Becontree Primary School

BECONTREE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs. Tusha Chakraborti

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BECONTREE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 – 21 November 2002

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BECONTREE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Becontree Primary School 2 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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BECONTREE 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. Becontree Primary School 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Stevens Road Dagenham Essex Postcode: RM8 2QR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs. J. Bunn

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 13 November 2000 Becontree Primary School 4

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Aspect responsibilities

12603 Tusha Chakraborti Registered inspector Religious education 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? 9007 Rafi Salasnik 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? 19774 Maura Docherty Team inspector Foundation stage Information & communication technology History 18116 Chris Taylor Team inspector Science Design & technology Geography How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 25787 Edmond Morris Team inspector Mathematics Art Music 22704 Garry Williams Team inspector Special educational needs English Physical education 12123 Elaine Brittan Team inspector Education inclusion English as an additional language Becontree Primary School 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N17 9LN

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Becontree 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

Becontree is a large primary school serving a culturally diverse community, with 418 pupils (FTE) on roll between the ages of three and 11 and with a separate on-site nursery with 20 children attending part time. A high proportion of the pupils are white-British and approximately 33 per cent are from different minority ethnic backgrounds, the largest group being pupils of black or black British-African heritage (25 per cent). A large number of pupils, 57, speak English as an additional language and 34 are at an early stage of learning English. The main languages spoken in school, other than English, are Bengali, Urdu, Punjabi and Albanian. Pupil mobility is high, with 65 joining and 64 leaving part way through during last year. Many pupils are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and the number entitled to a free school meal is well above the national average (41 per cent). The proportion of pupils with special educational needs (23 per

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

cent), including those with statements, is average. Attainment on entry to the nursery is below average. Almost all children from the nursery transfer to the Reception classes. The school received the School Achievement Award in 2002 from the Department for Education and Skills.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school that is doing well by its pupils. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress as a result of the good teaching. Teaching has improved and consequently, standards have risen significantly in most subjects. Very efficient and strong leadership from the headteacher and senior staff and the commitment of staff to raising standards further, result in the school providing good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards in information and communication technology, art and geography are above average by Year 6. • Speaking and listening skills are developed well across the curriculum and throughout the school. • The quality of teaching is good, with some very good teaching in Years 1-6, which results in pupils making good progress. • Strong leadership and management coupled with effective teamwork and staff commitment are instrumental in the good progress of the school. • Very good monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and taking effective action to address the areas for improvement has resulted in steady improvement in standards overall. • The school makes very good provision for pupils’ social development and good provision for spiritual and moral development; this makes a positive contribution to pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning.

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What could be improved

• Standards in mathematics by the end of Years 2 and 6 remain below the national average. • The organisation and co-ordination of the work of the nursery and reception classes are in need of further development. • Attendance is well below average, although improving. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Becontree Primary School 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in 2000 when it was taken out of special measures as it was providing its pupils with an acceptable standard of education. Good progress has been made since then in raising standards and addressing the identified areas for improvement. Standards have improved in most subjects and literacy skills are used effectively across the curriculum. A strong and committed senior management team has been established and the monitoring roles of the co-ordinators for English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology are well developed. The provision for promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved considerably. The quality of marking and opportunities for independent learning are not sufficiently developed yet but these are planned for appropriately in the school’s development plan for 2003-2005. Overall the school has made significant

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

improvement in the quality of education it provides within the two years since the last inspection. It is in a strong position to improve further.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English E C D A well above average above average A B mathematics D E E C average below average C D Science E D C A well below average E

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STANDARDS

All pupils achieve well in most subjects and standards are improving in line with the national rate. An analysis of the test results shows that standards are close to average in English and average in science. In mathematics, standards are well below the national average. In relation to pupils’ prior attainment and compared to similar schools results are much higher, indicating good or very good achievement in all three areas. In relation to prior attainment, standards are well above average. Compared to similar schools, they are well above average in English and science and average in mathematics. The school’s targets for Year 6 results were exceeded in 2002. The 2002 test results indicate that girls are underachieving. However, taking the last three years together, there are no significant differences in performance between boys and girls or by different ethnic groups at Year 6. In Year 2 tests, standards are well below the national average in reading and

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STANDARDS

mathematics and below average in writing. However, over the last two years the percentage of pupils attaining Level 2 is average in reading and writing and close to average in mathematics. Compared to similar schools, standards are above average in reading and writing and average in mathematics.

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STANDARDS

The inspection evidence is that standards are continuing to rise and that all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, achieve well in all subjects, except in mathematics. Standards in Year 6 are average in English, design and technology, music, physical education and religious education and above average in science, art, information and communication technology and geography. In Year 2, standards are average in English, science, information and communication technology, design and technology, music, physical education and religious education and above average in art, history and geography. In mathematics, standards remain below average in both Year 2 and Year 6 but pupils are making good progress across the school. The youngest children make sound progress in the nursery and Reception from below average attainment on entry and most are likely to achieve the standards

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STANDARDS

Becontree Primary School 9 expected for their age by the time that they enter Year 1. Pupils across the school are making good progress in all subject areas. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress overall while pupils with special educational needs as well as those identified by the school as being gifted or talented are making good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The majority of pupils are interested in their studies and are keen to do well. They listen well to their teachers. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave very well in classes, around the school and in the playground. They know what is expected of them in terms of behaviour. Personal development and relationships Pupils relate very well to each other and there are harmonious relationships between pupils from different backgrounds. They conscientiously carry out responsibilities in the classroom and around the school. Attendance Attendance is well below average but has shown some improvement in recent years. Unauthorised absence is well above average and some pupils are regularly late to school.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ attitudes to learning have been maintained at the same level since the last inspection. They respond well to the efforts of the school to encourage and develop positive attitudes to learning and good behaviour. There was no evidence of any poor behaviour or bullying seen during the inspection.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

Teaching and learning are both good overall, contributing significantly to the good progress made by pupils. It has improved significantly since the last inspection when it was satisfactory overall.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Literacy and numeracy strategies, as developed by the local education authority, are implemented well and this is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Literacy is promoted well by teachers in a wide variety of subjects. Teaching in English, information and communication technology and geography is particularly good and staff are confident in providing good opportunities for pupils to use their computer skills to support their learning in other subjects. Where lessons are most effective, teachers plan well and have high expectations resulting in pupils learning new skills rapidly. These classes are calm and there is a sense of purpose to the work being undertaken. Staff generally use their good level of expertise well to give brisk and confident explanations and to support learning by setting interesting activities. However, some shortcomings in teaching are a lack of challenge for higher attainers, especially in mathematics and insufficient focus on teaching

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The well-deployed support staff and carefully adapted teaching ensure that pupils with special educational needs receive good support and individual attention. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning English make satisfactory progress when they are supported by a specialist teacher or Becontree Primary School 10 classroom assistant. Those who are competent in English are supported effectively by their class teachers in class, alongside others.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Sound. The curriculum is broad and balanced The school offers pupils a good range of interesting and stimulating learning opportunities. The range and quality of extra-curricular activities are good Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The curriculum gives good opportunities for pupils with special educational needs to benefit from all the school provides. The needs of pupils with statements of special educational needs are met well. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory provision. Pupils at the early stages of learning English do not always receive sufficient support. They make satisfactory progress. Not all staff are not fully aware of the learning needs of the bilingual pupils. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. The provision for promoting pupils’ social development

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Aspect Comment

is very good. It is good for promoting spiritual and moral development and satisfactory for cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a secure and caring environment that meets the needs of pupils well. A wide range of procedures have been successfully adopted to manage the behaviour of the pupils and to improve attendance.

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Aspect Comment

All National Curriculum requirements are met and there is a comprehensive programme for the pupils’ personal, social and health education. The organisation of Foundation Stage is in need of further development. The procedures for monitoring the attainment, progress and personal development of pupils are good. The school has established a good partnership with parents.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is led and managed very well. The headteacher provides effective and strong leadership in developing and managing the school. He is supported very efficiently by the deputy headteacher and other senior managers in improving and leading the school forward. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The role of the governing body is developing appropriately and the governors have adopted procedures to enable them to discharge their responsibilities satisfactorily. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very thorough processes have been introduced to monitor the work of teachers and to evaluate the effectiveness of the school. Through this, the school has been able to secure improvements. The analysis of test results is used well to see where improvements could be made. The strategic use of resources Grants and other funding available to the school have been used

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Aspect Comment

very well to support the priorities for improving standards. The school makes good use of staff, accommodation and learning resources to enhance pupils’ learning. Becontree Primary School 11 The school is successful in meeting its main aims the pursuit of which can be seen in all new developments. The staff are well trained. The induction of new staff and the management of the performance of all teachers are good. The principles of best value are used well to compare costs, to consult over spending decisions and to achieve good value for money spent.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Staff expect their children to work hard and achieve their best. • Teaching is good and their children are making good progress. • They find staff approachable. • Their children like school. • The school is helping their children to become more mature and to take responsibility. • The range of extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The majority of parents are pleased with the school and they acknowledge the improvements made in recent years. The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive comments. The team finds that the school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities but they are largely available for older pupils. Becontree Primary School 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. All pupils achieve well in most subjects and standards are improving in all areas. The national test results 2002 are below average in English, well below average in mathematics and average in science. Over the past two years, standards have improved to reach the national average in science although in English, they fell slightly in 2002. In mathematics, standards remain well below average for 2001 and 2002. However, test results in English and science have improved in Year 6 at a rate similar to that nationally since the last inspection. Compared to their prior attainment in Year 2 national tests four years ago, these pupils have made above average progress in all three subjects. In comparison to similar schools as well the standards are much higher, being well above averages in English and science and average in mathematics. The school’s targets for Year 6 results were exceeded in 2002. An analysis of 2002 test results show

