Freckleton Church of England Primary School

FRECKLETON CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th - 10 th July 2002

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FRECKLETON CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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FRECKLETON CE 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. Freckleton CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Freckleton Preston Lancashire Postcode: PR4 1PJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rev. Michael Gisbourne

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 th December 1997 Freckleton CE Primary School - 4

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Team members

21678 Susan Walker Registered inspector 14756 John Lovell Lay inspector 30935 Kath McArthur Team inspector

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Team members

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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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 Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Freckleton CE Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Freckleton C.E. Primary School is about the same size as most other primary schools. It is an aided school for boys and girls aged 4-11. There are 203 pupils on roll with more girls than boys overall. Most pupils are of British origin, with a few pupils of Black-Caribbean and Chinese heritage, but none are at an early stage in their learning of English. Ten per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is lower than the usual number. There are sixteen per cent of pupils on the register of special educational needs, which is below the national average. Such pupils have minor learning difficulties and none have statements of special educational needs. Few pupils move in and out of the school during the academic year. Almost all children enter the reception class with attainment that is similar to and sometimes above that expected of children nationally, and the majority of pupils come from the adjacent area of well-

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

established owner-occupied housing. The school is situated very close to a nearby working airfield. The school has gained a School’s Achievement Award, because results have improved over the last three years and achieved the Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark in October 2000. Although the headteacher has remained in post since the last inspection, staff have changed. During the inspection the Year 4 teacher was absent. The Year 6 teacher is only recently appointed and the headteacher’s time over the last two years has been focused on supporting supply teachers who have taught the Year 6 class.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Freckleton C.E. Primary School is a school with some significant strengths, but also some key areas for development. Standards at eleven are very high in English, and high in mathematics and science. Standards at age seven are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Teaching is satisfactory throughout the school, but with some areas for improvement. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall, but with some aspects of the work of the senior management team, subject co- ordinators and governors needing development. When all these factors are weighed together the value for money provided by the school is satisfactory.

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What the school does well

• The much better than average standards in English, and better than average standards in mathematics and science at age eleven. • The above average standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science at age seven. • The pupils’ very good attendance. • The school’s good provision for pupils’ social and moral development, which results in pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour. • The positive contribution of parents to their children’s learning. • The effective management of special educational needs.

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What could be improved

• Aspects of the leadership and management of the school, especially the monitoring of teaching and learning. • The balance of the curriculum. • Aspects of the assessment of pupils’ learning. • The achievement of the large number (30-40 per cent) of more able pupils on a day-to-day basis through the provision of more challenging work. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in December 1997. The school has improved its attendance rate and standards in English, mathematics and science remain high. In addressing the key issues the school has made sufficient recent improvement. It has raised standards in design and technology, and improved provision in information and communication technology, for instance there is a now a computer suite. It has begun to address the issue of pupils’ assessment, but has not made sufficient improvement. The school has not fully addressed the issue of monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching so that it is uniformly high. However, many other aspects of school life are not judged to be as good as at the time of Freckleton CE Primary School - 7 the previous inspection. Freckleton CE Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

1999 2000 2001 2001 English B B A A well above average above average A B mathematics A B B B average below average C D science B C B B well below average E

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

In the national tests for pupils aged eleven in 2001, results show that in English the school achieved well above average standards in relation to all schools and compared to schools in similar socio-economic circumstances. In mathematics and science results were above average in relation to all schools, and when compared to similar schools. The school met its targets in English and mathematics in 2001. The headteacher and two other staff teach the varying ability groups in English, mathematics and science in Year 6. Inspection findings suggest this is a successful strategy and for this reason standards continue to be better than average despite the fact that there have been supply staff in Year 6 for the last two years. Trends over time show a similar pattern of above average attainment. Almost all children enter the reception class with attainment that is similar to and sometimes above that expected of children nationally.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

Due to satisfactory teaching the vast majority achieve and sometimes exceed the early learning goals at the end of the reception year. In the 2001 national tests for pupils age seven, standards in reading were average when compared to all schools and similar schools. Standards were above average in writing and well above average in mathematics when compared to all schools and similar schools. Inspection findings suggest that pupils continue to be better than average. Over the last three years there has been little difference in the attainment of boys and girls aged seven, however at age eleven boys have higher standards in all three core subjects.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

