Swavesey Primary School

SWAVESEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 12 th June 2002

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SWAVESEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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SWAVESEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Swavesey Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Middle Watch Swavesey Cambridgeshire Postcode: CB4 5RN

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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 David Rushton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1996 Swavesey Primary School - 2

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Team members

23128 Esme Pickford Registered inspector 14756 John Lovell Lay inspector 15011 Marion Wallace Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Swavesey Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Swavesey Primary School is an average sized community school. It serves a rural catchment area, including the villages of Swavesey and Lolworth and, due to its popularity, attracts a number of pupils from outside the area. There has been an increase in pupil numbers over the last few years due to development in both villages, which has necessitated additions to the school building. Once families move into the area they tend to stay, and pupil turnover is low. Although a full range of backgrounds are represented in the school population, the majority of pupils live in privately owned housing. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average. The 249 pupils are taught in nine classes, some of mixed age. There are an equal number of boys and girls but a considerable variation in the numbers of pupils in each year group. Thirteen per cent of pupils are identified as having special

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

educational needs, which is below average nationally. The special needs of these pupils include dyslexia and autism. Currently one pupil has a statement of special educational need, which is in line with the national average. The majority of pupils are white, some have European, Caribbean, Pakistani and Chinese backgrounds and a few are of mixed race. The percentage of children who speak English as an additional language is low. Attainment on entry to the school shows a full range of ability, but is generally above that expected for four year olds.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Swavesey Primary is a very good school. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and behave well. The quality of teaching is very good overall and standards in English, mathematics and science are well above those expected nationally at the age of 11. The school succeeds in enabling pupils of all abilities to progress well and achieve their potential. The acting headteacher and deputies are providing good leadership and stability in the absence of the headteacher. The school is very effective in promoting strategies to make sure pupils are included in all lessons, equality of opportunity and has a strong ethos. It provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• High standards are achieved in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science by the age of 11, due to the very good quality of teaching and careful curriculum planning. • Pupils are given good opportunities to develop their numeracy, literacy and information and communication technology skills in other subjects to help them become independent learners. • Relationships at all levels of the school community are very good and make a significant contribution to pupils’ positive attitudes. • The school successfully promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and creates a climate within which pupils can grow and flourish, respect others and be respected.

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What could be improved

• Standards of handwriting and marking could be higher if teachers had a consistent approach. • The very good match of tasks planned to meet pupils’ individual needs seen in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science should be extended to other subjects. • The training and development of staff awareness in child protection is not good enough. 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

Very good improvement has been made since the school was inspected in June 1996. All the key issues previously identified, including playground safety, have been tackled very effectively. Subject co- ordinators monitor teaching and learning effectively. Schemes of work are in place which provide continuity and progression of learning in the mixed age classes. The provision for all the foundation Swavesey Primary School - 5 subjects and religious education has improved to provide a well balanced curriculum. Standards in information and communication technology are above expectation for age at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. High academic standards have been maintained through a period of staff changes and a major building programme. The quality of teaching is much higher than at the time of the last inspection, due to improved planning and staff training. Governors are fully involved in strategic planning. The school has

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

the commitment and is well placed to continue this very good all round improvement.

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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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Key

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

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Key

In the 2001 national tests, pupils age 11 achieved well above average results in English, mathematics and science compared with all schools. The results are well above average in mathematics and average in English and science when compared to schools with similar intakes. Almost half of the pupils achieved the higher level 5 in mathematics and science and a third of the year group in English. One or two pupils with special educational needs did not reach the expected level but had made good progress in relation to their attainment at seven. Over time high standards have been maintained with improving trends in English and mathematics. Work seen in the current Year 6 during inspection shows the school is maintaining these high standards and likely to achieve the challenging targets set in English and mathematics for 2002. Achievement overall is very good.

