Christ Church CofE Primary School

CHRIST CHURCH (C of E) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs. M. Fitzpatrick.

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CHRIST CHURCH (C of E) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 February – 1 March 2002

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CHRIST CHURCH (C of E) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full 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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CHRIST CHURCH (C of E) 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. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 3 - February 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Shieldfield Green Shieldfield Newcastle upon Tyne

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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. C. Smith

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 June 1998 Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 4 - February 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 24326 Mrs. M. Fitzpatrick Registered inspector English History English as an additional language What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements. How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 19361 Mr. K. Ross Lay inspector How high are standards? b) Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 10347 Mrs. R. Rodger Team inspector Foundation Stage Science Geography Music Physical education Equal opportunities Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 5 - February 2002 22482 Mr. B. Potter Team inspector Mathematics Information and communicatio n technology Art and Design Design and technology Special educational needs How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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 INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 6 - February 2002

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 30

Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 7 - February 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Christ Church is much smaller than the average primary school with 137 pupils aged three to 11. Children enter the nursery in the school year in which they are four. There is a high percentage (25%) of pupils who speak English as an additional language, and more than half of these are at an early stage of learning English. There is a wide mix of cultural heritages in the school, with about 80 per cent of pupils from UK heritages, some from black African or Asian heritages and some from white European heritages. The percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals (48%) is well above the average. There are 32 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs, which is about average, and no pupils have statements of special educational need. The majority of pupils on the register have moderate learning difficulties. The attainment of pupils on entry to the school varies from

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

year to year, but overall it is below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Christ Church is a good school, which has a happy and vibrant climate for learning and many strengths. Standards are satisfactory and in mathematics they are good for pupils of 11. The quality of teaching is good, leading to good achievement for pupils. The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, who has succeeded in raising standards and improving the quality of teaching considerably since the last inspection. The school gives good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • It is successful at raising standards in most subjects especially mathematics and in reading in the infants. • There is very good leadership from the headteacher in developing the school. • Teaching is good, with outstanding teaching in mathematics and pupils achieve well. • The provision in reception is good, giving children a good start to their education. • There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development and relationships are very good. • It promotes very good attitudes to learning and very good behaviour in all classes. • It achieves high standards in singing by pupils of all ages. • It develops good speaking and listening skills in its pupils.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in writing and in art and design, at both key stages. • The attendance of the minority of pupils whose attendance is poor. • The expertise of co-ordinators who are in new post. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement since it was last inspected in March 2000. All of the issues identified then have been successfully tackled and the school has continued to make improvements to the standards pupils achieve and to the quality of teaching. Provision for science and for information and communication technology are now judged to be good and standards in spelling are improving. All areas of learning are now successfully taught in the nursery. Given the improvements in the quality of staff, the good understanding governors now have of the school’s strengths and areas for development and the very good leadership of the headteacher, the school is in good position to continue to improve. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 8 - February 2002

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

These results were well above the results of similar schools 1 in mathematics and about the same as similar schools in science. In English they were below the results of similar schools. Standards have risen in these subjects in line with the national trend. Results in English were affected by the performance of new entrants to the school close to the tests. On the basis of work seen, pupils in Year 6 are achieving above the expected standard in mathematics and music and in line with that expected for their age in science and all other subjects except English and art, where they are below the standard expected. The performance of seven year olds in the tests was well above that of similar schools in reading and mathematics but well below that of similar schools in writing. Teachers’ assessment placed these pupils below the national average for science. In writing, their performance was in the

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STANDARDS

lowest five per cent of schools nationally and was adversely affected by new entrants to the school near the time of the tests. Pupils at the end of the infants are achieving in line with the standard expected for their age in all subjects except writing in English and art, where they are below the expected standards and in music where they are above the expected standard. Pupils in the infants and juniors achieve well because they have very good attitudes to learning and they work hard. Children in the Foundation Stage are on course to reach expected standard in English and mathematics by the end of the reception year, and to achieve the early learning goals in all other areas of learning. They achieve well because of the good expectations of the teacher. Pupils with special educational needs, higher attainers and pupils with English as an additional language achieve well against the targets set because teachers are careful

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STANDARDS

to make additional provision for them. The school has set realistic and achievable targets based on good assessment of the pupils’ progress for the national tests in 2002.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are keen to learn and the vast majority are seldom away from school because they enjoy it.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are respectful and considerate. They show good care for each other, the adults and their school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are keen to take the lead and to accept responsibility. They are very supportive of each other in all contexts.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Well below the national average but the vast majority of pupils have good attendance and are punctual.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

1 This refers to schools with a similar proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 9 - February 2002 Attendance figures are adversely affected by small numbers of parents keeping their children away from school regularly or taking them on extended family holidays.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. Teaching is a strength of the school and shows good improvement since the last inspection. Teaching in literacy is good, especially the teaching of reading. The teaching of numeracy is very good with some excellent teaching seen in Year 6. Pupils are taught to think quickly and have a good understanding of number. In English, mathematics and science pupils learn well because teachers plan carefully and have good expectations of hard work. Extra support is given by teachers to pupils who have special educational needs, have English as an additional language or have a talent for certain subjects. However the pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

would benefit from more adult support in some lessons. The teaching of children in the reception class is good and leads to good achievement in language and mathematics. Singing is well taught and pupils learn complex melodies very quickly as a result.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good and enhances pupils’ learning. The school makes good use of visits and visitors to help pupils learn.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. There are good procedures for identifying pupils with learning needs and teachers plan appropriate work to help them progress. More adult support would benefit pupils’ learning in some subjects.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory. The school has had to adjust rapidly to a high influx of pupils’ with English as an additional language. Good support is given with key vocabulary, however, more adult support would help pupils learn English more effectively. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Pupils have many opportunities to practise the values they are taught. They have very good respect for other cultures because of the school’s good inclusion practices. Pupils quickly become independent and volunteer for responsibility.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Assessment and monitoring are effective in ensuring that pupils achieve well. There are good procedures for ensuring good behaviour and a calm learning environment.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have a high opinion of the school and value how it helps their children to learn and mature. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 10 - February 2002

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good leadership from the headteacher ensures clear direction for the development of the school. He is well supported by the hardworking deputy headteacher. The senior management team is expert and committed and gives good support to the headteacher in moving the school forward.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors have good knowledge of the school’s strengths and what it needs to do to improve. Statutory requirements are fully met.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is careful to analyse pupils’ performance in tests and in class and to act upon the findings. It is careful to consult about change and is alert to its performance compared with similar schools.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. The school makes good use of funds to raise standards and improve provision.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There are enough staff to teach the curriculum. Accommodation is good and learning resources are adequate and improving. Overall the school makes sound use of best value principles.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Their children like school and make good progress. • That behaviour in the school is good. • That the teaching is good. • That the school is well led and managed. • That school is approachable and works closely with them. • The amount of homework set. • More out of school activities.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team completely agrees with the parents’ positive views about the school. They judged that arrangements for homework are satisfactory and that the school’s provision for out of school activities is good. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 11 - February 2002

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

1. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the reception class is below that expected of this age group. The curriculum in both the nursery and the reception class is soundly built on the six areas of leaning for children of this age. The teaching in the nursery leads to satisfactory progress for children, who overall enter the school with well below the expected levels of attainment for their age. Good teaching in the reception class, together with the positive attitudes of the children leads to further progress, especially in language and literacy, mathematics and personal development. By the end of reception year the majority of children will have reached the expected standard in all areas of learning.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

2. In the national tests for seven year olds in 2001, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected level in reading was below the national average, but was well above the performance of pupils in similar schools. 2 In writing in the same tests, pupils’ performance was very low compared with the national average and well below that of similar schools. Girls and boys performed equally well in the tests. In the last four years pupils’ performance in reading has improved in line with the national trend on points scored in tests, while in the same period pupils’ performance in writing has declined. The improvements in reading are a result of better teaching and monitoring of pupils’ progress in their knowledge of letter sounds. Standards in writing are low partly because pupils do not have enough opportunity to practise their writing skills in other subjects. The impact of three pupils with English as an additional language, who

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

accounted for 20 percent of the cohort, who joined the school close to the tests and didn’t reach the expected standard also had an impact on the results overall. The three pupils who were on the school’s special educational needs register all reached the expected level in reading and writing.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

3. The standards achieved by pupils currently in Year 2 are as those described above. The majority of pupils have reading skills that are just below the expected standard and higher attaining pupils read independently with good understanding. In speaking and listening they reach the standard expected for their age and sometimes exceed it in speaking. Pupils’ writing is still well below that expected for their age and the school has this as a priority in its improvement plan for the current year. Pupils achieve well in their reading and speaking and listening, because the teacher has a good knowledge of what they need to learn next and plans well for this. In writing their achievement is satisfactory and their work shows signs of steady improvement in spelling and punctuation.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

4. The results for 11 year olds in the national test in English in 2001, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected and the higher level were well below the national average. Pupils’ performance was below that of similar schools in the tests. There was no difference in the performance of boys and girls in the tests. Comparison with results when the pupils were seven is difficult because over twenty per cent of these pupils left the school before the 2001 tests. School records show that five higher attaining pupils left and were replaced by two pupils who had statements of special educational need and a third who was on the register of special educational needs. The school’s records also show that for those pupils who remained in the school from the Key Stage 1 tests,

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

2 This refers to schools with a similar percentage of pupils who are eligible for free schools meals. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 12 - February 2002 the majority made satisfactory progress and three made better than expected progress. Only one pupil made less than expected progress. Pupils currently in Year 6 are achieving similar standards overall. As with the infants, they achieve better standards in reading where the majority read fluently for pleasure and to find information. In speaking and listening they achieve standards above expected for their age showing good concentration when they listen and confidence when they answer questions or talk to the class. Overall, they do not reach the expected standard in writing and there are a number of reasons for this. As with the infants, pupils in Year 6 do not have enough opportunities to practise their writing and learn from their mistakes.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

However, other reasons include the impact of weak teaching that these pupils received in the past when the school was failing to provide an acceptable standard of education. This is evident in gaps in pupils’ knowledge about language and styles of writing and in their weak spelling skills. All pupils are now making at least sound progress in their English skills and often progress is good in their learning about writing for different purposes.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

