Hartlip Endowed Church of England Primary School

HARTLIP ENDOWED CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 9 May – 11 May 2001

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HARTLIP ENDOWED CE 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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HARTLIP ENDOWED CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Street Hartlip Sittingbourne Kent

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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: Mr G Addicott OBE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1997 Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 4

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responsibilities

Mathematics Physical Education 21121 Mr D C Houghton Registered inspector

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responsibilities

Equal opportunities What sort of school is it? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9614 Mrs C Webb Lay inspector 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? Foundation Stage Science Information and communicatio n technology Art and design 21079 Mrs L Woods Team inspector

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responsibilities

Design and technology The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

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responsibilities

Special educational needs English as an additional language English Geography History 11122 Mr D Collard Team inspector

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responsibilities

Music How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Open Book Inspections 6 East Point High Street, Seal Sevenoaks TN15 0EG

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responsibilities

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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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 6

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REPORT CONTENTS

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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PART B: COMMENTARY

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

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER

OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS? 16 - 18

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 18 - 20

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED? 21 - 23

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 23

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 24 - 27

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PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN

AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 28 - 39 Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Hartlip Endowed CE Primary is a small voluntary aided school situated in the village of Hartlip, near Sittingbourne. It was founded in 1678 by Mary Gibbon. The school still receives some financial support from the trust she founded. Currently there are 96 pupils on roll between the ages of four and eleven with about 40 per cent of these attending from outside the immediate area. There is a strong community sense and the school enjoys satisfactory parental support. A high number of pupils move into and out of the school because new houses have been built and families have been re-located. Less than one per cent of pupils is eligible for free school meals, which is well below the national average. Just under two per cent of pupils are recorded as coming from ethnic minority backgrounds and speaking English as an additional language. However, these pupils are fluent in English and have no difficulty in accessing the full curriculum. The current level of attainment of pupils when they

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

enter school is average. The school has identified 34.4 per cent of pupils as having special educational needs, which is above the national average, but there are no pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a warm and welcoming environment for its pupils. It is very effective in promoting pupils’ self-confidence. It consistently sends a high percentage of pupils to the local grammar schools. The school has informative procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress. Staff know the pupils very well and are fully committed to providing an interesting and challenging education and in raising standards. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Teaching is good. Parents are generally supportive of the school although there are some communication difficulties between a significant number of parents and the school. The quality of leadership provided by the headteacher, key staff and governors is sound overall. They all work energetically to maintain the good ethos within the school, which provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching is good overall and teachers manage pupils very well. • The school shows great care for its pupils and makes very good provision for their personal development and especially their social development, which is excellent. • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Pupils have very good attitudes to school and are enthusiastic about coming to school. • The headteacher, staff and governors have a deep and shared commitment to raising standards.

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What could be improved

• Curriculum planning so that it takes more account of the step-by-step development of skills in all subjects. • The management role of subject co-ordinators which is under-developed. • The strained communications with some parents. 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 last inspection took place in 1997 and the school has made good progress in addressing the issues identified at that time. Steps have been taken by the school to improve communication with the parents. These include the implementation of governors’ and Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 8 headteacher’s surgeries and parent consultation groups. Despite these steps the issue has not yet been resolved fully. The school has implemented improved tracking procedures so that it can monitor the progress of pupils carefully in the core subjects. The levels of attainment that are reflected in the end of key stage test results continue to vary considerably, reflecting differences in prior attainment in successive cohorts. The provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage is now very good. There is a dedicated classroom for these pupils and good curriculum provision. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The withdrawal of pupils from lessons has been reduced to a minimum and all now have full access to the curriculum.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

compared with Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

1998 1999 2000 2000 English A E C E well above average above average A B Mathematics B B C E average below average C D Science A E D E well below average E

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STANDARDS

The table shows that, in 2000, standards were average in English and mathematics and below average in science when compared with schools nationally. They were well below average when compared to similar schools. While the percentage of pupils in this cohort attaining the expected Level 4 is similar to the national average, the percentage of those attaining the higher Level 5 is lower. However, 40 per cent of these pupils achieved a place at the local grammar school. The statistics are unreliable because of the small number of pupils in each cohort, the number of pupils with special educational needs in each group and pupil mobility, all of which have a significant impact on the overall percentage of pupils achieving each level. These factors result in trends overall being erratic. Evidence from pupils’ work, discussions with pupils and previous test information indicates that there will be a significant improvement in the overall percentages this year. There is a similar picture at

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STANDARDS

Key Stage 1 where there is likely to be an improvement in test results this year. Pupils currently in the Foundation Stage are being given a good start and are likely to exceed expectations.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are enthusiastic and work well both as individuals and in groups and this has a positive impact on their learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Most pupils behave well although there are a few incidences of unacceptable behaviour. Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils help and support each other and they relate well to each other and to adults in the school. Attendance Good. Pupils enjoy coming to school but some still arrive late. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 9

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years Lessons seen overall good satisfactory good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

In 96 per cent of lessons, teaching is satisfactory or better. It is good in 52 per cent and very good in 11 per cent. It was unsatisfactory in only four per cent of lessons. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is good, giving these pupils an effective start to their learning. Teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1, with one lesson being very good, 33 per cent being good and 83 per cent satisfactory or better. Unsatisfactory teaching was seen in one lesson. At Key Stage 2, teaching is at least satisfactory, with 61 per cent being good and eight per cent being very good. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good and this is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning, especially in the basic skills. A particular strength in teaching is the management of pupils and this is supported by thorough use of a range of teaching methods and resources. There are no significant weaknesses. The

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Teachers endeavour to match work to individual pupils’ needs so that they are challenged appropriately, although the step-by-step development of skills does not always occur in some subjects.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. However, curriculum planning does not give enough guidance on the step-by-step development of skills in each subject. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils needing additional help are identified early and are supported well. Good individual educational plans set clear targets for pupils. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There are two pupils from a white ethnic minority group who are fluent in English and have no difficulty in accessing the full curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. The provision for pupils’ social development is excellent. However, there are not enough opportunities provided to prepare pupils to live in a multi-cultural society.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall. The care the school provides for pupils’ health and well being is good. The school regularly assesses pupils’ academic performance in literacy and numeracy but does not assess the progressive development of skills in all other subjects.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The curriculum meets statutory requirements and is broad, balanced and relevant to pupils’ needs. However, skills are not developed systematically in all subjects and this restricts pupils’ learning. The school has a strong Christian ethos in which the pupils feel secure and it is well placed to include all pupils in its educational programme. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 10

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The headteacher and staff have a clear vision for the educational development of the school but key staff do not have sufficient opportunities to develop their management role. The effective monitoring procedures in English and mathematics need to be extended to all subjects.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Well. The governors are well informed and take a close interest in the life and work of the school and in its development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The school has a sound overview of its work, reviewing its targets regularly. Developments are clearly identified in its improvement plan.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. All financial decisions are considered carefully. The principles of best value are generally well established but the school does not yet have any formal means of evaluating the impact of its decisions on standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school has sufficient well-qualified staff to meet its requirements although there has been some difficulty in replacing a teacher who was recently promoted to another school. The school is fully aware of the disruption this has caused in the Key Stage 1 class and, after considerable effort, has now managed to find a permanent teacher for the beginning of next term. The accommodation since the opening of the new classroom is good, and there are sufficient resources to meet the needs of the curriculum, which are easily accessible. The leadership and vision provided by the headteacher are enabling the school to move forward, for example in the development of information and communication technology.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school and their behaviour is good. • Their children are making good progress and are expected to work hard. • Children get the right amount of work to do at home. • The teaching is good. • Most feel well informed about how their children are getting on. • Most feel comfortable when approaching the school with questions or a problem. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • The school to work more closely with some parents. • The leadership and management of the school. • More provision of extra-curricular activities.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors agree with parents’ positive comments about the school. Most parents think well of the school and are pleased with the progress their children are making. However, there are still some communication difficulties with a significant number of parents, which is debilitating. The inspection team could find no justification for parents to feel unhappy about Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 11 the current leadership and management of the school. There is a well-written school improvement plan and the basic skills are well taught. Staff work together effectively as a team and parents feel that their children are making good progress both in their academic development and in their personal development. Inspectors agree that there are some communication difficulties with a significant number of parents and this is not beneficial to the school. However, other parents feel satisfied with their links with the school and feel that their

