Estcots Primary School

ESTCOTS COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12 – 13 February 2001

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ESTCOTS COUNTY 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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ESTCOTS COUNTY 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. Estcots County Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bourg-de-Peage Avenue Lewes Road East Grinstead West Sussex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs S Skelley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1997 Estcots County Primary School - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Team members 21080 Kay Cornish Registered inspector 9487 Frances Hurd Lay inspector 22578 Gavin Jones Team inspector 13307 Ian Hancock Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Estcots County 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

Estcots is a West Sussex County Council primary school for boys and girls, built in 1972, close to East Grinstead town centre. There are slightly more boys than girls on a roll of 383 pupils. The school is larger than average. Children under five attend part time until the term in which they become five. There are 14 classes, averaging 28 pupils per class. There are two classes in each year group. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, at 4.2 per cent, is below the national average. The percentage of pupils speaking English as an additional language at 5.3 per cent, is higher than in most schools. The percentage of pupils on the register of special educational needs in Year 2000, including statemented pupils, was 16.2 per cent, which was below the national average. The percentage of pupils with statements under the DfEE Code of Practice 1 at 0.5 per cent is below the national average. No pupils have been excluded in the current year. Children’s

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

attainment on entry to reception classes is mainly above the expected levels nationally, although widely diverse. Most pupils attend the Sackville Community College when they leave at the end of Year 6.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Estcots County Primary School is a highly effective school, providing a good quality of education. Pupils’ achievements are consistently above average and standards are higher than those expected nationally. Predominantly good teaching impacts substantially on pupils’ higher attainment. The high quality of leadership and management ensures that staff constantly strive to achieve higher standards in all aspects of the school’s development. The professional dedication of all the staff encourages very good relationships and a strong sense of purpose. Parents and many other adults are highly involved in the work of the school. The school gives good value for money. The many outstanding strengths of the school far outweigh any minor issues. There are no major areas for improvement.

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What the school does well

• By the age of 11, pupils attain well above average standards in English and science; pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average. • Predominantly good teaching is a major strength and impacts significantly on pupils’ good learning. • The headteacher has an excellent grasp of the school’s strengths and needs, and leads with purpose. • The informed governing body is very good at shaping the direction of the school; financial management and daily administration are of a high standard. • New entrants are given a good start in their early education through a lively, well balanced programme at the Foundation Stage 2 . • The good behaviour of pupils, and relationships, are ensured by the hard working staff, who co-operate well as a team to give good support to pupils. • The school’s links with the highly supportive parents are very good. • Attendance is very good.

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What the school does well

1 The DfEE Code of Practice gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities to ensure that all pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. 2 From September 2000, the term Foundation Stage refers to children’s education from the age of three until the end of the reception year. Estcots County Primary School - 7

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What could be improved

In the context of this highly effective school, there are no major areas for improvement for the school to address.

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What could be improved

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 previously inspected in October 1997. The school has made good improvement in important areas and all the key issues have been rectified. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been introduced very successfully. New co- ordinators have been appointed for literacy and design and technology. Long and medium term planning takes good account of the National Curriculum 2000. Following the guidance of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, schemes of work are being trialled in science, art and design, geography, history, design and technology and music. Information and communication technology (ICT) has remained a high priority since the previous inspection and effective support has been given by the school’s ICT co-ordinator and the advisers of the local education authority to increase the confidence of the staff. Pupils at Key Stage 2 3 have protected access to the Internet. A new technician for ICT provides extra support and tuition

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

for pupils to improve their skills. A new policy for design and technology has been drawn up and implemented. Staff have had professional development for design and technology. The management of assessment procedures and analysis of data have improved. Teachers’ lesson objectives have become more explicit. These are discussed with pupils and written out for them. Individual target setting for pupils is the norm.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores 4 in National Curriculum tests.

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Performance in: all schools

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

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Performance in: all schools

In 2000, English, mathematics and science National Curriculum results were well above the national averages by the end of Key Stage 2, compared with all schools. There are upward trends in results over the previous four years for all core subjects, in line with national trends.

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Performance in: all schools

For current Year 6 pupils, attainment in English and science is well above the national average. Mathematical attainment is above the national average. For pupils now in Year 2, attainment is above the national averages for reading, writing, mathematics and science. Higher attaining pupils reach high standards. Special educational needs pupils make good progress towards their individual targets, as do pupils with English as an additional language.