The standard assessment results are better than average and progress is accelerated in Year 6. However, inspection findings show that most boys and girls only achieve satisfactorily in their day-to-day learning, irrespective of their prior attainment, ethnicity or social circumstances. When analysing work as pupils move through the school, the significant number of more able pupils - 30 per cent in reading and mathematics in Key Stage 1 and 40 per cent in English and science in Key Stage 2 in 2001 - are not sufficiently challenged in many subjects. This is because the school has not yet put in place an effective system of using assessment data to ensure that all pupils’ needs are met. The school’s practice of not routinely dating work in all books makes it hard for anyone monitoring subjects to track individual pupils’ progress. Too few lessons were seen in other subjects at the end of both key stages to make a secure

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

judgement about standards, as both Year 2 and Year 6 pupils were on educational visits during the inspection.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils like school and generally co-operate and collaborate with each other in lessons when given the opportunity to do so in practical activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils move around the school in an orderly manner. Older pupils behave well in often cramped and poorly ventilated classrooms.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Satisfactory. Relationships are generally good and the oldest pupils have suitable opportunities to carry out a good range of responsibilities to assist in the smooth running of the school. They have fewer opportunities to work independently or to show initiative. Freckleton CE Primary School - 9 Attendance Very good. Pupils are punctual to school and to lessons. Freckleton CE Primary School - 10

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory 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 in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching and learning is broadly satisfactory across the school. In lessons seen during the inspection about two thirds were satisfactory and the remainder were good and on one occasion very good. In the very good science lesson in Year 6, the pace was very brisk and questions were challenging. When teaching is good there is a clear purpose to the lesson, which is shared with pupils, and the beginnings and endings of lessons are used well to reinforce pupils’ learning. Relationships between adults and pupils are good and most lessons are well managed so that no time is wasted. Basic skills are well taught in literacy and numeracy, and soundly taught in information and communication technology, but these skills are not used sufficiently well to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. Lessons are generally appropriately resourced and other adults are used satisfactorily to guide pupils’ learning. There

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

are a few examples of effective marking in English which tell pupils how to improve, but most work is marked with a tick to acknowledge that the teacher has seen it. Too many lessons lack stimulation or have sufficient challenge for all pupils, so that they stretch themselves and are eager to learn. Observation of lessons and analysis of pupils’ previous work, show that teachers do not plan effectively. Too many lessons are based on activities, which do not allow pupils to show what they know, understand and can do. In subjects such as geography and history pupils tackle the same worksheets and lower attaining pupils do not record sufficient information. Homework, including the Year 3 and Year 6 projects, is satisfactorily used to support pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum All subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are taught, but the curriculum is not balanced. The headteacher does not have a clear enough idea of what is being taught on a weekly basis and how effectively time is used. Two thirds of older pupils take part in the good range of sporting, artistic and musical extra-curricular activities. The school has suitable links with a range of schools and colleges.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. Special educational needs are well managed. However, pupils with minor learning difficulties sometimes do the same work as other pupils and this does not aid their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school makes suitable provision for those pupils who have English as an additional language and who need help in their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. The provision for pupils’ social and moral development is good. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. The school takes good advantage of local events to boost pupils’ knowledge and understanding, but misses opportunities to make active links in pupils’ day-to-day learning

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory. Adults provide satisfactory practical day-to-day care for pupils and there are suitable systems in place to support pupils’ behaviour, attendance and welfare. However, teachers use their own assessment systems and there is not a whole school overview of the ‘big picture’ in order to drive learning forward. There has been a slow start in tackling this matter. Pupils are well prepared for their transition for secondary school. Freckleton CE Primary School - 11 The school’s partnership with parents is satisfactory overall and parents make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. The parents’ association (WISHES) raises considerable sums of money. Freckleton CE Primary School - 12

