Plaxtol Primary School

PLAXTOL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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PLAXTOL 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. Plaxtol Primary School i

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Plaxtol Sevenoaks 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: Mrs Wendy Jones

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: December 1997 Plaxtol Primary School ii

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Team members

21095 Lynn Adair Registered inspector 11041 Marvyn Moore Lay inspector 18466 Kevin Hodge Team inspector

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Team members

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

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Plaxtol Primary is small village school near the town of Sevenoaks. It is a community school for boys and girls aged four to 11. It has 105 full-time pupils, drawn mainly from the immediate locality, although some travel from further away to attend the school by parental choice. Children enter the school at the start of the academic year in which they are five. Attainment on entry is above that expected nationally of children at this age and their social circumstances are generally more favourable. Nine pupils in the school, all in the juniors, have special educational needs. At almost nine percent of those on roll, this proportion is well below average. No pupils have statements of special educational need. There are no pupils in the school from minority ethnic groups. The number of pupils taking up free school meals has slightly increased over the last two years. However, at almost seven per cent of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils, it is still a below average figure.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Plaxtol Primary is an effective school. Standards attained by pupils by the time they leave the school are very high. The good quality of educational provision in the school, particularly the very good quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6, makes a good contribution to the progress pupils make during their time in the school. The school is adopting a more self-critical approach to identifying where further improvement may be sought, and this is having a beneficial effect. Although expenditure per pupil is high, which is usual in such a small school, the school makes sound use of its resources to secure satisfactory value for money.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics because of the very good quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6. • Good enquiry skills are being developed in Years 3 to 6. • The school promotes pupils’ personal development well, resulting in very good attitudes and behaviour, and high quality relationships throughout the school. These have a significantly positive impact on the way in which pupils learn. • The parents hold the school in high regard. The very good partnership between home and school contributes strongly to the progress that children make. • The governing body is effective in performing its duties. Governors work closely with the headteacher and staff, and all demonstrate a strong, shared commitment to the school’s continued improvement.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes drawn from better evaluation of pupils’ learning. • The accommodation creates some constraints to learning at present. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Plaxtol Primary School 2

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Plaxtol Primary was last inspected in December 1997. Key issues identified at that time have been addressed satisfactorily, although more rapid progress towards overcoming them has been evident since the appointment of the new headteacher. The school has made satisfactory progress to maintain the very high standards at the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics and to improve on those in science, which were not so high last year. In addition, the unsatisfactory standards seen in design and technology in the last inspection are now good by Year 6 and satisfactory in information and communication technology. More opportunities have been provided for pupils to develop their enquiry skills, with some good standards as a result in Years 3 to 6. Monitoring of teaching and learning is now systematic and the role of co-ordinators and governors has been strengthened as part of the more effective process of securing improvement. The quality of curriculum planning and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

assessment has improved, with clearer learning intentions. Practice is, however, variable, with some more work still to be done on this issue to ensure that work is sufficiently adapted to match the range of age and attainment in each class, particularly for pupils up to the age of seven.

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STANDARDS

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

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in:

1999 2000 2001 2001 English A* A* A* A* Mathematics A* C A A Science A C D E

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Key

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

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Key

The table shows that results of Year 6 pupils in English in national tests have been consistently in the top five per cent of schools nationally as well as compared with similar types of schools 1 . In mathematics, attainment has been more variable due to differences in the proportion attaining higher levels, but results were very high last year. Targets in both subjects were met last year, and current Year 6 pupils look set to meet the targets set for this year, thus maintaining the very high standards. In science, results had been falling due to weaker scientific skills. The school has worked successfully to develop higher levels of enquiry skills across the school, so that current pupils in both Year 2 and Year 6 look set to achieve better results this year, particularly at higher levels of understanding. However, in spite of their very good understanding of scientific concepts, older junior pupils face some

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Key

constraints in developing their investigative skills to a very advanced level due to lack of space. Reading results of Year 2 pupils in national tests have been consistently high over the last three years and are better than those in similar schools. Parents make a significant contribution at home to developing their children's reading ability. Writing results are above the national average and those in mathematics are in line, showing broadly satisfactory progress overall in building on pupils’ attainment on entry. However, trends in improvement have been slower in these subjects, and their results do not compare so well with similar schools. More recently, greater challenge has been seen in some of the work provided for current pupils, resulting in higher standards. However, a closer match of work would enable

