Stewart Headlam Primary School

STEWART HEADLAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 16 th – 19 th June 2003

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STEWART HEADLAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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STEWART HEADLAM 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. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 1

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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 Kamal Paul

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 26 th January 1998 Stewart Headlam Primary School - 2

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responsibilities

18275 Chrissie Pittman Registered inspector The characteristics of the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well is the school led and managed? 9710 Rosemary Burgess Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 22990 Christopher Furniss Team inspector Mathematics Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 4486 Michael Weller Team inspector English Special educational needs English as an additional language 23044 Valerie Singleton Team inspector Under fives History Religious education How well are the pupils taught?

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responsibilities

22704 Garry Williams Team inspector Educational inclusion Art and design Geography Music 31218 Tom Allen Team I nspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology

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responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Bristol BS8 2BN Stewart Headlam Primary School - 3 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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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Stewart Headlam Primary School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5 - 9

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10 - 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Stewart Headlam Primary is a two-form entry community school situated in a three-storey Victorian building in one of the most deprived areas in the East End of London. The school is much larger in size than other primary schools with 407 pupils aged from three to 11 years. Most of the children attend the nursery but a few have no pre-school experience. Children's attainment on entry to the nursery is very low. The school draws most of its pupils from the immediate catchment area, which is predominantly of local authority and social housing. A large proportion of pupils come from backgrounds with social and economic difficulties. There is a high level of unemployment in the area. All pupils speak English as an additional language; this is very high in comparison to other schools. In the foundation classes nearly 75 per cent of pupils are at the earliest stages of learning English as an additional language (EAL). The

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above the national average. Pupil mobility is also very high because large numbers return to Bangladesh for long periods of time. Nearly 85 per cent of pupils have their schooling interrupted by extended holidays of up to eight weeks a year. The number of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is broadly in line with the national average. The number of pupils with statements of special educational need is below the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school that is improving in very challenging circumstances. Most pupils make very good progress from the time they come to the school to when they leave at 11 years. High proportions of pupils are keen to learn even though all have English as a second language. Their good behaviour and the very good relationships they have with each other contribute to a positive learning environment. The teaching is good overall with some lessons that are very good or excellent. Staff are committed to improving the quality of their teaching. There are good arrangements to support all pupils and care for them and the school has a strong partnership with parents. The leadership and management of the headteacher and key staff are good. The school is self-critical and gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• When pupils leave aged 11 years they attain standards that are well above average in comparison to similar schools. • Pupils make very good progress from a very low start even though all have English as a second language (EAL). • Pupils have very good attitudes to learning; their good behaviour and respect for each other create very good relationships throughout the school. • The headteacher's leadership is very good. • The progress made by pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Parents’ views of the school are very good. • The school cares for its pupils well.

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What could be improved

• Curriculum provision for children in the nursery to ensure that all children make better progress. • How co-ordinators monitor the teaching of skills in their subjects and particularly the skills of writing across the curriculum. • Procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress in the non-core subjects and using this assessment information to guide curriculum planning more effectively. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 6

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Improvement since the school was inspected five years ago is good. Attainment in writing, however, is very low when children start at the school and continues to be a weakness, particularly for pupils aged five to seven years. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) have been raised and the subject is now well provided for. Teaching has improved and so have the quality and range of learning opportunities for the pupils. The co-ordinator now monitors literacy more effectively but instances of extended writing are underdeveloped. Assessment is used more effectively to evaluate pupils' progress, particularly in English and mathematics, although there is still the need to improve the use of assessment in the non-core subjects. The school improvement plan is now over a longer period, the homework policy has been reviewed and the provision for physical education is now satisfactory.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Besides addressing the key issues from the last inspection the school has also effectively improved its performance in other areas. Governors are now more involved in financial planning and supporting the curriculum. They are beginning to know the school's strengths and weaknesses. Staff development has been improved and teaching assistants are beginning to be well trained. Given the very good quality of its leadership and commitment of its staff, the school is well placed to develop even further.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

2000 2001 2002 2002 well above average A English C C C A above average average B C mathematics A C C A below average well below average D E science A C D B very low E*

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Key

Most children, when they start school, are achieving standards that are very low when compared to national expectations. By the time they enter Year 1, attainment is below the expected standard. Children make satisfactory progress between the ages of three and five although better progress could be made with improved provision in the nursery. When pupils leave aged 11 their results, when compared to those in similar schools, are well above average in English and mathematics and above average in science. This is very good achievement considering pupils' high mobility and that all have little or no English when they start school. In comparison with all schools standards are in line with national expectations in English and mathematics and below average in science although standards in science have risen steeply this year.

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Key

The school's challenging targets last year were nearly met. Boys perform better than girls. The school has made good improvement, overall, in the core subjects since the last inspection. Standards in mathematics are consistently higher than those in English or science. The school's performance is above the national trend in terms of test results. This upward trend is largely due to the successful targeting and monitoring of pupils. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 7

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are keen to learn and eager to take part in all school activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour around the school and in lessons is good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The personal development of pupils is good. Relationships throughout the school are very positive. Considering the number of different groups and cultures, there is a high level of harmony. Older children are given specific responsibilities, which they complete effectively.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance levels are unsatisfactory. This is as a result of the number of pupils who are taken out of school for up to eight weeks in term time. Although the school does much to impress upon parents the importance of regular attendance, parents have yet to take on board the implications such interruptions can have on the continuity of their children’s learning.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils are enthusiastic about school, enjoy learning and show interest and commitment to their work. The very good relationship between pupils and staff helps to create a caring atmosphere in which they develop respect for one another and feel valued as part of the community. There have never been any exclusions. The school has good systems for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and deals with any issues of anti-social behaviour very effectively.

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Teaching of pupils: Nursery - Reception Years 1- 2 Years 3 - 6

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

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Teaching of pupils: Nursery - Reception Years 1- 2 Years 3 - 6

The quality of teaching is good overall with examples of very good and excellent teaching. There is a small amount of unsatisfactory teaching. The best teaching is in English and mathematics and in Year 6 where it is particularly effective in meeting the needs of all pupils regardless of the subject being taught. The best lessons occur in Year 6 where the teacher often uses imaginative resources and makes intellectual and creative demands on all pupils to extend their learning. Here teaching is knowledgeable, stimulating and perceptive as in some excellent mathematics lessons. Teaching is least effective in some non-core subjects such as geography where basic skills are sometimes not taught well. Similarly, in some lessons in the nursery, assessment is not consistently measured against the six areas of learning to ensure that lesson preparation is well matched to children's capability, particularly of

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Teaching of pupils: Nursery - Reception Years 1- 2 Years 3 - 6

Teachers are generally knowledgeable and learning targets are clear and understood by the pupils. Teaching in English and mathematics is particularly good because pupils are grouped by prior attainment and the teaching focuses on the pupils' needs more effectively. Teachers take good account of pupils' progress in these subjects by targeting them individually and assessing their work regularly. The skills of numeracy are taught better than literacy. Writing skills are not emphasised enough throughout the curriculum. ICT is well taught and good use is made of the school's ICT resources. Pupils with SEN receive effective support in lessons and as a result make very good progress. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 8 The result of the good teaching is good learning where pupils gain new knowledge and understanding faster than expected. Pupils are consequently keen to learn and generally make very good progress.

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Teaching of pupils: Nursery - Reception Years 1- 2 Years 3 - 6

Most of the pupils are well challenged by their teachers to achieve the standards they are capable of.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. There is a good range of relevant tasks in all subjects and good opportunities for pupils to use ICT to support their learning. The curriculum is balanced and well enhanced by a range of activities such as chess, drama and music as well as competitive and non-competitive sports and games outside school hours. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils with SEN receive effective support in lessons and make very good progress in relation to the targets on their individual education plans. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. For those at the early stages of learning English there is very effective support in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good provision is made for pupils' personal development. The provision for pupils' moral and cultural development is very good. Pupils' social development is good. Spiritual development is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The academic and pastoral aspects of pupils' development are linked well. Good procedures are in place for child protection and there are very thorough systems for ensuring the health and safety of pupils. Assessment is used well in English and mathematics to guide what pupils are taught next. However it is insufficiently used in the other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very well in partnership with its parents. Most are very appreciative of the good level of care for their children. There is an excellent Parents’ Centre.

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Aspect Comment

Curriculum planning in the infant and junior classes is good. However the curriculum for the Foundation Stage is variable. Planning in the nursery often lacks focus and the more able children are not always sufficiently challenged. Experiences in the six areas of learning are provided, but the planning does not indicate that all the required aspects of the six areas are adequately covered over time. This impacts negatively on the standards pupils achieve. Learning objectives are not clear enough for outcomes to be accurately measured. This situation is improved in the reception classes but planning is underdeveloped overall in the Foundation Stage.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher provides very good leadership. He knows what the school does well, where its weaknesses are and how to improve them and has established a good ethos of striving to improve. The senior management team is extremely well focused on improving standards and supporting all pupils. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors are beginning to monitor performance effectively. They have an increasing understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses and take effective action when necessary. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The headteacher and his senior managers monitor teaching well, although there is insufficient monitoring of teaching skills by some subject co-ordinators. The strategic use of resources Very good. Decisions on spending are linked very effectively to Stewart Headlam Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

educational priorities. This ensures that the best value for money is achieved and the best use is made of resources.

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Aspect Comment

There is a good match of teachers to the demands of the curriculum and a generous number of support staff. Teaching assistants are well trained. Accommodation is adequate and well used. However, library resources are still inadequate and there are insufficient class sets of books in the non-core subjects to adequately support learning. There is insufficient outdoor play equipment for reception children, but resources are earmarked to develop this area.

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improved

• Parents are happy with almost all aspects of the school. • The work children are given to do at home.

