Broadwater Primary School

BROADWATER PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 – 26 September 2002

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BROADWATER 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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BROADWATER 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. Broadwater Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Broadwater Road Tooting London SW17 ODZ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Wandsworth Borough Council

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 June 1997 Broadwater Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 2705 Pat Holwill Registered inspector Information and communication technology Equal opportunities What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils’ taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9835 Glenda Spencer 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? 32275 Ros Cooper Team inspector Science Design and technology Special educational needs 25787 Edmond Morris Team inspector Mathematics Music Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22545 Valerie Hobson Team inspector Foundation Stage English as an additional language Religious education Lyne Lavender Team inspector English Art

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23805 Margaret Lygoe Team inspector History Geography Broadwater Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

icp 360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N17 9LN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Broadwater Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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? 12

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Broadwater Primary School in the London Borough of Wandsworth is a two-form entry primary school. It caters for 441 boys and girls aged from three to 11, including 28 full-time and 34 part-time pupils who attend the nursery. Currently the school is much bigger that other primary schools. At least 82 per cent of pupils come from a wide range of ethnic minority backgrounds including Asian, black Caribbean and African heritages and 290 pupils have English as an additional language. Of these 140 pupils are at an early stage of learning English. Many of the new children are from overseas and there are 15 refugee children at the school. This is a very high percentage when compared with other schools nationally. In addition, a significant number of pupils of all ages join or leave the school at different times each year. At least one third of 11-year-old pupils have not been continuously educated in the school since their Reception year. The

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

number of pupils supported through Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant funding is very high and well above the national average. The school also receives support from the Excellence in Cities initiative. The number of pupils in the school entitled to free school meals is above the national average. The proportion of pupils with some form of special educational need, including those with statements of special educational need, is broadly in line with the national average. The attainment of pupils when they arrive at the school is well below that expected of children of the same age.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Broadwater is a school in which all pupils are highly valued and fully included in all aspects of school life. One of the school’s greatest strengths is that there is respect shown for all cultures and faiths and it makes excellent provision for its ethnically diverse community.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The headteacher provides excellent, strong leadership and staff share his commitment and sense of purpose, working hard to raise standards for all pupils. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs is very good and they achieve well. A strong feature of the school is that pupils make rapid progress from when they first start school, so that by the time they are seven years old, they attain satisfactory results in the English and science tests and above average results in mathematics. Standards for 11-year-olds have improved significantly, particularly in mathematics, over recent years largely because of the consistently good teaching and clear curriculum planning. Latest test results show that the school has exceeded its Year 6 targets for mathematics and science but has not quite reached its targets for English . The school makes very good use of the resources available to it and

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What the school does well ♦ The school achieves an impressive degree of racial harmony and integration. ♦ Pupils achieve above average standards in mathematics by the end of Years 2 and 6. ♦ Pupils have very positive attitudes to school. Their behaviour is very good. They show high levels of self-discipline. ♦ The headteacher provides excellent leadership so that together with key staff and governors there is a clear educational direction to the school. ♦ The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. ♦ Arrangements for pupils’ personal, social and moral education are very effective. Cultural development is excellent. ♦ Child protection and procedures for promoting pupils’ welfare are excellent. ♦ Pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language make good progress as a result of the very good provision made for them.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What could be improved ♦ More rigorous tracking of pupils’ progress as they move through the school, initially in reading and then in all foundation subjects. ♦ Pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology, especially in the Year 3 to Year 6 classes. ♦ Develop further the ‘stepping stones ‘ in the Early Learning Goals so that children’s learning continues to builds on what they already know as they move from the nursery into the Reception classes. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Broadwater Primary School - 8 HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school was last inspected in June 1997. Improvements have been good since that time, with attainment in mathematics now above average standards by the end of Year 6, and increased opportunities for pupils to develop their scientific skills. Attainment in design and technology is now at expected standards. A new computer suite has been established and has had a very significant effect on the standard of attainment in information and communication technology at the end of Year 2 and in the younger junior classes. Teachers and support staff have received training through the National Opportunities Fund (NOF) scheme and school based in-service. The revised management structure has provided an effective management plan to take account of the school’s priorities for development. Governors are very well informed about the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They apply the principles of best value to all their financial decisions and are pro-

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

active in seeking views about the school from parents, pupils, staff and the wider community. As a result development planning is excellent and is fully linked to the action taken to meet the school’s priorities. Very clear channels of communication have been established for parents for whom English is an additional language. The school has made the implementation and full use of the Early Learning Goals in the Foundation Stage a priority for development in the coming year.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Compared with Performance in: All schools Similar schools Key

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

1999 2000 2001 2001 English E C D C Well above average above average A B Mathematics D D C B Average Below average C D Science D C E D Well below average E

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

At the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainments in reading, writing and mathematics have improved steadily when compared with the national average for their age group since 1998. The results of national tests in 2001 were at least as good as those in other schools in reading, they were better in writing and very good in mathematics. For Year 6 pupils, results in national tests from 1999 to 2001 have been variable. Up to 1999, their results in English, mathematics and science had all been below the national average. In the 2001 national tests at the end of Year 6, pupils’ results were well below average for all schools in science, below average in English, but were average in mathematics. Results in English were as good as those in similar schools, they were high in mathematics but were below average in science. Factors which help to explain these variations are the very low attainment of pupils when they start at school and the high number of pupils

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

who start school mid-year, many of whom are just beginning to learn English. The school’s average test results in all three subjects have risen in line with the national trend over the past three years.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The 2002 test results show that the school has exceeded its Year 6 targets for mathematics and science but has not quite reached its target for English. Although national comparisons are not yet available, the greatest improvement has been made in the attainment of Year 2 pupils, with all pupils achieving at least the expected Level 2 in mathematics. In Year 6 nearly half of the pupils achieved the higher Level 5 in science and nearly a third attained the higher levels in mathematics. Evidence from lessons observed during the inspection and scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that improvements are being maintained and that the present Year 2 and 6 pupils are likely to at least sustain their improvements in standards in 2003. By the end of the Reception year, children’s attainments are likely to be below those expected of children of similar ages in communication, language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Overall, pupils make consistently good progress and achieve well throughout the school.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in their work because teachers plan work which builds on what they already know and they make good progress. Those who speak English as an additional language make very good progress. Their progress is enhanced by the very good quality of support provided by the school. When pupils become proficient in English, their progress in all curriculum areas compares very favourably with that of other pupils of similar ability. The progress made by the more able pupils is very Broadwater Primary School - 9 good. The school works very hard at finding out how to help all pupils learn best and by giving them appropriate work.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school has prioritised standards in the foundation subjects and information and communication technology and in implementing the Early Learning Goals for the nursery and Reception classes in its plan for improvement. Its targets are suitably challenging and it is meeting them effectively. The implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies, good teaching and the effective use of assessment in mathematics to track pupils’ progress across the school, are all beginning to have a positive effect on standards of attainment. In religious education, pupils achieve above average standards in relation to the agreed syllabus at the end of Year 6. In physical education and history standards are above average at the end of Year 6. In art, music, design and technology and geography, pupils’ achievements are average and appropriate for their age at the end of Year 6. In information and communication technology standards are below average

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

at the end of Year 6 but this is largely because until recently, pupils have had limited opportunities to use computers in their work.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to learning. They show keen interest and involvement in all their work. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are courteous, polite and respectful. They listen attentively and behave well in class and around the school. Younger and older pupils play together well. Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good throughout the school. Pupils show respect for others’ feelings and understand the impact of their actions on others. Attendance Attendance is satisfactory. It has improved significantly since the appointment of an attendance officer.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Pupils’ attitudes to learning and relationships throughout the school are significant strengths and they have a very positive impact on pupils’ learning. Pupils who arrive at the school speaking little or no English often praise their classmates and staff for making them feel welcome.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The overall quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good, with examples of good, very good and occasionally excellent teaching observed in lessons across the school. This consistently good quality teaching makes a substantial contribution towards promoting pupils’ enthusiasm for learning. The noticeable strengths of the teaching are: effective lesson planning with work set at suitable levels for all pupils and teachers’ high expectations of their work and behaviour. Teaching in English and mathematics is predominantly good. Teachers have a good understanding of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. These have been successfully implemented and have had a significant impact on improving and maintaining standards. In information and communication technology the improved level of provision and increased teacher confidence is also having a positive impact on standards, especially in the infant and lower

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

junior classes. Teachers’ on-going assessment of pupils’ progress in the classrooms is good, but even better standards could be reached if the information gained from these verbal assessments was recorded and then used more rigorously to inform the next steps of pupil’s learning.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Teaching and learning of pupils with special educational needs is good and the teaching of those pupils with English as an additional language is very good. Good use is made of support staff and the learning support assistants are fully informed to ensure that they help pupils with learning difficulties to make progress in their learning. Throughout the school, relationships between staff and pupils are very good and the mutual respect shown has a good impact on pupils’ learning. All these strengths in teaching make learning a pleasure for pupils and they respond by being interested in their work and determined to do well in all aspects of their education. Broadwater Primary School - 10 OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a very good curriculum, teaching all National Curriculum subjects and religious education. Procedures to ensure that all pupils have equal access to the curriculum are very good, as is the provision for extra-curricular activities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. They make good progress throughout the school and take a full part in lessons. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. The staff offer valuable support to help pupils have full access to the curriculum. As a result, pupils make very good progress.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for ensuring pupils’ personal and cultural development is excellent. There is very good provision for their spiritual, moral and social development. In all these ways, the school builds very successfully on the traditions and diversity within its community. How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are excellent with very effective links to external agencies. An excellent caring, supportive environment is maintained.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Parents are given many opportunities to become fully involved in the education of their children. They receive a detailed annual report on the progress of their child and regular information about their child’s curriculum, national tests, English as an additional language, special educational needs provision and the need for regular attendance.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. The headteacher provides outstanding, purposeful leadership and is supported very well by the hard working deputy and assistant headteacher. Senior staff and subject co-ordinators have a very clear understanding of their roles and fulfil them very effectively. The levels of shared commitment and capacity to succeed are both excellent. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors’ role in helping to shape the direction of the school is very good. They have a very good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Priorities identified through financial planning are very good.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has developed and implemented some very good systems for evaluating its performance. Information and data gained from this process are used very well to identify areas for improvement. Teaching and learning are monitored well and school planning is seen as an important way of ensuring further improvements.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The strategic use of resources The school makes very good use of staff, accommodation and its other facilities. Governors ensure that priorities in the school development plan are fully costed and monitored effectively in order to give good value for money. Broadwater Primary School - 11 PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved ♦ Their children like school and have positive attitudes to learning. ♦ The teaching is good. ♦ Parents are kept well informed about their child’s progress. ♦ Teachers are approachable and always available to discuss matters. ♦ They see the new school council as a strength. ♦ No suggestions for improvement were raised by parents on their questionnaires.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The inspection team agrees with all the positive comments made by parents. Broadwater Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children’s attainment on entry to the Reception classes is well below that expected of children of their age. By the time they are ready to start in Year 1, the majority of children achieve well and are likely to attain the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development and in physical and creative development. In communication, language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world, their attainment is still below the expectations of children of similar age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the nursery and Reception classes, strong emphasis is placed on children’s personal, social and emotional development. The children are encouraged to take turns, listen to each other and staff carefully explain to them why their actions are sometimes inappropriate. Children begin to learn to share in the nursery so that in the Reception class they play well together and talk about activities. Staff in the nursery and Reception classes give a high priority to developing children’s spoken language and vocabulary. Stories are effective in extending the children’s knowledge. Children make satisfactory progress with reading as some of the elements of the National Literacy Strategy such as guided reading are used. By the end of their time in the Reception classes, children begin to apply their knowledge of letter sounds to their writing. They begin to form individual letters and by the end of Reception, some of the higher attaining children can spell some

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

common words well and make good attempts at unknown words using their knowledge of letter sounds. In mathematics, the majority of children are able to work within numbers one to ten but only a few of the higher attaining children are beginning to add numbers together.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. On starting school many children have a limited understanding of the world around them. By the end of the Reception year although their attainment is still below the expected level for children of this age, they have made good progress. They develop their understanding and knowledge of the world through observing living creatures and watching plants grow, finding out why things happen and how things work. The immediate environment is effectively used as a resource. Supportive adults help children to use the outdoor play equipment and use appropriate vocabulary to describe what they see and do. Reception children use the learner pool each week and gain confidence in the water. This is extended into other areas of their learning. In their creative work, children learn to use a range of materials. They take part in role-play acting out the stories they have heard. Children play enthusiastically with musical instruments trying out song