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

children are progressing well. The school provides a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities such as recorder playing and football, some of which are effectively led by parents and governors. The school also provides a range of visits to places of national and local interest as well as an annual residential visit. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. When children join the school at the start of the Reception year, initial assessment shows that their attainment is average overall. However, this varies year-on-year, with some groups of children demonstrating higher levels of attainment as they start school. The current group of children in the Reception class, for example, is particularly bright. The introduction of a single year group class for these very young children and good teaching overall ensures that they make good progress in a lively and stimulating environment. Children this year are on course to achieve standards above the expectations for their age in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. In physical development, standards are in line with expectations for their age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The small number of pupils in each year group means that each individual child represents a significant percentage within the total. This, together with the wide variation in abilities within different year groups and the number of pupils who join the school during a key stage, results in levels of attainment in national tests that proportionately vary considerably each year, and trends over time are difficult to establish reliably. In the 2000 tests for seven-year-olds, for example, attainment in reading was below the national average and in writing and mathematics was well below average. Compared with similar schools, standards were well below average in all three tested areas. Within this group of pupils, ten of the fourteen are identified as having special educational needs. By contrast, two years previously, standards in the Key Stage 1 tests were well above average in reading and above average in writing and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

mathematics. Inspection evidence shows that these pupils, now in Year 5, continue to perform at levels above expectations for their age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. In the 2000 tests for eleven-year-olds, standards were average in English and mathematics, but below average in science. In science, whilst all pupils reached the expected Level 4 in the tests, few reached the higher Level 5. Compared with schools having a similar intake of pupils, standards are well below average in all three subjects. Improvement between the tests taken at Key Stage 1 and at Key Stage 2 appeared to be well below average. However, nine of the sixteen pupils who took the Key Stage 1 tests in 1996 subsequently left the school, making such comparisons unreliable. The school undertakes a detailed analysis of each individual pupil’s performance in literacy and numeracy by means of a variety of assessment activities, and this analysis shows the value added year-on-year clearly and effectively. From this information, it sets realistic targets for standards in the end of key stage tests. Inspection evidence shows

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

that the school is on course to achieve, and is likely to exceed, its targets for English and mathematics in 2001.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. At Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress, and standards in English and mathematics are average. In science, however, pupils’ written work does not reflect their level of knowledge and understanding. Progress is unsatisfactory and standards are below average. Pupils at Key Stage 2 make good progress in literacy and numeracy. Teachers ensure that higher-attaining pupils are challenged appropriately and give good support for those with special educational needs. Standards in English and mathematics are above average by the end of the key stage, and are average in science. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 13 5. In the core skills, standards of speaking and listening are very good throughout the school. Pupils listen carefully to their teachers and to each other. From Reception onwards, they develop their responses to questions and in discussion, with an increasing awareness of the main points and sophistication of vocabulary. Reading and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

writing skills are average at Key Stage 1 and, overall, above average at Key Stage 2. Pupils read with increasing understanding and accuracy as they progress through the reading scheme and on to free choice of books, and tackle new words confidently. By the age of eleven, most pupils read widely for pleasure and discuss their current books intelligently. They competently locate information for topic work, using the library, Internet and CD-ROM for research. Writing skills are developed systematically throughout the school. Teachers work hard to develop pupils’ understanding of correct grammar and punctuation and a neat cursive style of writing. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ writing is neat and well thought out. These skills are used well across the curriculum, for example in science, geography and history to write detailed accounts of the work covered. Numeracy skills are average by the end of Key Stage 1 and above

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

average by the end of Key Stage 2. The introduction of the daily mathematics lesson is having a marked effect on improving pupils’ mental arithmetic skills throughout the school. All pupils enjoy the ‘quick-fire’ mental sessions and, by the age of eleven, calculate quite complex sums accurately and competently. Numeracy skills are used appropriately in other subjects, for example, constructing charts and graphs in science, but these opportunities could be developed further.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are below expectations by the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils do not make sufficient use of ICT either to develop skills in its use or to support work in different curriculum areas, and their progress is unsatisfactory. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards are above expectations in some aspects, but below expectations in others. Pupils make good progress in handling information, and are very competent at using word processing to publish their work and research information, using CD-ROM and the Internet confidently and accurately. Their progress in understanding the use of ICT to control and manipulate data, however, is slow, and skills are under-developed.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. In other subjects, standards are appropriate for pupils’ ages in art and design, design and technology, geography and history throughout the school. There was insufficient evidence to make a reliable judgement on standards in music throughout the school, although the quality of singing is good. Too little work in physical education was seen at both key stages to make a judgement on attainment. However, in all these subjects, whilst the quality of learning in lessons is sound and often good, progress over time is not secure. The lack of appropriate planning for skills development is an issue the school has to address.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress against their own particular targets. A significant number make even better progress and are achieving standards in line with the national average.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. The school has successfully maintained the positive attitudes to learning and the values reported at the time of the last inspection. Pupils are very enthusiastic about school, and the vast majority arrive on or before time. Attendance is good; the very few regular latecomers are well known and documented.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The school establishes a very good work ethic from the time children enter the Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 14 Reception class. In lessons, pupils are eager to learn and concentrate well on tasks set for them. During a lesson on changes in life style, pupils in Years 5/6 enjoyed researching for information to identify these changes, for example, taking holidays in bed and breakfast accommodation or at holiday camps. Pupils in Years 1/2 were heard to exclaim “oh no!” when told that their mathematics lesson had come to an end. Those with special educational or other needs are well integrated and supported by their peers. Pupils’ relationships with each other and with adults in the school are very good, engendering mutual trust and respect.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Behaviour is good throughout the school. Pupils know and respect the school rules, understanding what will follow if they do not comply with these. Rewards are valued and all enjoy celebrating their achievements and those of others. In the playground the family atmosphere is evident as older pupils play with and take care of those younger than themselves. Although play is exuberant, all are careful to ensure than no one is hurt or excluded, and the friendship bench, in place as a result of the school council’s decision, works well. Bullying is rare and is dealt with effectively by supervisors. The school is a harmonious community.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ personal development is very good. All enjoy and conscientiously carry out any responsibility they are given. From their time in Reception, children take charge of the registers and are proud to be chosen as special helpers. They value their links with Year 6 pupils, who not only accompany them on their weekly church visit but take responsibility for them in assemblies, whilst they eat their lunch, and when they are out in the playground. As they progress through the school, all pupils ask if they can help teachers. Year 6 pupils act as monitors, for example, acting as librarians and giving out hymn books. They all carry out these responsibilities willingly and with a real sense of commitment.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils listen carefully to talks given when the school nurse and representatives of the fire and road safety services visit. During group sessions known as ‘Circle Time’ and the personal, health and social education lessons, general issues and those arising during the day are discussed. A friendship matter was resolved, for example, after a pertinent story was read and thoughtful conversation took place. Membership of the school council is valued and parallels are drawn between the two houses of parliament and themselves. The council is currently involved in promoting the school by drawing up a prospectus for pupils. This was vigorously debated during the inspection with many practical, positive and mature suggestions being made. Older pupils returned from their Safety in Action day with increased confidence in their ability to cope with the difficulties and dangers to be found in the outside world.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils with special educational needs are well behaved. This is because they have good support from their classroom assistants who are quick to divert potential trouble. Class teachers are also very adept at dealing with these pupils and use positive techniques to help build their self-esteem. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 15

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The quality of teaching overall is good and this makes an effective contribution to the ethos of the school and to pupils’ positive attitudes. Teaching was satisfactory or better in 96 per cent of lessons. It was very good in 11 per cent of lessons seen, good in 52 per cent and satisfactory in 33 per cent. Only a small proportion of teaching, four per cent, was unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. Both the teacher and her assistant know the children very well, and work hard to ensure that opportunities in all areas of learning are matched appropriately to their abilities. Relationships are very good, and children learn effectively in a rich and stimulating environment. The teaching of basic literacy and numeracy skills is very good, and children demonstrate a level of knowledge and understanding which exceeds expectations for their age. The children are suitably prepared for the more formal work at Key Stage 1 especially in literacy and the daily mathematics lesson. In almost all activities, both adults work effectively to encourage children to think and talk about what they are doing, thus encouraging the development of vocabulary and skills. Very occasionally, however, the quality of questioning is too directed, so that children are ‘told’ how to find the answer, rather than

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

encouraged to solve problems for themselves.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. At Key Stage 1, where the temporary teacher had come to know the class well, 83 per cent of lessons seen were satisfactory or better, with 33 per cent being good or better. An example of very good teaching was seen in numeracy where the level of work given to pupils is challenging. At Key Stage 2 all lessons were at least satisfactory, with 54 per cent being good and a small proportion being very good. Lessons are well planned with clear objectives and with much of the work, especially in literacy and numeracy, effectively matched to pupils’ levels of attainment. Inspectors have some concerns that there is a lack of consistency at present in the teaching at Key Stage 1. This is because the class has experienced several changes of teacher during the last two terms, despite the school’s efforts to make a permanent appointment. Hopefully, the matter has now been resolved as a new teacher has been appointed for September