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improved

Inspectors agree with the positive remarks made by parents. The quality and quantity of homework is appropriate although it needs to be more consistent between teachers. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Most children when they start school are achieving standards that are very low when compared to those expected of children of this age. By the time they reach Year 1, they make good progress in their learning but attainment is still below the expected standard for most children. However, standards in writing are well below average. They make good progress between the ages of three and five although better progress could be made with more structured provision in the nursery curriculum. When they leave at 11 years, pupils' attainment when judged against similar schools is well above average in English and mathematics and above average in science. In comparison with all schools attainment is in line with national averages in English and mathematics and below average in science. This is very good achievement considering pupils' low attainment in preceding years and that nearly all have little or no English when they start school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. There is no significant difference between the attainment and progress of pupils by ethnicity and social background although analysis of test data shows that boys perform better than girls in mathematics. The school has made good overall improvement after standards in English and science fell subsequent to the last inspection, bringing English and science up from well below average to being more or less in line with all schools nationally. This upward trend is largely the result of successful targeting and monitoring of pupils. The school's challenging targets last year were nearly met. The school's performance is above the national trend.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. In English, standards in lessons seen during the inspection reflect the end of Year 2 test results and are well below average. This is explained by the very large proportion of pupils who are at the early stages of learning English. Additionally, a significant number of these pupils joined the school at various points, not having the benefit of a consistent school experience. Up to 40 per cent of pupils leave the school before age 11. Standards of attainment and work seen in lessons at 11 years are in line with national expectations. The number of pupils reaching higher levels in English is well above average when compared to schools in a similar context. In mathematics, standards are in line with the national average by the end of Year 2. Standards by the end of Year 6 are above average and pupils are making good progress. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. In science the standard of work seen during the inspection is below the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

national expectation at the end of Year 2. At the end of Year 6 standards of work seen are in line with national expectations and pupils are making good progress. There has been good improvement since the previous inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. There has been an improvement in the standards attained in literacy and numeracy since the last inspection, although there has been better overall improvement in numeracy than literacy. The school has successfully adopted the National Literacy Strategy and adapted it effectively to meet the needs of pupils learning English as an additional language. Good opportunities are planned for pupils to develop their speaking skills in English lessons and other subjects. Additional literacy support is provided for pupils who have difficulties with reading, writing and spelling, either within lessons, or by withdrawal in small groups or as individuals. Strategies for teaching literacy beyond English lessons are good, but some teachers could do more to widen pupils’ subject vocabulary, or correct misunderstandings of basic concepts in written work. The use of computers in English lessons varies and is dependent on teachers’ differing confidence and competence. The National

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Numeracy Strategy has been successfully implemented within mathematics lessons and the use of numeracy in other subjects is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils' achievement. Most pupils apply a range of techniques effectively to solving mathematical challenges. They find ways of breaking up difficult calculations into manageable sections. The pace of learning for the oldest children has improved significantly.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The previous inspection found that standards in information and communication technology were below the expected national standard at the end of Years 2 and 6. At the time of the present Stewart Headlam Primary School - 11 inspection standards are in line with expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6. All pupils are making very good progress. Provision for ICT has improved significantly since the previous inspection. A new ICT suite has been equipped with computers and an ICT consultant has been appointed. Most teachers have had recent relevant training to make them competent to teach using ICT facilities, however the use of computers in the classrooms is underdeveloped and more use could be made of ICT to reinforce pupils’ language skills. The school is in a good position to improve pupils' standard of attainment in this curriculum area.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. By the end of both key stages attainment is broadly in line with national expectations in all other subjects, except physical education where standards are below expectations at the end of Year 2 and religious education where standards are above expectations at age 11. Pupils achieve well at age seven and very well by the age of 11.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Standards attained by pupils with special educational needs are in line with what is expected from their individual education plans. These pupils achieve well overall by the age of 11 when they attain levels just below those found for their age in similar schools. Standards attained by pupils with EAL can be gauged from the whole school figures since nearly all pupils have EAL. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The provision for pupils at the early stages of learning English as an additional language is very good. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good. They make good progress in achieving the targets in their individual education plans. The achievement of pupils with English as an additional language is very good. Although the numbers of pupils at the earliest stages of learning English is very high in the foundation classes and Year 1, they have achieved a satisfactory level of fluency by Year 2. By

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Years 5 and 6 the school is meeting and surpassing its fluency targets. This indicates very good progress in pupils learning English considering they come to school with little understanding of the language.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils’ attitudes to school are good. They are very enthusiastic about coming to school, are happy and want to do well. They develop excellent listening skills, as was seen in a music lesson in which Year 6 pupils made excellent progress in composing on musical instruments. They enjoy literacy sessions in English, when they are keen to respond to questions and answer confidently. Pupils with special educational needs and those who use English as a second language have very positive attitudes and are very well integrated into lessons. In a mathematics lesson they were given additional help and were then able to join in a whole class discussion at the end of the lesson. A small number of pupils, especially in the younger classes, find it hard to concentrate, especially when the presentation of a subject fails to catch their imagination.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Standards of behaviour are good and no pupil has ever been excluded from the school. Pupils move around the school site sensibly and observe the rules well, for example, when walking up and down the stairs. Lunchtimes are pleasant, social occasions. At playtime pupils play amicably although the provision of play resources is limited. In lessons behaviour is often very good, especially in the older classes, and lessons are rarely disrupted by inappropriate behaviour.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The absence of oppressive behaviour, including bullying, sexism and racism is very good. All groups of pupils, regardless of ability, gender or race, mix together well. This was very evident in a lesson to develop the skills of over-arm bowling in cricket, where boys and girls and pupils of different abilities practised together. Pupils’ understanding of the impact of their actions on others is good. They show very good respect for other people’s feelings, values and beliefs; for example in a discussion on apartheid in South Africa, Year 5 pupils were able to explain how black people would have felt under white-dominated rule; one pupil expressed it, “I feel like my heart is burning down”.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Relationships in the school are very good, both between adults and children and between pupils and their peers. Pupils work well in pairs, as well as independently. Their personal development is good. In the younger classes there is little evidence of pupils taking initiative for their learning, for example in selecting a reading book of an appropriate level, but by Years 5 and 6 pupils have Stewart Headlam Primary School - 12 matured well. The amount of interaction between the older and younger pupils is limited, with lunchtimes and playtimes staggered by age groups. Although there is no school council, pupils in the top two years have an input into school life. Year 5, for example, did some thoughtful work on the advantages and disadvantages of introducing a school uniform and wrote some well organised extended letters to explain their arguments. Since the last inspection pupils have maintained high

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

standards of behaviour and positive attitudes to school. Because of the high level of support, both pupils with SEN and pupils with EAL contribute well to school life.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attendance is unsatisfactory. In spite of significant improvements the rate of attendance is below the national average for primary schools. Over the past year the level of unauthorised absence has reduced by obtaining explanatory reasons from parents. The school is also taking active steps to reduce absenteeism due to extended holidays. This action has reduced the rate of absence.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching overall is good, with the best teaching observed in reception and in Years 3 to 6. As a result, pupils achieve well and often very well, particularly in Year 6.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the requirements of the Foundation Stage and of the National Curriculum. Literacy skills are taught well in English lessons, although they could be promoted more in other subjects with a clearer focus on developing pupils’ oracy and writing skills. Numeracy skills are taught well and also used effectively in subjects such as science, geography and ICT. So pupils make very good gains in numeracy and, by age 11, attain standards above those expected nationally. Good teaching in ICT results in pupils making good progress and acquiring satisfactory skills when working in the suite, though at present, these skills are not being reinforced often enough in other lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The quality of teaching and learning of pupils at the early stages of learning English is very good. Pupils who arrive in school with little or no English are given very good support. Bilingual assistants ensure they understand what is being taught so they are fully included in lessons. There are good opportunities provided for pupils to use spoken English in small groups. A language support teacher and a teaching assistant are allocated to every year. Teachers and teaching assistants make good use of pictures and resources to develop these pupils’ understanding and to extend their English vocabulary. As a result, they quickly learn the language and so achieve as well as their peers in all subjects. Good adult support ensures that pupils understand and can contribute to discussion. Where language teaching is effective vocabulary is very well reinforced. For example in a Year 3 science lesson key words were displayed and pupils

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

were provided with their own word lists. The teacher ensured that pupils understood a range of adjectives that could be used to describe the different qualities of rocks (“Is it shiny? Shiny like a diamond? Shiny like my watch?”). In other lessons pupils are included in the learning but are provided with tasks appropriate to their needs. For example, in a Year 4 English lesson where pupils were writing their own stories, a pupil just beginning to learn English was helped to sequence pictures and simple captions. Pupils achieve very well for their ability as a result.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching and learning of pupils with special educational needs is good overall. It is very good when pupils are supported in class, or withdrawn in a small group or individually, by a specialist teacher. The teaching, including the preparation of appropriate resources, is well matched to meet the needs identified in pupils’ individual education plans Pupils with SEN are identified very early and their precise needs carefully assessed. Clear targets for learning are set and these are appropriately addressed in lessons, especially in literacy and numeracy.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers plan to clear learning objectives and, in the best lessons, activities are matched to the pupils’ differing abilities. This is done well in literacy and numeracy, but not often enough in other subjects. Plans identify each stage of the lesson with appropriate links, resources are generally well prepared and ready and teaching assistants fully informed about their role. This good preparation in most lessons means a brisk start, pupils have confidence in what they are being asked to do and the best use is made of adult support, so learning is supported well. However in Stewart Headlam Primary School - 13 an unsatisfactory lesson in the nursery the pace was too slow, the higher achieving pupils were not adequately challenged by the work and children ultimately lost interest in the tasks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. In the more effective lessons, there are many examples of good questioning being used by teachers to fully engage the pupils, to develop their understanding and to draw on their own experiences to promote a new concept. This was seen to good effect in part of a Year 3 geography lesson when pupils were learning about maps. Although initially they had little understanding of what a route was, the skilful use of questions gradually built up their understanding until they were able to construct a route and understand why it is helpful. Pupils were engaged in the work, persevered and finally could explain what they were doing. Learning slows when teachers do not involve pupils sufficiently and questions are unchallenging. In a Year 4 literacy lesson, for instance, a guided writing task limited the responsibility pupils could take for their own work, which resulted in unimaginative and fairly pedantic writing. Teachers use resources effectively to engage pupils in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

practical tasks. This is particularly helpful for the many pupils who are at the early stages of learning English and provides them with a purposeful, investigative task that ensures they think for themselves and apply and extend their learning. Pupils in Year 6 developed a very good knowledge and understanding about places of worship and features of the major religions when they made a model of a Gurdwara, a church and a mosque (with relevant features inside each), after conducting the necessary research and planning the work together.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Pupils are well managed throughout the school and the quality of relationships between staff and pupils is very good. Teachers respect their pupils, listen to their views and set high expectations of behaviour and response. This results in a positive working atmosphere, with pupils developing good self-esteem. Reception children are set clear expectations to walk up the stairs to the hall for physical education quietly and sensibly and they do so accordingly. They know to ‘switch off like the television’ when the teacher asks them to stop moving. The lesson proceeds at a good pace as a result and children work hard and safely throughout. Good routines are established, in numeracy lessons for example, when pupils use individual white boards and pens for an activity, to minimise disruption and maintain the flow of the lesson. Teaching assistants and support staff are used well to support individuals with language or learning needs, to help groups complete

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

activities, or to implement initiatives such as the additional literacy support programme.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Some teachers use questions effectively to assess how well pupils are meeting the learning objective and adjust the lesson or activity accordingly. The end of a lesson is often used well for pupils to share what they have learnt with the others, whilst teachers assess gains or gaps in their learning. Although the school has an agreed marking policy, all teachers do not follow it consistently. Most work is marked and teachers’ comments are generally encouraging, but some lack the diagnostic assessment element. Some good examples are evident, however, where a teacher clearly states what the pupil has done well or where further help is needed. Targets are set, so pupils know how to improve their work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Homework is used satisfactorily to support learning. Reception children take home books regularly and older pupils are set tasks, which reinforce their good learning at school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The school’s target setting procedures are applied to all pupils and ensure achievement is matched to ability and effective liaison with pupils ensures that all practices are fair. Styles of teaching and methods adopted ensure a fair and equitable balance of support for all pupils. Methods used encourage positive attitudes to differences and similarities in group needs and take account of cultural and gender background.