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

patterns. By the end of the Reception year children sing simple songs to help them with language patterns, rhythms and counting. They move very enthusiastically to the rhythms they hear and also make sounds with their hands, feet and knees. Children who have limited spoken English language gain confidence to join in with the actions and do their best to say the words.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. In 2001, Year 2 pupils’ results in national tests and tasks in reading were average in comparison with all schools; they were above average in writing and well above average in mathematics. Fewer pupils reached the higher levels in reading. When compared with the similar schools, Year 2 pupils’ reading, writing and science results were very high. Significant improvements have been made in the attainment of Year 2 pupils this year, for example with all pupils achieving at least the expected level 2 in mathematics. In the 2001 national tests at the end of Year 6, pupils’ results were well below average for all schools in science, below average in English but were average in mathematics. Results in English were as good as those in similar schools, were high in mathematics but were below average in science. The 2002 test results show that the school has exceeded its Year 6 targets for mathematics and science but has not quite

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

reached its target for English. In Year 6 nearly half of the pupils achieved level 5 in science and nearly a third attained the higher levels in mathematics. Improvements are being maintained and Broadwater Primary School - 13 the present Year 2 and 6 pupils are likely to at least sustain their improvements in standards in 2003. Overall pupils make consistently good progress and achieve well throughout the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Skills in speaking and listening are taught well throughout the school. Staff set a good example to pupils by listening carefully to what they have to say. Pupils learn to explain their ideas and opinions, and most pupils speak confidently when answering in class and talking to visitors. In paired work on ‘story starters’ in Year 6, pupils spark each other with ideas and are keen to report what they have written to the whole class. Those with English as an additional language benefit from working in small groups where they get more opportunity to practise speaking English. This means they respond well during lessons in other subjects when they are asked to give explanations or to talk about their work. By the end of Year 6 most pupils reach the expected standard in speaking and listening.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. In Years 1 and 2, pupils quickly develop a good understanding of letter sounds. Repetitive texts are used to encourage pupils to join in with familiar words. They know that words carry meaning and show an increasing awareness of main characters and story lines. More able pupils read simple texts fluently but others find it harder to read as their knowledge of phonics is limited and they make unrelated guesses at new words. In Years 3 to 5, pupils are more confident and use a range of reading strategies to help them read fluently and recall stories. Most have a good understanding of character and plot and the more able predict story outcomes. A few who find it harder to learn do not use these strategies. In addition, they are not heard to read frequently enough to ensure they make good progress. By the time they reach Year 6, most pupils read short passages with reasonable accuracy and have a sound understanding of the main points in the text.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

They confidently refer to the text to answer straightforward questions about their reading, but find it harder to use the skills of inference and deduction. A few more able pupils enjoy books and talk eagerly about their preferences for different authors. However, opportunities for pupils to develop these skills in independent research in subjects such as history, geography and religious education work are limited.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The school has made writing a specific focus for improvement, especially that of boys, and is successful in this. For instance, younger pupils know how to write sentences correctly and make good efforts with their spelling. They practise handwriting regularly but skills taught in handwriting lessons are not always transferred to their other written work. Small whiteboards are used effectively by pupils in Year 6 for noting down their ideas, drafting sentences and editing their work before writing it out. They are given a range of opportunities such as book reviews, biographies, newspaper reporting and obituaries to develop their skills in writing for different purposes. Time is set aside for pupils to write at length. Staff give good attention to teaching grammar, spelling and punctuation. Sometimes pupils’ style of handwriting changes within a particular piece of writing so that the presentation of their finished work looks untidy. In some

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

classes, computers are used for word processing the pupils’ writing, as for example, in producing instructions about how to make beads, but most pupils’ keyboard skills are limited.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In mathematics by the end of Year 2, pupils understand and have a good knowledge of place value to at least a hundred and can quickly recall addition and subtraction facts to twenty with the more able pupils confident in handling numbers to a thousand. Pupils know the names, and some of the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes. They solve shopping problems using coins up to a pound and tell the time in hours and half and quarter hours. They recognise fractions such a half and a quarter.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. By the end of Year 6 pupils have a good understanding of place value, including numbers to two or more decimal places whilst more able pupils are working confidently with numbers to over a million. Pupils add, subtract, multiply and divide two and three digit numbers accurately. They find the perimeter of simple and composite shapes and then calculate the area using the correct formula. Graphs are drawn accurately and interpreted. Pupils give clear reasons for their conclusions. Higher ability pupils use all four quadrants when plotting coordinates and have a good understanding of data handling, using terms such as mean, median and range correctly. The Broadwater Primary School - 14 depth of coverage of the curriculum in Years 5 and 6 is exemplary with pupils learning all aspects of mathematics that is designed to move them on rapidly to high levels of achievement.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. In science by the end of Year 2, pupils are able to follow suggested lines of scientific enquiry. They understand that ingredients baked in cakes cannot be returned to their original condition but that ice cubes can melt to become water again. Pupils can explain that some foods and drinks are essential to life. They understand that forces are needed to speed up and slow down objects and higher attaining pupils are beginning to understand the way that a force is used for an object to change direction. They can explain how electricity is used, and what happens when electrical circuits are broken. In their work, pupils are developing appreciation of the benefits and dangers of medicines and electricity. They can identify characteristics of birds and other animals and are developing understanding of the growth of plants through activities such as growing amaryllis from bulbs and planting willow in the school grounds.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. At the end of Year 6, most pupils plan investigations methodically and present information using simple descriptions and clearly labelled diagrams. They can use charts and graphs appropriately. Pupils draw accurate line graphs, for example, to show what happens when they investigate the force needed to pull a book up a slope set at different angles. Higher attaining pupils are able to draw conclusions from their investigations and evaluate their work. For example, when conducting experiments to see if they could drop an egg from an upper storey window without breaking it, they could contrast the effectiveness of the different protective materials they had used and the value of parachutes they had made to decrease the rate of descent and impact. They make accurate use of terms such as solution, dissolve, dilute, concentrate, evaporate, and condense. They can explain how to separate solids from liquids using paper filters, make sensible

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

predictions and understood how to set up a fair test. Pupils can describe and show in diagrams the life cycles of plants and animals, and explain how to alter the pitch of sounds made by a guitar by altering the strings.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology is now in line with expectations at the end of Year 2 but is still below expectations at the end of Year 6. However, progress since the last inspection has been good, with a significant improvement in the provision available to all pupils and standards are rising. By the end of Year 2 pupils are competent in the use of information and communication technology, being able to log on using the correct password. They use the mouse and keyboard with increasing confidence for a range of purposes, such as changing font and colour when writing sentences or making pictures. These improvements continue into the lower junior classes and pupils in Year 4 are already showing competence and skill in using the keyboard and make rapid progress. By the end of Year 6 pupils enter data and use information well to produce charts and graphs. Only occasionally do pupils use information

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and communication technology to help them in their literacy and numeracy work. This is an area recognised by the school for further development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of religious education is in line with the locally agreed syllabus and it is above expectations by the end of Year 6. This is because of the teachers’ good subject knowledge and their commitment to teaching the curriculum thoroughly. They are aware of the personal knowledge of many pupils and use it as an “accurate resource” in many lessons. Pupils therefore gain a great deal of knowledge about their own and other religions. The school approach to accepting and respecting everyone helps pupils to grow in their self-knowledge and understanding of others. At the end of Year 6, pupils reflect well on their own beliefs and how these affect their lives. They talk sensitively about the needs of others and recognise how learning about other people’s experiences and beliefs helps them personally. They know the main festivals, symbolism and beliefs associated with different faith groups.

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14. In physical education and history, standards of achievement are above that expected nationally for pupils by the end of Year 6. In design and technology, geography and music, pupils’ achievements are average and appropriate for their age. Broadwater Primary School - 15 15. Pupils with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs make at least good progress as they move through the school. Work in all the classes is usually provided at a suitable level, based on prior attainment, and they receive good support which results in them making rapid progress. The good levels of help they receive from teachers and assistants in the ‘intervention’ and ‘target’ groups ensure that their specific needs are met consistently through the school.

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16. The school’s targets for the number of pupils to reach level 4 or above in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 in 2003 are suitably challenging. Evidence from lessons and pupils’ work bears this out: rising standards are being maintained. Effective implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies, good teaching and the effective use of assessment in mathematics to track pupils’ progress across the school are having a positive effect on standards of attainment. Overall, pupils make consistently good progress and achieve well throughout the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. When children enter the nursery they respond well to their teacher’s high expectations of behaviour and quickly learn classroom routines. They adapt well to the regular procedures that encourage children to gain independence, such as making choices and moving around the classroom safely. They form friendship groups easily and are often seen sharing their games and toys. By the time they reach the Reception classes, most children, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language have settled in well and show care and concern when others are upset. Some children who enter the Reception classes have not had the benefit of attending the nursery. The attitudes of other children have a good influence on them and they too settle in quickly. Children’s attitudes and behaviour throughout the Foundation Stage are very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. From Year 1 to Year 6, pupils’ attitudes towards their work and their school are very good. Pupils enjoy going to school and most are very enthusiastic about learning. They work well and are very comfortable with the daily routines. Pupils joining the school at other times in the term are quickly drawn by the calming atmosphere around them so that they settle quickly and adapt to the school and their class routine. This is especially evident with older children who arrive at school speaking very little English. The school provides a safe and secure environment for these pupils and they respond very positively to what it has to offer and join in its activities enthusiastically. In class pupils settle down to work quickly and the majority make good progress with their tasks.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Behaviour is very good overall. No incidents of poor behaviour were observed during the inspection. Teachers and other members of staff manage their pupils well and only rarely raise their voices. The calm approach is reflected by the pupils. The class teacher quickly identifies those who have difficulty in controlling their behaviour and refers them to the learning mentors. Their excellent, effective and consistent approach quickly enables pupils to fit back into the class routine. Behaviour is particularly good in assemblies and when queuing to enter rooms or to get lunch.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Pupils are encouraged to develop a sense of self-esteem and responsibility for themselves. Behaviour was a strength of the school in the last inspection report and this aspect of the school has not changed. The staff’s, parents’ and learning mentors’ approach to bullying and any form of oppressive behaviour is also a strength of the school. Pupils of all races work together in perfect harmony. At the time of the inspection there were no exclusions. This reflects the positive approach taken toward behaviour management.

p.15

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. The quality of personal development and relationships is good. Pupils take responsibility for their own actions and through the school council take responsibility for those of their classmates by ensuring that the views of all pupils are represented. They have an excellent understanding of how their actions can affect others and are prepared to control their natural instincts to maintain Broadwater Primary School - 16 happy relationships. Pupils display a great respect for each others’ values and beliefs as was observed in religious education, assemblies and personal social and health education lessons. In all classes pupils mix well together regardless of gender, race and cultural differences. They are respectful to staff.

p.15

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. Relationships are very good. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and to adults. They were often seen holding doors open for each other and rushing to open doors for adults. Opportunities to demonstrate initiative and self-reliance are good. Pupils are capable of taking on many more responsibilities than they actually do and can be trusted more often to work independently without close supervision and to take turns to read in assembly and class. Circle time and personal, social and health education lessons are well structured and this has a positive impact on the good personal development and relationships seen during the inspections. These lessons also make a very significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.16