5. In the national tests for seven year olds in 2001, pupils’ performance in mathematics was at the national average. It was well above the performance of pupils in similar schools. Boys’ performance was slightly better than girls and slightly above the national average for boys. The trend in results in mathematics has been rising in line with the national trend in the last four years. Pupils who are in Year 2 are reaching the expected standard for their age. They have a sound knowledge of number, can add 10 to a number and most can add two digit numbers. They know about symmetry and how to create a mirror image. They achieve well in mathematics because the teaching is very good and they enjoy the subject.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

6. In the national test for 11 year olds in 2001, pupils’ performance was below the national average, though it was well above the average of similar schools. This represents good achievement for the pupils who sat the tests. Boys’ results were slightly better than girls’ and about the average for boys nationally. In the last four years standards in mathematics have risen faster than the national trend. This is a result of very good leadership in the subject, very good teaching and the enthusiasm of pupils for the subject. Pupils in Year 6 are now achieving above the national average because a good proportion of pupils are already working at the higher level. They have good mental agility with number and explain their methods of working fluently. They have good geometric understanding and all pupils can track the changing faces of shapes as they move and turn them.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

7. The proportion of seven year-old pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher assessments in science, in 2001, was below average. Standards seen during inspection show an improvement on these results. The vast majority of pupils at the end of the infants are now achieving close to the expected level. By the end of Year 2 pupils know different categories of foods and understand some properties of materials, for example that some will bend and others will not. They are beginning to make predictions when they carry out experiments.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

8. In the national tests in science in 2001, the proportion of 11 year olds achieving the expected level was well below the national average but in line with the average of similar schools. Boys’ performance in the tests was better than girls. Results in the national tests have risen sharply in the last four years and from the work seen during inspection, they continue to improve. Pupils who are in Year 6 are reaching the expected standard for their age. They conduct experiments efficiently. They show a good understanding of what can vary when setting up an experiment and are Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 13 - February 2002 developing a practical knowledge of fair testing through the work they do. They use good systems for recording results and are aware of the need for accuracy.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

9. Pupils in the infants and juniors reach the expected standard in information and communication technology. They make good use of the skills they learn to enhance their work in other subjects particularly in mathematics, science and geography.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

10. Pupils in the infants and juniors achieve well in the vast majority of subjects. This is because of the good planning and support that underpins their learning. They reach the expected standard for their age in design and technology, geography, history and physical education. In music they exceed the expected standard and their singing is particularly good. In art, they do not reach the expected standard because there is not enough emphasis on the progressive development of skills.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

11. Pupils with special education needs achieve well and make good progress matching that of their peers. One hundred per cent of seven year-olds managed to reach the expected level in mathematics in the 2001 national tests. In the tests for eleven year- olds, a good proportion of pupils with special educational needs were successful in reaching the required level in mathematics but were less successful in their English results.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

12. Progress made by pupils who have English as an additional language is satisfactory overall. Teachers take great care to plan learning activities that will help pupils consolidate their knowledge of English. They also ensure that pupils who are not fluent in English are well supported in class either by themselves or sometimes by pupils. The provision of word lists to help pupils learn new vocabulary is an example of the thoughtful practice that teachers are developing to help pupils master the new language. More adult support to help pupils learn vocabulary and the spoken structures of English would enhance their learning considerably and allow them to achieve as well as their peers.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

13. The use of literacy skills in other subjects is limited. For example, until recently pupils have had little opportunity to research information by reading because of the shortage of non-fiction books available in the school. There is no specific planning to consolidate and develop pupils’ writing skills in other subjects and this reduces the impact of teaching in the subject. However, pupils make good use of their speaking and listening skills in all subjects as they develop ideas and gain information through talk. A very good example of this was seen in a Year 5 lesson when pupils interviewed guests about their wartime experiences. Teachers ensure that pupils make use of information and communication technology to create eye-catching presentations of their writing. They could make more use of it to allow pupils to assess, redraft and improve their work.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

14. Mathematical skills, knowledge and concepts are used well to support other areas of the wider curriculum. For example, skills and practice in both measurement and time are well used by a Year 3/4 class when their science work involves them in measuring shadows.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

15. Standards are rising in the school in line with the national trend and in mathematics they are above it. Pupils’ achievement is now good and this too marks an impressive improvement. The rise in standards and achievement is because of the strong lead given by the headteacher in establishing good monitoring and assessment procedures. The school reached its targets for the national tests in 2001 and has set higher but realistic targets for the tests in 2002. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 14 - February 2002

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The pupils’ attitudes to learning, behaviour, relationships and personal development are very good overall. This reflects a further improvement in standards since the last inspection and remains a strong feature of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Children in the nursery and reception classes settle well into the routines of their day and have very good attitudes to school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils’ throughout the school show interest, are enthusiastic, stay on task and enjoy their learning. Discussions with pupils in Key Stage 2 indicate that pupils take a pride in the school. They are proud of the school’s many awards. They also take pride in the school’s choir and in the standards of pupils’ work displayed around the school. In common with their peers, pupils with special educational needs have very good attitudes to their work and very good behaviour. Through the very good support of their teachers, who know their needs very well, they are able to work well at appropriate tasks showing an interest and keenness to learn and improve. There are very good relationships between the teachers and their pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. The behaviour of all pupils is consistently very good in lessons, assemblies and at lunchtimes; this has a beneficial effect upon their learning and upon the school community as a whole. Pupils understand and follow the school rules well. Pupils say that bullying no longer takes place and they speak highly of the work of the school council and headteacher to ensure that bullying is not an issue at this school. There were two fixed term and one permanent exclusion in the last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Pupils’ personal development is very good. They carry out a variety of responsible tasks around the school, for example, acting as door monitors, running a tuck shop, library monitors, operating the overhead projector and showing song sheets at assemblies and helping in the nursery at lunchtimes, taking care of younger children. Pupils are well prepared for citizenship. Boys and girls from all classes are members of the school council, where they consider a range of issues.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Pupils are courteous, polite and cheerful. They appreciate and show consideration for other people’s feelings and respect their values and beliefs. They show respect for their own and other people’s property. Relationships within the school are very good at all levels. Pupils are courteous and kind towards each other and to all adults working in the school. They make visitors feel very welcome. They move around the school carefully, in an orderly manner and hold doors open for each other. Parents are very happy with the positive attitudes and values promoted by the school and feel they have a beneficial effect on their children.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. Attendance was well below the national average in the last academic year. However, attendance is slightly improved for the period September 01 to February 02. The school has worked hard to reduce unauthorised attendance and has effected a significant improvement. Most pupils are punctual, although a small, but significant, minority of pupils arrive late each morning and this has an impact on their learning. Registers are completed before morning and afternoon sessions. However, there is no agreed list of symbols for categorising reasons for absence, consequently, attendance information is incomplete. A small, but increasing, minority of parents take children out of school for family holidays and this has an adverse effect on attendance levels and inevitably, on the children’s' progress. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 15 - February 2002

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teaching was at least satisfactory in all but one lesson. In almost three quarters of the lessons teaching was good or better and in a quarter of lessons it was very good, with one excellent lesson seen in mathematics. There has been significant improvement since the last inspection, which has been brought about partly by some staffing changes, but mainly as a result of the lead given to monitoring teaching by the headteacher, which has allowed teachers to share good practice and identify areas for improvement. The successful implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies has also played a part in improving the quality of teaching and learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The quality of teaching of the children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall, with four out of ten lessons seen judged as good. In both the nursery and reception classes, teachers provide a wide range of activities for children, which promote their independence and stimulate their thinking. Teaching is particularly effective in language and literacy in reception, where children follow the National Literacy Strategy. The teacher has ensured that they have been well taught their letter sounds and has high expectations of them. Consequently, children work well individually and make good progress by working at their own rate. In mathematics, the teacher plans a good range of practical activities and is very precise in her use of mathematical terms. Because of these good teaching methods, children achieve well in the subjects and are confident in their knowledge of number.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teaching in the infants and juniors is to mixed age classes, except in Year 6, and teachers manage the challenges of this organisation of groups well. They have planned the curriculum over a two-year cycle to ensure that pupils do not repeat topics when they are in a class for two years. Their daily planning takes account of the different ages of pupils in each class and provides suitable levels of challenge for the different groups. A good example of this was seen in a Year 1 and 2 geography lesson, where different resources for each group gave them the right level of support to achieve well with their work, which was challenging but manageable. The quality of teaching in both the infants and juniors is good overall.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Teaching in English is good. Teachers place a particularly strong emphasis on teaching the key skills for reading and strategies for spelling. The teaching of reading and letter sounds is very effective and its impact can be seen in the good improvement in pupils’ reading strategies and spelling. Pupils achieve well in their literacy lessons because teachers give good time for discussion and involve pupils well in question and answer sessions. Being actively involved in their learning during direct teaching fires the pupils with enthusiasm, so that when they begin independent work not a moment is lost. Teachers plan activities well to match the needs of pupils, so that they are able to succeed with their tasks and develop confidence in their skills. While a lot of effort goes into the teaching of writing, there is a need for teachers to develop more strategies to give pupils a greater variety in the ways they learn.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Mathematics teaching is very good overall. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and they make good use of the National Numeracy Strategy format. Pupils respond well to the rapid pace at the start of lessons, when teachers develop their mental agility with number. They also enjoy the opportunity to explain their working and to learn from others in the class at the end of lessons. Teachers plan very challenging work for pupils in the subject because they use very good procedures to track pupils’ progress, which gives them a good knowledge of what pupils need to learn next. In an excellent Year 6 lesson, pupils learned at an excellent pace by working in pairs and making good use of discussion to describe their ways of working. Pupils of all Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 16 - February 2002 mathematical ability were excited by the opportunity to develop ideas for the class and to demonstrate how they moved shapes by rotation and translation.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Teachers have a very good understanding of the way pupils learn and develop new skills and create good opportunities for them to learn through practical activities. In design and technology, pupils have worthwhile challenges that relate to making real products for use by a specific group. Pupils in Year 5 worked with great concentration and enthusiasm when making pop-up books for children in the nursery. They were delighted when the teacher demonstrated how to use a ring binder to assemble their books and were quick to acquire the skill, because they are so interested in learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Teachers are alert to the specific needs of pupils and intervene well during lessons to support their learning. For example, in a very good lesson about symmetry, the teacher recognised the difficulties one child was having using a paintbrush when creating his symmetrical picture. Her unobtrusive support enabled the pupil to complete the task successfully and draw the important mathematical conclusions from what he had done. When classroom support assistants are attached to a class to support pupils with special educational needs, teachers plan carefully which pupils they will work with and set appropriate activities. This way of working means that the impact of the assistants is good and they are clear about how they will help the pupils’ learning. Pupils learn well because they feel secure in the situation as they see the close working relationship between the adults. Teachers assist the special educational needs