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The headteacher provides a vital contribution to raising standards in key subjects in Year 6. The school needs a more focused school improvement plan with clear success criteria to develop all areas of school life. More needs to be expected of the senior management team and subject co-ordinators, so that they all have a clearer idea of standards in all subjects and can better manage and lead their subject areas. The co- ordinators for numeracy and information and communication technology have a positive impact on subject development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. They fulfil their statutory duties satisfactorily overall, including the monitoring of some lessons. However, governors need to be more actively involved in setting and monitoring school priorities.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school analyses its standard assessment results, but is not yet in a position to make an accurate evaluation of its total performance, because it does not have sufficient information to do so in all subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources There are secure systems in place to check monthly spending. However, the governors have insufficiently clear plans for the school’s current underspend.

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Aspect Comment

There are a generous number of staff, but fewer classroom support assistants than are often seen. The accommodation is satisfactory but with weaknesses. Classrooms are often poorly ventilated. Aircraft noise disrupts both pupils’ learning in lessons and in assemblies because the accommodation is not sufficiently insulated against noise. The school is actively working on providing an outdoor play area for children under five. The grounds are currently underdeveloped to support pupils’ learning.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their child likes school. • The school expects children to work hard and try their best and children make good progress. • The approachability of the school. • Teaching is good. • The amount of information which they receive about their children’s progress. • Homework. • Extra-curricular activities. • The way in which the school works with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team find that children do like school and attend regularly, and all other aspects are broadly satisfactory. Two thirds of older pupils take part in the good range of sporting, artistic and musical extra- curricular activities that are available at different times of the year. The school has plans to broaden the range available to older pupils. Overall, the information which parents receive is satisfactory, but the quality is not consistent throughout the school. Better assessment information should enable the school to address the concerns of a significant number of parents regarding the information they are given about their children. Freckleton CE Primary School - 13

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eleven

1. Throughout the school most pupils speak well. They are usually clear and audible in discussion with their teacher and fellow pupils. Year 6 pupils listen attentively in class. They talk about the stories they have heard, discussing descriptions and feelings and using excerpts from the text to provide the reasons why they think this way.

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eleven

2. Pupils in Year 6 are generally fluent, accurate readers. Many use expression successfully, particularly when reading dialogue. They can explain why they like a particular author or a series of books and are familiar with a good range of fiction and non-fiction texts.

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eleven

3. The impact of the government initiatives in literacy is evident in the way Year 2 pupils talk about the features of a book such as author, illustrator and cover. They have positive attitudes to reading and a reasonable grasp of using their phonic skills to work out unknown regular five and six letter words, such as ‘plank’ or ‘snatch’. They read accurately, but only the most able use sufficient expression. However, some are reading dated material when more modern books are available.

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eleven

4. Most Year 6 pupils write in a neat ‘joined up’ style. The more able pupils organise their writing into paragraphs, using a fresh line when a new person is speaking. Pupils use an effective range of vocabulary in their writing, for instance ‘twirling, twisting and tumbling across the sky’. The more able pupils have written in a good range of styles, such as compiling a biography, reviewing a television programme and writing poetry.

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eleven

5. Most Year 2 pupils are beginning to join their letters and the more able pupils are confident in using a ‘joined up’ style. Such pupils are beginning to use a better range of punctuation appropriately, including exclamation marks. They use language such as ‘quick as a flash’ to enliven their stories. Most pupils spell accurately words that they read and write frequently and have a good attempt at words such as ‘please’ and ‘cuddle’. They make good efforts to think of alternatives to ‘nice’ and write ‘lovely’, ‘delicious’ and ‘fabulous’ as appropriate adjectives when writing a postcard. However, generally pupils have too few opportunities to write at length to show what they understand and to try out new skills.

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eleven

6. In mathematics Year 6 pupils present their work well and can show their working. They demonstrate good recall when counting on using different timestables. They have a secure knowledge of basic facts and strategies and for instance, most can multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals by 10, 100 and 1000. They calculate the surface area of a cuboid and check this by making a net.