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Key

Pupils aged seven achieved well above average results in reading and above average results in writing and mathematics in the 2001 national tests. Compared to schools with a similar intake, results were above average in reading and average in writing and mathematics. Over a third of pupils achieved the higher level 3 in reading and mathematics but far fewer in writing. The school’s performance in science teacher assessments was well above the national average. Well above average standards in reading were observed in the current Year 2 during inspection. Inspection evidence found standards in mathematics and writing to be above average overall. Expectations of the most able were not always high enough. During the reception year children of all abilities achieve well. They make good progress from the overall above average standards achieved in the initial assessment when they come into school. Children develop good social skills and adjust well to school routines. The majority of children achieve

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Key

the Early Learning Goals in all six areas of learning by the end of the reception year. More able children are working on the early stages of the National Curriculum, especially in language, literacy and mathematics. Across the school, standards of numeracy and literacy are well above average and skills are used well in other subjects. Above average standards were also seen throughout the school in information and communication technology and art and design during the inspection. Standards of handwriting are not high enough throughout the school. Swavesey Primary School - 6

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are eager to come to school and show considerable enthusiasm for learning.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well in class and are keen to contribute ideas and express opinions. They move around the school in an orderly way. At break and lunchtime they play sensibly and share equipment well.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are polite and respectful. They work co-operatively and are very supportive of each other.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. Attendance is well above average nationally. Pupils arrive punctually.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching in the reception class is very good and children are taught the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics in a structured, interesting and enjoyable way. The teacher and classroom assistants are skilled at enabling children of all abilities to learn well and develop independence through a wide range of experiences. The reception teacher employs a good variety of strategies to develop children’s listening skills, whilst giving the opportunity for those with speech problems, almost a quarter of the class, to develop their confidence. Overall, the teaching in the mixed year 1/2 classes is good but sometimes only satisfactory due to a lack of pace and secure subject knowledge. Here expectations are not always as high as they could be. In Years 3-6 teaching is a strength of the school. The excellent lessons observed during the inspection were inspirational. Teaching is very good because lessons are exciting, move at a good pace and pupils become totally absorbed in

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

their work. Lessons provide challenge for the higher attainers, support for the least able and meet the needs of the mixed age groups within the class. Very good learning takes place because expectations are so high. Teachers are good at establishing meaningful links between subjects through topic work. The very good match of tasks planned to meet the learning needs of different abilities within the class in English, mathematics and science could now be extended to other subjects. All teachers make very good use of available resources and give good opportunities to use literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills across the curriculum. Overall, pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and those speaking English as an additional language, achieve their potential. Marking is inconsistent between classes and variable in quality. Swavesey Primary School - 7

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is well structured and balanced, satisfying the requirements for literacy and numeracy, whilst giving pupils good access to the other subjects. It is demanding for higher attaining pupils. A good range of additional activities and visits enrich the curriculum. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for statemented pupils is good and enables them to make good progress. Pupils on the special needs register have appropriate individual education plans and support in class which enables them to achieve well. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Most of the pupils who are bilingual are fluent in English but are given support if need arises. One pupil at an earlier stage of language acquisition receives good support in class and is progressing well. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Aspect Comment

development Very good. Many aspects of this provision make a significant contribution to pupils’ personal development, enabling them to acquire a sense of belonging, personal values and a mature understanding of others.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school’s procedures for training and raising staff awareness in child protection matters is currently unsatisfactory. Pupils are known well and valued as individuals. They are very well supported and cared for by the staff. Racial equality is successfully promoted.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils know that staff are there to help them should any bullying occur. Incidents once reported are dealt with effectively. Although risk assessment is in place, procedures for monitoring and following through Health and Safety issues are not sufficiently rigorous.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The acting headteacher and deputies have provided good leadership and management to enable the transition period between headteachers to be as smooth as possible. They have successfully managed the school on a daily basis and implemented the changes identified in the school development plan. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The governing body is extremely enthusiastic, efficient and supportive of the school. Governors have a range of talents and expertise which they use for the benefit of the school. They have a very clear overview of the school which helps them to plan strategically, spend prudently and carefully consider the cost effectiveness of the decisions they make. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has a clear idea from the monitoring systems that are in place where strengths are and areas in need of improvement. National

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Aspect Comment

test results and school data are carefully analysed to set targets and identify training needs. Good practice and expertise within the staff is shared well. The strategic use of resources The school makes very good and appropriate use of the funding it receives and carefully applies the principles of best value. Good use is made of the accommodation, with careful timetabling of specialist facilities such as the computer suite. Classroom resources are of good quality and adequate in quantity. Parallel classes timetable lessons in order to use resources in the most efficient way. The hall is not always available for games in wet weather. Swavesey Primary School - 8 The limited classroom and outdoor space available to the large reception class restricts the variety of activities which can be offered in wet weather.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children enjoy school. • Teaching is good. • The school is well led and managed. • Expectations are high. • Pupils of all abilities make good progress. • The openness and accessibility of the staff. • The amount of homework set. • More activities outside lessons for younger children.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views of the school. They found that the homework set was appropriate for pupils’ age. Good use was made of homework set in English and mathematics to consolidate learning in class. Parents were encouraged to be involved in background research for topics and this was used well in lessons. Marking of homework is not always as good as it could be. Younger children have good access to a range of visits and some clubs. The number of clubs and activities available to pupils in the school is well above average and staff give generously of their time. Swavesey Primary School - 9