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Key

1 Comparison with similar schools is based on those having free school meals entitlement of up to and including 8 per cent of pupils. Plaxtol Primary School 3 pupils to make even more progress. Children in the Reception Class came into school this year with attainment that was broadly above average. They have made satisfactory progress since September and are on target to achieve above the standards expected by the end of reception in each area of learning. Pupils with special educational needs are helped to make some good progress, particularly where adult support is well focused.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. A high level of involvement in lessons, with real enthusiasm shown by pupils where activities are challenging. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are consistently well behaved in lessons and at other times around the school. Personal development and relationships Very good. High level of co-operation. All pupils learn to use initiative well, especially in independent enquiry, where they bring their own ideas effectively into their learning. Attendance Good. All lessons begin punctually.

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

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

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. However, teaching in Years 3 to 6 is very good, which is helping pupils in these years to learn at a more rapid rate than in earlier years and thus make consistently good gains in their knowledge, skills and understanding. Teachers in the juniors make particularly effective use of time and resources to gain and maintain pupils’ interest and make them want to learn more. Work is well matched to enable pupils to improve their skills well. This high level of challenge is not always evident in the reception to Year 2 classes. This means that, although learning is satisfactory, it has potential to be better with more precise planning and assessment of pupils’ needs and a better match of work. Basic skills in literacy and numeracy are well taught, and teachers place a good emphasis on the teaching of reading skills. Pupils are helped to apply their skills well to support their learning in other subjects. The way in which

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

specialist staff are deployed to support pupils in lessons in small groups, or in withdrawal sessions, helps them to learn well, particularly those with special needs. All teachers manage pupils’ behaviour effectively and there is a high level of mutual respect. This leads to pupils working well in a productive learning environment with concentrated efforts. Plaxtol Primary School 4

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. Curriculum planning has a better structure than in previous inspection. However, inconsistencies in planning lead to variation in the quality of provision across the school, with much better match of work in the juniors. The balance of experiences in the Reception Year is limited by lack of a secure outdoor area. Good enrichment to the curriculum is planned, with a good range of visitors, visits in the locality and extra- curricular activities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Short-term targets for pupils are well defined. Good level of adult support ensures individual education plans are implemented successfully. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. Provision contributes effectively to pupils’ personal

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Good procedures for supporting pupils’ welfare. Target- setting process involving pupils is becoming established. Better use could be made of assessment information to add greater precision in planning.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Sound. The headteacher and staff have worked together well to secure improvement, which has been more rapid of late. They are conscious of the need to identify key priorities to provide a clearer educational direction to the school’s work. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors are effective in exercising their roles to gain a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They are using this information well to contribute to important decisions about its work. The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Use is beginning to be made of performance information to monitor and analyse teaching and standards, although this could be more clearly shown in school improvement planning as a measure of success. There is good involvement of staff in the monitoring process. The strategic use of resources

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Aspect Comment

Satisfactory. Sound consideration is made of the principles of best value. A well-planned project to make much needed improvements to accommodation is making best use of the school’s financial reserves as well as additional grant funding. This demonstrates sound financial planning, based on improving learning opportunities for pupils. Plaxtol Primary School 5

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school. • Teaching is good and the school is well led and managed. • Parents feel the school works closely with them and they are comfortable about approaching the school with questions or concerns. • Their children are expected to work hard and make good progress. • Their children are helped to become responsible and they behave well. • The variability in the quality and amount of homework. • They do not always feel as well informed as they could be. • They do not feel there is a good range of activities outside of lessons. • A small number expressed concerns about standards of presentation in children’s work.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive comments. In terms of homework, there is good practice in some allocated work, notably in the juniors, but there is some variability in practice across the school. Expectations for the school’s policy for homework have not been recorded clearly enough for parent, pupil or staff reference. Inspectors agreed with parents’ views that presentation could be better in children’s work in books, particularly in their handwriting. However, in displays around the school, presentation is good. Parents’ critical comments about information and about the range of extra-curricular activities were not substantiated by inspection evidence. Plaxtol Primary School 6

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

because of the very good quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

1. When the current children under five entered school in September, their attainment was above that expected of pupils of this age nationally. Most have made sound progress since September in developing their language and mathematical skills so that most are on course to achieve at least the early learning goals 2 for children at the end of the Reception Year, with a large number exceeding the goals. Standards in communication skills are good. Children enjoy sharing their views in class discussions and speak audibly and clearly, for example when describing the key features of a pirate. They confidently ask questions to clarify what they are expected to do. They use their knowledge of letter sounds to read words with a reasonable level of accuracy for such young children. They are able to produce recognisable letters and words when writing, although there are still inconsistencies in size and orientation. A better focus on teaching pencil control through better grip could

