Donisthorpe Primary School

DONISTHORPE 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.

p.1

DONISTHORPE 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. Donisthorpe Primary School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Ashby Road Donisthorpe Swadlincote Derbyshire Postcode: DE12 7QF

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Michael Meadows

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 September 1997 Donisthorpe Primary School - 4

p.3

responsibilities

25386 John Young Registered inspector Information and communication technology Geography Music Equal opportunities English as an additional language What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school’s results and pupils’ attainment How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9189 John Horwood Lay inspector How high are standards? b) Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 20911 Judy Dawson Team inspector Mathematics Art Design and technology How well are pupils taught?

p.4

responsibilities

21992 Jean Newing Team inspector English History Foundation Stage Special educational needs 8534 David Price Team inspector Science Physical education Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Donisthorpe Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

p.4

responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

p.5

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:

p.5

responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.5

responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Donisthorpe Primary School - 6

p.5

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

p.6

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Donisthorpe Primary School is situated in the village of Donisthorpe, south west of Ashby de la Zouch. An unusual characteristic of the school is that it has an intake of pupils in Year 3 from an infants’ school in the neighbouring village of Moira. The school is about the same size as other primary schools with 235 pupils on roll. The background of most pupils is neither significantly advantaged nor disadvantaged. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. Nine pupils have statements of special educational need and about 20 per cent of pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register. There are very few pupils from ethnic minority groups and only one pupil has English as an additional language. Children’s attainment on entry to the reception class is in line with national expectations.

p.7

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school in which its strengths far outweigh its few weaknesses. Effective leadership from the headteacher and her senior management team has helped to create a positive learning environment where the achievements of pupils are recognised and praised. The quality of teaching varies, but is never less than satisfactory and is particularly strong in Years 3 to 6. This is responsible for the good improvement in the standards attained in these classes. As a result, pupils leave the school with standards at least in line with those found nationally. The school’s expenditure per pupil is slightly lower than in other schools. Overall, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.7

What the school does well

• Good quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6. • Leadership and management are good and give the school a clear sense of educational direction. • Standards achieved by Year 6 pupils in information and communication technology, design and technology, physical education and art and design. • Very good relationships which exist amongst all members of the school community. • Very good provision for pupils who have special educational needs. • The very good provision for pupils’ personal development which enables them to take initiative and work independently. .

p.7

What could be improved

• Improve the quality of teaching for pupils in the Reception Year and in Years 1 and 2 from satisfactory to good. • Raise standards in mathematics by the end of Year 2. • Improve provision for pupils in the Reception Year. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection in September 1997. Standards in literacy have been improving at a faster rate than the national trend and inspection evidence suggests that more pupils are set to achieve higher levels of attainment at the end of Year 6. Standards in information and communication technology have improved markedly since the last inspection and are now above national expectations for all pupils in the school. Annual reports for children are now very good. They include comprehensive statements on what pupils have done as well as a detailed section on individual achievements. Better planning and teaching have improved pupils’ attainment in religious education. Donisthorpe Primary School - 8

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.8

Key

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

p.8

Key

In the 2001 National Curriculum tests, the percentage of pupils achieving the expected level, Level 4, in English, mathematics and science was in line with the national average but too few pupils reached the higher Level 5. As a result, overall standards in the three subjects were below the national average. The school is working successfully to address this issue. Inspection evidence points to more pupils being on course to achieve the higher Level 5 in the current Year 6. The use of ability sets in mathematics lessons, booster classes after school and the timetabling of subjects to make use of specific teachers’ expertise have improved standards in Years 3 to 6. Despite below average standards in national tests at the end of Year 6, improvement over time has exceeded the national trend. The school has set appropriate targets for pupils in Year 6. These are supported with initiatives to improve standards such

p.8

Key

as the provision of more teaching assistants and “Springboards” – a government teaching programme to improve pupils’ standards in mathematics. By the end of Year 6, standards in art and design, design and technology, information and communication technology and physical education are good and above those usually found in primary schools. Information and communication technology has improved particularly well due to very good teaching and significantly improved resources. Standards are satisfactory in all other subjects. Pupils’ standards in reading and writing at the end of Year 2 are in line with national averages but are below the national average in mathematics. Standards in mathematics in Year 2 are low because work set for pupils is not always sufficiently challenging. Children are on course to meet the national targets for their age group at the end of the Reception Year, due to satisfactory

p.8

Key

teaching. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school and achieve the highest standards of which they are capable. This is as a result of consistently good teaching by the special needs teachers and the very effective support from teaching assistants during lessons .

p.8

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes to school are good. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs, show interest and have a positive attitude to their work.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and in the playground is good.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development and relationships within the school are very good.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is satisfactory. Donisthorpe Primary School - 9 Pupils respond to good teaching by working hard and concentrating well in order to achieve high standards. Pupils’ good behaviour in lessons extends to all parts of the school day including lunch sessions and outside playtime . The very good relationships which exist within the school have a positive influence on pupils’ learning. Pupils respond well when given responsibility such as helping in the classroom and participating in ‘house’ events or being part of the school council.

p.8

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

Quality of teaching Satisfactory 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.

p.9

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

The quality of teaching is good overall. There has been a significant improvement since the school was last inspected, especially in Years 3 to 6, where teaching is invariably good and sometimes very good or excellent. Teaching is satisfactory in the reception and Years 1 and 2 classes. Teaching is less effective in these year groups because it is not always planned to meet the needs of the different ages and abilities within the mixed-age classes. Teachers throughout the school make very good use of questioning that encourages pupils to think and to draw upon their existing knowledge or skills to find the answers. Individual expertise amongst the teachers of the older pupils has benefited the pupils. The teaching of English and mathematics is good in Years 3 to 6 but there are some weaknesses in reception and Years 1 and 2. These mainly relate to work which is not always suitably challenging for

p.9

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

older pupils. Pupils often work on loose worksheets which are not kept together. This makes it difficult for pupils to see what they need to do to improve and for teachers to track pupils’ progress. Pupils with special educational needs are included very effectively in all areas of teaching.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a good curriculum that is balanced and broadly based.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Very effective support from teachers and well trained teaching assistants, both in the classroom and in withdrawal groups, makes a positive contribution to the standards pupils achieve. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good.

p.9

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides very good care for its pupils. Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are good.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The school has established a good partnership with parents. All pupils have equal access to all aspects of the curriculum. The curriculum is enriched by the development of a good programme for personal, social and health education including citizenship.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- Good. The headteacher and her senior management team lead and Donisthorpe Primary School - 10 ment by the headteacher and other key staff manage the school well. They make effective use of lesson observations to promote high standards.

p.9

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors meet their statutory responsibilities. They support the headteacher well and bring a great deal of business and financial expertise to the school.

p.10

Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Following a thorough school self-evaluation exercise, the headteacher and senior staff have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and have identified areas for further development and improvement.

p.10

Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The school makes excellent use of specific grants to improve the building and to buy good quality learning resources.

p.10

Aspect Comment

The school has been very effective in matching the number of teachers to meet the demands of the curriculum. Teaching assistants provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs. There is a lack of well trained support staff for the youngest children. Improvements have been identified in order to improve standards in mathematics at the end of Year 2. Good use is made of the accommodation. The use of best value principles is good.

p.10

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and the school expects children to work hard and achieve their best. • The school is well led and managed. • Behaviour in school is good, even at lunchtimes and when their children were using the library unsupervised. • The school has improved in recent years with better national test results and improved buildings and resources such as the computer suite. • Clearer, more structured and consistent homework. • A greater variety of out of school activities. • Transitional arrangements for children from Moira Infants’ School so that they do not mark time in Year 3.

p.10

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents’ favourable views far outweigh the few concerns. Inspectors broadly agree with parents’ positive views but do not entirely agree with what parents would like to see improved. Homework is used well in most classes and its use has improved since the last inspection. Through good links and effective liaison with Moira Infants’ School, the ongoing care of pupils is ensured. Pupil record folders contain all the records from their time at Moira Infants’ School and these are used well to ensure a smooth transition from Years 2 to 3. The school provides a good number and range of clubs which meet after school. These include netball, football, drama, computers and Year 6 booster classes in English and mathematics. Donisthorpe Primary School - 11

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Initial school assessment confirms that children’s attainment on entry to school is in line with the standards expected nationally.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. When pupils leave to attend their secondary school they achieve standards in line with national averages and expectations in all subjects other than in art, information and communication technology, design and technology and physical education where standards are above those expected nationally. This is a great improvement on the previous inspection where information and communication technology was below national expectations, religious education was below standards expected in the locally agreed syllabus and standards in literacy were only just adequate. In recognition of its improvement in standards between 1996 and 2000, the school has received an award from the Department for Education and Skills.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Children in the Foundation Stage are on target to reach the early learning goals by the end of the Reception Year. Their progress is satisfactory, but is not better than this because teachers and teaching assistants do not always have a clear enough understanding of the learning objectives for the work in each area of learning. There is no sufficiently trained teaching assistant to ensure that the learning needs of these young children are fully met in the mixed-age classes.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Although there was some improvement in the 2001 National Curriculum tests in mathematics at the end of Year 2, standards are still below the national average. Inspection findings concur with these results. Insufficiently challenging tasks and poorly recorded work which does not give either pupils or teachers a clear indication of progress have a negative impact on standards. Standards in reading, writing and science at the end of Year 2 are in line with the national average but, again, the recording of pupils’ work in Years 1 and 2 have some weaknesses. Pupils’ progress is limited as their work is often undated, incomplete and unmarked. This makes it difficult for both teachers and pupils to know what needs to be done to improve standards of attainment.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The quality of work seen during the inspection show standards attained by Year 6 pupils in English, mathematics and science to be in line with the national average. In national tests, standards in these subjects have risen faster than the national trend since the school was last inspected in 1997. The school has set challenging Year 6 targets in numeracy and literacy and has outlined effectively the support needed for pupils to achieve the targets. Additional support has included the deployment of extra teaching assistants to help lower attaining pupils achieve test results in line with national expectations.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The continued successful implementation of the National Literacy Strategy in Years 3 to 6 has helped improve standards. The good quality of teaching in these year groups, together with effective planning of the literacy hour, has resulted in more pupils achieving higher levels than those expected nationally in Year 6. Pupils are presented with challenging work and teachers have high expectations of them to write in a range of styles such as letters to America, following the terrorist attacks in New York, and diary writing by Harry Potter.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The system of teaching numeracy in sets for Years 3 to 6 is helping to raise standards in mathematics. Pupils are taught in ability groups. The narrower range of ability within each class is effective in helping teachers match work closely to the abilities of each pupil. Higher attaining pupils are now appropriately challenged and significantly more pupils are working at higher levels. Very effective questioning by teachers, where pupils are expected to explain their answers or suggest how to solve problems, also raises standards. The school has identified differences in the performance of boys and girls in mathematics. This has been successfully addressed Donisthorpe Primary School - 12 through careful lesson planning and the provision of after-school booster classes in single-sex groups. 8. Most pupils throughout the school achieve well in the investigative and experimental elements of the science curriculum. The school had identified this aspect of science as an area for