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eleven

7. Year 2 pupils recognise patterns and sequences and calculate and solve number problems. More able Year 2 pupils use the outline of their feet to estimate fairly accurately the length and width of objects that they are measuring. Lower attaining pupils are well supported by classroom assistants when they are not fully sure of how to measure when using ‘worms’. However, their work is supported by huge amounts of worksheets, which gives little opportunity for more able pupils to show what they can do when left to work independently.

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eleven

8. Year 6 pupils have a good practical knowledge and understanding of a range of science topics. Boys and girls are clear about how to design and carry out an experiment. They understand how to set up a fair test. They use appropriate technical vocabulary when explaining their thinking. In the lesson seen, a few more able pupils are able to deduce missing results from a table and draw a Freckleton CE Primary School - 14 line graph to illustrate their findings.

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eleven

9. Year 2 pupils have covered a range of appropriate topics such as ‘light’ and growing plants. Observation of previous work shows that they complete a worksheet correctly to explain how light passes through materials. They document how they work as a group to design a fair test in order to bounce a ball and measure and record their results. They predict how material will react when squeezed and record their findings. However, they have very little opportunity to show what they know and understand because almost all work is recorded on worksheets.

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eleven

10. The school met its targets in 2001 in both English and mathematics. Most boys and girls achieve satisfactorily, irrespective of their prior attainment, ethnicity or social circumstances. This is because the school has not yet put in place an effective system of using assessment data to ensure that all pupils’ needs are met routinely. Most teaching is satisfactory, rather than good or better and this limits pupils’ day-to-day achievement. When analysing work as pupils move through the school more able pupils, in particular, are not sufficiently challenged. The school’s practice of not routinely dating work makes it hard for anyone monitoring subjects to track individual pupils’ progress. Too few lessons were seen in other subjects to make a secure judgement about standards.

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The school’s good provision for pupils’ social and moral development, which results in pupils’

good attitudes and behaviour. The pupils’ very good attendance.

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The school’s good provision for pupils’ social and moral development, which results in pupils’

11. The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral development and this results in pupils’ good standards of behaviour. There is a positive approach to behaviour and discipline and parents feel that behaviour in the school is good. The inspection team agree with this judgement. There is a suitable code of conduct based on Christian values, which everyone in the school follows. The school is an orderly place where pupils move quietly between lessons and into assemblies. Pupils have good attitudes to school. They are polite and patient and put their hands up when they want to answer a question or require help from an adult. Children in the reception class behave well when they go outside to inspect a buddleia bush at the end of the school day. Older pupils behave well in their classrooms, despite often cramped and poorly ventilated conditions. Such pupils carry out their day-to-day roles competently, for instance, giving practical assistance in the smooth

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The school’s good provision for pupils’ social and moral development, which results in pupils’

running of the school by ringing the bell, or monitoring the doors. Pupils confirm that no bullying takes place and if it did occur it would quickly be dealt with by adults. Pupils regularly collect for charities so that they learn about people who are less fortunate than themselves. Pupils are rewarded for their effort and achievement using a range of incentives, such as house points or stickers. There are regular merit assemblies where pupils are rewarded with certificates for achievement in and out of school. The school awards end of year trophies for winning house teams, swimming proficiency, art and craft, musical achievement, individual projects and citizenship, plus a merit trophy for effort.

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The school’s good provision for pupils’ social and moral development, which results in pupils’

12. The school makes good provision for pupils’ social development. This allows them to co-operate and collaborate together and aids their learning. The oldest pupils go on a residential visit in Lancashire where they learn to co-operate and collaborate to use a zip wire, ride quad bikes and improve their computer skills. There are two class visits per year for the infants. Almost two thirds of older pupils takes part in the good range of sporting, artistic and musical extra-curricular activities. There is a recently established school council, which allows pupils from all classes to discuss such issues as the lunchtime rotas and the state of the toilets. There are suitable opportunities for younger and older pupils to work together, for example in the Year 1 and Year 6 ‘paired reading’ project. The school helps the few new pupils who join the school to settle in. Children under five play together well when using the construction sets or sharing a ‘pizza’ with

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The school’s good provision for pupils’ social and moral development, which results in pupils’

friends. In a science lesson observed in Year 3 pupils are keen to collect leaves and other materials for their mini beasts’ habitats. Year 2 pupils co-operate very well during a paired measuring activity, which allows them to complete their work without fuss. Freckleton CE Primary School - 15 13. The pupils’ very good attendance supports their learning. Parents report that children like coming to school and their punctual arrival at school and lessons supports this.