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

help to overcome some of these inconsistencies. A good range of opportunities is provided for writing on different themes, such as recalling visits they have made to a farm or retelling well-known tales, such as Cinderella. However, teaching does not always challenge children enough to produce more independent writing. For example, many children are still copy writing. On occasion, children are asked to simply draw pictures of their ideas rather than attempt to write down their ideas as well. Where they are given the opportunity, children make good attempts to spell unfamiliar words, using their good knowledge of letter sounds.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

2. Children have made sound progress with simple number recognition and counting skills, with most achieving the early learning goals in the mathematical area of learning. They are able to form number bonds to at least ten, and many children go beyond this with accuracy. They recognise and use different coins in a class lesson, although some higher attaining pupils answer most questions very easily, which indicates that more could be asked of them. Children are able to reinforce their understanding of mathematical concepts through a range of practical activities.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

3. By Year 2, standards are good in both English and mathematics, and pupils have made sound progress in building on their earlier attainment in the Reception Year. In English, many pupils read a range of fiction and non-fiction material independently. They have a good understanding of who contributes to a book, such as the author and illustrator. They listen well during story telling and recall key facts articulately, showing a good understanding of the plot. They gain a good understanding of some difficult vocabulary, such as ‘ aromatic’ and ‘tubers’ . Some of this comes about through their confident and direct questioning, for example when they ask: ‘What does 'curious' mean?’. The range of writing opportunities increases during Years 1 and 2 and includes events from pupils’ own lives, poetry, stories on a moral theme, descriptive and imaginative pieces. They often write at length. Their writing not only has an increasingly sound structure but it also contains a much

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

better range of vocabulary, which is used well to engage the interest of the reader. Pupils use connectives well. For example, one higher attaining pupil wrote, ‘They were relieved because that meant they were allowed out of the castle and could play’. Pupils are encouraged to plan their stories, although many have a tendency still to write out the whole story rather than notes. The teacher sometimes dominates discussion intended as a

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

2 The Early Learning Goals establish the expectations for most children to reach at the end of the reception year. Plaxtol Primary School 7 brainstorming of ideas, and pupils do not have enough chance to develop planning skills. Handwriting is often not developed effectively, as expectations for presentation are not high enough for work in exercise books. In their haste to consider ideas, pupils do not pay enough attention to the correct formation of letters and some still mix upper and lower case letters.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

4. By Year 2, pupils have a good understanding of number. They add in twos and tens from different points. They are able to use two digit numbers in addition and subtraction problems, for example involving money. As with the Reception Year though, a small number of higher attaining pupils are not always given enough challenge in their work. They complete set work quickly and accurately, often using good mental maths skills, but they could achieve more. Pupils accurately use standard units of measure, such as centimetres, and are also able to read scales and tell the time. They show a good understanding of two- dimensional shapes and their properties, and show the beginnings of understanding simple symmetry. They are able to construct common three dimensional shapes using different materials.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

5. By Year 6, pupils have built on these early skills very effectively. They make much more rapid progress though as a result of teaching that is effective because it has a high level of demand, well matched to pupils' differing levels of attainment. In English, pupils read aloud chosen text very expressively and enthusiastically. Teachers are particularly effective at choosing the right pieces of text to analyse, well matched to the interests and ages of the pupils. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have a good level of recall of key elements of a class story they are studying, often quoting pieces from the actual text from memory as part of their evaluation when comparing key characters. In Years 5 and 6, pupils have a good understanding of how differences in expression can alter the meaning of the same text. Writing skills are very well developed so that, by Year 6, pupils are using grammatically complex sentences and a range of punctuation accurately in their work. Vocabulary is well

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

chosen to produce convincing arguments and vivid imagery. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 write letters identifying particular problems faced by a character in a story and suggesting what should be done about them. In one imaginative piece, a Year 6 pupil wrote ‘…creatures called blood bottlers who had gigantic teeth and bold eyes glowing like ruby flames’. The range of writing is very good, including extended pieces in the form of booklets, scripts, narrative from different points of view, instructional and report writing as well as a range of poetry. Teachers use questions effectively to help pupils deepen their understanding. Follow-up questions are used well in this respect, and well-targeted questions mean that all pupils are involved. Teachers are effective in allowing pupils to evaluate each other’s efforts so that this involvement is sustained and they think more critically. A Year 5 and 6 lesson showed that pupils are particularly adept at choosing and