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

improvement and has been successful in raising standards. The dynamic leadership of information and communication technology, together with the co-ordinator’s rapid improvement in his own knowledge and understanding of the subject, has had a very positive impact on pupils’ attainment. New software and hardware in the computer suite has enabled changes from small- group to whole-class teaching. This has also improved standards. Standards in religious education have risen as a result of the co-ordinator’s hard work in improving teachers’ planning and ensuring adequate time is given to the teaching of religious education throughout the school.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school and achieve the highest standards of which they are capable. Consistently good teaching by the special needs teachers and the very effective support from teaching assistants during lessons ensures pupils progress well. The extremely low number of pupils who have English as an additional language take a full part in all lessons. During a Year 3-4 science lesson, one pupil, to whom English was a third language, was actively encouraged to make suggestions as to how certain materials melt when heated. He was able to explain that cheese would melt on pizza when it was baked in an oven.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Attitudes to school and behaviour in lessons are good throughout the school. Pupils like coming to school, are eager to learn and engage willingly in the activities offered them by their teachers. A welcoming environment is created by the pupils who are extremely polite and friendly. Pupils’ good behaviour in lessons extends to all parts of the school day including lunch sessions and outside playtime. Pupils all play happily together at lunchtime and there is no evidence of problems for any particular group of pupils. The school provides adequate, discreet supervision for these sessions. The whole school community is harmonious and orderly and the intervention required by mid-day supervisors is minimal. There is no evidence of any oppressive behaviour such as bullying, sexism or racism and this is supported by the absence of any permanent exclusions. There was only one temporary exclusion last year.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. A strength of the school is the very good relationships which exist within it. This has a positive influence on learning. All pupils work well together, for example in a Year 4 literacy session where they quickly settled to work in groups well and in a Year 5 and 6 numeracy lesson where they were seen to share resources well. Pupils listen extremely well to teachers and to each other and are good at waiting their turn. The school ethos, supported by these very good relationships and good behaviour, enables the pupils to develop their personal skills, such as co- operating well when working in groups, as they move through the school.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils respond well when given responsibility such as helping in the classroom and participating in ‘house’ events or being part of the school council. The ‘house’ system plays an important part in their development where such events as the weekly house assemblies give them the opportunities to meet and work with pupils of all ages within the school. Each house has a house captain and an assistant house captain who jointly form the school council. Whilst still in its infancy, the school council clearly demonstrates that the school is encouraging the pupils to take an active part in the running of the school. Within the classroom there is total inclusion of all the pupils through purposeful question and answer sessions and the pupils are confident and keen to respond. The good mixture of independent work, group work and homework all contribute to the development of pupils’ personal skills.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The attendance figures at the school in recent years have been slightly below national averages with levels of unauthorised absence below. The main reasons for this are extended family holidays and medical reasons. The attendance figures, at present, are very close to the national average and this is not an area of concern. The school is monitoring attendance figures well and Donisthorpe Primary School - 13 is making parents aware of the need for regular attendance through its newsletters and prospectus. The award of house points and celebration assemblies provide opportunities to encourage pupils to attend well.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching is good overall and there has been a significant improvement since the school was last inspected in 1997, especially in Years 3 to 6. At that time a third of all the lessons seen were taught well but one tenth of the teaching was unsatisfactory. In this inspection inspectors found that the quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 was at least good in almost ninety per cent of the lessons and satisfactory in the rest. Of this good teaching thirty- three per cent was very good or excellent. In the classes for reception children and Years 1 and 2 pupils most of the teaching was at least satisfactory and over thirty-three per cent was good. All the very high quality teaching was in Years 3 to 6. A strength of the teaching throughout the school is the use teachers make of questioning that encourages pupils to think and to draw upon already acquired knowledge or skills to find the answer. The use of individual expertise amongst

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

the teachers of the older pupils has resulted in the pupils receiving a rich and varied curriculum that is taught well.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. Teachers’ planning for Years 3 to 6 is of good quality. It is detailed and sets out clearly what pupils should learn. Plans include work for the different abilities of the pupils. Teaching assistants have access to these plans and the support for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The planning for literacy and numeracy is particularly effective. These teachers have high expectations of their pupils’ abilities and the planning reflects this. They have worked hard to extend the learning of higher achieving pupils. Pupils in these years are arranged in ability groups for mathematics. Within these groups the teachers fine-tune the planning to meet the needs of the different abilities within each group. The planning for reception and Years 1 and 2 pupils is less effective. The work set for Years 1 and 2 does not make sufficient allowance for the different ages in the class. Although there is planning in place for children in the Reception Year,

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

they spend much of their time working with pupils in Year 1 and sometimes with Year 2 as well. They do not have sufficient access to the curriculum for the Foundation Stage, which is specially designed for their age group. The teachers in reception and Years 1-2 do not make the best use of the teaching assistants to plan appropriate work for the different ages of the children and pupils.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. The management of pupils is good in the younger classes and very good in Years 3 to 6. Teachers are sensitive to pupils’ individual needs and, in Years 3 to 6, take great pains to value each pupil’s work and efforts. For example, in an excellent mathematics lesson a pupil who finds written work difficult glowed with pride as the teacher praised his accurate writing of the date and title of his work. Pupils’ ideas were highly valued and, at the end of the lesson when the teacher’s very careful planning and management of time enabled all the pupils to meet the objectives of the lesson, her genuine delight was a real boost to their self-esteem. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 receive similar praise in their lessons, but sometimes this is given too indiscriminately when pupils are given inappropriate praise for work and effort of a limited standard. Pupils’ written work is celebrated and valued in Years 3 to 6 and teachers expect that

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

the work will be well presented and represent pupils’ best efforts. Teachers’ comments in the pupils’ books reflect these expectations so the quality of the written work is good. However, in Years 1 and 2, most of the written work is on separate worksheets. At the end of these lessons the work is filed away so the pupils do not know what the teachers think of their work. As a result, much of the work is incomplete and untidy and it is very difficult to see if the pupils are improving. This stops pupils from taking a pride in their written work.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Basic skills are well taught in Years 3 to 6. The teaching of literacy has been particularly successful since the last inspection and the work covered in literacy lessons is often extended through other subjects. In a mathematics lesson in Year 6, for example, the teacher used the aid to learning “Along the corridor and up the stairs” to help the pupils remember how to plot coordinates, linking this with a recent literacy lesson. Reading is taught well throughout the school. Books and stories are highly valued so the pupils enjoy reading and standards in reading are above average amongst the oldest pupils. In mathematics lessons pupils are expected to Donisthorpe Primary School - 14 apply their skills to solve problems and to find the most appropriate way to calculate and record their work. The teachers’ questioning skills challenge pupils and extend their learning so that they make good progress. Information and communication technology is used effectively to

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

research, present text graphics and charts and to measure data such as temperature and time. In all classes, the teachers’ expertise and high expectations generate a commitment to succeed in the pupils.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. In Years 1 and 2, the basic skills’ teaching is not so effective. This is because the work is not matched closely enough to the needs of the different age groups in the classes. . Pupils in Year 2 do not always have work that challenges them and the younger children are often given work that is too difficult for them. Because pupils in these classes do not have access to their previous work they, and their teachers, are unable to ensure that the work improves from week to week. Pupils do not have a record of their previous learning and do not know what they have to do to improve. The work on commercial worksheets does not teach the pupils how to set out their work correctly to aid calculation or to organise their writing independently. Without this clear picture of their progress it is difficult for the pupils know what is expected of them or to take a pride in their achievements. The teachers are aware of the need to amend their teaching and already have

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

plans to reduce the number of worksheets and review the deployment of the good support staff and the combination of age groups in the lessons.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. A good range of methods was used in all stages. When direct teaching was appropriate, teachers carefully explained what pupils had to do and taught new knowledge or skills very clearly. If individuals or groups of pupils required specific attention, teachers gave precise coaching points for improvement. This was often the case in physical education and more often than not in other subjects too. For example, teachers often demonstrate skills or techniques in most lessons and participate in role-play activities, which in turn help pupils become more involved. In the class for the youngest children , for example, the teacher visited the class as Goldilocks and was questioned by the class. Some interesting questions evolved and when she left the class and returned seconds later, the pupils told her that Goldilocks has visited, showing real empathy with the role-play.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers in Years 3 to 6 are good at assessing how well the pupils are learning in the lessons, often adjusting the content to meet individual or class needs. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have personal targets for literacy and numeracy and know what they have to do to improve. The marking in the Years 3 to 6 is usually informative. . Assessment procedures for reception and Years 1 and 2 pupils are unsatisfactory. Teachers do not use pupils’ work to identify strengths, weaknesses or rates of progress.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Homework is used well in most classes and its use has improved since the last inspection. In Years 3 to 6, homework is often used as a preparation for work in school or to extend learning through challenges or independent research. Throughout the school pupils are expected to read regularly at home and to learn mathematical facts or spellings. The setting of homework is flexible to adapt to curricular needs but teachers take care to ensure that their pupils are not overloaded. A real strength in the teaching throughout the school is the way teachers expect the pupils to work independently or in pairs or groups as a regular part of the daily routine. This has had a positive impact on pupils’ behaviour, attitudes and their ability to learn for themselves a skill that is valuable for life beyond school.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers plan lessons very well to meet the needs of all pupils with special educational needs. Teachers make very good use of target setting. This motivates pupils and leads to very focused teaching and learning. The very effective support from well trained classroom assistants, both in the classroom and in withdrawal groups, is making a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development as well as the standards being achieved.