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

coordinator in the preparation of individual educational plans with targets that pupils can easily and quickly achieve. This helps pupils achieve and through achievement builds confidence and belief in themselves leading to the good progress that the majority make.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Teachers make very good use of visits and visitors to enrich pupils’ learning and sometimes to overcome shortages in resources. In a very good history lesson in Year 5, pupils were delighted to learn about conditions during World War 2 from visitors who had lived through the war. The teacher’s very good planning had prepared them well with appropriate questions so that they could make the most of the opportunity. Pupils undoubtedly impressed their visitors with their very good questions and their ability to listen closely to the answers. By the end of the lesson, pupils had made many gains in their knowledge and had deepened their understanding of war.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Pupils with English as an additional language are well supported by teacher’s careful planning and good interventions. Teachers are careful to arrange support from classmates for pupils so that those of a similar ability learn together. Teachers have devised good strategies, such as the provision of word lists, to help pupils learn key words for the topics they study and so help their understanding. However, more adult support would help pupils at the early stages of their learning English.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. Teachers know their pupils well through their effective use of assessment. In lessons they are constantly monitoring pupils’ progress and adjusting their teaching and expectations in response to this. The result is that pupils find their work challenging but manageable and this has a positive impact on their self-esteem. In all classes pupils show great pleasure as they meet with success.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. Pupils are expected to consolidate learning at home. All are expected to read at home and as they grow older pupils have spellings, tables and eventually some independent research into topics they study. Overall provision for homework is satisfactory. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 17 - February 2002

p.16

PUPILS?

34. The curriculum is broad, balanced and meets the statutory requirements. The quality of the curriculum is satisfactory, overall. It meets the needs of all pupils, who experience a satisfactory range of worthwhile, planned learning opportunities in all subjects, except in art and design where the systematic development of skills is unsatisfactory. At the time of the previous inspection, it was reported that, although coverage of the national curriculum was much improved, there was still “some way to go in information and communication technology and in aspects of science”. This became a key issue at that time, but is one the school now has addressed well. All subjects now have a programme of work to guide teachers’ planning and there is improved subject knowledge and resources to support curriculum development. This is particularly significant in the improved provision, opportunities and standards in information and

p.17

PUPILS?

35. The curriculum includes all subjects of the National Curriculum, plus a programme of work for religious education that is agreed for all local schools. (Religious Education is the subject of a separate report). The allocation of time to subjects is appropriate, with suitably good emphasis upon literacy, numeracy and science, as well as good opportunities for pupils to work with computers.

p.17

PUPILS?

36. Provision for the pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory and the contribution made by the special needs co-ordinator to this provision is good. These pupils are provided with a range of learning activities that most effectively meet their interests and aptitudes. Good individual education plans for pupils are in place and they are used well to plan suitable tasks, resources and support. Plans are of good quality, with clear, short-term and achievable targets. These are reviewed regularly to ensure that they are still appropriate to the pupils’ current needs. The records kept of individual pupil progress are of a high quality and there is good involvement of parents at all stages. Pupils with special educational needs are included in all aspects of the curriculum and make good progress when compared with their prior attainment.

p.17

PUPILS?

37. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory. Their standards of attainment cover the full range of ability and those who are at an early stage of learning English are supported well by their teacher, which enables them to learn in all subjects.

p.17

PUPILS?

38. The school follows the national guidelines for literacy and numeracy and continues to give high priority to promoting them. In numeracy, skills and strategies are very well taught and skills in reading and speaking are well taught and in writing they are being satisfactorily taught. Numeracy is very well used to support other areas of the curriculum. There is very good emphasis upon understanding and using the correct mathematical vocabulary. There are good opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in listening and speaking, especially in the very good mental teaching sessions which begin every lesson in numeracy.

p.17

PUPILS?

39. The use of the computer across the curriculum is good in many of the lessons seen. It is beginning to support most areas of the curriculum well, especially in mathematics. The school is making very good use of its new computer suite. This improved provision has brought about a significant increase in the opportunities for pupils to experience work on the computers and, as a result, better standards are attained. The internet is beginning to be well used to find information by pupils in Year 6. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 18 - February 2002 40. The extra-curricular activities provided by the school are good. There are opportunities to pursue both sporting and artistic interests, for example, football, rugby or the choir as well as video club and school library. An optional homework club is offered to Year 6 pupils, which provides support for learning outside the school day. Experiences

p.17

PUPILS?

beyond the basic curriculum also come through a good programme of visits and visitors to the school. Inspection week saw a large number of visitors who read to the pupils during book week and there is a record of the very many occasions when the community has enhanced the learning opportunities of the pupils. All of the pupils benefit from visits they make. Visits are usually linked with curriculum areas and areas of study. For example, visits to the park and to the millennium bridge increased pupils’ awareness of their local environment.

p.18

PUPILS?

41. Provision to enable all pupils to have equality of access and opportunity are satisfactory. Staff take care to see that all pupils, irrespective of gender, race, age or attainment, have equal access to the whole curriculum. The school aims to link equality of opportunity to every area of school life and it takes very seriously the inclusion of all pupils in all that the school has to offer, both academically and socially.

p.18

PUPILS?

42. The current draft of a personal, social and health education policy is very good. The newly appointed co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and is determined to ensure that personal, social and health education is timetabled each week. The co-ordinator has created a good scheme of work, which supports the school’s aims and is an excellent resource for the staff. Drugs awareness involves the community police and includes parents. It is often taught in the science curriculum, but it would benefit from a more consistent approach to ensure its regular and systematic inclusion. Sex education is appropriately taught and tailored to the age and maturity of the pupils. The policy is recent and has sensible and appropriate aims.

p.18

PUPILS?

43. The school has very good links with both the wider community and partner institutions. Links with Newcastle United football club and with Newcastle Falcons rugby club have provided some very good opportunities for pupils in terms of regular training sessions and visits to the grounds. Local businesses and organisations have made good contributions to enable the school to buy new books for the new library. Educational action zone funding has helped to cement links between the secondary schools and primary schools of the area and has funded a classroom assistant for the school, computer technician support and 5 new computers. In its recognition of gifted and talented pupils, the school arranges for them to attend courses held at other schools. A group of pupils talk with great enthusiasm of the school web site they have created following a series of visits to the technology college.

p.18

PUPILS?

44. Overall, the curriculum helps the school to achieve its stated aims. It is successful in providing the opportunities and learning environment for pupils to develop into well- rounded individuals, who contribute to and benefit from their local community, whilst becoming increasingly aware of the wider world around them.

p.18

PUPILS?

45. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. It is underpinned by the school’s aims, which place love of God and respect for each other at the centre of all of the school’s work. Pupils are taught to respect each other and all adults by learning the importance of respecting themselves and giving respect to others. This is very well taught in the excellent assemblies, which the headteacher leads. In all assemblies, pupils are led to reflect on the part they play in the life of the school and to consider how their actions affect others. The headteacher makes very good use of his close knowledge of pupils to draw attention to special acts of kindness or honesty from individuals. In this way pupils are shown the value that adults place on these virtues Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 19 - February 2002 and are ready to applaud and copy such behaviour. The musical and visual displays

p.18

PUPILS?

enhance the quality of assemblies and, together with the very good singing by pupils are further examples of the very good spiritual provision in the school. The regular prayers throughout the day and the very high quality assemblies generate a real sense of joy, reminding pupils to celebrate their own and others’ gifts.

p.19

PUPILS?

46. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. The school provides a clear moral code, which is based on agreed rules of behaviour. These set out the high expectations that both teachers and pupils have of each other and how they relate to and respect one another. Teachers make good use of these rules to praise pupils when they follow them. This often leads to a discussion about the rules and how they represent what the school stands for and expects of everyone, thus regularly reinforcing the school’s strong moral code. All teachers place a high value on honesty and truthfulness and encourage very good standards through their example. The headteacher has an excellent relationship with his pupils and this makes a significant contribution to the standards that pupils strive to achieve.

p.19

PUPILS?

47. Provision for pupils’ social development is good. From the earliest age, pupils understand that they have a role to play in the school community and are eager to volunteer for tasks. They are very efficient organisers when activities change and clear up thoroughly at the end of lessons. They learn very good social skills through the many shared activities in class and show very good levels of patience during discussion when classmates are speaking. They work hard at two-part singing and action songs in assemblies and are delighted to reach high standards and please their teachers. As they move through the school, pupils have more opportunities to exercise responsibility, so that by Year 6, they are able to organise resources for assembly, monitor the entrances to school and look after younger children in the playground. The school council is a very well managed forum where pupils take an active part in the

p.19

PUPILS?

development of the school. Recent initiatives have included successful measures to curtail bullying, a litter picking rota to include all classes and the closing of the tuck shop during Lent to encourage pupils to give to a children’s hospice.

p.19

PUPILS?

48. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. In music lessons and in their singing in assemblies pupils have the opportunity to learn about their own and other cultures. The recently re-opened library carries a good selection of stories from a wide range of cultures and there is a selection of books in dual languages, reflecting the languages spoken by pupils in the school. The school’s book week is another example of how the school seeks to widen pupils’ understanding of their diverse cultural heritage by inviting guest readers to read and talk about their favourite stories and writers. Good quality displays of pupils’ work in religious education serve to remind pupils of the differences and similarities in the major world faiths. The school has made very good improvement in all aspects of pupils’ personal development since the last inspection.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The school is open, friendly and welcoming. This, together with the school’s caring Christian ethos, promotes an environment where pupils feel secure. The quality of pastoral support and guidance at the time of the previous inspection was found to be satisfactory. It has improved and is now good overall. Teachers know their pupils well and monitor their personal and social development very effectively. The monitoring of pupils’ academic progress is satisfactory, overall.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Procedures for child protection are satisfactory, overall. All staff are careful to observe any concerns and report these to the headteacher, who is the designated and Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 20 - February 2002 responsible person. Staff however, are in need of up-to-date training on how to identify and respond to child protection issues. There is suitable liaison with outside agencies to support pupils’ well being and academic progress.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. The school constitutes a safe environment for the pupils and any concerns are acted upon immediately. Risk assessments are undertaken and significant risks have been formally recorded. However, procedures to report health and safety concerns and to record any remedial action taken need to be formalised. Safety checks of portable electrical equipment are completed and fire drills are held each term and correctly recorded. First aid procedures are implemented appropriately and there are sufficient staff trained in first aid. There are appropriate procedures in place for recording accidents and notifying parents of any injury that may require further monitoring.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. Overall, the school has good arrangements for overseeing and promoting regular attendance. However, class registers do not give guidance for recording different categories of absence. Consequently, detailed records of attendance are incomplete. The school, with the support of the education welfare officer, works hard to effect an improvement in pupils’ attendance. The school now needs the support of all parents, particularly of those whose children have an unsatisfactory pattern of attendance and poor patterns of punctuality.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and eliminating oppressive behaviour are very good. The school’s behaviour policy focuses on reward and positive behaviour. Pupils have contributed to the formation of class rules, which are displayed in classrooms. School rules are displayed in corridors, together with posters informing pupils what to do if they are bullied or are a bully. Lunchtime routines are well established and midday supervisors work effectively to ensure that the lunchtime is a pleasant social occasion. The very good behaviour seen during the inspection reflects the effectiveness of the school’s approach to behaviour management. The school has an anti-racism policy, which supports the schools ethos and stresses the inclusiveness of the curriculum. No signs of racial tension were seen during the inspection week and all pupils work and play in harmony.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. This is a school which gives high levels of care. It uses funding well to support special educational needs. The school methodically assesses pupils with special educational needs and gains a very good picture of their difficulties which are then addressed by the special plans that are drawn up for them. The needs of gifted and talented pupils are recognised and accommodated in the higher achieving groupings and by some selected very high achieving pupils taking lessons in literacy and numeracy with the class of older pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. Procedures for helping children new to the school are effective and ensure that children settle quickly and enjoy coming to school. An appropriate programme is in place to ease pupils’ transfer to the secondary phase of their education.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56. The procedures for assessing pupils’ learning vary from very good to satisfactory and are satisfactory overall. In mathematics very good assessment of what pupils’ know leads to sharp planning for the next stage of learning. Because of this, pupils’ progress in mathematics is very good as is their achievement. In English there are very good systems for assessing pupils’ progress in reading and knowledge of letter sounds and his leads to good progress in these areas of leaning. In writing and in science assessment is satisfactory and the school is aware of the need to develop procedures in these areas of work. Weekly assessments in the foundation subjects give more detail about the topics that pupils have learned than how good their learning has been. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 21 - February 2002 In these subjects a link with what pupils know and understand is needed and the school

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. The parents consider the school to be very good. Parents are appreciative of the education provided by the school and its provision for their children’s welfare. They report, for example, that their children like coming to school and that their behaviour is good. They consider that the school expects children to work hard and achieve their best. They believe that the teaching is good and that the school is well led and managed. Almost all parents feel that the school works closely with them and they feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or concerns. They appreciate the help their children are given to become mature and responsible. A few parents were concerned that the school did not set the right amount of homework or provide enough out of school activities. The positive views of parents are endorsed by the findings of the inspection. Inspectors judged that the amount of homework set is

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

satisfactory and that the provision for out of school activities is good.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. Appropriate steps are taken by the school to evaluate its effectiveness in working with parents. The school has an open door policy and encourages parents to voice any concerns. For example, there are opportunities for informal discussion between parents and teachers in the school’s community room after Friday assembly and the headteacher makes himself available to talk to parents before and after school.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. Appropriate home/school agreements are in place. These clearly identify the responsibilities of the school, of parents and of pupils. Approximately forty per cent of parents have signed and returned these agreements, indicating their commitment to supporting their children’s education. Parents are properly involved in the identification, setting of targets and the review of progress of pupils with special educational needs.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. The school provides parents with a very good level of information, which allows them to become more involved in their children’s learning and to have a secure understanding of the school’s work. Weekly newsletters are informative and written in an appropriate, friendly style. They keep parents well informed of forthcoming events, school issues and items celebrating success. Parents are also sent information at the beginning of the autumn term about what pupils are to learn each term. The school holds information sessions for parents, which include for example, information on the national tests, children’s reading and the secondary school their child will attend.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. The annual reports to parents are of very good quality and meet statutory requirements. The reports clearly state pupils’ strengths and any targets for improvement. There are opportunities too for parents to discuss the contents of the report at a consultation evening in the summer term.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

62. The prospectus and the governors’ annual report are full and informative documents, encouraging home-school partnership. Both of these important documents meet statutory requirements. The school provides parents with an appropriate number of opportunities to discuss their children’s progress, and issues annual written reports. Parents’ evenings are reported as being attended by approximately forty per cent of parents.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

63. The impact of parental involvement in the work of the school and their contribution to their children’s learning both at school and at home, are satisfactory overall. The Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 22 - February 2002 school works hard to involve parents in their children’s education. The school keeps a register of parent helpers and all parents are actively encouraged to help in school. A small, but increasing, number of parents do so productively on a regular basis. They give time to activities such as school visits, removing and mounting displays, repairing books and listening to children read. Given the parents’ very positive views of the school, the school is in a very good position to improve links with them and encourage their involvement in their children’s learning.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

64. Overall, the partnership with parents is a more positive picture then that found at the last inspection, with parents now receiving more information and having very positive views about the school.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school. He gives a strong and purposeful lead in meeting the aims of the school through the example of his own work and in the high professional expectations he has of all staff. Under his leadership, the school has quickly and effectively moved to a position of strength after being placed in special measures four years ago. Standards are rising and the trend in results is in line with the national trend of improvement. All issues raised at the last inspection have been dealt with and the school has made good progress in many aspects of its work since then. All developments in the school are carefully considered and, in this, the headteacher is ably supported by the deputy headteacher. Together, they form a strong team who are managing the pace of change well and give very good support to the rest of the staff. The other member of the senior management team, who has

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

responsibility for mathematics, provides very good leadership for the subject, as well as giving very effective support to colleagues.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. There is effective delegation of responsibility to all staff and the headteacher is aware that those staff who are new to their roles require support and advice to help them become expert in their new roles. The school’s performance management programme is an appropriate mechanism for setting professional targets and supporting teachers to meet them. The Investors in People Award, which the school has recently earned, endorses the good quality of work in this area. The monitoring of standards is rigorous in the core subjects and is contributing to the steadily improving picture. For all subjects, co-ordinators are given time away from the classroom to monitor pupils’ work and the quality of teaching and learning. Through this process, teachers are sharing the good practice they find and, as a result, the quality of curriculum provision is improving.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The management of special educational needs by the deputy headteacher is good. She has devised very good systems for assessing pupils’ progress and is very efficient in providing specific support where pupils falter in their basic literacy skills. Because of these efficient systems, pupils who have special educational needs are quickly identified and their progress is well monitored. The provision for pupils who have English as an additional language is also well managed and effective in improving pupils’ fluency in English. The deputy headteacher is careful to ensure that learning in the new language is closely focused on learning in the classroom and, to this end, provides word lists so that pupils learn the words specific to the topics they study in class. This level of care is typical of the work that goes to support both pupils with special educational needs and those who are bi-lingual. However, the provision made

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

by the school for these pupils would be improved further by a higher level of non- teaching support in the classrooms. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 23 - February 2002 68. The school fully meets its aims to value and care for all its pupils in a Christian spirit, to achieve good standards in learning and to give its pupils high levels of self-esteem. Throughout the school there are high levels of care for each other and a strong commitment to learning. The pleasure with which pupils celebrate each other’s achievements is a hallmark of the attitudes that the school develops. The school is a happy, vibrant community, because all adults share a very high commitment to achieving the school’s aims. The very high levels of respect seen between adults and children is central to the headteacher’s vision of a community in which everyone works for the benefit of others, as well as for themselves.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The effectiveness and involvement of the governing body have improved considerably since the last inspection. Under the dynamic leadership of the new chair of governors, the governing body has developed an appropriate committee structure, allocated responsibilities to individuals and devised a programme of visits to the school to gain good insights into what are the school’s strength and weaknesses. The governing body now has a good knowledge of the school and takes an active part in its strategic management. They are also very supportive of the school and work hard to draw in support from the local community. As a result of their recent efforts, the school has a new library, stocked with a good selection of books, which was opened with a week of guest readers to stimulate pupils’ interest in the new resource.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The school has an appropriate number of staff, with a balance of experience and expertise to teach the curriculum. There is an adequate number of support staff, but, given the low literacy skills of some pupils and the influx of high numbers of pupils with English as an additional language, more adult support in classrooms would be beneficial, especially in the nursery and reception classes.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. The accommodation is good. All classrooms are spacious and airy. They are well equipped for teaching all subjects and the teachers work hard to maintain high quality displays both of pupils’ work and educational posters, which greatly enhance the learning environment. The provision of a computer suite in a separate room is a good asset, which enables teachers to teach to whole classes at a time. Although the school has no playing fields, the playgrounds and a large hall provide good facilities for games and physical education. The school’s accommodation has been greatly improved since the last inspection, with much of this work carried out by the long- serving caretaker. The classrooms and corridors are very well cared for. The school is kept very clean and provides a very good welcome for parents and visitors. The provision of a community room and a breakfast club are examples of how well the

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school makes use of its spacious accommodation.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. Resources for learning are satisfactory. They have been much improved by the completion of the new library and the new stocks of reading books in classrooms. In some subjects, such as history and geography, there is a need to develop resources. All resources are well used to promote pupils’ learning.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. Financial planning is good. All spending is linked to the school’s improvement plan and is based on improving provision to raise standards of learning. The school makes good use of funds through careful planning and research of supplies and services. They are careful to seek best value in what they do and what they buy. Special funding for pupils with special educational needs is well used to ensure that these pupils achieve well. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 24 - February 2002

