Terrington St Clement Community School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th – 7 th March 2002

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SCHOOL

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

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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. Terrington St Clement Community School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 72, Churchgateway Terrington St Clement King’s Lynn Norfolk

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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. Stephen Carnell

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 20 th October 1997 Terrington St Clement Community School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

22398 Lynne Wright Registered inspector Design and Technology What sort of school is it? The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What the school should do to improve further. 13746 David Russell Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 22729 Robert Arnold Team inspector Science Physical Education Equal Opportunities Special Educational Needs 31334 Barbara Atcheson Team inspector Foundation Stage Religious Education Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. 7465 Richard Brent Team inspector Geography History The Learning Support Unit The Language Development Centre 11402 Tom Gorman Team inspector English English as an additional language 4262 Tony Taylor Team inspector Mathematics Music 11704 Peter Williman Team inspector Art and Design Information and communication technology How good are curricular

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway Terrington St Clement Community School - 5 London WC2B 6SE Terrington St Clement Community School - 6

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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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 30

Terrington St Clement Community School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is a large primary school catering for 328 boys and girls from 3 to 11, most of whom live in the village of Terrington St Clement or the surrounding area. It is continuing to grow due to local, large-scale housing development. There are two specialist centres, the Language Development Centre for Key Stage 1 pupils and the Learning Support Centre for Key Stage 2 pupils, which is undersubscribed. Some pupils come from further afield to attend these units, and they attend other schools for part of each week. Almost all pupils are white, of United Kingdom origin, and their home language is English. The attainment of children on entry to the Nursery and Reception years covers a wide range, but overall is average. Children enter the Reception classes in September or January, according to when they have their fifth birthday. Although broadly average, pupils’ social circumstances are very varied, with pockets of deprivation, and the area

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

receives European regeneration funding. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is average, compared to the national picture. The number of pupils with special educational needs is average, but the percentage of these with statements is well above the national average. Within the school population are some ‘looked after’ children, a Traveller child, some non-attenders and one child at an early stage of English acquisition. Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and deputy have been appointed.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides its pupils with a satisfactory standard of education. It is becoming an effective school due to the very good leadership and good management of the recently appointed headteacher. Standards meet national expectations in most subjects due to satisfactory, and improving teaching. The school places due emphasis on the pupils’ personal and social development and overall, relationships are good. Overall, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The very good leadership of the headteacher and the governing body, and their determination to make this a good school. • The vision of the headteacher to improve every aspect of the school’s provision so that its pupils get a high quality, ‘rounded’ education. • Teaching in mathematics and music is good, so that pupils make good progress in their learning. • Children’s attitudes to school are positive, and they enjoy being there. • The range of extra-curricular activities is good. • Good procedures for pupils’ moral and social development enable pupils to form positive relationships. • Improved relationships with parents ensure that they are now supportive of the headteacher and recognise the good improvement she has brought about.

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What could be improved

• Monitoring of the range of the curriculum offered to all groups of pupils so that all have equal social and educational opportunities. • Standards in writing, science at Key Stage 2, and some non-core subjects. • The use teachers make of their termly plans, and teaching time, so that the pupils receive a balanced curriculum. • The use of on-going assessments to support pupils’ learning effectively from lesson to lesson. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs. 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

Since the school was last inspected, in October 1997, improvement has been unsatisfactory. Until the present headteacher took up her post there had been only limited action to address the Key Issues. In the past year improvement has been accelerated, due to the determination and hard work of the headteacher and governing body, and is now good. The headteacher is well aware of the outstanding issues to be tackled and has prioritised well. New school management systems are developing well and the senior management team is effective in moving the school forward. In the last year the school has begun to Terrington St Clement Community School - 8 implement the national literacy and numeracy strategies, resulting in improving standards. The teaching of reading and library facilities are improved. Teaching is improving with fewer unsatisfactory lessons and a greater proportion of good and very good lessons, as training and monitoring of lessons are beginning to

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

have an impact. As a result, standards in art, music and design and technology have improved. Pupils make at least satisfactory progress is all subjects but science. Investigative work is now part of mathematics teaching, and is beginning in science. Although lesson plans are still not closely enough matched to individual learning needs this is beginning to happen in practice. The curriculum has more structure than previously but social and educational inclusion is still not ensured, especially for pupils with special educational needs. All statutory requirements are now met except for some missing information in the governors’ annual report.

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STANDARDS

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

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

1999 2000 2001 2001 English C D D E well above average above average A B mathematics B C C C average below average C D science D E D E well below average E

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

Test results show below average standards in English and science because the most recent cohort tested contained a high proportion of pupils with identified learning difficulties. Pupils without learning difficulties attained above the national average in science, and at the national average in English and mathematics. School records show that for that cohort, pupils who continued from Year 2 to Year 6 made at least satisfactory, and often good, progress. Pupils without identified learning difficulties also attained in line with schools having the same proportion of pupils with free school meals. The trend over the last four years for all core subjects was broadly in line with the national trend. Over the last three years girls have done less well than boys, although this is not reflected in standards seen in classwork. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make sound progress and their attainment is in line with expectations in all

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

areas of the Early Years curriculum by the time they enter Year 1. Results of the national tests at Key Stage 1 indicate fluctuating standards over the past three years. The latest results, for pupils now in Year 3, show attainment was above the national average in reading, where there was a school initiative for improvement, attainment matched the average in writing, but was below it in mathematics, where co- ordination requires better focus and drive. Pupils without identified learning difficulties attained well above the national average, and that for similar schools, in reading, and matched it in writing and mathematics. Inspection evidence shows that at the end of the Infants, in Year 2, standards meet expectations in all subjects except religious education, art and design and geography. Pupils in Year 6 are attaining broadly average standards in all subjects except science, where investigative skills are not developed progressively,

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

and in religious education, geography and history where insufficient curriculum time is given to allow for the development of pupils’ skills. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in all except science at Key Stage 2, as more focused and knowledgeable teaching is beginning to take effect. The present Year 6 class contains one third of pupils with identified learning difficulties. The school sets challenging targets for results of national assessments, based on a careful analysis of pupils’ capabilities, and works hard to achieve them.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are keen and eager to attend and are interested and involved in activities. Behaviour, in and out of Satisfactory. Behaviour in classrooms is generally good. The boisterous Terrington St Clement Community School - 9 classrooms behaviour of a few in less formal situations, such as playtimes, detracts from the good behaviour of most pupils. Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils care well for each other and respect each other’s feelings.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory although there are above average numbers of unauthorised absence.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory 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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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching is satisfactory, overall, at all stages, although within this there are inconsistencies within classes, year groups and subjects. Of the 86 lessons seen during this inspection, seven were less than satisfactory and just under half were good or better. Unsatisfactory teaching was seen at all Key Stages but there was proportionally more at Key Stage 2. The unsatisfactory teaching tended to be within science and art and design, where the school has identified the need for improvement and has started whole-school in- service training. The better teaching was generally seen in literacy and numeracy lessons, where the recent implementation of the national strategies has given a clearer structure to lesson plans and a greater clarity to teaching approaches for all groups of pupils. Teaching is good in mathematics and in music, where increased teacher confidence has resulted in pupils’ good achievement. In other subjects teachers’

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

planning is inconsistent and does not always detail how the learning needs of different groups of pupils are to be met. Although lesson plans now give clear purposes for learning, these tend to be focused on the acquisition of knowledge rather than the development of skills, with the exception of mathematics and music, where this is done well. Teaching does not necessarily follow agreed termly plans so that time allocation to each subject cannot be guaranteed in practice. This means that classes in the same year group may have different provision. Marking of pupils’ work is generally unsatisfactory and gives neither pupils nor teachers a clear measure of progress. In lessons that are taught well, pupils make good gains in their learning. Their overall achievement is satisfactory and they remain attentive and well behaved even where teaching is unexciting and bland.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Unsatisfactory. Although it is sufficiently broad, time allocations result in some subjects not having sufficient coverage to develop all aspects in sufficient depth. Pupils in parallel classes are not ensured similar learning experiences. A good range of activities outside lessons makes a good contribution to the social development of the pupils who attend them. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Unsatisfactory. Individual education plans are not used effectively as a basis for lesson planning. Pupils withdrawn from lesson for extra help miss elements of the curriculum on a regular basis. Pupils in the Language Development Centre do not have adequate social contact with those outside it. Pupils from the Learning Support Centre are insufficiently supported in other classroom settings. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language

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Aspect Comment

The one child in this category receives good support in the normal classroom setting.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including Provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory and has improved since the previous inspection. The headteacher is determined Terrington St Clement Community School - 10 spiritual, moral, social and cultural development in promoting these aspects explicitly, through such events as assemblies and general school life. Social and moral development are good. How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory. Monitoring of attendance and systems for improving it are unsatisfactory. The school has begun an anti-bullying initiative strongly and effectively. Systems for tracking pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory. Assessment information does not guide curriculum planning sufficiently closely.

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Aspect Comment

Parents are supportive of the school and recognise that there has been good improvement recently. Terrington St Clement Community School - 11

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher and key staff work effectively together and have brought about good overall improvement recently. The headteacher’s leadership is very good and determined, showing a clear sense of purpose based on correct priorities for development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their roles very well. They have a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and work in total partnership with the headteacher to bring about improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Sound. Appropriate targets for improving practice and raising standards have been set.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The principles of best value are applied well. It is planned to use the above average funding retained from the previous year to support essential major curriculum and staffing developments. Accommodation is satisfactory. The quality, quantity, range and use of resources are satisfactory overall.

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improved

• Their children like school. • Children make good progress. • Teaching is good. • They feel comfortable approaching the school. • The school is well led and managed. • The school is helping children to become mature and responsible. • The amount of homework given. • The information they receive on how their children are getting on. • Closer working relationships with parents.

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improved

The team agrees with most of the positive views. Overall, teaching is satisfactory and the pupils make satisfactory progress. Provision for homework is satisfactory. Parents receive plenty of information on how their children are getting on. The working relationships between parents and school are sound. Terrington St Clement Community School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children enter the Nursery class and the Reception classes with standards of attainment similar to those expected nationally. The school’s records of ‘baseline’ assessments of children new to the school confirm these standards. Overall, by the time they are in Year 6, pupils attain broadly average standards, and this represents satisfactory achievement at each stage of their school life.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The attainment of children starting school covers a wide range, but overall it is satisfactory in all areas, with some strengths in physical and social skills, which are slightly better developed. During their time in the Foundation Stage, in the Nursery and Reception classes, most children make sound progress and achieve satisfactorily because of satisfactory, and sometimes good, teaching. As a consequence, when they start Year 1, their attainment matches that expected nationally, giving them a sound start to the next stage of their schooling.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Results of national end of key stage tests have fluctuated from year to year, reflecting the different abilities of each cohort. However, the trend at Key Stage 2 over the last five years, for English, mathematics and science was broadly in line with the national trend. At Key Stage 1, results in reading have improved, indicating the success of recent school initiatives. Results in mathematics have been lower, largely due to less focused co-ordination and leadership at this key stage and the late implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. At Key Stage 2, results in mathematics are slightly better than in English and science, as more pupils achieve at the higher level due to effective ‘setting’. Also the co-ordination at this key stage is more firmly focused on raising standards. The school has put in place a bank of assessments for English and mathematics throughout the junior classes. The results are thoroughly analysed against projected national

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

targets and action taken to address identified weaknesses. These records enable the school to check on the progress made by each pupil against individual targets.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Three pupils were disapplied from taking the 2001 end of Key Stage 1 national tests. The results of these tests and assessments for 2001 show that standards achieved by pupils in Year 2 were above the national average in reading, matched it in writing and were below it in mathematics. Compared to similar schools attainment was similar for reading and mathematics, but below average in writing. The proportion of pupils attaining at the higher level was below average in writing and well below it in mathematics, indicating that strategies for improving the performance of more able pupils were not firmly enough in place. Pupils without identified specific learning difficulties attained well above average in reading and matched the average in writing and mathematics, both nationally and when compared to similar schools. Teacher assessments for science showed broadly average attainment.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. No pupils were disapplied from taking the end of Key Stage 2 national tests in 2001. Results of these tests showed standards to match national expectations in mathematics, but were below them in English and science. When compared to similar schools standards in mathematics remained average, but fell to well below average in English and science. In mathematics an above average proportion of pupils attained at the higher level. The attainment of pupils without identified learning difficulties was broadly average in English and mathematics, and above it in science, both nationally and compared to similar schools. The development of science skills, which is a weaker area at Key Stage 2, is not tested. Although statistics show that pupils made less than average progress from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2, pupils without identified learning difficulties made satisfactory progress in all subjects. School records show that of the pupils that took the Key

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Stage 1 tests in this school, progress, as measured by end of key stage test results, was at least satisfactory for most pupils. Some pupils made very good progress. Progress was best in science. Least progress was made in English, where late introduction of the National Literacy Terrington St Clement Community School - 13 Strategy has yet to have its full impact.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Although recent test results indicate that boys at Key Stage 2 do better than girls in English, mathematics and science, inspection findings show there is no significant difference between the achievements of boys and girls, or of any particular groups of pupils. School policy does not now allow the disapplication of any pupils from taking these tests. The headteacher requires that every pupil should have an equal opportunity to show what they know and understand.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The school failed to meet its targets for 2001 in English and mathematics, as they were unrealistically high and tracking systems then in place did not allow for accurate target setting. Targets for this year are more realistic, but still challenging, as over one quarter of the present Year 6 pupils have special educational needs. Inspection evidence shows some improvement in standards since the previous inspection. Most of this improvement has occurred in the last year, when co-ordinators have been required to audit provision in their subjects and draw up action plans for improvement. Standards match national expectations in English, mathematics, information and communication technology, design and technology, music and physical education at age seven and eleven. They match expectations in science and history at age seven but are below at age eleven where curriculum provision for the progressive development of enquiry skills

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

is unsatisfactory. Standards in art and design are below expectations at age seven, but match them at age eleven, due to increasingly improving teaching as a result of the higher priority given to it this year. In geography and religious education standards are low at both key stages. In geography, curriculum planning emphasises knowledge acquisition at the expense of the development of skills. Pupils start from a low knowledge base in religious education.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Progress in English is sound across the school, and often good in reading. The sustained and successful focus on reading, and improved library facilities have helped the pupils to become true ‘readers’ with an enjoyment and appreciation of books. Although progress in writing is satisfactory it dips slightly at the start of the juniors, where there is a missed opportunity to develop extended writing skills, both in English and in other subjects, before picking up again in Years 5 and 6. In mathematics the school-based drive to develop pupils’ use and application of number has been taken seriously at both key stages. Improved teaching has led to the pupils making good progress in this aspect. Although data handling is taught in ICT lessons, the development of this strand is not sufficiently strong within mathematics lessons. The move to introduce the teaching of science enquiry skills in a standard format, which most teachers are using, is too new to have