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The positive contribution of parents to their children’s learning

14. The returns of the parents’ questionnaire and the parents’ meeting show that parents are largely supportive of the school. Parents are effectively involved in their child’s education from the induction visits in the reception class to the research projects carried out by the children in Years 3 and 6. Parents and grandparents work in school and go on educational visits and this helps pupils’ learning.

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The positive contribution of parents to their children’s learning

15. There is a home-school agreement in place and parents and children have signed these documents and all have been returned.

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The positive contribution of parents to their children’s learning

16. The friends of school (WISHES) have bought computers for classes and have auctions, spring fairs, discos and craft and toy fairs. They raise substantial sums of money for example, £4000 from last auction. This makes a considerable contribution to pupils’ learning.

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The effective management of special educational needs

17. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is well managed. Parents are clearly informed and involved in their children’s learning. Appropriate individual educational plans are written, reviewed and shared with staff. The special educational needs co-ordinator provides effective support for individuals and small groups of pupils both in and out of the classroom.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

(a) Aspects of leadership and management of the school.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

18. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are a long established team. The senior management team has recently been enlarged by the inclusion of the assessment co-ordinator. The team meets regularly, often to prepare items for staff discussion. Although they are well informed on an informal basis, too little of their findings for example in monitoring lessons, is formally recorded and used as a basis for future action.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

19. The headteacher provides a vital contribution to raising standards in key subjects in Year 6. However, his time over the last two years has largely been taken up with dealing with staff absences and supporting supply teachers, particularly in Year 6. This means that some routine matters, have not been addressed and the school is not as far forward as it might otherwise have been.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

20. The school has had an on-going problem with continuity in subject leadership. The science co- ordinator has only just been replaced after a long-term illness and the English co-ordinator is currently absent. Nevertheless, the school does not expect enough of its co-ordinators. With the exception of the co-ordinators for mathematics and information and communication technology, the co-ordinators’ action plans from year-to-year are very low key. They are concerned with reviewing and updating policies, schemes of work and resources and make little attempt to link their actions to improving standards. Deadlines are not tight enough and consequently the same items appear from year-to-year. Few subjects have portfolios of levelled work to guide teachers as to what is expected in the way of coverage or standards. Freckleton CE Primary School - 16 21. The school development plan does not contain sufficient detail to be the focus of school

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

improvement. For instance, it starts with the new financial year, but at the end of the current academic year contains little detail other than the subject co-ordinators action plans. There is no attempt to focus on raising standards in all subjects. It does not cover all aspects of school life, for instance, citizenship, or accurately demonstrate how the school will develop the play area for the under-fives. Staff development is not securely attached to action and success criteria are too vague. The governors are not sufficiently involved in formulating the plan and all governors do not receive a copy of the finished article, so that they can track what is happening. The school has identified few of the areas of development outlined in this report and attempted to plan for their improvement. Freckleton CE Primary School - 17 22. The governors play an overall satisfactory role. They have appropriate links with the literacy and

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

numeracy co-ordinators and the special needs co-ordinator, but do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of standards in other subjects. The governors’ treasurer is effective in monitoring monthly spending. However, there is not a clear plan for ensuring that monies received are spent for the benefit of current pupils with the consequence that there was an uncommitted surplus of nearly £60,000 at the end of the last financial year.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

(b) The monitoring of teaching and learning.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

23. The monitoring of teaching and learning is not good enough to raise the standard of teaching throughout the school, to take advantage of pockets of good practice and to ensure a consistent approach in all classes. For instance, scrutiny of the school development plan shows that only in mathematics are there any plans to observe lessons. Weekly planning is checked on a monthly basis by the senior management team. They have concentrated this year on subjects such as design and technology, history and physical education. Too few lessons have been formally observed by external observers for the school to have an accurate picture of standards of work and the quality of teaching in all subjects.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