p.14

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Donisthorpe Primary School - 15 23. Overall, the school provides a good curriculum that is balanced and broadly based. For pupils in the reception and Years 1 and 2 classes, the curriculum and range of learning opportunities are satisfactory. This does not accord with the previous report where the curriculum was said to be good. The planned curriculum for the reception aged children covers the six areas of learning and is linked to the early learning goals in the national guidelines. However, the actual experiences given to these children are more inclined to the National Curriculum as they are taught with Year 1 pupils. When there is team teaching within the first two classes in the school, the Year 2 pupils are not sufficiently challenged and the written work produced is rather limited.

p.15

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. The school has dealt very well with the issues relating to the curriculum in the previous report. For example the policies and schemes of work for religious education and information and communication technology have been reviewed and up-dated. As a result, standards have improved in both subjects. The curriculum is further enriched by a very good programme for personal, social and health education, and by visits and study support that involve many individuals and groups.

p.15

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The percentage of time allocated for all subjects is appropriate. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements and there are good links between subjects.

p.15

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. Pupils at all levels of special educational need are very well provided for and well supported. The wide range of well qualified teaching assistants and support staff ensure that all pupils are able to take part in a suitable range of activities that help them to make good progress.

p.15

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. Teachers plan literacy and numeracy lessons well, using recommendations in the national strategies. They structure lessons appropriately paying due attention to the need for class instruction as well as individual and group work.

p.15

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The school provides a good number and range of extra-curricular clubs. These include netball, football, drama, computers and Year 6 booster classes in English and mathematics. The curriculum is also greatly enhanced by visits to such places as the local places of worship, Twycross Zoo and the National Space Centre. Visitors also widen pupils’ experience. For example, they have been involved in dance workshops, Victorian Art presentation, theatre productions and a recycling roadshow.

p.15

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The school has a very good programme of work for personal, social and health education. This contributes to the good overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There are weekly lessons for pupils and the school is involved in several worthwhile initiatives. For example, visitors from the Life Education Services, including police and nurses, talk to pupils and parents about such things as drugs awareness. Appropriate sex education is provided through the curriculum.

p.15

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. There are very good links with the community that support pupils’ personal development and learning. The school’s positive links with the local church, and Youth for Christ organisation, add to the enrichment of its curriculum and to its aims and values. Links with the local business community make a significant positive impact on what the school provides. For example, links with the mining company is leading to the provision of a large area of land for sporting activities. Overall, links with the community have a very strong and positive influence in helping the school to achieve its aims.

p.15

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. There are good links with partner institutions. Contacts are maintained with local playgroups and a nursery as children prepare to come into the reception class. There is a very close working relationship with the local infants’ school and good induction processes. Relationships with the college to which the Year 6 pupils go are good, with good induction procedures. Another local secondary school to which pupils go at the age of fifteen, provides further curriculum enrichment in the form of access to their swimming facilities and visits from their staff and students for promoting pupils’ learning in subjects such as science. Donisthorpe Primary School - 16 32. Provision for spiritual development has improved since the last inspection and is now good. Good opportunities are taken, through assemblies, for pupils to experience a special time that is different from the normal activities of the classroom. The atmosphere in assemblies is one of

p.15

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

calm. Time is taken for pupils to reflect on what has been said and to pray. Music is used to create a particular mood and songs are appropriate to the themes and are sung enthusiastically by the pupils. There are good relationships amongst the whole school community. Overall, assemblies comply with the requirements for the act of collective worship. There are good opportunities in lessons to develop pupils’ spirituality about the world and their place in it. Many teachers exploit these opportunities well. Younger pupils are particularly open to the wonders around them. In one geography lesson, pupils show a genuine sense of awe and wonder as they see a slide of sky scrapers in America. Older pupils are tremendously excited as they watch the temperature drop as they monitor what happens when ice melts. During a religious education lesson, about God as a father, pupils thought about people who had been a good influence on

p.16

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

their lives and how grateful they should be.

p.16

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The school’s provision for pupils’ moral development is good. The school promotes a clear understanding of right and wrong and the pupils understand the school’s expectation of good behaviour. Class rules are drawn up and prominently displayed. Good work and behaviour are recognised by the award of team points and stickers and further recognition is given through assemblies. Moral issues are regularly tackled in personal, social and health education lessons and in assemblies. In one lesson, pupils wrote down arguments for and against fox hunting. In another lesson pupils, gave their views on the effects on the environment of building a tourist centre in a valley. Money is regularly raised for charities and pupils are aware of the needs of others. After the recent tragedy in America, older pupils wrote letters of sympathy to the President of the United States. One younger pupil was very pleased with the personal reply she

p.16

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. The provision for pupils’ social development is good. Issues such as community and citizenship are explored in personal, social and health education lessons. In one lesson pupils thought about the consequences to a village community, if a quarry was developed nearby. Positive relationships are successfully promoted and pupils are encouraged to show consideration and sensitivity for the needs of others in the school and in the wider community. In lessons, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to co-operate as they work in the classrooms or hall. Good examples of this are seen, particularly in physical education lessons. Sporting activities give pupils excellent opportunities to learn fair play and co-operation as team spirit is promoted. The school further promotes this through the good house system that has been developed. Older pupils are given opportunities to take on responsibility through such things as being house

p.16

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

captains and being members of the school council.

p.16

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is good and has a positive impact on their learning. In history lessons, pupils learn about civilisations from the past such as the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks and how they influence lifestyles today. In geography they find out how people live in the present in their own area and as they study life in an Indian village. Pupils listen to and appreciate music such as ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ by Bach. In religious education lessons the pupils learn about people who belong to such faiths as Christianity, Hinduism and Islam and the ways in which these people live and celebrate their faith. Pupils also visit local places of worship such as the church, chapel and mosque. They study their own culture through visits to such places as Sarah’s Wood, the National Forest, a coal mining site, the Ashby Canal and Moira Furnace. Pupils develop a good understanding of the diversity of other cultures through

p.16

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

music, art, and stories from other lands and traditions. Year 6 pupils have interesting reviews of African stories in the library. However, pupils’ understanding about people with widely different backgrounds and beliefs that live in our community is not quite so well developed.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The provision for the welfare of the pupils is very good and is underpinned by the strong ethos of the school. Close relationships within school ensure that the children are well known to staff. Donisthorpe Primary School - 17 Staff, parents and governors work together for the good of the school. This is a caring school where there is a warm welcoming environment and where the staff are open and friendly. 37. The school’s comprehensive health and safety policy ensures the safety of its pupils. Governors with specific responsibilities for premises and health and safety are very knowledgeable about these aspects. The policy and procedures are scheduled for review this year. Risk assessments are well addressed in the school including, as well as routine matters, school visits and new activities. The school carries out all required health and safety procedure checks such as fire evacuation practices, alarm checks, chemical and other hazardous substances regulations and

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school has a well equipped medical room and several formally trained first aid staff, as well as many staff trained in emergency aid. Accident books are kept in each classroom as well as in the medical room. The relationship with the school nurse is very close. Links with external services and agencies are very good.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Procedures for child protection are good and meet legal requirements. The headteacher is the child protection officer and is fully trained. All staff are aware of child protection requirements and the school includes training in the issues as part of its induction process for newly qualified teachers. The deputy is briefed to deputise for the headteacher when necessary.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Procedures for monitoring attendance are sound. Registration procedures are efficient. Regular or unauthorised absences are followed up through the education welfare officer. Procedures for encouraging good attendance are in place and these include encouraging pupils by class and individual rewards for attendance as well as reminding parents of requirements

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The behaviour of the pupils in and around school clearly reflects the effectiveness of the school’s procedures for managing behaviour. The school behaviour policy, which was reviewed recently, is clearly well known to staff and used consistently around the school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The monitoring of pupils’ personal development is very good within the school. Aspects of personal development are recorded and reviewed by staff as well as being reported to and discussed with parents. Pupils are set appropriate targets for development. Comments on personal development aspects are incorporated in the very good reports which are sent home each year.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school has good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. Pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics is regularly tested using non-statutory national tests and other tests in Years 3 to 6. These are used to sort pupils into ability groups for mathematics and identify when pupils need extra support for literacy and numeracy. Progress in reading and spelling are regularly checked. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are set personal targets for literacy and numeracy based on these tests and teachers’ assessments of their class and written work. Teachers use the data from the children’s assessments when they join the reception class to predict their likely achievements at the end of Year 2. Throughout the school, pupils’ achievements in every subject of the curriculum are recorded at the end of each unit of work, with a grade to indicate how well they have coped with the work. These records are passed on from

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

year to year and are used to inform the reports for parents at the end of each year. There are no procedures yet for tracking pupils’ rates of progress as they move through the school but training to use an electronic system is planned.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The outcomes of assessments have been used well in Years 3 to 6 to plan work adapted to meet pupils’ needs, notably in literacy and numeracy. There has been some analysis of pupils’ achievements in other subjects to ensure that the curriculum is helping pupils make progress, though this is not fully developed. Assessment outcomes are not used well enough to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of reception and Year 1 and 2 pupils. In a science lesson, for example, Year 1 and Year 2 carried out the same experiment at the same level. Donisthorpe Primary School - 18 45. Improved assessment procedures and record keeping ensure pupils’ progress is continuously monitored