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science by the age of 11, due to the very good quality of teaching and careful

1. Very good leadership and management by the co-ordinators for these subjects, who have been in post for sometime, contribute significantly to the high standards achieved. The co-ordinators for English and mathematics have effectively introduced the national literacy and numeracy strategies across the school. They are beginning to tailor the strategies to the needs of the school. In science there has been a good response to the changes made to the National Curriculum in 2000. Co-ordinators have led staff training in their subjects and shared their expertise by modelling good practice. Planning has been adapted as the school organisation has changed and mixed age classes have been introduced. Work builds well on what has gone before and moves pupils’ learning forward to the next stage. Good schemes of work and assessment systems are now in place which monitor pupils’ progress as they move through the school. These assessments are

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science by the age of 11, due to the very good quality of teaching and careful

used well by teachers to group pupils in their class and to provide tasks appropriate to their needs. The co-ordinators monitor planning and sample work and observe lessons to gain a clear idea of standards across the school. Monitoring information is used well to plan for improvement and staff development. Test results and data are carefully analysed to identify topics that are being taught well and areas where different teaching strategies could be used. These are discussed with the staff as a whole and acted upon. Resources are well organised and used efficiently. There is an openness amongst staff, who are willing to try new approaches, share expertise and work well as a team. All these factors have contributed to the improved standards of teaching since the last inspection.

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science by the age of 11, due to the very good quality of teaching and careful

2. Lessons are delivered in a stimulating and enthusiastic way. They move at a very good pace. Teachers are clear about what they want pupils to learn during the session and often share this with pupils at the start. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and skilfully use this to break down lesson content into small parts which build on each other and help pupils to learn in a structured way. Challenging questions are used to consolidate previous learning and extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Staff are skilled at teaching pupils to think and find out for themselves. Following an introduction to the whole class, activities and resources are carefully matched to the needs and age of the pupils. In English and mathematics, the most able children in Year 5, for example, are often working towards Year 6 targets. More able Year 6 pupils are working on the next stage of the National Curriculum. Lower attaining pupils, including pupils with

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science by the age of 11, due to the very good quality of teaching and careful

special educational needs, are well supported and tasks set are challenging and enable them to make good progress. In science lessons, pupils are given good opportunities to experiment and investigate for themselves. At the end of lessons, good opportunities are given to evaluate and share learning. The inspection team agree with the parental perception that the mixed age classes cater well for the needs of all pupils. Although expectations are high and pupils of all abilities are challenged, this is achieved without pressure. Pupils are so well motivated that they are totally absorbed in their work and achieve well.

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information and communication technology skills in other subjects to help them

3. Teachers are good at making meaningful links between subjects and enabling pupils to develop their numeracy and literacy and to use the computer as a tool for learning. The school has recently developed a computer suite and considerable staff training has taken place in information and communication technology as part of a national initiative. Classes have timetabled access to the suite on a weekly basis when they learn new skills and have opportunities to apply these to other subjects. This, along with improved staff confidence and good use of classroom computers, Swavesey Primary School - 10 has helped to raise standards in the subject. Good use is made of the library and Internet for topic research. For example, in a Year 6 science lesson about healthy eating, pupils were encouraged to find out the answers to questions using text books and information taken from a supermarket website. They were encouraged to apply the skills of skim reading from a previous English lesson.

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information and communication technology skills in other subjects to help them

Pupils were also asked to read food labels to find fat and sugar content. They were able to use the factual information collected to answer questions and write their own accounts about a healthy meal. Good learning took place by pupils of all abilities and good adult support was given to a special needs pupil who had difficulty extracting information from text. Year 4 pupils were studying persuasive writing and were challenged to design a poster to encourage people to volunteer as blood donors. The poster had to be created on the computer using a publishing program and the pupils had to work within definite guidelines to utilise most of the presentation skills they had been taught. The task was successfully achieved by the majority of pupils. Pupils of all ages regularly use their word processing skills to write stories and poetry in literacy lessons.

