St Bartholomews's Church of England Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st - 22 nd January 2003

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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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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. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Peak Sydenham London Postcode: SE26 4LJ

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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: Miss S Bryce

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1998 St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 2

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Team members

23744 Peter Howlett Registered inspector 9519 Sue Pritchard Lay inspector 27426 Terry Aldridge Team inspector 21796 James Walsh 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 St Bartholomew’s CofE 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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16 - 20

St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Bartholomew’s is a Church of England voluntary aided primary school for boys and girls between the ages of five and 11. It serves a diverse, multicultural community within the area of Sydenham in the London Borough of Lewisham. The school aims to be inclusive, welcoming children from other faith communities through the admissions criteria. A larger than average primary school, it has 288 pupils attending full-time, including 28 children in reception. The school has no nursery and reception children are admitted in the term in which they are five. There is a gender imbalance in some year groups but overall there is no significant gender difference. The majority of pupils come from the local area which consists of a mixture of owner occupied and local authority housing. Approximately 12 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals which is below the national average. Sixty per cent of pupils are from

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

white ethnic background, while the remainder represent diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The main other ethnic groups represented are Black Caribbean and Black African. Sixteen per cent of the school population come from homes where English is not the first language. This is a high proportion in comparison with primary schools nationally. The proportion of pupils on the school’s register for special educational needs (nearly 18 per cent) is close to the national average. Three pupils have a statement of special educational need. Pupils’ attainment on entry is broad but is generally in line with that typically found nationally.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Bartholomew’s is an effective school in most aspects of its work and has many good features. It is a caring and welcoming school in which all pupils are equally valued. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and are well behaved. Standards are high in English and above average in mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. There is a positive ethos for learning and the quality of teaching is mainly good. The school is well led by the headteacher and deputy headteacher who provide the school with a clear sense of direction and purpose. The school uses its budget prudently and gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve well in English throughout the school and standards are high because of good teaching. • Children in reception get a good start to their education because provision for them is very good. • Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, relationships and personal development and their good behaviour have a strong impact on the quality of their learning. • The very good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development contributes very effectively to pupils’ personal development. • The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide effective leadership.

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What could be improved

• The achievement of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science could be higher. • The school does not plan, teach or assess the development of pupils’ skills well enough. • The school does not sufficiently monitor and evaluate what it does. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection in January 1998. Since the appointment of the current headteacher and deputy headteacher, the school has made steady progress in addressing the key issues from the previous inspection. In Information and communication technology (ICT), good improvements in provision and teachers’ expertise have led to substantial improvement in St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 5 standards. In design and technology, improvement has been limited and provision is just satisfactory. Appropriate arrangements for the appraisal of staff are now in place with the implementation of the new performance management procedures. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are clearly focused on raising standards and improving the quality of education further. However, the management role of other staff needs further development to ensure consistency in practice across the school. The school is

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

soundly placed to make further improvements.

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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

very high well above average above average average below average well below average A* A B C D E

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Key

In the national tests in Year 6, pupils do particularly well in English but more able pupils do not do as well as they could in mathematics and science. In English, results were well above average in three of the last four years and the trend of improvement is greater than the national trend. In mathematics, the trend of improvement was less than the national picture. Results were above the national average in 2002, but were average over the three previous years. In science, test results have fluctuated but overall the trend of improvement has matched the national pattern.

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Key

In the 2002 national tests at the end of Year 6, the percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 was well above average in English and mathematics and above average in science. The school set challenging targets in both subjects but did not quite achieve them. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 was well above average in English, above average in science and average in mathematics.

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Key

Pupils do consistently well in national tests at the end of Year 2. Results in reading, writing and mathematics over the past four years have generally been well above national averages.

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Key

In a short inspection it is not intended to make judgements about standards in all subjects. From the work seen during the inspection:

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Key

• in English, pupils make good progress in their learning and standards are well above average across the school. More able pupils achieve well; • in mathematics, standards are well above average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6; • in science, standards are above average in Years 2 and 6; • in mathematics and science, most Year 6 pupils work at expected levels but the proportion of the year group achieving above expected levels is only average; • in ICT, standards are average across the school; and • in the reception, pupils achieve well and standards are above expected levels on entry to Year 1. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 6

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to learning. Pupils are interested and keen and like coming to school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils are very well behaved in class. They behave well in the playground and around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good. Pupils know right from wrong and are considerate of one another. The school helps pupils to become mature and sensible.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Pupils’ attendance is good. The attendance rate is above average.