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

changing vocabulary to alter the genre of a piece of writing.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

6. Pupils with special educational needs are also helped to make good progress in English. With focused support in lessons and in withdrawal sessions, they are able to gain effective skills alongside their peers. In Years 3 and 4, for example, pupils are able to retell and write about part of a class story. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 changed a sentence from, ‘The man walked into the room’ to ‘The sneaky cowboy clunked into the bullet-holed saloon’, to illustrate the genre of the Western. In each case, the special needs teacher was adept at ensuring all pupils contributed their ideas and that much was achieved in a short time.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

7. As pupils move through Years 3 to 6, their mathematical skills develop well and to a high standard particularly in number work. They employ a very good range of mental strategies at the start of lessons and to solve problems in other aspects of their work. These ‘warm-up’ sessions are brisk. Questions by teachers are well targeted and with a high level of challenge, to which pupils respond eagerly. The range and complexity of Plaxtol Primary School 8 number work by the age of 11 is very good, including number sequences, patterns and problems, which they solve accurately. In Years 3 and 4, pupils have a very good understanding of the properties of two-dimensional shapes and their angles. By Year 6, pupils have a good understanding of how data may be represented in different forms and are able to plot their own graphical data accurately. Higher attainers interpret graphs effectively, for example to work out an oven’s rise in temperature. They also make good estimations of

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

how the temperature will change when cooling. Teachers are adept at planning work to cater for the range of attainment in each class. They place a strong emphasis on ensuring that pupils are clear about the purpose of each lesson so that they have a good level of involvement in assessing what they have learnt and how much they have improved. Teachers give crisp and clear explanations about what pupils are expected to do so that little time is wasted in querying or clarifying expectations. A brisk start is followed by a brisk pace during independent work, so that much is achieved in a short time, resulting in good gains.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

Good enquiry skills are being developed in Years 3 to 6.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

8. Enquiry skills are well developed in the juniors, which is an improvement on the previous inspection, especially in science, geography and history.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

9. In science, pupils in Years 3 and 4 increase their understanding of how plants grow in different ways under different lighting conditions through good first-hand observations. Very good use is made of a computer microscope to enable pupils to look at different plants and study differences more closely. Pupils consider all the evidence carefully and draw good conclusions about the best conditions, based on their enquiries. They are beginning to understand that more than one variable may influence results and are keen to find out more. The teacher’s effective organisation and preparation of resources means that pupils are able to conduct their enquiries with a good level of independence. Discussion is well focused on the scientific phenomena, using a good level of scientific language, which the pupils model well.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

10. By Year 6, pupils’ scientific knowledge and understanding are very good and they apply their knowledge well to considering current events. They use classification keys, for example, to sort and group living creatures, and show good understanding of their distinct habitats. They have a very good awareness of environmental issues related to habitats and the hazards created by man. They also consider health issues and risks through study of foods and diet, designing their own menus for a day. Pupils have also conducted their own independent enquiry to research particular areas of scientific interest, such as butterflies, birds, bears and the skeletal structure. The outcomes of their efforts are exceptionally good. Work is well structured and well presented. They have used a range of sources out of school to gain information, including the Internet. They have set up their own simple observations and investigations, for example to tally different breeds, observe life cycles and

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

gather information on feeding. The teacher uses evaluation effectively to show how such efforts are valued and to grade each pupil’s efforts as well as the level of skill in their enquiry. Pupils are currently working in groups to design their own investigations, for example to test what preserves food best. They are showing good consideration of methods they will employ and how to record their results. However, they are somewhat hampered in their investigations by the lack of space in the classroom.

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

11. Displays around the school and discussion with pupils show that they use a good level of enquiry in work in geography and history. In their work related to the Jubilee, pupils have conducted a wide range of independent research and enquiry about special events and notable people of the last 50 years. Some in-depth research is evident in their studies of environmental disasters, such as the 1978 Amoco disaster, as well as significant moments Plaxtol Primary School 9 such as the first men on the moon. They have produced good quality writing on the lives of Princess and King George VI. Significant achievements, such as the 1966 world cup and the Falklands War have also been described. They have studied changes that have taken place, for instance in clothes and vehicles. They also show a good understanding of how tastes have changed in such things as music and fashion. In Years 5 and 6, pupils have

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Very high standards are attained by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics

studied Commonwealth countries, again taking the initiative in collecting information and displaying what they have found out. They show a good understanding of each country studied and have represented data well, using charts and graphs, for example to show rainfall over time. Teachers provide a range of books for pupils to use in school, supplemented by books and other resources from home. The school has a small stock of books, but the location of the library does not enable pupils to use it on a more independent scale.

