Shotley Bridge Primary School

SHOTLEY BRIDGE INFANTS’ SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 – 29 January 2002

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SHOTLEY BRIDGE INFANTS’ SCHOOL

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

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SHOTLEY BRIDGE INFANTS’ 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. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Benfieldside Road Shotley Bridge Consett County Durham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr M McBride

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 30 June 1997 Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 12908 Mr D J Halford Registered inspector 9649 Mrs J Smith Lay inspector 27677 Mrs D Davenport Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

113 – 115 High Street Uppermill Saddleworth Oldham OL3 6BD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Shotley Bridge Infants’ School caters for pupils aged 4 – 7 years and is maintained by the Durham Local Education Authority. Most pupils come from the residential area around the school, although some travel a considerable distance to attend. There are currently 137 pupils on roll of whom 69 are boys and 68 are girls. The number of pupils on roll is rising. Only a small percentage of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and this is well below the national average. No pupils have English as an additional language. Less than five per cent of the pupils are on the register of special educational needs and two per cent of the pupils have statements of educational need. Almost all the pupils benefit from pre-school education, although the school accepts pupils from a wide range of pre-school provision. On entry to the Reception Classes, the pupils’ levels of attainment are above average

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

overall, although pupils’ baseline assessments show that all levels of attainment are represented.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with many strengths and no major weaknesses. It is effective in creating a good atmosphere for learning. The headteacher provides very clear leadership for the school. She is ably assisted by a dedicated staff and a supportive governing body. Standards of attainment are high throughout the school from the Foundation Stage onwards, particularly in aspects of literacy and numeracy. Pupils achieve well. The quality of teaching is consistently good. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The school creates a good atmosphere for learning in which pupils work and achieve well. • The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the high standards of work produced by the pupils. • Relationships between all adults and pupils in the school are good and the school has developed strong links with its local community. • Very good leadership from the headteacher, together with a dedicated staff and an effective governing body, is steering the school’s improvement well.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • There are no major weaknesses in this school and therefore no key issues for action. The school has accurately identified areas for further development in its school development planning. The implementation of this plan will help the school to improve further. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress in thoroughly covering all the Key Issues raised at the time of the last inspection. It was noted at the time of the 1997 inspection that the areas identified for improvement were already targeted priorities in the School Development Plan. The school has sustained a good level of development since it was last inspected. High standards in reading and writing have been maintained and good improvement shown in mathematics. The school is well aware of its strengths and has good actions plans to continue to improve further. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on National Curriculum test results.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

reading A A A* A well above average above average A B writing A A A A average below average C D mathematics C A A A well below average E

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STANDARDS

Standards are high in this school and pupils achieve well. The school sets challenging targets and regularly achieves them. The school has maintained particularly high standards in reading and writing and has shown improvement in mathematics over the last three years, as can be seen from the table above. All the 7-year-old pupils have achieved the expected level in all three subjects for the past two years, and in the 2001 tests, the percentage of pupils attaining the higher level has been well above the national average. In reading, the results are very high, and amongst the highest percentage nationally. Teachers’ assessments indicate that all the pupils achieved the expected level in science and the percentage of pupils assessed at the higher level was very high in comparison to the national average. Inspection of pupils’ current work indicates that they use their developing basic skills well in all

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STANDARDS

subjects of the National Curriculum. They make good use of Information and Communications technology.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils throughout the school show good attitudes to their lessons. They are keen to learn and regularly give of their best. Children in the Foundation Stage of learning concentrate very well for their age and are able to sustain their interest over extended periods of time.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is consistently good. Pupils of all ages behave well in the classrooms, around the school and in the playground.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Relationships and pupils’ personal development are very good in this school. All adults and pupils work together very well. Pupils relate to each other well when in whole class groups and when working in small groups.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is well above the national average. There is no unauthorised absence. Most pupils are punctual in their attendance and lessons run to time. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 8 One of the main strengths of this school is its creation of a good atmosphere for learning which encourages the pupils to work hard and behave well. This has a positive impact on the pupils’ ability to sustain their efforts and achieve high standards.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Good Good N/a Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is consistently good and sometimes very good throughout the school and this leads to good learning. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the inspection. The school has successfully embraced the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies and has adapted them effectively to meet the particular needs of all the pupils. As a result, pupils show very good listening skills for their age and are able to sustain their concentration very well in lessons. They are generally articulate and their speaking skills are promoted effectively in short drama sessions which many pupils enjoy. Pupils use their developing literacy and numeracy skills well in a wide range of lessons and those with special educational needs are well supported and regularly undertake the same tasks as their peers. They too make good progress in their learning.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The consistency of this good quality teaching is central to the success of the school. Lessons are planned very effectively. Teachers and teaching assistants have a good working knowledge of these plans and work together effectively. Pupils know the focus of each lesson and are able to speak readily about what it is they are learning. Lessons provide challenging tasks to extend the pupils’ learning and good links are made between subjects. For example, pupils in Year 2 calculate the cost of items on the Palace Menu, effectively linking work in numeracy to the story the pupils are working on in literacy. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do are consistently high, and the pupils respond well. For example, in a discussion about the properties of materials used to make a pair of spectacles, a Reception group developed a clear understanding that the lens was transparent. The consistency of these high expectations and of thoughtful planning contributes positively to the pupils’