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23. Attendance is satisfactory. The school, through the Excellence in Cities initiative, is able to employ an attendance officer. This positive approach has seen a vast improvement in attendance and punctuality. Parents are aware of the school policy on holidays during term time and few parents request the permission of the headteacher for this. The high level of mobility within the area contributes to the level of unauthorised absences.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. In 37 lessons teaching was good with a further 22 being very good and in two lessons teaching was excellent. Satisfactory teaching was seen in 25 lessons and only one lesson was unsatisfactory. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection when there was much less very good or better teaching. During the inspection, examples of good and very good teaching were observed throughout the school with a small number of excellent lessons being taught, for example, in art and in mathematics. This overall good quality of teaching makes a substantial contribution towards promoting pupils’ enthusiasm for learning.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. Teaching overall in English is good and much of it is very good in Years 3 to 6. In numeracy, the quality of teaching is good with some teaching being very good or excellent and no teaching being unsatisfactory. Such good quality teaching is having a very positive effect on the pupils’ learning and ensures that standards continue to rise. Planning is good throughout the school and is firmly based on the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. However, there is scope here for a review of the timetable in the Year 1 and 2 classes since some literacy lessons are much longer than the recommended time and pupils find it difficult to maintain concentration. At present, too little use is being made of information and communication technology during literacy and numeracy periods, and this is an aspect which needs to be developed across the school.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. Teaching and learning of pupils with English as an additional language are very good. When teaching pupils who speak very little English, teachers place a clear focus on the vocabulary for each subject. Therefore, pupils with English as an additional language make very good progress in all subjects. Good resources such as posters and real objects provide pupils with visual prompts to help them understand. Bilingual staff support pupils’ learning very well and give pupils confidence especially when they first arrive at the school with very little understanding of English. Class teachers and specialist language staff generally plan together. They take turns to lead different parts of a lesson, which ensures all staff have equal status.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. Teachers’ good questioning skills ensure that all pupils are included and encouraged to give extended answers. Teachers imaginatively but systematically cover the same question in a variety of ways and encourage all pupils to respond. This helps all pupils to consolidate their understanding but is especially effective Broadwater Primary School - 17 in supporting pupils with special educational needs. The specialist language teachers and special educational needs staff are highly valued by the staff, pupils and parents. Learning support assistants are very well informed, are competent and used effectively to help pupils make good progress. All pupils learn well and work with interest and concentration.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. Throughout the school relationships between staff and pupils are very good and the mutual respect shown has a good impact on learning. The quality and use of ongoing verbal assessment in the classrooms are valuable and staff offer helpful and supportive comments to pupils as they work in the classrooms. Pupils’ books are marked in a positive and supportive manner and pupils are given useful pointers to help them improve their work in the future.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

29. In summary the noticeable strengths of the good and very good teaching are: ♦ effective lesson planning with work set at suitable levels for all pupils; ♦ high expectations of work and behaviour; relationships are very good; ♦ good assessment of pupils’ understanding in lessons through careful questioning; ♦ good use of support staff for pupils with learning difficulties. These strengths in teaching make learning a pleasure for pupils and they respond by being interested in their work and determined to do well in all aspects of their education.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

30. The school provides a very good quality curriculum. It is greatly enriched in many areas by the additional opportunities provided by the school to interest and inspire its pupils. These include a very wide range of interesting visits linked to work in class, a wide variety of knowledgeable and entertaining visitors and a very good quantity and range of clubs for pupils in Years 3 to 6 to attend. All National Curriculum subjects and religious education are taught successfully to pupils from Year 1 to Year 6. Sufficient teaching time is allocated to each subject so that all areas of learning are taught to pupils. Occasionally some literacy and numeracy lessons, particularly those for pupils in Years 1 and 2, are too long and pupils begin to lose interest and concentration.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

31. The provision for some subjects exceeds the statutory minimum. For example, in physical education, all pupils, including those in Reception and Years 1 and 2, have swimming lessons each year. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 learn all six aspects of the curriculum when only five is compulsory. It is, therefore, unsurprising that pupils’ achievements in physical education by the time they leave the school are above those found nationally. The school is developing the links it makes between subjects so that the skills learned in one subject can be reinforced by the work in another. For example, in history and geography there are often opportunities for pupils to use their art, design and technology and literacy skills. The school has identified the use of information and communication technology skills across the curriculum as an area for further development. The curriculum for children aged 3 to 5 in the Foundation Stage is good and staff are in the process of

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

implementing and using the ‘stepping stones’ in the Early Learning Goals. This helps to ensure that children’s progress is continuous when they move from the nursery into the Reception classes. Children make good progress in the nursery and Reception classes because the good and sometimes very good teaching helps them to learn to speak English in a safe and interesting environment.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

32. The strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy are firmly in place and are having a positive impact on learning. The strategies for teaching numeracy and other aspects of mathematics have proved to be very effective as can be seen from the standards pupils attain throughout the school. The provision for personal, social and health education is exceptional and a very significant strength of the school. It is extremely well planned, timetabled regularly for all classes and includes citizenship. There are appropriate policies, agreed by the governing body, for drug and sex education and these aspects of health education are taught sensitively to pupils with the support of parents and carers. Broadwater Primary School - 18 33. The curriculum provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils also receive very good support from learning mentors who plan specific activities related to individual

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

education plans. All support staff keep careful records of their observations of pupil progress, which are used to plan further work. Teaching provided by specialist support teachers is both systematic and imaginative.

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

34. The curriculum is greatly enhanced by the large number and range of relevant visits planned for pupils and the rich variety of visitors who talk to and work with the pupils in school. Recent interesting and educational trips out have included Year 5 pupils going to a Buddhist temple as part of their religious education studies, Year 3 to Kew Gardens and Year 2 to Birdworld to improve their understanding of the natural world. Year 4 visited Bankside to enliven their history work about the Tudors. Year 6 pupils had the opportunity to go on a residential trip to the Isle of Wight where they were able to take part in educational and adventurous activities as well as having many opportunities to develop socially and learn to live harmoniously away from home.

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

35. Visitors to the school are made very welcome and many comment on how rewarding their visit has proved for themselves as well as the children. Visitors such as African drummers from a local secondary school, football coaches, a storyteller, a musician and a sculptor all helped to bring the curriculum to life and to fascinate and interest pupils in their learning. Year 6 pupils had the privilege of interviewing a parent with a baby who bravely volunteered to visit the school as part of their studies. The number of clubs for pupils to attend in Years 3 to 6 is very good and has a positive effect on their learning and the standards they attain in many subject areas. They include football, art, netball, cricket, recorder playing, pottery, French and information and communication technology.

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

36. The school’s links with the community are very good and are beneficial to all involved. There are strong links with a wide range of local places of worship. These enable pupils to learn about the beliefs, festivals and cultures of different faiths in a positive and rewarding way. Links with local businesses are also very good and, as well as proving financially useful, help the pupils learn about the outside world. For instance, two local businesswomen worked with Year 6 pupils on a World Trade project to deepen their understanding of how the world’s economy operates. Links to other local schools are good and help to develop the curriculum. Subject co-ordinators meet regularly to share their ideas and expertise and the district music and sports associations are very active in providing opportunities for pupils to work with and sometimes compete against pupils from other primary schools.

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

37. The governors have made a powerful mission statement about the school's provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural education and the worth of individual pupils in the community. This is the essence of what the school aims for and successfully carries out in practice.

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

38. Spiritual education is very good and has improved since the last inspection. Acts of collective worship are a focal point of the school day. Staff use these opportunities well to widen pupils' knowledge and understanding of different religions, while at the same time drawing together the common threads manifest in Christianity. Personal development is highlighted in different ways. For example, in a Key Stage 1 assembly the gift of friendship was introduced imaginatively. In another whole-school assembly, about acknowledging people's differences, the headteacher provided a very good role model through his sensitive interaction and handling of pupils' responses. The school encourages all to be confident in expressing their values and beliefs and this is shown when they talk and in their writing, such as the evocative poems written in Year 6 about peace. In the Foundation Stage, children marvelled at a dead fledgling bird's tiny feet and

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

little eyes and then talked about people they knew who had died. They watched in awe and wonder as, afterwards, the other fledglings flew to safety in a nearby rosemary bush.

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

39. Moral education is also very good. Assemblies to celebrate the work done in classes, encourage pupils to think about how their behaviour affects others and to establish the idea of right and wrong. The school's aims are clear and consistently promoted by all staff, who promptly deal Broadwater Primary School - 19 with any unsatisfactory behaviour, explaining why it is wrong and how it can be put right. Rules are devised by pupils who take responsibility for seeing they are carried out. For example, they take responsibility for implementing the school rules and effectively carry out their roles as monitors in the classrooms and on the staircases. An effective class assembly in Year 3 was based on respect and awareness of the needs of others and pupils were asked to give their own ideas on how to show these qualities.

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

40. Social development is very good and is seen in the way pupils co-operate with each other. The school council takes its responsibilities seriously as the representative voice of their classes. Lessons are organised well to allow pupils to work collaboratively and exchange ideas. Outside the classrooms, everyone plays harmoniously together, sharing equipment with each other. Older pupils set good examples for the younger ones to copy and include them in the games they play. Many participate in extra-curricular and community activities and are represented in area leagues and competitions such as football and netball. They also think about others by raising money for charities, for example, to pay for one particular child's education in Africa.

p.19

OR STUDENTS?

41. A major strength of the school is the excellent cultural education it provides, that creates a rich environment where everyone is valued. One pupil wrote on anti-racism that if the school did not include all nationalities it would be “like a rainbow with only one colour”. Stories from around the world are used in assemblies and lessons and there are many dual language texts in book corners as well as notices and posters in several languages. Food and customs from other countries are shared during festival times such as Chinese New Year and Diwali. The culture of Western Europe is taught through a range of visits, for example, art galleries and historical places. Displays are used for the same purpose, and one at present is about black inventors, both men and women who are black. Pupils made respectful and thoughtful responses to world events, for instance the earthquake in India and the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre. They wrote

p.19

OR STUDENTS?

to the mayor of New York, offering sympathy and support. In all these ways, the school builds very successfully on the traditions and diversity within its community.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. All staff are aware of the school’s excellent procedures for child protection. The school receives excellent support from the learning mentors, the headteacher and all staff in the school. All staff are aware that the headteacher, deputy and special needs co-ordinator are the named persons for child protection.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Medical arrangements are good. Appropriate staff are trained in First Aid and the school welcomes anyone who would like to take up training. All staff handle the shared information about children with health problems sensitively. The school nurse visits regularly and children are monitored for their physical growth.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school is a very safe and clean environment. Security is good. The playground is free from hazards. The ideas from the school council led to a much improved educational play area which is much appreciated by pupils. Fire drills are carried out regularly. During the inspection the fire alarm accidentally went off. Staff and pupils acted quickly and effectively to perform an excellent drill. All signs and safety equipment are in place and staff take great care to ensure safety in classrooms.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school has very good procedures for tracking pupils’ personal and social development and is effective in sharing these with pupils and their parents through the annual reports. It is similarly effective in setting targets for improvement. All staff are involved in this process. For example, lunchtime assistants are involved with monitoring behaviour that is recorded and relayed back to teachers. Reward systems acknowledge good behaviour and improvement to attitudes as well as academic achievements. Clubs are appreciated and well attended. In the annual report to parents, pupils have a chance to assess their own behaviour, work and academic progress. Personal support and guidance for special educational needs pupils Broadwater Primary School - 20 and those for whom English is an additional language are very good. Support staff are used well to give pupils full support and access to the curriculum.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. A good system for assessment in the mathematics is now in place. It is used analytically to monitor each child’s progress in the subject but similar rigorous systems are not fully in place, particularly for reading and for the foundation subjects. Targets for improvement are not precise enough about National Curriculum levels and what is to be achieved. The school uses official tests at the end of each year to assess progress in reading and writing, but there is a lack of regular assessments at other times in order to track pupils’ progress more thoroughly. This means that in reading for example, there is a lack of clarity about what pupils still need to achieve in order to move through one level and on to the next. The school is now making this and assessment in the foundation subjects a priority for development in the coming year.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents’ views of the school are very positive. They believe the school is helping their children to make good progress in all curriculum areas. They appreciate the openness of the headteacher and staff and their willingness to communicate with parents. They are pleased with the easy and informal ways in which the staff can be approached to discuss matters. Parents are particularly pleased with the way the school manages pupils’ behaviour and are happy with the progress their children make. They are very happy with the amount of activities and range of extra- curricular activities offered by the school. Parents expressed the view that their children enjoy coming to school. Inspectors agree that pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes have a positive impact on their learning. They also judged that homework is satisfactory and the range of school activities is very good.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The quality of information provided for parents is very good. Annual reports on pupils’ progress are well written and informative. The school now has a pool of parents acting as translators to help with communications with new parents who are unable to speak English. Parents are encouraged to help in the classroom with reading, design and technology and numeracy. In a religious education lesson observed by an inspector, it was noted that a parent contributed to the lesson by sharing her beliefs and faith with the class. The Friends of Broadwater is an active group of parents, staff and pupils who for the last four years have raised enough money to purchase ICT equipment. A special room has been allocated to the parents for coffee mornings which are organised each week by the learning mentors. This gives the parents a chance to express their views or to voice any concerns, for example, school uniforms. The school