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information and communication technology skills in other subjects to help them

4. Reception pupils are regularly challenged to apply their knowledge of number to everyday situations. At registration they can work out how many children are present by combining the numbers of boys and girls and working out how many are absent. They are able to order the days of the week and in role-play work out how many cups are needed for guests at the royal tea party. Science work samples show that pupils frequently apply their measuring skills when they need to record the distance travelled by objects and accurately measure temperatures using thermometers. Results are plotted as block or line graphs. Some pupils use the computer to draw their graphs. In Year 2, pupils are able to use their word-processing skills to label the parts of a plant in a science lesson and are confident to try and spell the label words for themselves. They can change the style and colour of letters and save their own work. In Year 6 pupils sometimes

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information and communication technology skills in other subjects to help them

use the computer to write up their experiments. During the inspection Year 6 pupils were using the program ‘Super Logo’ to extend their knowledge of shape and rotation. At the end of the session, pupils could program the computer to draw shapes, rotate them and calculate angles. Older, more able pupils investigated for themselves and adapted the task to set new challenges. The exciting patterns produced were proudly shared with the rest of the class. Year 3 pupils used their reading, observation skills and knowledge of Tudor London to respond to computer screen information to make decisions and solve problems. Pupils of all abilities followed the on screen instructions well, worked at their own pace and learnt from their mistakes. The most able pupils acquired considerable factual information about Tudor times as they worked.

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Relationships at all levels of the school community are very good and make a

significant contribution to pupils’ positive attitudes.

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Relationships at all levels of the school community are very good and make a

5. Pupils have very good attitudes towards their learning. They show enthusiasm for the interesting experiences planned for them. Relationships between teachers and pupils within the class are very good. Pupils are keen to answer questions because they know their contributions will be listened to and valued both by the teacher and other members of the class. They feel very confident to challenge and question the teacher but do so in an absolutely courteous and respectful way. In lessons they respond very well to the teachers’ high expectations of hard work and good behaviour. Younger pupils are taught to listen to the teacher and each other and learn to tolerate different points of view. In Years 3-6, pupils listen intently and concentrate well for appropriate lengths of time. Lessons are motivational because the subject matter is presented in a relevant way. The majority of older pupils become so absorbed in their learning that they are reluctant to

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Relationships at all levels of the school community are very good and make a

stop working when they have to. Good examples of this were seen during the inspection in mathematics’ investigations and information and communication technology lessons. Pupils, including the youngest, work co-operatively in pairs and small groupings and these are often of mixed age and gender. They are very supportive of each other when working in groups and tasks are shared out fairly by the pupils so that all can contribute. At the end of the lesson, when work is shared they spontaneously applaud other’s efforts. They are able to evaluate each other’s work in art and design and physical education and suggest improvements in a helpful way. Younger children share all equipment well and are respectful of each other’s space when riding large wheeled toys in their restricted outdoor play area. Swavesey Primary School - 11 6. Relationships between pupils of different age groups are very good. Older pupils are keen to help

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Relationships at all levels of the school community are very good and make a

younger pupils during the lunch hour, both in the dining hall and in the playground. They play games with them and encourage them to share playground equipment. In wet weather they help in the classroom by reading stories and supervising group activities. Lunchtime supervisors interact very well with pupils. Relationships between pupils at break and lunchtime are very good. In Years 1-2, pupils are very inclusive in their play and there is no ethnic or gender division. In Years 3-6 relationships are very good, but in the playground pupils choose to group themselves more by gender.

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Relationships at all levels of the school community are very good and make a

7. The very good partnership with parents benefits pupils’ attitudes to learning and attainment. Teachers are very accessible to parents in the playground at the start of the day and relationships are very good. Confidence in the school has developed through good consultation with parents, particularly about organisational changes which affect their children. The parents of pupils with special educational needs are involved in reviewing their children’s individual educational plans. All parents play an important part in their children’s learning and give support and encouragement with homework. They contribute to the high standards of attainment by reading with their children on a regular basis. Parents help children to learn spellings and number facts. They are encouraged to get involved with research for class topics and to help on visits. Several parents help in the classroom on a regular basis and this is greatly appreciated by staff. The Parent-Teachers

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Relationships at all levels of the school community are very good and make a

Association is very active and organises social and family events which help to draw the school community closer together. A strong team spirit exists amongst the staff. The governing body has a high parental representation and has a concern to develop the whole child and equip each child with life skills. They are very supportive of the school and proud of its achievements.