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Parents are very supportive of the school. Many are actively involved with school life through supporting events, as governors or by providing help in and around school . Parents think that their children like school and are making good progress as a result of good teaching. They think that the school is well led and managed, that behaviour is good and that the school expects children to work hard whilst helping them to become mature and sensible. Whilst parental links appear good overall there are some concerns about, the range of activities outside lessons and about the quantity of homework. Inspection findings did not support these concerns. Parents did not feel that the induction process for the children joining the school from local infants’ school were effective enough, but this view was not shared by inspectors.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. An effective home-school agreement forms the basis of the partnership with parents. A key feature of the partnership is the good communications provided through regular and informative newsletters. These are presented in an easy to read format and cover all relevant issues. Parents’ meetings are organised to allow all parents to participate and the school’s open door policy allows parents to talk about their child when they wish. Annual reports for children are very good; they include comprehensive statements on what the children have done as well as a detailed section on individual achievements. The school prospectus is well presented and comprehensive.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The headteacher leads what is effectively a ‘working party’ to organise social and fundraising events and this operates under the name of the friends’ group. Activities are well supported with both fundraising and social events being held during the year and these make a good contribution to the school.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents support their children’s learning by meeting the requirements of the home-school agreement, listening to them read regularly and encouraging them to do their homework. A large number of parents are actively involved in school on a regular basis, both in the lessons and around the school. Opportunities are available for parents to benefit from the school through the school’s links with other organisations, for example parents attend numeracy training provided in school through a local college which enables them in turn to support their children’s learning.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The quality of leadership and management is good. This has been maintained since the school was last inspected. The school has appointed some good quality teachers and teaching assistants since the last inspection and this is having a positive impact on standards, particularly in Years 3 to 6. All newly appointed staff are supported very well by the headteacher, her senior management team and the governors. Newly appointed teachers have settled very well to their role as subject co-ordinators. Subjects are managed well and co-ordinators give good support to colleagues with lesson planning and use of resources.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The headteacher is consultative and has an open style of management. This is valued by all staff, governors and parents. Staff are very supportive of each other and form a very strong, caring team. The school has a good set of aims based on the provision of a caring environment which is conducive to learning and in which pupils feel valued and secure.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher and key staff make effective use of lesson observations to promote high standards. Areas for improvement seen during these observations, such as opportunities for more effective use of teaching assistants, are discussed with all concerned before becoming school Donisthorpe Primary School - 19 policy. The senior management of the school know where weaknesses in standards exist, such as in mathematics at the end of Year 2, and are taking steps to address these.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The management of special educational needs by the special educational needs co-ordinator is excellent. The provision for pupils who have special educational needs was a strength of the school at the last inspection. This is still the case but there have also been significant improvements. Professional development has been a priority for the special educational needs co-ordinator, special needs teachers and teaching assistants and their knowledge and expertise have increased, especially in the area of dyslexia

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The governing body is very supportive of the headteacher. They know their school well and are keen to see it improve. Governors with responsibility for literacy, numeracy and special educational needs know their subjects well and are very supportive of the subject co-ordinators. They have a clear and agreed focus for visits to classrooms which helps them understand both how pupils are taught and how they learn. The chair of governors has a very clear vision for the future of the school and is involved with all governors in reviewing standards and setting challenging targets to help raise standards. Governors are active in the development of their school. They have completed a detailed study of the use of the school buildings and have made useful recommendations that the hall needs extending and that a suitable play area for Foundation Stage children could be developed at the front of the school. The governing body

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

meets all its statutory responsibilities.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Financial planning is good. Initiatives in the school development plan are carefully costed. Areas for development have appropriate time-scales, areas of responsibility and set criteria against which success can be judged. School development and improvement are regularly and thoroughly monitored at governors’ meetings. The school’s budget is prepared well by the headteacher and is agreed and monitored closely by the governors’ finance committee.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. As a result of the vision of the headteacher and the financial and business acumen of members of the governing body, the school makes excellent use of a variety of grants and specific funding. Funding, from sources such as housing developers and the company responsible for the former mining industry in the area, has enabled the school to make excellent extensions and improvements to the building. Governors are successful at applying the principles of best value when making spending decisions. Three tenders are sought before any major projects are begun. When the school was in need of new computers, careful consideration was given to the advantages and disadvantages of both leasing or buying before a final decision was made. Standards have improved in information and communication technology since the last inspection. Part of this improvement has come about by the school’s use of government grants to enable

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

pupils to access the Internet and for the training of teachers under the New Opportunities Funding scheme. Office procedures and the day-to-day administration of the school are good. The secretary is efficient in her management of the school’s finance, personnel and pupils’ data and has been commended for her work by the local education authority’s audit and bursary teams.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The school has been very effective in matching the number of teachers and teaching assistants to meet the demands of the curriculum. This has been particularly successful in raising the attainment of pupils who have special educational needs. The school’s accommodation is good. The very good quality of pupils’ work on display around the school creates a very attractive working environment for the whole school community. Good use is made of the school’s attractive and well-stocked library. The hall, though small, provides adequate accommodation for daily assemblies, after-school clubs and physical education lessons. The teaching and learning in lessons are enhanced by the use of good range of quality resources. These are used particularly well in numeracy and literacy lessons.

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Donisthorpe Primary School - 20 58. In order to build on the strengths of the school and ensure further improvement, the headteacher, staff and governing body should:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 from satisfactory to good by:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Matching work more accurately to the ages and abilities of the pupils; • Ensuring work is recorded in a way that helps both pupils and teachers to have a clear indication of how much progress has been made; • Marking work regularly so pupils’ errors can be quickly rectified. (Paragraphs 4, 15, 16, 18, 20, 44, 73, 92)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Raise standards in mathematics at the end of Year 2 by;

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Setting more challenging mathematical activities for higher attaining pupils and all pupils in Year 2; • Improving teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve; • Ensuring pupils have continued access to their work to see what they have learnt and what they need to do in order to improve. (Paragraphs 4, 16, 18, 23, 80, 82, 87)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve provision for children in the Foundation Stage by;

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensuring the effective use of teaching assistants to meet the needs of the children; • Planning activities with clear learning objectives that will help children achieve the early learning goals more rapidly. (Paragraphs 3, 61, 62, 68) Donisthorpe Primary School - 21

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 34

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 235

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 12.5

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 9

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 19.4

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 25

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 15

p.21

Attendance

School data 6.5 School data 0.0 Donisthorpe Primary School - 22 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.21

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Donisthorpe Primary School - 23

p.22

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 6 11 17

p.23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 9 10

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (65) 77 (60) 83 (75) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.23

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 10 10

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (65) 83 (55) 83 (75) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.23

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

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

p.23

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

As there are fewer than eleven boys in the table their totals have been omitted.

p.23

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 30 30 60

p.23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys 22 23 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 25 22 29

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 78 (74) 75 (77) 92 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.23

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys 17 19 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 21 22 27

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 63 (67) 68 (74) 90 (88) Donisthorpe Primary School - 24 at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.23

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

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

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups

p.24

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.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.8 Financial year 2000/2001

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.7

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 420736

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 417074

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 144 Expenditure per pupil 1682

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 17943

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 21605

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Donisthorpe Primary School - 25

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 38 49 4 0 9

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 33 55 2 2 8

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 16 62 15 3 4

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 30 46 13 5 6

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 50 38 6 2 4

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 47 44 2 2 5

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 31 46 16 5 2

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 45 43 1 2 9

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 40 46 2 2 10

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 26 36 16 5 17

p.25

Other issues raised by parents

Improved liaison needed between Moira Infants’ School and Donisthorpe Primary School. Pupils’ poor behaviour on the school busses. Donisthorpe Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. Children’s attainment on entry to the school is in line with the standards expected nationally; this is confirmed by initial school assessments. Children enter the school in small numbers, in September and January. They are taught in a mixed class of reception and Year 1 pupils.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Most children have had some pre-school experience either in the village playgroup or private nurseries. Effective links have been established with parents; a starting school booklet, two parents’ evenings during the year and an end of year report. These links help parents to be involved in their children’s education from an early age.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. The curriculum is planned according to the areas of learning and the early learning goals, but in practice, the children are receiving the more formal curriculum which is planned for Year 1 pupils. There is no specifically trained support assistant for these children to ensure that they receive appropriate teaching.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is mostly satisfactory. The present practice of team teaching in the afternoons does not always ensure that the reception children are given appropriate work based on their identified learning needs. Planning does not always show clearly the learning objectives for the activities in each area of learning so that the teacher, the classroom assistant and the children are aware of the progress that is expected. Overall, though, the broadly satisfactory teaching means that the children in the reception class are likely to reach the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the end of the year.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. At the last inspection the education of the youngest children was judged to be a growing strength of the school; this is no longer the case.

p.26

Personal, social and emotional development

64. When the children are receiving direct teaching, this area is addressed well, for example, during a cooking activity when the children made porridge. There are other times, though, when they are part of a larger class when this area does not receive as high a priority. The teacher’s expectations for children’s listening, not calling out and taking turns are not always applied firmly and consistently. When the children are engaged in activities in which they are really interested, sharing a book with an adult or working on the computer, they listen and respond appropriately, but as yet, they have not learnt to do this as part of a larger group. The group of four children who started in September is satisfactorily integrated into the class indicating that by the end of the year all children are on course to achieve the early learning goals in this area.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

65. The occasions when the youngest children are working in a group with an adult provide good opportunities for them to communicate, for example, when they used cubes, cuboids and square based pyramids to construct models of churches, castles and other buildings. Children listen fairly well in the introductory part of the literacy hour when the Big Book is being shared, but they sometimes lose interest towards the end. In a dance lesson, most of the youngest children listened carefully and responded to the instructions. Children are beginning to associate sounds with letters, to recognise some high frequency words, know how to look at a book and tell a story from a sequence of pictures. This indicates that they are on course to achieve the early learning goals for this area of learning by the end of the year. There is an over-dependence on completing worksheets, however. Many of them are carelessly done, for example handwriting and alphabet

p.26

Mathematical development

66. Children are developing satisfactory counting skills. They can name the most common shapes, circle, square, triangle and oblong and say how many sides each has. They can sort these shapes using written labels of their names. They have difficulty printing a repeating pattern using two shapes and are more interested in just making a line of coloured shapes.Effective demonstration by the teacher helps the children to program a computerised robot to move forwards and backwards and gives the children the opportunity to use their counting purposefully.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

67. Pupils have a satisfactory understanding of their world. They are given opportunities to use the environment and see the changes that take place throughout the year. They know the name of the queen and why it is an important year for her. They know that dinosaurs lived millions of years ago and that some were plant eaters and some ate meat. They look at a variety of toys, a remote control car, robot, friction car, clockwork dinosaur; wooden train set and investigate the way the toys move. They realise the remote control car needs batteries and that it moves faster than the other toys. They build a slope for the wooden car to make it move without pushing. As a result of such planned activities the children are on course to achieve the expected standards by the end of the year.

p.27

Creative development

68. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities for creative development although some of the activities planned in the joint art and craft afternoon with Year 1 and Year 2 pupils were comparatively low level and undemanding. For example they made a cardboard cut out of a dinosaur and coloured dinosaur masks with felt tip pens. The children making a dinosaur hatching from an egg with clay had a more creative experience. In the role-play area three children organised themselves to act out part of the story of The Three Bears – a follow up to the work in literacy. The children used percussion instruments properly to respond to a piece of music, recognising that some notes are long and some are short. They can copy a short pattern. Children are likely to meet the expected standards in this area by the end of the year.

