each term when setting targets for pupils to achieve. These targets are written down, agreed, and then signed by each party. With parents and pupils, at a later meeting, the teacher reviews the targets and pupils’ progress towards meeting them. In this way, parents have the opportunity to become fully involved in mapping and influencing their child’s progress.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

14. Most parents agree with the content, amount and consistency of the work pupils are asked to do at home. They say that the work relates well to that undertaken in school, with the result that pupils benefit from the opportunity to practise and extend their skills and learning. The homework also provides opportunities for parents to become familiar with their children’s schoolwork and to give them support. Each pupil has a homework folder containing a parent comment sheet. Many parents take advantage of the sheet to communicate with teachers about any problems their children might have with their work.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

15. The school invites parents to meet with their child’s teacher on one evening during the summer term, about the time that annual written reports are sent out. Whilst most parents find this meeting of benefit, they are more pleased with the opportunities given for them to meet with teachers during the autumn and spring terms. The school makes known to parents that teachers are available to meet them between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. each Tuesday during these terms. Most parents take advantage of this facility.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

16. The school welcomes parents to work with pupils in classes. Many assist when classes go on educational visits, or to swimming lessons. The Parent and Teachers’ Association is a very active and well-supported body. It arranges regular social and money raising events, which often involve pupils.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

17. Certainly, the great majority of parents are satisfied with what the school has to offer their children. Many take advantage of the opportunities that the school gives for them to become involved in their children’s learning, though there was poor attendance at meetings about how the school teaches numeracy and literacy.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

18. The previous inspection found that the headteacher and governors managed the school well. The current inspection makes the same judgement, despite a significant change in the school’s circumstances. Since the last inspection both the headteacher and the deputy headteacher have left the school. The governors have appointed existing staff to these posts as a temporary measure. Additionally, the school has grown by 50 pupils since the inspection in 1997, and five teachers were appointed to the school at the beginning of this term. Carswell Primary School 9 19. The governors have handled the changes well, paying full regard to the need to both maintain and raise standards. The governing body comprises members who have a considerable amount of relevant expertise and interest in school affairs. They make sensible decisions based on sound information about the school. For example, the governors have

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

appointed, on a temporary basis, an experienced literacy co-ordinator, who also supports teachers new to the school in lower Key Stage 2. The governors have dealt satisfactorily with the issues raised at the previous inspection. An active subcommittee structure of the governing body pays due regard to special educational needs, curriculum, finance, staffing and the premises. Several governors visit the school regularly and work in partnership with subject co-ordinators.

p.14

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

20. Standards in English, mathematics and science attained by pupils when they leave the school at age eleven have varied each year from below national averages to above them. However, factors beyond the control of the school have caused most of the variation, rather than any differences in the quality of education provided. All policies and practices are firmly established, and are effective. For example, methods for assessing pupils are particularly strong and consistently applied. Consequently, the management and teachers have accurate information about pupils’ needs. Teachers plan lessons and work to match pupils’ needs, and challenge all pupils to reach higher standards of attainment. This is a quality of the school that most pleases many parents.

p.14

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

21. The acting headteacher has made a good start in carrying out her responsibilities. Her previous responsibility as co-ordinator for Key Stage 1 and as a member of the senior management team means that she has good knowledge of school policies and practices. She is supported well by the chair of governors and by the acting deputy headteacher and other staff. She meets regularly with the chair of governors, who is kept well informed about day- to-day matters. The governors are confident in the acting headteacher and rightly hold her in high regard.

p.14

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

22. The school development plan has recently reached the end of its three-year term. The governors and school management are fully aware that a new plan should be constructed and implemented as a matter of some urgency. There has already been initial discussion at the highest level about priorities for school development. For example, the interim senior management team plan for all teachers to be formally and regularly observed teaching, to ensure that they consistently use the most effective teaching methods.

p.14

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

23. The school makes sensible decisions to ensure that it obtains best value from the available resources, with the result that most pupils make good strides in their learning over their time in the school. Carswell Primary School 10

p.14

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

24. The overall quality of teaching in the school is good. About 20 per cent of teaching is very good, half is good, and about 25 per cent is satisfactory. A small proportion is unsatisfactory. Teaching is not as good as it was at the time of the previous inspection, when two lessons were judged excellent. Current teaching quality in Key Stage 1 matches that found at the last inspection, but the proportion of very good teaching in Key Stage 2 is lower than it was.