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

had much impact yet on science standards, especially in the juniors. Here teaching is still largely knowledge-based and so pupils’ progress is unsatisfactory. Progress in music is good and the pupils achieve well in singing and performance due to more confident teaching. In the other curriculum subjects progress is satisfactory overall due to improving teaching resulting from the introduction of monitoring and more explicit expectations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Progress is generally satisfactory for pupils with special educational needs. Some targets in individual education plans are not specific enough, especially where challenging behaviour is identified, and this makes tracking of progress less easy. Where specific targets are used by class teachers to plan work, progress is often good. School and other data indicate that the attainment of pupils in the Language Development Centre varies according to the extent of individual need, but is overall below the national average. The pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in relation to their stage of language acquisition but unsatisfactory in relation to their social communication needs. The attainment of pupils in the Learning Support Centre, all of whom have statements of special educational need, is well below average. These pupils achieve soundly and make satisfactory progress in standards of behaviour, literacy and numeracy.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. All groups of pupils, at all stages, have a good attitude towards school. Personal development and relationships are good and behaviour is satisfactory. Pupils generally have a good attitude to their Terrington St Clement Community School - 14 learning. Most pupils are keen and eager to attend school and are glad to be there. Children in the Nursery are happy to come into their classroom independently and separate from their parents and carers confidently. The pupils say that they like school and that it is a friendly place. Parents agree their children like coming to school as they feel welcome there and they like the teachers. Most pupils care well for each other, but a few older pupils can be disparaging of their peers at times. During lessons most listen attentively to their teachers, answer sensibly and make thoughtful observations. Pupils generally apply themselves to tasks with interest, sustain

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

concentration and persevere with their work until it is complete. However there are a small minority of pupils with challenging behaviour who do not always settle down to learn, and occasionally they do not listen or respond appropriately to the teacher. A significant number of pupils are keen to remain after school to take part in the good range of extra curricular activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils’ behaviour in and around school is satisfactory, overall. Recently, one pupil was excluded for a fixed term as the school sought to reinforce its values. That pupils now being supported through a reintegration programme. Most pupils are polite and considerate to one another as well as to staff and visitors. They hold doors open and stand back to allow visitors to go first. They are well behaved during lessons. There are occasions when a few pupils misbehave in lessons but the majority of pupils ignore this and remain on task. There is a sense of order as they enter assembly. In less formal situations, for example in the dining hall, behaviour can be boisterous. This is because there is a large number of children in a confined space and there is a lack of good organisation, combined with a low number of adult supervisors.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Some older pupils also get over-excited on the playground. This is particularly hazardous during the period when junior pupils are out to play at the same time as the infants. Some younger pupils get knocked down if they wander across the more lively games of the older pupils and, as a result, many of the younger pupils either sit or play around the edge of the playground. If a younger pupil is hurt an older pupil will usually come to their aid. There are occasions where teachers and supervisors lack the appropriate strategies to deal with the challenging behaviour of pupils with behavioural difficulties, and there is a lack of consistent application of sanctions and a lack of strategies to control behaviour in non-classroom situations.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The quality of relationships is good. Teachers and pupils relate well to each other and pupils respond by forming good relationships of their own. A caring ethos is evident both in class and round the school. In class most pupils work collaboratively, effectively supporting each other and sharing resources and ideas. Older pupils are particularly caring of younger ones and are keen to look after them when the opportunity arises.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils’ personal development is good. Most readily take up responsibilities in their own classrooms and carry out their tasks most efficiently. When litter is collected from the playground the litter pickers raise other pupils’ awareness of the need to keep the site tidy by talking to the school in assembly. Some pupils set up games at lunchtime and other are the toy monitors, bringing out toys for use at playtime. The school operates a house system with each house collecting points for good work, effort and good behaviour. There are also prefects who monitor the corridors effectively on the way into assembly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils have a good understanding of how their actions make others feel. They have respect for different values and beliefs because they understand how they would feel themselves. Pupils feel that there is less oppressive behaviour since the arrival of the present headteacher. The incident Log Book bears this out and also shows that there are systems and procedures in place to deal with any incident, should it arise. The school has recently held a successful open forum meeting for parents on bullying, and an anti-bullying culture is becoming well-established.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The behaviour, response and attitudes of pupils with special educational needs are variable, but good overall. Where these are unsatisfactory, they are often linked to lessons where teachers are less skilled in behaviour management techniques. Pupils with special educational needs are fully Terrington St Clement Community School - 15 integrated into the life of the school. Pupils in the two specialist units have good relationships with each other. Their relationships with teachers and support staff are very good, giving them increased confidence in their learning. The good behaviour of pupils in the Language Development Centre is supported by good behaviour management of the minority of pupils with emotional needs. The inclusion of specific social targets would further promote their personal development. Pupils in the Learning Support Centre, some of whom have severe emotional need are well supported, but these pupils sometimes experience difficulty in some mainstream classes

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

when the school behaviour policy, and sanctions, are applied inconsistently.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance levels are satisfactory and in line with the national average. Attendance levels show an encouraging upward trend and are in line with the targets set by the school. However, the levels of unauthorised absence are above the national average, as there are two pupils with very poor attendance records. These pupils’ unauthorised absences are directly affecting their attainment and progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The few pupils arriving late do not cause any unnecessary disruption to lessons and teachers quickly settle them to work. Registration procedures are efficient and meet statutory requirements.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall throughout the school, and is sometimes good or very good in individual lessons. Of the eighty-six lessons observed seven were less than satisfactory. Weaker lessons were seen at each stage of the school. The key weaknesses lie in unsatisfactory planning, which does not contain enough structure to support the teachers in providing learning that challenges and extends all groups of pupils. This is sometimes due to inexperience and lack of knowledge of the needs of the each group in the class. Some teaching lacks confidence in subjects that have not had a high priority in recent years and there has been little until recently to improve teachers’ skills and knowledge. The number of unsatisfactory lessons has reduced since the previous inspection, which found one in five lessons to be unsatisfactory, a very high proportion. The headteacher demonstrates, through her own very good teaching, her expectations,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and the monitoring process is beginning to give teachers confidence to develop new approaches. The proportion of good and very good lessons has increased and two lessons were observed of excellent quality. Again, this is an improvement from the previous inspection. However, there are inconsistencies within classes, year groups and subjects across the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Satisfactory, and sometimes good, teaching in the Foundation Stage provides the children with appropriate activities which extend their skills, develop their confidence, build on what they already know and also give them time to explore ideas and interests in depth. The only child for whom English is not the first language is well supported in the Foundation Stage setting, where a high priority is given to the development of the children’s language and literacy skills, so that her sound achievement matches that of her peers.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. All the pupils with special educational needs, in all classes, have individual education plans but teachers do not always have copies or refer to them when planning lessons. The teaching, although variable in quality, is appropriate in English and mathematics lessons. In many lessons in other subjects there is a lack of work planned at an appropriate level and it is often planned without direct reference to targets set in individual education plans, preventing the pupils from making better progress. Teaching in the Language Development Centre is satisfactory, although individual education plans and lesson plans do not take enough account of the pupils’ need to develop social communication skills. As a result, teaching has a variable effect on the quality of learning and standards of achievement. Teaching in the Learning Support Centre is satisfactory, and sometimes it is good. Adults understand the needs of the pupils and make good provision for

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the teaching of basic skills, especially literacy and numeracy, so that learning is usually sound. Terrington St Clement Community School - 16 22. The better teaching across the school occurs in literacy and numeracy lessons, where the recent implementation of the national strategies has given a clearer structure to lesson plans and a greater clarity to teaching approaches for all groups of pupils. The teaching of English is more consistently sound than was found at the previous inspection, and literacy skills are taught satisfactorily. The teaching of English in the Reception classes and Year 1 gives pupils a good foundation. The quality of teaching is less assured in the middle years of the school, where the challenge is only adequate rather than demanding of pupils’ intellectual effort. It is better in the last two years of the juniors ensuring that pupils make overall sound progress in their learning. A

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

good quality policy supports strongly the conscious development of speaking and learning throughout the pupils’ learning experiences. Most teachers use language carefully to extend the pupils’ technical vocabulary in, for example, music and design and technology. The National Literacy Strategy has only recently been introduced in the school, and the teachers are still getting to grips with the different planning needed to consistently meet the learning needs of all groups of pupils. There are missed opportunities for writing across the curriculum, when work is too often worksheet-based, as in religious education. The teaching of mathematics has improved and is now generally good. Teachers have embraced national strategies for numeracy effectively, and the teaching of numeracy skills is good. This ensures that pupils make good progress in their use and application of mathematics. Setting in the last two years of the juniors is instrumental to the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teaching in science is satisfactory at Key Stage 1, where planning is better linked to pupils’ learning needs, but unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2. Here, planning for a series of lessons is not amended sufficiently in the light of informal assessments of pupils’ achievements and progress and does not take enough account of pupils’ prior knowledge. In-service training is increasing teachers’ knowledge of the development of pupils’ investigative skills. At present this aspect of the science programme is not taught in a structured enough way, and this limits progress. Overall, the quality of music teaching is good. Teaching approaches encourage very good standards in singing. Music activities outside lessons make a good contribution to the pupils’ knowledge and enjoyment of music. However, not all teachers have the confidence, yet, to teach music in a progressive way.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. In the other curriculum subjects teaching is satisfactory. Teachers generally have sound knowledge and understanding of what they have to teach. However, day to day lesson plans are unsatisfactory. Although teachers have adequate expectations of their pupils lesson plans are not sharply enough focused on providing challenge for all groups of pupils through the provision of different tasks. Assessments of how individuals and groups are doing in their learning, and of the progress they are making, are not used effectively to plan the next lesson. In many lessons support staff are used well, and work in good partnership to support the pupils well in their learning. However, pupils from the Learning Support Centre are not given sufficient support when they return to their classes. Teachers do not use lesson time well and many lessons lack the urgency and pace necessary to promote better progress. This results in the pupils having a lack of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

urgency and excitement in their learning. Teachers’ marking is unsatisfactory and the lack of enough constructive feedback, during, and at the end of lessons means that pupils do not have a clear and informed idea of how well they are doing, and what they need to do to improve. However, pupils make satisfactory progress in lessons and their achievement is sound. The pupils generally remain attentive and well-behaved, even where teaching is unexciting and bland.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Where teaching is good, or better, the pupils are managed well and lessons are brisk and effective in challenging the pupils’ concentration and intellectual effort as well as an independent approach to learning. Work in these lessons is generally better matched to the pupils’ needs and, consequently, the pupils make good progress. For example, in an excellent literacy lesson in Year 5, the purpose of using the colon as a means of punctuating text was clearly explained to the pupils. Good relationships and classroom management ensured that all pupils contributed readily and with interest to discussion. Very effective strategies were used to stimulate the pupils’ Terrington St Clement Community School - 17 imaginations as to what was in the box and pupils’ suggestions were used to write a poem exploring their feeling and ideas in an original way.

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PUPILS?

26. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is carefully planned and constructed and is of satisfactory quality. Lessons take into account the prior learning of the children and are well supported by all staff.

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PUPILS?

27. The quality and range of learning opportunities throughout the rest of the school are unsatisfactory, overall. The breadth and relevance of the planned curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and the Agreed Syllabus for religious education. However, there is insufficient balance in the planning and teaching of the curriculum to ensure that all pupils in all year groups have equal opportunities to experience a similar curriculum and sufficient time to study a balanced curriculum. Allocation of weekly teaching time is currently below the minimum recommended in national guidance. The school’s priority to improve standards in literacy and numeracy places pressure on time available for other subjects, further affecting timetable balance. This applies particularly to provision for history, geography and science. There is currently insufficient audit of the curriculum to ensure appropriate balance. The quality of pupils’ previous

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PUPILS?

experience has had a direct impact on standards and this has left deficiencies in current levels of skills development, which must be overcome before pupils can make better progress.

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PUPILS?

28. Schemes of work in all subjects have been reviewed since the last inspection. The school has adopted appropriate national and local schemes, which, together with the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies ensure compliance with the National Curriculum. Significant steps have been taken, under the leadership of the present headteacher, to remedy the weaknesses identified in the previous report in the quality of the curriculum and the structured development of skills in art and in design and technology. These developments are in clear evidence but have yet to be fully implemented. Good progress has been made in the quality of learning opportunities in, for example, painting and clay work in art and design. This has been a direct result of appropriate training for teachers to improve their skills and knowledge.

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PUPILS?

29. The introduction of the National Literacy and National Numeracy Strategies has given structure to the teaching of these subjects and this is beginning to have an impact on raising pupils’ achievements in English and mathematics. The continued beneficial use of setting has been maintained alongside the National Numeracy Strategy to give appropriate opportunities for lower attaining pupils and pupils with special educational needs. Similarly, the adoption of the ‘booster class’ strategy gives appropriate support to the designated pupils. The National Literacy and National Numeracy strategies are appropriately used to support learning in other subjects.

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PUPILS?

30. Equality of opportunity in the curriculum is unsatisfactory. Timetables reflect inconsistencies in the amount of time allocated to different subjects, for example, where pupils in different classes in Years 4, 5 and 6 can have either 90 minutes a week of science or up to 135 minutes depending on which class they are in. There has been no audit of curriculum time and some teachers amend timetables at short notice to reflect their changing priorities resulting in a lack of continuity. However, the school has a strong commitment to the concept of equality of opportunity. For example, a new initiative for pupils to make decorative tiles with a resident artist gives good opportunities in the creative arts for pupils to succeed in a different context. Insufficient account is taken of the loss of breadth of curriculum experience of pupils who spend a large proportion of time in the Language Development Centre and Learning Support Centre. In the Language

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PUPILS?

Development Centre appropriate time is allocated to literacy, mathematics and information and communication technology, but there is less time available for other subjects and their curriculum experience is different to that of their peers. There are also few opportunities for these pupils to Terrington St Clement Community School - 18 integrate with their peers. Further, pupils who receive extra learning support or music tuition, miss elements of the curriculum on a regular basis and this is insufficiently monitored, and alternative arrangements made.

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PUPILS?

31. Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) is satisfactory. The PSHE programme, which is enthusiastically led by the co-ordinator, effectively embodies the underlying mission of the school to promote in the pupils well-rounded personalities with soundly based values and abilities to maintain personal and communal welfare and safety. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour amply illustrates the core values in this work. The recent introduction of a new scheme of work has yet to have its full effect on pupils’ learning. Practices such as circle time are not yet consistently introduced across the school. The pressure of available curriculum time is partly a factor in this situation. However, the introduction of Class Councils as a precursor to a full School Council provides a sound basis to assist the development of the Citizenship element of the PSHE policy. There are seeds of initiatives, which have good potential to strengthen personal

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PUPILS?

development if adopted on a wider scale. The “Friday Feelings” diary, introduced to a Year 5 class, gives pupils an opportunity to share their successes and concerns confidentially with their teacher. This is valued by the pupils and strengthens confidence and self esteem. Adults with disability are encouraged to work voluntarily within the school and this provides a very good role model to pupils. The Governors have agreed an appropriate policy that sex education should be managed both integrally within the provision of the National Curriculum and with additional support for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2. There is no separately written policy for drugs education, but there is appropriate provision for pupils to understand the impact of the use and misuse of drugs through PSHE and the science curriculum.

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PUPILS?

32. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular opportunities. Pupils are very enthusiastic about the good quality clubs available. These are well-planned across the school year to provide suitable opportunity for the maximum number of pupils to participate. Clubs are offered for computer, ceramics, country dancing, football, hockey, badminton and netball. Opportunities for music are good. Pupils can take part in a well-led and well-tutored choir. Peripatetic teachers provide good opportunities for classical string and brass instrumental tuition. The computer clubs are particularly beneficial to pupils who do not have access to computers at home. One of the clubs is well led by a governor, which broadens pupils’ social perspectives and maintains a valuable link in the governors’ appreciation of the work of the school. Visits provide first hand experience to pupils and visitors are of special value to pupils enjoyment of learning.

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PUPILS?

33. There have been many improvement in the schools’ provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development since the last inspection. Provision for spiritual development is now satisfactory. Whole-school assemblies are well-planned and are very successful in helping pupils to understand that they are members of a school community with shared values. This sense of belonging is reflected in the enthusiasm with which the pupils participate in the assemblies, for example in their singing of well-chosen hymns. Pupils have opportunities to reflect on what they learn, or to pray, and they respond very well to these opportunities. In the week of the inspection, the headteacher and her deputy led assemblies which emphasised the value and uniqueness of each child and pupils benefited from these occasions in terms of their personal and spiritual development. They also enjoyed them. The school has given some thought to the issue of how

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the pupils’ spiritual development can be fostered in the curriculum in subjects such as English. However, this is an area in which further development is needed

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PUPILS?

34. Provision for the pupils’ moral development is good. They quickly develop their understanding of the difference between right and wrong, particularly in relation to their own behaviour and their relationships with others; primarily through the guidance given by teachers and through the codes of conduct that they have the opportunity to discuss and apply. Staff provide a good example to the pupils in their caring attitudes and in the way they reinforce principles related to acceptable and non-acceptable behaviour. Pupils learn to respect, and quickly respond to, requests or signals for silence, for example in the dining area. The school actively promotes values such as kindness Terrington St Clement Community School - 19 to others and respect for each individual. These values are reinforced through opportunities given to the pupils to express themselves and to discuss issues that concern them or on which they may

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PUPILS?

have differences of opinion. They also are given opportunities to learn about the plight of others who are less fortunate than themselves and to make a contribution to their support through charitable activities. Parents as a whole appreciate that the school’s values have a positive effect on their children.

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PUPILS?

35. Provision for the pupils’ social development is also good. From an early age they are encouraged to work co-operatively with others in pairs or groups and most, later, have opportunities to work as members of teams. The quality of the relationships in the school between teachers and pupils and between the pupils themselves is good, particularly in the classroom. Pupils respect their teachers and each other and they are courteous and helpful to visitors. Older pupils often show a concern for younger ones. They are given planned opportunities to exercise responsibility in a number of ways such as assisting in the library, at assemblies and in helping young pupils when they are preparing to go home, as well as in more practical ways such as ensuring that the playground is litter-free. Pupils are also preparing to participate in a School Council and this is already having a positive effect on their sense of involvement in, and responsibility for, the work of the school. In

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PUPILS?

sum, pupils like being at school and most have a sense of pride in belonging to the school community.

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PUPILS?

36. Provision for the cultural development of the pupils is satisfactory. Their cultural awareness is fostered through some elements in the curriculum, such as the study of Chembakoli in India, and in singing. Artefacts and decorative art associated with different religions and traditions are attractively displayed in the corridors and these help to promote awareness of these aspects of cultural diversity. During the inspection week, a day was devoted to the presentation of music, dance and drama related to Africa; and a local artist contributed to the work of a group of pupils from different classes who were designing ceramic tiles for a future display. The school is aware of the need to further extend the pupils’ awareness of the ethnic and cultural diversity of British society. There are also ways in which more account could be taken in the curriculum of aspects of the local cultural heritage.

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PUPILS?

37. Links with the community contribute satisfactorily to pupils’ learning. Access to the wealth of data on the internet, in order to enrich the curriculum and the pupils’ learning, is a noticeable feature. For example, following a numeracy booster lesson pupils in Year 6 accessed several websites to further develop their problem solving abilities and to further extend their knowledge. The school has links with the adjacent church and with the Methodist church in the village. The local vicar frequently takes school assemblies and works closely with the respective subject co- ordinator on specific themes. Pupils visit the church and participate in religious festivals. This enhances the pupils’ spiritual development; their awareness of the world around them and respect for others. The local Women’s Institute willingly contributes its time to work with the pupils and also offers prizes to pupils making the best progress in their work. The headteacher is keen to

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PUPILS?

develop this relationship and is very appreciative of this invaluable contribution to school life. There is close liaison with the local Charity Commission, which contributes money to enable less advantaged children to participate in extra-curricular activities, such as music lessons.

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PUPILS?

38. In the past, links with the local High School have been unsatisfactory. Induction procedures for the Year 6 pupils are now in place and developing well and there is improving dialogue between the two schools. The present headteacher is developing links with a number of other local High Schools so that pupils at transferring age have an awareness of other secondary schools.

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PUPILS?

39. A residential visit to Holt Hall, and many other initiatives, help to create a different learning environment and allow the pupils to develop social skills of sharing, teamwork and acting as ambassadors of the school. Currently, links with local businesses and industry are under- developed. Pupils visit local farms to learn about the environment and how things grow, although the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the area severely curtailed this development. The Terrington St Clement Community School - 20 College of West Anglia sends students to gain valuable experience of working with young children and supporting pupils in lessons. Both pupils and students benefit from these activities.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school has maintained the satisfactory provision of care since the last inspection. There is a committed approach towards health and safety, and related policies are clearly communicated to parents. Governors and staff attach great importance to the welfare of pupils, and the school provides a caring and supportive environment. There is a strong feature of caring for pupils around the school, and the school uses its trained first aid personnel effectively. The school is rigorously implementing the recently updated child protection procedures. The headteacher is the designated person for child protection. Teaching staff and lunchtime supervisors have all received awareness training in this crucial area and are pro-active in identifying or monitoring signs of child abuse. Staff know the pupils well.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are unsatisfactory and in need of review, as the school is missing opportunities for monitoring and improving attendance. There are no set routines for evaluating data, printing off daily or monthly reports or analysing trends in absence. There are no initiatives to acknowledge, reward or celebrate classes or pupils who have 100 per cent attendance. The link with the Education Welfare Office is regular and effective. Levels of unauthorised absences are above the national average; the two pupils with very serious absence problems are a significant contributory cause. Unauthorised absence as a result of pupils being taken out of school for holidays during term time is low. The school reviews every application for holidays during term time and is pro-active in seeking parents’ co-operation on this matter. Monitoring in this area is satisfactory.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are satisfactory. During lunchtime activities, supervisors monitor behaviour and record the misbehaving pupils’ names into the ‘Red Book’. Trends in bad behaviour result in parents being informed and called in to school to discuss the situation. Reward systems are effective and encourage pupils to behave in an expected way. Teaching staff apply sanctions for inappropriate behaviour inconsistently and sanctions for inappropriate behaviour in the playground and dining area are not implemented formally. Procedures for monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour are particularly good. Many anti- bullying strategies have been introduced, including parents’ consultation and information events. A definite anti-bullying culture is being established at the school and is starting to give the desired effect of eliminating incidents of bullying.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are satisfactory. Teachers recognise the individuality of all pupils, and effectively support their development. For example, a small group of Year 6 pupils are given ‘booster’ classes in order to support their learning and understanding. Teachers realise praise and celebration of success are necessary in supporting pupils’ personal development. The school’s arrangements for identifying pupils with special educational needs have due regard for the procedures recommended in the new code of practice and the provision outlined for those with statements of educational need is implemented satisfactorily. The school cares well for pupils known to need particular attention and works satisfactorily with outside agencies

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Overall, the school has satisfactory procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic development. Improvement since the last inspection, although very recent, has been satisfactory. This is now contributing to the satisfactory achievement that pupils make over time. A recently appointed teacher is providing good leadership in developing enhanced monitoring systems for older pupils, but currently arrangements are less secure for younger pupils. There is a well-organised system, based upon external tests at the end of Years 3, 4 and 5, and the school makes careful analysis of trends and progress. However, the school has yet to produce detailed individual targets. Regular liaison between teachers, the headteacher and the assessment co-ordinator promotes good Terrington St Clement Community School - 21 educational and personal support and guidance for pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory overall. An appropriate assessment policy is in place but has yet to be implemented fully. The headteacher and co- ordinator are beginning to oversee whole-school practices, and plans are in hand to involve subject co-ordinators through meetings and scrutiny of teachers’ marking in exercise books. Baseline assessment is carried out satisfactorily when the children enter the Nursery, and attention is particularly focused on the early identification of children with special needs. Assessments carried out on entry to the Reception classes are not repeated at the end of the year to give teachers a measure of how well the children have attained, or the effectiveness of their teaching. Assessment systems in the Foundation Stage do not have a common format and are, therefore, inconsistent in their effectiveness. In the rest of the school, systems are better in English and

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

mathematics than in other subjects, where they are unsatisfactory because the planning of lessons does not have regular regard for the needs of assessment and its evaluation. In English and mathematics the planning structure and associated assessments provided by the national strategies provide clear information for staff and pupils. Most teachers give satisfactory verbal and informal feedback, but written remarks are usually neither diagnostic nor developmental. Self-assessment by older pupils and their awareness of their own attainment is at an early stage of development. Teachers’ own assessments of the pupils’ attainments at the end of Year 2 are inaccurate when compared with national test results. The use of assessment information to guide curricular planning is currently unsatisfactory but there are signs of improvement. There is little evidence of teachers amending teaching plans to introduce a range of tasks for different levels of pupils’

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

attainments. However, the school has begun to group by ability in mathematics and has started to use data analyses to identify whether particular groups of pupils under-achieve or do particularly well.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. All statutory requirements for special educational needs pupils are met. Annual reviews involve parents appropriately. All pupils with special educational needs have individual education plans, which are reviewed at least termly. The quality of targets in these plans is variable and does not always give a clear measure of tracking progress easily. However, the more recently-written targets show more clarity and, over time will improve the quality of information available to teachers, parents and pupils regarding progress. Some pupil records are undated, wrongly labelled, dates of reviews missing or badly organised within the school’s filing system, making them difficult for teachers to access.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents have good, positive views of the school and are generally satisfied with what the school is doing for their children and they feel it is well led and managed. They are pleased by the fact that their children like school and make progress. They are comfortable about approaching the school with problems or concerns. The provision of an interesting range of activities outside of lessons is a recognised attribute. However, returned questionnaires from about a quarter of the parents, indicate that some parents felt that their children do not get sufficient homework, that they were not well informed about children’s progress and that the school does not work closely with parents. Inspection findings do not substantiate these claims.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The links between parents and the school are satisfactory. In the Foundation Stage there is a two-way flow of information and parents feel that they are kept well informed about the progress of their children. Recent whole-school initiatives to strengthen communications with parents have been well received by the majority of parents. These initiatives involve parent meetings about specific aspects of bullying and collecting views of parents in order to identify areas for improvement. The school has an open door policy and actively encourages parental involvement in their children’s learning. The home-school agreement clearly spells out the expectations of the partnership. Parents respond positively by listening to children read at home and helping with Terrington St Clement Community School - 22 other homework, where necessary. Some provide valuable support in classrooms. This involvement and commitment makes a sound contribution to standards, progress and the quality of

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

education provided. Although most parents strongly support the aims and values of the school, some do not, and the school tries hard to demonstrate the worth of its aims.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The quality of information provided for parents is satisfactory. The school prospectus provides a clear insight into the activities of the school and is a useful document for new parents. The newsletters and news updates are brief but informative. Pupils’ progress reports provide most necessary information but they do not identify targets for improvement. Parents of pupils with identified special educational needs are invited to discuss and agree targets set in pupils individual educational plans and these are presented in an easy to follow format. Parents are always invited to annual reviews and many accept the invitation. Parents are generally pleased with the provision for pupils with special educational needs. The governors’ annual report has several omissions and some misleading statements within it with regard to attendance. The latest report does not meet statutory requirements.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The Friends of the School make generous contributions to the school and these enable the school to acquire much needed equipment and resources.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The composite judgements from the previous inspection show that the management and efficiency of the school were requiring some improvement. The present headteacher has been in post just over a year, and leadership and management of the headteacher and senior management team are now good. There is a determination and vision shared by the headteacher, senior managers and governing body that this will become an increasingly effective school, giving its pupils the best possible all-round education. The very good leadership of the headteacher is shown in her willingness to demonstrate the high standard she expects in teaching, assemblies, displays of pupils’ work and many other areas of the school’s work. She inherited a staff who had experienced many waves of change without experiencing the benefit, and many were unwilling to embrace yet more change. She has demonstrated the benefits of required change and many staff