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Relationships at all levels of the school community are very good and make a

8. There is a very good range of visits which enrich the curriculum for pupils of all ages. Very good use is made of the school environment and wildlife area as a focus for science and geography work. Pupils make good use of the three local churches as part of their religious education lessons and studies of local history. Members of the clergy give generously of their time during these class visits to discuss church architecture, furniture and the celebrations which take place in the buildings. Pupils of all ages enjoy these visits and learn a great deal. Older pupils benefit academically and socially from a residential visit to the contrasting area of York. There are a good range of additional activities offered outside lesson time which are well supported and often oversubscribed. Clubs provide a good opportunity to get to know pupils from other classes, whilst extending learning and having fun. There are several recorder clubs, choir, dance, drama and a

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Relationships at all levels of the school community are very good and make a

stargazers club. The drama group is preparing to perform a musical play written by the organising staff, which will involve local musicians. Older pupils have the opportunity to take part in a range of physical activities such as badminton and to play competitive sport. Many of these activities rely entirely on the goodwill of staff and parental support for transport. Pupils with musical talent are able to learn instruments from visiting teachers and perform in school concerts. The school capitalises on the strengths of members of the local community wherever possible to further its work, including a local artist, a needlework expert, a former governor, who also teaches French in Years 3-6. Relationships with the playgroup and secondary school are strong. The school is co- operating with the college on a unit of transitional work which aims to maintain standards between primary and secondary schools.

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development and creates a climate within which pupils can grow and flourish, respect

9. Through the broad curriculum, pupils are given good opportunities to explore values and beliefs, including religious beliefs, and the way in which they impact on people’s lives. Seven year olds have a good understanding of Hindu beliefs and the impact these have on the everyday life of members of this faith group. They have a mature understanding that belief is not restricted to race and know if they share these beliefs they too could become a Hindu. Older pupils who have studied several world religions feel that this helps them to have a better respect and understanding of people from other cultures living in our country and is very useful when they travel. Very good opportunities are given, especially in literacy lessons, for pupils to understand human feelings and Swavesey Primary School - 12 emotions. Even the youngest pupils can empathise with characters in stories by looking at an illustration and commenting on the facial expressions. ‘ I wonder why the mouse still looks happy

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development and creates a climate within which pupils can grow and flourish, respect

after all those problems!’ Older pupils also explore feelings well through poetry, art and music.

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development and creates a climate within which pupils can grow and flourish, respect

10. The school provides a clear moral code as a basis for behaviour and all pupils know what is expected of them. They respond well to the high expectations both in school and when out on visits. Through the very good relationships and interactions that exist, staff promote respect, fairness, the importance of keeping promises and the resolution of conflict. They encourage pupils to take responsibility for their actions; for example respect for property and care of the environment. Aspects of literacy, topic work, science, arts and assemblies provide very good opportunities for pupils’ moral development. The theme of assemblies during the inspection was ‘the voice inside’ and pupils considered issues of right and wrong in ways which were meaningful to them. In one assembly the rector talked about George Fox and the foundation of the Quaker religion and their belief that everyone has the voice of God inside them. This was linked to local

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development and creates a climate within which pupils can grow and flourish, respect

seventeenth century history and the imprisonment of villagers for their beliefs.

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development and creates a climate within which pupils can grow and flourish, respect

11. The school provision for pupils’ social development is very good and fosters a sense of community. It promotes religious, racial and other forms of equality. In lessons, pupils are encouraged to work co-operatively. The school provides positive corporate experiences through assemblies, school productions, visits and residential experiences. The School Council gives pupils an opportunity to engage in the democratic process and participate in community life. Members are elected from all age groups and meet on a regular basis. They chair and minute their own meetings and representatives took a part in the interviews for the new headteacher. The School Council identified the need for playground equipment, which has since been provided and is looked after by the pupils themselves. There are links with the wider community and monies are raised for a variety of national and international charities. Support is also given to the Night Shelter in Cambridge.

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development and creates a climate within which pupils can grow and flourish, respect

12. Pupils extend their cultural awareness through visits to museums, galleries, theatres, visiting artists and musicians. They have a good knowledge of local history and the changes that have occurred in the villages over time. Although the school community does not fully reflect the ethnic mix that is currently represented in British society, the school is successful in promoting an awareness and appreciation of other cultures. The provision results in pupils who develop maturity, self-confidence, self-respect and have a good understanding of citizenship.