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

that girls are underachieving in English and mathematics in comparison to boys. However, taking the last three years together, there are no significant differences in performance between boys and girls or by different ethnic groups. One factor that affects tests results is the high level of pupil mobility. An analysis of test results at Year 6 shows that most of the pupils who are in the school for at least four years, attain Level 4 or above.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. National test results for Year 2 pupils show that standards are well below average in English and mathematics and below average in writing. However, over the last two years, the percentage of pupils attaining Level 2 is average in reading and writing and close to average in mathematics. Compared to similar schools, standards are above average in reading and writing and average in mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Inspection evidence show that standards are rising consistently across the school in most subjects and that all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, achieve well. Standards in Year 6 are judged to be average in English, design and technology, music, physical education and religious education and above average in science, art, information (D&T) and communication technology (ICT) and geography. In Year 2, standards are found to be average in English, science, information and communication technology, design and technology, music, physical education (PE) and religious education (RE) and above average in art, history and geography. In mathematics, standards remain below average both in Year 2 and Year 6, although the progress is good. Progress is also good in all other subjects in Years 1-6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Assessments of children, when they enter the nursery and Reception classes, indicate that attainment is below average overall. Children make sound progress in the nursery and Reception and most are likely to achieve the standards expected for their age by the time that they enter Year 1.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In English, standards have improved and are average in Year 2 and Year 6 in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Pupils’ listening skills are good and by the end of Year 6, pupils make good contributions to discussions and answer questions thoughtfully. They have sound knowledge of a range of texts and are secure in locating information in printed material or through the Internet. They read widely for pleasure and information and most can scan text efficiently to extract ideas. Pupils write for different purposes using correct punctuation. The use and development of literacy in subjects other than English is good. Science, history and geography, for example, make a good contribution to improving literacy skills through writing experiments and factual accounts.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. In mathematics standards are below average in both Year 2 and Year 6 but pupils are making good progress. In Year 2 the majority of pupils have a good understanding of place value to at least a hundred, recognise simple fractions and can read to the nearest quarter hour using Becontree Primary School 13 analogue and digital clocks. However, they have few opportunities to carry out their own investigations or work in centimetres. Year 6 pupils have a good understanding of place value to at least a thousand. Pupils understand negative numbers and use all four quadrants to accurately plot and draw a variety of shapes such as triangles and parallelograms. Pupils understand how to calculate the mean, median and mode from a set of data and draw accurate line graphs to show changes over time such as fluctuations in temperature. However, many higher attaining pupils do not achieve the high standards of which they are capable.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Standards in science have risen and they are now above average in Year 6. The 2002 results show an improvement on last year, with a higher proportion of pupils reaching Levels 4 and 5. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn about the role of the different senses and understand how soft or loud sounds are made. In Years 3-6, pupils conduct fair testing, showing an awareness that the results may not always agree with the initial hypothesis.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In information and communication technology, pupils achieve well and this is a significant improvement since the last inspection. The development of the well-equipped computer suite and good curriculum development have enabled pupils to exceed the standards found in other schools by the time they leave. In religious education, pupils learn about world religions and explore the use of symbols in different religions.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets identified for them in their individual education plans. This is the result of good support both from class teachers and from support teachers and learning support assistants. Pupils with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress overall. Those who are competent in English make good progress largely because they are supported well by class teachers who make good use of questions and give clear explanations about the work. However, support for the newly arrived pupils at the early stages of learning English is limited and inadequate as there is no well- planned programme for these pupils. Satisfactory progress is also being made by pupils identified by the school as gifted and talented.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The attitudes, behaviour and personal development of pupils are good. Relationships are very good across the school and this promotes positive attitudes to learning, which contribute to raising standards. This is similar to that of the last inspection’s findings, which found pupil behaviour and attitudes to be good. The parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting as well as those who replied to the questionnaire felt that the school promotes good behaviour. Attendance is well below the national average but has been improving over recent years.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils’ attitudes to school are good. They show interest in their work and listen well to their teachers. They behave well in classes, around the school and in the playground. Pupils know what is expected of them in terms of behaviour and like the school rules. Older pupils, who have been in the school for some years, are aware that behaviour is better now than in the past. The few instances of unsatisfactory behaviour are dealt with quickly and effectively in accordance with the school’s new policy for behaviour management strategy. The policy is based on rewarding the positive behaviour and the sanctions are mostly in the form of losing golden time. The number of fixed term exclusions in the last academic year appears high: 13 pupils being excluded for a fixed term as well as two permanently. However, the numbers have been decreasing steadily, so that whilst eight of these (more than half) occurred in the autumn term, this decreased to five in

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

spring and then down to three in the summer term. Furthermore, compared with the eight in the autumn 2001 term, there have been none in the first 10 weeks of the autumn 2002 term.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities, which they do with enthusiasm. Year 6 pupils undertake most of these responsibilities, such as the playground friends (or buddy system) where they help younger, new and lonely pupils at lunchtime. Year 6 pupils have also been consulted over the ongoing playground development resulting in some changes to the plans. There are also class responsibilities such as returning registers to the office, collecting book club Becontree Primary School 14 money and taking round the packed lunch trolleys, all of which are done responsibly. One of the rewards in the new behaviour system is that individual pupils can earn team points for their positive actions. This helps pupils to understand that the reward for their own actions can benefit others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils are very friendly with each other and with adults. Personal development and relationships are very good. They work and play well together across different age and ethnic groups as well as boys and girls together. No racist or oppressive behaviour was observed. A few isolated instances of punching were seen but it was noteworthy that they did not develop further. This was largely because the pupil being attacked walked away rather than responding, thereby displaying an advanced level of maturity. Isolated cases of bullying are quickly and effectively dealt with. Pupils know what to do if they or others are being bullied.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils are able to reflect on their actions and respect the views of others. For example in an RE lesson on Islam, which involved Muslim pupils talking about their faith, the other pupils showed appropriate understanding and respect for their fellow pupils’ beliefs and faith. The school’s good provision for promoting pupils’ spiritual. Moral, social and cultural development has made a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes to learning and behaviour. For example, in a Year 2 history lesson, while learning about the work of Dr. Barnado, pupils related empathetically to the plight of the children in the story. In assembly pupils listened intently to a story about a train crash in the early days of railways. Pupils spent several moments reflecting on what they had heard sharing this story, which had had a profound effect upon them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupil attendance at 92.8 per cent in 2001/02 is well below the national average. In general attendance figures have been improving over the years, although it slipped from the previous year’s high of 93.1 per cent. For the 2002/03 academic year to date the figure shows an improvement to 93.25 per cent. Unauthorised absences at 1.7 per cent in 2001/02 are well above the national average. Amongst reasons for absences are pupils being kept away for minor reasons. Punctuality is a problem for a small number of pupils who are regularly late; some of these also feature on the lists of those often absent.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. Teaching is good overall and as a result most pupils learn new skills quickly, work hard on tasks set and generally show much interest in their learning. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection when teaching was found to be satisfactory overall. This improvement is because of the thorough and rigorous monitoring of the work of teachers, the carefully targeted support and advice that they are given and the sharing of expertise and ideas through planning in year teams. Of the lessons observed, two per cent were excellent, 17 per cent were very good, 40 per cent good, 38 per cent satisfactory and only three per cent were unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Teaching in the foundation stage classes is satisfactory overall, but varies between the three classes. The best teaching is lively and interesting, with activities planned carefully to meet national targets for children of this age. This was seen in a lesson in Reception where very effective questioning and good use of adults in the class ensured that children learned a range of vocabulary to describe the taste of a fruit they tasted. However, in contrast to the teaching expertise of most teachers, some lessons were observed where uncertain knowledge and lack of effective organisation of activities resulted in unsatisfactory teaching and slow learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Teaching in the rest of the school is good overall. It is particularly good or very good in English, ICT and geography. The literacy hour, as modified by the local education authority, has been implemented successfully and this contributes well to the good progress now being made.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. The most effective lessons in Years 1 to 6 are well planned with clear objectives. These are often explained to the pupils at the outset, giving them a clear picture of what they are to learn during the lesson. There were clear objectives for a Year 6 ICT lesson where the pupils were learning how to use a spreadsheet to explain a mathematical problem. The objectives were shared with the class so that pupils knew what they were expected to achieve. Resources were Becontree Primary School 15 prepared well and used effectively to stimulate interest. Clear explanations were given by the teacher and very skilful questioning probed the pupils’ understanding, extended their knowledge and generated pace to learning. These characteristics were also seen being used to good effect in a Year 2 literacy lesson where pupils were to identify the differences between fiction and non- fiction books. The clear learning objectives were supported by carefully chosen tasks, which