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PUPILS ?

23. A good, broad and balanced curriculum is provided throughout the school. This includes religious education, sex education and drugs education and all required subjects of the National Curriculum for pupils in Years 1 to 6. The curriculum is enriched by good provision for personal, social and health education and very good opportunities for extra-curricular activities. Well-planned visits to Stewart Headlam Primary School - 14 places of interest enhance learning opportunities and visitors to the school further enrich pupils' experiences. The school has worked hard to ensure there are policies for all subjects and aims are clearly stated. Planning for religious education follows the locally agreed syllabus satisfactorily. 24. The effectiveness of strategies for teaching literacy is good and for teaching numeracy is very good and these contribute to the good progress made by pupils in English and mathematics.

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PUPILS ?

Information and communication technology is not yet well taught through all subjects, but it is improving. There is a clear overview of the curriculum through a curriculum map and planning for the delivery of the curriculum is good.

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PUPILS ?

25. The curriculum provides very good equality of access and opportunity for all the pupils to learn and make progress. There is an appropriate policy for equal opportunities in place and staff are very keen to ensure that all pupils are included in every aspect of school life. Personal, social and health education is appropriately taught. The school is part of a healthy schools initiative and works with the local education authority and the police. Provision for pupils with SEN and EAL is good. Pupils with special educational needs receive good provision which enables them to have full access to the National Curriculum. The school provides effective ‘catch-up’ programmes in literacy and numeracy. Pupils learning English as an additional language are very well supported so that they have as much access as is possible to the curriculum.

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PUPILS ?

26. The extra-curricular provision is very good and provides a valuable source for enriching pupils’ experiences. The range of extra-curricular activities includes football, recorder, music, chess, drama, gardening, science and computers and the staff are keen to expand it further. There are regular visits to places of interest, art galleries, museums etc. Visitors include drama and art workshops and dance workshops. Year 4 take part in a children’s music workshop, Year 6 join in a Tamil music workshop and Year 5 participate in a Junior Citizen Day. Visitors come in for a sex education project with Years 2, 5 and 6. The school is part of a scheme which sponsors football skills training to raise the profile of Bangladeshi girls and Leyton Orient Football Club provides excellent soccer training for boys.

p.16

PUPILS ?

27. There are excellent links with the local community. The Parents Centre is a particularly good example of this and is a thriving part of community life. A wide range of activities includes a crèche, a toy library, workshops for parents and children, sewing, computers, silk-screen printing and yoga. Parents are actively encouraged to become involved in the school through the centre. They have become involved in trips to places such as the National Science Museum and Kew Gardens to extend their own awareness of British culture and their own involvement in the community. The school works with the Collingwood Mother tongue Association and also has a partnership with Ing Barings who are providing reading and numeracy partners to work with pupils from Years 2 to 6.

p.16

PUPILS ?

28. There are good links with the local partner institutions. The present Year 6 transition project in English, mathematics and science is a good example of these close links. Year 5 also have links with the secondary school and between co-ordinators and their secondary counterparts.

p.16

PUPILS ?

29. The school’s overall provision for personal development is good. The provision would be better if the school planned more explicit opportunities to consider and discuss spiritual, social, moral and cultural issues. The quality of provision through school and class assemblies, and in personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons, is inconsistent.

p.16

PUPILS ?

30. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory. Provision is principally through assemblies, religious education and PSHE lessons. There is a considerable variation in the opportunities for pupils to reflect on and discuss major issues. In an excellent class assembly, Year 3 pupils extended their understanding of the story of The Good Samaritan and reflected on why the Jewish people in the story had not helped someone of their own faith. Assemblies often do not have a clear enough focus nor sufficient time for pupils to reflect in silence on the theme and how it affects themselves. Broadly, the statutory requirement for a daily act of worship is met. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 15 31. Provision for moral and cultural development is very good. There is a clear code of conduct and each class displays an interpretation of the rules. Pupils are taught in assemblies, religious education and PSHE lessons the principles of right and wrong and are able to compare the

p.16

PUPILS ?

teachings of world religions on moral issues. Pupils’ achievements are recognised and praise and rewards given appropriately. Pupils are given good opportunities in lessons, especially art and music, and through visits to places of interest such as the natural history and science museums and Kew Gardens to experience different cultures. All classes undertake work on racial awareness and consider the similarities and differences of people from different races and faiths. Visitors extend pupils’ experiences of different cultures with, for example, theatre and dance workshops. During the inspection Year 4 pupils took part in a singing workshop and performance with three other local schools.

p.17

PUPILS ?

32. Provision for social development is good. Teachers and other adults in the school have clear expectations about behaviour, including dinner times. Trips and visits that extend learning often allow pupils to experience public transport, which furthers social development. Pupils are encouraged to take advantage of the extra-curricular provision to broaden their interests and experiences and to improve their use of their native Bengali language.

p.17

PUPILS ?

33. Since the last inspection the school has continued to offer good provision for pupils’ personal development and now meets the statutory requirement for collective worship.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The school provides a safe and secure learning and working environment for its pupils and staff. Procedures for child protection are satisfactory. The deputy headteacher is the designated child protection person and has received appropriate training. Health and safety procedures are good. Appropriate safety checks on the building and equipment are routinely carried out. There are appropriate arrangements to deal with minor emergencies and first aid. Pupils, and their individual circumstances, are well known by their teachers and other adults in the school. The school is very aware of its duty of care and has policies to ensure the health and safety of pupils at all times. However some formal aspects, such as the need to record written assessments of the risks of undertaking certain activities, are sometimes overlooked and this is a weakness.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are very good. Registers are carefully completed and reasons sought to explain absences. The appointment of a learning mentor to monitor individual cases and to contact parents on absence and punctuality problems, has resulted in a very good improvement in the level of attendance and a reduction in unauthorised absences. The services of the educational welfare officer are used appropriately.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. There are very good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour. The school’s code of conduct is consistently applied by staff. Pupils are appropriately rewarded for good work and behaviour. Teachers keep their own records of pupils’ personal development in a manageable format. Personal and social education lessons, and assemblies, teach the need for discipline in all areas of school life and bullying is kept to a minimum.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The educational and personal support and guidance for pupils is very good. Teachers and other staff in the school know pupils well, which ensures good support and guidance for all groups of pupils. Teachers in all classes maintain written records which are sufficient to track back if concerns arise. Pupils with special educational or language needs are appropriately identified and well supported. Gifted or talented pupils have been identified. Visitors from a City bank provide good support through paired reading and numeracy schemes and encourage gifted children by playing chess with them.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Overall, procedures for assessing and monitoring pupils’ academic progress are satisfactory. Assessment procedures are very good in English and mathematics, good in science and for pupils with special educational needs. They are satisfactory but lacking consistency and need developing in all other subjects. In the nursery assessment procedures are not effective. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 16 39. Information gathered from various test results is extremely well analysed to provide a picture of how well pupils are progressing through the school. This enables staff to identify possible areas of need and to target help and resources through, for example, early learning support and additional learning support groups. Staff know the pupils and assess them well on a day-to-day basis. Some foundation subjects have end-of-unit assessments and portfolios of pupils’ work, which are checked and graded against National Curriculum levels to make sure that progress is consistent

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

throughout the school. However there are no consistent and easy to use procedures for recording how well pupils have achieved key learning objectives and this makes it more difficult for staff to monitor and support their progress.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Assessment procedures for pupils with special educational needs are very good. The early identification of pupils with learning difficulties is good and care is taken to distinguish between pupils’ language learning needs and other special educational needs. All pupils with special educational needs have well devised individual education plans that are shared with them and their parents. Pupils’ progress is checked regularly and targets are appropriately reviewed at least once a term. The progress of pupils at the early stages of learning English as an additional language is also regularly checked and recorded well using a nationally recommended scale of fluency. All pupils new to the school are given a first language assessment for literacy. They are strategically placed so that a bilingual teacher or teaching assistant can support them and the class teacher at least three afternoons per week.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school’s philosophy and practice to provide educational inclusion is very good. A culture of high expectation of inclusion has been established and nurtured over many years by the headteacher, senior staff, teaching, support, administrative and ancillary staff, parents, the governing body and the wider community. With complete totality every stakeholder believes and practises that the special individuality of the child, whatever class, creed or ethnicity, is paramount and it is this belief and practice, which contributes to such high quality inclusiveness. Within the school community there is racial harmony, respect for and promotion of each other’s culture and a community approach, which supports a good quality of education within a quality of life. The school has established a culture of security and caring, contributing to a very good ethos. Parental involvement underpins the work of the school and careful monitoring by all concerned