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Teachers have sufficient knowledge to teach all subjects. The one unsatisfactory lesson in Key Stage 1 was because of limited teaching experience rather than unsatisfactory subject knowledge, which led to a drop in the pace in of learning. The basic skills of literacy and mathematics are taught well. The National Literacy and Numeracy strategies are fully in place and are having a positive impact on teaching and consequently on pupils’ learning. The Literacy Hour ensures that all aspects of pupils’ language development are given appropriate attention and the daily mathematics lesson begins with oral and mental work, which has improved pupils’ mental agility with numbers. Teachers manage pupils very well and this has a strong and positive impact on pupils’ learning. They are well aware of the needs of pupils with different levels of attainment and provide sympathetic support where appropriate. The small number of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils with behavioural difficulties is dealt with effectively and, in the lessons seen, these pupils’ behaviour did not detract from the learning of others. However, this is a concern for parents and the school when several different temporary teachers take a class because of difficulties in appointing new staff. The very good relationships between pupils and adults characterise most lessons. This is reflected in the pupils’ good attitudes and contributes to the positive learning environment within the school. Teachers use a good range of strategies in lessons; they question pupils well and use a good balance of direct teaching and exemplification when introducing new topics. This improves pupils’ levels of understanding. Pupils work well in groups and as individuals Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 16 without direct supervision, for example, in the Literacy Hour and the daily mathematics lesson. Pupils, however, are not always encouraged to use the library enough for

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers plan soundly to meet the aims of their lessons. This ensures that lessons are well paced, with generally satisfactory expectations, which contributes effectively to pupils’ learning. Teachers know their pupils well and take account of their differing needs by providing appropriate levels of support. However, pupils with different levels of attainment are not always given work geared to their own particular needs. Sometimes this results in the level of challenge being inadequate. Teachers provide an interesting and stimulating range of activities. In Years 3/4, for example, pupils use art very effectively to support their work in literacy through the use of storyboards, and in science they design experiments to test the effectiveness of string telephones in different circumstances. The resources used by teachers are beneficial in supporting pupils’ learning. Learning support assistants are used effectively. They are generally

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

well informed and are an asset to the school in providing additional support, for example, for pupils with special educational needs, who are thereby helped to make good progress overall. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. The teachers use the individual education plans to good effect. Classroom assistants are fully integrated into teaching these pupils. Specific work is undertaken that improves the progress in learning and promotes the standards being achieved.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers know their pupils well. Their assessments of what pupils can do in the core subjects of English and mathematics are good and are used well to set targets both for year groups and for individuals, which are reviewed regularly. However, in other subjects assessment is in its infancy and is dependent on individual teachers. This is partly because the curriculum is not being clearly focused on the step-by-step development of skills, thus limiting the measures by which teachers can assess progress. The quality of marking is satisfactory but mainly consists of ticks and crosses with the occasional helpful comment. Although teachers spend much time talking to pupils and discussing their work, on some occasions more pertinent written comments would be helpful to pupils. Homework is set throughout the school and is used satisfactorily to support pupils’ work in school.

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PUPILS?

21. The school has fully resolved the key issue from the previous report, to provide children in Reception with a curriculum appropriate to their age. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is based securely on the recommendations in the Early Learning Goals. It is planned in detail to ensure all areas of learning are covered fully, and enables higher-attaining children to work confidently within the first levels of the National Curriculum. The daily ‘managing our own activities’ (MOOT) sessions are planned well to encourage children to make choices and persevere with activities; these and teacher- led sessions provide children with a rich range of experiences throughout the day. Parents very much appreciate the weekly newsletters and activity sheets, which enable them to help their children at home with the work they are doing at school. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 17 22. At both key stages the curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant to the needs of all

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PUPILS?

pupils. There are policies in place for all subjects. The school makes good use of the schemes of work provided by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the guidance provided by the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. There are no pupils disapplied from the National Curriculum; pupils with special educational needs are given a full and varied curriculum that supports their targets. All statutory requirements are fulfilled. Since the last inspection there has been improvement. A key issue at that time was to ensure that pupils were not unnecessarily withdrawn from lessons. This is now monitored so that any regular commitments outside lessons, such as music tuition, are now carried out so that particular lessons are not missed. All pupils have equal access to and opportunities within the curriculum.

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PUPILS?

23. There are effective methods for ensuring that literacy and numeracy are taught both in specific lessons and also in other subjects such as art, history, geography and science. Planning is developed using a series of linked themes and subjects. Overall, the quality of long and medium-term planning is good and has improved. This planning is then transferred into weekly plans for each class. Lessons that are well planned provide effective challenge to all levels of ability. Whilst these medium and long-term plans ensure that each aspect of a subject is covered, not enough attention is paid to ensuring that subject skills are taught progressively. For instance, in geography, although pupils undertake map work in most years, no mechanism exists to ensure skill levels are progressively improved and applied with increased sophistication. So, whilst older pupils know about maps, they do not fully understand the different types and uses.

p.17

PUPILS?

24. Pupils are given a broad range of experiences within the normal curriculum and this is enhanced by the use of visits and visitors, for example the residential visit and the visits from the school nurse and the local fire service. The school is rightly proud of its traditions and these are reflected within the curriculum that is offered such as the work about Canterbury Cathedral. There are good links with the local area and with the church, which is used for services and celebrations.

p.17

PUPILS?

25. The school has devised effective systems to promote the personal, social and health education of the pupils. The more formal systems for discussion time, and policies for this, need further development to ensure that all teachers are using a common approach. Topics such as sex and drugs education are incorporated within science and dealt with sensitively if questions arise. The school council is a very effective mechanism to help build self-esteem and a sense of community. It has made many changes to the environment. The quality of the discussion is high and good records are kept. There are some positive links with other schools and with other institutions, although teachers would value more discussions.

p.17

PUPILS?

26. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. The strong Anglican tradition and Christian ethos, close links with the adjoining church and family school atmosphere, all ensure that pupils’ spiritual development begins at an early age. Reception children, for example, taking a religious education lesson in church, were genuinely reflective and moved when they followed the lighted candle from the altar. There are opportunities to develop a sense of awe and wonder, such as when older pupils, participating in the school council’s meeting, wondered at the blossom falling like snow from the cherry tree under which they sat.

p.17

PUPILS?

27. Provision for pupils’ moral development, embedded in the school’s culture, is good. All know right from wrong, and a sense of natural justice pervades the school community. They show respect for each other and for adults in the school. During a ‘Circle Time’ Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 18 session, pupils were engrossed in the story about what makes a good friend. Attitudes and values from home reflect those at school and are well promoted by all staff.

p.17

PUPILS?

28. Provision for pupils’ social development is excellent. Pupils expect to help their peers from the time they arrive at school, and the older pupils naturally assume that they will help those who are younger. Reception children, for example, are very pleased to be paired with pupils in Year 6. They greet older pupils in the playground with delight when the latter are waiting to play with them. Relationships between all pupils and with adults are a positive strength and the resultant mutual respect and good interaction enables all to develop self-esteem and confidence during their time at school.

p.18

PUPILS?

29. Overall provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. They are given good opportunities to acquire knowledge of their own culture. They study Western artists and learn about Western art and music, appreciating differences and similarities. Visits to Canterbury Cathedral, where pupils take part in services, help to enhance their knowledge of their own faith. Pupils appreciate music from their own culture; for example, they enjoyed the musical based on the books by Dr Seuss at The Old Vic theatre. Children in the Reception class respond to their names in French, Spanish or German. Although pupils learn about other faiths in religious education and the library contains a range of books about other cultures, their knowledge and experience of other traditions and cultures are limited. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to prepare them for life in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society.

p.18

PUPILS?

30. The school has established satisfactory links with the local community and enjoys very close liaison with the church. Pupils collect money for the local children’s hospice and visit a home for the less able, to sing to and along with residents. Participation in a school football initiative will benefit pupils in their acquisition of skills. Pupils play sport against local schools with some success and enjoy the visits from many local residents, including older residents of the area as well as parents, who come to the school to hear them read. People from local community attend the school barbecues and visit the school Summer Fair.

p.18

PUPILS?