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

74. In order to raise standards further, the headteacher, staff and governors of Christ Church School should:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in writing and art and design throughout the school by: • increasing the opportunities for pupils to write across the curriculum • providing a wider range of experience from which pupils can develop their writing. • planning for progressive skills development in art and design lessons

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the attendance of the minority of pupils whose attendance is poor by: • continuing to work with the educational welfare officer to convince parents of the value regular of attendance. paragraphs 22, 52.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Develop the understanding and expertise of newly appointed subject co- ordinators to ensure improvement in their subject by: • providing training and guidance to help them acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. paragraphs 125, 133, 138.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition, the governors could consider the following less important weaknesses for inclusion in their action plan:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Increase the level of adult support for pupils with special educational needs and pupils who have English as an additional language paragraphs 12, 31.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(5) Develop assessment procedures to track pupils’ progress in non-core foundation subjects paragraphs 111, 120, 125. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 25 - February 2002

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 29

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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 two percentage points.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 16 121

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 66

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A N/A

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 2 30

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 34

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 32

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 25

p.25

Attendance

School data 6.5 School data 2.0 Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 26 - February 2002 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.25

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 27 - February 2002

p.26

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 7 8 15

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.27

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

Boys 6 6 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 6 6 7

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 80 (77) 80 (69) 93 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 6 7 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 6 6 6

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 80 (69) 87 (77) 87 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.27

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.27

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 13 7 20

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 7 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 4 5 6

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 55 (86) 80 (86) 90 (86) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 9 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 4 5 6

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 65 (86) 80 (100) 90 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.27

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 28 - February 2002

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 19 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) 6.3 Financial year 2000-2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 346,536

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3.0 Total expenditure 325,750

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 69.0 Expenditure per pupil 2,327

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 18,376

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.0 Balance carried forward to next year 39,162

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 16.0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1.0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 28.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 29 - February 2002 FTE means full-time equivalent. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 30 - February 2002 Results of the survey of parents and carers

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Recruitment of teachers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

My child is making good progress in school. 64 36 0 0 0

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Behaviour in the school is good. 61 36 0 0 3

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 45 33 18 0 3

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 64 30 0 6 0

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 79 18 0 0 3

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 79 18 0 0 3

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

The school works closely with parents. 61 33 0 3 3

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

The school is well led and managed. 67 27 3 0 6

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 70 21 3 0 6

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 42 27 21 3 6 Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 31 - February 2002

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75. Fourteen children attend the nursery full time and three attend part time, including six children with English as an additional language. There are 23 children in the reception class. The nursery and reception classes are known as the Foundation Stage. The children follow a curriculum based on six areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. Each area of learning has a series of stages to be reached by children as they progress through the Foundation Stage. These are called stepping stones. Children work towards achieving the early learning goals by the time they start in Year 1. Some children will be working from the National Curriculum programme of study by the end of the reception class. Improvements in opportunities for language

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

development were identified for development at the last inspection. Progress on this has been good in the reception class, but only satisfactory in the nursery, because not enough support is provided to the children with English as an additional language to enable them to take part in group activities.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

76. Good improvements have been made overall in the curriculum planned for the Foundation Stage. All areas of learning are given appropriate coverage, which was an area for development following the previous inspection. Assessment records for children with English as an additional language are very focused and include specific targets for the children, based on the stepping stones. A review of the existing tick list assessments for all other children would be timely and increase the link between assessment and planning, as well as providing a more comprehensive profile of children’s progression towards the early learning goals.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Personal, social and emotional development

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

77. Standards are above average in the reception class and, by the time they start in Year 1, most children will have exceeded the early learning goals, due to the very good teaching in the reception class. Children start the nursery with limited skills, but they learn quickly and soon understand the routines and learn to share. Children are not yet taking responsibility or being independent and still need the close contact of adults, before showing initiative. The quality of teaching is good overall, with some very good teaching in the reception class and satisfactory teaching in the nursery. Younger children readily leave their parents because they feel safe and secure in the nursery. They are encouraged to develop confidence as they find their name card and sign in each morning. They are effectively taught to take responsibility, for example, when they went with the teacher to take the registers to the office. The group times are successful

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

in helping the children learn to share and to take part in activities. By the time they are in the reception class, children have become very independent. Relationships are warm and friendly throughout the Foundation Stage. The children new to the school from other cultures are beginning to settle into the routines and be welcomed into the group by the other children. Opportunities to celebrate a range of cultural festivals are regularly provided. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 32 - February 2002 Communication, language and literacy

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

78. There is wide variation in the standards achieved by children due to the high number of children in each class who have English as an additional language. Attainment on entry to the nursery is low, especially in communication skills. By the time they leave the reception class, standards have improved and children are likely to achieve the early learning goals. The younger children make good progress when they are working with an adult in a very small group, but this happens too infrequently and, at times there is too little chatter, particularly between the adult and the children with English as an additional language. For example, during a whole class mathematical development activity a child with very little English was not supported and consequently did not join in with others. Children playing with the farm animals did not know the names of some very common animals. A voluntary helper was particularly effective as she led the role-

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

play in the hospital by providing the new vocabulary and using it as she acted out an incident needing a doctor.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

79. By the time children are reaching the end of the reception class, they have learned to listen well, enjoy singing and to take on the roles of characters in well known stories they act out in their role play because of the high quality of teaching. Incidental opportunities are planned for the children in the nursery to recognise the initial letter of their own name and the collection of objects to show the children know the initial sound of the week ensures they are learning and that their parents are also involved. Reception class children recognise the initial and medial sounds in common words and link sounds to letters. They are less confident in applying this knowledge to writing simple words and show less confidence in writing.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

80. Children enjoy reading and by the time they start Year 1 a large group are likely to have achieved beyond the early learning goals. The higher attaining children read with accuracy, good understanding and confidence. This is good improvement from the nursery where children do not yet join in reading familiar stories. Younger children are encouraged to take a library book home each week. Currently, parents have no involvement in changing their child’s book. This routine should be reviewed as this would be a worthwhile way of building up parental involvement. The National Literacy Strategy is taught as a discrete activity in the reception class and is successful as the children have learned to work independently and can generally get on with their work unaided. The needs of high attaining children are recognised by the school through the register for gifted and talented pupils.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

81. By the time they leave the reception class children are likely to have exceeded the early learning goals and be working towards and beyond the Year 1 numeracy objectives from the National Numeracy Strategy. Children in the nursery also show a good understanding of numbers. They can count to five, recognise and identify numbers to five and above. They learn to recognise the properties of two-dimensional shapes. Good opportunities are provided to integrate mathematical activities into a range of daily jobs in the nursery such as counting how many children, singing number rhymes and adding together small numbers. Children in the reception class can order three numbers to 20, order a sequence of two digit numbers starting with the lowest and going to the highest. This is very good achievement as a result of very good teaching. Teaching is effective because expectations are high, activities are well resourced and

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

appropriately adjusted to meet the wide range of abilities; the teacher has good knowledge of interesting ways to promote learning. Games are used regularly to support learning. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 33 - February 2002 Knowledge and understanding of the world

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

82. This area of learning is satisfactorily promoted through half termly topics of interest, such as people who help us, journeys and ourselves. By the time the children start Year 1 they are likely to have achieved the early learning goals. Children are encouraged to investigate and compare what happens when seeds are planted and allowed to grow under different conditions. They learn to investigate a range of senses such as the sense of touch as they discuss the properties of various materials in the nursery. When it is appropriate, visits are made to local areas of natural beauty to give the children a practical experience of seeing a river bed and all the vegetation and animals in their natural situation. Day to day activities help the children to understand the weather conditions, what date and day of the week it is. All these activities are effectively promoting children’s learning and teaching is satisfactory overall. More

p.33

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

attention could be given in the planning to the expected learning, with especially, more reference to the stepping stones.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

83. Children are interested in the computer, but need to be shown how to operate the programs available in the nursery. A programmable toy is used to develop understanding of control. Teaching was good and consequently children make good progress as they learn to see the link between their instruction and the movements of the roamer.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

84. The nursery and reception class children spent several afternoon sessions as one group during the inspection because it was Book Week and a variety of celebrities from the local television station had been invited into the nursery to read or tell stories to the children. This meant that some of the time usually allocated to this area of learning was taken up by the visits which is why very little teaching was observed.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

85. Children’s co-ordination skills are satisfactorily developed through a range of practical activities such as manipulating small toys and building with blocks. Mark making skills by the nursery children are developing satisfactorily. Children all make attempts at writing their name. Daily access to the outdoor environment ensures the children develop a sense of space and enjoy moving around the equipment outside. Older children learn to balance and to control their bodies. They learn to use tools with increasing control. Throwing and catching balls has been developed recently. Children learn to play simple games and to follow instructions. Nursery children learn to negotiate obstacles outside as they play on a range of wheeled toys. There is too little evidence to make a judgement on the quality of teaching, although planning suggests that an appropriate allocation of time is given to this area of learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

86. A high priority is given to the imaginative aspect of this area of learning as a means of promoting language development. Consequently, by the time the children are in the reception class they confidently played co-operatively as they acted out Goldilocks and the Three Bears wearing the masks made by the children. Nursery children imitated the voluntary helper and learned how to play the roles of hospital workers. Standards are already beyond the early learning goals. Progress in other aspects are satisfactory and children are likely to achieve the early learning goals by the time they are in Year 1. Children in the nursery make clay pots and small faces with all the appropriate features. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. The children have a good Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 34 - February 2002 repertoire of songs. The more confident children in the nursery take part in the whole

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ENGLISH

87. In the national tests in 2001, pupils’ performance in reading at seven was below the national average, but well above the performance in similar schools. Their performance in writing was very low compared with the national average and well below the performance of similar schools. In the same tests for 11 year olds, pupils’ performance was well below the national average and below the performance of similar schools. There has been considerable improvement in reading standards in the last four years that is due to the good teaching of reading strategies from reception onwards. Standards in writing have not improved in the last four years and the current downward trend in performance is partly a result of the impact of pupils who join the school with English as an additional language, sometimes quite close to time of the national tests.