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

helped to generate purpose to the lesson. The teacher had a secure command of the subject, gave confident explanations and used praise and encouragement well. The pupils collaborated well in small groups sharing their ideas, and as a result new skills were learnt rapidly.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Very good relationships between teachers and pupils make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning, as was seen in almost all lessons. Pupils know that their teachers want to help them to do well and they respond positively. Teachers in the most successful lessons have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve and how they should behave. This helps to generate a purposeful atmosphere and challenge to which most pupils respond by working hard and being keen to succeed. For example, the teacher’s high expectations in a Year 2 science lesson were evident from the range of challenging activities set where pupils were asked to identify the variation in the quality of sounds from far and near. Very good questioning of the pupils generated a rapid pace to learning. High standards of work and behaviour were expected and achieved.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Most teachers have a good level of subject expertise, which they use well to give lively and confident explanations of new work. For example, in a Year 4 religious education lesson the teacher skilfully linked the faith in ‘Allah’ in Islam to promote pupils’ understanding of right and wrong and how to deal with ‘bullying’. Here, the teacher ensured that pupils reflected on these issues deeply and asked further probing questions drawing very mature responses from pupils. The contributions from all pupils were valued, and as a result they were very keen and enthusiastic. Praise and encouragement were used very effectively so that new skills were learnt in an atmosphere where all pupils felt confident. Good subject knowledge was also evident in a Year 1 literacy lesson where teaching of new vocabulary was made very interesting for pupils through the use of making bubbles and magnetic letters.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. All these strong features of teaching help pupils to learn well in lessons and to make good progress as they move through the school. Across the curriculum, there is a particularly good focus on teaching the skills associated with each subject. Consequently, pupils are making good progress in developing these. For example, in geography, pupils’ map reading skills are developing well. Literacy skills are used especially well in a wide range of subjects, for example in history where pupils write informative and interesting accounts about the Romans or the Remembrance Day. However, some shortcomings in teaching were lack of challenge for higher attainers, especially in mathematics and insufficient focus on teaching scientific investigations in science.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. The support staff are particularly effective in guiding the learning of these pupils. Teaching is based on very detailed assessment and careful planning to meet individual needs. Support is very well targeted and the specialist support staff are effectively deployed. The teaching of pupils for whom English is an additional language is satisfactory overall. While in class, they are taught effectively alongside their peers through pair and group work, the use of appropriate visual materials and role-play and most make the same good progress in their learning as other pupils. Newly arrived pupils are supported satisfactorily in small groups for a short time by the specialist teacher outside their classes. However, planning for these lessons is not effectively linked with that in the classes they are withdrawn from. As a result pupils miss out on parts of the curriculum and do not make good

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

progress in learning English. Becontree Primary School 16

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OR STUDENTS?

24. The curriculum across the school is broad and balanced and complies with statutory requirements. The time allocations for most subjects are appropriate, in line with the recommended average overall. The school provides well for pupils’ personal development and the curriculum planning is good. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good overall and includes after-school clubs, trips, theatre visits and a residential outing. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to develop academically, physically and aesthetically, as well as in social skills.

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OR STUDENTS?

25. There are appropriate policies in place for all subjects. There are schemes of work for all subjects, some based on schemes developed by the local education authority. The quality of teachers’ planning derived from this is generally good. Work is planned to fit well with pupils’ abilities but there are occasions when higher attaining pupils could be further challenged. Overall, the curriculum for Foundation Stage is broad and balanced, planned to give children relevant and engaging activities to help them make progress in achieving early learning goals.

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OR STUDENTS?

26. The school uses versions of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies that have been produced by the local education authority. The arrangements for teaching literacy skills are good, with particular emphasis on speaking and listening skills across the school. Literacy skills are used well across the whole curriculum. Provision for developing numeracy skills is satisfactory, but opportunities to develop the skills of higher attaining pupils are limited. The school has organised its ICT facilities into a computer room, with computers in the classrooms. However, some of these were not in working order and classroom computers were not seen in use during the inspection. Pupils have good opportunities to use and develop their skills in the subject.

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OR STUDENTS?

27. All pupils, whatever their background, specific needs or time spent in the school, benefit from the educational opportunities provided by the school. There is equality of access and opportunity for all pupils within the curriculum. Appropriate provision is provided for pupils with special educational needs. They have work prepared for their attainment levels, and are given support from classroom assistants within the classroom. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory. These pupils are fully included by teachers in all activities while they are taught in class. However, the newly arrived pupils, when withdrawn from class, miss out on what is taught in their class, as teachers do not plan together for these lessons.

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OR STUDENTS?

28. The school offers a range of extra-curricular activities including volleyball and an art club, and trips to museums, the local area and places of cultural interest. Most of the clubs are for the older pupils. Pupils in Year 6 are offered a residential trip which enhances their learning in different areas of the curriculum. There are plans to start a breakfast club and after-school care club in the near future. However, the school does not yet make effective use of its grounds for nature study. It is in the process of developing the play areas further but this has not yet been completed. Homework is set across the school extending pupils’ learning in class.

p.16

OR STUDENTS?

29. Links with the local community are satisfactory. The after-school clubs are run by community groups. The school has close links with local secondary schools and pupils from the secondary school come in on work experience. The school also provides placements for trainee nursery nurses. It has received a grant through Learning Through Landscapes, to help develop outside facilities.

p.16

OR STUDENTS?

30. The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good. This represents an improved position from the previous inspection when it was judged to be satisfactory.

p.16

OR STUDENTS?

31. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. Opportunities for pupils to develop an insight into the values and beliefs of themselves and others, and to reflect on their experiences, are created through assemblies, circle time and in classroom activities. In the curriculum, opportunities for reflection are offered through art, music and dance. Pupils study the work of composers and Becontree Primary School 17 artists and try to learn their styles. In personal and social education, pupils reflect on their own behaviour and attitudes as they work to improve them. This was in evidence in the majority of classes. They discuss beliefs and cultures of others in religious education. This promotes their spiritual development successfully.

p.16

OR STUDENTS?

32. Provision for moral development is good and promotes positive attitudes and behaviour and a clear understanding of right and wrong. Pupils in all classes are aware of and respond to teachers’ expectations of behaviour. Circle time promotes aspects of personal education. Through classroom discussions, pupils are made aware of the choices to be made in life and that they have to make them. A good example of this was pupils reflecting in a religious education lesson about one boy preventing the bullying of another boy. The boy believed he followed his code of religious background but the pupils debated and discussed and came to the conclusion that it was the responsibility of every child to act like this, irrespective of colour or creed. Good moral development is promoted through the sex and drugs education programme. Pupils, particularly at the end of the junior stage, know that there are good medicines and bad medicines

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

and they know that they should not take certain substances. Pupils benefit from the good positive role models provided by staff.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

33. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good and promotes very effective attitudes in all aspects of school life. Opportunities are created to enable pupils to show initiatives, take responsibilities and develop an understanding of living as a part of a community. Teachers regularly plan learning strategies in which pupils work together in pairs or small groups to discuss their work. For example, in dance lessons in physical education, they work together effectively to establish sequences. The school has adopted a ‘buddy system’, which is aimed at looking after and caring for others. The important feature of this is that, to be a part of this system, pupils have to complete an application form and discuss the responsibilities with the deputy head before assuming the role. In Year 6, pupils enjoy the experience of living together in their residential visit to Hay-on-Wye. Pupils help to prepare and clear away resources on a daily basis. Good

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

collaborative learning took place during an assembly, when pupils were involved in a role-play situation dramatising the effect of carelessness and the conflict and sadness. In the citizenship programme, pupils in their circle time activities, develop high levels of understanding about responsibilities they need to take to be a good citizen.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

34. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory. There are secured opportunities to recognise and appreciate British culture, such as visits to museums, churches and local places of interests, as well as the recognition and acknowledgement of important aspects of British life, such as Remembrance Day. Religious education provides opportunities for pupils to learn about other faiths and cultures. Celebration of festivals of other faiths is acknowledged and this supports the pupils well in preparing them to live in a multi-cultural society. Pupils celebrate festivals, such as Diwali, and other festivals besides Christmas and Easter. Pupils are encouraged to recognise the importance of festivals in a practical sense. For example, after celebrating Harvest Festival, the produce is shared between local citizens through the Protection of Crime Bureau who donate the produce to people suffering loss through crime. Opportunities are given to learn about other

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

cultures, such as African Drum music and Flamenco Dance music. In art, pupils learn about painting hands with ‘henna’, an Asian custom, and Aboriginal art. To promote and support an understanding of other cultures the school has established an after-school Hexagon Club, which helps pupils from different ethnic backgrounds with language development and homework. However, while the Club produced a display of work offering an overview of the contributions from different cultures’ to the world of science, music, etc., it failed to mention Martin Luther King and his contribution to the Civil Rights movement. Work on Florence Nightingale might have been supplemented by additional information about the Jamaican nurse Mary Seacole and the philanthropic work of Nubar Gulbenkian, an Armenian industrialist who established a series of charitable foundations. Overall, however, pupils are satisfactorily prepared for life in a multi-

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

cultural society and pupils show a clear understanding of the multicultural nature of British society. Becontree Primary School 18