31. The school has established satisfactory links and liaison with partner institutions. The local playgroup and nursery class make visits with the school to ensure that children are familiar with school surroundings and know their new teachers before they transfer. On moving into the Reception class, children are already confident about school life and are well prepared to attend full-time. Whilst it is difficult to establish and maintain effective links with the many secondary and grammar schools to which pupils transfer, pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The school, which has a caring family ethos, has good procedures to ensure pupils’ health and welfare. Risk assessments take place regularly and the cleaner-in-charge is conscientious in dealing with any hazards. Vandalism is minimal and the site is free from litter. All who administer first aid have received up-to-date training. The school places a high priority on health and safety. Despite this, some older girls’ footwear seen during the inspection was inappropriate. There are well-established procedures for child protection and all staff, teaching and non-teaching, are aware of these issues. 33. Satisfactory systems are in place for promoting and monitoring attendance. Registers are scrutinised regularly, and the education welfare officer visits twice a term to discuss unauthorised absence and punctuality. Parents are expected to send notes explaining any absence. Long holidays taken in term time and the rare lack of parental notes are

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

the cause of the unauthorised absence percentage this year. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 19 34. The recently-reviewed policies on discipline and anti-bullying are effective in supporting good behaviour. Pupils understand the school’s expectations and what will ensue if the rules are not followed. Sanctions are perceived by pupils as being fair. Bullying and other unacceptable behaviour are not tolerated and are dealt with immediately. There has been only one short, fixed-term exclusion in the past year. Good access is provided for disabled pupils and the school’s practices do not discriminate against any group of children.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Although procedures for monitoring pupils’ personal development are largely informal, in that written records consist solely of notes prepared for parents’ consultation meetings and the annual reports, these work well. Through the school’s high expectations and Christian family ethos, pupils accept responsibility as part of their daily lives at school. From an early age they offer their assistance to teachers, those in Reception proudly taking charge of the registers and acting as special helpers. As they progress through the school, pupils are increasingly aware that those younger than themselves may need help in the playground or at lunchtime and happily give of their time to provide this. When acting as monitors in various capacities they readily accept the constraints on their free time. Through participation in the Safety in Action initiative they learn of problems and difficulties outside Hartlip and how to cope with these.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Procedures for assessing children’s attainment and progress in the Foundation Stage are good. They are used well to provide detailed information on each child’s standard and their development throughout the year. The initial assessment of their attainment when they join the school is repeated at the end of the year, which shows clearly the progress children have made and the value added during their time in the Reception class. Daily observations are recorded against the stepping stones in the Early Learning Goals, although the co-ordinator is considering ways to make these less wordy and hence more manageable.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Pupils with special educational needs are cared for sensitively. The teachers know these pupils well and ensure that their needs are fully met. In lessons, the teachers use different methods to ensure that they are sufficiently challenged. In a Year 1/2 lesson, for example, this was particularly effective. The teacher set targets for the pupils to achieve during the day. At various times during the discussions these were referred to and the teacher gave stickers out and praised the way that the target had been achieved.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Pupils’ progress is monitored sufficiently by the class teachers. Records have been developed to ensure that the progress of pupils is carefully recorded. Some of these are very recent and have not yet had time to be effective. However, the assessment of progress in English and mathematics is more established. Pupils are given tests in each year group at the same time as the national tests, at ages 7 and 11, are being administered. The results of these are carefully recorded and the information is used effectively to track the progress of individual pupils. Much work is being done to analyse individual test results from the national tests and this is helping the planning that takes place for subsequent lessons. This is an improvement since the last inspection. However, apart from literacy and numeracy, the assessment of work has not been sufficiently focused on the progressive development within each subject.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. The school is trying hard to develop good relationships and to work in partnership with parents, who in their turn are very supportive of the school’s aims and are ambitious for Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 20 their children. An issue about communication, identified as a key issue during the last inspection, has not yet been resolved to the satisfaction of all parents and the school, despite additional consultations. Whilst the majority of parents feel welcome to come into the school, a significant number still do not feel that the school works closely with them. Since the last inspection, significant efforts have been made by the school and the governing body to establish more communication opportunities, including governors’ surgeries, regular ‘drop in’ sessions by the headteacher for parents to raise issues informally and parents’ consultation groups. The headteacher is available in the

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

playground before and after school to see and talk to parents daily but is at a loss to know what more she can do to meet the parents’ strongly held views, expressed both at the parents’ meeting and through the parents’ questionnaires. Despite all these initiatives, there are still communication difficulties between a significant number of parents and the school, although most parents feel comfortable when approaching the school to ask questions or when they have a problem. The inspection team could not find any justification for parents’ concerns with the leadership and management of the school. Parents agree that the teaching is good and that pupils are expected to work hard. There is a well-written school development plan and governors take an active role in the life and development of the school. However, if this situation continues, the warm family atmosphere and hard-working ethos within this small school community could be

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

affected, to the detriment of the children and their education.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The quality of information parents receive is good. The school brochure, governors’ annual report to parents, well-written regular newsletters and others sent out, ensure that parents know of events and happenings at the school. Information about the topics to be studied is given out. Parents of children in the Reception class receive a weekly newsletter detailing the work children have done and what activities they will be doing the following week. Consultation and curricular evenings are very well attended. The parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept fully informed of their children's progress. They are regularly invited to contribute to meetings and to speak to both the class teachers and to the assistants. The special needs co-ordinator does all that she can to keep a two-way communication channel and so help allay any worries that parents might have. Most parents appreciate the annual written reports and take

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

the opportunity to comment when these are received, as do their children, in some depth. Parents were consulted about the home school agreement and 85% of parents’ replies have been returned, suggesting a lack of commitment to the school on the part of a significant minority.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. The well-organised parent-teacher association sends out regular newsletters. Its fund- raising events, such as the Summer Fair and barbecues, are well attended by parents and the local community, raising considerable monies to be spent for the benefit of pupils. Recent spending has resulted in new playground equipment and markings, to which the Mary Gibbons Trust made a donation.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. Although some parents raised concerns about the homework pupils are given, inspectors found that appropriate homework is set and most is marked. However, the use of the home school contact book tails off as pupils progress through the school. Parents helping in the classrooms are well deployed by teachers. Most parents help their children where they can with work at home and many accompany them on educational visits and to sports events. The outing to the Dome, for example, was enjoyed enormously despite a Reception child who did not care for the sound effects in the Body Zone! The support that parents give to the school makes a positive contribution to their children’s academic achievements and to their personal development. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 21

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The headteacher provides determined leadership and is both proud and defensive of the school. She is fully committed to ensuring that pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education by improving their academic, social and emotional development, effectively reflecting the school’s aims. As at the last inspection, the quality of teamwork within the staff is a strength and gives the school the capacity to continue improving. It creates a caring and positive Christian ethos which pupils and parents respect. The school shows effective commitment to raising standards for all pupils including those with special educational needs.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. The headteacher has the support of the governing body who are very active in the development of the school. Staff work very well together for the benefit of the school and there is a good balance of new and more experienced teachers. They share considerable knowledge and expertise in the way pupils learn. The management role of the subject co-ordinators is, however, unsatisfactory. With the exception of literacy and numeracy, whose co-ordinators have a sound view of standards in the subjects, they do not fulfil their management role effectively. Other co-ordinators are not, for example, monitoring standards or the quality of teaching and learning. At present, too much is dependent on individual teachers’ assessments and informal discussion. Lessons in literacy and numeracy have been monitored and this together with the implementation of the strategies and the analysis of assessments is helping to identify areas of weakness

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and raise standards. Because of its caring ethos and ease of access, the school is well placed to include all pupils in its educational programme.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The governing body is very effective in fulfilling its statutory duties. Governors have a detailed knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are fully aware of its priorities for development. Some have attended appropriate training courses such as those for literacy, numeracy and special needs, and they have a good knowledge of their areas of responsibility. They have a well-founded committee structure; for example, they discuss aspects of the curriculum and financial matters in great detail before making recommendations to the full governing body. The chair of governors and headteacher have established a firm working relationship. The governors take responsibility for monitoring groups of pupils as they move through the school and make written reports of the visits they make to the school. The governors monitor the progress that the school makes towards its targets in the action plan through their