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

Quality of teaching Good Good 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 nearly all the lessons seen was at least good. Of the 18 lessons seen, in three it was very good, in 14 it was good and in one satisfactory. • The teaching of English is good. Teachers have a good understanding of how to teach literacy skills and activities are usually well matched to pupils’ attainment. • The teaching of numeracy skills is good. • The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good in the reception class. The teacher has a very good understanding of the needs of the children. Lessons are very well planned to provide a very good balance of directed and self-chosen activities. Adults work very closely together as a team. • Teaching and learning are good in Year 2. Teachers work well together, lessons are well organised and pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations. • Teaching is generally good in Years 3 to 6. However, teachers do not plan well enough to ensure

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

that pupils’ skills are progressively built upon. They support pupils with special educational needs well but do not always provide sufficient challenge for higher attaining pupils. • Lessons are well prepared. Teachers share learning intentions clearly with pupils so that they know what they are expected to learn and do. Their subject knowledge is good and they are effective in giving clear expositions and asking questions. Teachers manage pupils well and relationships between teachers and pupils are very good. Lessons are conducted at a good pace and pupils settle quickly to tasks, showing good levels of confidence and independence. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 7

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum and the national strategies for literacy and numeracy are well established.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is good and well managed. Good support enables these pupils to make appropriate progress in English and mathematics. Sometimes targets in individual action plans are too broad.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision for these pupils is good. The few pupils at an early stage of English language acquisition are well supported and make good progress. Most other pupils are bilingual, are fully included in all aspects of school life and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development This aspect of provision is a strength of the school. The school promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils very effectively. The school successfully pursues its Christian values.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school looks after its pupils well. Child protection procedures are very good. Much work still needs to be done to improve the school’s assessment procedures.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school’s ethos is good. The headteacher and staff successfully promote a calm, caring and purposeful atmosphere. The headteacher and the deputy headteacher work well together. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and a shared vision of what needs to be done to improve provision further. Some staff have yet to develop fully their management roles.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The relatively new governing body is keen and enthusiastic and is developing its role well. It is supportive of the school and fulfils its statutory responsibilities but needs to develop its monitoring role.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The senior management has made effective use of national performance data to identify areas of pupils’ underachievement but there are insufficient measures in place to evaluate standards of work. This area of weakness is being addressed.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The school ensures its budget is spent prudently with sound links between planned expenditure and educational priorities. It needs to develop ways to apply best value principles. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 8

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like to come to school. • The behaviour of pupils in the school is good. • Teaching is good and pupils make good progress. • The school expects their children to work hard, do their best and helps them become mature and responsible. • The school does not offer a sufficient range of activities outside lessons. • Children do not get the right amount of homework. • The school does not work closely enough with parents. • Provision for music is not good enough.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the positive views of the parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Extra-curricular activities are modest for a school of this size. Although the home/school agreement states that the school will provide homework in accordance with its homework policy, the school has yet to produce such a policy. The school prospectus gives a brief statement on homework provision but this does not give parents much detail. There is a productive relationship with parents. Parents work with the school to raise money and improve the school environment and they help in classes on a regular basis. The school’s newsletters are positive and friendly but they could do more to inform parents about proposed changes. Provision for music is satisfactory. The subject’s well-developed subject guidance helps ensure that teachers cover all areas of the curriculum. The teaching of music is shared mostly between three teachers with specific expertise. . St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 9