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

now are committed to recent initiatives for improvement, such as the delayed introduction of the national literacy and numeracy strategies. The capacity of the school as a whole to succeed is now good, as the headteacher handles any lack of co-operation firmly and fairly.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher has established an effective senior management team which works together successfully to drive issues forward and improve standards. They remain excited by the challenge. Together they support the staff, raising their confidence in their ability to take on change. They recognise there is much to be done and to this end they delegate effectively, where necessary, and formally evaluate the success of their actions. One improvement, as a result of this approach, has been to raise the profile of the teacher assistants. These now play a much more central, and valued, role in supporting the pupils’ learning by working in partnership with the class teachers.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The key issues from the previous report have only begun to be addressed in any structured way since the present headteacher took up her post. Governors are much more involved in the running of the school and have a very good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. They take an appropriate role in all aspects of the school’s work, because they now have a very clear understanding of both their role and the needs of the school. They are well informed about issues such as attainment and the need to improve social and educational inclusion for all pupils.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The monitoring of teaching and learning is becoming an established process, although some staff still lack confidence in being observed teaching. As the impact of in-service training takes hold it is beginning to effect teaching. Now that the headteacher has an accurate overview of the quality Terrington St Clement Community School - 23 of teaching and learning, monitoring needs a sharper focus. Co-ordinators have clearly delegated management responsibilities and expectations of them are explicit. At present co-ordination overall is unsatisfactory, despite the good start made by many co-ordinators, as there has not yet been time for action plans to be fully effective.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are both satisfactory. In the long-term absence of the co-ordinator, the headteacher has taken on the role, along with all her many other responsibilities, and this has had a positive effect on provision. As yet there has been insufficient time to fully monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in order to raise standards.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. Overall, management of special educational needs is unsatisfactory. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) is hard working, enthusiastic and provides valued leadership. She monitors most individual education plans and their reviews but has not yet monitored delivery of provision in classes or within teachers’ planning. Consequently, she has been unable to address the lack of planning to meet the learning needs of different groups of pupils. Some pupils with challenging behaviour, or those with more complex needs, from the Learning Support Centre, often receive insufficient support during afternoon sessions when they are in their own classes. The special educational needs policy is currently being brought into line with the new Code of Practice, but the current documentation does not give teachers sufficient guidance regarding their responsibilities for identification of needs, planning for and delivering specific targets for

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

improvement and how and where records will be kept. The governing body is fully involved with issues regarding special educational needs and fulfils all its statutory duties. External support is sought where appropriate when school resources cannot meet individuals needs, but this is slow to materialise. All staff are very aware of pupils with special educational needs and understand the system for identifying pupils’ difficulties. Teacher assistants provide a valuable and valued resource helping special educational needs pupils to achieve success. Several teacher assistants have gained additional skills and qualifications to assist them in helping pupils with special educational needs.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The management of the Language Development Centre is unsatisfactory as there is still some lack of clarity as to roles, responsibilities and accountabilities. However, the headteacher has a secure strategic grasp of the developments necessary for further improvement, including the improvement of re-integration arrangements for the Centre’s pupils. Although the Learning Support Centre is extremely well managed on a day-to-day basis, there is still a lack of clarity as to how the Centre fits into the school’s overall philosophical, behavioural and special needs arrangements. These matters need to be decided to allow further improvement to take place. 58. Suitable induction procedures are in place for new staff. After some delay the school’s strategy for performance management is now satisfactory.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Improvement since the previous inspection is unsatisfactory. However, since the present headteacher took up her post the rate of improvement has accelerated, and is good. Through honest self-evaluation the headteacher is able to monitor her own effectiveness and inform the setting of future priorities. Her self-evaluation is more accurate than that of outside agencies, which do not always support the work of the school. Standards in teaching are improving with fewer unsatisfactory lessons, and a higher proportion of very good lessons. Investigative work is good in mathematics, and is beginning in science and design and technology. The quality of dinner time arrangements has improved through training of supervisors. Teachers’ skills are developing in art and design, music and design and technology, and sometimes the teaching is good so that standards are improving. An effective school management framework is in place with a firm

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

agenda for school improvement. National Curriculum requirements are now met in all subjects. There is still much to do as many systems are new and not yet fully embedded in practice. There are some important outstanding issues of which the headteacher and governors are fully aware. Curriculum plans do not ensure that pupils in parallel classes receive parallel experiences. Teachers’ planning is not sufficiently well matched to the learning needs of all groups of pupils, and not all groups have equal access to the full curriculum. Terrington St Clement Community School - 24 60. The school manages its finances effectively and provides satisfactory value for money. The headteacher and governors are becoming increasingly skilled in ensuring that educational priorities are supported by careful financial management. They focus firmly on the needs of the school in its continuing development, deploying the available funds and specific grants conscientiously, and

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

with a good awareness of what constitutes best value for the money spent.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The size of the school with its considerable staffing levels, the existence of two specialist centres, and the urgent and wide-ranging demands for redevelopment make its management a complex task. The governors face a series of difficult, but necessary decisions with regard to financial deployments so that the monies available can be put to the best strategic use. The school has increased its retention of funds this year by a small percentage. This has been done in order to support the major curriculum and staffing developments noted in the school improvement plan. The headteacher and the financial committee report to the whole governing body, with whom the major developmental and deployment decisions reside, on a regular basis. The governors carefully link spending with the school improvement plan. The school has carried out its own audits in relation to spending and the use of specific funds. However, there has been no recent overall

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

financial audit, the last being made prior to the previous inspection in 1997. Given the large sums involved, a formal audit needs to be undertaken to support the headteacher and governors in their work, and to ensure that the financial systems are appropriate to the developmental needs.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The administrative staff are supportive and efficient. Their work is invaluable to the school. The Friends of the School raise substantial funds to buy items of equipment, such as musical instruments and library resources, greatly enhancing the general resources available to the school. Their work is also invaluable.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The school building is a conglomeration of the original infant, junior and secondary schools and some of the classrooms are a little small, even with low class numbers. It is a series of buildings that have enormous potential for development, if funds were available. Sadly, funds are very tight. A positive feature of these buildings is that they are single storey with some ramps in place to accommodate pupils, or parents, with limited mobility. The outside of the building is in need of maintenance and in poor decorative order. Internally there are several strong features that enhance pupils’ learning. Equally, there are also some weak features that detract from pupils’ learning. The hall is of a good size and is well designed and has good storage space for equipment. The school has its own purpose built dining area away from the main building but, because of the restricted size, pupils’ lunchtimes have to be staggered which detracts from the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

pupils learning because some teaching time is lost. Terrington St Clement Community School - 25 64. The large music room doubles up as a small hall for class assemblies or a meeting room and for parents’ activities. This room is underused. There is ample storage space for musical instruments, mathematics and science resources. The inherent acoustics of the room, because of its shape and design, enhances the pupils’ understanding and appreciation of music and sounds. The revamped library is a well lit and tastefully decorated room housing books, comfortable seating and reading areas and the school’s computer suite. This is one of the best rooms in the school because it enhances pupils’ desire to learn in a warm, relaxed and secure environment.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The land surrounding the school is put to good use for pupils to grow plants and vegetables and to investigate the environment during the summer term. The playgrounds are sizeable. Unfortunately, because of cracking and the usual wear and tear, they present some hazards to the younger children.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. Overall, resources in the school are satisfactory. Resources in English are good and impact well upon pupils’ learning, but there is a need for more guided reading books at Key Stage 1. The quality, quantity and range of resources in science is unsatisfactory and not well organised. What few resources there are in design and technology are well used but the quantity and quality of these are unsatisfactory. The poor range and quality of resources in geography affects pupils’ learning. In history, the school does not make enough use of the locality to enhance pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Terrington St Clement Community School - 26

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

67. In order to build on the improvements made in the last year, the headteacher, senior management team, co-ordinators and governors should

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the range of the curriculum offered to all groups of pupils so that all have equal social and educational opportunities, in particular by:- a. Ensuring that pupils withdrawn for extra support in literacy and numeracy do not miss the same subject each week, and that they are given help to make up for the parts of the lessons that they miss. b. Ensuring that pupils in the Language Development Centre have improved opportunities to mix with their peers in wider social settings. c. Ensuring that pupils in the Language Development Centre have a better planned curriculum for subjects other than English and mathematics, so that they experience a similar curriculum to that of other pupils in the same year groups. d. Ensuring that pupils form the Learning Support Centre are better supported when they rejoin their own classes in the afternoons. e. Ensure that all pupils in parallel classes have similar experiences.

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraph Nos. 24. 27. 30. 56. 71. 72. 77. 79.)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve standards in writing, religious education and geography at Key Stages 1 and 2, and in science and history at Key Stage 2 by:- a. Improving the range of independent and extended writing, both in English and across the curriculum. b. Increasing the time allocated to religious education and improve teachers’ subject knowledge. c. Teaching all aspects of geography regularly, for sufficient lengths of time and improving assessment procedures. d. Improving the teaching of investigative science so that it is an integral part of the pupils’ acquisition of science knowledge and understanding. e. Continuing to develop effective teaching in history according to agreed plans and improving assessment procedures. (Paragraph Nos. 4. 5. 7. 22. 23. 27. 99. 125. 143. 147. 172. 174.)

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the use teachers make of their termly plans, and teaching time, so that the pupils receive a balanced curriculum by:- a. Increasing the length of the school day so that it at least matches the minimum recommendations for weekly teaching time. b. Ensuring that a whole school curriculum map clearly identifies the knowledge, skills and understanding that are to be taught to each year group, and that teachers base weekly lesson plans on this agreed allocation. (Paragraph Nos. 27. 28. 56. 111. 130. 140. 143. 146. 149. 168. 169.)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Improve the use of on-going assessment to support pupils’ learning more effectively from lesson to lesson by:- a. Improving the quality and consistency of teachers’ marking so that both teachers and pupils have a better understanding of strengths and weaknesses in the work. b. Evaluating the effectiveness of lessons and using this information to modify further lesson plans to take account of the learning needs of different groups of pupils, and increasing teachers’ expectations of their pupils’ rate of learning. c. Taking account of pupils’ prior knowledge in order to use questioning more effectively. (Paragraph Nos. 19. 21. 45. 56. 73. 105. 106. 111. 112. 121. 127. 129. 136. 159.)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(5) Improve provision for pupils with special educational needs. (Paragraph Nos. 21. 24. 30. 46. 56. 71. 72. 79.) Terrington St Clement Community School - 27 Terrington St Clement Community School - 28

p.26

The Language Development Centre

68. Eight pupils, aged between 4 and 7, with speech and language difficulties attend the Centre for four days a week. They come from a number of local schools, and on Fridays they return to their respective schools. All have statements of special educational needs. They are attached to the Centre which is an integral part of the L.E.A’s inclusive provision for special educational needs. The intention is that the Centre will prepare pupils for successful re-integration into the full life of their school.

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The Language Development Centre

69. Attainment at the end of Year 2 cannot be judged because the group is too small for valid comparisons to be made. However, school and local authority data indicates that attainment varies between individuals according to the extent of their individual needs but is overall below the national average.

p.28

The Language Development Centre

70. Achievement is satisfactory in relation to their stage of language acquisition. It is unsatisfactory in relation to their social communication needs. Relationships between pupils with teachers and support staff are very good.

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The Language Development Centre

71. Teaching by the Centre staff, including support staff and the speech therapist, is generally satisfactory. There is satisfactory teaching of letter and sound recognition but, although adults help the pupils to develop their reading and to explain their answers, pupils are given insufficient opportunities to use language skills in context and to develop their own learning. As a result, pupils with phonological problems make restricted progress. During the inspection, examples were seen of pupils both enjoying acting out a tape recording and creating their own little garden; generally, however, individual education plans and lesson planning take insufficient account of social communication needs and skills. Although Centre staff plan jointly, it is done mainly on a weekly basis and is often limited in scope with regard both to individual lessons and to individual education plans. As a result, teaching has variable effects on the quality of learning and standards of

p.28

The Language Development Centre

achievement. Behaviour management is good for the minority of pupils who have particular frustrations or emotional needs but the inclusion, as a matter of course, of specific social targets would further help to promote their personal development.

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The Language Development Centre

72. Pupils in the Centre have a satisfactory curriculum overall, and while it has some strengths it also has some significant weaknesses. Appropriate time is allocated to literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. However, there is less time available for all other subjects and planning arrangements mean that their curriculum is different from that experienced by their peers. The major curricular weakness which affects the quality of learning and achievement is linked to the absence of opportunities for Centre pupils to integrate with their peers. This means that those pupils whose language difficulties are partly, or mainly, socially based have very few chances to re-integrate into lessons such as art and design, music and design and technology which are subjects less dependent on speech and which also give pupils an opportunity to succeed in the mainstream environment. The effect is to cause this group of pupils to become

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The Language Development Centre

more dependent on the Centre and thus impede their progress towards integration.

p.28

The Language Development Centre

73. Pupils receive generous support, with a full-time teacher, teacher assistant and part-time speech therapist for eight pupils. Adults know the pupils well and work hard to support them. The Centre has unsatisfactory procedures for monitoring academic and personal development. Pupils’ strengths and weaknesses are identified satisfactorily through screening arrangements and levels of attainment are recorded appropriately in speech and communication. Thereafter, however, there are no detailed formal assessment arrangements to record and monitor progress against individual education plans in, for example, comprehension, the development of social skills and the subjects of the non-core curriculum. As a result, targets are difficult to modify. Marking of pupils’ work is somewhat superficial and does little to promote an awareness of progress. Terrington St Clement Community School - 29 However, in lessons seen, there was sound informal assessment. The Centre is aware of this

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The Language Development Centre

weakness and is planning to use P levels so that progress can be measured more accurately. Unsatisfactory use is made of assessment data to formulate detailed, individual targets covering a range of subjects. 74. Currently, the day-to-day management of the Language Development Centre is unsatisfactory. It is handicapped by a lack of clarity as to roles, responsibilities and accountabilities. However, the headteacher has a secure strategic grasp of the developments necessary for further improvement, including the need to define who is accountable to whom and for what, and to provide continuing support for the Centre teacher’s professional development in speech and language acquisition skills. She is also aware of the importance of improving re-integration arrangements as agreed by the governors and the L.E.A. There is, therefore, a satisfactory capacity, within the present system, for improvement.

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The Learning Support Centre

75. Eight pupils, aged from 7 to 11, attend the Learning Support Centre every morning. They all have statements of special educational needs. In the afternoon the Centre is used mainly by non- statemented pupils who have a range of additional needs, including behavioural and learning difficulties.