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

regular visits and through the headteacher’s termly reports.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. Appropriate procedures are in place for performance management and the appraisal of teachers. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have been set appropriate targets. The school improvement plan is well written, covering all aspects of development including that of the governing body, and effectively reflects the school’s aims. For example, it includes action plans for the focused areas of development, with appropriate success criteria. Pupils are tested regularly, and the school has recently implemented good procedures in English and mathematics to track individual progress and to assess whether they are meeting their targets.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The special needs co-ordinator takes the position very seriously. She provides effective and knowledgeable support. Records are kept well, and good use is made of the valuable help given by the learning support assistants. They are fully involved in the administration and implementation of individual education plans. Regular meetings are held to ensure that support can be give as quickly as possible and to discuss any problems that have occurred. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 22 48. Financial procedures are good and support the educational development of the school effectively. The school makes good use of the information technology available to monitor and process its finances. The headteacher and chair of finance monitor the budget statements regularly and report to the full governing body. Day-to-day administration is good. The secretary, who doubles as Finance Officer, runs the office

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

smoothly and efficiently. She ensures that visitors sign the visitors’ book, and deals well with any queries parents may have. Bank statements are reconciled monthly and she provides the Finance committee with up-to-date statements whenever they meet. The budget is prepared carefully by the headteacher in conjunction with the finance officer, and the finance committee discusses it in detail before being approved by the full governing body. The recent financial control visit raised a few minor issues that the school is addressing. All the principles of best value are in place with the exception of governors having a formal means of evaluating the impact of their spending decisions on standards within the school. Specific grants are well targeted, for example, the spending on special educational needs is supplemented by the school’s own resources and is a contributory factor in raising standards for these pupils. The school’s own

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

finances are supplemented by additional money raised by the parent-teacher association and by the school’s foundation trust, for which it is very grateful.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The school has sufficient staff to meet the needs of the curriculum, although it has taken some considerable time and effort to replace a member of staff who left for promotion. One class has been taught by a series of teachers, which is recognised as being unsatisfactory. This situation should improve as a teacher has now been appointed for the beginning of the next term. Teachers have valuable help from learning support assistants who are generally used effectively to help individuals and groups of pupils. The school’s accommodation is good, and the addition of the new classroom has had a significant positive impact on the provision of learning for the Reception pupils and for those in other classes where there are now only two age groups. The accommodation is used effectively and kept very clean. The playground and surrounding environment have been well designed to support pupils’ learning.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. Resources are satisfactory overall and are used effectively to support pupils’ education. They are good for English, mathematics, information and communication technology and physical education and for the Foundation Stage. The library is sufficient to meet the needs of the curriculum. There is a good range of books to ensure that all pupils are made aware of the needs of others who may be different from themselves. Unfortunately, due to the wet weather, the school field has not been able to be used which has restricted some sports activities. The school is monitoring the situation carefully through the contractors responsible for school grounds.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The comparative standards reached by the pupils in the school vary considerably each year due to the small size of the cohorts, the high level of pupil mobility and the large number of pupils with special educational needs in some groups. Taking into account the impact of these factors on standards, the size of the school and its unit cost, the good quality of the teaching and the ‘value added dimension’, the school provides good value for money.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

52. The governors, headteacher and staff should now:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) continue to improve curriculum provision and raise standards further by; • ensuring that curriculum planning enables subject skills to be developed step-by-step so that pupils with different levels of age and ability are Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 23 challenged at an appropriately high level. (Paragraphs 7, 23, 84, 88, 92) • further linking assessment procedures in all subjects to monitor pupils’ progress as they acquire these skills. (Paragraphs 20, 38, 88)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) strengthen the overall management of the school by; • developing the role of all subject co-ordinators so that they can advise colleagues from a secure knowledge base about the strengths and weaknesses of their subject. (Paragraphs 80) • implementing monitoring procedures so the co-ordinators can monitor that the work pupils do to ensure that it is at the appropriate level and meets the objectives set by the teacher. (Paragraphs 44, 80, 88)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) improve relationships with some parents by; • taking further steps to ensure that the communication difficulties between a significant number of parents and the school are resolved. (Paragraph 29)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the above issues, the following points should also be included in the governors’ action plan:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• fully establish the principles of best value by developing a formal means of evaluating the impact of the decisions of the governing body on standards. (Paragraph 48) • ensure that pupils are well prepared to live in a multi-cultural society. (Paragraph 29) • encourage pupils to make full use of the library for independent research. (Paragraphs 18, 68) • ensure that pupils’ work is marked consistently and helps their learning. (Paragraphs 20, 67, 76, 80) Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 26

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 94

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 1

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 33

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.24

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 25

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 12 4 16

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Total 13 13 13

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 81(87) 81 (93) 81 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Total 12 14 12

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 75(87) 88 (93) 75 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 6 5 11

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 8 8 11

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 73 (33) 73 (78) 100 (56) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72(69) 85 (78)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 10 11 10

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 91 (67) 100 (89) 91 (78) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 26

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.26

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.

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.6 Financial year 1999/2000

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.4

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total expenditure 192497

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 2006

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 70 Balance brought forward from previous year 7881

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 15349 Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 27

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 49 37 7 3 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 17 71 12 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 22 66 5 7 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 49 15 2 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 36 47 12 5 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 42 44 10 2 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 20 34 41 5 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 24 31 34 12 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 29 63 2 3 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 5 21 33 38 3 Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 28

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. Children all join the Reception class together at the beginning of the academic year, although the youngest children initially attend school part-time. This enables them effectively to take full advantage of the wide range of opportunities available in the Foundation Stage. The school has fully resolved the key issue from the previous report, when the youngest children were taught together with pupils at Key Stage 1, which limited the delivery of an appropriate curriculum. The quality of provision in the Foundation Stage is good, enabling children to reach standards which exceed expectations for their age in almost all areas of learning.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

54. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is above expectations for their age. They are confident, independent and articulate, work happily together, sharing and taking turns, and take full advantage of all opportunities available to them throughout their action-packed day. Children accept responsibility thoughtfully, choosing what they will do during the ‘managing our own activities’ (MOOT) sessions sensibly, and recording what they have done with stickers in their MOOT books. They concentrate well for long periods of time and most are thoughtful and considerate towards each other. In a games lesson, for example, one boy willingly gave up his bat when there were not enough to go round. Relationships are good, and adults support this independence well, interacting effectively with children as they work. However, there is no evaluation session for children to talk about what they have done at the end of the

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

activities. The class representatives on the school council take their responsibilities very seriously and give detailed and accurate reports on the meetings that they attend. The class discussion which followed their report about toilet provision in reception was heated and enthusiastic; ‘we need more because I have to queue when I’m desperate’. All children made detailed, well thought out contributions to an issue that affects them all!

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

55. Children’s communication, language and literacy skills are impressive, and exceed expectations for their age. They talk with maturity and expression, using a wide vocabulary. They listen sensibly to the teacher and each other and are desperate to share their own opinions and knowledge, building effectively on the contribution of the previous speaker. A few children have a tendency to try and dominate discussion time, but the teacher is adept at ensuring all take turns and have a chance to contribute. They enjoy listening to stories, understand terms such as author and join in with familiar parts enthusiastically, for example, in the ‘Choo-choo Train’, reinforcing their understanding of phonic blends and reading skills. All children enjoy reading, handle books carefully and almost all recognise many words within the text. Nearly half the children are confidently launched into reading, and use the sounds of letters to help

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

them build up unfamiliar words. Writing skills are equally well-developed, with most children forming letters correctly and confidently attempting independent writing. The high emphasis placed on all aspects of this area of learning is clearly evident, and is very effective in developing children’s skills. Both the teacher and her assistant work well with groups of children to encourage language development and reading and writing skills with noticeable success, but occasionally the assistant plays too passive a role, for example, during phonics sessions. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 29

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Mathematical development

56. Children’s mathematical development is above expectations for their age. They recognise and name numbers with ease, count accurately forwards and backwards to twenty and add numbers together competently in their heads, using their fingers for additional support. Teaching is good, enabling most children to work confidently within the first levels of the National Curriculum. The teacher’s high expectations and lively, well-paced lessons encourage children effectively to enjoy learning and to work hard. Good links with other activities, such as colourful symmetrical butterflies and ‘twelve tigers in a row’, ensure that children’s mathematical vocabulary and understanding is effectively reinforced across the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

57. Children’s knowledge and understanding of the world are above expectations for their age. Both the teacher and classroom assistant take every opportunity to encourage children to think and talk about what they are doing, and to develop their already impressive vocabulary and knowledge of the world around them, with noticeable success. Children show a lively sense of curiosity and ask many questions about how and why things are as they are. They are eager to share their knowledge and join in with discussions enthusiastically. The teacher is adept at ensuring all children have a chance to share and take part in all activities. In a well-resourced and lively session, for example, children named accurately the different parts of a plant, understood that flowers ‘opened to let the bees come in’ and wanted to water their seeds ‘to help them grow’. Children talk confidently about their homes and families, and how they have

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

changed as they grow older. They build with construction kits sensibly and imaginatively, investigate the properties of sand and water with serious concentration and use the computer competently.