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

establishes equality of opportunity for each and everyone to succeed in a caring, supportive and quality school community.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. Parents are very pleased with the school which they say their children enjoy coming to. There was a good response to the registered inspector’s questionnaire and no general concerns were raised. Parents are particularly pleased that their children are expected to work hard and achieve their best and are helped to become more mature and responsible. Most said that their children are given the right amount of homework and think that their children are taught well. Fifty parents also attended a meeting with the inspector and were very positive about the school’s provision, although some felt that more English and less Bengali should be spoken in school. They also said that they feel the school promotes good attitudes and values and any bullying was dealt with well.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. The inspection team agree with the positive views expressed by parents.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school has very effective links with parents. They are provided with information of a good quality and parents are keen to know how their children are doing at school. The school publishes a prospectus in English and Bengali and a governors’ annual report. The latter now meets statutory requirements. Regular newsletters are clear and informative. Parents are well informed about their children’s progress with a good, written report at the end of each year, supplemented by formal meetings with teachers. Written reports show clearly what children know, understand and can do. Parents are welcome to contact teachers at other times. Parents are consulted about school procedures, such as their views on homework. Many of the school’s documents are bilingual and interpreters are always on hand at parents’ evenings. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 17 45. The impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school is good. Through the Parents’

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Centre, on the school site, a significant number of parents and potential parents participate in courses in literacy, numeracy, yoga, ICT and crafts. Parents in the sewing class have helped pupils to create costumes and worked with pupils to create banners for the secondary school’s anniversary. Parents are enabled to better understand the school’s procedures and what their children are learning. During the inspection a new course started for parents volunteering to help in school; this course was over-subscribed. The centre has had a significant impact on parents’ understanding and involvement in the work of the school. However there are many children whose parents are unable to help them at home, for example with reading. All parents attend the school for consultations with the teachers. The school does everything it can to communicate with parents, many of whom are not fluent in English. Translators are used where possible and parents

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

are put in touch with other agencies such as health and social services when appropriate. Since the last inspection a very effective partnership has been maintained with parents.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The headteacher provides very good leadership and has a clear vision of where the school is going and how standards are to be improved. A significant strength has been the development of a climate of mutual respect amongst staff and pupils alike. Staff and pupils feel valued; this improves their self-esteem and raises their level of commitment. The school has explicit aims and values and all share in the commitment to make these work. The headteacher has an open-door policy, which instils confidence in parents to share problems and concerns.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The school is well managed. Senior managers work well together and promote improvement. Staff are trusted and there is a clear delegation of responsibilities and accountability for work. The strong team ethos is reflected in their high levels of commitment. The school reviews its own work effectively. Decisions are arrived at by a thorough analysis of the problem or issue. The headteacher and senior staff have been very effective in monitoring the work of the school and this has had a positive impact on raising the quality of teaching. Staff support each other well and policies and schemes of work are developed collaboratively. Subject co-ordinators monitor learning in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science well, although the co-ordinators’ role in monitoring teaching is insufficiently developed in the foundation subjects.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. Educational priorities such as the forward planning for ICT provision are well supported through careful financial management. The school improvement plan is used effectively as a tool for strategic planning. It is well organised, costed and sets realistic targets and is effectively targeted to periodic review to ensure the implementation of plans and focus on further raising standards in specific areas such as ICT, design and technology, games, history, geography and PSHE. The day-to-day running of the school is very well organised. Administrative procedures and routines are clearly documented and contribute to the efficient way the school is run. Administrative staff carry out their responsibilities very well.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. Governors make an effective contribution to strategic planning and management. There is an appropriate committee structure, which monitors and evaluates the work of the school. Governors are actively involved in planning decisions and there is a shared commitment to improvement and the need to succeed. Both staff and governors are involved in regular audits and evaluations of the progress made in meeting the school’s challenging targets for improvement and understanding its strengths and weaknesses. Governors fulfil their statutory duties well.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. There is a good match of teachers to the demands of the curriculum and a good mix of experienced senior staff and teachers new to the profession. There is an appropriate number of support staff who are well trained. The midday supervisory assistants manage pupils well at lunchtimes. The process for the induction of newly qualified teachers is good. There are also good procedures for the appraisal and performance management of all staff. Overall the good quality of the staff as a whole is having a major impact on the ethos of the school and on driving up standards. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 18 51. Funds and resources for special educational needs and statements of special educational needs are very well used. The leadership and management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils with English as an additional language are very good. There is very good provision within classes for pupils to receive the necessary support. The special

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

educational needs co-ordinator is a class teacher who is allocated a day a week for administration. A specialist teacher supports individual pupils for three days per week. They are both managed by the assistant headteacher who regularly monitors pupil progress and teaching. They meet regularly and communication between them and class teachers is good. A teaching assistant provides additional support in each year. All teachers and teaching assistants have received training in inclusion and the new code of practice for special educational needs. The leadership and management of the provision for pupils with English as an additional language are also very good. The co-ordinator is a full-time class teacher who is given some time to prepare in- service training. A language and ethnic support teacher is allocated to each year in the school. There is a good guidance pack for class teachers and they have received considerable in-service

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

training. The co-ordinator does not have sufficient time to observe teaching or to sample pupils’ work. However, she has provided very good exemplars for teachers of pupils’ work indicating strengths and weaknesses and suggested strategies. There is a clear, appropriate improvement plan for EAL support.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The accommodation is satisfactory and enables the National Curriculum to be taught effectively. Good specialist facilities include a new, well-equipped ICT suite and music room. The parents’ centre within the school grounds encourages the involvement of parents in school, as does the provision of a parents’ room near the reception classes. Many classrooms are currently being improved through a privately financed initiative. Resources are adequate in most subject areas, however, there is no outdoor play area for Reception children and no compensatory indoor equipment such as wheeled toys or climbing structures to develop gross motor skills. This is unsatisfactory. The playground is insufficient for all games to be taught but use is made of a nearby field. An attractive garden area is used well for outdoor study. The school’s accommodation has improved since the last inspection.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Effective procedures ensure good financial control. All spending is carefully monitored and regular financial statements are available for senior staff and governors. All subject plans are carefully costed and relate well to the overall budgetary position for the school. The school is cost conscious and makes savings where it can in relation to the purchase of its equipment. The recommendations of the most recent audit have been implemented. Specific grants are used very effectively for their designated purpose. The headteacher makes very prudent use of the school's funds.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school makes very good use of new technology. The best value principles of comparison, challenge and competition are applied very well by the headteacher and governors in the school's acquisition and use of services and resources. There has been significant improvement to certain aspects of management, such as the monitoring of teaching and learning and the implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy, since the previous inspection.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

55. To raise further the standards of work and the quality of education provided, the governors and senior management team should:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i. Improve the curriculum provision for children in the nursery to ensure that all children make better progress by:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improving how the activities are planned so as to reflect recent guidelines for the Foundation Stage curriculum;

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing more challenging activities for higher attaining pupils; Stewart Headlam Primary School - 19 • providing more opportunities to develop children's independent learning and personal initiative;

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing assessment criteria in the nursery linked to the new Foundation Stage programme of study; and

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• creating a role for “Early Years co-ordinator”.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ii. Devise procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress in the non-core subjects, and use this assessment information to guide curriculum planning more effectively by:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• linking assessment criteria in each of the non-core subjects to levels in the respective programmes of study so as to enable teachers to monitor achievement more rigorously; and

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• using assessed work to plan future lessons and to target individual pupils to achieve better results.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

iii. Improve the teaching of skills, particularly writing skills, in the non-core subjects by:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• identifying the writing component in teachers' short term lesson plans;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that teachers have adequate skills based training; and

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that all co-ordinators monitor teaching more rigorously.

p.21

Minor issues:

• continue to improve rates of attendance; and

p.21

Minor issues:

• provide an adequate play area for the reception children.

p.21

Minor issues:

(paragraphs: 12, 52, 58) Stewart Headlam Primary School - 20

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 2.7 17.8 41.1 37.0 1.4 0.0 0.0

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 49 338

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 15 292

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2 4

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 64

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 387

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 14

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 54

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Stewart Headlam Primary School - 21 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 22

p.22

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 30 24 54

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

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

Boys 21 25 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 18 23 22

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 72 (71) 89 (85) 91 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 22 27 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 22 23

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 80 (76) 91 (84) 94 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.24

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

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

p.24

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 27 54 - National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 21 21 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 19 24

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 81 (80) 74 (70) 89 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 16 19 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 16 17

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 59 (65) 65 (65) 65 (78) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.24

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 23

p.24

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

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 3 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 325 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 3 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

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.

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.5 Financial year 2002 – 2003

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.8

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1517884

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 1414327

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 368.5 Expenditure per pupil 3129

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 196781

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.5 Balance carried forward to next year 300337

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18.7

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Stewart Headlam Primary School - 24 Total aggregate hours worked per week 220.5

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5.0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4.0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 6.6

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 5.6

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 25

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 57 42 0 0 1

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 67 32 1 0 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 54 33 8 3 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 56 34 3 2 5

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 63 28 1 1 6

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 76 19 0 0 4

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 52 39 2 0 6

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 55 34 1 0 9

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 29 0 0 4

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 50 40 2 2 5 Stewart Headlam Primary School - 26

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. The nursery has places for 30 full-time and 60 part-time children. At present, 29 children attend on a full-time basis, with 22 attending the morning session and 20 attending the afternoon session. Two teachers work with two part-time nursery nurses, one part-time teacher who provides EMAG support, two full-time teaching assistants and one full and one part-time assistant who provide SEN support. Children move into the reception classes in the September and the January during the year in which they are five years old.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. Induction arrangements are satisfactory for children joining the nursery and the reception classes. Children and their parents are invited to attend the Parent-Toddler group and the Toy Library before they join the nursery. Nursery staff undertake home visits and children also visit the nursery with their parents prior to their admission. Before starting in reception, the nursery children visit their new classes to begin to learn the routines and allay any worries. They are already familiar with the reception area as they eat with the reception children at lunchtime. There are opportunities for informal discussions with parents both in nursery and reception classes. As well as parent conferences each year, parents of reception children receive a detailed written report in the summer term to indicate what their children can and cannot do. Although parents of nursery children bring them in and settle them down at the start of the day, they are discouraged from

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

coming into the classroom at the end of the day, which does not help to promote close relationships.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. The quality of teaching in reception is better than in the nursery. The quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils in the nursery and reception classes is satisfactory overall, but there are weaknesses in planning the curriculum in the nursery. Experiences in the six areas of learning for children in the foundation stage are provided, but the level of detail in the planning does not indicate that all the required aspects of the six areas are adequately covered over time. Learning objectives are not clear enough for children’s learning to be accurately measured. So it is not clear when children need to move onto the next stage and the activities offered are not always sufficiently purposeful. When tasks are challenging and exciting, they engage the children’s interest and motivation. Then children make good progress, but this is not consistently the case. Planning does take sufficient account of the language needs of the many children who arrive