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Standards of handwriting and marking could be higher if teachers had a consistent

13. Children in the reception class are taught to hold their pencil and form their letters correctly and start to join their letters in the Year 1/2 classes. Only about half of the Year 2 pupils were regularly using a joined style for all written work at the time of the inspection and this is not good enough at this stage in the year. In the work sampled it was noted that many older pupils reverted to immature printing styles and this went unchecked. Variations in standards of presentation and the handwriting of individual pupils is rarely commented on by teachers, when work is marked. There is no obvious development of a mature style of joined writing as pupils progress through the school. By the end of Year 6, standards for the majority of pupils are not as high as they should be. The school previously prided itself on its structured approach to teaching handwriting and the high standards achieved. Emphasis on other areas of literacy has resulted in lower standards

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Standards of handwriting and marking could be higher if teachers had a consistent

14. Work samples show that the quality of marking is inconsistent. The school has a marking policy but this has not been reviewed for some time and there have been several staff changes since this was formulated. Work of the youngest children is rarely annotated to indicate where pupils have been supported, found difficulties or achieved the task unaided. In mathematics it is difficult to see where pupils have gone back to correct mistakes. In one of the Year 1/2 classes the teacher writes useful comments which help pupils to improve. Swavesey Primary School - 13 15. In Years 3-6, again the quality of marking varies. At its best it is very good but is satisfactory overall. Teachers are keen to encourage pupils to evaluate work orally at the end of lessons and often make useful comments as they circulate in lessons. Some classes are set clear individual targets to improve their written work and this is effectively marked by the teacher with these in

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Standards of handwriting and marking could be higher if teachers had a consistent

mind. However, in other classes extended writing and homework deserves a more thorough approach and comments to show how improvements could be made.

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core subjects of English, mathematics and science should now be extended to other

16. Planning to meet the needs of the different ages and abilities by using a range of resources and tasks is very good in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. In the remaining subjects, the assessment systems in place do not show areas where pupils could be given additional support because they have experienced difficulties or where greater challenge is needed. Teachers usually plan the same task for all pupils in the class, but have different expectations of the quantity and quality of the work pupils of different abilities produce. They often give more adult support to the least able to help them succeed. This approach does not enable all pupils to build efficiently on previous learning and move on to the next stage. The very good practice of matching tasks to learning needs, based on assessment, developed in the core subjects should now be extended to other areas to raise standards further.

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The training and development of staff awareness in child protection is not good

17. The school follows the Cambridgeshire local authority guidelines for child protection and external agencies provide good support. However, information for staff and the induction of all adults working and helping in the school are not thorough enough to ensure full awareness. The previous headteacher was the only member of the teaching staff who received additional training in this area, some time ago. Since that time, there have been a number of changes in teaching staff and there is no mention of the school’s child protection procedures in the staff handbook. Some classroom assistants have had some recent training. Lunchtime staff have had no formal awareness training. The acting headteacher applied for training when he took over responsibility for child protection in January but few courses are available and the training has only just taken place. This is an area for whole staff discussion and development.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Governors and the headteacher should consider the following when planning for school improvement:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that the school handwriting policy is applied and that teachers insist on higher standards; • reviewing the marking policy in order to achieve a consistent quality across the school;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) extend the good practice of planning tasks to meet pupils’ needs developed in the core subjects, to other curriculum areas; and

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) provide better information and training for all staff in child protection.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(paragraph:17) Swavesey Primary School - 14 Swavesey Primary School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 20

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 249

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 40

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 28

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 13

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Attendance

School data 3.7 School data 0.0 Swavesey Primary School - 16 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Swavesey Primary School - 17

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 22 24 46

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 21 20 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 22 23

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (100) 91 (100) 96 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 21 21 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 23 23

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (100) 96 (100) 96 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 21 18 39

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 20 19 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 16 18

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (85) 90 (86) 100 (98) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 20 19 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 16 18

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (85) 90 (86) 97 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Swavesey Primary School - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 2 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.3 Financial year 2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 512,132

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 517,150

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 118 Expenditure per pupil 2,085

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 24,018

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5.38

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5.38

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Swavesey Primary School - 19

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 61 37 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 50 48 0 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 26 51 20 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 49 44 4 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 29 0 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 30 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 51 40 6 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 68 29 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 57 39 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 47 32 14 2 4 Swavesey Primary School - 20

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