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attitudes, behaviour and high quality relationships throughout the school. These

have a significantly positive impact on the way in which pupils learn.

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attitudes, behaviour and high quality relationships throughout the school. These

12. A strong emphasis is placed on developing pupils’ personal skills from the time they enter the school. Pupils are helped to think about what they are doing and to understand the consequences of their actions and their effects on others. In this essentially mono-cultural school, pupils are also helped to understand not only their local heritage but also the multi- cultural nature of the wider society. Their achievements both in and out of school are recognised and displayed prominently. As a result, all pupils are keen to come to school and learn.

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attitudes, behaviour and high quality relationships throughout the school. These

13. Pupils’ enthusiasm for and enjoyment of learning are highly evident in lessons, although this eagerness is channelled much more effectively in the juniors through more challenging activities. In Years 5 and 6, for example, pupils relish the challenge of creating different genres in the short time-scales allowed. They apply themselves well to completing the activity quickly and accurately, and are keen to have a go at writing in two different genres to build well on their learning. When set to work on their own, pupils quickly become engrossed in tasks. They work for sustained periods with good concentration, so that their work is almost always completed in the time allowed. In the Reception Year, for example, pupils work for extended periods of time with concentration and application on set tasks. Pupils listen to teachers well, in spite of some long introductions for younger pupils. They

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attitudes, behaviour and high quality relationships throughout the school. These

are keen to ask as well as answer questions and involve themselves in discussions in a mature and sensible way. Occasionally there are a few wriggles when they are expected to sit for too long, but pupils are quick to respond to reminders for attentiveness. Pupils’ very positive attitudes are a key factor in contributing to the high standards that are attained.

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attitudes, behaviour and high quality relationships throughout the school. These

14. All staff demonstrate high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct in lessons and at other times. Pupils’ behaviour is always at least good, and more frequently very good, both in lessons and at playtimes. They are very helpful when talking to visitors about their work, and are extremely courteous to adults and each other when moving around the school, often holding doors open uninvited. Pupils’ very good behaviour ensures that they work in a calm and positive atmosphere, which results in highly focused activity and very good productivity. Plaxtol Primary School 10 15. A high level of mutual respect is evident between pupils and adults. Pupils get on well with each other and adults. Pupils co-operate very well in group activities. In recorder ensemble work, pupils perform together well to produce harmonious results. Pupils are eager to take up the additional opportunities provided by the school out of lessons. They

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attitudes, behaviour and high quality relationships throughout the school. These

value each other’s contributions in discussions and when views are shared at the end of lessons. This acts as an incentive to others to contribute their views. Older and younger pupils also get on well together, with older pupils acting as good role models to the rest. In assemblies, pupils are encouraged to consider moral and social issues, such as bullying and sharing. They show real consideration when talking about difficulties at playtimes and how they can share more readily. Older pupils were involved effectively in one assembly through acting out a situation for other pupils in the school on the theme of bullying. Pupils are encouraged to work with a good degree of independence from the teacher, and respond well in independent enquiries.

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The parents hold the school in high regard. The very good partnership between

home and school strongly contributes to the progress which children make.

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The parents hold the school in high regard. The very good partnership between

16. Parents have strong links with the school and think very highly of it, as seen in their positive responses to the inspection questionnaire and in their comments at the parents’ meeting. Inspection evidence supports these positive views. Some more critical views were expressed, about information for parents and the range of activities provided outside lessons. However, these views were not supported by inspection evidence, and overall provision was found to be good in these aspects. Parents also expressed concerns about homework. The quality and quantity of homework was found to be good in some instances, such as the special projects for Year 5 and 6 pupils in science. However, inspection evidence shows that there is some variability in quality across the school. The situation is not helped by the fact that there is no whole-school policy for homework. The creation of such a policy would be helpful in identifying and clarifying expectations for pupils, parents

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The parents hold the school in high regard. The very good partnership between

and staff across the school and so strengthening the partnership further.