p.15

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

25. There have been considerable changes in teaching staff over the last three years since the previous inspection. There were 11 new appointments made in the last two years, five of them at the beginning of the current term, including the appointment of a newly qualified teacher. Several of the recently appointed teachers have only one or two years’ experience. The staff handbook gives good guidance to teachers on day-to-day classroom and school procedures, and all teachers new to the school find the document valuable. However, it does not include guidance about teaching methods that should be used to make teaching more effective.

p.15

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

26. The previous headteacher, and the literacy and numeracy co-ordinators, undertook some effective monitoring of teaching as part of the introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Their observations identified both strengths and weaknesses in teaching methods, and provided valuable comments to the teachers concerned. There are good arrangements for supporting newly qualified teachers, for example through monitoring lessons, and giving time to observe other teachers teach. There have been few formal observations of other teachers’ lessons since the beginning of 2000. Additionally, there has been no formal monitoring of lessons taught by those teachers appointed at the beginning of the current academic year.

p.15

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

27. Planning for most lessons is of a high standard, including those lessons taught by the newly appointed teachers. Planning always includes a specific range of work for pupils of differing levels of ability. Teachers plan tasks that suitably challenge each pupil and take their learning forward. They can do this because they make very good use of assessment procedures to determine each pupil’s level of attainment in the core subjects. For example, lessons in information and communication technology in the computer suite are well organised. In one good Key Stage 2 lesson, higher and lower attaining pupils alike used their computer skills well to assemble a ‘Victorian Newspaper’. The teacher paired pupils to work collaboratively, to learn from each other, and the teacher had time to focus on individuals. This was a successful arrangement because the teacher’s expectations of pupils to learn matched their capabilities, and all pupils made good progress.

p.15

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

28. It is in the management and control of pupils where there is some variation across the school. In the best lessons, teachers control their pupils very well. This is often because the teacher has high expectations of pupils to listen, and to respond to questions, and the lesson moves at a pace which keeps the pupils interested. These attributes were clearly apparent in a Carswell Primary School 11 very good mathematics lesson in Key Stage 1. The teacher told the pupils at the beginning of the lesson what they were going to learn. She made the introduction interesting and lively, with the result that pupils were eager to answer her questions and to move on to work individually or in groups.

p.15

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

29. In contrast, the pupils in some lessons are not clear about what they have to do, and time is wasted because the teacher has to repeat instructions. For example, the teacher in an unsatisfactory Key Stage 2 lesson spoke too quietly in the introduction to the lesson. Many pupils lost interest because they did not understand the purpose of the lesson; they became noisy and did not cover the intended work in sufficient detail.

p.16

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

30. Some teachers are skilled in using the available time well. This ensures that pupils have time to complete their work, and that there is a good opportunity at the end of the lesson for pupils to share and reinforce what they have learned in the lesson. This was not the case in all lessons seen in the inspection. In a few lessons, notably taught by some teachers new to the school, the teachers spend too much time on the first part of the lesson. The lessons come to an abrupt end because time has run out. In these lessons, even some higher attaining pupils do not complete their work, and lower attaining pupils do not sufficiently understand what they have been taught.

p.16

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

31. At present, monitoring of teaching is not rigorous enough across the school to evaluate the effectiveness of lessons, to identify where teaching needs to be improved, or to provide ways for teachers to share effective classroom practice. This lack of rigour is not helping the school to achieve its aim of ‘providing for all staff to develop their expertise and professional skills’, and thus to help all pupils achieve their highest standards.

p.16

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

The quality of pupils' finished written work.

p.16

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

32. The previous inspection identified the teaching of handwriting and the presentation of high quality work as issues for development. Since that time, the school has worked well to develop pupils’ handwriting skills, with some considerable success. Correct letter formation is taught well from an early age. By Year 2, most pupils know how to write all letters correctly. They write in a cursive style, and many join letters correctly. This good progress is mainly due to the time given to specific handwriting lessons. Higher attaining pupils develop their own individual style of presentation in their handwriting. By Year 6, most pupils’ handwriting shows a good level of competency, despite less time being given specifically to developing this skill. However, the relatively high proportion of pupils who join the school other than at the normal Foundation Stage means that many in Key Stage 2 need more practice to improve their handwriting.