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

prospectus provides good relevant information about the school and the governors’ report to parents complies with legal requirements. The parents are always pleased with the support and respect shown to them by the headteacher and staff.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parental support for pupils learning is good. Many parents, especially in the Foundation Stage, make a good contribution to the life of the school by assisting in the classroom. The support that parents give to their children at home is variable. Not all pupils are given a home- school book, but those that were seen by the inspectors maintain an effective dialogue between home and school. Attendance and punctuality is satisfactory and the school’s new procedures are seen as a positive move by parents. The time given to children and their families by the learning mentors is also a very effective resource.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The headteacher provides excellent, purposeful leadership. The school has made good improvements since the last inspection through the commitment, hard work and vision of the headteacher, ably supported by his deputy, assistant and senior management team. He manages to address the day-to-day difficulties faced by the school very successfully. He provides very clear direction for the work of the school and has developed and maintained a strong focus on raising the standard and quality of education for pupils. His management style has generated high levels Broadwater Primary School - 21 of loyalty from all members of staff and respect from parents and the local community. Every possible care is taken to ensure that all pupils receive their full entitlement to a good quality education and are treated with respect and consideration at all times. All who work in the school are totally committed to this aim and this is much appreciated by the pupils and their carers.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Together with the establishment of a strong senior management team, the headteacher has ensured a firm foundation for the continued growth and development of the school. All staff have clear and high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and standards of work. They follow the school guidelines consistently encouraging very positive attitudes and behaviour among pupils and helping them to develop self-discipline. Performance management is in place and is seen by the headteacher and staff as a valuable means of identifying where improvements are needed to improve standards.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Since the last inspection the school has taken effective measures to strengthen the roles and responsibilities of all senior members of staff and the subject co-ordinators. The re- organisation and development of the senior management team by creating a leadership team which includes the deputy headteacher as co-ordinator for English as an additional language and special educational needs co-ordinator, has provided greater depth to the management structure. In addition it has enabled more staff to take on responsibilities and support developments. Senior staff take responsibility for the pastoral management of pupils and staff and have direct responsibility for monitoring the progress of developments and ensuring policies are implemented consistently. The subject co-ordinators have suitable monitoring tasks such as checking teachers’ lesson planning and work sampling to help ensure that appropriate work is provided for pupils

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

across the classes and year groups in each subject. Time has been allocated to enable subject co-ordinators to develop their management roles more effectively by supporting their colleagues in the classroom and monitoring the quality of teaching and learning.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The deployment of teaching and support staff is very effective and ensures efficient management of the school. In classes, the learning support assistants work very well in close partnership with the teachers. Provision for special educational needs and pupils with English as an additional language is very good and is very well managed by the co-ordinators. All staff, teaching and non-teaching, involved in their work are clear about their roles and understand the important part they play in helping pupils in their care to learn well. No pupil’s difficulties are taken as a reason not to strive for excellence.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The development of a coherent programme to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning has been a major priority for the headteacher and staff and the system is working well. The match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum is very good. The organisation, management and support for newly qualified teachers are very good. For example, the school ensures that every teacher new to the school has a mentor who is also a colleague, in order to provide relevant information. This works very well to give support and guidance to newly appointed or temporary staff who work in the school. The school successfully recruits new teachers and has a loyal band of supply teachers ready to step in at very short notice. This is a testimony to the high quality support provided and the encouraging ethos the school generates to attract teachers to work in the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The curriculum committee of the governing body meets regularly to approve policies and discuss future strategies and initiatives. Subject co-ordinators report to governors to keep them informed of developments and to enable them to assess the impact of spending on standards. There are designated governors for literacy, numeracy, special educational needs, the Foundation Stage and personal, social and health education. They visit the school regularly to observe the provision first hand to assess its effectiveness.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The headteacher, staff and governors are all involved in school development planning. The priorities for development are carefully analysed and the appropriateness of them and the actions taken to meet these objectives are very good. The shared commitment by everyone to focus on improvement is excellent. The governors are very clear about their roles and their Broadwater Primary School - 22 importance to the school. They act as ‘critical friends ‘ and their effectiveness in fulfilling their statutory and other responsibilities is very good. They have a very clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and ensure that they take a prominent role in promoting the aims of the school. This was seen in the way they sent questionnaires to staff, pupils, parents and the wider community to gain information about views on the effectiveness of the school. In another initiative they arranged for some of the junior pupils to give a presentation about anti

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

racism at the start of the annual governors’ meeting with parents. This attracted more parents to the meeting.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The governors apply the principles of ‘best value’ in all spending decisions and then monitor its impact on financial planning. They ensure the school spends its resources wisely and seek to obtain best value when improving learning resources. Educational priorities are supported very well through excellent financial planning. The school has been very successful in obtaining a number of additional funds to support developments in the school and these funds are used very effectively for their designated purposes. Governors are clear about their monitoring role; the expectations and focus of visits in order to improve their contribution to shaping the direction of the school. The school gives good value for money.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The school makes very good use of all the accommodation available. The three halls are used efficiently for assemblies and indoor physical education. The nursery area outside has an imaginative range of exciting and interesting features to enrich the quality of learning for the youngest pupils. The school’s working environment is very clean, well maintained and effectively managed. The adequacy of the school’s learning resources is good overall and sufficient to meet the needs of the curriculum in all subjects. Resources for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are used effectively and are of good quality bringing about improved standards.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to raise standards further, the headteacher and staff with the support of the governors, should now:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ establish a more rigorous system of assessment in reading and then in the foundation subjects to ensure that pupils’ achievements and progress are carefully tracked as they move through the school; (Paras: 46, 61, 70, 86, 87, 92, 99, 124, 130, 142,150)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ continue to improve pupils’ attainment in information, communication and technology especially in the Year 3 to Year 6 classes by ensuring that ICT is used in all subjects where possible and that this is regularly monitored and checked; (Paras: 25, 89, 97, 109,123, 130, 133, 135, 137)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ develop a clearer understanding and use of the ‘stepping stones’ in the Early Learning Goals, so that children’s learning builds on what they already know as they move from the nursery into the Reception classes and then into Year 1.(Paras: 31, 66, 74)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the issues above, the following minor area for development should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ carry out a review of the timetable for literacy and numeracy in some classes. (Paras: 25, 111, 118, 130) Broadwater Primary School - 23

p.22

English as an additional language

58. There are high numbers of pupils with English as an additional language with many pupils at the early stages of learning English. There are specialist teachers and support staff to assist these pupils. A large number of pupils leave the school or join during the year. Many of the new children are from overseas. These pupils make very good progress because of the well-planned lessons and detailed regular assessments used to plan the next steps in learning. The leadership of the team is very effective in providing clear guidance on standards, quality of teaching and effectiveness. This is a strength of the work of the school. Pupils who have English as an additional language and have been at the school since the nursery or Reception class achieve as well as other pupils, and often achieve level 5 in national tests in English mathematics and science.

p.23

English as an additional language

59. Pupils receive very good support from the specialist staff. Many pupils have very positive attitudes to learning and enjoy working in small groups. They answer questions readily and settle to work quickly. The school has a clear anti-racist policy and the climate of care and respect supports all pupils and staff from a variety of backgrounds and ethnic groups. All teachers have an appropriate focus on teaching the vocabulary for each subject. Therefore, pupils with English as an additional language make very good progress in all subjects. Good resources such as posters and real objects provide pupils with visual prompts to help them understand. For instance, in the nursery real fruits and chilli peppers help children understand a story. Bilingual staff support pupils’ learning very well and give pupils confidence when they first arrive at the school with very little understanding of English. The specialist language teachers and staff are highly valued by the

p.23

English as an additional language

staff, pupils and parents. Class teachers and specialist language staff generally plan together. They take turns to lead different parts of a lesson which ensures all staff have equal status. Staff rarely take pupils out of the class to work unless it is a group session for the whole class. Teachers set homework for all pupils and adapt it appropriately to meet the needs of individual pupils.

p.23

English as an additional language

60. Staff review the curriculum regularly and are committed to providing a relevant curriculum for all pupils. For instance, staff have planned a new initiative for Black History Month to try to raise the self-esteem of Black Afro-Caribbean pupils. Pupils are encouraged to share their knowledge of their traditions, which raises their self-esteem. Visits and visitors enhance the curriculum in many subjects so pupils become familiar with the area in which they live. The co- ordinator carefully tracks the attainment of pupils to ensure they continue to make very good progress. Where progress is less than expected staff carefully check their assessment records to find reasons for differences in levels of learning. If necessary, the school assesses pupils in their home language to see if they have special educational needs. The school closely monitors the performance of boys and girls and different ethnic minority groups. Where concerns are raised,

p.23

English as an additional language

such as with Black Afro-Caribbean boys, the school organises additional support to raise their attainment and self-esteem, for instance, increased targeting for those pupils in the mathematics sets.

p.23

English as an additional language

61. The school has improved the number of letters and booklets translated for parents, making communications with parents more effective. Bilingual staff or older pupils translate for parents at open evenings to ensure they have a good understanding of their child’s progress. Parents feel comfortable approaching the school to ask for help when they need it. Broadwater Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 2 25 43 29 1 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR–6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 47 394

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 138 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 5

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 62

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 290 Number of pupils at an early stage of English language acquisition 140

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 70

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 75

p.24

Attendance

Authorised absence – May 2002 Unauthorised absence – May 2002

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Broadwater Primary School - 25

p.24

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 26 24 50

p.25

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

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

Boys 26 25 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 21 24

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (90) 92 (90) 100 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 26 26 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 21 23

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (90) 94 (96) 98 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 31 26 57

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 20 24 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 20 21 23

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

Percentage of pupils School 71 (75) 79 (71) 82 (82) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 18 23 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 20 21 21

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School 68 (69) 71 (71) 77 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Broadwater Primary School - 26

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 16 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 19 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 11 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 121 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 9 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 5 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 44 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 25 0 0

p.26

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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 21.6 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1,473,218

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 19 Total expenditure 1,472,858

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 307 Expenditure per pupil 3,371

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 149,777

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.6 Balance carried forward to next year 150,137

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 130

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 9 FTE means full-time equivalent. Broadwater Primary School - 27

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2.4

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2.4

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Broadwater Primary School - 28

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 64 35 1 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 64 34 1 0 1

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 42 38 9 6 5

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 62 32 4 0 2

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 66 29 3 0 2

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 74 25 1 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 50 45 1 0 4

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 62 35 1 0 2

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 34 1 1 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 49 35 3 2 11 Broadwater Primary School - 29

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. The nursery has 28 full-time and 34 part-time children and there are two Reception classes. When the children start in the nursery their knowledge and understanding is well below expectations for their age. Many of the children have English as an additional language and most are in the very early stages of learning English. These children have very good support with bilingual staff helping them to understand what is happening and giving them confidence in a new environment. Some children have special educational needs that staff identify quickly. These children have good support and staff deal sensitively with children who have social and emotional needs. They help them to settle in class and in so doing reduce upsetting other children. Staff identify children who are talented in particular areas, such as using computers at an early age, and tasks are adapted to challenge them.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. Children make good progress in the nursery because the good and sometimes very good teaching helps them learn English in a safe and interesting environment. By the time they have moved into the Reception classes they have made good gains in all the areas of learning. They continue to make good progress in the Reception classes but a significant number of new children join the Reception classes who also speak English as an additional language. So despite the generally good teaching in the Reception classes the standards by the end of the Reception year remain below those expected for their age in communication, language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world. In creative and physical development, and personal, social and emotional development, children’s attainment meets the goals set for them.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Teachers and support staff have a good knowledge of the needs of young children and plan effectively for all the areas of learning. They provide activities for children to use their sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch when exploring their environment. However, teachers do not always challenge children sufficiently with the planned activities because they lack detailed information on what children already know, understand and can do. The co-ordinator has identified this as an area for development. She understands the needs of young children very well. The school has maintained the good provision since the previous inspection and is in the process of successfully introducing ‘stepping stones’ in the new Foundation Stage curriculum based on the Early Learning Goals.