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The parents hold the school in high regard. The very good partnership between

17. Teachers’ knowledge of individual pupils and their families is very good and is assisted by the small size of the school population. This, together with the very good and supportive relationship with parents, creates a real family atmosphere in which pupils are able to flourish, both academically and socially. Information provided for parents is good, both prior to joining and during their children’s time in school. Home visits are offered before a child starts school to share important information, and a useful ‘welcome book’ is prepared in addition to the school brochure to help pupils to settle smoothly into school routines. Policies and procedures, with the small exception of homework, are well explained to parents. This helps them to play a full and helpful role in the support and welfare of their children because they are made aware of the school's expectations in each key area of its

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The parents hold the school in high regard. The very good partnership between

work. Parents are kept well informed about different activities in the school and have regular opportunities to talk about their children’s progress on a formal and informal basis. Written reports are sound overall, with some detailed information about what children are able to do. The best reports include targets for where improvement could be made, though this is not consistently evident in all years and would benefit from closer monitoring.

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The parents hold the school in high regard. The very good partnership between

18. Parents are keen to be involved in their children’s learning at home and in school. This contributes significantly to the good progress that children make in their learning, particularly in reading. Parents’ level of commitment is demonstrated through their willingness to offer direct assistance in lessons on a regular and voluntary basis. They are given good guidance to prepare them for these roles in school. All are welcomed into classrooms where their help is valued by teaching staff. This means that many parents are very aware of what their children are learning and what is happening each day. It also provides an opportunity for Plaxtol Primary School 11 parents to talk informally about their children with the teacher. This sharing relationship helps pupils not only in their academic development but also makes them feel very secure and confident about approaching any member of staff with any concerns they have. The

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The parents hold the school in high regard. The very good partnership between

school constantly seeks ways in which to check the quality of its work with parents. They recently sent out a consultation paper to gather parents’ views and, after evaluation, sent out a response to clarify issues that were raised and alert parents to any action they were taking. This demonstrates the school’s commitment to working in partnership with parents and maintaining strong links.

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with the headteacher and staff, who all demonstrate a strong, shared commitment to

19. The headteacher provides sound leadership of the school and works closely with a dedicated team of staff and very knowledgeable governors to form an effective, collaborative team to manage change. This has brought about improvement since the last inspection, which has been noticeably more rapid since the appointment of the current headteacher. Satisfactory progress has been made in addressing most of the key issues identified in the previous report, with the potential to secure further improvement with the introduction of newly devised systems for checking on the progress of pupils as they move through the school.

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with the headteacher and staff, who all demonstrate a strong, shared commitment to

20. Staff are very ably supported by governors, who are very active, conscientious and able in fulfilling their roles. They are well organised and have a broad range of expertise and experience that benefits the school. They have carried out audits of their knowledge and understanding of the school’s work, as well as of their roles, to check where more information might be needed. Appropriate training has been undertaken where there are shortfalls, with specific meetings organised, for example, to develop understanding of Performance and Assessments (PANDA) reports and pupil performance data. Governors visit the school regularly, either to help in lessons by giving general support or to gather information about specific issues, such as finding out about provision in different subjects of the curriculum. They have gained a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses through such involvement, and are aware of the challenges that the school

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with the headteacher and staff, who all demonstrate a strong, shared commitment to

faces at a local and national level. They are currently making an effective contribution to proposals for much needed new building works, and in helping the school to plan for and take effective action.

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with the headteacher and staff, who all demonstrate a strong, shared commitment to

21. The headteacher has been effective in making much better use of pupil performance data to promote school self-evaluation, and has shared findings with governors. This has also involved creating better structures for monitoring the quality of provision and developing a more proactive approach to addressing any shortfalls in practice. The school improvement planning process has improved since the last inspection, taking staff and governors' views into account and providing a long-term view of the school’s needs. The headteacher is aware of the need to now refine the plan to provide a clearer definition of the school’s priorities for improvement. There is a clearer understanding of how to incorporate more precise and measurable success criteria so that the effectiveness of the plan can be checked in terms of the impact on the standards achieved by pupils. The headteacher shares the work of developing and co-ordinating the curriculum with the small number of

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with the headteacher and staff, who all demonstrate a strong, shared commitment to

other teaching staff. The role of co-ordinators has been strengthened and enhanced so that staff also give a sound lead to developments in their areas of responsibility.