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school’s procedures for pupil welfare, health, safety and support and guidance are good. It provides a safe and secure environment where pupils are well supervised. Teachers and other staff know all the pupils well.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school has a good health and safety policy which also includes within it separate policies for other areas such as Child Protection, so that, although all these policies are full documents in their own right, they still link together appropriately. The procedures for dealing with medical needs of pupils, illnesses and accidents are appropriate and incidents recorded and reported correctly. There are five trained first aiders amongst the staff. The system is well managed by the Welfare Officer who is also one of the first-aiders. The medical needs of pupils are known to appropriate staff and training is undertaken annually. The midday supervisors provide good support at lunchtime including dealing with minor accidents in the playground. The school has appropriate links with a school nurse, dentist, other medical services and local social agencies and is also part of the healthy eating scheme.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The deputy headteacher is the designated person for child protection and this is known to all staff. The policy is a good document based on the local authority policy and is reviewed regularly. The links with the appropriate social service agencies are good and the deputy headteacher is involved in case conferences.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The policy and procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are good. These are based on a new approach of ‘positive behaviour’ management devised by a behaviour management consultant. The school is very enthusiastic about the benefits this approach brings and has noted improvements since its introduction. This new approach is a continuation of the significant advancements made by the school over the past three years. It is based on rewarding the positive behaviour and the idea that all pupils deserve rewards (golden time). This policy is applied efficiently across the school and all staff are involved.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school has good procedures for monitoring and improving attendance. However, the impact on the attendance figures has not yet brought them into line with national averages. Registers are filled in correctly and quickly and returned promptly to the office. The system is administered well by the Attendance Officer who phones parents of those pupils who are absent without giving a reason either on that or the following day. A senior member of staff monitors it fortnightly. The Access and Attendance Officer visits school weekly. The school is also kept informed of when the local education authority and police are running an operation caretaker day which involves them challenging pupils who are out of school, even if they are with their parents. Rewards are given for good attendance and punctuality. Future strategies involve targeting early years pupils to get parents and children into good habits early. It is also planned to tighten up on

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

the school systems so that a form is sent out as soon as possible after a pupil is absent. However, due to inconsistent practice some teachers do not do so and this contributes to high levels of unauthorised absences. Punctuality continues to be a problem for some families. The school adopts a sympathetic approach in deserving cases.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The arrangements for assessing and monitoring pupils’ progress are good overall and have improved since the last inspection. Assessment procedures in English, mathematics, science and ICT are thorough and well established. This allows teachers to build up a picture of individual attainment and to plan more effectively for groups within their classes. The school analyses assessment data from the statutory tests in the core subjects thoroughly to monitor both the performance of the school and that of different groups of pupils to identify any patterns such as underachievement. This analysis is being extended to the annual tests so that individuals and groups of pupils can be tracked in greater details. Pupils learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs benefit from the good systems described above and they are also carefully and regularly monitored to ensure that their specific needs are

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

being met. Assessment in subjects other than the core is being developed. The school is addressing the recommendation of HMI to extend assessment arrangements for all other subjects Becontree Primary School 19 and has made the National Curriculum Minimum Standards available on-line to help teachers with their assessment tasks. The co-ordinators of subjects other than English, maths, science and ICT are beginning to build up a portfolio of nationally published examples of work, appropriately labelled to exemplify expectations for particular age groups. These will be supplemented by work drawn from pupils’ own workbooks to help teachers raise expectations of pupils’ achievement in each year group.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Assessment procedures in the nursery and Reception classes are good, and the information gained is used appropriately to move the children’s learning forward. The national programme early learning goals are used as a basis for assessing children’s attainment at the Foundation Stage. Staff make continuous assessment of every pupil’s progress in all strands of the early years curriculum in both Reception and nursery years. At the end of Reception assessments are also made to check that the school has achieved the Reception class targets in phonics and word recognition drawn from the local authority’s English Language Project.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The partnership with parents, their views of the school and the impact of their involvement in the work of the school are all good.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Those parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting and filled in the questionnaires expressed high levels of support for the school and the education provided for their children. Some concern was expressed about the amount of homework their children are given. However, each year, the school sends out details of the homework requirements that their child will have in that year and timetables are posted on exit doors.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The annual reports for pupils describe in some detail what their children can do and what they need to improve. Reports are discussed individually at the parents’ meeting at the end of the year. The other parents’ evening is at the beginning of the school year when the class teacher tells parents what will be studied. Currently no curriculum information is sent out but the school plans to address this. The governors’ annual report to parents contains information about the activities of the school and meets the statutory requirements. Newsletters are sent out about every three weeks.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Parents help out in the school on a regular basis and the school encourages their involvement. The school regularly runs adult education courses. Some of these are to give parents basic knowledge for themselves, for example, in basic literacy and numeracy, ICT courses and others that help them to support their children’s learning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Teachers and the headteacher are very accessible. Most parents feel comfortable in approaching the school. There is a good home-school agreement which all new parents are required to sign.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents who do not speak English can get assistance for the meetings from teachers, who speak a number of languages between them, from other parents, family members or friends. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are involved appropriately in meetings with school staff and outside agencies. The procedures for informing parents that their child has special educational needs are effective and meet the requirements of the new Code of Practice. Parents are consulted over some matters, for example, the development of the school playground and they were well informed about the introduction of the new behaviour approach.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. There is an active school association, which raises funds for the school, helps with equipment and events such as the Jubilee party in the summer 2002 term, where 80 parents helped. Becontree Primary School 20

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The school is led and managed very well. One of the main reasons for the recent successes of the school is the strong leadership provided by the headteacher. He is supported very efficiently by the senior staff, especially the deputy headteacher. Their work is focused very effectively on promoting good quality teaching and raising standards. Staff share these commitments and are constantly reflecting on their practice and seeking ways in which they might improve. As a result, the school is successful in ensuring that pupils achieve their best and try to do better.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. There are clear structures for the management of the school and strong and effective teamwork is a particular feature. This has a positive impact on the retention of staff and a consistent approach to the implementation of policies. The senior management team provides a strong lead in monitoring the work of the staff and shaping the future direction of the school. The deputy head plays a very important role in ensuring that assessment evidence is used well in most subjects to set high goals for pupils and in providing support and guidance for staff in increasing their expertise in their relevant areas. Co-ordinators are playing an increasingly important role. Some are new in post and because of the effective induction procedures they are able to take on subject management roles early in their teaching careers.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is managed well and support staff are well trained. Statutory requirements are fully met, and the inclusion of all pupils with special educational needs is very good. The procedures for assessing the needs of these pupils and monitoring their progress are good and implemented effectively. The designated governor for special educational needs is enthusiastic and becoming increasingly involved in this area. Resources for this area are good.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. Thorough, systematic and very effective procedures have been introduced to monitor the work of staff, to evaluate the impact of action taken and the effectiveness of the school. The regular observation of teaching, the scrutiny of planning and an analysis of pupils’ work have all contributed to the identification of strengths and areas for improvements. As a result, good practice has been shared, support and training provided and the quality of teaching improved. The analysis of test and other data is also being used with increasing rigour to identify weaknesses. A long-term strategic view of the school’s development is used to inform the actions to be taken. Financial planning and the allocation of funding are used very effectively to support the main priorities identified in the school improvement plan.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The governing body meets their statutory responsibilities. Governors have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are getting increasingly involved in the work of the school. They support the headteacher well in applying the best value principles.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. There is a suitable match of teaching staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. A comprehensive and effective system for appraising and managing the performance of staff has been established. Training needs are clearly identified and professional development is carefully planned to meet school priorities and individual needs. Classroom assistants and other support staff are trained and supported well in developing their knowledge and skills for supporting pupils in their learning. The effectiveness of their deployment is making a considerable contribution to the good progress made by most pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The accommodation is spacious and has been improved significantly over the last two years. The outside environment and the playground have also been improved. A plan is in hand to develop these further to support pupils’ learning in the playground and to provide a greener environment. Resources are satisfactory overall. A new computer suite has been provided in the library, bringing ICT resources to a good level. However, there are insufficient resources for teaching pupils about linguistic and cultural diversity, including bilingual books and dictionaries, tapes, nursery play items and other artefacts. The upgrading of the library has been delayed Becontree Primary School 21 because of the long-term illness of the teacher with this responsibility but a plan is in place to start this project now.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school has a thorough approach to financial planning and comprehensive procedures for monitoring the budget. The draft budget, carefully prepared by the headteacher in consultation with staff, is presented to the governing body for approval, with appropriate reference to the school improvement plan. Specific grants are used effectively and monitored efficiently. The headteacher efficiently applies the principles of best value in all spending decisions and closely monitors its impact on financial planning. The current budget shows a large amount of carry forward from the previous year. A further amount of £14,000 has been spent since then, leaving the school with an appropriate balance to split between the contingency fund and the special projects budget.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The deployment of teaching and support staff is effective and ensures efficient management of the school. Resources are used well to enhance pupils’ knowledge and understanding in all areas of the curriculum. Good use is also made of visitors and outside visits to enhance pupils’ learning. The school provides good value for money.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