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

speaking little or no English. Although many of the staff pay good attention to developing children’s vocabulary and understanding, it is not done consistently in a planned way. Planning is good in the reception classes and tasks are carefully matched to the children’s needs and interests. There is an appropriate balance between teacher-directed and child-selected activities. Good emphasis is placed upon the acquisition of basic literacy and numeracy skills and children’s personal, social and emotional development. Other areas of learning are covered satisfactorily. The reception classes have no outdoor learning area, although they have timetabled access to the nursery outdoor area each day and a weekly session in the school hall for a physical education lesson. As a result, the staff are not able to offer the full range of outdoor activities that are specifically matched to the needs of the older children. Otherwise, resources are good. Reception rooms have

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

colourful displays that celebrate children’s work and support learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. The arrangements for assessing children’s progress are unsatisfactory in the nursery, due to the weaknesses in planning. Observations take place, but information is not gathered in a manner that makes it easy to check children’s experiences and progress in each area of learning. In the reception classes, regular ongoing assessments of children’s learning and progress in literacy and numeracy take place. Records of achievement in all other areas of learning are regularly maintained and used to identify what further learning opportunities need to be provided for the children. The arrangements for assessing the progress of children with SEN in the Foundation Stage are good. New assessment arrangements for pupils with EAL needs are being introduced Stewart Headlam Primary School - 27 which will provide an accurate picture of the children’s linguistic skills and help identify the next stage of learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. By the end of the reception year, overall standards are below those expected. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. Attainment on entry to the nursery is very low. In the nursery, children make generally satisfactory progress in all areas of learning, due in part to the high level of adult support. Pupils make good progress in reception and very good progress in literacy and numeracy, but by the time the children enter Year 1, they still have weaknesses in all areas of learning. Children with special education needs make good progress in the nursery and reception. They are set appropriate targets which are addressed regularly.

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Personal, social and emotional development

61. Overall standards are below those expected but children’s achievements overall are good and they make good progress. It is likely that most will reach a number of the early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of the Foundation Stage. The children are taught effectively. Nursery children select activities confidently and gradually learn to take turns and share equipment. These social skills develop further in the reception classes, for instance when they help each other undress for PE and when the teaching assistant works alongside children in the role-play area which is currently a doctor’s surgery. The good ethos and very good relationships between staff and children in these classes support this area of children’s learning well. Children gradually learn to express what they want in words and to operate independently. The good range of activities provided engage their interest and they are motivated to take part, explore and learn. The children

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Personal, social and emotional development

make good progress in understanding class routines and expectations. They sit quietly in whole- class sessions and many persevere with independent activities.

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Communication, language and literacy

62. Overall standards are below those expected, especially in speaking English. Children’s achievements overall are satisfactory due to some good gains made in reception. The number of adults in the nursery ensures that children have regular oral interaction, with some asking appropriate questions to encourage a range of responses. However, a significant number of children still have difficulty making themselves understood. The more able ask simple questions and use talk in role-play, but most use words in isolation. The teaching of these skills lacks sufficient focus. The children find it difficult listening to stories, but some join in with favourite songs. Reception children gain in confidence and skills. They recount a simple story about Noah and describe how different items on the ‘senses table’ feel or sound. They listen well to a story and many talk about their experiences or share their knowledge about the growth of a caterpillar.

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Communication, language and literacy

Most nursery children look at the pictures in books and the more able sequence the story of the Hungry Caterpillar with help. Good attention is paid to this area of learning in reception and children understand words such as ‘title’, ‘writer’ and ‘illustrator’. The higher attaining children read a known text and use phonic knowledge to recognise words. Other children use the pictures in a simple book to tell a story and, with repetitive text, they can join in with the teacher and ‘read’ the story. They are beginning to build up a secure knowledge of sounds. Some nursery children attempt to write their names, but little evidence of making marks to communicate was evident during the inspection. Children in reception have regular experiences with writing and the more able write a sentence independently. All write a relevant phrase about their caterpillars turning into cocoons, though some need help to do this and there are many examples of weaknesses in

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Communication, language and literacy

grammatical structures. Handwriting is neat and letters well formed.

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Mathematical development

63. Overall standards are below those expected, but children make good progress in reception and their overall achievement is satisfactory. Many nursery children count to ten securely and they enjoy counting the spots on different ladybirds that Spot met. They make symmetrical butterfly wings and match the number on the ‘waiting chair’ with the relevant wheeled vehicle. Positional language is still weak. In reception, children count reliably to 20 and know how to add. They accurately add 8 packed lunches and 6 dinners. They understand ‘more’ and ‘less’, and name Stewart Headlam Primary School - 28 regular two-dimensional shapes with ease. Higher attaining pupils subtract 7 from 13 and add quite large numbers. Some useful opportunities are used to increase children’s mathematical understanding and positional language, such as during registration and in physical education. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 29

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

64. It is likely that the majority of the children will not attain the early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of reception and standards are below those expected. The children make sound progress over time, from a very low starting point. Nursery children enjoy a visit to the school garden and learn the names of the mini-beasts seen. They know flowers need the sun and rain to grow. They blow bubbles and enjoy making them burst. They use an alphabet program on the computer and click and drag the mouse appropriately. They visit the shops to buy the ingredients for a fruit salad. Reception children learn from first hand about how a butterfly develops by watching caterpillars grow and turn into cocoons. They are excited by their trip on a real train. They design and make attractive bags using their own choice of material and fastening technique. Opportunities for children to use a variety of construction equipment are provided and they use

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

their senses to explore an interesting range of materials such as feathers, soap, bells and glitter. They program roamers disguised as a ladybird and a spider to visit an item in the ‘garden’ with increasing accuracy and use ICT confidently to create a simple picture of a caterpillar.

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Physical development

65. Overall standards are below those expected, but children make sound and sometimes good progress and their overall achievement is good. Nursery children show a developing awareness of space as they ride wheeled vehicles without bumping into each other. They balance, climb and slide, all of which supports their large muscle development. Fine co-ordination skills develop as they use scissors, pens, the computer mouse and small construction equipment. These skills were well developed as they experimented making marks with paint, using a range of brushes, cotton buds and sticks. Reception children demonstrate improving skills when they work on the PE large apparatus in the hall. Children complete puzzles of increasing complexity, they use scissors accurately and colour within lines carefully.

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Creative development

66. Standards are below those expected but the children will attain some of the early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of reception. Overall progress is satisfactory. Nursery children paint, sing songs and engage in imaginative play in the greengrocer role-play area. They make butterfly wings and really enjoy dancing the story of a butterfly to music. They make appropriate movements such as being as small as the egg, crawling as a caterpillar, spinning into a cocoon and then flying around with great happiness. In reception classes, the children recognise and name the primary and some secondary colours. They create a neat collage to represent the senses, and colour and cut out individual contributions to a class picture of Noah’s Ark. Most cut accurately and produce recognisable drawings. They sing a song about the days of the week, but no other musical activity was observed.

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ENGLISH

67. Standards in English are well below the national average by the end of Year 2 and in line with the national average by the end of Year 6. The achievement of pupils by the age of seven is satisfactory. By the age of 11 it is very good. Taking into account that all pupils are learning English as an additional language, and that the schooling of a high proportion of pupils is interrupted, this indicates very good progress. The achievement of boys is higher than that of girls.

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ENGLISH

68. Attainment in speaking and listening by Year 2 is well below average. The listening skills of most pupils are well developed, but although they are willing to contribute to discussion, many are not fluent enough to give extended answers beyond a single word or sentence. During Years 3 to 6 pupils make good progress and by Year 6 attainment is average. Pupils use vocabulary precisely and many give extended explanations when required. However a few remain inhibited and inaudible. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 30 69. Although attainment in reading is below average by Year 2, pupils make good progress. All pupils have well developed book skills; they understand about authors, they can use contents and index pages and can read and understand simple information. Lower attaining pupils are still very hesitant and read aloud by sounding out word by word. Higher attaining readers are fluent and talk about books and authors with understanding. By Year 6 all pupils read regularly and

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ENGLISH

independently. Their attainment is above average. They are able to locate information and can discuss their preferences in reading. High and average attaining pupils show understanding of writers’ styles and intentions and can make perceptive judgements about characters.

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ENGLISH

70. Pupils show developing fluency and ambition in their writing by the end of Year 2. High attaining pupils use full stops and capital letters correctly. Non-fiction writing is logically sequenced; stories are well structured, although sentences are quite simple. The spelling, handwriting and letter formation of lower attaining pupils is poorly developed. By Year 6 all pupils are writing in more complex sentences and at length. Higher attaining pupils can vary their choice of style and language according to purpose. Lower attaining pupils write less accurately and less coherently. Although all pupils make good progress with their writing, uncertainties about idiom and grammatical errors result in average attainment.

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ENGLISH

71. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is never less than satisfactory and sometimes good. Lessons are well planned and well resourced to meet differing needs. Features of good lessons include the very good deployment of support teachers and teaching assistants who ensure that low attaining pupils, those with language needs and pupils with other special educational needs are all able to participate and understand. Teacher questioning includes all pupils and good opportunities are provided to allow pupils time to rehearse ideas in pairs or small groups. Teachers select stimulating fiction and non-fiction big books to model reading. Writing tasks are well demonstrated. For example, in one lesson the teacher demonstrated how to plan the beginning, middle and end of a story. Where teaching is less effective, opportunities are missed to extend vocabulary by teaching sound patterns outside a context. Pupils can spell a

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ENGLISH

word correctly without knowing what it means. In some lessons misunderstandings are not dealt with soon enough and pupils are left to work independently but erroneously.

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ENGLISH

72. The quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 is generally good and sometimes very good. In addition to strengths already mentioned teachers have high expectations and there is a high level of challenge. They employ an effective range of teaching strategies including taking the role of a character in a book and encouraging pupils to question them. Teachers demonstrate how to draft, edit and improve writing very well and provide helpful writing frames. However although pupils clearly benefit from the help of support teachers and teaching assistants, some could be encouraged to be more independent and to speak out more audibly.

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ENGLISH

73. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are generally very positive. They enjoy reading and younger children join in with enthusiasm when sharing a big book. Older pupils sustain concentration and refer to dictionaries and thesauruses independently. Most pupils persevere with tasks. They try very hard, collaborate with each other well and contribute well to discussion in small groups.