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with the headteacher and staff, who all demonstrate a strong, shared commitment to

22. Staff and governors share a real sense of commitment to continued improvement, with a key focus on getting the best out of pupils. Plaxtol Primary School 12

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

from better evaluation of pupils’ learning.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

23. Long-term planning has been well considered and provides a sound framework for teachers to plan themes on a two-year rolling programme. Work is suitably based on national guidance for each subject, thus ensuring a broad and balanced curriculum from Years 1 to 6. However, in the Reception Year, the lack of a designated outdoor area for learning, with appropriate resources, means that there is some imbalance in the range of experiences provided for the school’s youngest pupils. There are some constraints on learning on a larger scale and in a more active way outdoors on a regular basis as recommended in national guidance for pupils of this age.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

24. Medium-term plans are based on teaching for each half term and are satisfactory overall. They show coverage of a breadth of experiences, broad learning objectives, and how activities are structured over each half term on a week-by-week basis. This is an improved situation since the previous inspection in that medium-term plans provide helpful information about how learning broadly develops over each half term. However, the quality of the information about learning contained in the plans is inconsistent and does not always identify how work is adapted for different groups of pupils, for example those of different ages in the mixed-age classes, or different levels of ability. The most effective weekly plans ensure a good progression of knowledge, skills and understanding in each subject. More precision, for example, is found in English and mathematics planning for Years 3 to 6 about what different groups of pupils are expected to learn. This is based on some good day-to-

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

day assessment of pupils’ achievements noted in some particularly effective marking in Years 5 and 6. It also means that work is pitched at the right level on most occasions to provide appropriately challenging work that help pupils to make good progress. On the other hand, work in English for Years 1 and 2 is planned on a day-by-day basis, but it is unclear how learning is intended to develop over the course of a week.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

25. Broad objectives for learning are clearly stated in most plans. However, learning intentions are not so clearly defined in terms of the outcomes expected for different groups of pupils. This makes it difficult to assess learning and what pupils need to learn next. Evaluation often focuses on the quality of the lesson rather than on pupils’ achievements so as to identify what they need to work on next. Work is then not sufficiently adapted in group activities to cater for the wide range of attainment in each class. Older and higher attaining pupils in mixed-age classes are sometimes given a similar task, rather than a greater challenge that would give them an incentive to strive for higher standards. Expectations are sometimes too low for these higher attaining pupils, for example in mathematics lessons in the Reception Year to Year 2, where pupils could have achieved more in their number work.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

26. Most lessons in the school are carefully planned but some sessions are not well structured. In the Reception Year, for example, the purpose and objectives for activities led by an adult are clearly shown. On the other hand, those activities which children are able to choose for themselves do not always have a clear purpose or a high enough element of challenge to catch and hold children’s attention long enough for them to learn sufficiently.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

27. The school is currently trialling planning formats to achieve greater precision in learning for different groups of pupils and is in the process of monitoring their quality to identify any inconsistencies. This is needed to ensure that the good practice that exists is used as a model and incentive for other planning. Plaxtol Primary School 13 The accommodation creates some constraints to learning at present.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

28. The school has good plans to improve its accommodation, which is currently creating some constraints to learning across the school. The most significant accommodation shortfall is the size and quality of accommodation for the school’s oldest pupils. The classroom is small and offers pupils limited space in which to work, particularly on practical activities. While the teacher compensates admirably for this most of the time, opportunities to conduct extended investigations in science, for example, are limited as there is nowhere to store equipment or leave it set out. Space for computers is also limited in this room, and this restricts the opportunity to develop more advanced skills in information and communication technology (ICT). The school compensates for this by planning for work to be conducted at a local secondary school in such aspects as control and modelling. This ensures that the curriculum meets national requirements for the subject, but the situation is

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

far from ideal and limits ongoing activity intended to support learning in other subjects.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

29. Sometimes, pupils with special needs are withdrawn from lessons for more specialist support. However, areas in which such work can be conducted are very limited, and a computer is not readily available to support these pupils. The special needs co-ordinator tries hard to overcome such shortcomings, for example by using a laptop when groups create sentences in different genres. Pupils occasionally work in the hall, but this is a very public area of the school and so not a fully effective environment for teaching and learning.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

30. The school has created a small library in the staff room, as it has no other space available. This is well organised but the stock of books is limited and not readily accessible for pupils to use on an independent basis. As such, it does not help to support more extensive research or develop library reference skills to a high level. It also has limited scope for developing pupils' personal enjoyment in browsing through books.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

31. In the Reception Year, the range of learning opportunities is limited as there is no secure and designated outdoor area that children can use on an ongoing basis to develop their skills, for example in the physical and creative areas of learning.