58. In order to continue the good progress made since the last inspection, the school should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i. improve attainment in mathematics by the end of Years 2 and 6 by: • providing challenging and interesting activities for all pupils, especially the higher attainers;( paragraphs 3, 5, 82)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ii. improve the organisation and co-ordination of the work of the nursery and Reception classes by: • ensuring that teachers plan these three classes together and are fully aware of the progress made by children at each stage; • increasing staff expertise further, particularly to review the organisation and co- ordination of the nursery and the reception classes as a whole unit; (paragraphs 25, 65, 66)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

iii. improve attendance and punctuality by continuing to implement the existing good monitoring procedures.(paragraph 15)

p.21

Other issues which should be considered by the school

In addition to the items above, the governors may wish to consider the inclusion of the following points in their action plan:

p.21

Other issues which should be considered by the school

i. Improve the support provision for the pupils who speak English as an additional language by: • extending partnerships between the teacher who works specifically with minority ethnic pupils and class teachers to give greater support in classes; • the training of teachers and support staff in planning to meet the needs of all bilingual pupils and celebrating cultural diversity; • widening the range of resources for educating all pupils for cultural diversity; • improving resources, including those bilingual materials, for supporting pupils effectively in acquiring English language skills. (paragraphs 61, 62) Becontree Primary School 22

p.21

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

59. There are 89 pupils of minority ethnic origin of varying backgrounds. Some were born in this country and have varying levels of competence in English. Others, including nine refugee pupils, have arrived directly from overseas, mostly with little or no English. There is a part-time teacher, funded under the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG), with responsibility for supporting pupils from ethnic minorities. Twenty-five pupils have been identified as those needing most support with English language. In the main these are newly arrived pupils or those who have been in this country for some time but are making slower than average progress. These pupils are targeted for extra help and mainly receive approximately one hour per week. The exception is Year 6 where targeted pupils have three sessions per week to help raise their test scores. Another 23 would benefit from extra help from the specialist teacher but this cannot be provided as the

p.22

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

teacher is appointed to work only half the week and the pupils are found in all classes. In the Foundation Stage pupils learning English as an additional language make good progress. For example, in a lesson observed, those at an early stage in learning English gained confidence in speaking through the repetition of phrases in a circle game.

p.22

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

60. The attainment of these minority ethnic pupils varies along the full range but, taken as a whole group, their attainment follows roughly the same pattern as other pupils in the school. In 2002 all ethnic minority pupils in Year 2 attained the expected Level 2 in the core subjects but this is not likely to be repeated this year. Three pupils from Year 6 attained Level 5 in English and science in 2002. There is no significant variation in attainment for any particular group and progress is satisfactory overall and sometimes good.

p.22

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

61. The quality of teaching varies from satisfactory to good. EMAG teacher works with pupils both in the classes and in groups outside the main lesson. Teachers pair pupils to work together so that those with limited English can learn from those who are fluent speakers. They ask questions in such a way that targeted pupils are able to answer them. For example, in a Year 4 class pupils learnt well when the teacher’s skilful questioning ensured that pupils related specifically to the content of the lesson, namely a story from Islam. Teachers often support pupils well in developing the necessary language through good use of demonstration and examples as was seen in a Year 6 lesson. However, pupils make unsatisfactory progress in lessons where the teachers take little account of the linguistic needs of some pupils. This was observed in a lesson where pupils lost interest because they could not understand. Pupils in Year 6 receiving additional

p.22

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

help in withdrawal groups benefit from the more individual attention they are given, allowing them to consolidate their learning. The work is related on a weekly basis to that planned for the rest of the class as it is part of the same unit. However, as the work takes place outside the classroom and sometimes is modified considerably, pupils lose out on the benefits of working with fluent English speakers and the broader, often rich, linguistic experiences in the classroom. In an observed withdrawal lesson opportunities to maximise pupils’ learning through talk were not taken. In addition, some staff who work with bilingual pupils have insufficient knowledge of their needs and strategies to meet the needs. No teacher was observed to encourage the use of a pupil’s home language to assist learning, and dictionaries are not available in any of the minority ethnic languages. The EMAG teacher and Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator organise a weekly after-

p.22

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

school club which helps bilingual and other ethnic minority pupils with their homework and ICT work. The school’s Hexagon Club helps minority ethnic pupils make friends and gives support with homework. In October, pupils used the Internet to find out about aspects of Black history in connection with the national Black History Month.

p.22

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

62. All minority ethnic pupils are assessed appropriately by a variety of means and for different purposes. In this way weak areas of learning are identified in individual pupils. The extended assessment scales developed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority are used minimally to help produce broad group targets for bilingual pupils in those classes where additional support is given. Information about pupils’ attainments and needs is not being fully used by class teachers. Lesson plans do not generally include specific attention to the needs of bilingual pupils. Becontree Primary School 23 The school is beginning to analyse pupils’ attainment to check to see if there are imbalances for particular groups such as ethnic minorities or girls and boys and this is distributed to teachers to help them cater for the most able pupils. It takes care to try to ensure that no pupil who is learning

p.22

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

English as an additional language is wrongly assessed as having special educational needs. However, the assessment process does not include help from someone speaking the pupil’s home language.

p.23

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

63. The school translates certain letters into a number of community languages. It recognises, however, that it makes insufficient use of minority ethnic parents to assist their efforts to celebrate cultural diversity and make the school more inclusive.

p.23

OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES

64. The headteacher and senior staff show a clear commitment to ensuring that all pupils benefit fully from the education offered. There is a wide range of useful, practical policies including Equal Opportunities, multicultural education and anti-racism. The school acknowledges that it needs to systematically monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of these related policies. The school improvement plan includes the implementation of the Race Equality Policy in 2003/2004 and developments in support for bilingual pupils through planning for their needs in mainstream lessons. Some training is being planned for teachers regarding English as an additional language. Becontree Primary School 24 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 27

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 17 40 38 3 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 – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 20 395

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 159 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 6

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 57

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 64

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 65

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Becontree 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 30 27 57

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 27 28 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 24 23

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (90) 91 (92) 88 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.25

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

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

Boys 24 25 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 23 23

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School 81 (81) 84 (74) 88 (92) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.25

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

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

p.25

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 42 26 68

p.25

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

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

Boys 28 26 40 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 15 22

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School 68 (77) 60 (63) 91 (84) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.25

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

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

Boys 28 26 40 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 15 22

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School 66 (74) 60 (61) 91 (82) 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. Becontree Primary School 26

p.25

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 10 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 13 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 0 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 11 1 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 17 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. Becontree Primary School 27

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 17.6 Financial year 2001/2002

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.2

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1,170,150

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 17 Total expenditure 1,141,865

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 312 Expenditure per pupil 2,589

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 28,285

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 86,460

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 65

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 6.7 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 7

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

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

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) 0

p.27

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. Becontree Primary School 28

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 67 30 3 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 61 35 3 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 47 35 7 3 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 64 26 6 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 17 3 4 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 78 19 2 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 62 29 6 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 70 24 3 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 68 26 2 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 42 25 13 8 12 Becontree Primary School 29

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Personal, social and emotional development

65. The school’s Foundation Stage consists of a single unit nursery, which pupils attend for half-day sessions, and two Reception classes. No comparison can be made with the last inspection as no comment was made on this area. Currently these two classes and the nursery are located in different parts of the school building, which makes it difficult for them to operate as an appropriately linked Foundation Stage. This means the nursery and Reception classes almost inevitably operates as separate units with different planning frameworks and assessment arrangements. Children start part-time in the nursery and proceed full-time in one of the two Reception classes to complete this stage of learning. Planning for these important years is guided by the six areas of learning and is linked each half-term to a particular theme. Children arrive happily in the class and are warmly welcomed by every member of staff. They settle quickly into

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Personal, social and emotional development

the early morning or afternoon routine. Teachers are very well supported by a strong team of nursery nurses and classroom assistants and they work together to ensure that all pupils achieve the learning objectives of the early years curriculum and the focused work of the day. Each member of staff knows the pupils well and ensures that they are all acknowledged and fully included in the planned work. This was well demonstrated in a physical education lesson in the nursery where pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties and another with severe health problems were encouraged to join in the activities and, with appropriate support, achieved a high level of attainment.

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Personal, social and emotional development

66. Nursery children have use of a designated nursery playground to pursue a more adventurous outdoor curriculum for each area of learning. Reception pupils only have this provision three afternoons a week, which makes it hard for the school to provide planned and purposeful activities for learning inside and outside. During the week of inspection Reception classes and nursery groups met for morning and afternoon birthday assemblies. Since only one nursery nurse and the nursery teacher stayed in for the session, this appeared to be a lost opportunity and a rare one for pupils and the full Foundation staff team to meet.

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Personal, social and emotional development

67. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall, with some good teaching observed in the nursery and Reception classes. Teaching draws on the stepping stones of the Foundation Stage, though staff are not providing enough opportunities for pupils to select and use activities and resources independently or to initiate ideas. This is particularly so in Reception classes in the planned morning activities. Important resources for learning, for example book areas, listening areas and imaginative role-play areas, are not given enough prominence in the general planning and overall the book areas do not present a real invitation to read. Listening corners are not well enough resourced to allow pupils the opportunity to read or move cut-out figures as the stories or taped action songs unfold. This is an important omission where children who are newcomers to English need many opportunities to listen and to develop speaking and

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Personal, social and emotional development

listening skills in the home corner and fantasy world role-play activities. Teachers do, however, plan work which is appropriately practical and visual, which ensures that all pupils understand what they are expected to do in particular tasks and take full part in them. The planning is often highly structured and therefore pupils do not have the opportunity to explore ideas, to become engrossed in a self-chosen activity or to follow their own lines of interest. Overall, the curriculum for Foundation Stage is broad and balanced, planned to give children relevant and engaging activities to help them make progress in achieving early learning goals. In a very good lesson on senses in reception, pupils investigated a range of fruits to describe what they saw, felt, smelt and tasted. The work was well planned and because of additional adults in class children were in small enough groups to make full and active contribution to the learning. They raised their own questions,

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Personal, social and emotional development

reflected on flavours and noted, with almost spiritual awareness, the beauty of the cross-section of some of the fruits. Adults responded sensitively to pupils’ contribution, raising questions to progress the learning, and using praise well. Becontree Primary School 30

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Personal, social and emotional development

68. Pupils are judged to enter the nursery with achievements below those expected for their age in most areas of learning. They make good progress, therefore, and even at this fairly early point in the academic year, look likely to achieve the early learning goals in “Personal, Social and Emotional” areas of the Foundation Stage of education. This is evident in the way they come into school happily and confidently, and are keen to join in activities. They play well together, talking and recognising their own and others’ achievements. Pupils work well together in group activities and talk confidently about important aspects of their lives. For example, one child explained that she was going to move because her family were going to live elsewhere. Another described a long list of Barbie Doll accessories which Father Christmas was going to bring. Pupils learn to dress and undress for outdoor play in the nursery with great confidence, and to eat and drink

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Personal, social and emotional development

refreshments in a sensible manner. Already pupils can listen in a group session for an appropriate length of time and understand classroom routines. They concentrate appropriately for their age on tasks chosen by the teacher. Most children meet and are likely to surpass the required learning goals for their age group.