p.16

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

33. Pupils do not consistently use handwriting skills to produce high quality finished written work. However, there are exceptions, for example when pupils do work that ultimately goes on display in classrooms and around the school. Much of this work is well organised, attractive and interesting. It shows that pupils can take a pride not only in the content of their work but also in the way they present it. Too often, however, the work in pupils’ workbooks is slipshod and poorly organised. For example, whilst pupils in Key Stage 2 use squared paper exercise books for their mathematics work, they take little notice of the squares to help them to organise their work. Many pupils do not use the squares to help them Carswell Primary School 12 draw graphs accurately. They draw lines and write digits with little regard to accepted convention. Similarly, when writing prose in English or in the other subjects, too many

p.16

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

pupils focus only on the content of their writing. They pay too little regard to organising their work. This often leads to careless mistakes in spelling and grammar.

p.17

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

34. The way in which pupils’ finish their science work is a notable exception to the way pupils present their day-to-day work. Most pupils organise well their writing up of investigations. This is because teachers train pupils to write to an agreed format, according to a logical progression of ideas, using headings as starting points.

p.17

The school’s approach to the monitoring of teaching and the way that effective teaching

35. When marking pupils’ work, most teachers tend to concentrate on its factual or computational correctness. Where the work is substantially correct in content, teachers tick the work and often give praise. This leads to pupils feeling satisfied with their achievements, despite having produced work which is not of all-round high quality. There are exceptions to this when some teachers refer in their marking to the way the work is presented. In these cases, the teacher’s expectations are high, and the marking reflects their expectations. Additionally, in some lessons the teacher makes a point of reminding pupils to present their work well, but this happens too infrequently. Where it does happen, as in a very good Year 6 English lesson about writing in a journalistic style, most pupils produce carefully written, well organised work, even though it is written in note form. Carswell Primary School 13

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

36. The headteacher, staff and governors should now construct and put into effect a detailed and strategic school development plan. It should include agreed action for:

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• putting in place a systematic programme for monitoring the quality of teaching which;

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* is applied regularly to all teachers across the range of subjects taught;

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* identifies and enables the sharing of effective practice;

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* pays particular attention to supporting those teachers new to the school;

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• raising teachers’ and pupils’ expectations of what can be achieved in the quality of finished work on a day-to-day basis. Carswell Primary School 14

p.18

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 16 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 48

p.19

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

0 19 50 25 6 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.19

Pupils on the school’s roll YR – Y6

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 314 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 47 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.19

Special educational needs YR – Y6

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 88

p.19

pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 5

p.19

pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 55 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 49

p.19

% %

School data 6.5 School data 0 National comparative data 5.9 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Carswell Primary School 15

p.19

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: 2000 28 23 51

p.20

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Numbers of pupils at Boys 22 25 26 NC Level 2 and above Girls 19 21 20 Total 41 46 46 Percentage of pupils School 80 (83) 90 (96) 90 (83) at NC Level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.20

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at Boys 25 25 27 NC Level 2 and above Girls 21 20 20 Total 46 45 47 Percentage of pupils School 90 (93) 88 (87) 92 (93) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.20

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: 2000 15 27 42

p.20

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at Boys 10 11 13 NC Level 4 and above Girls 19 16 18 Total 29 27 31 Percentage of pupils School 68 (73) 64 (83) 74 (88) at NC Level 4 or above National 75 ( 70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.20

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at Boys 9 11 12 NC Level 4 and above Girls 19 16 19 Total 28 27 31 Percentage of pupils School 67 (73) 64 (83) 73 (85) at NC Level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Carswell Primary School 16

p.20

ent

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.21

ent

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.21

ent

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 1 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 1 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 3 Chinese 0 0 White 245 White 3 1 Any other minority ethnic group 13 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.21

ent

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

p.21

Qualified teachers and classes:

YR – Y6 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12.4 Financial year 1999/2000

p.21

Qualified teachers and classes:

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 29.1

p.21

Education support staff:

Total number of education support staff 9 Expenditure per pupil 1930.00

p.21

Education support staff:

Total aggregate hours worked per week 191 Balance brought forward from previous year 31,801.00

p.21

Education support staff:

Balance carried forward to next year 42,087.00 Carswell Primary School 17

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 314 Number of questionnaires returned 77

p.22

know

My child is making good progress in school. 38 51 6 0 5

p.22

know

Behaviour in the school is good. 32 58 5 0 4

p.22

know

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 34 44 14 3 5

p.22

know

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 40 47 10 1 1

p.22

know

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 70 29 1 0 0

p.22

know

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 60 38 1 0 0

p.22

know

The school works closely with parents. 32 56 5 0 6

p.22

know

The school is well led and managed. 34 58 0 1 6

p.22

know

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 51 4 0 1

p.22

know

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 35 47 12 1 5

p.22