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The Learning Support Centre

76. Attainment in Year 6 cannot be judged because each group is too small for valid comparisons to be made. However, school and local authority data indicate that attainment on entry varies between individuals according to the extent of their individual needs but is overall well below the national average. Achievement, as judged during the inspection, is satisfactory because there has been some progress in standards of behaviour, and in literacy and numeracy.

p.29

The Learning Support Centre

77. Teaching by Support Centre staff, including support staff, is satisfactory and sometimes good. Adults understand the needs of the pupils and make good provision for the teaching of basic skills, especially literacy and numeracy. They keep the attention of the pupils and the quality of their learning improves as a result. The teacher in the Centre has limited experience in terms of service and special educational needs; nevertheless, she plans thoroughly and links her teaching to some good quality individual education plans, which have clear targets. Behaviour management is generally good for pupils with both limited needs and those, often older pupils, with particular frustrations or more severe emotional needs. As a result, learning is usually sound. Currently, however, the lack of consistent application of a whole-school behaviour policy makes further progress difficult. As a result, some pupils from the Centre experience problems in their

p.29

The Learning Support Centre

mainstream classes when they return to them in the afternoon.

p.29

The Learning Support Centre

78. Pupils in the Support Centre are provided with a satisfactory curriculum. For example, selected pupils are withdrawn from classes to reinforce work on their literacy. Individual education plans are drawn up and staff monitor them satisfactorily. Behaviour plans, however, do not always contain targets which can be checked and evaluated on a short-term basis. Additionally, the school does not use a range of P levels to measure the progress of very low attaining pupils.

p.29

The Learning Support Centre

79. The overall staffing provision of the Centre is very good. The eight pupils are supported by both a full-time teacher and a teaching assistant. The Centre has good procedures for monitoring progress in literacy and numeracy but overall links with mainstream classes are in need of improvement. For example, some statemented pupils are taught in very small groups in the morning and then go to their own classes with little, if any, support and prior planning for their re- integration in the afternoon. Also, systems for referring pupils in the afternoon tend to be informal and not linked strategically to the school’s overall extremely generous special needs curricular provision.

p.29

The Learning Support Centre

80. The Centre is extremely well managed on a day-to-day basis and teachers report that the extraction of certain pupils from their literacy and numeracy classes is helping all pupils to receive Terrington St Clement Community School - 30 better quality teaching. However, there remains a lack of clarity as to how the Centre fits into the school’s overall philosophical, behavioural and special needs arrangements. Within the present system there is a satisfactory capacity for improvement although once the respective responsibilities of the SENCO and Centre teacher have been defined it could be good. Until these management matters have been decided, a judgement cannot be made about the Centre’s capacity for future improvement. Terrington St Clement Community School - 31

p.29

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 86 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 44

p.31

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 2 9 27 41 6 1 0 Percentage 2% 10% 31% 48% 7% 1% 0% The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 22 284 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 29 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 14 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 60

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 17 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 15

p.31

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 4.8 School data 0.9 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Terrington St Clement Community School - 32 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.31

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 13 19 32

p.32

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 13 10 12 level 2 and above Girls 18 18 18 Total 31 28 30

p.32

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 97 (95) 88 (87) 94 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.32

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 12 12 12 level 2 and above Girls 18 18 18 Total 30 30 30

p.32

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 94 (87) 94 (87) 94 (92) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.32

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 28 20 48

p.32

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 19 20 25 level 4 and above Girls 12 12 13 Total 31 32 38

p.32

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 64 (73) 67 (71) 79 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.32

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 21 21 25 level 4 and above Girls 13 12 13 Terrington St Clement Community School - 33 Total 34 33 38

p.32

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 71 (76) 69 (76) 79 (80) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Terrington St Clement Community School - 34

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 1 Black – other 0 0 Indian 1 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 282 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 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.34

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.3 Financial year 2000/01 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.8 Average class size 23.7 £ Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 696017 Total number of education support staff 12 Total expenditure 676022 Total aggregate hours worked per week 280 Expenditure per pupil 2068 Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 40948 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22:1 Total number of education support staff 2 Total aggregate hours worked per week 49.5 Number of pupils per FTE adult 7.3 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.34

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5

p.34

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1 Terrington St Clement Community School - 35 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Terrington St Clement Community School - 36

p.34

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 47 41 6 0 6

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 21 66 2 1 10

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 20 49 18 4 9

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 32 35 20 5 7

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 49 47 3 1 0

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 47 44 1 0 8

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 33 46 16 1 4

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 48 40 3 0 9

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 46 3 0 4

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 54 29 6 1 10 Terrington St Clement Community School - 37

p.36

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

81. At the time of this inspection there were forty-four children attending part-time in the nursery. There are twenty-six children, who started school in September, in one Reception class and twenty children, who started school in January, in the other Reception class. Staff have good relationships with the parents. There is a two-way flow of information, and parents feel that they are well informed about the progress of their children. They know that their children are both happy and settled as a result of effective induction procedures. Staff meet with parents at the beginning and end of each day and there is an information board in the Nursery which keeps parents well informed about class matters and national initiatives. The children enjoy coming to school. They leave parents and carers readily and come into school in a confident manner. This is due to the good support offered by teachers, teacher assistants and helpers. As the previous

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

inspection found, the children are given an effective start to their education and a sound basis upon which to build when they enter Key Stage 1.

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

82. Attainment on entry is average, with strengths in physical development and personal social and emotional development. The children make steady progress in all areas of learning, so that by the time they enter Year 1, most pupils meet the requirements of the early learning goals and a few are working confidently within the next teaching programme. Satisfactory overall teaching means that all groups of children make sound progress within a well-planned curriculum with interesting activities. The Nursery ensures that each child is offered developmental experiences irrespective of how many sessions they attend. Children are provided with appropriate teaching activities which extend their skills, develop their confidence, build on what they already know and also give them time to explore ideas and interests in depth. A book of photographs exemplifies activities undertaken in each area of learning and demonstrates that the Foundation Stage curriculum is well

p.37

Personal, social and emotional development

83. Children enter the Nursery with well-developed personal and social skills and are encouraged to have an independent approach to their environment. The children pour their own drinks at snack time with accuracy and with confidence. They sit and chat happily with each other, encouraging each other to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. The children show a good degree of independence when dressing and undressing for physical activity or when putting their coats on to go outside. They learn to take turns when refilling the bird feeder with nuts. They learn about health and hygiene, washing their hands after handling the nuts and again before they start a cooking activity. The children are engrossed as they co-operate with each other, carefully filling the hanging basket with compost. The children have a real sense of belonging and respond well to the responsibilities of tidying up. The good role models of the staff in the nursery ensure that children develop their

p.37

Personal, social and emotional development

self-confidence and are motivated to persist and to learn.

p.37

Personal, social and emotional development

84. As they move through the reception class the children’s concentration span increases. They have a positive attitude to work and select and use resources independently. They form good relationships with adults and each other. By the time the children enter Year 1, they are all in line to reach the Early Learning Goals for this area of development.

p.37

Communication, language and literacy

85. Staff take many opportunities to extend the development of the children’s literacy, language and communication skills through their own use of language and questions. Children learn the names of the ingredients that they use when baking cakes and are able to discuss the properties of the egg shell, as a result of the carefully framed questions posed by the classroom assistant. When the teacher points out how the ingredients change as they are mixed the children listen without comment but know that the mixture is brown because they have added cocoa powder. Children Terrington St Clement Community School - 38 enjoy listening to, and sustain concentration, when listening to the story of the ‘Hungry Caterpillar’. One child draws pictures that show the sequence of the story and six copy the name of the insect correctly on their work card and their own name with appropriate support from a teacher assistant. One boy is delighted to recognise the ‘L’ for his name in ‘caterpillar’.

p.37

Communication, language and literacy

86. In the Reception class, the greenhouse in the role play area gives the children good opportunities for free play and speaking and listening in different contexts. Three boys sustain concentration as they listen to a story on tape and laugh uproariously as they appreciate the humour. The children are gradually introduced to the structure of the National Literacy Strategy. They are encouraged to and given many opportunities to write emergently and do so with confidence. The teacher assistant acts as scribe for children who have been in school for just over half a term and uses good questioning skills to help them find the appropriate words to describe fruit.

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

87. Higher achieving children like reading and read simple texts fluently, using initial letter sounds as cues. Most are beginning to recognise some familiar words. They enjoy sitting in the book corner turning the pages of their chosen book as they ‘read’ the story. They talk about books confidently and handle them easily. Satisfactory and sometimes good teaching in the Foundation Stage enables most children to make sound progress in order to achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning by the time they enter Key Stage 1.

p.38

Mathematical development

88. Due emphasis is placed on mathematical development in the Nursery. The children are confident in joining in number rhymes. A cookery activity provides an everyday context for purposeful mathematics, which generates enthusiasm amongst the children. The teacher assistant uses specific mathematical language as she weighs enough flour and sugar to equal the weight of the eggs. She is encouraging and consequently the children remain interested and concentrate well. The children count the number of cake cases using one to one correspondence.

p.38

Mathematical development

89. In the Reception class the teachers’ lively approach enables all children to count to ten and back again. They identify the missing number in an interactive session.

p.38

Mathematical development

90. During the week of the inspection the children who started school in January were consolidating the number six, and they all drew the number correctly on their whiteboards. The teacher assistant encouraged a group of children to play a number game with dice, which strengthened their concepts effectively. The children who started school in September count to twenty with confidence. They use number names and match them to actions in a well-paced mental oral starter activity. The teacher provides a good reinforcement activity as the children throw dice, count the spots, match the teddies to the spots and then add one more. In the main activity the higher achieving pupils roll the dice and use the words ‘one more’. They are beginning to combine two groups and record them using the addition and equals signs. One child with special educational needs does not recognise five dots as five but counts to five when given the

p.38

Mathematical development

appropriate amount of help by the teacher assistant. The teaching of mental mathematics becomes more structured as the children prepare for the National Numeracy Strategy. They make sound progress and most achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning by the time they enter Key Stage 1.

p.38

Knowledge and understanding of the world

91. Many contexts and activities are planned that encourage exploration and observation in order to increase the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them so that they make sound progress towards achieving the Early Learning Goals by the time that they enter Key Stage 1.

p.38

Knowledge and understanding of the world

92. In the Nursery, children acquire a range of skills knowledge and understanding as they help the teacher assistant combine the ingredients that go together to make cakes. The nursery instructor gives children the opportunity to use tools successfully and with safety as they dig for worms to go in the wormery. She prompts the children’s thinking effectively and extends their powers of Terrington St Clement Community School - 39 observation as they look at the worms. The children imitate the nursery instructor as she digs for worms, and are curious to know where they have gone. They think that the worms eat soil. Life- like replicas of frogs and tadpoles are put in the water play so that the children can ‘fish’ for them. One child says that tadpoles change into butterflies but most know that they develop into frogs. Children in the Nursery are given appropriate opportunities to increase their computer skills.

p.38

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Terrington St Clement Community School - 40 93. These experiences are developed effectively in the Reception class. The children acquire concepts of history and geography through stories. They go for a walk in the local environment and record the walk with observational drawings. They also go further afield, for example to Denver windmill, to extend their knowledge and understanding of the area outside their immediate locality. They gain early knowledge and understanding of religion through stories such as ‘Noah and the Flood’ and the Christmas story.

p.40

Knowledge and understanding of the world

94. In a lesson in the computer suite, the children are filled with delight as they click on the correct icon on the tool bar to successfully produce a picture using the ‘Paint’ program. They use the correct terminology and use the computer with confidence. They make sound progress and most achieve the early learning goals in this area of learning by the time they enter Key Stage 1.

p.40

Physical development

95. The children make sound progress in the Nursery because they are given a wide range of opportunities to develop their skills in a safe environment. They have plenty of time to persist and perfect their skills and, as a result, grow in self-esteem. The children adjust their speed and change direction as they pedal their large toys with a high degree of competence, on the small, hard surfaced area outside. They show good control when pushing wheelbarrows. The large equipment in the shape of a ‘caterpillar’ provides the children with opportunities to view the environment from a different perspective. They climb over and go through the equipment, demonstrating skill and speed. In a lesson in the school hall children respond with confidence to the appropriate warm-up activities provided by the Nursery instructor. The activities are well planned to support children’s physical development. Children take turns to negotiate a tunnel and

p.40

Physical development

are supported appropriately by the teacher assistant as they balance along a bench or pull themselves along on their tummies. They mount steps using alternate feet but show varying degrees of control when dribbling a ball through cones using their feet. Most resort to using their hands to help them and a few have no control. Good opportunities are provided for children to use their fingers, and sometimes their whole hand in painting.

p.40

Physical development

96. Children in the Reception classes move freely around one another in the warm up to a lesson in the hall. They use their bodies well to express feelings and are given time to experiment and learn from their mistakes. They move with increasing control and co-ordination, copying the teacher’s good role model as they participate with obvious enjoyment and make sound progress. Most of the children who started school in January throw a large ball above their heads and catch it successfully and progress to making a high throw, bounce and catch.

p.40

Physical development

97. Teachers plan carefully to support the children’s development of fine hand control and co- ordination through cutting and sticking activities and play dough. The children attain firmly what is expected for their age and sometimes exceed it.

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Creative development

98. To encourage their creative development the children are given many opportunities to develop their own ideas, discover, explore and express their creativity in sand and water play, role-play and painting. They engage in imaginative role-play based on their own experiences when using the role-play area. However, a hand painting activity seen in the Nursery was too teacher directed to allow children the freedom to express their own creativity. Scrutiny of artwork from the Reception classes shows children who started school in September do not have the amount of control expected for their age, whilst the children who started in January broadly match expectations, using bold colour to represent flowers and rainbows. They are given enough time to explore and experiment with paint. They experiment with mixing colour. When asked to paint pictures of their favourite fruit only one child in a group of four paints a representational picture,

p.40

Creative development

the others still making marks and enjoying the feel of paint. They also use ICT to create pictures successfully. The children make sound progress and most are in line to achieve the early learning goals in this area of learning by the time they enter Key Stage 1. Terrington St Clement Community School - 41

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ENGLISH

99. In the national tests in 2001, seven-year-old pupils attained above average standards in reading. Standards in writing were close to the national average, although the proportion of pupils attaining the higher level was below average. Teacher assessments over-estimated the proportion of pupils that would attain higher levels and this indicates a weakness in procedures for assessing writing in Year 2. The inspection evidence confirms that the school is maintaining good standards in reading and that pupils’ attainment in writing is less well developed. However attainment in writing is still in line with national expectations among those pupils who do not have special educational needs.

p.41

ENGLISH

100. The results of national tests in English indicated that the attainment of eleven year old pupils was well below average with respect to the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level, but close to average in terms of the proportion attaining the higher level. However, the performance of pupils without special educational needs is in line with national expectations. This pattern of performance is confirmed by evidence from the inspection. The inspection evidence also indicates that the attainment of pupils in the top classes of the infants and juniors in skills of listening and speaking is in line with national expectations.

p.41

ENGLISH

101. In the infants, pupils are given many opportunities to listen to their teachers reading and to respond to what they hear. Typically, they listen attentively and respond with enthusiasm to questions that are put to them. For example, in a Year 1 class, pupils were observed to make thoughtful contributions to discussions guided by an adult and to behave very co-operatively, taking turns and listening to others politely. Literacy sessions throughout the school provide good opportunities for pupils to contribute and to respond to teachers’ questions in plenary sessions. Some teachers also ensure that opportunities are provided for pupils to read what they have written to the class in review sessions. For example, pupils in a Year 5 literacy class, greatly enjoyed reading aloud short poems that they had written.