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils achieve well in English and standards are high because of good teaching.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Pupils achieve well in national tests in English. Pupils attain consistently well in national tests at the end of Year 2; results in reading and writing tests over the past three years have been well above the national averages. In comparison with similar schools, results in 2002 were very high in reading and well above average in writing. In the Year 6 tests, the trend of improvement has been greater than the national trend over the past five years. Results were well above average in three of the last four years. In the 2002 national tests, the percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 or above and the percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 were well above average.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The work seen in lessons and in pupils’ books confirms that standards are high across the school and that pupils make good progress in their learning due to the consistent good teaching.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Standards in Year 2 in reading, speaking and listening and writing are well above average. Pupils enjoy reading and most read an appropriate range of texts fluently, confidently and accurately. They usually show a clear understanding of what they have read and can talk about the characters and main points. They use their knowledge and understanding of sounds well to attempt unknown words. They have good listening skills and listen well to their teachers and others in different situations, showing good levels of respect for what others have to say. Most speak confidently in different situations, using a good range of words in their comments, explanations and answers to questions. Writing skills are developing well with some imaginative use of words. Basic grammatical structures are correct and nouns and verbs agree. Higher attaining pupils are developing the use of connectives such as ‘and’, ‘then’, and ‘because’ to write more complex

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

sentences. Most spell the more common words correctly. Capital letters and full stops are used correctly and there is some use of speech and question marks. Handwriting is usually legible with some pupils developing a joined flowing script.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. In Year 6, standards in reading, speaking and listening and writing are well above average. Pupils find reading enjoyable and read widely from the good range of available materials. They are fluent and confident readers, reading with good expression. They talk enthusiastically about books, commenting sensibly on their characters and plots. Higher attaining pupils discuss, compare and contrast the merits of different authors such as J K Rowling and Roald Dahl. Pupils use reference books effectively to find information, using and understanding index, contents and glossary. Most pupils speak confidently and express themselves well, describing events and conveying their opinions clearly. They listen carefully during discussions, making good contributions and asking sensible questions. Most pupils’ writing is well organised and imaginative. Sentences are generally well constructed, showing lively use of adjectives and adverbs. Basic grammatical structures are

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

correct and the use of connectives such as ‘however’ and ‘therefore’ is developing well. Spelling is usually correct and pupils show a good awareness of spelling rules. Sentences are usually punctuated correctly; pupils use capital letters, commas, full stops and speech and question marks accurately. Pupils’ handwriting is legible and neat, although some have still to develop a flowing, joined script.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Taking into account the lessons seen and the analysis of pupils’ work, the quality of teaching and learning is good. In lessons, teaching is at least good and sometimes very good. Teachers have a good understanding of how to teach literacy skills and the National Literacy Strategy is firmly embedded in the school’s practice. Lessons are well planned and teachers share learning intentions clearly with pupils so that they know what they are expected to learn and do. Most staff have high expectations and activities are usually well matched to pupils’ attainment. Lessons proceed at a good pace, although lesson introductions are occasionally too long. Teachers manage pupils well and relationships between teachers and pupils and pupils and pupils are good. Pupils usually settle quickly to tasks, showing good levels of confidence and independence. ICT is St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 10 used well to support pupils’ learning, for example, in producing a high quality newspaper as part of

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

a national competition. There is a good range of literacy resources and texts are used well as a basis for teaching. Pupils’ literacy skills are developed well in other subjects such as science, history and geography.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Children in reception get a good start to their education because provision for them is good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage 1 is very good. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their education. As a result, almost all children are likely to achieve or exceed the Early Learning Goals 2 in all areas by the time they leave the reception class.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Well-established routines provide children with a sense of security and help to build up their self- confidence and self-esteem. They respond very positively to the care of the adults and to the very good role models they provide. Children play and work together, sharing materials, showing consideration for others and building relationships. This leads to children developing good levels of independence and confidence, taking turns and sharing well.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. The curriculum is well organised and planning is firmly based on the Early Learning Goals. Children clearly enjoy the carefully arranged and challenging activities that staff organise to develop their concentration and independence. Good use is made of reading books such as ‘Going on a Bear Hunt’ and children are encouraged to talk about the stories. Most children speak clearly and listen well to what others have to say. They hear and say letters of the alphabet and write simple regular words correctly. Handwriting shows recognisable letters which are mostly correctly formed. In mathematics, most children count confidently to at least 10 and many much further. They recognise common two and three-dimensional shapes and the higher attaining children can describe their properties. Children enjoy using the computer, for example to reinforce their mathematical development or draw pictures using an art program. Most children show good control