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

learning and the high standards of work the pupils achieve.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school maintains a high emphasis on literacy and numeracy, but provides a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. They regularly work alongside their peers undertaking the same tasks and they achieve well.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is good overall and is promoted well through a wide range of activities. These aspects of the pupils’ personal development contribute effectively to the good atmosphere in the school. In these positive and secure surroundings, more could be undertaken to enable the pupils to gain a greater understanding of people whose culture and beliefs are different from the pupils’ own.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares The school takes good care of its pupils. Their academic development is carefully monitored and individual progress thoroughly recorded. All Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 9 for its pupils statutory requirements are in place.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school works well in partnership with its pupils’ parents and its community. Good quality information is offered to parents on a regular basis concerning the pupils’ progress and development, and most parents feel welcomed when they visit the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher provides a very clear direction for the school. She is ably assisted by a dedicated staff and a capable and well- informed governing body. Teachers who hold specific curricular responsibilities discharge them effectively.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil all their statutory responsibilities well and have a clear vision of how the school is maintaining its consistently high standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The senior management team makes good use of national and other test results to check how well the school is performing and to highlight areas for further improvement.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. The school manages its resources well; is systematic in ensuring it gets the best value for the finance available, and has a clear set of priorities for future development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school is well led and has a good set of priorities for further development. It has improved well since it was last inspected. The leadership of the school is aware that the school provides well for its pupils and has delivered high standards of work and good results over a sustained period of time. There are effective and well documented priorities to maintain these high standards.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Children like coming to school and make good progress. • Most parents feel comfortable approaching the school. • Children are expected to work hard and behaviour is good. • Some parents feel the school provides only a limited range of out-of-school activities. • Some parents feel that the school could provide better information about pupils’ progress. • Some parents feel that homework provision is inconsistent.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspectors agree with all the positive comments made and are surprised by some of the negative comments. The range of information provided by the school is wider and more detailed than in many other schools. Taking into account the educational visits made by the pupils and the out-of-school activities, which include PE, music and computer clubs, the inspection team feel that, considering the age of the pupils, the school’s extra-curricular provision is good. Inspectors also feel that the arrangements for the provision of homework are satisfactory. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The school creates a good atmosphere for learning in which pupils work and achieve well. 2. The school is very successful at creating a good atmosphere for learning and the pupils respond to this well. They show good attitudes to school and their desire to learn is very evident. In the opinion of parents, virtually all the pupils enjoy coming to school and this is borne out by conversations with pupils. After lesson introductions, pupils move quickly to start their individual or group work because they enjoy it and are keen to learn more. For example, in a numeracy lesson with Year 1 pupils, the two groups who were to work independently immediately started to use coins and count them with their partners whilst the teacher spoke to the group with whom she planned to work. They concentrated well and sustained their interest over a considerable period of time for their age. In one of the Reception classes, a

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

small group of pupils worked excitedly with the teacher as they examined the properties of particular materials. They looked closely at a pair of spectacles and were anxious to share their knowledge that the lenses were transparent. 3. Pupils’ behaviour is consistently good. In all lessons, a quiet word is all that is required to keep pupils focussed on the activities they are undertaking. As a result the teachers can concentrate fully on their teaching. This contributes particularly well to the good rate of learning seen in many lessons. Pupils’ behaviour as they move around school and in assemblies is also good. They are polite, interested in what they are doing, very willing to talk about their activities and generally lucid in their explanations. Many show good levels of responsibility for their age when working unsupervised. The pupils treat the things they work with and the property of