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Personal, social and emotional development

65. Children make good progress during their time in the nursery and Reception classes because of the staff’s high expectations and the good organisation. They encourage children to take turns, listen to each other and carefully explain why their actions are inappropriate. Most children will meet the standards expected by the end of the Reception year.

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Personal, social and emotional development

66. Nursery children settle quickly into routines and the majority are secure and leave their parents and carers soon after they start. Parents are encouraged to settle their children into the nursery and help them begin an activity. Children enjoy activities particularly when an adult is there and this extends their concentration. At snack time, the children are encouraged to hand round the fruit and drinks while the staff sit with them and talk about activities they have done. In the nursery and Reception classes the children generally behave appropriately although one or two children have difficult behaviour. Staff deal with them sensitively and encourage them to join in activities or if necessary distract them with another activity. Children begin to learn to share in the nursery so that in the Reception class they play well together and talk about activities. In the Reception classes they move independently between activities but sometimes need more

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

encouragement to stay longer at an activity. The use of the children’s home languages gives them greater confidence to join in with activities. Broadwater Primary School - 30

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Communication, language and literacy

67. Many children have well below average skills in spoken English when they start in the nursery. However, by the end of the Reception year, although they still do not meet the goals set for them, they have made good progress. This is because all the staff focus on language teaching, developing children’s vocabulary in a wide range of experiences.

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

68. The nursery nurses and the language support staff provide very good bilingual support in the nursery and Reception classes. Stories are effective in extending the children’s knowledge. For example, in the nursery, “Hot Chillies” was used to introduce new vocabulary and real chillies, fruit and milk were used to help the children understand. In the Reception classes, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is effective in teaching children the sequence of story and the mathematical vocabulary for the sizes of objects. Children make satisfactory progress with reading. In the nursery, they know that print has meaning and towards the end of the year, some children begin to learn the names and sounds of letters. In the Reception classes children begin to learn more about letter sounds and some begin to apply this to their writing. Staff usually hear children read at least twice every week but the reading records do not contain sufficient diagnostic comments that

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

help teachers plan the next steps in reading for the children. Staff encourage children to take a book home each week and some children are able to find individual letters which are in their name.

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

69. Children in the nursery and Reception classes use the writing area in the class to copy their names and trace over an adult’s writing. The children begin to form individual letters and by the end of Reception some of the higher attaining children can spell some common words well and make good attempts at unknown words using their knowledge of letter sounds. Only a minority of children will achieve the level expected in writing by the end of the year.

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Mathematical development

70. Although children make good progress they start from a very low level and by the end of the Reception year the attainment is still below that expected for children who are starting in Year 1. The majority of the children are working within numbers one to ten and a few of the higher attaining children are beginning to add numbers together.

p.30

Mathematical development

71. The teaching of number skills is satisfactory overall and sometimes good. In the nursery the staff take every opportunity to practise counting. For instance, children count the wheels on a lorry and decide how many they need altogether. They learn about positional language such as above, on and under when looking at creatures at the seaside. They make a simple pictogram of their favourite farm animals. In the Reception classes the teachers count the bears in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and the number of snakes a child has made with the dough. They sing number songs and rhymes such as “Five Little Ducks” and some can hold up the correct number of fingers.

p.30

Mathematical development

72. The staff collect assessment information but do not match it sufficiently closely to the learning goals set for the children in the nursery and Reception classes. Informal assessments which staff pass from the nursery to the Reception classes are not sufficiently clear for staff to plan different levels of activity to ensure that planned work is matched to individual needs. This means that sometimes the higher attaining children have the same work as other children and this slows the pace of their learning.

p.30

Knowledge and understanding of the world

73. On starting school many children have a limited understanding of the world around them. By the end of the Reception year although their attainment is still below the expected level for children of this age, they have made good progress. Many have a wider vocabulary and can make themselves understood when talking about their experiences. The teachers plan a range of interesting activities and use the outdoor environment well. The wild life area in the nursery Broadwater Primary School - 31 playground provides excellent opportunities to look at insects and apples that grow there. The children study them with great interest. Earlier in the year, they were able to watch baby birds fly from their nesting box. One casualty provided the opportunities for children to look closely at a baby bird, and think about the death of a creature. Children learn how to plant seeds and care for them, and learn about the changes that occur over time.

p.30

Knowledge and understanding of the world

74. The children have good opportunities to use computers in the nursery and Reception classes. They are confident using the mouse and the majority can click on an object and drag it across the screen. Teachers use the Roamer effectively and help children to programme the toy to move. This creates a great deal of excitement and the children are very motivated to learn.

p.31

Knowledge and understanding of the world

75. Children celebrate the festivals of the major religions of the world and make cards and decorations. In this way they begin to understand the differences between people and to accept them. They learn about people who help them such as the firemen and shop assistants in the role- play areas. This also makes a good contribution to their mathematical understanding by pairing shoes and looking at the different sizes. The teaching of knowledge and understanding of the world is good. Activities are well planned and the environment is used effectively as a resource. Supportive adults help the children to use the appropriate vocabulary to describe what they see and do.

p.31

Physical development

76. The quality of teaching is good, and sometimes very good and children make good progress in this area of learning. Most of them achieve the expected standards by the end of the Reception year.

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Physical development

77. Children experience outdoor play almost every day. The very good covered area in the Reception classes protects them on wet days and still allows them the opportunity to go outside. The staff supervise the children well and join in with the children’s play. They challenge the children in the nursery to throw balls accurately into a net and to balance a quoit on their heads while they walk. In a Reception class lesson in the hall the children became increasingly confident and began to use more space in the hall. They learned mathematical language of wide, narrow, tall and short when making shapes with their bodies. The majority of the children are able to listen carefully to the teacher’s instructions and follow her demonstration. The bilingual nursery nurse provides invaluable support to Urdu-speaking children who have limited understanding of English, helping them to join in. Every day in the nursery and Reception classes the children use pens,

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Physical development

pencils, and drawing materials for a range of activities. This improves their finer movements and they use paintbrushes and glue with increasing skill. The school also makes very good use of the learner swimming pool. Reception children use this weekly and gain confidence in the water, but also their new found confidence extends into other areas of their learning.

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Creative development

78. Children have limited experiences when they come to school. Good provision of a wide range of experiences ensures the children make good progress and by the end of the Reception year, most children meet the levels expected.

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Creative development

79. In the nursery children enjoy painting, printing with fruit and drawing. They make plates of their favourite foods using dried foods and pasta and talk in their home languages about the soup or dinner. The language assistant introduces them to the appropriate English vocabulary. They also experience the textures of cornflour and water and its strange properties. The nursery nurse encourages them to think about what it feels like and emphasises the words to describe it. The children thoroughly enjoy this activity although being a little unsure about it at first. In the Reception classes children paint and draw fruits for the “Hungry Caterpillar” story. Some children can represent the shapes accurately while others need more help to succeed. The children in the nursery act out a home situation. The good provision of multicultural resources from different Broadwater Primary School - 32 cultures helps the children feel secure. The presence of an adult extends their play and they stay

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Creative development

as a group interacting with each other and the adult for some time. In the Reception classes, the children act out the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The role-play area is the bears' cottage and simple props help their play. However, some children find it difficult to play purposefully without adult help. Children play enthusiastically with musical instruments trying out song patterns. In music in the Reception classes they learn to make sounds with their hands feet and knees. They also sing simple songs to help them with language patterns and rhythms and counting. They move very enthusiastically to the rhythms and children who have limited English language gain confidence to join in with the actions and do their best to say the words.

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ENGLISH

80. Results in the 2001 SATs at the end of Year 2 showed attainment in reading was average and it was above average in writing when compared to the national picture. The findings of this inspection is that pupils in Year 2 attain standards that are average and similar to those at the time of the last inspection. Unverified results for the 2002 tests for pupils at the end of Year 2 are good or very good with a significant number of pupils reaching expected standards. At the end of Year 6 standards in English were below average in 2001 and are likely to be similar in the unverified 2002 results. This is not as good as in the last inspection when standards were above average at the end of Year 6. These changes are most probably due to the considerable movement of pupils in and out of the school recently in Years 5 and 6. However, lesson observations during the inspection indicate that standards are improving in the current Year 6 classes. The school is close

p.32

ENGLISH

to achieving its own and national targets for the numbers of pupils reaching the expected standard at age 11. The percentage of pupils expected to gain Level 5 is increasing.

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ENGLISH

81. Scrutiny of work together with lesson observations show that pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress at both key stages. Those with English as an additional language receive specific support and make very good progress as a result. The national initiative in literacy has been implemented effectively and provides helpful guidelines to teachers about the structure and content of lessons.

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ENGLISH

82. Pupils are usually pleased to talk to visitors about their work and matters that interest them. They are polite and respectful. Most listen carefully to oral introductions but when the class is kept sitting on the carpet too long, some become restless and lose attention. Staff value pupils' contributions, such as in news time in Year 1, and use their learning support staff to check who joins in discussions. In paired work in Year 6, discussing ways to start a story, pupils spark each other with ideas and are keen to report what they have written to the whole class. Those with English as an additional language benefit from working in small groups where they get more opportunity to practise speaking English. By the end of Year 6, they and other pupils are far more confident and respond well during lessons in other subjects when they are asked to give explanations or to talk about their work.

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ENGLISH

83. At present, pupils do not always recognise that when they read aloud in groups in literacy circles, adults are actually listening to them and noting their progress. As a result, some pupils' perception of reading is different from that of the school's. One child said, "the place to read is in our head, you do not read to adults" and another that the only adult who ever heard her read was her sister. Some of the higher attaining pupils and those with special educational needs, or who have English as an additional language, receive extra teaching support on a regular basis and this helps them to make good progress. This arrangement has undoubtedly helped these pupils and there are others who would also benefit from this type of support. At present some do not improve sufficiently in their reading skills because their progress is not checked closely enough. Weekly homework tasks are given using the book texts being discussed in literacy circles.

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ENGLISH

84. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 use a range of strategies to help them read new words successfully. Here, repetitive texts are used to encourage pupils to join in with familiar words. They know that words carry meaning and show an increasing awareness of main characters and Broadwater Primary School - 33 story lines. Those who are above average read simple texts fluently but others struggle more as their knowledge of phonics is limited and they make unrelated guesses at new words. Few pupils name authors they like. In Years 3 to 6, pupils are more confident and use a range of reading cues to help fluency and recall. Most have a good understanding of character and plot and the more able can predict story outcomes. A few who struggle do not use these strategies and are not heard to read frequently enough to ensure they make good progress. Some could name well- known authors and knew the difference between types of books such as adventure and science

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ENGLISH

85. Few pupils were able to visit the well-stocked library during the week of the inspection as it was used for small group and individual work. Under normal circumstances the room is in frequent use by pupils. They learn how to use index and contents in books and older pupils know how to use a glossary for explanations of word meanings. Pupils in the junior classes do not have reading diaries but write reviews on the books they have read. For some pupils in Years 3 and 4 this is difficult and inevitably affects their enthusiasm for books and the progress they make in reading. These pupils need some ‘prompts’ to help them write about their book and more guidance to help them select what to read next.

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ENGLISH

86. The school has made writing a specific focus for improvement, especially that of boys, and is successful in this. For instance, younger pupils know how to write sentences correctly and use the rules of spelling with some understanding. Small whiteboards are effectively used by pupils in Year 6 for noting down their ideas, drafting sentences and editing their work before writing it out. They are given a range of opportunities such as book reviews, biographies, suspense writing, newspaper reporting and obituaries to develop their skills. Time is given for extended work and a proper emphasis given to grammar, spelling and punctuation. Pupils practise handwriting regularly but these skills are not always transferred to their own written work. The presentation of work is often untidy and the style of handwriting changes within a particular piece. This happens when the work is not clearly marked as a first draft. Computers are used in word processing, for

p.33

ENGLISH

example, in producing instructions on how to make beads, but pupils’ keyboard skills are limited, especially in the Years 5 and 6 classes.

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ENGLISH

87. Pupils respond well or very well to English lessons and their behaviour is very good. They are enthusiastic, fully engaged and produce good quantities of work in the time available. In guided reading, they are confident about stating their preferences and putting forward their own ideas. In group work, they collaborate well, taking ideas from each other which they then go on to develop effectively in their own work.