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Physical development

58. Children’s physical development is in line with expectations for their age. They are well co-ordinated when moving around the classroom and school, and manage tools and equipment, such as paintbrushes, scissors and construction kits, with appropriate skill. They pedal wheeled toys around the small reception playground sensibly, and thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to climb on the adventure playground equipment, under the watchful eye of the classroom assistant. She encourages them effectively to experiment with moving in varying ways over and across the different pieces of apparatus, and most confidently respond by trying to improve their performance and use their imaginations to think of new movements. In their games lesson, children respond enthusiastically to the warm-up sessions and subsequent activities, as the teacher urges them to stretch up tall and skip, curl and run on the spot. They show an

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Physical development

impressive knowledge of different ball games, and their own skills at controlling balls are in line with age expectations. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 30

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Creative development

59. Children’s creative development is above expectations for their age. They thoroughly enjoy experimenting with paint and modelling materials, and produce impressively detailed results, such as the lively clay ladybirds and hedgehogs, striking pictures in the style of Matisse and careful observational paintings of daffodils. No music sessions were seen, but children sang enthusiastically and confidently during assembly. They play in the ‘baby clinic’ with deep concentration, developing detailed, if rather gory, story- lines and co-operating well together. The extensive range of opportunities provided by the teacher encourages and supports children’s creative development positively, and her high expectations are clearly reflected in the quality of children’s finished work.

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ENGLISH

60. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are at average levels. This is a different picture if they are compared with the national test results in Year 2000. At that time standards were below average when compared to all schools and well below average when compared to those from similar schools. The standards of the pupils in the present Year 6 are above average. Again this is different from those of the Year 2000 national test results. Standards were then average when compared with all schools and well below average when compared to those from similar schools. There are three reasons for the differences. Firstly, there is a high mobility of pupils in each year group. Secondly, in the Year 2000 there was a higher proportion of pupils needing support. Thirdly, the number of pupils in each year group is comparatively small. The targets set for 2001 are sufficiently challenging and are likely to be achieved.

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ENGLISH

61. Pupils have very good standards of speaking and listening. Younger pupils are articulate, confident speakers. They listen carefully to the teacher and to each other and are able to answer questions without having to search for the right vocabulary. There is good progress through the school so that by the end of Year 6, and with some of the more able Year 5 pupils, the quality of class discussions is very high. In one history discussion, the pupils were able to synthesise the information they had been given and use this to develop reasoned arguments about why parents in the 1950's took their children to holiday camps. The quality of the speaking and listening skills across the school is one of the reasons why progress is good in a number of other subjects such as mathematics, art and music. Teachers develop these skills in each year so that progress in learning is good in this area.

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ENGLISH

62. Standards in reading are at average levels by the end of Year 2 and above average at the end of Year 6. Pupils make suitable progress to the end of Year 2 and above average progress to Year 6. The reason for this difference is that pupils in the younger class have had their learning disrupted somewhat by the number of different teachers. Younger pupils have good technical knowledge of language. They use a number of different strategies to enable them to read words that they do not know. These include looking at the pictures in the story and also working out how the word fits into the sentence. Those pupils whose reading skills are not so advanced do not always have sufficient strategies to help them sound out words. Pupils in Year 6 have good reading skills. The more able can talk knowledgeably about a range of authors and explain why they like them. In one discussion a pupil explained why he liked books by Arthur

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ENGLISH

Ransome and then went on to talk about the similarities between these books and the 'Harry Potter' series. This is above the level that might be expected for his age.

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ENGLISH

63. Standards in writing are at average levels, although there is a significant number of pupils, especially in the junior classes, whose ability is above average. Pupils in Year 1 Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 31 begin to write in simple sentences. They know that words put together must make sense and spell some of the first 100 words. Pupils in Year 2 have improved upon this and write coherent stories. Progress through the school is sound. In the juniors, from Year 3 to Year 6, the pupils become steadily more confident. By the end of Year 6 pupils write extended stories and use a wide range of styles. A number use grammar effectively to give impact to their writing and develop this through the use of drafts and plans. They use different types of writing, such as reports and lists, appropriately and take notes effectively. Some higher-attaining pupils use their wide range of background

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ENGLISH

reading to help them research information that is used later in their work. This is at a higher level than might be expected for their age. There is a good level of maturity in the writing.

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ENGLISH

64. Literacy is used well throughout other subjects. The curriculum for the school has been devised in conjunction with a local scheme that is specially designed for pupils in split- age classes. This has helped ensure that there is a good level of challenge for each year group and that different texts are used. Pupils are confident enough in their skills to ensure that they are used in their writing-up of experiments, visits and in their independent enquiry. Computers are used effectively to support literacy, sometimes at other times of the day, but are not yet used sufficiently during each literacy lesson.

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ENGLISH

65. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported so that their progress is good against the targets that they have been set. In some cases, these pupils have made very good progress in literacy and some have been able to reach the nationally agreed average targets.

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ENGLISH

66. Pupils enjoy their literacy work. In each class the pupils show good levels of interest. They concentrate when they are asked to undertake different tasks and participate in class discussions. The quality of teaching is good and this is why pupils respond so well. Teachers have good subject knowledge, especially of language, and pupils are confident that their questions will be answered. The teachers have undertaken training in the development of the Literacy Hour and this has been implemented well. A benefit of this training has been the better use of basic skills such as writing and spelling. Planning is sound. It develops various themes but does not always use these to develop skills sequentially.

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ENGLISH

67. Teachers have high expectations about the work that they are doing. As a consequence the pupils know what is expected of them and generally do their best to achieve this. The teachers encourage this by using a range of different targets that are given a high priority. The pace of lessons is good. Pupils want to do their best and when teachers set time targets, such as the amount of work that will be completed, this works well. It is particularly good in the Year 5/6 class, although all teachers use a similar technique. Pupils in all classes are managed very well. During the inspection, there was very little interruption to the flow of lessons and, where there was some minor calling out, this was dealt with effectively.

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ENGLISH

68. Marking is somewhat variable. In the best cases it gives praise, encourages each pupil and has targets for improvement. In addition it sometimes also highlights significant improvement that can be used for assessment purposes later. However, on some occasions work is not marked and this devalues the pupils' efforts. Overall, assessment has improved since the last inspection and this is now helping inform teachers about how to develop the next lesson. Homework is given regularly and is used in lessons.

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ENGLISH

69. The experienced co-ordinator for the subject has been able to undertake a range of Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 32 effective monitoring. She has a good view of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject and what needs to be done to improve. She is able to support other teachers in their work and this has ensured that the subject has improved since the last inspection. Resources for the subject are adequate and have been enhanced by a refurbishment of the library area that is not always used as well as it could be.

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MATHEMATICS

70. In the national tests at Key Stage 1 in 2000, pupils achieved standards that were well below average when compared to schools nationally and to similar schools. At the end of Key Stage 2, standards were average when compared to schools nationally but well below average when compared to similar schools.

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MATHEMATICS

71. Current work and previous test results indicate that present standards in 2001 at the end of Key Stage 1 are in line with the national average for pupils attaining the expected level 2 and above, although the percentage of pupils attaining the higher levels may be limited. This is in contrast to the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2000, where there was a high percentage of pupils with special educational needs. There is a similar picture at the end of Key Stage 2, where evidence from previous test results, samples of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils indicate that the current Year 6 pupils are attaining standards that are overall above the national average. In the current Year 6, for example, 60 per cent of pupils have already attained a grammar school place whereas in 2000, 40 per cent of pupils went to grammar school. This demonstrates the wide variations in different cohorts, which makes trends difficult to establish.

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MATHEMATICS

72. These significant variations at both key stages are due firstly to the small size of each cohort, where a very small number of pupils has a significant impact on overall percentages. Secondly, there is a high number of pupils moving in and out of the school so that establishing the value that the school adds to pupils’ learning is difficult. Thirdly, the number of pupils identified as having special educational needs varies considerably from one year to another. The school works hard at ensuring that pupils make progress, and test results indicate that most pupils who stay at the school improve by the expected two levels of attainment at Key Stage 2, with some improving even more. Those at Key Stage 1 improve significantly on their initial baseline assessments. Pupils with special educational needs generally make good progress in their learning due to the informed level of support they receive.