24. There is limited detail in teachers’ weekly planning. For instance, planning does not show work matched to pupils’ differing abilities, or how pupils’ literacy, numeracy or computer skills are to be used in each lesson. Consequently when pupils’ previous work is analysed, for instance in science, there is limited evidence of pupils measuring, using graphs or using the computer. Evaluations, when completed, do not always relate to pupils’ learning so that it is clear what will need to be taught to take learning forward.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

25. The pupils’ work is not regularly analysed with sufficient rigour to note and change the overuse of worksheets or similar activities in many subjects. There are too few opportunities for pupils to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do. For instance, in Year 2 the vast majority of English work is recorded on a variety of worksheets with little opportunities for pupils to write in a variety of styles. In Years 4-6 analysis of pupils’ previous work in geography shows that it is almost exclusively composed of worksheets. Similarly, the lack of dating on many pupils’ work so that progress from week-to-week can be easily tracked has not been identified and addressed. There is a very small amount of work in some subjects.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

26. There is a lack of detailed effective marking in almost all subjects, so that pupils are told what they need to do to improve, although the school discipline policy when referring to incentives used to promote pupils’ learning shows that comments are expected. This misses opportunities to show pupils whether they have achieved the lesson objectives.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

The balance and breadth of the curriculum.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

27. The curriculum is broad and all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are taught. The curriculum is appropriately based on government guidelines, schemes of work from the local education authority, and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. The curriculum for children under five is suitably based on the Early Learning Goals. The school is currently making suitable provision for a secure outside play area and meanwhile it has allocated a session in the hall on Friday afternoon for ‘big toys and apparatus’.

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

28. The curriculum is not balanced. The monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum lacks sufficient rigour for the school to know exactly what is being taught. There is a lack of overall clarity in exactly what the time is being used for throughout the school year. The school’s calculation of how it uses its time makes no allowance for celebrating special events such as the 2002 Jubilee celebrations or the Commonwealth Games weeks or allocating classroom time to the completion of Year 3 and Year 6 projects. There is no overall up-to-date curriculum map that shows what will be taught throughout the school year. Half-termly planning does not always show what will Freckleton CE Primary School - 18 be taught each week in all subjects. Time allocations for subjects are not secure as some teachers produce a timetable each week to show how much time they will allocate to subjects. The school day consists of four over long sessions, which means that the school does not make

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Aspects of leadership and management of the school, including the monitoring of teaching and

the best possible use of the time available. This has an impact on pupils’ progress in subjects (not English, mathematics or science) as they move through the school. It also explains why there is little work available at the end of the year in subjects such as geography.

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The assessment of pupils’ learning. The achievement of pupils on a day-to-day basis,

29. Overall, the school needs to use assessment information more effectively to provide more interesting and challenging tasks for pupils, especially the more able pupils.

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The assessment of pupils’ learning. The achievement of pupils on a day-to-day basis,

30. There is a relatively new assessment co-ordinator who has attended training and held a staff meeting to start off new initiatives. She is making broadly satisfactory progress in making assessment procedures more consistent throughout the school. At present she has carried out an audit to establish which tests teachers are using and when assessment is being carried out. Assessment data that is held on individual pupils is slowly being re-organised into a more useful order so that teachers and parents can more easily see what pupils have achieved.

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The assessment of pupils’ learning. The achievement of pupils on a day-to-day basis,

31. The assessment policy is due to be rewritten so that the school is more explicit in what it expects teachers to assess in English, mathematics and science and in other subjects, and when this should be carried out. Better assessment information should enable the school to address the concerns of a significant number of parents regarding the information they are given about their children.

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The assessment of pupils’ learning. The achievement of pupils on a day-to-day basis,

32. The school is just beginning to analyse questions from the assessment tests in English and science, although this practice is more established in mathematics. The school development plan acknowledges the need to carry out the above tasks so that standards can continue to improve from year-to-year.