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ENGLISH

88. Overall teaching is good and much of it is very good in Years 3 to 6. This is largely due to the thorough planning, skilful questioning and good relationships teachers establish with their classes. Resources are well prepared and teachers are very clear about what is to be learned and how. They have good subject knowledge which they impart to their pupils through effective explanations. Lessons are challenging and give pupils ample opportunities to put forward their own ideas. Additional staff provide very good support and are most effective in helping them make progress. The environment in most classrooms supports language curriculum activities, for example through displays on poetry, and reflections on what they think will be expected of them in their new year groups.

p.33

ENGLISH

89. Assessment in English is not sufficiently rigorous and targets for improvement are not precise enough about National Curriculum levels and what is still to be achieved especially in reading. The school uses official tests at the end of each year to assess progress in reading and writing but there is a lack of informal assessment at other times. This means that there is a lack of clarity about what pupils still need to achieve in order to move through one level and on to the next.

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ENGLISH

90. The English curriculum is enriched by visits from poets such as Wes Magee and Brian Moses, storytellers, including parents who have read stories in their home languages, and a visiting theatre company who performed works from Shakespeare including ‘A Midsummer Night’s Broadwater Primary School - 34 Dream’. The school is hoping to receive funds for a Family Literacy Project to help parents and pre-school children become more fluent in English.

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MATHEMATICS

91. There has been a good improvement in mathematics since the last inspection, most noticeably in standards, which have risen each year. Pupils in Year 2 attain standards above the national average in numeracy and other areas of mathematics. The national test results in 2001 showed that attainment was well above the national average and the results of the 2002 tests indicate that standards have been maintained with all pupils reaching the nationally expected level and nearly a third of these attaining the higher level 3. Test results since 2000 have shown standards to be consistently above those expected nationally as the school has successfully kept ahead of the upward national trend. The successful introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy and the predominantly good teaching seen in Years 1 and 2 are having a positive impact on the standards achieved by pupils of all abilities.

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MATHEMATICS

92. Standards attained by pupils at the end of Year 6 are also above those found nationally. From being below the national average in 2000 the school has successfully raised standards each year. In 2001 standards were in line with other schools. Unverified results in 2002 show further improvement, particularly in the number of pupils attaining higher than the expected level 4. From the evidence of the work seen in pupils’ books it is clear that standards remain high. The setting of pupils in two ability groups in Year 4 and in three ability groups in Years 5 and 6, the very successful implementation of the numeracy strategy and the good teaching seen during the inspection are proving to be instrumental in raising standards for pupils of all abilities.

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MATHEMATICS

93. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets set for them as they move through the school. This is due to the good support they receive in class from their teachers and learning support assistants and the careful planning which takes the needs of all pupils into account. Those pupils with English as an additional language also make very good progress as they move through the school, as there is a consistent emphasis on teaching the correct mathematical vocabulary in lessons. Indeed, many of these pupils are to be found among the higher attainers in mathematics.

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MATHEMATICS

94. At the end of Year 2 pupils understand the language of number, have a good knowledge of place value to at least a hundred and can quickly recall addition and subtraction facts to twenty. More able pupils are confident in handling numbers to a thousand and are able to put a set of numbers in the correct order. Pupils know the names, and some of the properties, such as the number of sides and corners, of two- and three-dimensional shapes. They solve shopping problems using coins up to a pound and tell the time in hours and half and quarter hours. They recognise fractions such as a half and a quarter. By the end of Year 6 pupils have progressed to having a good understanding of place value, including numbers with two or more decimal places and more able pupils are confidently working with numbers to over a million. Pupils add, subtract, multiply and divide two and three digit numbers with the majority able to work to two decimal

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MATHEMATICS

places accurately. They find the perimeter of simple and composite shapes and then the area using the correct formulae. Graphs are drawn accurately and pupils are able to interpret them, giving clear reasons for their conclusions. Higher ability pupils use all four quadrants when plotting coordinates and have a good understanding of data handling, using terms such as mean, median and range correctly. The depth of coverage, in mathematics, in Years 5 and 6 is exemplary with pupils learning all aspects of mathematics to a level that is very well matched to their needs and is designed to move them on rapidly to even higher levels. However, only occasionally do pupils use information and communication technology to help them in their work. This is an area recognised by the school for further development.

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MATHEMATICS

95. The quality of teaching is good overall with some teaching being very good or excellent. Two-thirds of lessons seen were good or better. Such good quality teaching is having a very positive effect on the pupils’ learning and ensures that standards continue to rise. Planning is good Broadwater Primary School - 35 throughout the school and is firmly based on the National Numeracy Strategy. Teachers plan lessons with due regard to the prior attainment of their pupils and the content is carefully designed to meet their specific needs. For example, in a very good Year 3 lesson the pupils were learning to tell the time to the nearest five minutes. In the previous year they had learned to tell the time to the quarter hour and this lesson moved them on seamlessly to the next level of understanding. They thoroughly enjoyed the practical nature of the lesson with all pupils involved in playing a game to

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MATHEMATICS

successfully teach and reinforce the concept of minutes past and to the hour. Teachers have very good class management skills and create a calm and purposeful working atmosphere in which pupils can concentrate and learn effectively. Pupils respond well to this and behaviour in lessons is usually good with pupils eager to learn and enthusiastic about the work provided for them. This was clearly seen in an excellent Year 6 lesson about multiplication. The teacher’s enthusiasm was infectious and the pupils worked extremely hard to complete the tasks successfully. Good relationships are a strong feature with pupils being attentive to their teachers and able to work well together. Suitable homework is set regularly and is completed successfully by the vast majority of pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

96. The management of the subject is very good and has a positive impact on learning. Assessments are used well to identify areas of mathematics that require further input to raise standards and to track the progress of pupils as they move through the school. For example, solving mathematical problems written in words was highlighted as an aspect the pupils were finding difficult and the school has worked hard to help pupils tackle these successfully.

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SCIENCE

97. Successful action has been taken to improve teaching, learning and attainment in science since the last inspection. This includes significant improvement in the quantity and quality of investigative work, and enrichment of the curriculum through the use of visits and outside visitors. Standards seen during the inspection show that by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils’ attainments are likely to be in line with national expectations. All pupils are attaining levels appropriate to their ability because increased attention has been given to developing pupils’ investigative skills and their understanding of processes in science. Nearly half the pupils at the end of Year 6 achieved the higher Level 5 in the 2002 national tests. Girls are now achieving as well as boys at age 11. This is a good improvement as girls' attainment in science has lagged behind boys over the last few years.

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SCIENCE

98. By the end of Year 2, pupils are able to follow suggested lines of enquiry. They understand that ingredients baked in cakes cannot be returned to their original condition but that ice cubes can melt to become water again. They can identify healthy foods and explain their choices. When discussing party menus one child said that his menu was not healthy “because it is all junk food,” but children also understood that chips can be good for you in moderation “because they are made of potatoes.” Pupils can explain that some foods and drinks are essential to life, “you need to drink or else your eyes will go funny and you will feel dizzy.” Pupils understand that forces are needed to speed up and slow down when they are riding a scooter and higher attaining pupils are beginning to understand the way that a force is needed to change direction. They can explain how electricity is used to light a bulb and what happens when electrical circuits are broken.

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SCIENCE

They are developing appreciation of the benefits and dangers of medicines and electricity. They can identify characteristics of birds and other animals, and enthusiastically describe the features of different types of birds observed on a visit to “Birdworld”. They are developing understanding of the growth of plants through activities such as growing amaryllis from bulbs and planting willow in the school grounds.

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SCIENCE

99. By the end of Year 6 most pupils plan investigations methodically and present information using simple descriptions and clearly labelled diagrams. They can use charts and graphs appropriately. Most pupils could, for example, draw accurate line graphs to show what happened when they investigated the force needed to pull a book up a slope set at different angles. Higher attaining pupils are able to draw conclusions and evaluate their work. For example, when Broadwater Primary School - 36 conducting experiments to see if they could drop an egg from an upper storey window without breaking it, they could contrast the effectiveness of the different protective materials they had used and the value of parachutes they had made to decrease the rate of descent and impact.

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SCIENCE

100. Most pupils, by the end of Year 6, can name the major organs of the body and their functions; they can name the parts of plants, and have knowledge of reversible and irreversible changes. When planning and conducting an experiment to find out how to improve the rate at which sugar dissolved in the teacher’s cup of coffee they made accurate use of terms such as solution, dissolve, dilute, concentrate, evaporate, condense. They could explain how to separate solids from liquids using paper filters, make sensible predictions and understood how to set up a fair test. Pupils can describe and show in diagrams the life cycles of plants and animals, and explain how to alter the pitch of sounds made by a guitar by altering the strings.

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SCIENCE

101. At both key stages pupils with special educational needs make good progress, and pupils for whom English is an additional language make very good progress. Their success is due largely to the way in which teachers use questioning to draw out extended answers from pupils. This good work is very well developed by support staff who are always actively engaged with pupils, helping them to understand the work and achieve their best.

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SCIENCE

102. Teaching and learning are good overall. The best teaching is lively and holds pupils’ attention. It is well structured, takes good account of pupils' misunderstandings, and ideas are explained in ways that pupils can connect to everyday life. For example, when discussing how long to brush their teeth, children were told to brush “for a whole song on the radio.” In the best lessons, teachers’ clear demonstrations and good explanations help pupils to gain good knowledge and understanding; pupils have plenty of opportunity to investigate scientific problems collaboratively, and they are given opportunities to discuss and evaluate their ideas. In these good lessons, all pupils develop good understanding and are able to express their ideas clearly because the teachers give time to encouraging pupils to express their ideas in different ways. Pupils develop a style of writing appropriate to describing scientific investigations because the teacher

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SCIENCE

encourages and praises succinct oral and written expression.

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SCIENCE

103. In most lessons observed, pupils were engaged in practical investigations and there is plenty of evidence in children’s books that this is common practice. This is an improvement since the last inspection. In the most successful investigation sessions the pupils were given clear guidance and instructions and plenty of time to discuss and develop their own ideas. Well-timed interventions by teachers kept pupils on the right track. For example, when investigating factors affecting the size and position of shadows the teacher made sure all groups were testing one variable at a time. In a less successful lesson, the teacher interrupted pupils too soon or too often, and activities were too prescribed. As a result pupils did not have enough time or opportunity to develop their thinking and problem-solving skills.

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SCIENCE

104. The subject co-ordinator provides good leadership and manages the subject well. Thorough monitoring of teacher’s plans and checking of pupil assessment records has ensured that the planned curriculum is being consistently taught. The co-ordinator has a good grasp of attainment data and has an accurate picture of standards throughout the school. She has collected good photographic evidence of displays and pupils at work which add significantly to her good cumulative knowledge of the subject. Higher attaining pupils are being challenged to extend their understanding and enthusiasm for science through the provision of a science club run by a secondary teacher. This club is much enjoyed by those nominated to attend. There is scope to use the knowledge and enthusiasm gained in this club more fully in the classroom.

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ART AND DESIGN

105. Pupils’ achievements are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. These results are similar to the previous inspection’s findings. The school has adapted national guidelines to suit its broad curriculum and makes links with design technology in planning and in Broadwater Primary School - 37 lessons. Much of the art develops from topics that help to make it more meaningful by connecting subjects. For example, in Year 3 bright two-dimensional paper collage pictures made by pupils depicting 'themselves', the class theme, are on display. In another, cameo portraits of famous Tudors are based on their likenesses. This is the natural follow-on from pencil sketches of pupils' own faces which concentrate on shape, form and shading. Staff display work to the best advantage, as in a Year 2 topic on mother nature. Children sketched leaves, transferred these to fabrics using special paints and then stitched them on to hessian and felt to form a master collage.

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ART AND DESIGN

106. In addition, high quality work is produced in the weekly art club. One child said he liked coming to the hall just to look at the clay plates, pottery and animals they have produced which are on display in a glass cabinet. An exchange visit with the local secondary school enabled pupils to make contrasting black and white photograms using their dark room. Computers are used effectively to generate creative designs based on the style of Matisse and Miro. Pupils' own interpretations of Picasso's 'Weeping Woman' are very good and represent the artist's own picture effectively. The designs of William Morris are used effectively to stimulate symmetrical pattern making in Year 5.