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MATHEMATICS

73. By the age of seven, the average and higher-attaining pupils add two-digit numbers together. They double simple numbers and count in simple intervals such as in fives and tens, showing sound progression from the level of work they achieve in the foundation stage. The average and higher-attaining pupils readily recognise numbers that are 10 more and 10 less than other numbers. They recognise simple times, both analogue and digital, and identify odd and even numbers. In one very good lesson, in both Years 1 and 2, pupils clearly understood the concept that subtraction is the inverse of addition. While number work is given appropriately strong emphasis, evidence of other aspects of mathematics is limited, as much of the work is practical. However, the evidence available indicates that pupils recognise simple two and three-dimensional shapes and fractional parts of shapes such as halves and quarters. The pace of

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MATHEMATICS

learning in Key Stage 1 has not been consistent this year because the school has not been able to appoint a permanent teacher.

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MATHEMATICS

74. By the end of Key Stage 2 the picture is positive. All pupils have gained confidence in their mental and oral work and most do mental calculations quickly and accurately, for which they are developing good strategies. There is a good emphasis on solving Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 33 number problems and pupils in all year groups identify successfully throughout the key stage the key elements needed to solve a written problem, which is above the expected level of attainment. These skills were identified in work on capacity, for example, in Years 3/4 and in number problems which include percentages in Years 5/6. The average and above-average pupils make good progress in developing the concepts of place value and are confident when dealing with numbers to two places of decimals. Those with special educational needs are also gaining in confidence and can manipulate simple decimal numbers. All pupils in Year 6 have a sound knowledge of

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MATHEMATICS

equivalent fractions, with the more able readily expressing fractions in their lowest terms. Other aspects of mathematics are covered well and pupils draw and interpret different types of graphs, for example, as well as identifying the different orders of rotational symmetry.

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MATHEMATICS

75. The quality of teaching overall at Key Stage 1 is satisfactory whilst at Key Stage 2 it is good. Throughout Key Stage 2 pupils make good progress and are set suitably challenging work. Teachers have good subject knowledge and often introduce ‘real life’ situations to the work they are doing. This is a significant factor in the good standards being attained. Pupils’ work is generally well presented although work sheets are used extensively for the younger pupils. Their work shows good progression in all aspects of the subject, for example, from simple block graphs to line graphs and pie charts. All teachers have fully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy. The three-part lesson is firmly established and this is having a positive impact on the pace of lessons and the standards achieved, especially in oral and mental work. Planning is good and is supported by the useful local authority analysis of the strategy for teaching classes with

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MATHEMATICS

two-year groups. Teachers use a good range of strategies effectively, such as instruction and exemplification. Pupils with special educational needs are given work at the appropriate level and also have additional support from either the teachers or the learning support assistants. Teachers’ questioning strategies are effective, for example in targeting different pupils. Teachers are beginning to use computer programs effectively to support aspects of mathematics, for example, in data handling, although skills are under-developed.

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MATHEMATICS

76. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and the more able, enjoy the subject and are enthusiastic when talking about the work they have done. This enhances their speaking and listening skills. They use their good mental and oral skills well and work diligently in groups and as individuals with very few lapses in concentration. As a result there is very little distraction and this has a good impact on the learning environment within the classroom. Mathematics skills are used satisfactorily to support work in other subjects such as science.

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MATHEMATICS

77. The headteacher is at present acting as the co-ordinator. There have been useful opportunities to monitor lessons and to analyse test results that have identified both strengths and weaknesses for the development of the subject. The teachers then incorporate these in their planning. There has also been some monitoring by the local authority. Effective and popular booster classes have been held before school and these have been effective in improving both pupils’ understanding and their confidence. There are good assessment procedures in place, with pupils’ individual targets being reviewed every half term. The newly-implemented tracking procedures are good and enable the school to monitor the progress of individuals closely so that those who may begin to under-achieve can be identified early. Marking is limited mainly to ticks and crosses, although much of this is covered in pupil and teacher discussions.

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SCIENCE

Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 34 78. Standards in science are below average at Key Stage 1, but are average by the end of Key Stage 2. In teacher assessment for seven-year-olds in 2000, 75 per cent of pupils were deemed to have reached the expected Level 2 and above, with 13 per cent reaching the higher Level 3. This was well below average compared to the national picture, and very low compared with similar schools. However, the group of pupils being assessed contained a high proportion identified as having special educational needs. The school has adequately addressed the key issue from the previous inspection, to raise standards in science at Key Stage 2. However, whilst all pupils reached the expected Level 4 in the 2000 national tests, few reached the higher Level 5, making attainment below the national average overall, and well below the average performance in similar schools.

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SCIENCE

79. No lessons were seen at Key Stage 1 during the inspection, although younger pupils show a greater knowledge and understanding of science in discussion than work in their books indicates. The lack of a written record of what they have done, and incomplete pieces of work which have no dates, makes it difficult to establish the depth of study of different topics or the quality of learning and progress pupils make over time.

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SCIENCE

80. At Key Stage 2, pupils in both classes are studying different elements of physical processes. Teaching and learning in both lessons is good and pupils make noticeable gains in their knowledge and understanding as a result. The younger pupils work with serious concentration as they investigate the internal workings of electrical plugs and sockets. They clearly understand the requirements for a circuit to work and the conductive and insulating properties of different materials as well as the need to take extreme care when working with electricity. Older pupils took part in a lively discussion about sound travelling through different materials, which made a significant contribution to their speaking and listening skills. They show a clear understanding of the need for fair testing as they consider how to ensure only one variable is altered, and predict sensibly and accurately how sound would be muffled by the closing of a door. In both

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SCIENCE

lessons, teachers’ good subject knowledge was evident as they answered pupils’ questions and challenged them to think more deeply about what they were doing. Both higher-attaining pupils and those with special educational needs were challenged and supported well. The lessons were packed with activity, and the aims of the session were constantly reinforced. Almost all pupils worked with eager co-operation, although there was some dispute over who should have the screwdriver first in the younger class!

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SCIENCE

81. Evidence from pupils’ books shows all aspects of the subject are covered fully, and there is an appropriate emphasis on experimental and investigative activities. Most pupils at Key Stage 2 take pride in completing their work neatly and accurately, although the quality of teachers’ marking varies. It is unsatisfactory for pupils at Key Stage 1, where few comments are included and much work is unfinished. The best marking, in the Year 3/4 class, includes evaluative and questioning comments designed to encourage pupils to think about their omissions and mistakes. The curriculum is planned on a two-year cycle so that pupils in mixed-year classes do not repeat topics. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and maintains an overview of the subject through talking to colleagues and looking at work on display. He does not, however, have an influence on the planning within the topics, and different work is not planned for pupils of

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SCIENCE

different ages in the class. The lack of monitoring of the development of skills in the subject means the school cannot be sure that progress made in one year is built on in the future.

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 35 82. Standards in art and design and in design and technology are in line with expectations for pupils’ ages throughout the school. This maintains the position found by the previous inspection. The school has fully resolved the issue of pupils being withdrawn from lessons, and all have appropriate access to the opportunities provided.

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

83. No lessons in design and technology were seen during the inspection, but work in pupils’ design books, and the finished objects on display throughout the school, show that there is appropriate emphasis on both the designing and making processes. Younger pupils drew initial designs for their glove puppets, although these were not annotated with, for example, the materials to be used. The finished puppets accurately reflected the initial designs, and photographs show the children in Reception enjoying a lively puppet show! In Class 2, pupils designed and made story wheels, supporting their literacy skills well. The finished work is displayed attractively in the classroom. Pupils evaluated their finished product sensibly, and identified clearly how they could improve in the future. Again, children in Reception were treated to a show of the finished stories. The oldest pupils make detailed and accurate observational drawings of musical

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

instruments, before designing and making their own.