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Communication, language and literacy

69. The teaching of communication, language and literacy is effective. As a result, children make good progress and most are likely to reach the expected standards by the end of Reception. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are not fully developed on entry to the nursery. As seen from the national base-line in the Reception stage, standards are improving. This indicates good progress. Pupils talk together well. They listen carefully at story times and are keen to raise questions about the work they are investigating. For example, in one session, Reception-age pupils discussed the way animals use their senses in nature, delighted to hear that grasshoppers have ears on their knees. In a story about a bear who was accidentally left behind when a family moved, they are pleased that through a number of adventures he is restored to his owner and retrace his journey several times through the book’s illustrations. They experience great

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Communication, language and literacy

satisfaction at the happy outcome. They recognise that the behaviour of the “naughty boy” was inappropriate and unkind when he threw the bear into the air, and discussed why he would do such a thing, with great seriousness. In the nursery pupils learn to make marks with pencils and crayons, share books with adults and learn that print has meaning. In the Reception classes children share big books with adults and are learning to form letters and recognise and write their own names.

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Mathematical development

70. Pupils’ mathematical development is judged to be weak when they start nursery, but they make good progress and are likely to achieve expected standards by the end of Reception. There is a good range of number activities, including sorting and classifying games, for example, children thread beads of different shapes and colour, and are able to describe the patterns and repeating sequences as they work. One group attached pieces of track, excited by the growing length and counting individual pieces, which in one instance exceeded 50. They were particularly proud of this work and were congratulated by other pupils in the group, who recognised high achievement with good judgement. Pupils pair socks and gloves as they begin to count in twos, and enjoy hanging up real objects on a classroom clothes-line. One group of pupils in nursery cut up fruit to make a fruit salad and discussed confidently whether there was enough for everyone in the class,

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Mathematical development

setting out the fruit in an appropriate number of plastic cups. Such practical and visual mathematical activities give pupils opportunity to demonstrate their growing confidence with number and shape and to handle large numbers.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

71. Pupils come into nursery with average standards and progress is good so that by the time they move to Year 1 they achieve the expected standards. Through play they are coming to understand the world they live in. In the home corner they learn about domestic routines and the Becontree Primary School 31 appropriate language of family life. Through playing with a dolls’ house they act out dramas of family life, some more fantastic than others. For example, one child, sitting the grandma doll on the house roof, acted out a dialogue in which she encouraged the reluctant doll to come down from the roof. They understand that such behaviour is dangerous and that the grandma could be hurt. Pupils construct buildings from a range of materials, from small bricks and inter-connecting plastic blocks to large “soft play” bricks. They experiment, balancing and bridging materials, recognising that stability reduces as their tower gets taller. They consider the texture of materials they play

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

with, including play-dough, sand and water, and paint mixed with a range of substances, for example, rice and pasta. They come to understand that wet and dry sand behave differently and that water and dry sand can be channelled through the use of a funnel into a container, and that wet sand cannot. In a nursery activity children noted the change of state when water was added to dry powder to make pots of paint. In the topic on senses Reception pupils built up their knowledge and understanding about the chosen fruit. They used conventional description but also responded personally to the cross-section patterns. One pupil of Jamaican heritage was delighted to recognise one of the more unusual fruits was one that he ate regularly at home. Such acknowledgement of a pupil’s cultural and family experience was rare, and the school needs to seek every opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity of the community in its displays and

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

choice of resources. One good acknowledgement was the ethnic diversity of the dolls which reflected the ethnic diversity of the classroom.

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Physical development

72. Children enter the nursery with satisfactory physical ability and make good progress in the Foundation Stage and achieve the expected standards. They undertake tasks requiring fine motor skills, cutting up fruit, mixing paint and sewing with good control. They co-ordinate their body movements well in dancing activities and action songs. They handle jigsaw puzzles with great dexterity and large “soft-play” bricks with equal care and control. In one session pupils created interlocking brooches and crowns with plastic straws and were delighted with their artistic efforts, with one pupil presenting an inspector with a brooch to match the colour of her coat. In the outdoor curriculum they are given the opportunity for more adventurous physical activity, riding on bikes and scooters, moving over a climbing frame with good control and appropriate attention to safety and the needs of other pupils. They build up an assault course to challenge their physical

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Physical development

capability and are proud of their efforts, which they appraise with good judgement.

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Creative development

73. Pupils’ creative development is below average when they arrive at school but they make good progress and are likely to achieve the expected standards by the end of Reception. Pupils learn a good range of action songs and join in with enthusiasm. They create pictures and patterns in a range of media, experimenting with paint and printing with string and other materials. They produce patterns with their hands in thickened paint and are delighted with the designs which are printed. In the nursery children use paint and stick paper and card and other materials to make a range of pictures which are then displayed. They use the computer to generate art effects in connection with their colour topic. Children sing and listen to music throughout the day, but there are few opportunities to experiment with musical instruments.

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ENGLISH

74. Results in the 2002 National Curriculum Tests showed that standards attained by Year 2 were well below the national average for reading and below for writing. However, compared to similar schools they were above average in both aspects. Standards of attainment for Year 6 pupils indicated that they were below the national average, but well above compared to similar schools. Over the last three years, standards have improved, particularly in writing. The majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, achieve well. Becontree Primary School 32 75. Inspection findings show that all pupils make good progress and standards have continued to improve since the National Curriculum Tests 2002. Standards have improved since the last inspection and are now in line with the national averages in both Year 2 and Year 6. Standards in speaking and listening are above those expected for pupils at seven and 11 and for

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ENGLISH

reading and writing, they are now in line for pupils in Years 2 and 6. Both infant and junior pupils offer answers to questions and explain their own thoughts clearly. When asked to share ideas in pairs or small groups, they discuss effectively, communicating their ideas and opinions well. A strong feature in this area is that all responses are in sentences and when asked questions in class or assembly, pupils respond in full sentences. Pupils are encouraged to use grammatical terminology when studying language and most pupils respond by speaking fluently and expressively. Listening skills are well developed across the curriculum and pupils engage well with each other and with adults. The use of paired work is clearly having a positive impact in promoting speaking and listening skills. Pupils in all classes are given good opportunities to explain their ideas to each other and to their teachers. They recall their previous work and speak confidently

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ENGLISH

about it. They are taught a wide range of vocabulary which they use extensively and confidently across the curriculum, as was seen in an assembly, where their well expressed responses displayed a clear understanding and empathy to the story used.

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ENGLISH

76. Pupils’ attainment in reading is in line with the national average and confirms the judgements of the previous inspection. A high focus has been placed on raising standards. In Year 2, pupils have developed appropriate reading strategies, for example, use of phonics to read unfamiliar words. They are enthusiastic and well motivated readers. They enjoy reading and most read at home every evening, sometimes to themselves, often to members of their family. Most pupils know the main features in books, such as contents, index, glossary, page headings and blurbs. Reading schemes, together with a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books, provide a graded and well-structured system. In Year 6, the majority of pupils read fluently, observing punctuation and with expression. They are enthusiastic and read widely for pleasure and information at home and at school. Pupils have clear ideas on favourite books and authors and

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ENGLISH

many are members of the local public library which they visit on a regular basis. Most can scan text efficiently to extract ideas. Pupils have reading diaries to record what they have read and when they take books home. Parents are very supportive in listening to their children read and writing comments in their diaries.

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ENGLISH

77. Standards in writing are average. In Year 2, pupils are developing writing skills which are in line with those expected for pupils of this age. Pupils in Year 1 write short sentences describing their drawings and, with help, use simple punctuation. Pupils in Year 2 write letters using simple construction. They write short sentences using capital letters and full stops and write questions to ask ‘Farmer Duck’ using question marks. Their writing demonstrates sound understanding of the conventions of writing stories with clear beginnings, middles and endings. Spelling and punctuation are given high priority by the school and most use punctuation reasonably well. Extended writing across the curriculum supports development of pupils’ writing skills well and assists progress in this area. Handwriting skills develop well. Great care is taken to promote good letter formation by using the overhead projector. Pupils speak enthusiastically ‘in tandem’ with the

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ENGLISH

teacher as she accompanies the formation of letters with instructions on how to do it, as was observed in a Year 2 class. Most pupils are developing legible and joined writing well.