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ENGLISH

102. Skills required for effective speaking are also practised in the context of other subjects in the curriculum. For example, in a personal, social and health education (PHSE) lesson, pupils in Year 4 were able to state opinions and to explain their views preparatory to a meeting of the School Council. The activity also helped them to begin to consider how to sustain different roles in group discussion, including those of scribe and spokesperson. In a geography lesson in the same year, pupils worked constructively in groups to ask geographical questions about an unfamiliar area. Again, the activity helped them to develop skills of group discussion and interaction. In the Language Development Centre pupils are given opportunities to use role play to act out the events of a story narrated on tape and they greatly enjoy doing this. Good use is made of role play in the Learning Support Centre, as well as the effective use of a glove puppet in a lesson in which pupils

p.41

ENGLISH

listened and learned from others after giving a description of what they had observed on a prompt card.

p.41

ENGLISH

103. In both infant and junior classes, pupils make at least satisfactory and often good progress in learning to read with accuracy and relative fluency. They are given a good foundation in the early years in the skills needed for initial literacy, such as letter and word recognition and a variety of phonic skills, all of which are taught systematically. They are given many opportunities to handle books and to hear them read. Most are assisted by their parents who are encouraged to read with their children and to record their comments in reading journals or diaries which are taken home each day. In a Year 1 class, above average reading was observed in an excellent guided reading session in which the class teacher, effectively assisted by a class assistant, a student and a volunteer helper, provided good support for pupils.

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ENGLISH

104. Junior pupils continue to make steady progress in the development of reading skills, including the skills required to use reference materials effectively. In all classes there is a selection of fiction and non-fiction available to pupils and they also have opportunities to use the library. Throughout the school, also, pupils are given planned opportunities for silent reading, including homework Terrington St Clement Community School - 42 sessions for older ones. Teachers have begun to implement sessions for guided reading and the school is building up appropriate resources for this purpose. All pupils who were heard to read say that they have plenty of library books to choose from and most have learnt to enjoy reading and are beginning to make reasoned choices about what they prefer to read. In this respect there has been an evident improvement since the last inspection.

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ENGLISH

105. The good foundation that pupils are given in literacy skills in the early years also helps to ensure that they learn skills of letter formation and the other skills required for producing written sentences and short texts. In Year 1, the annotations made by teachers on what is written are constructive and informative. In subsequent years, the marking of written work tends to be less constructive in that it does not often indicate to pupils specifically how they can improve their writing. The marking scheme is not directly related to the National Curriculum guidelines for the assessment of writing. A close scrutiny of the written work produced by pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4 in the context of literacy lessons, indicates that the range of independent writing that pupils are currently required to do is restricted, and relatively little attention is given to the application of skills of presentation. This is partly a consequence on the reliance on the use of exercises and

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ENGLISH

worksheets taken from commercial texts, which mitigates against the production of continuous texts written for a variety of purposes. The curriculum has been revised to provide for pupils to engage in more activities that involve guided writing, but this initiative is recent and has not yet had a noticeable impact on standards.

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ENGLISH

106. Pupils in Year 4, complete occasional pieces of more sustained writing of one or two pages, but the scrutiny of work suggests that they have relatively few opportunities to plan, draft and rewrite such work for presentation to others. In Year 5, however, a much wider range of opportunities is given to pupils to produce different types of writing including play scripts, diary forms, and a variety of types of narrative. Pupils also have the opportunity to use computers to produce work, such as stories related to the fantasy ‘Nightmare on Paradise Island’. Written work is well displayed for others to read and this encourages pupils to make greater efforts in the presentation of what they have written. The marking of written work is more detailed and constructive in Years 5 and 6 generally, and this is reflected in an improvement in the standards of written work observed. In Year 6 pupils are also given opportunities to produce a range of writing, although

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they appear to have fewer opportunities to have their work displayed in the classroom.

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ENGLISH

107. Some good examples of cross-curricular links were observed between the teaching of literacy and other subjects, particularly ICT. For example, in Year 5, good examples of extended writing were displayed, including a well-presented display of poems about bullying and imaginative ‘replicas’ of extracts from the Dead Sea scrolls. Pupils in Year 6 also used word-processing for developing headlines. In Year 4, summaries of information on World War II had been produced by pupils on the word-processor.

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ENGLISH

108. Supplementary writing skills such as spelling and handwriting are now taught systematically throughout the school. In some classes, however, pupils all complete the same handwriting exercises regardless of their relative aptitude, and this is a shortcoming. In Year 5,handwriting is practised in the context of other meaningful writing tasks and this has a positive effect on attainment, as has the display of hand-written work in an attractive format in Year 4.

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ENGLISH

109. Pupils’ attitudes to learning English are good. Their warm relationships with the teachers mean that they are attentive to what is said and confident in expressing themselves in class. In literacy lessons they work well independently or co-operatively when asked. Good examples of collaborative work were observed in reading and writing sessions and the great majority of pupils concentrate well on what they are asked to do, including pupils with special educational needs. This concentration was particularly evident in a Year 6 literacy lesson, but is a general characteristic of literacy lessons observed.

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ENGLISH

110. The teaching of literacy across the school is satisfactory. The quality of two of the lessons Terrington St Clement Community School - 43 observed was judged to be excellent. The best lessons were very well planned by the teacher and were conducted at a brisk pace in a manner that ensured that all pupils were involved and that all were given the support necessary for them to complete the tasks they were assigned. In these lessons, also, tasks were adapted to the levels of attainment of the different groups of pupils in the class, all of whom were then challenged to produce their best work. Pupils were given an opportunity at the end of the lesson to share what they had written or learnt, for example, in a review session about types of questions in Year 1, original poems in Year 5 or alternative ways of writing formal sentences in Year 6. The less satisfactory lessons were those in which the

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supplementary tasks given to pupils were not matched to their needs in so far as they did not challenge them or extend their learning.

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ENGLISH

111. There is an inconsistency in the way teachers plan their lessons. In some cases, for example in a class in Year 5, longer-term planning is meticulous; in another class it is minimal. During the inspection week, the quality of lesson planning varied from very good in a Year 1 class to satisfactory in the majority of classes. The quality of assessment in English also varies. School- wide assessment procedures for reading are informative. Teachers draw upon the results of standardised reading tests and other evidence to help form groups of pupils of similar levels of attainment. Teachers have begun to record the information related to the pupils’ performance in guided reading sessions. However the school has not yet developed methods of assessing the progress of individual pupils in writing, in particular, in a way that ensures progression through successive classes.

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ENGLISH

112. Some teachers make use of an assessment sheet related to the development of language skills or concepts, including speaking and listening. However, this assessment is applied irregularly and the lack of evidence relating to what precisely was assessed and when means that the information gathered is uninformative for other teachers and therefore not very helpful for planning subsequent teaching adapted to the needs of particular pupils. Optional standard assessment tasks are taken by the pupils and targets are beginning to be set for groups of pupils. One of the improvements that has been introduced this year is the specification of key learning objectives against which pupils’ performance can be assessed, but pupils are not yet sufficiently aware of what they need to do to progress to the next level of attainment in terms of national assessments.

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ENGLISH

113. New policies have been written for English which are comprehensive and up-to-date. They have only just begun to inform teachers’ practice, but will have a positive effect when applied. Sensible priorities for the development of language skills have been identified and the school is making positive efforts to ensure that there is an appropriate balance of guided reading and writing to meet the needs of pupils in the infant and junior classes.

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ENGLISH

114. There are two co-ordinators for literacy. The co-ordinator for the juniors is relatively experienced and has had, as yet, limited opportunities for training in subject leadership in literacy or an opportunity to learn from co-ordinators in other schools. The co-ordinators have, however, made a good start in helping to ensure that there are sufficient resources for the teaching of literacy and they have plans to purchase more materials where these are required, for example for the teaching in Year 2. The co-ordinators have also begun to monitor teachers’ planning; but they are not yet involved in monitoring pupils’ progress in learning across the school or in the close scrutiny of national test results so as to be able to investigate and if necessary respond to patterns of performance, such as the relative performance of boys and girls in writing in the juniors. This is a shortcoming.

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ENGLISH

115. In some classrooms pupils have access to a book-corner but there is a great deal of variation in the extent to which classrooms provide an attractive and helpful setting for literacy learning. However, in most classrooms pupils have access to an adequate supply of dictionaries and reference materials. The newly-refurbished and well-stocked library reflects the fact that reading has a central place in the school curriculum and it provides a very pleasant setting for pupils to work in. It is well-managed and the books are clearly catalogued and linked to a computerised Terrington St Clement Community School - 44 system for borrowing.

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MATHEMATICS

116. Standards in mathematics were found to be average during the previous inspection and the pupils’ progress was noted as satisfactory. There has not yet been a significant rise in standards overall when measured by National Curriculum tests. Despite small fluctuations over the ensuing period, standards remain average at both Key Stages 1 and 2. The school has noted this and is making a concerted effort to raise standards in mathematics.

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MATHEMATICS

117. There have been mitigating circumstances that have delayed the fulfilment of strategies for improvement. Insufficient time has elapsed for any improvements to be clearly shown in the results of national tests. However, due to the belated introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy, the pupils are now making a better rate of progress in lessons, and the overall progress of the pupils is now good.

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MATHEMATICS

118. A strong feature of the school’s work is the good initiatives undertaken to encourage the pupils at every stage to use and apply their mathematical knowledge and understanding. The school encourages this by providing specific work that makes the investigation of mathematical problems a recurring central feature. Another recent positive initiative is the organisation of the pupils at Key Stage 2 into ability sets for mathematics to ensure that the levels of work and the tasks are related more carefully to the varying abilities of the pupils. A further positive initiative has been to promote weekly ‘booster’ classes for mathematics in order to extend the work of the older pupils at Key Stage 2 to raise standards. These are all examples of good practice.

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MATHEMATICS

119. Some features of the school’s work in mathematics need to be improved. One such area is in ensuring that the work on shape, space and measures, and on handling data is balanced in the curriculum. Inspection indicates that these aspects are relatively underdeveloped at some stages. Furthermore, insufficient use is made of the resources for information and communications technology (ICT) to support the pupils’ work in mathematics.

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MATHEMATICS

120. The quality of most of the teaching was satisfactory at the time of the previous inspection, although there was some unsatisfactory teaching at Key Stage 2. No unsatisfactory teaching of mathematics was noted during the current inspection. Indeed, much of the teaching was good, and some was very good. The lessons have clear objectives and are firmly focused on the pupils making progress in their learning, particularly in their mental agility and numeracy skills. The pace of the work is brisk generally, whether the pupils are in the higher ability set, in ‘booster’ classes, or in the learning support centres.

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MATHEMATICS

121. In order to raise standards further some aspects of the teaching need to be improved even further. While the teachers are using the Numeracy Strategy planning structure to guide their work, there is a need for all the teachers to identify the needs of individuals and groups of pupils more specifically in their day-to-day planning, in order to provide even more sharply focused developmental tasks, especially for the more able and those who find mathematics more difficult. Better marking techniques, and the more rigorous use of plenary sessions within lessons to find out what the pupils know and can do would better inform teachers’ plans.

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MATHEMATICS

122. The pupils respond well to their work. They concentrate hard and behave well, even when the going gets difficult. They help one another, share resources readily, and most are eager to contribute to class group discussions. They willingly explain what method they have used to arrive at a particular answer. The standard of presentation of work is, however, unsatisfactory at all stages, and needs to be improved. The teachers beneficially encourage ‘jotting’ - a method of noting down mathematical ideas and workings quickly - but do too little to encourage good work habits in presentation. This limits the pupils’ pride in their work and sometimes causes confusion Terrington St Clement Community School - 45 when calculations are written untidily.

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MATHEMATICS

123. The subject co-ordinators have a good awareness of the needs of the pupils, the teachers, and the school in terms of raised standards, and are taking an increasingly emphatic role in ensuring curriculum continuity, better teaching, and better rates of pupil progress. The teacher assistants in classrooms make very positive contributions. However, in the larger classes there is a need for additional support to be provided for the teaching staff, for example in Year 3, so that the wide- ranging needs of the pupils can be better matched. The resources for mathematics are adequate. Those available are effectively organised and used well by the pupils to aid their learning, except the resources for ICT.

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MATHEMATICS

124. Teaching is good. Learning is good. The pupils’ attitudes are good. A very positive start has been made in the renewed development of the mathematics curriculum at Terrington. The work of the subject co-ordinators needs to continue, focusing on ensuring that standards in the pupils’ attainment are raised further and that there is equality and consistency in the provision throughout.

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SCIENCE

125. Inspection findings indicate that standards match expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 but are below expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Children enter the school with average standards in knowledge and understanding. They leave with below average standards in science. This indicates that their achievement is unsatisfactory. However, when consideration is giving to the increasing numbers of pupils with special educational needs, pupils are achieving at a satisfactory level. The trend in the end of Key Stage 2 test results over the past four years has been upwards but standards in science tests still remain below the national average. However, pupils without identified learning difficulties did better in the 2001 tests than the data suggests. The tests do not assess pupils’ attainment in science enquiry skills, an area of weakness in the school.

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SCIENCE

126. At Key Stage 1, pupils learn about some physical changes associated with growth, both in humans and plants. At the end of the key stage, the pupils have a good understanding of the effects of the environment on plants and animals. They successfully undertake investigations associated with the effect of temperature on the melting rate of ice. They express preferences for foods and record these appropriately in a variety of ways, including block graphs. They are also beginning to understand the meaning of ‘fair testing’ in an investigation.

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SCIENCE

127. At Year 6, most pupils describe correctly the effects of the Sun on the Earth and carry out investigations connected with forces. For example, they are aware that gravity pulls things down and that air resistance will affect movement but few could transfer their knowledge of gravity to other situations. Some pupils are clear about the necessity for fair testing in their investigation. Most pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 have a sound understanding of a wide range of scientific phenomena. However, during discussion, few pupils describe correctly how to construct an electrical circuit using a battery, bulb and wires. Although they are taught about food chains, and record them pictorially, they do not have the opportunity to construct their own, and many pupils are unsure of the links between plants and insects. Most pupils know that plants take in water through their roots, but few are aware of other functions of the root. Higher attaining pupils carry

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SCIENCE

out an investigation into the bouncing properties of balls and record their findings as a line graph generated by a computer. However, they are not given the opportunity to interpret the data to look for patterns and to relate cause and effect, and numeracy links are not developed satisfactorily. Lower attaining pupils can draw arrows accurately to identify the direction of forces on an object, using simple examples and record their answers in pictures and words. Other than in Years 1 and 5, presentation of, and the amount of work produced, is unsatisfactory.