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ART AND DESIGN

107. In Year 2, an excellent lesson by the class teacher inspired children to create imaginative responses using a magazine picture as a starting point. Pupils were given full scope to exercise their creative talents and skills and were very enthusiastic about what they were doing. One boy talked animatedly of how his teacher had given him confidence to develop his artistic skills which he himself had considered to be poor. A class in Year 4 studied line and form using their hands as examples to make pencil drawings. At the end of the lesson they talked about what they had achieved with pride. Year 6 are currently designing the obstacle that the God Ra must overcome on his journey through the night based on understanding how line and perspective were used in Egyptian times. Sketchbooks are used well for the initial drawings.

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ART AND DESIGN

108. Teaching is satisfactory overall. In the one excellent lesson, the teacher herself had very good subject knowledge and was able to develop skills with confidence. The lesson was tightly structured, the questions stimulated much thought, and children were really challenged to produce good results using a range of art media such as wax crayons, oil pastels and coloured pencils. Where teaching is satisfactory activities are not as demanding and the techniques not taught as well enough to ensure that progress is as good as it could be. Sometimes the time allocated to the lesson is so short that pupils have barely got started before it is time to finish. This means that work is rushed, there is no opportunity for evaluating results or for consolidating the teaching points made at the beginning of the lesson.

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ART AND DESIGN

109. The new co-ordinator is keen to develop the subject further. Visiting artists and sculptors, contribute to art and the cultural life of the school. During a workshop on Africa, older pupils created their own bright designs from material examples they were given. Classes visit the National Gallery and Tate Modern to see the work of famous artists. Year 4 looked at furniture design at Apsley House as a stimulus for chair design in later lessons.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. Only one design and technology lesson was observed during the week of the inspection. Taking into account evidence from samples of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning, photographs and displays of work, and the school's own monitoring and evaluation evidence, standards of work meet national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Standards are similar to those found at the previous inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. By the end of Year 2, pupils cut and join materials appropriately, for example, when making greeting cards, and weave efficiently to produce Easter baskets. They design and make sturdy and well-decorated sculptures as part of a study of birds and learn to use a variety of tools and materials. Broadwater Primary School - 38 112. By the end of Year 6, pupil’s skills in designing and making have improved so that they are able to construct a variety of models of Roman buildings. These involve skills of careful cutting and fixing of curved as well as straight edges. They construct a life-sized raft, using oil drums and other materials, which they successfully launch and ride on the lake during their residential visit to Boreatton. With the support of a visiting expert they successfully make “balloon buggies”. These require careful measuring, cutting and construction. They evaluate their buggies and suggest how

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

they could be improved. They use plaster and paint techniques to design and make Egyptian jewellery and models of an Egyptian mummy and sarcophagus as part of their history topic. Every opportunity is taken to use outside visits and visitors to stimulate and develop pupils’ enthusiasm and skills. After visiting the Hampton Court maze, pupils designed and made their own mazes using carefully cut lengths of balsa wood attached to card.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Eight and nine-year-olds collaborated with the makers of Channel 4’s “Indian Summer” television series, to design and create models for a stunning metal bench that has been produced by craftsmen and is prominently displayed in a local shopping area. They also made small decorative bags that were used to accompany material sent out to promote the series. The bags were made from thin gauze and required very careful construction and sewing.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Pupils are very enthusiastic about design and technology because of the interesting nature of many of the projects and the good teaching. Pupils watched their teacher demonstrate sewing techniques used in the making of a Victorian style sampler. Boys and girls alike were transfixed as the teacher showed them how to achieve a complex stitch and gasped “Wicked!” as they saw the finished product. Their imaginations were captured and they went on to produce their own test samplers with increasing skill and independence.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. In a very short time the subject co-ordinator has secured real improvement in the consistency and range of work being done in design and technology, especially through the imaginative incorporation of outside support for the teaching programme. The amount of time that is given to the subject, however, is well below national recommendations and this affects the development of pupils' skills which are only average despite their enthusiasm and the good quality of teaching in some of the projects that are undertaken.

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GEOGRAPHY

116. The last inspection reported that pupils met national expectations in geography by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This position has not changed. There is, however, an improvement in the standard of teaching seen. When pupils start Year 1 their knowledge and understanding of the world is generally below average for their age. Pupils make good progress in geography as they move from year to year through the school, and they achieve satisfactorily in the subject. This is a direct result of good teaching based on systematic planning. Progress is particularly marked in the understanding and use of maps. Those pupils learning English as an additional language achieve well because specific subject vocabulary and concepts are generally very carefully taught, revised and reinforced as pupils move from one year group to the next. Geography is taught during alternate half terms, and lessons were only seen in Years 1, 2 and 4. Judgements are also based

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GEOGRAPHY

on a scrutiny of pupils’ work from the last school year, teachers’ planning files and discussions with pupils and teachers.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. By the end of Year 2, pupils show a satisfactory knowledge of the immediate locality. They give reasons for their positive and negative views about Tooting, praising the local leisure centre and shops while disliking the levels of traffic and litter. The pupils learn to use suitable geographical terms and employ these to ask and answer questions about different places. They develop an increasing awareness of localities outside London, by studying an imaginary Scottish island and through their work on seaside areas. Teachers build very effectively on pupils’ existing knowledge, and move their understanding forward through well-chosen activities. This good teaching was illustrated in a Year 1 lesson where the pupils visualised the routes they took from home to school, and then drew their own simple maps. The pupils listened attentively to the Broadwater Primary School - 39 teacher’s lively presentation, and the maps they drew were of a satisfactory standard because the

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GEOGRAPHY

task was so clearly explained and demonstrated. This clarity enabled those pupils with English as an additional language to have full access to the lesson. Pupils with special educational needs were also given good support. Expectations in this lesson were high and the teacher’s probing questioning extended pupils’ thinking.

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GEOGRAPHY

118. By Year 6 pupils have acquired a satisfactory range of knowledge and skills. For example, they compare different coastal areas in England and show a satisfactory understanding of how people can improve or damage the environment. Pupils recognise and describe physical processes such as erosion, and most pupils learn to read ordnance survey maps confidently and accurately. Teachers are skilled at developing pupils’ subject vocabulary, and are careful to ensure that pupils are thoroughly clear about, for example, the difference between “Ireland” and “island”. Activities are generally matched well to the needs of pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are given good support and higher-attaining pupils are suitably challenged. In a Year 4 lesson, for example, the teacher extended pupils’ thinking by some challenging questioning, and capitalised on their enthusiasm by suggesting they found out about different British cities as a

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GEOGRAPHY

preparation for the following week’s lesson.

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GEOGRAPHY

119. Teachers are generally very effective at linking geography with other subjects. They link literacy work and information technology, both in terms of research and written work, when relevant. Occasionally, however, the geographical content of a lesson is under-emphasised, for example, when a teacher focused more on the art activity than on the identified geography lesson objectives.

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GEOGRAPHY

120. Subject management is good. There are good arrangements for monitoring teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. Formal assessment procedures of each pupil’s progress have not yet been introduced.

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HISTORY

121. Standards are above average by the end of Year 6, and are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2. In the previous inspection standards were above expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. When pupils enter Year 1 from the foundation stage, their knowledge and understanding of the world is below average. Progress in history from Year 1 to Year 6 is good and pupils achieve well. This is the result of good teaching and a well-planned curriculum. Pupils who learn English as an additional language make good and often very good progress because teachers are aware of the needs of bi-lingual pupils. There is good support in most lessons for pupils with special educational needs, and this enables them to make good progress.

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HISTORY

122. History is taught in alternate half terms. Lessons were only seen in Years 3, 5 and 6. Judgements are also based on discussions with pupils and teachers, an examination of pupils’ work from the last school year and a scrutiny of teachers’ planning files.

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HISTORY

123. Year 2 pupils gain a sound factual knowledge of the main events and people that they study. They can describe, for example, the bad conditions that Florence Nightingale found in the Crimea, and they retell the story of Mary Seacole appropriately. Teaching is thorough and interesting. At the start of Year 3, pupils vividly describe work they covered during Year 2. They remember many details about Guy Fawkes and the gunpowder plot. The fate of the conspirators was described with considerable relish! Their teachers have clearly brought history to life for them, by including fascinating small details, for example about Samuel Pepys burying his precious cheese to save it from the Great Fire of London. At this stage pupils have some sense of chronology, but are not yet aware of the way that the past can be divided into periods.

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HISTORY

124. This enthusiasm and interest continues as pupils move up the school. Most teachers have good subject knowledge and pupils’ written work shows a good grasp of relevant facts. By Broadwater Primary School - 40 Year 6 pupils have a good grasp of aspects of different periods. They recognise the differences between the lives of rich and poor people in Tudor and Victorian times, for example, and they use a range of different sources in their research. Activities are varied and written work is often lively and thoughtful. Pupils have good opportunities for individual research and some are sufficiently interested to do additional work at home. Year 6 pupils’ work demonstrates an understanding of various changes which took place during the Egyptian period, for example, the development of writing.

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HISTORY

125. Teachers generally have high expectations, and they develop pupils’ knowledge systematically. At the start of the lesson, pupils are asked to recap the work covered the previous week. This is very effective in that vocabulary and facts are regularly repeated and reinforced. This was seen in the brisk and purposeful start to a Year 3 lesson, where pupils reminded themselves about the Vikings and about what “invasion” meant. The lesson continued at a good pace, in spite of an interruption by a fire drill. Very clear maps and pictures, and clear descriptions of the Viking longboats by the teacher helped all pupils to make progress and was particularly useful for those pupils with English as an additional language. Occasionally materials are not as carefully chosen and prepared, and this restricts the progress of pupils at the earlier stages of learning English. Most tasks are, however, carefully matched to pupils’ abilities and needs, so that

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HISTORY

higher attainers are challenged and pupils who need additional help are well supported.

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HISTORY

126. Some lessons are relatively short, and this limits the time available for completing tasks. Links with other subject areas are strong, however, and pupils have good opportunities to use literacy skills and to undertake relevant work during the literacy period. Information technology is used appropriately for research. Subject management is good. Standards of work and teachers’ planning are monitored regularly. There are, however, no formal arrangements for assessment of individual progress in the subject. The co-ordinator has compiled some very good material for use during Black History month, and the subject continues to make a strong contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

127. The previous inspection report found that pupils’ attainment was below average and their progress unsatisfactory. Since then information and communication technology has become a key part of the National Curriculum requirements and the school has made many significant improvements to its provision. The findings of this inspection are that pupil attainment at the end of Year 2 is average, but attainment is still below that found nationally by the end of Year 6. This judgement rests on lesson observations mainly in Years 2, 3 to 6, scrutiny of pupils’ work across the school, teachers’ planning documents and discussion with pupils in the school. All the direct teaching of ICT that was seen took place in the recently established suite which has 15 networked computers, and a screen projector for class teaching purposes.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

128. Many strengths are developing in the breadth of ICT content, subject planning and the quality of teaching and learning. Standards of attainment have improved rapidly since the IT suite opened. All the indications are that younger pupils in the school are now making good progress. By the end of Year 2, pupils have learnt the basic skills of word processing. With very little help, the majority of pupils can type their names and letters, use capital letters, change fonts and colours and position the cursor accurately when deleting or modifying text. Pupils understand simple terminology and can follow directions in order to open and close programs. Their good progress continues into the other year groups. In all classes, pupils understand and respond well to the teacher’s instructions and have a clear understanding of the vocabulary and terms used. The use of word processing is further refined in the junior classes. In Years 3 and 4 pupils compose their

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

sentences accurately and use capital letters and full stops. They are able to rearrange text into a correct sequence and are developing confidence in their word processing skills. They are able to edit by deleting, select fonts and change their size, and then save and print out their own work with very little adult help. In Years 5 and 6 pupils can word-process although their typing skills are sometimes insufficiently developed to enable them to input text as fast as they would wish. Broadwater Primary School - 41 129. The lessons observed during the inspection focused on pupils’ data handling and word processing skills and their ability to find different ways of presenting information. Older pupils sometimes use the Internet to research topics linked with their work in art, history and geography but their skills in refining their research are at an early stage of development.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