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ENGLISH

78. At the end of Year 6, work is mostly well presented and the majority of pupils use a fluent writing style. Pupils’ work includes writing for a wide range of audiences and purposes, including comprehension and evaluative writing. For example, pupils write about aspects of the war describing the changed life of the family in terms of the ‘Blackout’ and occupational changes with women going out to work. They evaluate in their comprehension work the meaning of ‘The Lady of Shallot’. Pupils’ writing skills are used well to support work in other areas of the curriculum in subjects such as history, geography and science. Sentences are constructed correctly and punctuation is used well, including the use of speech marks. Spelling is generally correct and pupils make use of thesaurus to improve their vocabulary and extend their range of words. Pupils use plans to arrange their thoughts and draft stories effectively. As a result, the pace of writing is

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ENGLISH

Becontree Primary School 33 generally crisp and interests the reader. There was, however, during the inspection, no evidence of pupils using word processing during classroom sessions.

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ENGLISH

79. The overall quality of teaching is good. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the teaching of literacy skills. They plan lessons carefully with appropriate and specific learning objectives. Literacy is effectively planned to support work across the curriculum. Whole-class reading and discussion groups are well managed and careful questioning probes pupils’ thinking. In the most effective lessons, there are high expectations for effort, concentration and achievement and pace is brisk. Plenary sessions are used very well to reinforce learning and discussions are purposeful. As a result, pupils’ attitudes to work are good or very good. They enjoy the literacy sessions and respond to questions confidently. They work well in whole-class sessions and in groups, as well as in individual tasks. They take pride in their work to ensure it is neat and well presented.

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ENGLISH

80. The tasks are often challenging and interesting. Effective support for pupils with special educational needs allows them to make optimum progress. Higher attaining pupils are sufficiently challenged. There are good systems in place to assess and record pupils’ progress in reading and spelling and teachers make good use of them to plan for progression in learning. Marking is effective in Year 6. It is developmental and helps pupils to understand what they need to do to improve further. However, the practice is inconsistent and pupils would benefit greatly if this good practice were adopted throughout the school. Differentiation is planned in some year groups and subjects but a more consistent approach is required to raise standards further, particularly for the higher attaining pupils.

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ENGLISH

81. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator has worked effectively with all staff to implement the literacy strategy across the school. She supports the staff by monitoring planning and the quality of teaching and learning. Assessment is used well to track pupils’ progress as they move through the school and to ensure that realistic yet challenging targets are set for their attainment. Resources are satisfactory overall. However, the library, for example, is still an area which is under-resourced and requires a greater variety of books, particularly to enable pupils to conduct research. This was an issue identified in previous inspection and the school has planned for the library to develop by the summer term next year.

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MATHEMATICS

82. The pupils currently in Year 2 are attaining standards below those expected nationally for their age in numeracy and other areas of mathematics. This represents an improvement since the 2002 national test results that showed the standards to be well below the national average but in line with standards in similar schools. As a result of the predominantly good teaching seen in Years 1 and 2 the current pupils are making good progress in mathematics and, although attainment is still below national expectations, are achieving well.

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MATHEMATICS

83. The 2002 test results for pupils in Year 6 showed attainment also to be well below the national average although in line with standards found in similar schools. Pupils currently in Year 6 are being very well taught and are making very good progress although attainment still remains slightly below that expected nationally. As in Years 1 and 2, the good teaching in Years 3 to 6 is proving to be instrumental in helping pupils achieve well when compared to their prior attainment.

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MATHEMATICS

84. In the last inspection standards were judged to be rising but still below national expectations. This trend has continued and the school has successfully kept up with the general rise in standards found nationally. Pupils 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 as they are well supported by both teachers and support assistants. For example, pupils with special educational needs in mathematics from both Year 6 classes are taught together in a group and follow a separate programme designed to raise their confidence and skills in working with numbers. This group, taken by a special needs support assistant under the guidance Becontree Primary School 34 of a teacher, is making good progress in mathematics as the work is closely matched to their needs.

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MATHEMATICS

85. At the end of Year 2 the majority of pupils have a good understanding of the language of number, have a secure knowledge of place value to at least 100 and can quickly recall addition and subtraction facts to ten. Pupils know the names and some of the properties, such as the number of sides and corners, of two and three-dimensional shapes. They recognise simple fractions such as a quarter and a half and can measure the length of lines and objects reasonably accurately using cubes and then measuring in centimetres. Pupils tell the time accurately to the nearest quarter hour using analogue and digital clocks. They have, however, few opportunities to carry out their own investigations or work with a partner. For example, in data handling they do not always collect their own data but instead are given a set of data to present as a pictogram or block graph. This tends to make the work less interesting and relevant for the pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

86. By the end of Year 6 pupils have a good understanding of place value to at least 1,000 and the majority are able to add, subtract, multiply and divide confidently, often to at least two places of decimals. Pupils understand negative numbers and use them in their work. This was clearly seen in their work on coordinates where they used all four quadrants to accurately plot and draw a variety of shapes such as triangles and parallelograms. Pupils understand how to calculate the mean, median and mode from a set of data and draw accurate line graphs to show changes over time such as fluctuations in temperature. The use of information and communication technology to support learning is not well developed and mathematics lessons rarely take place in the computer suite.

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MATHEMATICS

87. The quality of mathematics teaching is good overall with no unsatisfactory teaching observed during the inspection. Over half the teaching seen was good or better. Teachers have very good class management skills that enable them to create a calm and purposeful working atmosphere in which pupils can concentrate and make good progress. Pupils respond well to this and behaviour in lessons is good. Lessons are planned through the scheme of work that gives teachers clear guidance as to the structure and content of each lesson so that there is a uniformity in the methods used to teach mathematics. This has not yet worked its way through the whole school so the pupils currently in Year 6 are still working to the previous scheme. However, for some aspects, such as shape, the teachers dip in to the new scheme when they judge the content to be appropriate. Planning of lessons does not always include activities to further extend the

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MATHEMATICS

knowledge and understanding of more able pupils. Some of the tasks given to pupils who successfully achieve the objectives before the end of the lesson is just more work at the same level and is not designed to challenge them and move them on to a higher level. The same is sometimes found for pupils who find mathematics difficult, as the work they are given is too hard and not closely matched to their prior attainment. One very good feature of the teaching is the encouragement teachers give to pupils to explain their work clearly and in sentences. This helps all pupils clarify their thinking and learn with and from each other as well as developing their speaking and listening skills effectively. The emphasis on pupils using the correct mathematical vocabulary in their explanations also helps with their learning. Lessons often move along at a brisk pace. This was clearly seen in a very good Year 6 lesson about moving shapes on a grid. The

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MATHEMATICS

teacher demonstrated the technique, had individual pupils show the class how to do it and then moved swiftly on to the whole class trying it for themselves. In a very short time all had mastered the work and were confidently trying even more difficult moves. Good relationships are a strong feature with pupils being attentive to their teachers and able to work well together. Suitable homework, linked to work in lessons, is set weekly and is completed successfully by the majority of the pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

88. The management of the subject is good and has a positive impact on raising standards. Teaching, planning and completed work are thoroughly monitored to identify areas for improvement and celebrate success. Assessment procedures are also good and are used effectively to track the progress of individual pupils and predict their future levels of attainment. Regular termly tests, linked to the scheme of work, and the annual optional tests give the school a good picture of how effective the provision is. The use of numeracy skills in other subjects to make Becontree Primary School 35 learning more relevant and interesting as well as reinforcing the pupils’ mathematical skills is an area that is still developing. The school has appropriately included this as part of its focus on raising standards in the school improvement plan.

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SCIENCE

89. At the end of Year 6, standards in the 2002 national tests were average. However, standards are high when compared with similar schools. The teacher assessment for 2002 also indicates average standards by the end of Year 2. This inspection finds that standards have improved further in Year 6 and are now above average. They remain average in Year 2, however. Pupils make good progress in the subject throughout the school. The progress of those pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language is also good. The rate of improvement over time is above the national trend. This shows a good improvement since the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

90. Pupils in Year 1 learn about the role of the different senses. In Year 2 pupils know that sounds get quieter as it moves farther away from the source. They learn to use appropriate words to describe the qualities of sounds. Pupils in Year 3 assemble simple electrical circuits including lights or buzzers. In Year 4 they are learning about forces using elastic bands and springs. Pupils in Year 5 learn about the different states of water, and investigate the temperatures at which ice is formed, water boils, and blood temperature. By Year 6, they look at the properties of light, investigating how it travelled in straight lines, and how some materials alter its characteristics. Although the pupils learn well in the majority of lessons, they had restricted opportunities for practical investigations, or to devise their own investigations.

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SCIENCE

91. The quality of teaching and learning was good overall, with some very good or excellent lessons. Consequently, pupils learn very well in the majority of lessons and make good progress across the school. In the best lessons teachers share their enthusiasm for the subject with the pupils and motivate the children very well. As a result, pupils enjoy their science lessons, concentrate well and behave well. Teachers have good subject knowledge and ensure that pupils learn appropriate scientific vocabulary, such as ‘translucent’, ‘opaque’ and ‘light source’, which pupils learn to use correctly. Teachers explain lessons well and provides a wide range of interesting demonstrations. In some lessons, this was supported by the pupils undertaking simple experiments. For example, in one lesson, pupils were able to see the effect of boiling water on a thermometer and compare it with the effect of ice on body temperature. They have high

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SCIENCE

expectations of behaviour and plan challenging activities. Teachers plan well and use resources effectively. There is little evidence of work being specially set for pupils with special educational needs, but these children are supported well by learning support assistants in class. In the majority of lessons, teachers use time well and link science to other subjects such as English and mathematics. In particular, the quality of speaking and listening is strongly emphasised. The pace of lessons is generally brisk and this maintains pupils’ interest and increases their work rate. In the less effective lessons, management is not so strong and, with the pupils becoming restless quickly, progress is slow.