p.27

Physical development

69. Pupils are provided with satisfactory opportunities for physical development. When the weather is suitable they go outside with balls, ropes and hoops. They listened well and responded appropriately to music creating a dance linked to the story of The Three Little Pigs. They were given opportunities to repeat the sequence to improve the quality of movement – creeping like a fierce wolf, pleading with a pig and huffing and puffing. They have regular opportunities to play with wheeled toys and are developing satisfactory control to avoid crashes. In the classroom they handle pencils, crayons and scissors confidently, for example when drawing figures in the style of Lowry. As a result of these experiences, the children are likely to achieve the early learning goals by the end of the year in reception .

p.27

ENGLISH

70. By Year 2 standards of work seen during the inspection were close to the national average, although there was insufficient evidence to judge whether higher attaining pupils are on course to achieve Level 3. By Year 6 standards securely match the national average and there are examples of higher attaining pupils working within Level 5. Standards have risen steadily over the last four years although there was a sharp dip in Year 2000 for pupils in Year 2.

p.27

ENGLISH

71. By the end of Year 2 most pupils are developing satisfactory skills in speaking and listening. They listen attentively to the teacher and to each other, and answer questions using full Donisthorpe Primary School - 28 sentences. By Year 6 pupils demonstrate good skills in speaking and listening as they work in other subjects. For example, Year 4 pupils explained their results of an investigation into odd and even numbers Year 5 pupils explained their findings of a scientific investigation in to sound and Year 6 pupils discussed why some animals are endangered in a personal, social and health education lesson.

p.27

ENGLISH

72. Standards in reading are in line with the national average throughout the school. By Year 2 most pupils reach the expected standard, Level 2, but fewer pupils achieve the higher standard, Level 3, than pupils in similar schools. Pupils have a range of opportunities to develop reading skills. Younger pupils read regularly to an adult, read as a small group to the teacher and read nearly every evening at home. This level of support from school and home makes a very significant contribution to the standards achieved and the progress made. Reading is managed well for the older pupils. There is a good range of attractive books and stimulating displays to encourage interest in particular authors. Pupils are encouraged to recommend books they have read. Pupils are encouraged to borrow books from the library and this has helped them to develop good library skills. Pupils use their reading skills in many other subjects when they research topics using the

p.28

ENGLISH

Internet, CD ROMs and books. Teachers’ effective use of guided reading sessions in literacy lessons has enabled the oldest pupils to develop good scanning and skimming techniques and use inference and deduction in their reading.

p.28

ENGLISH

73. Standards in writing for pupils in Year 2 are in line with the national average but this judgement is based on the very few pieces of work available. Pupils have too few opportunities to write for a range of purposes and a variety of audiences and spend too much time filling in worksheets. This impedes their progress, particularly for the more able pupils. The National Literacy Strategy is being very well implemented in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 and pupils have good opportunities to learn about sentence construction, the effect of similes and metaphors and the use of appropriate adjectives. They are presented with challenging activities to write in a range of styles including letters to America following the terrorist attacks in New York, diary writing by Harry Potter, poetry, fables, myths, legends, descriptions of characters and report writing. Pupils’ writing is very attractively displayed in classrooms and corridors, valuing their effort and their achievement, and

p.28

ENGLISH

allowing pupils to learn from each other. Literacy is used well in a range of subjects for the older pupils. For example, after a personal, social and health education lesson in Year 6 the teacher offered pupils the opportunity to make a poster or write a poem to raise the awareness of the other pupils about how we should treat the environment to prevent animals becoming endangered and extinct. This good teaching resulted in several pupils accepting the challenge and within a couple of days producing work which they had completed independently at home. This work was of a good standard and was very well presented. Handwriting is satisfactory in Year 2 although there is no evidence of pupils learning to join letters. By Year 6 all pupils are writing confidently and legibly in a fluent style.

p.28

ENGLISH

74. There is an appropriate emphasis on teaching phonics and learning to spell words that appear frequently in the English language for the younger pupils. Spelling is taught very systematically in Years 3,4,5 and 6. Spelling strategies are very well taught as well as lists of words that are learnt and tested weekly. The look, cover, write, check approach is used consistently in all classes and by the time pupils are in Year 6 spelling is at the expected standard and pupils’ work is not spoilt by careless mistakes.

p.28

ENGLISH

75. Teaching varies from satisfactory for the younger pupils in Years 1 and 2 to consistently good or better for the older pupils in Years 3 to 6. There is good use of target setting in Years 5 and 6, which leads to very well directed teaching and learning. There are many examples of good evaluative marking in classes for the older pupils. Teachers of the older pupils have high expectations, and work is accurately matched to pupils’ prior learning. Lessons have clear learning objectives, which are shared with the pupils, and there is a culture of striving for the highest possible standards. Teaching for the younger pupils lacks a clear focus of what pupils of different ages can achieve; lessons lack challenge and pace and pupils are given praise for only satisfactory effort. Pupils do not have a clear idea of what they are trying to achieve. The overuse of worksheets which are usually undated, frequently unfinished and unmarked does not provide

p.28

ENGLISH

good learning opportunities and does not encourage pupils to take a pride in their work. Donisthorpe Primary School - 29 Donisthorpe Primary School - 30 76. There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Pupils with statements receive very well targeted teaching, which enables them to make good progress. Very effective support from well-trained classroom assistants makes a significant contribution to the standards achieved and the progress made by all pupils with special educational needs.

p.28

ENGLISH

77. Behaviour in lessons was satisfactory in the classes for the younger pupils, but consistently good or very good in the classes for older pupils. This is a direct result of the high quality of teaching for the older pupils.

p.30

ENGLISH

78. Information and communication technology is used well in many literacy lessons for the older pupils. Literacy makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. An example of this was the quality of letters written to Americans after the terrorist attacks in New York. Pupils’ contributions to displays on peace, their reading books from a variety of cultures and the sharing ideas when working in small groups all contribute well to their personal development.

p.30

ENGLISH

79. The literacy co-ordinator analyses the initial assessments when pupils start school and predicts attainment at Year 2 but there are no tracking systems in place to judge progress between these points. The recent national initiatives to raise standards, Early Literacy Support and Additional Literacy Support have been implemented well and are having a positive impact on pupils’ attainment as well as their confidence. Resources are good and are used effectively by teachers.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

80. Pupils in Year 6 attain the standards expected for their age in numeracy. They have made good progress since Year 3. Standards have risen faster than the national trend since 1997 when they were well below average. Last year a similar number of Year 6 pupils achieved Level 4 as pupils in other schools nationally but fewer achieved the higher Level 5. This year, more pupils are working at the higher level. This is because the teachers challenge their pupils and teach interesting lessons that are well planned and generate good pace. Pupils work with others of similar abilities and are set work that enables them to achieve as much as they can. Standards have been well below average for pupils at the end of Year 2 for the last three years, although more pupils achieved the expected standard in the national tests in 2001. The standards achieved by the present Year 2 pupils are below the standards expected for their age and are

p.30

MATHEMATICS

below those at the time of the last inspection. This is because they are not always set work that is challenging enough. Their work is recorded on separate worksheets so they are unable to see what they need to do to improve and the teachers cannot track their pupils’ progress.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

81. There have been differences in the performance of girls and boys by the time they leave the school. The school has addressed this issue successfully through careful lesson planning, teaching in ability groups and providing after-school booster classes in single-sex groups for Year 6 pupils. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they are supported very well in their mathematics’ groups. Teaching assistants have copies of the teachers’ planning and keep records of the way the pupils perform. The teachers can then plan work to meet individual needs.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

82. By Year 2, pupils have appropriate reasoning skills and make useful contributions to class discussions. They are beginning to recognise pattern in number, for example the two times table and odd and even numbers. The most able pupils have an appropriate understanding of the four different processes used in calculation. In one lesson, for example, they used a range of +, -, x and ÷ to reach a total of 30. Most know the names of common two and three-dimensional shapes. All pupils have had some experience of using coins. They have used coins to find the area of their hands and identified lines of symmetry in shapes. The quality of the written work is poor, however. It is often unfinished, especially the work of the average and lower attaining pupils. Very little is dated so pupils’ progress over time cannot be established. Many numerals are reversed and pupils rarely use their own methods for written calculations.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

Donisthorpe Primary School - 31 83. From Year 3 onwards, pupils make good progress. Their work is readily available to them and they can see the progress they make, learning from previous errors. Teachers expect pupils to present their work well and to complete it. By Year 6, they are confident in class discussions, using their mathematical skills to solve problems in the most appropriate way. Their mental arithmetic is good. The most able pupils exceed national expectations, enjoying the challenge set by their teacher. In one lesson for example, pupils swiftly understood how to set coordinates using all four quadrants and applied this knowledge to plot a route to Jolly Roger’s treasure. Much of their work about shape and space and data handling, as well as their use and applications of number, is within the higher Level 5. All but the lower attaining pupils are working at the appropriate level for their age.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

84. The quality of the teaching and learning was at least good in all the lessons seen in Years 3 to 6 during the inspection and almost half was very good or excellent. The teaching for the pupils in Years 1 and 2 was at least satisfactory in the lessons observed. However, while pupils’ progress was apparent in samples of work taken from Years 3 to 6 this was not the case for the earlier year groups, where pupils do not make the progress they should. This is because the work set is not matched closely enough to the ages and abilities of the pupils and pupils’ work is not available to either pupils or teachers. Teachers cannot track their pupils’ performance and progress over time or use the work to plan what individuals need to do next. The pupils themselves do not have the satisfaction of seeing the progress they make over time.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

85. Throughout the school pupils are encouraged to solve problems in their own way. The way the teachers question their pupils in all the lessons preclude simple “yes” or “no” answers. Pupils are expected to explain how they arrived at their answers or suggest how to solve problems, often predicting the outcomes. This style of questioning is very effective. It is followed up in the pupils’ written work from Years 3 to 6 and the homework often extends the class work. Pupils enjoy this level of challenge and so achieve well. There are very good relationships between teachers and their pupils throughout the school and teachers are delighted when their pupils succeed. Older pupils have appropriate targets and are enthusiastic about achieving them. Pupils are encouraged to work independently or in pairs or groups. The pupils respond responsibly, often with a good level of discussion, supporting each other well. Younger pupils work as hard as they are

p.31

MATHEMATICS

expected to in their lessons but much of their written work is unfinished and very untidy and they rarely have the option of recording their work in their own way.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