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SCIENCE

128. Pupils enjoy science and their attitudes in lessons are often good, especially in the infants. From the start, in the infants, the pupils are interested in the topics they study and are often excited by Terrington St Clement Community School - 46 the tasks they are presented with. Junior pupils are keen to share their ideas with the rest of their class and most are prepared to listen carefully to the views of others, but generally their attitudes towards science are less positive. Behaviour in science lessons throughout the school is mostly satisfactory but where lessons are less stimulating it is unsatisfactory. Pupils enjoy practical, investigative activities, but this aspect of the science curriculum is not given sufficient time in the junior classes, and this contributes to overall low standards.

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SCIENCE

129. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in the infants, but unsatisfactory, overall, in the juniors. This represents a decline since the previous inspection, although unsatisfactory teaching was observed then, also. In the better lessons, planning ensures a good focus to lessons. The purpose of the lesson is made clear to the pupils at the beginning of a lesson, so that they know what they are expected to achieve and know when they have been successful. Discussions are open-ended and challenging, and a good range of different kinds of activities within a lesson maintains the pupils’ interest. Discipline is positive but firm and has very effective outcomes in terms of pupils’ behaviour, attitudes and relationships. This was seen in a Year 1 class where pupils were finding out what makes plants grow. The teacher started by reading a story before leading the pupils by skilful questioning into discussing plant growth. They then compared their own sunflower

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SCIENCE

seedlings, discussing growth, death and care of the plants, resulting in good learning by the pupils. Generally, however, teachers do not match what pupils know to what they need to learn. In unsatisfactory lessons, the teacher plays too dominant a role and this detracts from pupils’ capacity to develop an independent approach to their own learning and prevents better progress in the development of investigative skills. Although some teachers link scientific knowledge to appropriate vocabulary, this approach is inconsistent. Lesson objectives are not always shared with pupils, denying them the opportunity to participate in and assess their own learning. Some lessons do not sum up what has been covered or help pupils to understand and clarify what they have achieved.

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SCIENCE

130. Teaching schemes reflect recent national initiatives but the school’s overall provision for the subject is unsatisfactory. Teachers plan from national schemes of work, which they then match to lesson plans taken from a commercial scheme. Few teachers modify the planning to match the needs of their class and do not consider prior attainment sufficiently carefully. Current curriculum provision is very knowledge-based and does not develop the skills required to become ‘scientists’ to the required extent. This is recognised by the school and the recent introduction of a better structure for investigative work is beginning to provide a broader range of experiences for all pupils. The recent science day, which concentrated on investigative science, was popular with both staff and pupils and produced a range of good quality work, some linked to information and communication technology. Pupils in different classes within the same key stage get differing

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SCIENCE

allocations of timetable time and this has a direct effect on rates of progress and achievement.

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SCIENCE

131. Assessment is currently unsatisfactory and does not provide information to further inform curriculum or lesson planning. The recent introduction of pre unit testing and class tracking sheets will improve the quality of information available to inform planning. The current, temporary, co- ordinator has very clear ideas about how to improve the provision and raise standards. The science policy contains clear guidance to staff regarding delivery of science and classroom management, but not all staff follow it. Where these guidelines are followed science is given a higher profile and pupil progress and presentation of work is better. Resources are unsatisfactory, poorly stored and not accessible enough. There has been no recent audit to match resources to curriculum needs. The school recognises this difficulty and has plans to rectify the situation. Very limited use is made of information and communication technology to support learning in

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SCIENCE

science, especially in developing research skills and the recording of investigations. There has been little improvement since the previous inspection, although the situation is being addressed now through the school improvement plan.

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ART AND DESIGN

Terrington St Clement Community School - 47 132. Standards of work at the end Key Stage 1 are unsatisfactory. This is a similar judgement to that of the previous inspection. Although there is good quality work at Year 1, this standard does not continue into Year 2. Standards at Key Stage 2 are satisfactory overall, with some work of a high, and very high standard, in Years 4 and 5. This marks an improvement on that of the previous inspection when standards were judged unsatisfactory at this stage. These improvements have resulted from the impact of training for teachers to develop their knowledge and confidence, leading to greater consistency in teaching. Positive leadership in art and design is improving the continuity of pupils’ experiences through the introduction of an appropriate teaching scheme. Provision for art did not to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum at the previous inspection, but now it does.

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ART AND DESIGN

133. Pupils’ skills in exploring and developing ideas are not well developed overall. The impact of the introduction of sketchbooks is at an early stage, but is beginning to contribute to a more experimental approach and the establishment of a bank of ideas and techniques. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 demonstrate sound skills when making up matrices of colour blocks by mixing the primary colours. Some pupils show good control in both mixing and making colour washes. However, pupils at age eleven often do not have the basis of previous experience to apply these skills effectively in their paintings. 134. Where pupils are given the opportunity to investigate and apply ideas, good standards of work result. Pupils in Year 1 are clearly well taught in exploring the effect of blending pastels as they create portraits with sensitive shading, shadow and good proportion, within a colourful background. In Year 4, pupils develop dramatic three-dimensional masks from carefully drawn designs. Pupils

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ART AND DESIGN

in Year 5 experiment with cross-hatching with black pen and make often-subtle use of this technique when selecting a section of an original work to enlarge into a finished drawing. The effect of good quality training for teachers is very apparent in the outcomes of pupils’ skills and abilities in clay work. Although the level of work reflects their previous experience, all of the pupils in a Year 5 class create tiles and pots from rolled clay blocks which are well constructed and carefully decorated. The distinctive individuality of pupils’ work is a notable feature of the work.

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ART AND DESIGN

135. Pupils enjoy this subject. They work consistently and behave well, even when lessons are not particularly challenging. They maintain their concentration and enthusiasm over a period of time. Two pupils in Year 5 described how they developed an imaginative composition in paint over a period of four weeks – the end result was very worthwhile and one of which they could be proud. Pupils co-operate well, discuss their work and offer support and advice to each other.

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ART AND DESIGN

136. Teaching is satisfactory overall but still ranges in quality from unsatisfactory to very good. Teachers have welcomed their recent training and look forward to the benefits of further training. Where teaching is better, this training is put to good effect and there is a good balance between teacher demonstration to develop skills and opportunities for pupils apply those skills. In these lessons time is managed well so that pupils can see their own progress. Pupils have opportunities to observe and then abstract ideas for their own work. For example, pupils in Year 4 work in the style of Van Gogh but paint only one flower head and this concentrates their observation and understanding of his style. Pupils in Year 5 are given suitable opportunities to reflect on the work of Lowry, which they then interpret in appropriate three-dimensional materials. Unsatisfactory lessons are not carefully planned, resulting in the pupils spending inappropriate time on

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ART AND DESIGN

unproductive activities. Portfolios of pupil work and some good quality displays give the opportunity for informal assessment. This is underdeveloped but is a priority in the action plan for the subject.

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ART AND DESIGN

137. A revised curriculum is in place and is gradually being implemented as training is extended and pupils develop their core skills. The co-ordinator has a good understanding of the subject and a vision for its development and has brought about recent, good improvement although improvement since the last inspection is unsatisfactory. She has contributed significantly to raising pupils’ Terrington St Clement Community School - 48 awareness of visual and tactile media through high quality displays, not only of pupils’ work but also of themes of colour, texture and materials. These displays link cultural, ethnic and religious artefacts within an environment, which demonstrate a valuing of artistry. Resources are broadly sufficient in quantity for current work but unsatisfactory in range for the broader development of the curriculum.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

138. Standards in design and technology are in line with those expected of pupils aged seven and eleven. This represents satisfactory achievement at each stage of their schooling. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, when standards at Key Stage 2 were found to be below expectations. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to their peers, in relation to their prior attainment.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

139. Although there is still much to do to develop the design and technology curriculum, the requirements of the National Curriculum are now met in this subject. Recently introduced curriculum plans support the development of skills in a more structured way. The introduction of focused ‘design and make’ tasks furthers the development of the design process satisfactorily. The two lessons seen, both at Year 1, were of good quality. Teaching was confident and the tasks interested and involved the pupils. Good use of teacher assistants supported less able pupils well, so that they were successful. Due attention was given to health and safety issues. The pupils were encouraged to take an independent approach to the tasks and they were encouraged to make choices, so that all pupils started decisively. The pupils made simple slider and lever mechanisms carefully as a prelude to using the same idea in a greeting card of their own design.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Most pupils label accurately the pivot, effort and load on a drawing of a pair of scissors. Pupils in Year 6 investigate different styles, materials and fixing methods of chairs from a variety of sources before producing their own design as a mixed media montage. Many of these designs are interesting and unusual. Photographic evidence shows pupils using tools carefully and accurately.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

140. Pupils now benefit from a curriculum which gives them regular opportunities to work with a range of materials, including textiles and modelling media. The range is still not extensive, or particularly exciting, but it is a little broader than found previously. Although design and technology is taught regularly for half a term each term, and every teacher is committed to including it, the time allocation is insufficient to allow pupils to follow the whole design, make and evaluation process through in any depth. Plans to block the time into design and technology days are appropriate and timely.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

141. Teaching of design and technology, overall, is satisfactory. The newly introduced teaching scheme, and the support of the present headteacher has given the school a sense of stability after a period of change. Teachers are now more aware of what they have to achieve as the headteacher supports the development process with guidance and demonstration lessons where needed. She also encourages others to demonstrate. As a result teachers’ knowledge and enthusiasm is growing. Teachers’ plans are satisfactory and stress new vocabulary. The work planned does not, however, always extend and challenge the more able pupils. Although there is no formal assessment process, and individual progress is insufficiently recorded, the newly introduced class tracking system should give a rough measure of progress made when it has been in place longer.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

142. Improvement since the last inspection is unsatisfactory, as most improvement has taken place in the last year when a new co-ordinator was appointed. The co-ordinator has made good use of time allocated recently to her for monitoring. She has an accurate picture of standards and a realistic and accurate idea of what needs doing to develop design and technology further. The practice of sending work home prevents the school and pupils from building up a body of work that exemplifies standards. It also prevents pupils from seeing the progress they have made. Terrington St Clement Community School - 49 Resources for design and technology are inadequate, of unsatisfactory quality and prevent the pupils from making better progress.

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GEOGRAPHY

143. At the age of seven and eleven, pupils’ attainment is below that expected nationally. This represents a slight decline since the last inspection and results mainly from the lack of curricular organisation. The geography curriculum has not been developed sufficiently with the result that in the last few years pupils have not had a sure grounding in the study of skills, themes and localities. Time allocations have been variable and inadequate overall. Finally, there has been no assessment of pupils’ progress to help teachers plan lessons. Nevertheless, some aspects are covered well. For example, pupils aged six and seven work out how life for the Inuits is different from their own, they study the local environment and undertake traffic surveys. However, there is little provision for older pupils to contrast Terrington with a different locality in enough detail to help them see how places compare. The development of their skills and knowledge is uneven. In Year 5 they

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GEOGRAPHY

look at countries with different climates and study rivers, but the opportunity to do fieldwork on a local river has not been taken. Environmental factors are touched on but not developed enough. For example, pupils have not considered the implications of a large local housing development which offers a splendid opportunity to write about the arguments for and against the change. Pupils in Year 6 examine geographical factors in current affairs, such as the Australian forest fires and the recent African volcanic eruption; but they do not pursue in depth the interesting processes underlying them. The analysis of pupils’ work shows that in some classes a lot of time had been spent in colouring in a wide variety of maps at the expense of more interesting and informative locational work. Terrington St Clement Community School - 50 144. Only two lessons were observed during the inspection, and their quality was good. However, an

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GEOGRAPHY

analysis of pupils’ work indicates that teaching is variable because lesson plans are not linked sufficiently to expected outcomes or assessment information. This has an adverse effect on the pupils’ learning as they are often unsure of the expected outcomes of their work and of how it links to both their past and future assignments.

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GEOGRAPHY

145. The contribution of geography teaching to the pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills is unsatisfactory. Pupils in Year 6, for example, are encouraged to have regard for accuracy when describing the water cycle, and for clarity when giving directions from a map, but teachers do not follow a clear policy in this respect, such as in the development of geographical vocabulary. Pupils at both key stages produce charts and graphs linked to rainfall, travel use and traffic flow but generally this is not done enough. Geography makes only a minor contribution to I.C.T. development, mainly as a result of a shortage of software. The subject makes a satisfactory contribution to the pupils’ cultural development, for example there are some large maps around the school with interesting details attached. Year 5 pupils study a range of holiday destinations, and there is an emphasis on the locality work.

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GEOGRAPHY

146. The newly appointed co-ordinators, one of whom is a specialist, are keen to improve the subject. They are conducting an audit of resources and a review of both the curriculum and assessment arrangements. These are appropriate priorities and both have a clear idea of their management role in matters of teaching and planning as the issues from the last report have not been addressed fully and improvement has been unsatisfactory. Provided that non-contact time is found and the role of the co-ordinator is enhanced as planned, the subject has a satisfactory capacity for improvement.

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HISTORY

147. At age seven pupils attainment matches national expectations, but at the age of eleven, pupils’ attainment is below that expected nationally. There are a number of factors for this, which have affected the subject over the last few years. Firstly, although the school has recently adopted a national teaching scheme, there was, previously, no comprehensive scheme to allow the systematic enhancement of knowledge, chronology, use of sources and an awareness of change over time. The subject has often been part of a topic with the result that historical objectives have sometimes been blunted. Secondly, there has been no assessment policy to help teachers monitor pupils’ progress and plan further lessons accordingly. Finally, some pupils’ language and writing skills have not been developed to help them in terms of chronology and communication of their knowledge and understanding of history.

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HISTORY

148. Pupils at Key Stage 1 achieve satisfactorily. They compare old and new toys and learn about the Great Fire and Florence Nightingale. Their early ideas of how things originate are helped by work on Poppy Day and how and why Christmas cards and Christmas trees were introduced. Pupils at Key Stage 2 progress less well and achievement is unsatisfactory, as was found at the time of the last inspection. At Year 6, pupils’ strengths, such as the ability to describe events and societies like the Tudors and World War II, are outweighed by difficulties in explaining a range of other events and creating organised work with appropriate use of terms and dates. They also lack any knowledge of important areas of British history, such as the Romans and Anglo-Saxons, and have only a limited experience of working with historical data to find out about the past. Their depth of coverage of local and national history in the juniors has been limited by unsatisfactory curriculum

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HISTORY

planning. The school is aware of this and is developing its teaching programme. During the inspection pupils in Year 5 were doing some interesting archaeological work linked to the Indus Valley civilisation as part of the revised curriculum.