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ENGLISH

88. Almost all seven year olds reach the expected standard in speaking and listening. This is because teachers are careful to insist on good listening during their explanations and when pupils answer questions. This results in pupils following closely and being able to answer questions when asked. Higher attaining pupils add to the ideas of others when they discuss letter sounds and new words. All pupils, including those who are learning English as an additional language, are confident when making contributions in class. Teachers are careful to insist that they answer in sentences. By the end of the juniors, all pupils are confident speakers and sustain a lively pace in lessons, as when they offer opinions about whether animals should perform in circuses. By the time they are 11, pupils have developed good concentration when listening and the promptness and quality of their answers demonstrates how well they have listened. The school has

p.34

ENGLISH

made very good improvement in this area of English through good professional development for teachers and an agreed strategy used by all staff to promote pupils’ confidence when speaking.

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ENGLISH

89. Pupils at the end of the infants reach standards just below the national average in their reading. They have a good knowledge of letter sounds and recognise many simple words. When reading new stories, the majority are able to use the pictures to help them to accurately guess at the meaning of the text. Higher attaining pupils read a wide range of books independently and show good recall of what they read. While pupils have sound reading skills they do not have enough opportunity to use these to gather information. The main reason for this has been a lack of suitable non-fiction books in the school. This has been remedied recently by the development of a well- stocked library, which is much needed to improve this aspect of pupils’ reading. By the end of the juniors, pupils reach standards which are below the national average in their reading. More than half of the pupils in Year 6 read fluently and with good

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ENGLISH

understanding. Among the rest of the pupils, the impact of poor and disrupted teaching in the past is evident in the gaps in their range of reading strategies and their knowledge of letter sounds. The overall standard in Year 6 is further reduced because pupils who are learning English as an additional language have not yet acquired enough knowledge of the language to read independently with good understanding. Despite this, the school has made good progress in raising standards in reading and this is a developing strength of the school. Standards are set to rise as pupils who have benefited from the good teaching of reading work their way to Year 6.

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ENGLISH

90. The school has placed a good emphasis on teaching letter sounds and spelling strategies in order to improve pupils’ writing. This has resulted in standards in spelling Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 35 - February 2002 for seven year olds which are in line with the national average. Despite a focus on developing writing skills and improving the quality of pupils’ writing in the last two years, this has not yet had an impact and pupils’ writing overall is well below what is expected by the time they are seven and 11. The majority of pupils at the end of the infants are not able to structure their writing without support from the teacher. They write simple sentences, often without punctuation and omit much detail when retelling familiar stories such as ‘Puss in Boots’. By contrast the small number of higher attaining pupils are able to write at length and add detail of their own to make their stories interesting.

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ENGLISH

Pupils who have English as an additional language often attain standards similar to other pupils and where they have high ability this shows in their writing. There is wide variation in the standard of writing among pupils in Year 6. This in part reflects the impact of poor teaching in the past on some pupils’ spelling and punctuation skills and is also affected by the pupils who have joined the school since the start of the juniors who have English as an additional language. Even higher attaining pupils do not show the full range of skills and control over the structure of their writing that is expected. When writing to persuade a reader of the case for or against fox hunting, most pupils cannot go beyond stating two or three reasons, nor can they develop these to convince the reader. Higher attaining pupils do better and write at greater length giving explanations and examples to interest the reader. Despite these weaknesses pupils

p.35

ENGLISH

achieve well with the skills they have learned in the last two years, since the quality of teaching in the school improved after a considerable staff turn-over. Throughout the school, pupils’ handwriting and presentation of work is below the expected standard. This is because, despite having handwriting lessons, pupils have too few opportunities in the course of each day to write for all sorts of purposes and so do not practise their skills enough to improve them.

p.35

ENGLISH

91. In all classes pupils achieve well in the subject. This is because teachers’ planning is focused on teaching key skills progressively with plenty of repetition, especially in the infant and lower junior classes. The younger pupils respond well to this style of teaching and pay close attention to the teachers’ explanations.

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ENGLISH

92. The skills that pupils learn in English lessons are underdeveloped in other subjects. For example, until recently pupils have had little opportunity to research information by reading because of the lack of non-fiction books available in he school. While the quality of the curriculum has improved considerably in the last three years there is no specific planning to consolidate and develop pupils’ writing skills in other subjects and this reduces the impact of teaching in the subject. However, pupils make good use of their speaking and listening skills in all subjects as they develop ideas and gain information through talk. A very good example of this was seen in a Year 5 lesson when pupils interviewed guests about their wartime experiences. Teachers ensure that pupils make use of information and communication technology to create eye-catching presentations of their writing. They could make more use of it to enable pupils to

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ENGLISH

93. The subject co-ordinator has been in post for two years and in that time has brought about significant improvements in the teaching of reading and spelling. She has devised and implemented good procedures for tracking pupils’ progress in these areas and ensures that teachers are kept up to date on pupils’ attainment in tests so that they can plan teaching appropriate to pupils’ needs. She continues to seek ways of improving pupils’ writing and recognises the need to develop strategies beyond English lessons to consolidate pupils’ skills. Her clear vision for improvement in the subject and her well-organised approach is succeeding in raising standards and the steadily rising trend in results is a clear sign that her methods are working. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 36 - February 2002

p.35

MATHEMATICS

94. Results in the national tests for 2001 were broadly in line with the national average in standards attained by seven year-olds when compared with all schools nationally, but well above average in comparison with similar schools. At the higher level, pupils’ performance was close to the national average.

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MATHEMATICS

95. The results for eleven year-olds in the national tests for 2001 show that standards attained at the expected level were above the national average when compared with all schools nationally, but below the national average of those reaching the higher level. Overall, the school’s performance in the tests was just below the national average. Over the last four years, results have improved for both age groups, at a faster rate than the national trend.

p.36

MATHEMATICS

96. The evidence, both from the work completed and that taking place in classes this year, indicates that standards are broadly in line with the national average for seven year olds, with slight improvement in the percentage of pupils reaching the higher levels of attainment. The standards of attainment for eleven year-olds are above the average expected, with a good number of pupils working at the higher level.

p.36

MATHEMATICS

97. By the age of seven, pupils have gained good experience in oral, mental and practical work, accompanied by discussion in which most pupils play a very good part. Good understanding is evident through pupils being able to give confident and sensible explanation of the strategies they have used to arrive at their answers. The early development of mathematical concepts can be seen as pupils locate the positions of multiples of 5 on an unmarked stick. All groups of ability are learning well. The curriculum is interesting and the higher-attaining pupils are well challenged through very good teaching, based on high expectations. All pupils achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well through work that is very practical and helps them to develop their mathematical understanding. Pupils with English as a second language also find the practical nature of the work helps them overcome any language difficulty

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MATHEMATICS

they might have. A good example was the practical experience that all pupils were seen to have in their work on symmetry, in which learning was very good. Most pupils can recognise, name and give the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes and give them their proper mathematical names, a feature of language development that the school does well. The average and above average workers, and a significant number of the less able, have learnt to record their work satisfactorily. The attainment of the present Year 2 children shows that many of them have thoroughly learnt the objectives of the National Numeracy Strategy for Year 2.

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MATHEMATICS

98. By the time they are eleven, a good proportion of pupils are working at standards above the national average. This good achievement is the result of the good opportunities they have received throughout the school and the good teaching, which has ensured that they have learnt well. The work the Year 6 class on reflective symmetry very well illustrates the very good quality of learning taking place and the depth of understanding and confidence the pupils have developed, as when a higher achieving pupil shows he knows and understands that a circle has an “infinite number of lines of reflective symmetry”. Pupils are able to plot co-ordinates very well and know and use mathematical terms accurately. They are very interested in their work and the quality of relationships is very high. All groups work and learn very well and achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by the class assistant. Pupils with

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MATHEMATICS

English as a second language are making good progress and the development of mathematical understanding is not seriously held back through language difficulties. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 37 - February 2002 99. Teaching is very good. Five lessons of mathematics were seen during inspection and of these 80 per cent were very good or better, the remaining one lesson was judged to be good. The high quality of teaching and the excellent climate for learning leads to good learning by the pupils and their very good attitudes. Teachers have very good subject knowledge, which helps to ensure that planning is good throughout the school and accommodates well the different groups of ability. There is special recognition in mathematics of pupils who are especially gifted and talented. A group of Year 5 pupils work successfully alongside Year 6 at tasks that extend their abilities. The mental and

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MATHEMATICS

oral sessions are consistently good and help to raise standards. The good practice of asking questions which all levels of ability can answer, is a feature of every lesson. The teachers include all pupils in the lessons , a practice which brings about very positive attitudes to mathematics and very good behaviour. The methods and organisation of teachers is very good and support-staff, when present, contribute very well to the excellent management of pupils. Teachers’ expectations are very high and the pace of lessons good. The plenary part of lessons is often very good, as in a Year 1/2 lesson when pupils were asked to consider a topic in preparation for the following days lesson. The good assessment procedures for mathematics are used well by teachers to plan effectively for all groups of pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

100. All areas of mathematics receive good emphasis and mathematical skills, knowledge and concepts are used well to support other areas of the wider curriculum. For example, skills and practice in both measurement and time are well used by a Year 3/4 class when their science work involves them in measuring shadows. Most teachers are using the computer well to support the mathematics curriculum. This is an area that continues to improve, helped by the provision of much better information technology. The school aims to improve its software and by so doing will improve the variety of data recording available.

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MATHEMATICS

101. The subject is led and managed very well. It is carefully co-ordinated and well resourced. The work and enthusiasm of the co-ordinator is well recognised as playing a significant part in the improvements the school has made. The introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy has been very effective. The attention given to mental mathematics and to practical activities with number is good throughout the school. The co-ordinator analyses data and results of testing and, from this information, addresses the issue of raising standards. For example, she has identified all areas of measurement as an area that the school must address. The use of homework is good.

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MATHEMATICS

102. The school has made good improvement since the time of the previous inspection, when it was reported that “standards in mathematics have improved markedly”. This has been achieved through very good leadership and the much improved and more confident teaching of a curriculum that provides pupils with wider experiences and opportunities to develop their confidence, skills and knowledge.