86. All teachers follow the recommended structure of the National Numeracy Strategy, which they use effectively. A strength of the lessons throughout the school is the beginning of the lessons when pupils work mentally and the end of the lessons when they evaluate their progress towards the objectives for the lesson. In the best lessons the teachers use this session to whet pupils’ appetites for the next stage in their learning, generating a sense of purpose and enthusiasm to achieve. In an excellent lesson the teacher of lower ability pupils in Years 5 and 6 did not introduce the concept of the “range” in a set of data until just before the end of the lesson and just in time for her pupils to answer questions related to the range. She understood that the best way for the pupils to learn was to listen and then apply their knowledge instantly, consolidating the learning. They could all identify the range at the end of the lesson. Information and

p.31

MATHEMATICS

communication technology extends the work in the classroom. For example, pupils have used the most appropriate way to display different types of data in order to extract information and plot results like the variations in temperature in the classroom.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

87. Teachers use nationally recognised tests like the optional standard assessment tests to assess pupils’ attainment in Years 3 to 6. They use the results of these and other tests, as well as the past samples of work, to sort pupils into ability groups for mathematics lessons. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are set individual targets and each year group has a general target based on the percentages of pupils likely to achieve the expected standards for their age. Records of the pupils’ performance are passed on from year to year. These show how well pupils have achieved individual aspects of the numeracy curriculum but are not yet used to track rates of progress throughout the school in order to establish if all pupils are making the progress they are capable of. The senior managers are about to receive training in new technology to support the tracking of Donisthorpe Primary School - 32 pupils’ performance. Similar records, showing the work the pupils have covered and how well they

p.31

MATHEMATICS

have completed the task at the end of units of work, are kept for pupils in Years 1 and 2. Teachers do not track pupils’ work from day to day, however, and by the end of each unit it is too late to extend the learning of pupils who achieve well or address any problems.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

88. The mathematics co-ordinator has observed lessons in most classes in school. She has introduced the National Numeracy Strategy successfully and the school has raised attainment in Years 3 to 6 with the introduction of ability grouping and good teaching. Raising attainment for the younger pupils is a priority for school development and teachers already have plans to improve the provision and teaching for these pupils.

p.32

SCIENCE

89. Inspection findings show that pupils attain average standards by the end of Years 2 and 6. These findings are similar to those recorded in the last inspection report in 1997. Since the last inspection, there has been a steep rise in the standards achieved between 1997 and 2000 by pupils at the end of Year 6. This has not been matched by the results achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2. In 2001, these results were well below the national average. The analysis of pupils’ work and observations made during lessons indicate that most pupils achieve well in investigative work, because the school has concentrated on the investigative strand of the subject. This is leading to a significant increase in pupils’ enquiry skills and ability to record what they find independently. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Pupils with special educational needs achieve appropriate levels as a result of focused support based on

p.32

SCIENCE

90. By Year 2, pupils conduct experiments and record their results. The amount of science work recorded on paper is quite limited for Year 2 pupils. There is a strong and consistent emphasis on investigations with many opportunities for pupils to discuss what might happen and give their reasons. They predict outcomes and understand the idea of a fair test. For example, during a lesson on forces, pupils predict which vehicle will travel furthest when allowed to roll down a slope. They understand that vehicles must travel down the same inclination for the test to be fair. Pupils know that materials dissolve in water at various rates through an investigation using different sweets and water. As a fair test they understand that the volume of water in which the sweet is placed, should be the same in every case. They can identify and record on a worksheet, items in a bathroom that need to be either pulled or pushed to enable them to work. For example, a cord

p.32

SCIENCE

needs to be pulled to enable the light to be switched on and off.

p.32

SCIENCE

91. By Year 6, pupils’ higher levels of attainment are reflected in the quality of investigations and their knowledge and understanding of living things, materials and physical processes. Pupils record, through labelled diagrams, illustrations and writing, how trees reproduce through seed dispersal. During the inspection, pupils investigated how heat changes materials as they recorded what happens as butter, chocolate and ice are placed in foil trays and floated on hot water. Older pupils carry out their own experiments to find out how much salt is required to make a saturated solution in various given volumes of water. In one lesson, pupils predicted how the length of a column of air affects the pitch of a sound, as they blew over different lengths of straws. Pupils also carry out experiments to show how the length of shadows, produced by the sun shining on an object, vary during the course of a day.

p.32

SCIENCE

92. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory for pupils in Years 1 and 2 and good for pupils in Years 3 to 6. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. At the beginning of lessons teachers share the learning objectives so that pupils understand what they are expected to achieve. In the introductions to their lessons teachers make good links with previous learning and ensure that lessons are carefully built upon pupils’ previous knowledge and understanding. Practical sessions are generally very well organised. Teachers ensure that the pupils understand the purposes of their experiments and as a result the majority of pupils achieve well. Teachers, particularly in Years 3 to 6, have good subject knowledge and emphasise the importance of Donisthorpe Primary School - 33 subject specific vocabulary. In a very good lesson in a Year 5 class about sound, the teacher used terms such as ‘vibration’, ‘pitch and ‘column of air’. In the best lessons, teachers encourage

p.32

SCIENCE

pupils to work at a brisk pace, constantly reminding them about accuracy in carrying out experiments and insisting on scientific reasoning. Teachers organise a wide range of resources to enhance pupils’ learning. They generally manage lessons well and ensure that all pupils pay careful attention and remain on task. Teachers’ planning is very good in Years 3 to 6. In Years 1 and 2 planning does not always adequately allow for the full range of ability where pupils are taught together, resulting in lessons that lack sufficient challenge for higher attaining pupils.

p.33

SCIENCE

93. Pupils’ literacy skills develop well as teachers encourage them to use accurate scientific vocabulary and give them opportunities to write for different purposes ranging from lists of resources needed, tables of findings and recording experiments. Numeracy skills are also developed, for example pupils record measurements of lengths of shadows over time, and volumes of water used in experiments about dissolving. Social issues such as the use of materials and care for the environment are some examples of the many ways in which science contributes to pupils’ moral, social and cultural development. The pleasure of discovery during investigations contributes to pupils’ spiritual development. The use of information and communication technology in science concerns the input and printing of graphs and the use of sensors.

p.33

SCIENCE

94. The school’s scheme of work is based on national guidelines and ensures that skills are developed systematically. Assessments are linked to the learning objectives of the different units studied and recorded in a systematic way for individual pupils. Pupils’ scores on national test papers are analysed very carefully for strengths and weaknesses and inform future planning. Following the last report, the school has concentrated more fully on experimental and investigative science in order to raise standards. This has been particularly successful in Years 3 to 6.

p.33

SCIENCE

95. The subject co-ordinator, who has only held this post since the beginning of the academic year, leads the subject well. She is very enthusiastic and has a clear vision for the future and the need to raise standards. There has not as yet been much opportunity for her to assess the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. Resources are good and readily available for staff. A variety of textbooks have been purchased and this is leading to a reduction in the amount of worksheets pupils are asked to complete.

p.33

ART AND DESIGN

96. Pupils’ attainment is above what is expected for their age throughout the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection when pupils’ achievements were similar to those of pupils in other schools. The co-ordinator for the subject, appointed since the last inspection, has been very effective in introducing the new scheme of work, based on government guidance. The lack of pupils’ knowledge and understanding of artists and art of other cultures identified at the last inspection has been addressed. Pupils now talk knowledgably about the artists they have studied and the original work and prints borrowed from museums and other sources. Throughout the school pupils study techniques and styles and apply them to their own work. Artwork is very well presented. Pupils have access to a good range of materials and are encouraged to experiment with media. This aspect was underdeveloped during the last inspection. Progress is

p.33

ART AND DESIGN

97. Very few lessons were observed during the inspection but artwork abounds throughout the school. In Years 1 and 2, pupils have studied the work of the artist Mondrian and produced simple shapes and lines in primary colours. Outside the classrooms is a Jurassic forest, the habitat of dinosaurs and on the walls are symmetrical bodies housing photographs of the children and pupils in Class 1. During an art and craft afternoon pupils worked with clay and decorated masks. A parent supported pupils while they cut out dinosaurs and covered them with fabric. Pupils handle felt tip pens and crayons well. In Year 3 and 4 pupils’ skills in creating collage have developed and the snow scenes show attention to detail and an awareness of composition. Donisthorpe Primary School - 34 Pupils have made “Mendhi and “Rangoli” patterns and inspired by a story and face masks of Hindu gods. In their lesson pupils experimented with texture, shade, overlapping translucent paper

p.33

ART AND DESIGN

and printing to select the methods and effects they will use for abstract art based on overlapping shapes. They have studied examples of abstract art and readily discuss their thoughts about “Untitled” by Susan Foord. The teacher has good subject knowledge and instructs pupils in the techniques they use so they make good progress. The class is used to evaluating each other’s work but in this lesson; they had little time to do so.

p.34

ART AND DESIGN

98. There are some good quality drawings of pairs of hands in different positions produced by Year 5 pupils. A digital camera has been used as a stimulus as well as Henry Moore’s sketch of hands. Throughout the upper school scenes and characters from “Harry Potter” enhance pupils’ writing. Years 5 and 6 are studying the work and techniques of Seurat. Careful planning ensures that Year 6 pupils have a greater depth of study. For example, in a very good lesson, pupils experimented with pointillism creating secondary colours by combining dots of the primaries. This was then extended to observation of Seurat’s borders using complementary colours. This was a very good lesson as the class effortlessly moved form studying the work of the artist to their own experiments. The teacher’s good subject knowledge and enthusiasm as well as her skilful management of the available time ensured that all pupils achieved well. Pupils are

p.34

ART AND DESIGN

supported well in the classroom and adults are well briefed to support pupils with special educational needs. These pupils achieve well in line with their peers.

p.34

ART AND DESIGN

99. The subject co-ordinator has a comprehensive portfolio of samples of pupils’ work over the last two years. This gives clear evidence of the way pupils’ art develops throughout the school and that they receive a rich, well balanced curriculum. Pupils have worked with local artists and sculptors to produce beautiful artefacts for the school. They visit local galleries and museums and the co-ordinator ensures that pupils have access to original work whenever possible. The school has a budget set aside for this and for employing artists to work with the pupils. The subject is important to the teachers and pupils in school and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.