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

others with great care 4. The personal and social development of the pupils is very good. In the classes there is a good rapport between adults and pupils. This is a noticeable feature of many lessons and it allows the teachers to get the best from the pupils in a purposeful atmosphere. The pupils work well to support each other in their groups often discussing how to solve problems. These pupils are clearly confident and secure within this school. They trust the adults with whom they come into contact and they are well known by them. This happy and purposeful environment has a strong bearing on the good quality of teaching taking place here and the good quality of learning on the part of the pupils. In enables the pupils to achieve well in their lessons and contributes strongly to the high standards of work produced by the pupils.

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

high standards of work produced by the pupils. 6. Consistently good teaching enables the pupils to achieve their full potential. There is a very good emphasis placed on helping the pupils improve their basic skills in literacy and numeracy. 7. During the inspection no unsatisfactory teaching was seen and in almost eighty per cent of the lessons, teaching was good or better. This means that the good teaching reported by the last Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 11 inspection has been consistently maintained. It is clear that this consistently good teaching has a very positive impact on the learning of the pupils. 8. Throughout the school, lessons are well structured and pupils managed well. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are always high. There is always a good level of challenge in the lessons. For example in literacy, when pupils in Year 2 are providing details of a character they are describing, they are consistently encouraged to provide accurately

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

descriptive words. One child writes about ‘raggy, dirty clothes’; another describes ‘brown, tangly, tatty hair’. Pupils are encouraged to think carefully about the structure of their writing, ensuring that there is a clear beginning, a middle and an end to each story. Links with literacy work on the story of Cinderella are followed up well in numeracy when pupils, whose main focus of a lesson is the addition of money for items they are buying in the Palace Restaurant, are given an extra task to do. They are asked to give change from varying amounts of money. Year 1 pupils, also dealing with money, are asked to add significantly greater amounts, thus increasing the level of challenge in the task. Computer work is a regular feature of classroom activity and the programs used almost invariably relate directly to the main focus of the lesson. Most pupils need only a little guidance to make good use of the computer.

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

9. Lessons are planned particularly well and carefully documented. Every adult working with the pupils has access to and a thorough knowledge of these plans, so that all staff know exactly what is expected of them in whatever role they play. This was particularly evident in one of the Reception classes when a ‘supply’ teacher was called in at short notice during the inspection. The lessons undertaken demonstrated the same good quality of teaching. The teaching assistants working alongside the teacher contributed particularly successfully to ensure the pupils’ learning was uninterrupted. The pupils responded particularly well. 10. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is incorporated well into lessons. The structure of lessons accurately reflects the requirements of the national strategies, and the school makes effective links between literacy and numeracy and work in other subjects. The school has

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

successfully adapted the literacy strategy to make good use of drama to extend the pupils’ confidence in speaking and listening. This was seen particularly well in a lesson where Year 1 pupils used their work on the story of the ‘Three Little Pigs’ to discuss in pairs the feelings of some of the characters in the story. Pupils had been working on the description of characters in their written work, and the drama gave them the opportunity to bring their characters to life. 11. Pupils throughout the school respond well to this combination of good teaching and positive atmosphere for learning. End of Key Stage 1 test and assessment results show that the pupils attain consistently high standards. In reading, writing and mathematics the percentage of pupils gaining the expected level for 7-year olds regularly exceeds the national average. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher levels also exceeds the national average in all three

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

subjects. 12. Many pupils read expressively and with good levels of understanding. Children in the Reception classes have good levels of access to books and the majority know how to use them and enjoy using their developing reading skills. Through Key Stage 1 all pupils are able to use books in a wide variety of contexts. They read for enjoyment and for information. In Year 2 they are able to use simple indexes to locate information. Teachers make extended use of stories in a wider range of lessons and this helps to maintain the pupils’ interest in reading as well as developing their skills. In the 2001 tests, over half the pupils achieved the higher level in their reading test. 13. Throughout the school pupils are encouraged to develop and use their writing skills. Children in the Reception classes have many opportunities to write because writing activities are always available to them. Pupils in Year 1 are encouraged to be thoughtful about how they