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Performance in: all schools

3 Key Stage 2 refers to pupils in Years 3 to 6 aged seven to eleven and Key Stage 1 to pupils in Years 1 and 2 aged five to seven. 4 Average point scores refer to the average of pupils’ scores weighted by Ofsted for each level attained in each subject. Estcots County Primary School - 8 With regard to other subjects, current pupils in Year 4 have exceptionally high standards in their writing. Standards in ICT and design and technology are in line with the expected levels at the end of both key stages, showing an improvement from the previous inspection. Pupils’ attainment in religious education is at the expected level agreed in the local syllabus.

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Performance in: all schools

Attainment on entry varies widely, but the majority of children are above the nationally expected level. Progress is maintained throughout the Foundation Stage and most children achieve above the expected levels of the Early Learning Goals 5 in literacy and numeracy before commencing their studies of the National Curriculum. Throughout the school, literacy standards are much higher than normally seen, particularly in writing. Numeracy standards are equally good.

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Performance in: all schools

Taking into account educational inclusion, by the age of 11, boys performed particularly well in 2000 National Curriculum tests and achieved as well as girls in English attainment. Boys performed better than girls in mathematics and science. A profile of such achievement goes against the national picture where boys usually perform less well than girls. This good accomplishment is achieved despite the fact that there are no male teachers on the staff.

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Performance in: all schools

All groups of pupils with special educational needs (including higher attaining pupils) are well challenged and are given good support. Higher attaining pupils reaching the higher level, Level 5, compared with all schools, is well above the national average. In 2000, a few pupils reached the higher Level 6 in English and mathematics. Compared with schools in similar contexts, results are consistent with the average for English for pupils reaching at least the expected level, Level 4, but results are above similar schools in mathematics and science.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are enthusiastic about their studies and their concentration is good. They are happy to come to school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour is good, with no evidence of oppressive behaviour. Pupils know school routines and rules well.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils conduct independent research in class and use their initiative well. Relationships reflect significant respect for the feelings, values and opinions of others.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is very good and well above the national average. The school has well established procedures.

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Aspect Comment

5 QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) has produced a set of ‘Early Learning Goals’, comprised of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the time they enter Year 1. There are six areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literature; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; and physical development. Estcots County Primary School - 9

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

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

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

The quality of teaching and learning is predominantly good. Occasionally it was observed as excellent. Eleven per cent of lessons were excellent. Twenty-six per cent of lessons were very good. More than three-quarters of lessons were good or better. The remainder of lessons were satisfactory. No lessons were unsatisfactory. This is a good picture of very effective teaching. The high standards attained by pupils reflect the positive impact on achievement made by teaching. The teaching of literacy is very good, particularly for writing. Style, punctuation, grammar and handwriting are well taught. The effective teaching of numeracy ensures good initial activities for mental calculations and good use of questions and mathematical vocabulary to support learning. Teachers give good opportunities for pupils to apply their knowledge to practical problem solving activities. The teaching of science is exceptional at times at Key Stage 2. Pupils’ work throughout reflects teachers’ good

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

knowledge of units of the National Curriculum for science and in the provision for environmental science. There has been good focus in the teaching of ICT. The extra support given by a new technician for ICT has a positive impact in raising pupils’ standards in the subject. Teaching at the Foundation Stage is good and, as a result, children make a good start in their early learning. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour and learning efficiently throughout, and they know their pupils well, so that tasks match all pupils’ needs successfully. Pupils with special educational needs are supported sensitively and taught most effectively so that they make good progress. Estcots County Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school has implemented the literacy and numeracy strategies successfully. The curriculum provides coherent learning experiences that take good account of recent national requirements so that there is breadth and balance and statutory requirements are met. The school gives good enrichment through visits, visitors to school, residential experiences and activities after school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs All pupils with special educational needs are welcomed and make good progress. The co-ordinator, teacher and support staff work conscientiously to meet the needs of all pupils, including higher attainers. A governor with an interest in special educational needs gives outstanding support.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Teachers’ planning ensures good provision for pupils with English as an additional language. Pupils are well supported with extra help from language teachers employed by the local education authority. Such pupils make good progress and, when appropriate, have one-to-one tuition.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The overall provision is satisfactory. Provision for spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils’ moral and social development is good. The school encourages a well developed sense of mutual responsibility to protect people and the environment. The school has improved its opportunities for pupils to learn about minority ethnic groups in the United Kingdom.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school analyses its assessment data thoroughly from the good range of tests used. As a result, pupils’ progress is tracked closely and their individual targets are accurate for their needs. There are very good procedures for child protection and attendance. The school provides its pupils with a high standard of care and cleanliness in the working environment.