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ENGLISH

74. The school has successfully adopted the National Literacy Strategy and adapted it effectively to meet the needs of pupils learning English as an additional language. Good opportunities are planned for pupils to develop their speaking skills in English lessons and other subjects. Additional literacy support is provided for pupils who have difficulties with reading, writing and spelling, either within lessons, or by withdrawal in small groups or as individuals. These pupils make good progress. Strategies for teaching literacy beyond English lessons are good, but some teachers could do more to widen pupils’ subject vocabulary, or correct misunderstandings of basic concepts in written work. The use of computers in English lessons varies and is dependent on teachers’ differing confidence and competence. More use could be made of ICT to reinforce pupils’ language skills.

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ENGLISH

75. The use of assessment to check the progress of pupils in English is very good. All pupils are given literacy targets and regular checks are made of reading, writing, spelling and the fluency levels of pupils at the early stages of learning English. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 31 76. The subject is well managed by an assistant headteacher supported by the literacy team. The co- ordinator effectively monitors teachers’ planning, samples pupils’ work and observes teaching. There are good fiction, non-fiction and poetry resources in classrooms, including dual language texts. There is an appropriate development plan for the subject. Areas identified for improvement include the need to develop and apply a consistent handwriting policy across the school; and the continued development and use of the school library and information and communications technology. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory. Standards have been

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MATHEMATICS

77. Inspection evidence gained from lesson observations and analysis of pupils’ work indicates that overall standards in mathematics are in line with expectations by the end of Year 2 and above expectations by the end of Year 6. There is no significant difference between the standards achieved by boys and girls. A higher than average percentage of Year 6 pupils are likely to attain the higher level 5 in this year’s (SATs) tests. When pupils first come to the school they have very poor mathematical knowledge and skills and for almost all of them English is not their mother tongue. Against this context achievement is good. All pupils, including those with SEN and those with EAL, make good progress thanks to the high level of support they receive in lessons. All pupils are given targets for improvement, which are reviewed regularly and these are helping to focus learning and ensure consistent progress.

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MATHEMATICS

78. Most Year 1 pupils are able to count up and down in tens. They are able to use strategies to add on number, for example, the number nine. Some use their fingers, some use a number square; a few higher attainers mentally add ten and take off one. Most Year 1 pupils are beginning to add tens and units. Year 2 pupils were observed sorting number information and using Venn diagrams to show it. Most can correctly identify a variety of information, such as odd and even numbers, the larger and smaller of two numbers, and whether numbers fall within a range, for example 11 – 22. They place the information in the appropriate place on the diagram but only the more able pupils are secure when the information falls within more than one category, for example it is both an odd number and between 11 and 22. Pupils are also collecting data and using it to make block graphs on a range of topics, such as numbers scored on dice-throws, favourite colours and favourite foods

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MATHEMATICS

etc. Some were observed using computers to produce graphs and all pupils spoken to remember using computers on more than one occasion to make graphs and charts.

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MATHEMATICS

79. Year 3 are working with three digit numbers and are beginning to see how multiplication and division are related. By Year 4 even pupils with special educational needs are discussing place value. Year 5 pupils were observed looking at scales and calculating median in the context of measuring temperature using a thermometer. Others are able to measure length and breadth accurately and use them to calculate areas of rectangles. Year 6, having completed their standard attainment tests, are now involved in a valuable transition programme which will follow through to the secondary schools. Much of this programme involves problem solving and investigations and pupils are engaged in identifying and using combinations of number operations to solve problems. These problems revolve around the supposed introduction of a new monetary system based only on three and five pence coins and pupils are challenged to use only these

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MATHEMATICS

coins to ‘pay for’ goods of different prices. They also have to explain their methods and their reasoning. As the theme progresses during the week they are involved in codes linked to factorisation. The skills of investigation and problem solving are not as well developed as other mathematical skills, largely because of the level of linguistic sophistication needed. The school is aware of this and is taking action to remedy it.

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MATHEMATICS

80. The quality of teaching and learning in mathematics is good overall, with some examples of very good teaching and even excellent teaching in the junior school. Teaching is well planned, with clear learning objectives, which are shared with the pupils; this helps to focus the lesson and enables teachers and pupils to assess and monitor progress very well. Where teachers have high expectations, pupils are challenged and raise their own expectations. A range of stimulating and challenging activities, targeted at the needs of different groups of pupils, helps to keep them Stewart Headlam Primary School - 32 motivated and makes for a brisk pace, moving learning on more quickly. Occasionally there was insufficient challenge and the pace was rather pedestrian, especially for the more able pupils. Many of the numeracy lessons are rather long; up to almost 90 minutes. The best teaching maintains pace, interest and challenge throughout the lesson because of very good pupil

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MATHEMATICS

management, stimulating teaching methods and a range of activities. However, sometimes it seems as though work that could have been covered in 45 minutes is spread out, leading to a rather pedestrian pace, loss of interest and wasted time. More effective use could be made of time in some lessons. Relationships are very good and pupils and staff respect one another. Sometimes teaching assistants could be more effective in supporting whole class sessions by being more involved but generally the teaching assistants and assistant teachers work well with the teachers and give good support to the pupils. A very good example was seen in a Year 4 numeracy lesson where a special needs support teacher and an English as an additional language support teacher worked very effectively with the class teacher so that teaching was very clearly matched to individual pupil needs and learning was very good. Basic skills of numeracy are very

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MATHEMATICS

well taught and mathematical language developed well.

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MATHEMATICS

81. Pupils have very positive attitudes to mathematics and most enjoy it. They are keen to learn, listen well and almost all settle down to and keep on task. Good examples were seen of pupils working and cooperating together and most teachers encourage this and use it to develop linguistic and social and moral skills. All pupils have equal access to the whole curriculum and staff are very keen to ensure that they share the same opportunities. The staff know the pupils in their care well and show a genuine concern for them and pupils respond well to this concern.

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MATHEMATICS

82. The talented and committed subject coordinator has a very clear vision of the needs of mathematics within the school and how it can be further developed and she leads and manages the subject very well. The procedures for assessing and monitoring the pupils’ attainment and progress are very good and the staff use this information effectively to inform future teaching and match tasks well to the range of abilities in each class. Assessment data and pupils’ progress is very well tracked to help set targets for pupils in each class and to focus extra help and support where it is needed. The national strategy for the teaching of numeracy has been very well established and implemented in the school. Resources are good and are well used to support the teaching and learning. Use of information communication technology to support mathematics is mainly done during ICT lessons. Ongoing day-to-day use of computers to enrich and support

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MATHEMATICS

mathematics has rightly been identified by the school as an area needing more development. Overall the high standards found at the last inspection have been maintained and mathematics remains a strength in the school.

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SCIENCE

83. The standard of work seen at the end of Year 2 is below national expectations. This is mainly due to the low level of prior attainment of pupils on entry, especially in the use of English as an additional language. Nevertheless pupils are making satisfactory progress.

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SCIENCE

84. The standard of work seen for pupils at the end of Year 6 is in line with national expectations. This represents good achievement. Satisfactory improvement has been made since the time of the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

85. The pupils have a very positive attitude to their work. They are very conscientious and keen to succeed. They work co-operatively in pairs and in groups and respond readily to their teachers. They are supportive of one another and show respect for the views of others.

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SCIENCE

86. The quality of teaching of science is good throughout the school. All teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and use this well to engage the pupils’ thinking. For example in response to their questions during a Year 1 lesson on classifying animals, it was pointed out that not all birds can fly, while some can fly, but do not often do so. Basic skills of investigation are well taught, emphasising the need for fair testing, retests, control of variables, prediction and recording. Lessons are well planned across year groups so that equality of opportunity is ensured and progression is maintained from year to year. Daily plans however do not give sufficient attention to Stewart Headlam Primary School - 33 work matched to different levels of prior attainment especially for challenging the higher attaining pupils. The emphasis on investigative science has a positive impact on attainment but the

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SCIENCE

reluctance of pupils to communicate orally with confidence, reduces the amount of progress they make. Teachers mark work consistently and indicate to the pupils how to improve their work. Ongoing assessment through good questioning engages every pupil in an inclusive environment with good support for pupils with special educational needs. The very good relationship between the pupils and the staff makes learning an enjoyable experience. Good use is made of numeracy skills to support science teaching as seen in a Year 6 lesson investigating fizzy drinks. The pupils made repeated counts of escaping bubbles at different temperatures, calculated the mean for each temperature and plotted a line graph to represent their findings.

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SCIENCE

87. Management of the subject is very good. The co-ordinator is very enthusiastic about her role and has a strong commitment to achieving high standards. She gives clear educational direction which supports the school’s aims and values. Regular monitoring and evaluation of the subject and involvement in planning help to identify areas for improvements. Extra-curricular activities include visits to the Maritime Museum, Bethnal Green Toy Museum, science workshop organised by the Soane Centre and the gardening club. In response to data analysis which showed girls achieving less well than boys a science club for girls has been organised. Good use is made of ICT to support teaching and learning in science.

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SCIENCE

88. Areas for improvement in order to raise standards of attainment even further include ensuring that pupils become more articulate, extending the recording of assessment in order to track the progress of individual pupils, recording National Curriculum levels on pupils’ work so that they become aware of their own learning, focusing on the standard of presentation of work and extending the use of work matched to the needs of the pupils, especially the higher attainers.

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ART AND DESIGN

89. Attainment is at a level expected for pupils aged seven and 11. Progress for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, is satisfactory. Standards are at a similar level to those at the time of the previous inspection.

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ART AND DESIGN

90. Displays around the school confirm the wide range of methods, approaches and materials the school uses to extend the pupils’ range of experiences. Pupils in Year 1 experiment with self- portraits. They mix colours to see how different shades may be created. By the end of the infants, pupils have explored 3D work and experimented with collage. In the juniors, pupils use tissue paper to make stained glass windows and work with felt to make symbolic murals. They study artwork from other non-European countries, such as Aboriginal art. Workshop sessions produce collaborative work, promoting moral and social development. The school uses information and communication software to work in the Splash painting. Pupils consider the style of other artists and in Year 1, pupils studied and produced artwork in the style of Picasso. In Year 6, pupils are introduced to graphic art, developing skills in perspective drawing and achieve good

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ART AND DESIGN

91. In lessons seen, attitudes and behaviour are good. Pupils handle materials and tools carefully and listen attentively to instructions. They discuss their work and share equipment readily. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Lesson planning is satisfactory and includes lesson objectives, which are discussed with pupils, so that they understand what is expected of them. Teachers’ subject knowledge overall is also satisfactory. Although teachers offer challenge and creativity to pupils, the quality of the outcomes is often only of a satisfactory standard, for example, felt designs could have been improved with greater guidance and improved attention to quality. Teachers produce suitable opportunities for pupils to discuss their own and others’ work.