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The assessment of pupils’ learning. The achievement of pupils on a day-to-day basis,

33. The local education authority provides the school with graphs that they can use to analyse the performance of pupils in the standard assessment tests, for instance by gender. However, the assessment information that the school already holds is not used sufficiently well to set targets for all year groups, so that every teacher plays their part in achieving high standards.

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The assessment of pupils’ learning. The achievement of pupils on a day-to-day basis,

34. It is clear that from the thirty per cent of pupils who attain Level 3 and the forty per cent of pupils who achieve Level 5 that the school has a good number of more able and gifted and talented pupils. However, they are not formally identified. This impacts on their day-to-day progress as they are offered a diet of work similar to their peers. The school does offer some occasional extra provision to pupils through its partnership with a nearby high school.

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The assessment of pupils’ learning. The achievement of pupils on a day-to-day basis,

35. Test results are not used to set easily accessible and checkable targets for groups and individuals which are clearly visible in classrooms, so that they can improve their performance, as they move through the school. Year 2 teachers do write and check targets in writing at the front of pupils’ writing books, but this is not an established practice throughout the school. Targets are shared with parents and children on an annual basis. Freckleton CE Primary School - 19

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to improve standards and raise the learning for all pupils, the headteacher and governors should:-

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Develop the leadership and management of senior staff, subject co-ordinators and governors through more structured monitoring and evaluation so that: • teaching (including planning, marking, dating of pupils’ work ) and learning are formally monitored; • best practice in individual classrooms can be shared and made more consistent; • the criteria for targets set in the school development plan cover all aspects of school life and are clearer so that their success can be more easily measured; • a clear plan is produced for using the surplus funds to improve pupils’ learning. Paragraphs 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the balance of the curriculum by: • having a secure curriculum map for all subjects across the school; • auditing the use of time on a half-termly, weekly and daily basis to ensure that it is used most effectively to improve pupils’ learning in all subjects. Paragraphs 27. 28.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the rate of pupils’ achievement on a day-to-day basis, particularly the more able pupils by: • writing a clear assessment policy which shows teachers what the school expects them to do and when this will happen;* • analysing all the assessment information available to set clear targets for all classes, groups and individuals so that all teachers play a full part in achieving high standards; • using the available assessment information when planning work to challenge pupils in all subjects. Paragraph. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* Already in the school development plan. Freckleton CE Primary School - 20

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 17 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 0 1 6 10 0 0 0 Percentage 0 6 35 59 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than five percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 203 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 21 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 35

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 4

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 4.0 School data 0.1 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Freckleton CE Primary School - 21 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Freckleton CE Primary School - 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 11 15 26

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 9 10 10 level 2 and above Girls 14 14 15 Total 23 24 25

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 88 (86) 92 (90) 96 (83) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 89 (84) 91 (90)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 10 10 10 level 2 and above Girls 14 15 15 Total 24 25 25

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 92 (90) 96 (83) 96 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 19 16 35

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 17 16 17 level 4 and above Girls 16 13 16 Total 33 29 33

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 94 (78) 83 (78) 94 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 16 16 16 level 4 and above Girls 11 12 12 Total 27 28 28

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 77 (84) 80 (78) 80 (88) Freckleton CE Primary School - 23 at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Freckleton CE Primary School - 24

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 3 Chinese 0 0 White 197 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 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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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2001/ 02 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20:1 Average class size 29 £ Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 471,795 Total number of education support staff 3 Total expenditure 451,072 Total aggregate hours worked per week 65 Expenditure per pupil 2,244 FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 36,763

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Balance carried forward to next year 57,486

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) Freckleton CE Primary School - 25 FTE means full-time equivalent. Freckleton CE Primary School - 26

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 41 52 6 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 36 60 3 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 22 54 20 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 33 43 22 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 50 40 7 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 53 44 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 32 49 15 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 45 45 5 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 41 49 7 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 50 19 4 8

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Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

The numbers of questionnaires returned is a good guide to the responses of the number of families whose children attend the school. The small number of parents who attended the meeting for parents before the inspection started, had positive views of the school and were active supporters of its approach.

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