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Aspect Comment

The school has very good links with parents and the community, the impact of which is significant on pupils’ learning. Estcots County Primary School - 11

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher has an excellent grasp of the school’s strengths and needs, and leads with purpose. She has ensured that the monitoring of key areas is functioning well. The dedicated deputy headteacher provides very good support, and the enthusiastic staff carry out their co-ordinator duties most effectively.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The chair and governors are very good at strategic planning and carrying out their statutory duties. Governors are articulate, informed and pro-active.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school’s development plan provides a very clear agenda for action. The issues for improvement are closely linked with performance management, monitoring and evaluation. All the key issues of the previous report have been rectified and standards raised. The commitment to succeed is strong.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school uses its resources of time, equipment and the budget very effectively. Financial planning is very good. Good use is made of new technology, including in administration. Daily administration is very good so that the school is an orderly community. The extent to which the principles of best value are applied is very good. The school gives good value for money.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The good teaching. • The good behaviour and standards of pupils. • The approachable staff. • The ‘Buddy’ system and ‘Praising’ assembly. • Improvement in the use of ICT. • Refurbishment of the inside of the building. • The way the school ensures safety of children at the end of the day. • Information on progress, and reports. • Support for lower and higher attaining pupils. • More contact time with teachers of Years 5 and 6. • More sporting activities. • The removal of temporary classrooms.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with all the parents’ positive views about the school. With regard to parents’ concerns, inspectors thought that more contact time between parents and Years 5 and 6 staff would be a positive move. Sporting activities were considered adequate for a primary school. The local education authority’s feasibility study is investigating the issue of including the Year 2 pupils in the main building. Individual comments from parents indicated that homework was not marked, a parent felt that they were treated with contempt, and one requested that the school’s hours be longer. The marking of homework was mainly consistent throughout. At no time, whatsoever, did inspectors observe parents being treated with contempt by staff or the headteacher – quite the contrary. On investigation, the school’s hours of opening match the recommended times of other local schools. Estcots altered its Estcots County Primary School - 12

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

hours to correspond with Sackville Community College when a change to a continental style took place. This was to make it easier for parents with children at both the primary and secondary phases.

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

1. During the current inspection, pupils’ attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 in English is well above the national average for speaking and listening, reading and writing. Pupils have learnt to listen carefully to discussions and to make the constituent sounds of words in order to read. Pupils respond confidently to questions, discuss constructively, and use appropriate specialist terms relevant to different subjects. Pupils express opinions clearly and take good account of the views of others.

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

2. Reading standards, by the end of Key Stage 1, are above the national average. By the end of Key Stage 2, reading standards are well above the national average. This reflects progress in learning from entry into the school. Memory of key words is good and pupils have secure phonic strategies to tackle new words. Higher attainers are challenged well in all aspects of reading. Pupils with special educational needs have very good support in reading so that they often attain average standards. By the time pupils are eleven, they are fluent readers and their analysis of texts is good. They have good recall of plots and make perceptive comments about incidents in the story’s development and the effects on characters. Evidence shows that pupils read regularly at school and at home. Reference skills are competent. Dictionary skills are good.

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

3. Writing standards by the age of eleven are well above national averages. Pupils have a wide repertoire for writing. They write logically with well structured sentences and good development of thought. There is very good use of vocabulary. Spelling is secure and a good average. Punctuation is very good. Paragraphing is confident and there is good use of dialogue to develop a plot. The understanding and use of grammar are very good. Handwriting and presentation are neat and attractive.

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

4. By the age of seven, current pupils’ attainment in English is above the national average. In Year 2000, standards were close to the national average and showed a drop from previous years. The reason for the lower scores in 2000 was due to the unique composition of the particular year group of pupils. A few pupils in the year had English as an additional language. On tracking the progress of these pupils from the point of entry, it was evident that they had made good progress in learning English, but not enough to keep the average of the year up as high as previous trends had been. Special educational needs pupils and higher attaining pupils achieved well in 2000.

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

5. The results of eleven year olds in Year 2000 National Curriculum tests show standards well above the national average compared with all schools. There are upward trends in results over the previous four years for all core subjects in line with national trends. Boys performed particularly well in 2000 National Curriculum tests. All groups of pupils are well challenged and given good support. Higher attaining pupils reaching the higher grade at Level 5 are well above the national average, and a few pupils reached Level 6 in English and mathematics. Pupils’ English standards at Year 4 are particularly high, overall.