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ART AND DESIGN

92. The displays on the walls indicate that art is used imaginatively. Works of famous artists, such as Turner, Klee and Heron are studied. Pupils produce work in the style of these artists, which is well documented in the portfolio of work. Pupils display an enthusiasm to their artwork and take advantage of the opportunities provided, for example, the practical workshops which help to build on their knowledge, skills and understanding. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 34 93. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has been recently appointed and is enthusiastic about raising standards in this area. The progress pupils make, including those with special educational needs is satisfactory overall. Speaking and listening skills are promoted when pupils discuss the work of other artists. Information and computer skills are extended when pupils use software programs. The provision for art and design

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ART AND DESIGN

is in a transitional stage, but the school is currently working on improving curriculum development, assessment and the monitoring of teaching and learning. There has been little training for teachers to ensure consistency in developing skills because of limited external inset provision available. Resources are satisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94. During the inspection only one lesson in design and technology was being taught. Judgements are therefore based on the scrutiny of pupils’ work on display, discussions with pupils and staff, work in portfolios and the examination of planning documents. This evidence shows that the attainment of pupils in design and technology is in line with national expectations.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

95. In Years 1 and 2 pupils develop their making and designing skills by working with a wide range of tools and materials to construct a variety of products. In conjunction with their science investigations on sound they use wood, plastic bottles, boxes and a variety of small items to make musical shakers. Their history topic on toys in the past gave rise to the use of felt to make puppets. This was enhanced by the visit of representatives from the Shell Education Project which showed them how to make toys that move, resulting in wheeled toys with winding up mechanisms and batteries. Pupils develop skills in selecting, cutting and joining materials together using different agents and processes. They gain experience with textiles in making puppets of various designs and use these in reflecting their preferences for colour and texture. Each unit of work in design and technology includes the aspects of designing, making and evaluation.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

96. Older pupils plan their work carefully and produce appropriate designs. They understand the importance of accurate measurements and of choosing the right materials. They list the tools required, the materials to be used and the stages of development. Year 3 pupils make shadow puppets and skilfully design patterns on black card to reflect light through a range of colours of transparent film. Year 4 pupils design and make a lighthouse with battery operated lights which flash on and off using skills learnt in science and in information and communication technology's control and modelling. In association with their history lessons, Year 5 pupils make impressive Greek masks which are placed on prominent display in the classroom. Their food technology skills improve as they learn how to make a variety of sandwich snacks and biscuits, carefully recording the recipe. A highlight of design and technology is the design and making of the costumes worn at

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

the end of year concert by Year 6 pupils. By the time pupils leave school at the age of 11 they have had experiences of designing and making articles including electrically powered items and using a wide range of tools and materials.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

97. Discussions with pupils reveal a very positive attitude to design and technology. Pupils confidently talk about their experiences during design and technology week and explain how things were made. They make satisfactory progress as seen in the quality of work from one year group to the next.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers successfully plan design and technology projects, sometimes linked to other subjects such as the history of Greek civilisation or control and modelling in ICT. The quality of the finished work shows that teachers have high expectations and these are conveyed to pupils. Finished products are valued by both teachers and pupils and placed on display around the school. This contributes to pupils’ sense of achievement and value.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. The subject is satisfactorily managed by the co-ordinator who monitors the planning of each year group to ensure that the subject is being taught well. Resources are well maintained and sufficient to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. The annual design and technology week in Stewart Headlam Primary School - 35 the spring term serves to raise the profile of the subject. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

100. Standards in geography are in line with those expected at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Limited observations were available and judgements have been made from a scrutiny of pupils’ work, available documentation, discussion with the co-ordinator and pupils as well as from lessons seen. This represents a similar picture to the previous inspection indicating that standards attained previously have been sustained. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory by the end of Year 2 and good by the end of Year 6.

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GEOGRAPHY

101. Younger pupils in Years 1 and 2 are appropriately developing an awareness of different countries, particularly Bangladesh. They identify where it is, why people holiday in Bangladesh and the mode of transport required to reach this destination. They compare the weather there to that in this country. They also look at aspects such as churches, food and the employment. To develop their mapping skills, they explore features found in the school grounds. In a Year 2 lesson when pupils studied a topic on St Lucia, they found the location of St Lucia on a world map and knew that it is a Caribbean island with waterfalls and hot springs. By the end of the lesson, pupils had gained good information about its geographical features.

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GEOGRAPHY

102. Older pupils make appropriate observations about geographical localities and different environments. Year 6 pupils attend a residential course where they identify features of the journey and explore the new environment on an orientation walk. This is used well to promote their literacy skills when they write a poem about their new experience. In Year 5, pupils study Africa, in particular looking at Cairo. They identified the surrounding countries of Libya, Sudan and Ethiopia on their map. To continue to improve their mapping skills, they identified places using co- ordinates. In Year 4, pupils study a village in Bangladesh and study features, such as wildlife, food, weather, industry and agriculture. This clearly heightens their sensitivity to their home country when one child commented, “It is so beautiful”. In a Year 3 lesson, pupils were developing an understanding of what was meant by the word ‘route’. They considered the local area and drew

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GEOGRAPHY

a map showing their route to school and identifying the different features they would see.

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GEOGRAPHY

103. The quality of teaching and learning in geography is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Key Stage 2. Teachers make good use of resources and time to help pupils develop their skills. As a result, pupils make good progress overall from a very low starting point. Planning is sound overall and good support from learning assistants ensures that all pupils understand what is expected of them and encourages and guides them to respond appropriately. However there are sometimes missed opportunities when teachers do not promote the correct geographical terminology. By the time pupils reach Year 6, their geographical knowledge is developing well. Despite the limited and often no English skills when they arrive at school pupils make significant progress in understanding and using appropriate vocabulary, particularly in Year 5.

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GEOGRAPHY

104. Pupils overall show interest in their work and display an eagerness to learn. They work well in pairs or collaboratively in groups. The progress in the quality of presentation as pupils move through the school can be clearly seen.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. The co-ordinator is committed to raising standards in the school. Assessment is in place but has not had time to be sufficiently ‘bedded in’. Monitoring of teaching and learning is underdeveloped. Resources are sound overall.

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HISTORY

106. As no history lessons were timetabled for the week of the inspection, evidence was taken from an analysis of pupils’ work, scrutiny of planning and relevant documents and discussions with pupils and teachers. Standards are judged to be at the expected age-related levels for seven and 11-year Stewart Headlam Primary School - 36 olds and the school has generally maintained standards since the previous inspection. Boys and girls of all abilities and from different backgrounds have similar achievements across the school.

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HISTORY

107. Year 2 pupils speak with enthusiasm about their visit to Bethnal Green Toy Museum and recall many of the toys seen there as well as taking part in role-play with a children’s nanny in a nursery. They understand the differences and similarities between toys of long ago and those of today. They know about changes in homes over time from handling artefacts such as an old iron and washboard. They are beginning to develop a sense of chronology and can sequence their family tree from grandparents to themselves. They recall in reasonable detail the life and achievements of famous people such as Louis Braille, though the range of people studied is somewhat limited. By Year 6, pupils have studied a range of periods and societies, such as the Tudors and World War II. They recount the significant features and events of each. They still have difficulty in placing these into the correct chronological order, however. They recognise that the past is interpreted in

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HISTORY

different ways and it depends on the viewpoint of those reporting it at the time or interpreting events afterwards. They have a good understanding that information can be gathered from a range of sources, such as museums, the Internet, pictures and artefacts.

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HISTORY

108. Although no lessons were observed, it is evident that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall and in some classes, it is good. For instance, Year 5 pupils compile their own well-illustrated and carefully presented books about the Egyptians. They use research and their visit to the British Museum to learn about many aspects of the lives, beliefs and achievements of this period and appropriately record the sources of their evidence. Teachers across the school use visits and artefacts well to engage the pupils’ interest and support their learning effectively, which is of benefit especially to the many pupils who are at the early stage of learning English. It also offers all pupils a context for their work, as few are aware of British history. As pupils move through the school, appropriate opportunities are provided to promote literacy skills through written work, research and reporting. This allows the higher attaining pupils to move on in their learning.

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HISTORY

Although most tasks are presented in the same way to all pupils, there is some evidence that pupils with SEN are given support with their writing and good examples where teachers provide word lists of associated vocabulary. Pupils say they also have many opportunities for discussion, which help them understand new ideas. Weaker teaching is evident where work is not finished and there is little of it. Marking is sometimes cursory, but in the best examples, teachers add an appropriate comment to help pupils improve or record where they have successfully met the learning objective.

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HISTORY

109. The co-ordinator offers sound leadership. She is compiling a very useful portfolio containing annotated pieces of pupils’ work from each topic covered, matched to the relevant National Curriculum level. It offers a detailed explanation as to why the work is at the level stated and what the pupils need to do next in order to move on. This will help teachers check that pupils are making the necessary progress over time and help raise standards. New assessment sheets have been introduced which also are matched to the national criteria. They have not been in use long enough to identify any strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. A check is kept on planning and the senior teachers regularly monitor pupils’ work. However, to date teaching has not been observed. The school has plenty of good artefacts, books and videos but a wider range of primary sources would extend pupils’ skills in gleaning information and meeting different

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

110. The standard of attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6 is in line with expectations nationally. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection when provision and standards were a key issue for action. Since then, a computer suite has been established, the quality of teaching has improved significantly and is now good overall and the standard of pupils' attainment is in line with national expectations. All pupils make good progress in the acquisition of skills in using information technology.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

111. By the end of Year 2 pupils are familiar with the functions of the keyboard and record their work using capitals, punctuation, varied fonts and size of script. They use the mouse effectively to Stewart Headlam Primary School - 37 select icons, change colour, save their work and print. The youngest pupils use a floor turtle to insert instructions to make things happen. They are aware that ICT is used to control items in everyday use, such as traffic lights, television, tape recorders and car park barriers. Year 1 pupils use ICT to enhance their learning in other subjects for example, writing a thank you letter to their parents for a present. They use paintbrush to create patterns in art and infill with a range of colours. Year 2 pupils copy and paste to make a plant, labelling roots, stem, leaves and flowers as part of their science lesson. They use 'RM Starting Graphs' to create a table, input data and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

construct bar graphs of favourite car colours and interpret the information presented in graph form. They extend their design and technology skills in making attractively decorated cards. They demonstrate their skills further in creating landscape features such as a holiday in Birmingham showing skyline, sunlight, trees and street scenery.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