130. Throughout the school pupils show a good understanding of the uses of ICT in the world and its impact on our daily lives. They understand and use the correct terminology when discussing their work with adults and each other. There is equal access for boys and girls and for pupils with special educational needs. Pupils in Years 5 and 6, who have recently joined the school and have English as an additional language, are given sensitive adult help. Higher attaining pupils show suitable independence in using information technology, and are given the confidence to proceed without guidance. Older pupils are familiar with the use of e-mail and have access to selected sites on the Internet.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

131. Pupils have very good attitudes to their work in ICT. They are well motivated, confident and make good progress in the subject. They apply themselves well and do not waste their time when using computers. They are very co-operative when it is necessary to share computer facilities and help each other without prompting. During the periods they were observed, pupils enjoyed the activities and worked well together. They eagerly pass on their knowledge to others when explaining their work. They handle equipment carefully. Pupils are proud of their output and like to see it on display. Older pupils use word processing to present examples of work, but as yet not many of them turn to it with a sense of familiarity as a means of improving the quality and presentation of their writing.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

132. In the lessons observed during the inspection, the quality of teaching was mainly good in both key stages with examples of very good teaching in Years 3 and 4. Most teachers have gained sufficient knowledge and confidence in teaching the subject, to work with large groups. The support they receive from the skilled IT co-ordinators has undoubtedly helped the staff to gain confidence in this regard. Introductions to tasks, and to new ways of using ICT are clear and direct. An example of very good teaching occurred when some pupils, who were engaged in learning how to use the ‘undo’ button, found another way of achieving the same effect. The teacher at once used their newly acquired knowledge to enable them to share it with the rest of the class who were delighted to try it out for themselves. As a result, pupils make rapid progress. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ ability to co-operate well and work at a good pace,

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

often independently or with another child. They sometimes ensure that confident and skilled pupils work with the more hesitant pupils in the class. This has a positive effect on all the pupils’ learning. However, they are also aware of the need to allow the higher attainers to work at a more rapid pace and the need to present them with challenges and extension work. This was seen in all the Key Stage 2 classes when some pupils, having completed their work, selected new tasks to suit their levels of working. All teachers place appropriate emphasis on sharing learning objectives with the pupils and then reviewing how much they have learned at the end of a session. The quality of teachers’ planning is good.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

133. Major aspects of the subject such as using spreadsheets, modelling, desktop publishing and the use of power point and digital cameras are also being gradually introduced and developed. Although no evidence of work using these aspects was seen during the inspection, scrutiny of last year’s work revealed that progress is already being made to cover these areas. Teachers are becoming aware that ICT should be used to support teaching and learning successfully in other subjects, but only a few examples of work using ICT was seen in the scrutiny of work in art, mathematics, history and geography.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

134. There is a good scheme of work for information technology which has been recently reviewed to take account of the national guidance. The policy and scheme helps to ensure that pupils are able to make progress in a continuous and progressive way at a pace suited to their needs. The subject co-ordinators give very good support to colleagues and take charge of ordering and maintaining appropriate software and help to support and monitor the work in Broadwater Primary School - 42 classrooms or the IT suite. The co-ordinators also organise in-service training for all members of the teaching and non-teaching staff which has been a priority for the school development plan. This is having a major, positive impact on pupils’ standards of work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

135. The IT suite provides a valuable resource for teaching and learning in the school. The number of computers available in the suite is adequate for the number of pupils, but those located in classrooms are not used as fully as they could be. The school is acquiring an appropriate range of software for teaching the National Curriculum.

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MUSIC

136. Standards in music are similar to those found nationally for pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6. All aspects of the subject are taught throughout the school, including performing, composing and appraising music. There is an appropriate curriculum plan in place to show teachers the aspects they should teach each term. To ensure a consistent approach and improve standards, the school is currently trying out a scheme of work to help non-specialist teachers in the delivery of the subject. Since the last inspection the level of provision has been successfully maintained with pupils continuing to take part in local music festivals and in concerts for parents and friends to enjoy.

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MUSIC

137. Pupils of all ages sing tunefully and with due regard for phrasing and rhythm. Most of this singing takes place in class lessons or rehearsals for public performances and pupils rarely have the opportunity to further improve their skills by singing in daily assemblies. From an early age pupils handle and play instruments as was seen in a Year 1 lesson with pupils playing a good selection of untuned percussion instruments with correct technique and obvious enjoyment. Older pupils in Year 6 use tuned instruments such as glockenspiels and xylophones to successfully compose their own simple melodies. Pupils listen to music from around the world and in different styles such as Jazz. They enjoy listening to music and it is sometimes played in other lessons such as physical education to create a mood effectively and help pupils concentrate. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are fully included in

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MUSIC

lessons and performances and attain similar standards in music to their classmates. More able pupils have the opportunity to develop their musical talents by attending a local Saturday morning music school. A recorder club for Year 4 pupils also helps improve their skills in music.

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MUSIC

138. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers’ good subject knowledge enables them to give pupils clear explanations of the work and help them learn new skills quickly and effectively. For example, in a Year 4 lesson on dynamics, the teacher used a wide range of useful strategies and resources to help the pupils recognise loud and soft sounds. Good relationships are a strong feature with pupils behaving well in lessons and eager to be involved. In a Year 6 lesson the enthusiasm of the teacher was infectious and the pupils were extremely keen to join in and play an instrument. They were obviously proud of their achievements when they played their compositions to the class who listened attentively and respectfully. At present pupils’ work is rarely recorded to help them evaluate their own performance and that of others and to help them suggest ways to improve. The co-ordinator plans to introduce the use of tapes for recording pupils’ own

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MUSIC

compositions. Such recordings would also prove useful in assessing standards reached by individuals and groups of pupils as they move through the school.

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MUSIC

139. Eye-catching displays around the school help to raise the profile of music and show the value placed on the pupils’ work. For instance, the Year 4 display of pupils’ work about Jazz instruments and musicians is of high quality and supports work in other subjects such as English and art. Another display of work, based on a study in geography of the river Ganges, showed how pupils had very successfully written their own compositions to show aspects of the river and life on its banks. They recorded them in graphical notation and successfully performed the completed work in an end of term concert. Broadwater Primary School - 43

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. Standards attained in physical education are as expected nationally for pupils at the end of Year 2 and above national expectations by the end of Year 6. This is a similar judgement to that made in the last inspection and is a strong indication of the school’s commitment to the subject despite the recent appropriate drive to improve standards in literacy and numeracy. All aspects of the subject continue to be well taught. Swimming, usually only taught to older pupils by most schools, is taught to all pupils from Reception to Year 6. Pupils are also taught athletics in Years 3 to 6 as well as participating in outdoor and adventurous activities in Year 6. The school is also to be praised for maintaining the provision of a wide range of clubs and competitive sport. Only swimming, gymnastics and dance lessons were observed during the inspection but from looking at teachers’ planning it is clear that all aspects are taught successfully over time. Pupils, including

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, make the same good progress as their classmates as they move through the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. Pupils in Year 2 understand the need for a correct warm up at the start of each lesson. They know that exercise is beneficial to their health and that it raises the heart rate and breathing. In gymnastics they use space sensibly to avoid collisions and are able to balance with a moment of stillness before travelling on the apparatus to a new position and balancing again. They use the school’s own learner pool for swimming lessons and the majority are confident in water and a starting to develop the correct arm and leg actions. By the end of Year 6 the vast majority of pupils are able to swim at least 25 metres and many of these are extremely competent swimmers. As part of the school’s Gifted and Talented programme, those pupils who excel at the sport are given extra tuition by one of the teachers and reach a very high standard. Attainment in dance is also high as was seen in the school concert in which Year 6 pupils danced to Brahms’ lullaby with great

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

sensitivity and control. High attainment was also seen in a very good Year 6 lesson where the pupils devised their own series of moves to express various action words such as prowl, stretch, spring and curl. Attainment in games is also good as pupils have many opportunities to develop and improve their skills in lessons, sometimes taught by outside agencies such as local football clubs, as well as in a very good range of clubs and teams organised and run by teachers.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. The quality of teaching observed was always at least satisfactory with some teaching being very good. Teachers manage their pupils well resulting in time being used effectively to help progress in learning new skills. Lessons generally move along at a brisk pace with all pupils being kept active and fully involved. Occasionally, pupils, instead of moving freely around the apparatus, are made to queue for their turn resulting in their having less time in which to develop their skills. The good subject knowledge of many teachers enables them to set suitable tasks and make pertinent teaching points to help pupils improve their levels of performance. Good use is made of demonstrations by individuals and groups of pupils to share ideas and show good practice. Teachers fully address all health and safety aspects.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143. The school holds an annual sports day that is popular with both pupils and parents and gives pupils an opportunity to demonstrate the wide range of skills they learn in lessons. The halls, playground, field and swimming pool are used well and enable pupils to learn a wide range of new skills in a suitable environment. The annual school journey to the Isle of Wight gives Year 6 pupils lots of opportunities to try out activities that would be very difficult to arrange locally. They enthusiastically take part in abseiling, canoeing and go on an assault course, taking great delight in getting as muddy as possible.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. Standards in religious education are in line with those expected in the locally agreed syllabus for pupils at the end of Year 2 and above for pupils at the end of Year 6. This is because of the teachers’ good subject knowledge and their commitment to teaching the curriculum. They are aware of the personal knowledge of many pupils and use it as an “accurate resource” in many lessons. Pupils therefore gain a great deal of knowledge about their own and other religions. The Broadwater Primary School - 44 school approach to accepting and respecting everyone helps pupils to grow in their self-knowledge and understanding of others. By the age of 11, pupils reflect well on their own beliefs and how they affect their lives. They talk sensitively about the needs of others and recognise how learning about other people’s experiences and beliefs helps them personally. A Year 4 pupil interviewed about religious education lessons said, “We must know about religion so we won’t become

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

horrible, rude and ignorant people who don’t respect.” The school has maintained standards since the previous inspection. Leadership in the subject is good and the new co-ordinator is experienced in developing the subject. She has a clear view of the areas that need development such as resources, particularly for younger pupils, and assessment procedures.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. The pupils make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the subject. For Years 1 and 2, teachers plan appropriate lessons to develop pupils’ understanding of their relationships with each other and members of their family. They learn about celebrations that occur in major faiths such as Diwali and Christmas, and begin to understand the similarities while respecting the differences between them. Well-planned opportunities for drama, writing prayers and retelling known stories contribute to pupils’ literacy skills and help pupils in the early stages of learning English to participate fully. Pupils ask visitors thoughtful questions: Year 2 pupils asked a Christian about the Bible, “Is it one big story?” and, “How do all the bad things get washed away?” In Years 3 to 6 pupils gain a deeper understanding based on their previous learning. Pupils with English as an additional language have very good support with posters and artefacts providing

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

visual understanding. Pupils describe their own feelings and experiences while others listen to them sensitively. This is good development of speaking and listening skills. Pupils with special educational needs have good support from teachers and assistants to help them join in discussions and take notes. The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The confidence pupils gain from supportive adults helps them to think about difficult issues in their lives. A Year 6 child writing about drums of peace does not know her father’s idea of peace. She writes movingly, “All that I know is that I still love him and he still loves me, he can hear the drums of peace, in heaven.”

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146. The quality of teaching is good. Out of six lessons seen, one was very good. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and use the locally agreed scheme of work effectively. Teachers who are new to the school find useful resources and information in the curriculum notes and planning. This means that all pupils have access to relevant detailed information about their own and other religions. Generally pupils are well motivated in lessons and seek out more information. Occasionally pupils find discussions difficult and are restless but teachers generally manage pupils well and direct appropriate questions to individuals who need to be more involved. Well-planned school and class assemblies provide additional teaching in moral and cultural issues appropriate to the pupils’ ages. Year 6 pupils have opportunities to discuss the Windrush immigration and reflect on people’s hopes and fears. Younger pupils listen attentively to a story

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about teasing. Teachers keep notes about pupils’ attainment and sample pupils’ work to ensure standards are appropriate and match the planning. However, there are no formal assessment procedures for the subject and no consistent records used throughout the school. Pupils do not have a clear knowledge of their own learning. However, in a Year 5 class pupils are beginning to record at the beginning of new topics what they already know and would like to find out.

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