p.34

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

100. Standards are average throughout the school until Years 5 and 6. The good quality of pupils’ designs and their competed work, combined with the high expectations of the teachers in these classes, raises pupils’ achievements above those of other pupils by the end of Year 6.

p.34

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. Two lessons were observed during the inspection, both in Years 3 and 4. The teaching was satisfactory in both cases. Pupils were at the end of a unit of work when they had designed and made packaging to hold sweets. In both classes pupils used technical terms like “score” “design” and “net” when describing their work. They have experimented with the graphics and decoration of their packaging. Pupils with special educational needs were supported very well and were encouraged to do as much as they could for themselves. All adults made sure that the pupils selected their own decoration. However, more able pupils were less well catered for. All pupils used templates of cubes or cuboids to make their packaging and there was no attempt to design the nets themselves, in spite of some good discussion about the different types of packaging that could be used. The quality of the discussion and the evaluation of the finished

p.34

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

products were higher than that of the packaging. Pupils worked together well, helping each other out by holding joints together or manipulating sticky tape. However, in one lesson some pupils needed reminders of appropriate behaviour and in both lessons the time limits set by the teachers and requests to clear up were ignored on several occasions.

p.34

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. Samples of the work of pupils in Years 5 and 6 show a good understanding of the processes involved in setting criteria for their designs, drafting, planning, testing materials, step by step construction including the methods used to join materials and appropriate decoration for the finished product. Pupils have produced high quality models of fairground rides. Their folders show how they designed and tested components. In one folder, for example, a pupil made a model of Donisthorpe Primary School - 35 steps she would use for her ride, while another experimented with texture for the horses on the roundabout. A third pupil tested paint on wooden sticks to achieve the required effect. The finished products are now being motorised as pupils design gears and levers in conjunction with circuits and switches. Technical language such as “horizontal, vertical and pendulum motion” is incorporated into the designs. Pupils have designed and made slippers and evaluated them

p.34

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

against pre-determined criteria. The quality of work is similar for pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs.

p.35

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. The school bases the scheme of work on the national guidance. This ensures that there is an appropriate range of skills taught throughout the school. The youngest pupils used the food technology equipment during the inspection to make scones. Older pupils have been consulted on the design of the environmental area. Pupils have made clay leaves for “The Tree of Life” by Stan Bullard working on site with pupils. Unfortunately, much of the pupils’ other work samples were spoilt by a burst pipe, but the teachers’ planning, the good resources, the present work and the records of the pupils’ achievements indicate that pupils make appropriate progress throughout the school and good progress in the older classes. The school now needs to provide opportunities for pupils to use control technology in their work to deepen pupils’ understanding of the use of information and communication technology in movement and design.

p.35

GEOGRAPHY

104. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils’ standards in geography are in line with national expectations. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection in 1997. Good use of the local environment, including the school grounds, together with suitable adaptation of the national scheme of work for geography have helped keep standards in line with national expectations.

p.35

GEOGRAPHY

105. The teaching of geography throughout the school is good. There were examples of some very good geography teaching in Years 3 to 6. In the lessons seen during the inspection, teachers planned their lessons well and made good use of resources to stimulate pupils’ interest in their work and help them achieve the object of the lesson.

p.35

GEOGRAPHY

106. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 enjoy geography lessons and they displayed a genuine sense of awe and wonder as they studied slides of huge sky scrapers in the United States of America. Good questioning by teachers helped pupils offer sensible suggestions as to the living conditions in cities with many tall buildings. Pupils’ ideas included a lack of sunlight and difficulty in seeing the sky. Most pupils can make comparisons between the buildings in New York and those in Donisthorpe. Effective planning of geography lessons in Years 1 and 2 enables pupils to develop their mathematical skills. This was evident when they constructed nets of cuboids before making sky scrapers from sheets of A4 paper.

p.35

GEOGRAPHY

107. The sound use of television and Internet weather forecasts and summaries in Year 3 enables the majority of pupils to develop their geographical skills and expertise when presenting evidence. Pupils can use symbols and words to demonstrate “sunny spells” and “breezy and cold”. Very effective teaching in Year 4 helps pupils gain a good understanding of life in an Indian village and how it contrasts with pupils’ own home life in Donisthorpe. The teacher’s effective questioning and use of pictures from the Indian village of Chembakolli gives pupils a clear understanding that most activities in the village are centred on farming.

p.35

GEOGRAPHY

108. A contrasting study of the Donisthorpe area and Stanton in Peak has helped Year 5 pupils compare different housing and modes of transport in the two areas. Some pupils have deduced that the high use of taxis in rural areas could be the result of scarce and unpredictable public transport. Pupils in Year 6 have a sound understanding of mountain ranges. Teachers plan lessons that help pupils understand that mountains are high points on the earth’s surface and that there are very few lone peaks as mountains are usually clustered together in ranges. More able pupils know that mountains are classes in three types; fold, block and volcanic. Donisthorpe Primary School - 36 109. Pupils’ attitudes to geography lessons throughout the school are good. They are keen to complete their work accurately and with good levels of presentation. Pupils work particularly well when using information and communication technology. The completion of graphs and bar charts

p.35

GEOGRAPHY

is a regular feature of geography lessons. A very good example of the use of information and communication technology was seen in a Year 6 lesson in which the very good quality of teaching enabled the pupils to compare the average monthly temperature in the Lake District with that of Katmandu. The teacher put her expert knowledge of both subjects to very good use as she, and the teaching assistant, supported the pupils in entering data into the computer to complete the graphs. 110. The co-ordinator for geography has managed the subject well since she took on the role in 2001. Resources have been reviewed and increased and new software has been purchased to enable pupils to use computers to record and compare geographical data. The co-ordinator does not, as yet, monitor the teaching and learning of geography throughout the school but she does give valuable assistance to colleagues with their planning. Monitoring is planned as part of the

p.36

GEOGRAPHY

school’s rolling programme for the review of teaching and learning.

p.36

HISTORY

111. By Year 2 standards in history are broadly in line with those expected nationally although pupils’ knowledge about famous people is restricted to one or two characters. Talking to Year 2 pupils reveals that they can talk about our present Queen, how long she has been on the throne and the circumstances that led to the Coronation. They can recall the significant facts about Guy Fawkes, but have no idea how long ago he lived.

p.36

HISTORY

112. Standards at Year 6 are securely in line with those expected nationally. Pupils in each year group are gaining sound knowledge about the topic being studied and are developing good historical enquiry skills. They observe artefacts, pictures and photographs closely and deduce information from these sources effectively. Year 6 pupils talk confidently about the topic studied last term, Aztecs, and Ancient Greeks and World War 2 which they looked at in previous years. School productions, for example, The Evacuees, involving dance, drama and music enhance the learning opportunities in history. Good links are made with art and information and communication technology.

p.36

HISTORY

113. The standards are the same as at the last inspection despite the drive to raise standards in the core subjects, which were key issues then. History has continued to have an appropriately high profile in classes for the older pupils.

p.36

HISTORY

114. No lessons were seen for the younger pupils, but talking with them suggests that teaching is satisfactory, although the quantity of work so far this year is very limited. There is no evidence of literacy skills being developed through history. Analysis of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning indicates that activities and tasks are not always matched well to pupils’ prior learning. On some occasions, all the pupils in Years 1 and 2 were working at the same level.

p.36

HISTORY

115. One lesson was seen in Year 5 and this was excellent. There were very good opportunities for speaking and listening, and information and communication technology was used very effectively. Pupils worked very well in groups on the challenging interesting tasks set. These tasks were very well matched to pupils’ prior learning. Pupils with special educational needs were challenged and well supported as they painted and labelled a large picture of a Hopolite warrior. In all the classes for the older pupils, there are high quality displays of work undertaken last term. Together with pupils’ work in folders, this indicates consistently good teaching. Teachers’ planning is very detailed with clear objectives for each lesson and work is very carefully matched to pupils’ prior learning.

p.36

HISTORY

116. From talking with pupils and the lesson observed, it is evident that pupils enjoy history. They appreciate the good quality displays which value their work and comment on the good range of books, artefacts and CD ROMs which enable them to find out information for themselves. After studying Ancient Egypt, a pupil in Year 3 made a model of a mummy at home from a shampoo bottle, bandages and paint – a good example of way he had been enthused by the topic. Donisthorpe Primary School - 37 117. History is managed well. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and is very enthusiastic and keen to develop the subject further. There have been significant improvements since the last inspection. There is now a scheme of work in place which includes the national guidance. Times to assess pupils’ progress are identified in planning and an assessment proforma is used consistently in the classes for the older pupils. Resources are good, and the recent purchase of

p.36

HISTORY

historical writing frames are intended to establish better links with literacy. Good use is made of the local area. A governor is helping to establish links with the local historical society to increase teachers’ knowledge. Visitors, for example people who were evacuees to the area, spoke to the pupils about their experiences. History makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development.

p.37

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

118. Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology) have improved markedly since the last inspection. When the school was last inspected in September 1997, pupils were deemed not to be making sufficient or systematic progress in developing the necessary range of skills. This is no longer the case. As a direct result of some very good teaching, very good subject leadership, good planning, good use of teaching assistants and the acquisition of an information and communication technology suite, standards are now above national expectations at the end of Years 2 and of 6. The improved standards achieved have even more significance in the light of the increased challenge placed on pupils as a result of the development of more sophisticated hardware and software and the use of research on the Internet.

p.37

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

119. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have access to both a mini information and communication technology suite and to the larger suite used for whole-class teaching. This gives pupils good access to hardware and software constantly to practise and improve their skills. The teacher’s provision of suitable CD ROMs is effective in developing pupils’ ability to move round programs using menus, pick-up/drag/drop techniques, turning pages and exiting programs. They make sound progress in literacy as they locate and relocate “Teddy” in the cupboard, under the sofa cushion and on the table. Less able readers make good attempts, using their computer skills, to select words to label the fish in a pond and whether the zebra has spots, stripes or squares. In Year 2, pupils demonstrate more advanced skills as they investigate programs to find out specific information about meat eating dinosaurs. Pupils have been taught well how to save and print out their

p.37

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120. Pupils make sound progress with the acquisition of information and communication technology skills in Years 3 and 4. They can create a simple data base and produce graphs showing their hair colour, eye colour, house teams and favourite animals and colours. The teacher’s excellent knowledge of hardware, software and peripherals helped pupils in Years 5 and 6 make very good progress in their use of computers to monitor the rise and fall of temperatures. Extremely effective instructions to pupils enabled them to monitor closely the initial fall in temperature of water as ice cubes lowered the temperature of the water. Pupils were very excited as they noticed the subsequent rise in the temperature of the water as the ice completely melted.