112. As pupils move to the next stage of learning they increase their use of keyboard functions to combine text and graphics in Year 3. Using Talking First Word and Clip Art they illustrate their written work with appropriate pictures. They use CD Roms to extract relevant information on their history topic and learn to send and receive e-mail. In a Year 4 lesson the pupils demonstrated their ability to produce high quality wrapping paper designs based on plants and animals studied in science, linking this with their mathematics lessons on horizontal and vertical symmetry. By the end of Year 6 pupils have developed their word processing skills to include the use of bullet points, insert text, edit, resize, centre, delete, copy and paste. They enter text in spreadsheet cells and use sum to find totals. In control and modelling Year 6 pupils use 'Flowol' to write commands for turning street lights on and off at given intervals and use light sensors to switch lights on and off in

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

the lighthouse constructed in their design and technology class. They use the Internet to select appropriate information, including graphics to import into 'Textease' in order to create their own poster on a selected topic. They skilfully minimize a window, copy and paste and add text to create a poster of their favourite footballer. They are beginning to make multimedia presentations and use the digital camera to record their work and create moving images.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

113. The pupils are very enthusiastic users of information technology. They listen attentively to their teachers, follow instructions and work co-operatively in pairs sharing the equipment fairly. They show respect for property and handle equipment with care and attention to detail.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

114. The quality of teaching is good overall and sometimes very good. All teachers are developing confidence in teaching ICT because of the very good training they have received.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

115. The management of the subject is good. Hardware is well maintained and resources are generally good. The school is accumulating a good supply of software to meet the needs of all subject areas. Teachers are all well supported while teaching in the suite but the use of computers in classrooms is underdeveloped. The school recognises that this is an area for attention.

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MUSIC

116. Pupils, including those with SEN and EAL, make good progress overall and reach standards that are in line with national expectations at ages seven and 11. The school makes good provision for pupils to play a range of both pitch and percussion instruments and many become confident performers by the time they reach Year 6. During the inspection, pupils in Year 4 practised and performed with the school in a local music festival and displayed their singing skills well. During the practice sessions they practised professional warm up exercises, rehearsed phrases and focused on clear diction and pitch quality. They sang in two parts and rehearsed tirelessly to produce good choral presentation and production.

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MUSIC

117. Younger pupils sing songs from memory and continue to build on previous knowledge. They respond well and enjoy playing percussion instruments. They are well disciplined, follow instructions and perform when called upon. They recognise that musical sounds can represent different aspects of life and can clap and use instruments to play a repeating pattern. They are adept in distinguishing between high and low notes and can play loud and soft. Singing throughout revealed that junior pupils sing with more control of breathing, diction, dynamics, tempo and pitch than infant pupils. This confirms the progress pupils make as they move through the Stewart Headlam Primary School - 38 school and build upon previous knowledge. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve higher standards in performance and composition. They compose a two part rhythm piece displaying pulse and ostinato. They understand and use crescendo and diminuendo and record their compositions

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MUSIC

using notation. They can also follow a rhythmic pattern played by the teacher and score it graphically on the white board. Links with literacy are well established, particularly the speaking and listening aspect. In a lesson observed in Year 6, the very skilful teaching provided opportunities for pupils to play untuned instruments, following a score, compose and play their own compositions, play different complementary scores in half groups and evaluate the performance of others. This they did with some enjoyment and applauding the performance of others.

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MUSIC

118. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Planning is good and indicates clearly what is to be covered throughout each year. Teachers’ expectations throughout the school are generally high and due to this pupils make sound progress in the infant classes and improved progress in the juniors in their performing skills. There is no formal assessment; the co-ordinator agrees that this needs to be more structured in order that assessment may be used more effectively to inform future planning and teaching. Due to recent external inset and internal support, more teachers are now confident in teaching music. Class management skills effectively support periods of purposeful musical activities, which are appreciated by pupils and encourage a love for music of different cultures.

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MUSIC

119. Leadership and management are good. The recently appointed co-ordinator has approached her role with tremendous energy and commitment. She works well with the music advisor to further improve the quality of music within the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120. Pupils enter the school with generally poor co-ordination. By the end of Year 2 standards are still below the expected level but by Year 6 pupils are attaining standards in line with pupils of their age. All pupils, including those with SEN and EAL make good progress. During the inspection no gymnastics or dance lessons were seen but a review of planning and displays seen in the school show that it is covered adequately. It is not possible to make a judgement on standards of these elements.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121. Year 1 pupils are learning to control a ball by bouncing and to stop a ball with hands or feet. They are working with partners to pass and control the ball, kicking and then bouncing. Two or three pupils have good coordination and control the ball well but most tend to kick or bounce the ball too hard or not hard enough and many have difficulty controlling the ball. By Year 3 skills have improved and in a lesson seen pupils are developing soccer passing and dribbling skills. They have a much better idea of working together as part of a team and by this time about a third of the class are quite well co-ordinated and show sound ball control. By Year 5 pupils are attaining standards in line with expectations. In a lesson observed they are developing cricket skills of bowling, catching and stopping. Year 5 and Year 6 pupils have swimming lessons. Non- swimmers learn to enter the water with confidence and using appropriate floats to float on their

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

front and back. They learn the correct arm and leg movements for the strokes and by the end of Year 6 more than 75 per cent of pupils can swim the required 25 metres of the pool. All make good progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

122. Pupils enjoy their physical education, have very positive attitudes and behave well. The limited number of lessons seen suggests that teaching and learning are satisfactory in the infants and good in the juniors. Lessons are well planned and in the better lessons teachers maintain a brisk pace, which motivates pupils and keeps them interested. Less confident teaching tended to lack pace, with teachers spending too long giving instructions. This makes it less interesting for the pupils, wastes time and slows the pace of learning. Teachers' subject knowledge is good overall but the quality varies from teacher to teacher. Some teachers are very knowledgeable and teach and demonstrate skills very well, as with a Year 5 class seen where the demonstrations and help given to develop bowling skills were very skilled. Others lack expertise and this is reflected in their explanations and demonstrations, which, though satisfactory, lack conviction. There are no

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Stewart Headlam Primary School - 39 consistent procedures for assessing pupils’ development, though a system is being trialled by the subject coordinator and the deputy headteacher.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

123. The use of literacy and numeracy skills to enhance learning in physical education is good but there is no evidence that information and communication technology contributes to the subject.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

124. The co-ordinator is skilled and has a clear picture of what is being taught in the school. He has been able to monitor some teaching and provided help, advice and demonstration lessons to improve staff confidence and expertise. Resources and accommodation are satisfactory. Good links are maintained with Leyton Orient Football Club to support and develop pupils’ skills and Tower Hamlets have sponsored a special club to develop girls’ football skills. Opportunities are being developed for pupils to take part in competitive sports. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Stewart Headlam Primary School - 40

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

125. Standards achieved meet the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus for seven year olds and exceed them for 11 year olds. The school has maintained the good standards seen at the previous inspection. Boys and girls of all abilities and from different backgrounds have good achievements across the school. Pupils with SEN are fully included and they also make good progress overall.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

126. By Year 2, pupils name and describe some of the symbols, objects, people and events in Islam and Christianity and identify some features that are common to both. They say why religion is important to them and how it influences their behaviour. Year 6 pupils talk confidently and knowledgeably about the major religions and recognise that different religions share similar features such as beliefs, values and places of worship. They accurately identify the specific features of each religion, such as Buddhists following the teaching not a person, Hindus worshipping many Gods and Christians viewing Jesus as the Son of God whilst Moslems see him as a prophet. They give examples to show how religion is important in people’s lives and understand well what it means to belong to a faith community. Religious education is well supported by some assemblies, such as an excellent Year 5 class assembly when the issues

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

about apartheid and Nelson Mandela’s actions led to a very challenging discussion. Pupils empathised with the oppressed black South Africans and understood the importance of Mandela’s strong belief and how it sustained him during the struggle.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

127. During the inspection, four lessons were observed. The quality of teaching was satisfactory in two and good or better in two. An analysis of pupils’ work and discussion with Year 2 and Year 6 pupils indicates that the quality of teaching overall is satisfactory in Year 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 5. Year 1 listened to a story that illustrated how an argument can be resolved by seeking help and advice, not by fighting. Most understood the message and pupils at an early stage of acquiring English were supported by the use of a colourful book with engaging pictures. Year 2 continued the theme of creation by reading an African story about how this may have happened. Pupils showed an interest in the ideas, but they were very sure that the way creation is explained by their own religion is the truth. However they were able, with the help of some pertinent but sensitive questioning, to accept that others may hold different views. The good use of

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

a bilingual assistant ensured that a pupil who has just arrived in school with very little English could take a full part in the lesson. Pupils’ weak speaking skills limit the discussion and this affects overall achievement, but most are confident to express what they think in a simple way. A good Year 3 lesson ensured all pupils understood the concept of belonging as a member of a community. A shared ‘brainstorm’, plus use of prepared labels quickly built up a set of ideas and this then acted as an initial prompt when pupils compiled their own diagram. Pupils were given the opportunity to discuss ideas in pairs, which offered good support to pupils with SEN and those with limited English. A newly arrived pupil with limited English worked with the teacher who used pictures to help his understanding. In a very good lesson, Year 6 pupils were excited by each group being given a box of artefacts that related to a wedding ceremony as celebrated by five

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

major faiths. Very good discussions and access to relevant books led pupils to label each item accurately and understand their meaning and use. Speaking and listening skills were further promoted when each group had to report back to the class. Teachers support pupils’ learning well by using videos, visits, artefacts and books as well as drawing effectively on the pupils’ own knowledge. The subject contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Literacy skills are promoted well amongst the older classes, but little writing to reinforce learning takes place in Years 1 and 2.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

128. The school has no co-ordinator at present, though the assistant headteacher is covering temporarily until a new postholder takes over in September. The detailed and helpful scheme of work was the result of shared staff discussions and it matches the requirements of the Agreed Syllabus well. Teachers’ planning is checked and the senior team monitor the pupils’ work regularly. The school has rightly identified the need to develop a portfolio of pupils’ work that identifies the level reached, to develop assessment procedures and to monitor teaching. Resources are generally good, though more information books for teachers are required and this is a weakness.

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