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

of the mouse and keyboard. There are good opportunities for investigation through displays and interest areas that promote enquiring minds. In the outdoor play area, children move with good co- ordination and show good awareness of space and others as they go on a ‘Bear Hunt’. Exploration of colour through colour mixing and through paintings develops their creative skills.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good and often very good which ensures children, including those identified as having special educational needs and English as an additional language, make good progress and most children achieve well. The teacher has a very good understanding of the needs of the children. Lessons are very well planned to provide a very good balance of directed and self-chosen activities. Adults work very closely together as a team and know the children well, providing a secure, safe and purposeful atmosphere. Relationships are very good. All children are fully integrated and adults make sure that children have equal access to all activities. Staff monitor carefully the activities that children undertake on a daily and weekly basis to ensure an appropriate balance is maintained. Focused assessments are made monthly against the Early Learning Goals and these form the basis of a child’s ongoing record of

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

performance. However, these are not always sufficiently focused on all the recommended ‘stepping stones’ and this is an area that is being addressed.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. The reception classroom is attractive and stimulating and provides a very good learning environment. Quality displays are very well maintained and encourage and promote children’s learning. They provide a good balance between children’s work and stimulating activities to develop children’s knowledge and understanding. The classroom is well organised and good use is made of all available space, both inside and outside. There are clearly defined and labelled areas so that children know where to get and return equipment. There is a good range of well-organised equipment which is used very well. There is access to a satisfactory outdoor play area, part of which is covered to allow access to the sand and water activities during wet weather. A good quality wooden structure for adventurous play has very recently been purchased to provide opportunities for children to climb, explore and develop confidence.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1 The Foundation Stage covers the period children attend school prior to the start of compulsory education in Year 1. 2 The standards that children are expected to achieve or exceed by the end of the Foundation Stage in six areas of learning. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 11 St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 12

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, their very good relationships and personal

development and their good behaviour have a strong impact on the quality of their learning.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, their very good relationships and personal

11. The school is a calm, orderly and harmonious place. Parents believe that their children like coming to school, that the school expects their children to behave well and is successful in helping them become responsible and mature. Pupils’ very positive attitudes, very good relationships and personal development and their good behaviour contribute significantly to the good standards achieved.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, their very good relationships and personal

12. Pupils have very good attitudes for learning. Pupils want to learn, are well motivated and take a good interest in their work. For example, Year 2 pupils’ responses to mental arithmetic questions were brisk and keen as they were eager to show their teacher as many different ways as possible to combine numbers to make 40. In lessons, pupils listen well to their teachers and respond well to opportunities to engage in discussions. They show good levels of application and settle down to work quickly and productively. Pupils take pride in their work and a high level of effort is apparent in their work on display throughout the school, although the presentation of some pupils’ science work is not as good as it could be. They are keen to come to school and their attendance and punctuality are good.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, their very good relationships and personal

13. Relationships are very good. Pupils work well together, co-operating in pairs and in groups in class. For example, in a science lesson in Years 5/6 pupils worked well when discussing and investigating the different characteristics of rocks. There is a friendship post in place in the playground where pupils go if they want someone to play with but no-one appears to need it. Pupils behave well. Their behaviour in class is very good. They show good awareness of the school’s expectations for their conduct when moving around the school. For example, when infant pupils come from their classrooms into the main buildings they do so sensibly and quietly. Year 1 pupils followed their teachers’ instructions to walk “quietly and creepily” along the corridor for their physical education lesson in the hall. Pupils are generally well behaved at playtimes. They respond appropriately to instructions from the supervisors. During the inspection there were no

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, their very good relationships and personal

incidences of aggressive behaviour and arguments are settled quickly. There were no exclusions in the past year.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, their very good relationships and personal

14. Pupils’ personal development is given high priority and they are keen to take on responsibility. They have enthusiastically taken up the idea from the school council to teach younger ones about traditional playground games. Pupils develop their negotiating skills when they act as peacemakers in the playground. They help the younger children at lunchtime, for example in cutting up their food or pouring drinks.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

contributes very effectively to pupils’ personal development.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