p.37

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. Information and communication technology is used well across the curriculum. Use of the Internet and CD ROMs in many classes is effective in developing pupils’ independent learning. Good use is made of pupils’ word processing skills in literacy lessons and charts, graphs and bar charts enhance pupils’ work in numeracy and geography. Pupils make very effective use of information and communication technology when monitoring temperature and light in science lessons. In Years 3 and 4, pupils make effective use of computers to “compose” music by constructing a series of pictures, each of which represents a melodic motif. Although the school is not equipped to deliver external control technology to assist in subjects such as science and design and technology, pupils attending the residential trip to an activities and specialist centre do have the opportunity to experience this aspect of the curriculum.

p.37

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. Pupils have very positive attitudes to the subject. They settle well to their work and readily help each other when experiencing difficulty. Pupils thoroughly enjoy the tasks set for them and they Donisthorpe Primary School - 38 try very hard to complete work to a good standard. They are very willing to share tasks when working in groups on the computer and handle equipment with extreme care.

p.37

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. An extremely effective and enthusiastic co-ordinator manages information and communication technology. He has good vision for the development of the subject and hopes to secure funding in the future to secure interactive equipment for teachers to use in their teaching, particularly in literacy and numeracy. The co-ordinator supports colleagues very well with their planning and is working closely with the local education authority to develop and improve recording of pupils’ skills. Donisthorpe Primary School - 39

p.38

MUSIC

124. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils’ standards in music are in line with national expectations. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection in 1997. The school provides many opportunities for music making and, with the exception of a minority of older boys, most pupils enjoy music lessons and are keen to take part in singing, composing and performing. The quality of teaching throughout the school is satisfactory although the undoubted expertise and enthusiasm of the subject co-ordinator helps raise pupils’ standards in Years 3 and 4.

p.39

MUSIC

125. Pupils in Year 1 listen attentively to their teacher’s effective demonstration of short, rhythmic, crotchet and quaver patterns. This enables them to accurately repeat the rhythms on claves. Pupils in Year 1 have developed a good sense of rhythm and can play untuned percussion instruments to accompany recorded tunes such as “Hickory, Dickory Dock”. During their performance, most pupils maintain a good, steady beat but some pupils find this difficult and are only able to match their playing to the rhythm of the nursery rhyme words. Teachers have good conducting skills. This helps pupils to begin and end their performance together as they improvise effective percussion pieces based on quick, short notes. When playing music based on long notes, not all pupils know to leave a gap between notes in order to produce a sustained sound.

p.39

MUSIC

126. The very good quality of teaching by the music co-ordinator in Years 3-4 has a positive impact on pupils’ attainment. During questioning, her very effective use of the spoken voice incorporating appropriate emphasis, variation in pitch and pace of delivery encouraged pupils to offer moods for music using such words as daunting, nervous, brave and heart-stopping. This provided an appropriate and effective link with pupils’ work in literacy lessons. Pupils transferred these thoughts and feelings into their composition very well. As a result of the teacher’s very good use of individual demonstration by pupils and good conducting skills, pupils were able to produce an effective piece of “Battle” music. Pupils played untuned percussion instruments well to create the sounds of the hooves of majestic horses and soldiers marching to battle. Their composition was greatly enhanced by the effective use of a gradual crescendo and diminuendo.

p.39

MUSIC

127. Music lessons in Years 5 and 6 make a satisfactory link to pupils’ work in history. Good demonstrations of rhythmic patterns by teachers help pupils to learn quickly the rhythmic structure of phrases from the music hall songs, such as Daisy Bell. Teachers make satisfactory use of violins, recorder and tuned percussion to support pupils’ singing in the choruses of songs. Recorders and violins give good support to the melody but pupils are not always certain of the chord structure of the music, and therefore where they should play, in the tuned percussion accompaniment.

p.39

MUSIC

128. Music plays an important part in the school’s daily act of collective worship. Pupils create a very good atmosphere at the beginning and end of assemblies by playing piano solos such as Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” and Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”. The school’s orchestra, consisting of keyboards, recorders, violins, clarinets and oboes, perform to a high standard and all pupils listen very attentively to their repertoire of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and the theme music to “Titanic”.

p.39

MUSIC

129. Standards in music have been maintained as a result of the effective co-ordination of the subject. The co-ordinator gives good support to colleagues by assisting in planning, providing adequate resources and encouraging the use of information and communication technology, such as simple composition programs, in music lessons. The co-ordinator has had the opportunity to monitor the teaching and learning of music in colleagues’ classes.

p.39

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. The attainment of Year 2 pupils is in line with that expected for their age and the attainment of Year 6 pupils is above that expected for their age. This shows an improvement on the last inspection report for the older pupils, who were then set to attain the standards expected for their Donisthorpe Primary School - 40 age. This improvement is seen through the wide variety of activities now available to these pupils and the highly focused good and very good teaching seen.

p.39

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. By Year 2, pupils travel forwards and sideways, using their feet walking and running and jumping. They show a reasonable awareness of the space around them and are conscious of others and their need of space. Most pupils display sound levels of control and co-ordination. In the one games lesson seen, pupils show increasingly good skills in rolling and stopping a ball. They generally work well together in teams of three, and learn to take turns. They understand the importance of rules for team games and the majority obey them.

p.40

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. By Year 6, pupils have had the opportunity to take part in gymnastics, dance, games and swimming as well as adventurous activities on a residential visit. They have sports ‘tasters’ including soccer, rugby, golf and tennis. In lessons seen, pupils understand the necessity for warm-up and cool-down routines and carry them out conscientiously and enthusiastically. In one very good lesson, pupils worked well in pairs to produce very good sequences of two asymmetrical and two symmetrical balances. The sequences they developed included travelling, jumping and turning movements. Pupils always try to improve their performance through discussion and the observation and evaluation of other pairs. In another good gymnastics lesson, pupils used two balances, a rock and a leap to make a short sequence. They had time to evaluate other pupils’ performance and this enabled them to improve their own performances.

p.40

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Pupils are conscious of space and the need to move safely.

p.40

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6. The teachers ensure that the pupils are fully warmed up at the start of lessons and cooled down at the end. Lessons are generally well planned and structured to include all pupils. In the best lessons, teachers display good subject knowledge through their explanations and directions to pupils at the beginning of lessons. Teachers intervene appropriately as the lesson proceeds providing good guidance on how pupils might improve their performances. The teachers manage and organise the pupils well and set high expectations of concentration and effort. As a result, the pupils work hard, at a good pace and progress well in their learning. Pupils have positive attitudes to this subject and enjoy working individually, in pairs and in groups.

p.40

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. The subject co-ordinator is enthusiastic and is very active in providing the pupils with a wide range of activities that they enjoy. She ensures that the best use is made of the facilities and equipment within the school and in the surrounding area. She keeps a good photographic record of the activities in which the pupils have been involved. The school has a good range of equipment to support pupils’ learning.

p.40

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

135. At the end of Years 2 and 6 standards are in line with the locally agreed programmes of work for Leicestershire. Pupils make satisfactory progress. This is a marked improvement from the last report where attainment and progress were deemed unsatisfactory. The improvement is due to the hard work done by the co-ordinator for the subject, and the staff over the past four years. Teachers plan their lessons with due regard to the programme and cover all the required aspects of the subject. Throughout the school pupils study Christianity as well as other major world faiths such as Buddhism Hinduism and Islam. Adequate time is now given to the teaching of religious education throughout the school.

p.40

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

136. Much of the work in the younger classes is covered through discussion and activity and there is not a great deal of work in books. Sometimes stories are represented mainly through pictures, as when Year 1 and 2 pupils effectively record the Christmas Story with some sentence work under each picture. Pupils have a sound basic understanding of the life and death of Jesus and of his teachings. ‘Jesus was born in a stable and shepherds and three kings came to see him’ and ‘Jesus died on a cross’ say one group of pupils. They recall that Jesus told stories such as ‘The Donisthorpe Primary School - 41 good Samaritan’ and ‘The lost sheep’. Their knowledge of Hinduism is less secure but they do remember the names of Rama and Sita and the festival of light, Diwali.

p.40

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. A greater volume of work is contained in the books of pupils in Years 3 to 6 and this includes pupils with special educational needs. Literacy skills are practised well in the subject. In one class pupils studied a poem by Steve Turner entitled ‘My Dad’ and saw how that related to the Christian idea of God as Father. Year 6 pupils have made simple books, for example on the life of Mohammed, for younger pupils to read. In their study of Christianity, pupils looked at the Old Testament of the Bible and considered stories such as Noah’s Ark, Jonah and Belshazzar’s Feast. They think about Jesus in terms of the kind of person he was and the people he called to be his close followers. When writing about the Christmas story they empathised with a shepherd and wrote his story. Some wrote a letter as if they were God, telling Mary she was to have a son. Pupils visit the local church and chapel in their continuing study of Christianity and learn how

p.41

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

people worship in these places. They visit a mosque as part of their study of Islam and think about the holy book and symbols, read and used by members of that faith. Pupils study Hinduism and write about Hindu gods and the importance of light in Hindu celebrations. Pupils develop their spiritual understanding as they consider feelings both negative and positive.

p.41

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. It was possible to see only one religious education lesson, so an overall judgement of teaching is inappropriate. However, planning is sufficient to ensure that curricular coverage is broad and balanced. In some classes, marking gives insufficient evaluative comments to encourage improvement. Good support is given to pupils with special educational needs, especially when classroom assistants are in lessons to talk over activities and to help develop knowledge and understanding further.

p.41

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139. The co-ordinator has worked hard and with continued help from the local religious education adviser has revised the policy and scheme of work for the subject. Use is made of national guidelines for the subject linked to the locally agreed programme of work for Leicestershire. A good number of artefacts, videos and books have been assembled to cover all aspects of the curriculum and these are readily available to the staff. The co-ordinator has a clear idea of how the subject should develop in the future.

p.41