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

84. In art and design, lessons in both Key Stage 2 classes focus on observational drawing. In the Year 3/4 class this is linked very effectively to literacy work, as pupils complete the final picture of a story-board. The teacher makes very good use of pupils’ efforts to illustrate drawing techniques, and as a result they make good progress in developing these, and thoroughly enjoy the session. In the Year 5/6 class, pupils use sketchbooks well to practise drawing specific features, such as hands and feet. These are of a high quality. The teacher makes good use of the work of well-known artists and pupil demonstrations to show how movement is depicted, and pupils show a detailed knowledge of these artists’ work. Almost all pupils work hard to translate their initial sketches into charcoal compositions, although they find working with this medium more difficult. In both lessons, teachers maintain a high pace in which the quality of learning

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

85. All classes have sketch-books to practise and develop techniques in both art and design and design and technology. However, work is not always annotated or dated, and the books are used for one year only, before being sent home. These factors limit their value in providing a record of pupils’ standards and progress in either subject. The co- ordinator is aware that too little attention is paid to the progressive development of fundamental skills in both subjects. Reasonable resources are available in each subject but, in art and design particularly, too little work is undertaken on a large scale or in three dimensions using a range of materials.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

86. Standards in geography and history are in line with the national expectation at both key stages. Although only a small number of lessons were seen in both subjects, it is clear from the scrutiny of pupils' work and from discussions with members of staff and the children that pupils are provided with a range of activities that help them develop their knowledge in both subjects.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

87. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 can talk knowledgeably about the past and the present. In one lesson the pupils were investigating old and new postcards. They could point out the different types of clothing, the older style houses and the different types of transport. Some work has been undertaken in local research but this is more limited in the way that it develops understanding. Pupils are not so adept at using their knowledge of different periods of history to make assumptions about what they are looking at. In geography they have undertaken work on elementary maps and some different places. Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 36 The level of this work is sometimes rather superficial and lacks sufficient rigour. This is why pupils are reaching standards that are in line with and not above the national expectation.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

88. Pupils in the juniors have improved historical knowledge, showing that their progress in learning has been sound. They are able to talk about features of the 1950's and why they are different from today. In addition, the pupils have very good analytical skills. They use the research that they have done to build a hypothesis and test it using their own knowledge base. However, they have not undertaken much study about famous people or events in history. Their background general knowledge is good. In geography the pupils have been learning the physical features of the land. This has involved the study of mountains. Some local study has been undertaken but, as with the younger pupils, this is often at a superficial level. Throughout the school, the pupils do not yet have sufficient concentrated access to the use of computers although they do use them for research purposes and some word-processing.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

89. Teachers plan lessons carefully to ensure that a variety of experiences is offered. Individual lesson plans are linked to the medium and long-term planning for the subject. As yet, neither subject has had the specific skills identified. As a consequence specific subject skills are not built upon each year. Work is marked carefully and from the workbooks it is clear that teachers have high expectations about what they want to be achieved. Pupils with different abilities often have the same work and this does not allow the higher-ability pupils to extend their understanding nor does it allow the lower- ability pupils to use their knowledge sufficiently. The co-ordinator has a positive view about the subject and is, at the present time, trying to gather information about the quality of teaching. This has not yet been possible, as no time has been allowed for classroom monitoring.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

90. At the time of the previous inspection, standards in information and communication technology (ICT) were judged to be in line with expectations at both key stages. Current findings show that attainment is below expectations by the end of Key Stage 1. Although all classes have an ICT record book, in class 1 there is very little evidence of the work covered over the past two terms. Some examples of experimenting with different fonts and colours is displayed, and pictures taken using a digital camera show pupils at work in other subjects. Overall, in light of the change in curriculum requirements, pupils do not make sufficient use of ICT, either to develop skills in its use or to support work in different subjects, and their progress is unsatisfactory.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

91. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards are average overall. They are above expectations in some aspects of pupils’ work, but below expectations in others. Pupils make good progress in handling information. They are very competent at using word processing to publish their work and they research information, using CD-ROM and the Internet, confidently and accurately. In the Year 3/4 class, attractive displays show the use of word processing and data handling to support work in English, mathematics and science, for example, publishing results of surveys on which newspapers, television and radio news programmes are used in different households. This makes a positive contribution to both literacy and numeracy skills in this class, in line with new curriculum requirements. Pupils’ individual geography projects in Years 5/6 are impressive, and make a significant contribution to their literacy skills. Higher-attaining pupils have re-

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

edited text, downloaded from different sources, to make this more readable for their age group, although others have imported text directly. The projects are illustrated attractively with material from CD-ROM and other sources. Their progress in Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 37 understanding the use of ICT to control and manipulate data, however, is slower and, for the oldest pupils, skills in this aspect are under-developed.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

92. During the inspection, lessons in all three classes focused on modelling using sequences of instructions to make things happen. The quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory, but, as a result of lack of past experience, work in both Key Stage 2 classes was at a similar level. Teachers have an appropriate level of expertise, and they worked hard to make the lessons interesting and relevant, providing pencil and paper activities to compensate for a lack of compatible hardware. As a result, all pupils were actively engaged and made steady progress in developing their understanding and skills. They enjoyed the activity, and the few able to enter their data into the computer showed good keyboard skills. In all three lessons, teachers worked effectively with different groups of pupils, challenging the higher-attainers and supporting less-able pupils well. However, sessions were short, and in Class 1, problems with the computer

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

program limited the number of pupils who had direct access to this. In Class 2, too much time was spent on copying instructions. The teacher sensibly amended plans for subsequent lessons, so that pupils could concentrate on the specific aim of the lesson.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

93. The co-ordinator has produced a detailed action plan to develop the subject, although this focuses mainly on hardware provision and teacher training, rather than on curriculum development. He is aware that more attention needs to be paid to ensuring pupils’ skills are developed progressively and that ICT needs to play a greater part in teaching and learning across the curriculum as a whole. Whilst the school appears well equipped, many of the computer systems lack sufficient memory to deliver the new curriculum requirements, and upgrading hardware provision is a high priority. Other equipment, such as scanners and data logging packages, are in short supply. The school makes sensible use of pupils’ access to ICT at home, but ensures that those who cannot work at home have priority access at school.

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MUSIC

94. Few music lessons were observed during the inspection and not all aspects of the curriculum were seen. It is not, therefore, possible to make a judgement about the standards that are being achieved. However, the quality of singing is good and pupils are offered a range of different musical tuition. The subject has a high profile within the school and parents are pleased that pupils are involved in the many different activities.

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MUSIC

95. Younger pupils sing in tune and remember words of songs. In one history lesson, the pupils sang a song related to their work on the seaside. In this, the classroom assistant accompanied them using a keyboard. They reacted well to the experience and were keen to join in. Singing during assembly is of good quality. All pupils are willing participants and the older pupils help the younger reception children.

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MUSIC

96. A number of pupils are involved in learning instruments. These include recorders, violins and guitars. Pupils are taught by a subject specialists and teachers in the school and join in youth concerts locally. They very much enjoy these evenings and talk enthusiastically about them.

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MUSIC

97. The class teachers take their own music lessons. The school has the benefit of two musicians on the teaching staff. This is helping ensure that subject knowledge is good. Teachers plan their work carefully to offer a range of composing and listening. No evidence of this teaching could be seen during the inspection.

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MUSIC

98. The experienced co-ordinator works hard to ensure that the good standards are Hartlip Endowed CE Primary School - 38 maintained. Resources for the subject are adequate to meet the needs of the pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

99. During the inspection it was only possible to see two lessons, which makes both comparisons with the last inspection and judgements about teaching and learning unreliable. It is not possible to make an informed judgement about standards or about the quality of teaching and learning. However, from the wide range of evidence available in planning documentation, pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to develop their skills in gymnastics, dance, swimming and games. The use of a commercial scheme of work ensures that skills are developed systematically through a series of activities. In games, for example, pupils in Key Stage 1 develop the early skills of throwing and retrieving balls in pairs and progress in Key Stage 2 to hitting a ball accurately with a bat so that a partner can catch it.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

100. The school places appropriate emphasis on physical education and allocates a good amount of time to the subject each week. Eighty per cent of pupils can swim the required distance before they leave school. Swimming lessons, which are a statutory requirement, occur on a Friday afternoon so that some of the travelling time takes place after school and does not impinge unduly on the rest of the curriculum. They take place at a local swimming pool where qualified instructors teach the pupils. The school plays matches with other schools in the local cluster, for example in football and rounders.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

101. The quality of teaching seen varied. The two lessons were well planned but occasionally the commercial scheme was followed too rigorously and this resulted in some unsatisfactory work, for example, warm-up sessions were inadequate. Teachers make good use of questioning to ensure that pupils are aware of the standards they are achieving and how they can be improved. Pupils are managed well and teachers ensured that those with behavioural difficulties did not stop other pupils from learning. However, there is no monitoring of teaching, and assessment is too dependent on individual teachers.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

102. In the lessons seen pupils responded well. Pupils are enthusiastic and all wear the appropriate clothing. They co-operated well when working in pairs, developing early skills for team games. The pupils with special educational needs usually respond well and generally enjoy their work.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

103. There is a limited range of extra-curricular activities, such as football and a ski club that are organised by parents, for which the school is grateful. Qualified coaches lead these activities, which effectively supports pupils’ learning. The school field has been unusable due to the bad weather during the winter months and this has limited, for example, the amount of football that pupils have been able to play.

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