15. Pupils’ sense of spirituality enhances the quality of learning in school. In lessons and assemblies, they are given very good opportunities to display a sense of empathy and compassion and to understand the feelings of others. For example, in a very well planned and taught assembly led by the headteacher, the older pupils carefully considered and reflected on how they could act as a ‘bridge builder’ between those who need help and those who can give it.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

16. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. Lessons in citizenship, literature, music and art contribute particularly well to this. In literacy, pupils reflect on the significance of poetry through cultural imagery and language. In assemblies, pupils enjoy the work of world famous composers through classical and popular music. Stunning examples of pupils’ artwork are displayed throughout the school, depicting positive images of people from a range of ethnic backgrounds. The high standard of information imparted through displays helps extend pupils’ awareness of the lives of famous artists and authors, including those from the black and Asian community.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

17. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. Teachers unfailingly recognise and encourage pupils’ personal efforts. Pupils are given opportunities through discussion and debate to St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 13 think carefully about the type of behaviour that is harmful to health or relationships. Staff are fair and firm in their dealings with pupils, sending out clear messages that there are boundaries both in and outside the school community that must not be overstepped. 18. Pupils’ social development is very good. Contributing to the school council or taking on the role of a peacemaker assists pupils in expressing their thoughts clearly and confidently whilst realising the need for good manners and goodwill to others. The older pupils take on their share in helping the younger pupils develop good social skills. For example, when assisting in the dining hall, the older pupils will encourage the younger ones not just to point at their choice of food but to speak

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

clearly in sentences in order to explain what they want.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide effective leadership and promote a positive

19. Both the headteacher and deputy headteacher have been in post for less than two years. They are both committed to school improvement. They work well together in their efforts to create a purposeful ethos that supports pupils’ learning and promotes high standards of work and behaviour. There is a very positive ethos in the school, which reflects its aims. It is a lively and cheerful place where pupils work hard and enjoy their learning.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide effective leadership and promote a positive

20. The headteacher has high expectations and gives clear direction to the school. The deputy headteacher provides effective support and also has a strong impact on the educational direction of the school. The headteacher and her deputy have a shared vision for the school and are promoting this vision well. They are insightful and reflective and have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses and a shared understanding of what needs to be done to improve provision further. Priorities in the school’s development plan are clearly focused on improving provision and raising pupils’ achievement. They have taken a number of appropriate steps to improve the management of the school and address areas of under-achievement amongst pupils.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide effective leadership and promote a positive

21. The headteacher has established a clear and potentially effective management structure. However, some staff have yet to develop fully their management roles. A strength of the school is the way staff work well together in their year teams. A weakness is the failure sometimes by staff to take a whole school perspective. For example, subject co-ordinators should have a clear understanding of standards and provision in their subjects across the school, irrespective of the stage in which they teach. Other management staff need to be more involved in ensuring consistency in practice across the school. This happens with the management of behaviour but there are inconsistencies in classroom practice. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are committed to the professional development of staff and there are appropriate in-service arrangements in place for staff with management responsibilities to develop their roles.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

22. Pupils achieve consistently well in the national tests in mathematics at the end of Year 2. In most years, results are well above the national average. In the 2002 national tests, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher level 3 was well above both national and similar schools’ averages. However, results at the end of Year 6 are not quite as good. Although the proportion of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 was well above average in the 2002 tests, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 was only average. Likewise in science national tests, most pupils achieve at least the expected Level 4 but the number of pupils achieving the higher level was average.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

23. The inspection evidence confirms that standards in mathematics are well above average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. In Year 2, pupils are grouped by prior attainment and this arrangement, combined with good teaching enables pupils of different levels of attainment to make good progress. For example, the higher attaining pupils are challenged and those with special St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 14 educational needs are well supported. In consequence, most pupils are in line to achieve at least expected levels and a significant number achieve above this. In Year 6 the proportion of pupils in line to achieve expected levels is higher than found nationally but a relatively small number of pupils are likely to exceed the expected standard. The school should improve the provision for higher attaining pupils in Years 3 to 6 by ensuring that lessons provide tasks and activities that are

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

more challenging in order to raise levels of attainment.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