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 12 write. For example, good wall displays describe clearly what pupils must include in a character profile of some of the animals in the story of the Three Little Pigs. The creatures’ names, places where they live, their appearance, their likes and dislikes are all listed in sequence. As a result, pupils write clearly about a pig having ‘pink, little legs, a chubby face, pointy ears and trotters’. Pigs dislike ‘wolves and sticky grass’. Equally, the pupils write about the wolf disliking ‘brick houses’. This detailed understanding is given practical application in the drama work undertaken by these pupils when, in their paired discussions, they describe how the different characters feel in particular situations. As pupils move into Year 2, they are able to write with a good level of fluency and their stories show careful structure with clear beginnings, middles and ends. As with the progress made in reading, a

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

high percentage of pupils demonstrate good standards in their writing. In the 2001 tests, almost one-fifth of the pupils achieved the high level. 14. Pupils throughout the school show a good level of understanding of mathematics. The vast majority of pupils are secure in their understanding of number sequences and values up to 100. Some of the older pupils are confident well beyond that stage. By the end of Year 2, almost all can use money effectively and are able to give the correct change after purchasing items from the Palace Restaurant. Pupils throughout the school have a good level of understanding of Shape. Children in the Reception year are able to classify shapes correctly by the number of sides, and are able to identify straight and curved edges. Even at this stage there is good challenge in the work as the children are faced with many shapes which are readily identifiable but a semi-circular shape and a quadrant of a circle are included, and they can be

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

classified under each heading. Pupils clearly enjoy their work in mathematics and most can talk knowledgably about what they are doing. In the 2001 tests for 7-year-olds, almost half achieved the higher level. 15. Science assessments for 7-year-olds in 2001 show that all the pupils attained the expected level for their age and over half were assessed at the higher level. Pupils are able to clearly identify and classify materials clearly by their properties. Children in the Reception year knew the difference between hard, soft and flexible materials and could use the correct vocabulary to describe them. Whilst closely observing a pair of spectacles, pupils were readily able to say that the lenses were transparent. Assessment in science shows that the pupils’ performance in 2001 was very high in comparison to the national average, both in assessments at the expected level for their age and in the percentage of pupils achieving the higher level. This is

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

a creditable position, although the pupils’ performance was marginally less impressive in the experimental and investigative elements of science than in the other areas. 16. The skills the pupils develop are used well in other subjects. ICT, for example, is incorporated into many lessons, and appropriate programs are used to ensure that the activity undertaken on the computer is directly related to the activity undertaken in the class. The school makes good use of educational visits to enhance the work the pupils do in lessons. For example, visits to the Beamish Museum and the Sea Life Centre have been made and the pupils can readily relate their experiences appropriately in a wide range of lessons. Pupils in Year 2, in geography have been considering aspects of road traffic near to the school to find out how busy the road is. Pupils ask good questions about where cars park and when are the busy

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5. The quality of teaching is consistently good and is instrumental is maintaining the

times in the day. Some children suggest the making of a tally chart to find out how they come to school, and they realise that this may have a big impact on the congestion near to school. The Crossing Patrol Officer visits the lessons and tells the children about her work. Within this brief session pupils listen well. Their good questioning and reasoning skills are extended well, and their numeracy skills put to good practical advantage in the construction of the tally chart. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 13

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17. Relationships between all adults and pupils in the school are good and the school has

developed strong links with its local community. 18. Relationships within the school are good . All the staff work well together and they know they are part of a team. They are clear about their individual roles. They are aware that they all have a particular contribution to the success of the school. There is a clear willingness to ensure that the school continues to improve. 19. Pupils know that the adults with whom they work in school care about them and will do all they can to ensure that each pupil achieves well. The pupils respond particularly well to this very good level of challenge and care. 20. The school has developed good links with its local community. There are strong links with local churches and residential homes. A significant number of members of the local community volunteer to help in school, some offering their services several times during the week. These include many retired professionals whose experience and voluntary assistance

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17. Relationships between all adults and pupils in the school are good and the school has

are greatly appreciated by the school and its pupils. The school has open afternoons when members of the community visit the school, and pupils are regular visitors amongst the local community, singing and entertaining those who find it difficult to leave their homes.