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

6. Standards in science are above the national averages for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 and well above for the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils’ work shows high standards overall in all areas of the National Curriculum. Pupils’ investigations show that they use apparatus Estcots County Primary School - 13 skilfully, make accurate observations and collate evidence accurately in tabular and graphic formats, often using computer technology. Strengths in science are in using the school’s natural environment and the very good facilities for investigating natural history. Pupils make very good progress in their learning.

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

7. Standards in mathematics are above national averages at the end of both key stages. Progress in learning is maintained throughout. In their daily practices of calculating numbers mentally, pupils are very secure and they explain accurately a variety of strategies to arrive at correct answers. When using and applying their mathematical knowledge, a significant number of pupils work at a higher than average level. Their organisation of data is very good. They use symbols and diagrams confidently. Pupils’ investigations in mathematics are frequent and confident. This flexibility is due to a very good understanding of place value. By the end of Key Stage 1, in number and algebra, a significant number of pupils understand the values of numbers to one thousand, and make good use of approximations. Pupils know their 2, 3, 5 and 10 times tables and solve simple problems accurately, using correct mathematical terms confidently. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils understand place value in

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

all four operations with decimals to two places. They calculate accurately fractions and percentages. Pupils understand how to sequence operations when applying their knowledge to times tables. Work throughout, on shape, space and measures, is good. Handling data is very good and pupils extract information and interpret expertly figures in simple tables and lists.

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

8. Standards in ICT and design and technology are in line with the expected levels at the end of both key stages, showing an improvement from the previous inspection when they were unsatisfactory. Pupils’ attainment in religious education is at the expected level agreed in the local syllabus, by the end of both key stages.

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pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above average.”

9. Attainment on entry varies widely, but the majority of pupils are above the nationally expected level. Pupils maintain progress at the Foundation Stage and most achieve above the expected levels of the Early Learning Goals in literacy and numeracy before commencing their studies in the National Curriculum. Throughout the school, literacy and numeracy standards are much higher than normally seen, particularly in writing, due to the increased focus on this aspect of English during the previous two years.

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good learning.”

10. The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was predominantly good. Occasionally it was excellent. Very good teaching was seen throughout both key stages. Some excellent teaching was seen in literacy and science. Teaching impacts strongly on pupils’ high standards of attainment. Teaching is founded on the good relationships which have been established between all staff and pupils. The confident quality of discussion in lessons is high, contributing to pupils’ good understanding. Teachers’ expertise reflects their very good knowledge of subjects, particularly in literacy, numeracy and science. All staff have updated their skills in ICT. An additional support assistant has been employed for teaching specific skills in using computer technology and this has been very beneficial in raising pupils’ standards for this newly accredited core subject. Teaching in religious education reflects a

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good learning.”

secure understanding of the syllabus for religious education agreed locally.

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good learning.”

11. Teachers plan carefully together within year groups, so that pupils have equal opportunities to access the school’s curriculum. They ensure that lessons are interesting and relevant and that tasks are well matched to pupils’ needs. Teachers’ management of pupils is skilful so that pupils are eager to try hard and to behave responsibly. Procedures for assessing pupils are thorough and teachers make a good analysis of results and data overall in order to plan comprehensively for the next lessons. The good procedures for assessment are accurate, efficient and take the minimum amount of time to complete. Homework is given in all year groups and the marking of it is mainly consistent throughout. Learning support staff and resources are used very efficiently within lessons and for general duties. Teachers use Estcots County Primary School - 14 ICT whenever it is appropriate to do so. There has been good improvement in the teaching of

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good learning.”

ICT and design and technology since the previous inspection, when such teaching was unsatisfactory. It is now acceptable.

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leads with purpose.”

12. The headteacher is highly regarded by staff, governors and parents and is loyally supported by a dedicated deputy headteacher. The allocation of staff roles is most effective and the monitoring of all key areas functions smoothly. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the development of the school and has worked productively with staff and governors to translate her vision into action and this has rectified all previous key issues. She has made exceptional progress in introducing highly effective management systems. In particular, significant changes in raising teachers’ expectations, and in their planning of the curriculum, and lesson objectives, have led to raising standards of pupils’ attainment. This is particularly noteworthy in pupils’ writing. The school’s improvement plans provide a very clear agenda for action and enable staff and governors to direct their energies on priorities which

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financial management and daily administration are of a high standard.”