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Greater precision in curriculum planning in the Reception to Year 2 classes, drawn

32. The headteacher, staff, governors and parents have been active in raising funds to a significant level to achieve an early start on the planned building programme. In addition to using the school’s own funds, parents have raised significant amounts, and additional grant funding gained recently has given a tremendous boost to the project. In the meantime, the school has sought the best alternative provision to ensure that pupils continue to learn as well as they can. Plaxtol Primary School 14

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

33. In order to maintain the very high standards at the end of Year 6 and improve those at the lower end of the school, the governing body, headteacher and staff need to:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve curriculum planning in the Reception Year to Year 2 so that:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

∗ precisely defined intentions for learning are clearly identified in half-termly and weekly plans, which take into account the full range of ages and attainment of children in each class; ∗ assessment is more evaluative about what pupils need to learn next, and this information is used to adapt planning to provide a better match of work; ∗ the organisation and purpose of work in free-choice activities for children in the Reception Year are clearly shown, giving a better structure to the learning opportunities provided for the school’s youngest pupils.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Pursue its efforts to secure better accommodation to overcome current constraints to learning by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

∗ ensuring pupils in Years 5 and 6 have more space in which to work and aiding their opportunities for more extended investigations; ∗ creating a better environment for pupils with special educational needs to work in when withdrawn from lessons; ∗ relocating the library and increasing the stock of books to support better research opportunities for pupils and develop their library skills; ∗ providing more space for pupils to use computers and other equipment to achieve more advanced skills in information and communication technology (ICT); ∗ developing outdoor provision to increase the range of learning opportunities for children in the Reception Year. Plaxtol Primary School 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 13 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 9

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Poor

Number 2 1 4 6 0 0 0 Percentage 15 8 31 46 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents almost 8 percentage points.

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Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR-Y6

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 105 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 7 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Special educational needs Nursery YR-Y6

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 9

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pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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pupils

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

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% %

School data 4.5 School data 0 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Plaxtol Primary School 16

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year: 2001 9 9 18

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys N/A N/A N/A Girls N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Total 18 15 18 School 100(100) 83 (93) 100 (100) Percentage of pupils at NC Level 2 or above National 84(83) 86(84) 91(90)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys N/A N/A N/A Girls N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Total 15 18 18 School 83(100) 100 (100) 100 (100) Percentage of pupils at NC Level 2 or above National 85(84) 89(88) 89(88) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. As the number of boys in the year group as well as the number of girls is less than ten, only the total figure of boys and girls is required.

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year: 2001 5 9 14

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys N/A N/A N/A Girls N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Total 13 14 13 School 93(100) 100(89) 93(89) Percentage of pupils at NC Level 4 or above National 75(75) 71(72) 87(85)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys N/A N/A N/A Girls N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Total 14 14 14 School 100(100) 100(100) 100(100) Percentage of pupils at NC Level 4 or above National 72(70) 74(72) 82(79) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. As the number of boys in the year group as well as the number of girls is less than ten, only the total figure of boys and girls is required. Plaxtol Primary School 17

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Permanent

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Permanent

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Permanent

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 105 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Permanent

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

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YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.6 Financial year 2000-2001

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YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18.75

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YR – Y6

Total number of education support staff 2 Total expenditure 233 151.00

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YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 25 Expenditure per pupil 2 200.00

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Nursery

Balance brought forward from previous year 45 641.00

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Nursery

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0 Balance carried forward to next year 63 857.00

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Nursery

Number of pupils per qualified teacher Total number of education support staff Total aggregate hours worked per week Number of pupils per FTE adult FTE means full-time equivalent. Plaxtol Primary School 18

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Plaxtol Primary School 19

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Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 105 Number of questionnaires returned 49

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know

My child is making good progress in school. 45 47 6 2 0

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know

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 53 2 0 4

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know

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33 40 21 4 2

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know

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 31 56 10 2 0

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know

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 63 33 4 0 0

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know

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 39 51 6 2 2

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know

The school works closely with parents. 37 57 4 0 2

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know

The school is well led and managed. 49 45 0 2 4

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know

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 50 0 0 6

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know

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 28 47 15 4 6

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