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HISTORY

149. Two lessons were observed during the inspection and the quality was satisfactory. Evidence from the analysis of work, however, indicates that teaching is variable because teachers have not Terrington St Clement Community School - 51 commonly planned from lessons from agreed teaching plans. There has also been no formal assessment, with the result that work has not always been based upon pupils’ existing knowledge and skills, thereby slowing their achievement. Where lessons are interesting, pupils, including those with special educational needs, enjoy history and bring curiosity to its study with the result that the quality of their learning improves. This was seen in a Year 5 lesson when they “excavated” a sand tray and found artefacts in the style of an archaeologist.

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HISTORY

150. Overall, the subject makes an unsatisfactory contribution to the development of pupils’ numeracy and literacy skills. Foundations are being laid to develop history’s contribution to literacy. Pupils listen with interest to visitors, such as older folk and speakers from Duxford Museum, and often write imaginative pieces on the war. To further develop the pupils’ literacy skills both writing frames and a more specific historical vocabulary should be developed. The use of information and communication technology is extremely limited, although pupils enjoy using CD-ROMs and some produce interesting word-processed work on Mohenjo-Daro. The subject contributes satisfactorily to the school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. The pupils reflect on how people lived in the past and write empathetically on the plight of some evacuees. Additionally, their study of ancient and national history adds to their range of cultural knowledge.

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HISTORY

151. The co-ordinators acknowledge the need to develop the teaching programme and to introduce assessment arrangements. They have been given non-contact time to monitor teaching and curriculum delivery in history. As a result, they are beginning to tackle the issues from the last report. Improvement since the last inspection has been unsatisfactory, but is now picking up pace. Provided that non-contact time is used well and the role of the co-ordinator is enhanced successfully, the subject has a satisfactory capacity for improvement.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

152. Pupils make satisfactory progress in their learning and achieve standards at age seven and eleven, which are broadly in line with national expectations. Although this is a similar judgement to that of the previous inspection there have been improvements in the quality of pupils’ learning. This is a result of the increased challenge, which more sophisticated hardware and software, together with the opportunities of the internet, have made to the work of pupils. Increased opportunities offered by the school’s improved resources, achieved through good use of government grants, and the beginning of the impact of training for teachers through New Opportunity Funding have also contributed. While positive leadership and good practice are developing from these initiatives, the full potential has yet to be realised as most teachers’ confidence and knowledge of the range, application and functions of the technology is not yet consolidated.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

153. Pupils’ skills in finding out information and preparing it for use, using ICT, are appropriately developed at Key Stage 1, but insufficiently so at Key Stage 2. This reflects the relatively short time the computer suite has been available for class use and the limits of the wider integration of ICT into the curriculum. Within mathematics itself good use is beginning to be made of ICT in information processing, for example with spread sheets.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

154. Pupils are beginning to use the power of ICT to create a variety of images, which they store or print. Word processing skills are appropriately developed. Most pupils in Year 1 identify the keys and their operation and apply this knowledge successfully in using the range of applications. Pupils use a mouse effectively to move objects and text. For example, although slow in dexterity, pupils select an object and words associated with that object and use the information to word process simple sentences accurately and independently. They open and close programmes successfully with some guidance from their teachers. This skill develops well throughout the school, so that by age eleven most pupils are confident to find, retrieve and store, for example, images both from the Internet and those created from graphic packages, and to integrate them with text, using a Desk Top Publishing application to create posters.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Terrington St Clement Community School - 52 155. Pupils in a Year 6 mathematics ‘booster’ group benefit from a program to support their multiplication table skills. In turn they demonstrate useful skills in accessing the web site, selecting appropriate web pages and responding to the problems set. Pupils in Year 4 use appropriate repeat instructions to create an image and to extend that image through rotational symmetry. Pupils in Year 5 input data from a range of measurements to a spreadsheet and explore the effect of simple formulae to calculate totals and averages. These skills are developed further and effectively, for example at Year 6, when pupils apply repeated simple formulae as part of an investigation into the patterns of increasing pocket money over time. The pupils can recognise the benefits of the speed of computer calculations in more complex situations, although many pupils noted the faster speed of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

mental calculation in some circumstances.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

156. Most pupils develop a simple understanding of the power of ICT to control events, although further opportunities to use a wider range of applications are needed to ensure that the skills and knowledge in this aspect are secure.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

157. The use of e-mail and the Internet and associated skills are not fully developed. The quality of pupils’ knowledge and skills is largely dependent upon the experience and confidence of their teacher and the opportunities they have at home. There are, therefore, some inconsistencies in the levels of pupils’ knowledge and understanding and this lowers the overall level of attainment.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

158. Pupils have a positive attitude to the subject and enjoy their tasks. They settle quickly and work independently in their groups. They are keen to learn and readily discuss their work with partners. They share their equipment well and handle it with care. Pupils are well behaved. Those who, because of the limited number of computers and available space, have an alternative and sometimes not very challenging activity to complete for part of the lesson, do so with both good grace and good behaviour.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

159. Teaching is satisfactory overall, but ranges from unsatisfactory to very good. Teachers have good relations with their pupils. They manage pupils appropriately and give effective individual and small group support. Teachers try hard to use the newly acquired school network and computer suite to good effect. In an example of better teaching the teacher used good knowledge of the network tutoring system to interrupt pupils’ work appropriately to give on screen advice to the entire group and thereby to solve general problems and to increase the rate of learning. Teachers do their best to offer pupils appropriate learning programmes. The limitations and variations of pupils’ previous knowledge and experience often makes this difficult. In some situations the limitations of teacher’s own knowledge and understanding means they are unable to develop work with effective continuity or to give well-paced instruction with greater challenge to the higher attaining pupils. Some less

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

effective lessons are insufficiently planned in suitable steps to give pupils clear understanding. Here, teachers miss the opportunity to introduce more difficult tasks to pupils. For example, a class group spent the larger part of a lesson in random experimentation of controlling the progress of a figure using a sequence of instructions, when teacher intervention to discuss strategy and to introduce alternative moves would give greater pace and challenge. Teachers sometimes use well the lack of sufficient computers for the whole to contrast the benefits, or otherwise, of different ICT applications. Where half the class is working on computers, alternative work for the other half is often unchallenging and time filling. Assessment procedures are not highly developed but pupils keep an overview of their progress through on-going portfolios of examples of work, which give sound indications of progression and skills.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

160. The subject is well placed to improve further. An appropriate curriculum is in place using national guidelines. E-mail is not currently available to ensure the full range of opportunity but good use is beginning to be made of the internet to support learning. Good use of national funding over the past year to secure hardware and software has significantly improved pupils’ curriculum opportunities. The application of the knowledge, enthusiasm and skills of the co-ordinator, in response to the leadership of the headteacher, effective. This reflects satisfactory improvement since the last Terrington St Clement Community School - 53 inspection. The co-ordinator has a clear view of the priorities for development and has selected appropriate training to meet the needs of the teaching team. He ably demonstrates effective practice by example. The range, sufficiency and quality of resources are satisfactory and the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

school is beginning to achieve good value from its investment. Terrington St Clement Community School - 54

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MUSIC

161. Standards of achievement in music were in line with national expectations at the previous inspection and progress was satisfactory. While current standards as a whole remain similar, there are now pockets of good achievement throughout the school. Significantly, progress in learning is good overall. It is often very good. This applies to both key stages.

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MUSIC

162. The teaching of music has some very strong elements. The members of staff who co-ordinate the subject have significant musical skills, and they use these effectively to support other members of staff. The recent introduction of a published scheme of work is also helping the less confident teachers to develop their skills and to focus their lessons in a progressive and developmental way. Initiatives are in hand to review the school’s musical provision and to monitor the current quality of the teaching. In the light of inspection findings, two pertinent aspects for this review are monitoring and supporting the work of less confident staff, and the reorganisation of resources, which are currently scattered, largely inaccessible on a day-to-day basis, and sometimes irrelevant to the pupils’ and staff needs.

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MUSIC

163. The lessons seen at both key stages were brisk and interesting. The learning objectives are made clear and are followed conscientiously. The lessons fruitfully emphasise the listening, experimental and practice aspects of music and give good opportunities for performance. For example the Year 4 classes worked together to plan imaginative stories and sequences of night and daytime sounds. They rehearsed with confidence and enjoyment and performed unselfconsciously. The resources are organised well in the classrooms, and often provide opportunities for the pupils to choose what songs to sing or what percussion and tuned instruments they need to match the sounds they want to create. Consequently, the pupils at both key stages are developing their musical skills successfully. Most can maintain a rhythm, control the tempo and volume of sounds well, and are inventive and imaginative in their work.

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MUSIC

164. The pupils respond well to the good provision. The skills of the pupils of all ages are significantly advanced beyond the average in singing. This is a strong feature of the school and does much to enhance the social and cultural aspects of the pupils’ experiences. The pupils sing confidently and tunefully, with unity, good expression and feeling. In assemblies, in hymn practice, and in the choir rehearsals, the quality of the singing is uplifting both for visitors and participants alike.

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MUSIC

165. The work of the peripatetic staff teaching brass is good. Some pupils have recently started to play brass instruments and they are making good progress. There are also opportunities for the pupils to have tuition in cello and violin. A further extra-curricular opportunity is provided for pupils to learn to play recorders. This is beneficial and the standards of playing are high.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

166. Pupils reach the expected standards for their age at the end of both key stages and achieve appropriately. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils in Year 2 carry out simple gymnastic type movements satisfactorily. They run at speed, change direction and can hold a simple balance. They demonstrate a variety of rolling movements soundly. At Year 5, pupils travel whilst dribbling a ball, but not all pupils are secure in this skill. There are particular strengths in standards attained in swimming by pupils at the end of Key Stage 2, as almost all attain the requirement to swim 25 metres before they leave the school. This is because the school is beginning to place a high priority on the development of swimming and all pupils have swimming lessons at some time in their school life.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

167. Pupils say that they enjoy their physical education and observation of lessons supports this. Their attitude towards the subject is positive and they try very hard to carry out the instructions given to them by the teachers. Terrington St Clement Community School - 55 168. Teaching is satisfactory across both key stages but is good for swimming. Teachers plan with the help of a commercial scheme and organise lessons methodically, enabling pupils to improve their skills systematically. However, all plans seen were very short term and did not indicate how progression of skills was to be achieved. All teachers dress appropriately for physical activity and provide useful demonstrations that help pupils to learn new skills and to understand what is required. They give clear instructions, expect pupils to respond promptly, and are vigilant in matters of safety. The better teaching uses appropriate vocabulary to ensure pupils extend their

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

knowledge well. In a Year 2 lesson pupils improved their performance after the teacher had shown them clearly how to improve the range of turning movements. A weakness in some lessons that were otherwise satisfactory was that instruction and organisation took too long, so that pupils did not have enough time to perform, practise and improve their skills. The best teaching uses good examples of pupils’ performance and self-assessment to stimulate improvement, but this strategy is not always emphasised enough. There is not enough emphasis on improving the quality of pupils’ movement, especially endings to sequences. Where teachers refer to their teaching notes this limits continuity in the lesson and slows the pace, resulting in some pupils becoming bored, losing interest and displaying challenging behaviour which some teachers find difficult to control.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

169. There is reported to be a policy and scheme of work but no copies were made available during the inspection. It is therefore impossible to confirm that the full national curriculum is covered over time. There are no photographs, certificates or formal records kept of pupils’ achievements in physical education, so that it is difficult for teachers and pupils to have an accurate measure of how well the pupils are doing. Time is inconsistently deployed, with some pupils getting sufficient time allocation to enable sound skills progression, whilst others appear to receive no allocated time, or have sessions which are too short for any meaningful activity to take place. This is unsatisfactory and needs to be amended urgently.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

170. By the age of seven and eleven pupils attain standards in Religious Education that are below those expected by the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Levels of attainment do not show an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils study the world faiths of Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism alongside Christianity, in line with the scheme of work as set out by the Locally Agreed Syllabus. This gives them insights into the faith and beliefs of others and is a contributing factor to the tolerant and respectful attitudes pupils show to one another.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

171. Across the school, pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language make good progress. As a result of the good support that they receive from teacher assistants, they achieve in line with their peers. Work set for the higher achieving pupils is not sufficiently challenging to extend their learning equally well as others. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good in both key stages.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

172. In the Foundation Stage, children gain an effective knowledge, understanding and insight into religious education through stories and a cross-curricular approach. Scrutiny of teachers’ planning, pupils’ work and discussions with pupils show that teaching and learning are satisfactory overall at age seven. Most teachers’ planning has clear purposes for learning, but where the teacher has insecure subject knowledge their planning is less well-focused and less time is allocated to teaching of religious education. These lessons lack pace and as a result pupils become restless and are uncertain about some of the key points of the lesson. Pupils learn about Moses and the flight from Egypt, Rosh Hashanah, Shabbat, and Yom Kippur. They learn about Diwali and Rangoli patterns and about Advent. Although there is a satisfactory volume of work, most of it is copied and there are few examples of pupils taking an independent approach to their

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

own learning. Terrington St Clement Community School - 56 173. At Key Stage 2 the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Where the teaching is good the teacher’s own knowledge and understanding is secure. This was seen in a Year 5 lesson on Sikhism where pupils were encouraged to discuss good quality artefacts. They used their literacy skills well to skim and scan text in order to research the symbolism behind, and the uses for, their particular artefact. Over the course of the lesson pupils made good progress and were confident in their knowledge and understanding of the significance of the artefacts. In a Year 4 lesson, good use was made of role-play to help pupils understand the significance of The Last Supper. These pupils had a very poor background knowledge of the Christian faith, but by the end of the lesson they had made good progress in their knowledge and understanding and

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

were able to empathise with the feelings of the disciples.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

174. Scrutiny of work shows that there are some classes where there is an over reliance on worksheets and all pupils have identical pieces of copied work. Discussion with pupils in Year 6 shows that they have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of their last topic, the story of Joseph. However, their knowledge and understanding of work carried out in the past is very muddled and they have difficulty in distinguishing what appertains to which religion. There is an insufficient amount of work recorded for the time spent. Although pupils understand what they are taught in lessons where the quality of teaching and learning is good, an inappropriate time allocation for the subject prevents the pupils from being more confident in their learning. Pupils start school with little experience of religion.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

175. Subject co-ordination is satisfactory. Posters and displays are used well to raise the profile of religious education in the school. The co-ordinator has ensured that her planning corresponds to the locally Agreed Syllabus and national guidelines. The subject has not been a high priority in the school improvement plan. The co-ordinator is aware of the need to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. The subject now has a cohesive teaching scheme. There is more emphasis on the six major religions in the World than at the time of the last inspection and this is supported by a growing collection of good quality artefacts.

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