24. In science, teachers’ expectations are not high enough. For example, in most lessons teachers do not plan work that extends and challenges pupils. Lesson observations and analysis of pupils’ work show that all too often pupils of different capabilities do similar work. In consequence, nearly all pupils achieve at expected levels for their ages but few exceed them.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

The school does not plan, teach or assess the development of pupils’ skills well enough.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

25. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum for all its pupils. The curriculum in English and mathematics is good. The school has greatly improved the range and quality of learning experiences in ICT since the last inspection. There has also been some improvement in the school’s provision for design and technology. The concerns expressed by some parents about provision for music are not substantiated. The subject is well planned and well-developed subject guidance helps ensure that teachers cover all aspects of the curriculum. In most subjects, the school has adopted nationally recommended guidance, providing a planning framework that ensures a broad curriculum. However, planning remains insufficiently developed to ensure that pupils’ skills in all subjects are sufficiently built upon. In addition, teachers make insufficient use of assessment information in planning future work.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

26. In English and mathematics, lesson planning is based on the recommendations of the national strategies. This helps to ensure that pupils’ skills are progressively built upon. However, in most other subjects, including science and ICT, the school has yet to adapt national guidance sufficiently to inform teachers of what pupils should be learning next. More work needs to be done on planning to ensure that pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are taught in a way that gets progressively harder.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

27. In science, pupils’ knowledge and understanding are better than their skills. The last inspection judged that there were insufficient opportunities for pupils to undertake investigative work. The school has addressed this issue satisfactorily and teachers provide pupils with opportunities to carry out investigations. However, teaching does not sufficiently move pupils on in how they conduct investigations. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have a good range of scientific knowledge and a sound understanding of the principles of fair testing. For example, they are aware of the need to control variables during an investigation. Whilst most pupils approach investigations in a logical manner, they do not conduct experiments with sufficient rigour. They pay insufficient attention to forming hypotheses and making predictions. Although they can draw upon their scientific knowledge in drawing conclusions, explanations are not expressed with clear scientific reasoning

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

or supported by accurate recording of results.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

28. The school has made good strides in improving provision in ICT. In particular, the development of an ICT suite and greater expertise amongst teachers have led in turn to a substantial improvement in standards. At the time of the last inspection, pupils’ skills were poorly developed. For example, most older pupils were unable to move text and pictures in a document. Currently, pupils in Years 3 and 4 can combine text and graphics. They experiment with the layout of poems by changing fonts, size, colour, type text with appropriate accuracy and insert pictures from a clipart library into text. Some pupils in Years 5 and 6 can use a multimedia package to create a presentation, linking pages that incorporate pictures, images, sound and text. Pupils’ skills in using spreadsheets, databases and the Internet are close to those typically found nationally. Nevertheless, pupils’ achievement is still not as high as it could be because teachers’ planning takes insufficient

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

account of the different learning needs of pupils. In lessons, teachers tend to plan the development of skills at similar rates for all pupils. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 15 29. The school does not make sufficient use of assessment information to improve pupils’ learning. In science and ICT assessment practices need to improve in order to ensure pupils are given activities that build on previously learned skills and are appropriate to their differing levels of attainment. There are no whole school assessment systems in subjects other than English and mathematics that record the progress pupils make in the development of their skills. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 16 Further work is needed on how the school monitors and evaluates what it does.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

30. In the past the school has not systematically reviewed its work.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

31. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have a good understanding of the principles of school self–evaluation and they have made a sound start in developing measures to evaluate school effectiveness. However, there are gaps in the school’s current approach and too much depends upon the headteacher and deputy as there is insufficient contribution from other members of staff. Other senior managers and co-ordinators do not yet have sufficient involvement in monitoring standards and provision.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

32. The headteacher and deputy headteacher make effective use of the available performance data. Their analysis of assessment data has informed their decision to target resources to address underachievement, for example to support boys from ethnic minorities in Years 3 and 4. They use the local education authority’s value-added information in setting targets to reduce the number of pupils whose achievements in the Year 6 national tests are below expectations based on their Year 2 test results. This has been successful as illustrated by the fall in numbers of pupils not achieving projected levels in this year’s tests. The school now needs to develop its own systems for value-added analysis to identify those pupils not making appropriate progress (for example, potentially higher attaining pupils in mathematics and science) at an earlier stage. Other staff are at an early stage in their use of performance data. Co-ordinators in the core subjects do not