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21. Very good leadership from the headteacher, together with dedicated staff and an

effective governing body, is steering the school’s improvement well. 22. The headteacher has been in post since shortly before the last inspection. She is giving the school very clear direction and purpose. Effective procedures ensure that school improvement is continuous. All who are involved in the school work to a common purpose of ensuring that the pupils attain high standards. 23. The school development cycle and the financial implications are closely inter-related. Senior managers, the whole staff and governors are all involved in the cycle of development at an appropriate time. There is a good balance between the needs of the school and the need to address outside initiatives. . 24. All the staff, in whatever role they play, know the systems that are in place and they work effectively for each other to ensure that high standards are maintained. Accurate details of the progress made by each individual pupil are maintained. Test results are collated simply

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21. Very good leadership from the headteacher, together with dedicated staff and an

and analysed effectively to ensure that the school is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of individual pupils. 25. Support staff are effectively deployed to ensure that pupils’ individual needs are met as fully as possible. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated well into classrooms and are able to work alongside their peers in undertaking the same tasks. Mid-day supervision is of a high standard. Lunchtimes are pleasant occasions, although the space available for dining is limited. The school is maintained to a high order of cleanliness and provides a good environment in which the pupils and staff work and learn. Extensive carpeted areas to the school add positively to learning environment by limiting the sound of movement around the school and providing a comfortable surface for when pupils work on the floor. Classrooms have tiered floor areas which are used well in the whole-class activities, providing pupils with a

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21. Very good leadership from the headteacher, together with dedicated staff and an

good view of the teachers and the texts they are using. 26. The leadership of the school is a great strength. There is a clear and shared purpose in all that it undertakes. The school has a clear vision of what it needs to do in the future and has the ability of sustain its consistent improvement.

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a. To improve the quality of pupils’ narrative writing with the emphasis on raising

the number of pupils who achieve Level 2B and above.

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b. To raise the quality and provision of Personal, Social and Health Education

c. To achieve a Healthy School Standard.

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b. To raise the quality and provision of Personal, Social and Health Education

29. The School Development Plan shows that there is planned work to improve the quality of pupils’ narrative writing. Emphasis already given to development in this area has resulted in pupils’ written work showing clear evidence of good use of descriptive words, more precise structure in narrative writing, and a good level of understanding of how to show different character descriptions more precisely. Further emphasis on raising pupils’ attainment, to identify the features which will lead pupils towards the higher levels in writing, will maintain high standards and further improve the overall quality of pupils’ writing. The drive to improve the school’s quality and provision of PSHE indicates that the school is conscious of the development of the whole child and not just pupils’ academic skills and performance.

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b. To achieve the standard of Investor in People

31. The school has plans to develop the role of curriculum coordinators. This is a timely development since a newly appointed deputy headteacher is about to take up her post. This presents a good opportunity to re-allocate areas of responsibility and extend the role of curriculum co-ordinators. Work towards the standard of Investors in People will give the school good purpose in reviewing its staffing procedures and outcomes.

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a. To develop an adventure playground within the school grounds

34. Considerable work has already been undertaken on this priority and support has been offered by parents and members of the local community. It is progressing well.

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b. To develop additional storage areas in school

35. The buildings are cared for well and the extensive carpeting contributes to the promotion of a good atmosphere for learning. Work has begun on constructing some additional storage space and there are immediate plans to further this priority to create additional computer workspace for staff. These proposals are carefully considered and are manageable.

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a. To upgrade ICT hardware

b. To further develop Internet access. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 15 35. The school has recently been wired to receive Internet access. The ICT coordinator has a detailed programme of priorities for the development and use of ICT in school. It contains ambitious plans using finance from a wide variety of sources. These plans form a good base for further development.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

37. The school has accurately identified areas for improvement within its School Development Plan and the actions already decided upon should form future action. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. [When the total number is substantially less than 100, add] Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one [two, three, etc] percentage point[s]. [Where the total is close to or greater than 100, use only the first sentence.]

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 137

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

% % Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 17 School data 4.2% School data 0.0%

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6% National comparative data 0.5%

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 18

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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 27 13 40

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 27 27 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 13 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 27 27 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 13 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6.5 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 271 679

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Total expenditure 261 934

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 81.25 Expenditure per pupil 2 165

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 36 575

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/a Balance carried forward to next year 46 320

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/a

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 20 FTE means full-time equivalent. Shotley Bridge Infants’ School - 21

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 56 44 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 42 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 49 20 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 24 54 20 2 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 63 29 5 3 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 36 2 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 31 56 7 5 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 56 37 0 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 51 47 2 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 34 32 20 2 12

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