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SCIENCE

103. In the teacher assessments completed at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2001, standards were above the national average compared to similar schools, although they were below average compared to the national average for all schools. Results of the 2001 national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 showed that pupils achieved about average compared to similar schools and well below average compared to all schools. This is a significant improvement since the school became subject to special measures four years ago, when no pupils achieved the national average by the time they reached Year 6 and there was a strong culture of underachievement. The school has maintained the upward trend of achievement in recent years. However, compared to similar schools, Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 38 - February 2002 achievement of the higher attaining pupils is lower than it should be. The school is aware of this and is planning to provide those pupils with more challenging work. The

p.37

SCIENCE

school predicts that more pupils will achieve the higher levels in 2002 than in the past. This picture is reflected in the current standards in Year 6, which are broadly in line with national averages. There are no differences between the attainment of pupils with English as an additional language and other pupils. This is because of the effective support for the two pupils in the early stages of English language acquisition, which provides the pupils with technical vocabulary to assist their understanding.

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SCIENCE

104. Standards by the end of Key Stage 2 are satisfactory. Achievement throughout the four years is good, especially in the classes of older pupils. Pupils learn to understand several variables as they investigate what happens to the shadow when the distance of a figure from a torch is changed. A strong feature of their learning is the accuracy of the recording of results and the expectation that they can explain the reasons for the changes they observe and the extent of their understanding of fair testing. Such activities provide a good level of challenge to the higher attaining pupils. Several less able pupils struggle to understand this work, but they are very effectively supported by very good teaching, which successfully clarifies their misunderstandings. Scrutiny of the work of Year 6 pupils shows that they are covering the programme of study. However, there are too many common spelling errors in the work of the more able

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SCIENCE

pupils. Younger pupils learn less effectively, due to their teaching not building on their prior learning. As a consequence, pupils struggle to understand which foods are attributable to their particular groups.

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SCIENCE

105. The quality of teaching is generally good at Key Stage 2. No judgement can be made at Key Stage 1, due to limited evidence. Planning is based on guidelines from the scheme of work and very conscientiously followed by staff. There is a good progression in lessons. Expectations of the pupils are high: they carry out their experiments, reflect on what they have learned either in their groups or altogether with the teacher and then record their findings and the conclusions they have arrived at. Children with special educational needs frequently found it difficult to keep up with their classmates, as they are generally expected to complete the same level of work. This works in those lessons where there is additional classroom support, but not otherwise, and should be reviewed.

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SCIENCE

106. The good quality of teaching, the impact of effective leadership and management, the support for improving the staff’s knowledge and understanding provided by an effective commercial scheme of work and the generally very good attitudes of the pupils to their work are all contributing to raising standards throughout the school. No lessons were observed at Key Stage 1. However, the scrutiny of the pupils’ books shows that standards are broadly in line with the national average. Pupils can classify foods, understand about the properties of different materials and predict what might happen next. Their recordings show that they are beginning to understand that darkness is the absence of light. There is satisfactory coverage of the investigational and exploratory aspects of the subject and, overall, good coverage of the programme of study.

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SCIENCE

107. The co-ordinator has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the subject, especially in relation to raising standards of the more able pupils. The quality of teaching has been checked recently and areas for development shared with the staff. Resources are now adequate and there has been good improvement since the last inspection.

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ART AND DESIGN

Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 39 - February 2002 108. Standards reached by pupils at the ages of seven and eleven are below the national expectations. This judgement is true for all groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs. The standards and achievement of pupils with English as an additional language are similar to those of their peers. The school has a satisfactory art and design policy, but essential skills are not systematically developed, largely because guidance through a good scheme of work is not in place to ensure progression in learning.

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ART AND DESIGN

109. Pupils have experience of a reasonable range of media, such as paint, pastels and chalk. Sketch-books have been introduced, but these are under-used and do not show that pupils are taught to use them correctly to develop ideas. Some better work by infant children shows examples of satisfactory use of art to support other areas of curriculum. For example, they look at the work of a Dutch artist to help them paint pictures of the Great Fire of London. These pictures show a satisfactory and bold use of colour. By the age of seven, pupils were seen to make some good progress in developing their visual perception, but this standard of learning and satisfactory attainment could not be seen across the wider range of the art curriculum. Overall, there is not sufficient opportunity for children to work with a variety of materials and techniques to produce both two- and three-dimensional work.

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ART AND DESIGN

110. Very little work by junior pupils was available for scrutiny and wall displays were not sufficient to make a satisfactory judgement on the standards of attainment by the age of eleven. Some of the work that is seen is of a low standard and more typical of the techniques employed by younger pupils. Some of the experiences presented to older pupils, such as torn paper to produce mosaics, do not develop ideas or techniques appropriate to their age. Better examples of learning experiences can be seen in Year 6 when pupils examine the work of Van Gogh. They learn his techniques of expressing movement in art which they, in turn, express in their own pictures of lines of washing blowing in the wind, but this quality of learning does not cover a wide enough range of activities. Consequently, attention to detail in representational drawing is limited in the small number of examples seen. The variety of techniques used and pupils’ evaluation

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ART AND DESIGN

of their work and are both under-developed.

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ART AND DESIGN

111. Both of the lessons seen demonstrated at least satisfactory teaching, although some planning lacks the sufficient detail. A good feature of teaching is the good management of pupils and the very good relationships that are fostered. In both lessons pupils try hard, but many find difficulty in reaching a satisfactory standard. Most teachers are using information and communication technology well to enhance learning opportunities, using such programs as word Art, AutoShapes, the fill tool, shadows and three-dimensional effects.

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ART AND DESIGN

112. The monitoring of teaching and standards by the co-ordinator goes some way towards identifying the inconsistent standards. She rightly sees the wider use of the sketch- book as being an area for development and a basis for more rigorous assessment. Some gifted and talented pupils have been identified and the school is making good provision for them. There is a scheme of work for the subject which is an improvement since the last inspection, though this needs to contain better guidance on the development of skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Due to timetabling arrangements, only one lesson was observed. Judgements on standards of attainment are based upon a limited range of evidence, but the standards in the one lesson seen in Year 4/5 gave very good evidence of the pupils’ secure prior Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 40 - February 2002 knowledge of designing and making. Standards for pupils by the age of seven and by the age of eleven are in line with national expectations. All pupils are achieving satisfactorily and often well in the juniors. Group work and very good relationships help to increase the confidence of pupils with special educational needs. Pupils with English as an additional language work well alongside their peers and make similarly good progress in their learning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Pupils have satisfactory experience of the design process. By Year 1 they are using planning sheets to make simple designs to make “Joseph’s Dreamcoat”. By the end of Year 2, school plans show good development of skills, such as cutting and sticking. Examples of work show that pupils have worked with card and brass fasteners to make figures with moving arms and legs, developing an early understanding of the use of levers and pivots.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. Older pupils build upon their sound previous learning. In the lesson seen, attainment was good, pupils achieved very well and made very good progress in their learning. At Year 5, they are able to show clear understanding of what they are doing and why they have chosen to use a particular material. For example, a child explains he has chosen to use sellotape in preference to glue because it helps the efficiency of the sliding mechanism he is making. Pupils constantly evaluate their work asking themselves such questions as, “Does it work the way I expect it to work?”

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. Teachers’ planning is very good and encompasses safe handling of tools and the promotion of collaborative work. The teacher provides the necessary demonstration and instructions and the pupils are quickly and happily working at their nearly completed task of producing a book with a sliding mechanism and pop up picture for the nursery children. The organisation of the classroom and the management of pupils are very good. There is very good emphasis upon high quality and good presentation of work. Attitudes are excellent, pupils behave very well, are very open and friendly. They are very keen and proud to show and explain their work. There have been improvements to the quality of curriculum provision through the new scheme of work that all teachers follow since the last inspection. There have also been improvements to the quality of teaching and standards are now consistent across the school.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. Standards have improved at both key stages since the previous inspection due to better teaching and a much better overview of what is to be taught each term. Geography and history are taught in alternate terms, which means that, in some terms, pupils study no geography at all. By the time they are seven, pupils’ attainment is satisfactory. They learn how to answer key geographical questions as they follow Barnaby Bear on his travels. They can identify the key physical and human features of an area using photographs, understand what it is like to live in countries with a different climate to their own and how this affects the lives of the inhabitants and what they have to eat. They can draw a map of an area and compare one locality with another in terms of transport and jobs. By the time they are 11, standards are also satisfactory, although there is some good achievement by the time pupils reach Year 6, due to very good

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GEOGRAPHY

teaching. Pupils can compare the physical and human features of contrasting river environments across the world. They are developing a wider knowledge of places in other countries. Their understanding of maps and how to represent features on a map is less well-developed. For example, pupils show limited understanding of a plan view. Maps drawn by older pupils vary very little from those drawn by younger pupils. Older pupils generally understand the importance of colour and the need to have a key explaining symbols. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 41 - February 2002 118. Many good opportunities are provided for the older pupils to record findings about river conditions in several mathematical ways, such as plotting the variations between the gradients of three major rivers, explaining the results and tracking the development of meanders along the Mississippi River. Numeracy skills are satisfactorily developed as

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GEOGRAPHY

pupils learn to interpret data from graphs. However, explicit application of literacy skills in the subject are not made to the same high level as mathematical skills, and this area could be developed.

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GEOGRAPHY

119. Information and communication technology is used effectively to support the subject throughout the school. Year 2 pupils use the Internet to find out about the journeys of Barnaby Bear and illustrative information about Italy is taken from a web site. Older pupils have searched the Internet to gather information as part of a river study completed last term.

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GEOGRAPHY

120. The curriculum follows the study units of the nationally recommended scheme of work and is supplemented by a commercial scheme. A long-term plan ensures that the pupils in the mixed age classes do not repeat study units. The quality of teaching and learning in the one lesson observed at Key Stage 1 was good. In particular, the effective use of resources to recreate living conditions and eating habits in another country meant that pupils learned to understand about life and how people lived. Activities effectively met the needs of all pupils because the support for activities and resources were clearly adjusted to meet the needs of older and younger pupils. Classroom assistants were effectively deployed in the lesson observed.

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GEOGRAPHY

121. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The recently appointed co-ordinator has prepared resource boxes to support the subject, but is aware that resources for learning map skills need to be increased. As with all other foundation subjects, there is termly record keeping to show which elements of the programme of study have been covered. Assessment is generally completed as part of the weekly evaluations of learning and is used to inform the next week’s work. Pupils with special educational needs, including those needing extension work, are identified in the weekly planning.