13. The governing body is very good at strategic planning. Governors are articulate, informed and pro-active. They are fully involved in the life of the school. Governors have high levels of personal and professional expertise and are conscientious and well organised. Relationships between the headteacher and governors are mutually respectful and sincere. The induction of new governors is very good. The governor with a close interest in special educational needs gives outstanding support. The school’s financial management and daily administration are of a high standard. Governors receive regular budget statements and keep a close check on spending, which results in the careful matching of priorities to funds available. Due to the concerted effort of governors, staff, parents and members of the local community in fundraising, a unified approach to funding school improvement has served the best interests of pupils.

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financial management and daily administration are of a high standard.”

14. Day to day financial procedures ensure a careful separation of functions, with regular checks undertaken. School routines are very efficiently monitored by the school’s administrators and the headteacher. As a result, the school is a well ordered community. There is maximum use of funds, accommodation and resources. The extent to which the principles of ‘best value’ are applied is very thorough. The school gives good value for money.

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balanced programme at the Foundation Stage.”

15. The teaching for the Foundation Stage children is good overall, with very good aspects. Children take part in a well planned and appropriate programme of learning activities which develops secure early learning skills and confidence. The planned activities are lively, relevant and closely based on the Early Learning Goals. There is a very good balance of teacher directed tasks and child chosen activities so that children’s self esteem and achievements are significantly encouraged. In their language development, children greatly enjoy completing their literacy tasks, including the whole class ‘big book’ shared sessions. Very good use is made of mathematical apparatus to reinforce children’s knowledge of numbers and size and height of objects. For example, the ‘tower’ of cubes ‘growing’ alongside the class amaryllis plant is added to periodically as the flowering stem grows. Very good use is made of interesting role play areas, such as an imitation igloo and toy penguins

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balanced programme at the Foundation Stage.”

in order to encourage knowledge and understanding of the world and to enrich children’s experiences and vocabulary. The reception classes provide a lively, happy and exciting environment with caring management. Estcots County Primary School - 15

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staff, who co-operate well as a team to give good support to pupils.”

16. The school is a harmonious community based on trusting and respectful relationships where everyone is valued. Personal contributions are received with respect. As a result, an effective learning environment is ensured. The procedures for encouraging good behaviour are well known by pupils and they are proud to participate in the school’s rewards systems, culminating in celebration, or ‘praising’, ceremonies where individuals are publicly acknowledged. The school successfully achieves high quality relationships through its friendly, caring atmosphere. Pupils take their duties seriously, such as when older partners of the ‘Buddy’ system help new and younger entrants to settle into the school. There are very good procedures for child protection and a target system for individuals to monitor their own progress by, which results in good self esteem and relationships.

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“The school’s links with the highly supportive parents are very good.”

17. Parents support the school very well and are satisfied with the education provided for their children. This was reflected in the very positive comments made during the inspection week, at the parents’ meeting and through the parents’ replies on the questionnaires. The arrangements made to integrate new parents and pupils into the school in the younger age groups are very good. Parents help during and out of the school, as well as in raising substantial funding for projects such as extra equipment for computers and books. There is a thriving School Association which organises a wide range of social, as well as fundraising, events. Parents feel very welcome at the school and have a real sense of partnership with the school and staff. A significant number of parents help at school during the day and this has a good impact on pupils’ learning. Parents consider that any complaints or concerns are quickly and effectively dealt with. Parents are positive that they have good opportunities to

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“Attendance is very good.”

18. Attendance rates are well above the national average at 96.7 per cent. There is no unauthorised absence. Authorised absence was 3.3 per cent in the previous year, below the national figure of 5.2 per cent. Pupils are happy to come to school and are punctual. The procedures for encouraging and maintaining high attendance are very good and clearly communicated to families.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

19. In the context of this highly effective school, there are no major areas for improvement for the school to address.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

20. The school has demonstrated its good awareness of its own strengths and relative weaknesses in current development planning. Estcots County Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 383

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 84

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 20

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 17

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 19

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Estcots County Primary School - 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 25 25 50

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 21 21 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 24 24

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 88 (89) 90 (91) 96 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 22 24 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 24 24

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (89) 96 (91) 94 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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 Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 30 23 53

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 24 28 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 20 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 89 (85) 91 (89) 96 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 21 28 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 21 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 83 (78) 92 (85) 94 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Estcots County Primary School - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.8 Financial year 1999 -

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 605,985

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 10 Expenditure per pupil 1,633

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week Balance brought forward from previous year 29,961

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 21,027

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Estcots County Primary School - 19

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 44 49 6 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 44 55 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 19 63 10 3 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 28 49 20 1 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57 35 4 2 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 38 3 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 36 53 4 3 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 66 29 2 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 43 50 1 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 24 39 23 2 12

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Due to rounding percentages do not total 100.

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