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

analyse test results to identify areas of strength and weaknesses in pupils’ results. The headteacher has set up systems to track the progress of pupils against National Curriculum levels in English and mathematics from the end of Year 2. However, teachers are not yet sufficiently involved in setting targets and projecting pupils’ likely achievements in future tests. The practice of setting targets and sharing these with pupils is not yet established across the school, although some teachers do set their pupils targets for improvement.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

33. The school has addressed the key issue from the last inspection to introduce appropriate arrangements for the appraisal of staff by implementing the new performance management procedures. There are sound procedures for monitoring and evaluating classroom performance, involving the headteacher, deputy and some senor staff. Monitoring opportunities for other staff are not well established. Training in classroom monitoring has been organised for other members of the senior management team. Subject co-ordinators monitor teachers’ planning but not pupils’ work and few have undertaken class observations. In consequence, they have limited knowledge of pupils’ achievements. For example, the literacy coordinator, an infant teacher, provides good leadership in many aspects of her role but she has insufficient knowledge of standards and practice in the Junior years. In addition, the lack of effective monitoring leads to inconsistencies in

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

practice, for example in the effectiveness of marking and expectations on the presentation of work in science. The absence of assessment procedures in many subjects means that the school is not in a position to have a clear understanding of overall standards.

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The achievements of the more able junior pupils in mathematics and science are not high

34. The relatively new governing body is keen and enthusiastic and is developing its role well. It is supportive of the school and there is an effective relationship with the management of the school. It fulfils its statutory responsibilities. The governing body through its curriculum committee is at an early stage in developing its role in monitoring curriculum provision and standards. There are appropriate procedures in place for the management of the school’s finances. The school manages its budget prudently and ensures that the spending supports the school’s educational priorities. The governing body has sound systems for financial control and it monitors expenditure appropriately. Governors have some understanding of the principles of best value but need to apply these to the school’s expenditure more systematically and to evaluate the cost effectiveness of its decisions. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i) Improve the achievement of higher attaining pupils in Years 3 to 6 in mathematics and science by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• using the results of assessments to plan and set work that challenges them to achieve at higher levels than those normally expected for their ages; and

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• using the school’s tracking systems to monitor the ongoing progress of those pupils identified as potentially higher attainers.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ii) Improve the development of pupils’ skills in science and ICT by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• adapting the nationally recommended guidance in ways that support teachers’ lesson planning;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• putting in place procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ achievements against key objectives; and

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• using the results of assessments in planning the next steps in pupils’ learning.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

iii) Improve how the school monitors and evaluates its work by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that senior managers and subject co-ordinators develop their monitoring roles and contribute effectively to whole school self-evaluation procedures;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• building upon the good start in using value-added measures;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improving staffs’ ability to analyse and use assessment data; and

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• enabling the governing body to test best value principles in relation to financial decisions.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(paragraph 32,33,34) St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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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 five 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) 276

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 44

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 28

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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 25

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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 18

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 19

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Attendance

% % St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 19 School data 4.1 School data 0.9

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 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. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 20

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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 2002 20 26 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 19 19 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 26 25 25

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

Percentage of pupils School 98 (91) 96 (93) 96 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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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 19 20 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 26 24 25

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

Percentage of pupils School 98 (91) 96 (89) 96 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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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 2002 27 14 41

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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 24 22 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 14 14 14

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (92) 88 (74) 95 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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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 24 24 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 14 13 14

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (92) 90 (82) 98 (79) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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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. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 29 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 10 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 4 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 24 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 17 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14.4 Financial year 2001/ 02

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 926388

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Total expenditure 827504

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 229 Expenditure per pupil 2893

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 79749

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 98883

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4.7

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

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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) 0.9

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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. St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School - 23

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 58 34 3 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 47 3 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 36 19 8 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 46 36 15 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. 53 39 5 3 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. 68 27 2 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 37 37 20 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 46 42 5 0 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 31 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 25 39 15 15 3

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Other issues raised by parents

Some parents were concerned about the school’s provision for music.

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