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HISTORY

122. By the time they are seven, pupils’ knowledge and understanding are in line with the expectation for their age. They recognise some differences between the past and the present and can give examples of how things have changed over time. They know, for example, that the toys they use are different from those used by their parents. In the Infants, pupils learn about important events in history, such as the Great Fire of London and how it was started. They also learn about famous people. They know how Florence Nightingale helped soldiers and why she was called the Lady with the Lamp.

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HISTORY

123. By the time they are 11, pupils have sound knowledge of different eras in history. They achieve standards that are typical for their age in knowledge and understanding, but do not reach the expected standard in developing inquiry skills because they do not have enough resources or regular opportunities to undertake research and work independently. Their factual knowledge of different eras and personalities is derived mainly from teachers’ explanations and a limited number of artefacts. They learn about the Ancient Greek civilisation, life in Victorian times and make a thorough study of life in Britain during World War 2. Pupils’ recording of work in history is limited and teachers do not seize the opportunities offered by the subject to develop pupils’ skills in writing for different purposes and audiences. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 42 - February 2002 124. Only two lessons were observed during inspection. Both were at least satisfactory. In

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HISTORY

Years 3 and 4, pupils learnt about rationing from clear explanations by the teacher and a good display of measured amounts of food to show how little people had to eat during wartime. Good listening by pupils contributed well to their learning and they were eager to ask questions about the topic to develop their understanding. They settled promptly to work to complete their task by the end of the lesson. In a very good lesson in Year 5, pupils were set the task of interviewing people who had lived during the war. The teacher had prepared the pupils very well for this activity and they were all armed with a good bank of questions to use in their interviews. The range of questions showed that the pupils had a broad knowledge of events in Britain during the war and how these affected people’s lives. The teacher’s very good planning and management of time allowed pupils to derive the maximum benefit from these interviews, which were very

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HISTORY

lively, well sustained and demonstrated the good speaking and listening skills of the pupils. Pupils were able to make appropriate notes about their interviews, using skills they had learned in their literacy lessons. The singing of wartime songs at the end of the lesson made use of another very good skill the pupils had learned in their music lessons and delighted the adults who had volunteered to be interviewed.

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HISTORY

125. Standards have improved since the last inspection because of the improved planning for the subject, as well as the monitoring of standards and provision by the subject co- ordinator. Both the quality of teaching and pupils’ attitudes to the subject are much improved.

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HISTORY

126. The co-ordinator effectively manages the subject and is aware of the need for more resources to enhance pupils’ learning. Since she is new to the role the opportunity to continue to develop her expertise is still necessary. The pupils’ learning is evaluated weekly, but some assessment of how the subject contributes to the development of pupils’ writing skills is needed to identify opportunities where this might happen.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127. Pupils’ attainment at the ages of seven and 11 meets the national expectations. The skills of the pupils are consistently and progressively developed across the school. This is brought about by the teachers’ improved subject knowledge and confidence, as well as by the quantity and quality of the teaching, made possible by the very much improved facilities in the computer suite. The key issues from the previous inspection have been very well addressed, pupils’ attainment has improved and all pupils now receive their full entitlement to the National Curriculum over the schools’ two-year cycle.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128. By the age of seven, pupils are familiar with the language of technology. They have developed the basic skills of keyboard and mouse, can save and retrieve work with help, can use the computer to present information and have some understanding of its wider use in the world. Pupils experience the use of the digital camera and use the Internet to download information on Samuel Pepys in connection with their history topic. This is a good illustration of the good use of information and communication technology to support other areas of curriculum across the school. Pupils use their word processing skills well to communicate information, showing awareness of different fonts and the use of some different icons. The higher attaining pupils understand the principle of ‘click and drag’ and use this to good effect when creating pictures and patterns. They are able to instruct and control a device for following direction and can

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

represent information graphically. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as their peers. Pupils with English as a second language are fully included and receive the support of the adults and their peers. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 43 - February 2002 129. All of these skills and experiences are very well extended in junior classes. Year 5 pupils can insert pictures in their text, use art borders and continue to use the computer well in other areas of curriculum. For example, they produce symmetrical patterns in mathematics. By the age of 11, the majority have become confident users of a range of programs. Pupils of all abilities are achieving well and making good progress. Some of the higher attaining pupils are very able and often extend their learning and experience beyond the context of the lesson being taught. They use the program Excel to copy formulae and create a table of results. The progress and attainment of pupils with

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

English as an additional language is very well illustrated when one pupil discovers a short cut that had not been part of the lesson plan. Very good support is provided for lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs by the teacher and, for the lesson observed, by an Education Action Zone worker.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

130. Teaching is much improved since the last inspection and was either good or very good in the lessons seen. Teachers are confident in their pupils’ ability and have high expectations of what they can achieve, whilst always ready to assist the less able pupils with any problems. The good planning of a broad and balanced curriculum ensures that experiences are varied and the use of computers is made relevant to pupils, as is shown by its good use in other areas of the curriculum. Opportunities are provided beyond normal lessons. For example, pupils are proud to show the school website that a group have created during extra-curricular work and carried out alongside other primary schools at the nearby technology college.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

131. The scheme of work is designed to cover all the major aspects of the National Curriculum over a two-year cycle. The big improvement in the provision of hardware and its good and regular use has greatly enhanced pupils’ opportunities to use computers and improve their knowledge and skills. The school has recognised the need for additional software to enhance its ability to implement the curriculum. Equipment, for the most part, is new; the part time technician maintains it well and gives good support to the teaching staff. There has been very good improvement in teachers’ expertise, in resources and in the scheme of work since the last inspection.

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MUSIC

132. The standards of pupils’ singing are better than expected for their age throughout the school, which is an improvement since the last inspection, when they were good only at Key Stage 2. Younger pupils are able to sing tunefully and with good control. Older pupils take part in unaccompanied two-part singing with a very good sense of rhythm. The school has a long tradition of high achievement in singing as a result of the priority given to it by the previous co-ordinator, who has recently left the school. The replacement co-ordinator, who was already a member of staff, worked closely with the previous co-ordinator to put several initiatives in place to provide staff with the skills and guidance to implement the National Curriculum programme of study. A new scheme of work, based on the nationally recommended scheme of work and a commercial scheme, has been in place since September 2001.

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MUSIC

133. Pupils at Key Stage 1 and the older Foundation Stage children benefit from specialist support for singing each week. The small amount of teaching observed was good. No other aspects of the subject were seen during the inspection as each class had the subject timetabled on other days. The school employs a specialist teacher to coach the choir and to provide keyboard tuition to a number of Year 6 pupils each week. The choir is open to any pupils to take part, although most members are from Years 5 and 6. Opportunities to perform are provided regularly and enjoyed by the pupils who have Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 44 - February 2002 very good levels of confidence as a result of the high expectations and skills of the co- ordinator.

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MUSIC

134. The subject is a focus for development later in the year. The co-ordinator has no experience of managing a subject and has identified a need to have training in the roles and responsibilities of a co-ordinator as part of his professional development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. Standards have improved since the last inspection. By the time pupils are in Year 6 standards are, at least, satisfactory. They are above national and local averages in swimming. Standards of pupils at age seven have also improved and in dance, for example, are above average, due to very good teaching. All pupils achieve equally well; pupils with English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs achieve especially well. Older pupils take part in competitive sports and are coached by a range of outside specialists. The scheme of work, introduced since the previous inspection, provides a good framework of knowledge and understanding for the staff by showing how to extend pupils’ learning. Consequently, achievement is good throughout the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. Pupils in the mixed Years 1 and 2 class are taught by a teacher other than their usual class teacher. Pupils are aware of the effect of exercise on their bodies and know why it is important to warm up before learning new skills. Short bursts of brisk movement around the room developed an awareness of space prior to a dance lesson, which was the only lesson seen at Key Stage 1. The pupils showed good control and understanding of how to follow a sequence of actions, related to dusting and scrubbing, as they performed their imaginative responses to the set task. Achievement was good because the teaching encouraged the pupils to evaluate critically and consider how to improve the sequence of movements. Half of the class watched the other and discussed the similarities and differences in the movements of their peers. They learned how to alter the rhythm, speed, level and direction of their movements and to

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

discuss how different pupils moved. Pupils in Year 2 knew how to interpret the tasks with very little additional encouragement, unlike the Year 1 pupils, who needed additional explanation and demonstration by older pupils to help them to use their own ideas to create a sequence of movements.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils learn how to develop their control skills. They use small balls in Years 3 and 4 and learn attacking and shooting skills using hockey sticks in Years 4, 5 and 6. Pupils have the opportunity to attend weekly swimming lessons for one term each year in Key Stage 2. By the time they leave the school, it is reported that 90 per cent of the pupils can swim 25 metres, which is a good proportion.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. Planning, based upon the scheme of work, identifies how to achieve progression through a lesson and ways to challenge the more able pupils. Effective use is made of the planning to meet the needs of mixed age classes. Work is generally pitched at a level suitable for the older pupils. Consequently, there is a lot of challenge for the younger pupils, who coped well, especially at Key Stage 1. The use of pupils to demonstrate effective skills of dancing, shooting or bouncing a tennis ball on the ground with good control helped all pupils to improve their techniques. In the most effective lessons, continual explanations and clear instructions kept pupils well focused on the activities. Pupils, at all times showed a keen interest and enthusiasm for learning. Christ Church (C of E) Primary School - 45 - February 2002 139. The subject has not been allocated as much priority as other subjects in recent years.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

However, extra-curricular activities are used well to augment the time allocated to the subject in lessons. The co-ordinator has arranged for a professional coach to join him in coaching the pupils in football from Year 4. The signing of a Year 6 pupil by a local football club has given a good impetus to sport in the school. Apprentices from the nearby premier league football club regularly spend time in the school. The school enters teams in rugby competitions due to the enthusiasm of a member of staff. All of these extra-curricular activities considerably enhance the personal development of all pupils. There are some pupils with particular talents whose needs are identified on the gifted and talented register, which is compiled as part of the school’s involvement with the Education Action Zone. The co-ordinator is keen, but has a limited understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a co-ordinator. He would benefit from training to enable

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

him to fulfil his role. The subject is due for review in the autumn term.

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