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SCIENCE

92. The quality of the leadership and management is satisfactory. The co-ordinator has recently been appointed and has not yet had time to make an impact on the subject. Resources are generally adequate, but there were some lessons where pupils had to share equipment such as thermometers across groups because there were not enough. In another lesson, not all batteries and bulbs were working, causing problems form children trying to create electrical circuits. The school has monitored the quality of teaching and learning and this contributes well to the good progress made in the subject. There is an appropriate subject policy and scheme of work, providing a good range of learning opportunities. However, some of the activities observed lacked sufficient practical content to fit with the needs of the pupils. The school uses information and communications technology to support the teaching of science to a limited degree. There is a

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SCIENCE

good range of books on the subject in the library. Becontree Primary School 36

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ART AND DESIGN

93. Art and design is a strength of the school. The standards, when compared with those found nationally, are good for pupils of all ages. There is no evidence of standards from the previous inspection. All the work displayed round the school is of a high quality and serves to raise the profile of the subject and inspire the pupils. There are many good examples of this such as the beautifully drawn pots by Year 5 pupils and the striking Aboriginal style art by Year 6. It is to the school’s credit that, despite the recent appropriate focus on raising standards in English and mathematics, they have continued to give art and design a suitable time allocation for pupils to fully explore the subject and develop their skills. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, make good progress in their learning as they move through the school. Indeed, many pupils who may find academic work

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ART AND DESIGN

difficult are able to excel in art and design and this helps to raise their self-esteem. Further opportunities for pupils to develop their skills are provided by an after-school art club. Pupils who are identified as having a particular talent for art are encouraged to attend and reach high standards in their work.

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ART AND DESIGN

94. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 use a wide range of media and techniques successfully in their work. From an early age they are introduced to colour matching and mixing and produce attractive artwork showing care and sensitivity. Pupils in Year 2 use junk boxes to join and then cover with mod roc to produce fantastic creatures that are displayed round the school so that visitors are constantly spotting different ones in all sorts of places. Year 3 pupils learn successfully to use a colour wash to make a background for their pictures showing the Great Fire of London that is appropriately linked to their history work. Their Mendhi patterns, produced as part of their study of Diwali, are beautifully executed. The Year 4 work of Native American art based on the designs of the Lakota people is most effective and eye-catching. The geometric patterns and symmetrical designs also help reinforce learning in mathematics. Year 5 work is always of a high standard and

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ART AND DESIGN

is prominently displayed for all to see and admire. They print using polystyrene tiles and use charcoal and pencils very effectively to draw a wide variety of different pots and containers after closely observing them. The pupils use a range of techniques to show depth, texture and form in their work that is of a very high standard. They then design and make their own pots from clay, glaze them and then fire them in a kiln. Pupils in Year 6 make frames from wire and cover them with paper to create life-like figures in various poses.

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ART AND DESIGN

95. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers plan their lessons carefully to provide work that is imaginative and stimulating. For example, in a Year 5 lesson the teacher had provided pupils with a good range of portraits from Tudor times that they were to replicate using a grid. The pupils found the portraits very interesting and enjoyed the work. They concentrated intently throughout the lesson and were obviously proud of their efforts at the end. Teachers manage their pupils well and this helps pupils learn more effectively as they can work without interruption. Many teachers have a good subject knowledge that enables them to teach new skills with confidence and give pupils useful tips to improve the standard of their work.

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ART AND DESIGN

96. The good range and quality of resources has a positive impact on standards, as pupils are able to make choices as to the most effective way to produce the desired effect. At present there are no formal assessment or recording procedures in place to help teachers know the levels that individual pupils are attaining or to give the co-ordinator an accurate overview of standards.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

97. Standards of attainment are broadly average for children by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils have the opportunity to undertake a good range of construction and evaluation activities in design technology. There is no evidence of standards from the previous inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. Only four lessons were seen during the inspection. The analysis of work on display and in lessons shows that pupils have opportunities to design, make and evaluate their work. In Year 1 they were looking at commercially produced pop up books and evaluating the mechanisms they Becontree Primary School 37 use. They then went on to make simple mechanisms of their own. In Year 2, they were looking at making rigid structures. However, although they develop the technical skills to make things they have few opportunities to develop their own ideas. In Year 3 they were evaluating a range of sandwiches and could explain how home-made sandwiches were superior to commercially made ones. This exercise led to designing and making their own sandwiches. In Year 4 they were investigating the effect of gears and had the opportunity to plan their own models using gearing mechanisms. By Year 6 the majority have satisfactory knowledge understanding designing and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

making models. They make models using electrical circuits and simple pneumatics. They design, make and evaluate artefacts, with some interesting constructions being on display, including masks and models using cams. They also had the opportunity to learn about healthy meals. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are well included in these lessons.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and, as a result, pupils in all year groups enjoy design and technology. They behave and concentrate on their work well during lessons. Teachers have an adequate knowledge of the subject and plan thoroughly. They involve pupils fully in the lessons and pupils generally find the subject interesting. Work on display, in photographs and in books indicates satisfactory coverage of design and technology. All pupils are included well, including pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. However, most of the tasks undertaken were of a very prescriptive nature, with few opportunities for the children to investigate a range of possibilities or develop their own ideas.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

100. The co-ordinator has sufficient knowledge of the development of the subject, but has not had the opportunity to monitor teaching in the area. A subject policy and scheme of work are in place and the planning of activities is clear. There is no formal assessment system in place yet to ensure development of the subject. The range of materials and tools and facilities are well organised to permit easy access. There is some use of information and communications technology in the subject, and a small collection of related books in the library. The school has identified that the subject needs further development and it is a priority for development on the school’s development plan.

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GEOGRAPHY

101. Standards of attainment in geography across the school are above national expectations and pupils across the school make good progress. There is insufficient evidence from the last inspection to make a comparison of standards.

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GEOGRAPHY

102. In Year 1, pupils look at an imaginary island, draw maps of the island and place important features on it. By Year 2, they are familiar with a map of the local area and can relate this to aerial photographs, with some children being able to pick out their own houses. In Year 3, they look at where their school is in Britain, and draw maps to locate it. Pupils in Year 5 are learning about Egypt. In one lesson, they were looking at the tourist town of Luxor, learning coordinates of the map so they could navigate around the town, and comparing it to their home town. By Year 6, they can compare their home town with a contrasting town in the Welsh borders. They are looking at issues regarding planning in order to decide on the siting of particular developments. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are learning well in the lessons and make appropriate progress.

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GEOGRAPHY

103. Teaching is good overall. The teachers plan their lessons well and have a good knowledge of their pupils. In one lesson, where the pupils were comparing maps to aerial photographs, the teacher had excellent relationships with them and a challenging teaching style, ensuring they were all fully engaged. A Year 6 class was preparing to go on a residential visit and the work they were doing was closely related to this. Trips and outings are used effectively by the school to stimulate an interest in geography, providing knowledge of both the local and contrasting environments. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject in the lessons seen are good overall. They participate well in discussions and can talk about the subject with knowledge and interest. Pupils’ learning in geography is effectively enhanced through visits to different places. For example, Becontree Primary School 38 during the inspection, one group of pupils was preparing to visit a small town next to the sea and

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GEOGRAPHY

another group was preparing to visit a rural area on the Welsh borders.

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GEOGRAPHY

104. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and has worked well to develop the subject. There is a policy and scheme of work in place. However, she has not had an opportunity to monitor work or teaching and so does not have a clear idea about standards. She ensures that resources for the subject are well organised and appropriate for the needs of classes. Overall, the range of resources for the subject is good, with maps and photographs, some computer software and a range of books in the library.

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HISTORY

105. Only a few lessons of history were seen during the week of inspection, but further evidence was drawn from work in books, displays around the school and from talking with pupils and the co-ordinator. Samples of work from last year’s programme of study were also available to demonstrate the quality and range of work in history. Pupils’ attainment in Year 2 is above the expected level and this is because of the very good teaching. Year 2 pupils learn about famous people from the past, such as Doctor Barnardo and relate this work to the story of Oliver Twist which they learn about in English. Pupils were clearly moved by the story, and realised that Barnardo’s work of a hundred years ago still has an impact today. This concept was made more accessible by the teacher relating it to the work of a previous headteacher of the school whose contribution is remembered, even though he retired a long time ago. Pupils understand that Doctor

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HISTORY

Barnardo’s own words in an autobiographical text are an important source of historical evidence, which, together with a photograph of the doctor, help them to understand more about the man himself. They successfully examine his clothes in the photographs and words to place him in his own time. Pupils are able to reflect on the conditions then and now for “looked after” children, and one pupil contributed his own father’s experience of being adopted as a very small child. This work helped pupils understand the chronology of the development of an important social service.

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HISTORY

106. In Year 6 standards are in line with the expected level. Pupils further extend their sense of chronology through their work on Remembrance Sunday. Pupils understand the significance of the eleventh hour of the eleventh month for the two minutes silence and the symbolism of the poppy. They also understand the relevance of the memorial service today in the context of world fears of an impending war in Iraq. In Year 4 pupils looked at historical texts and visual materials to learn about Celts and to understand what Britain was like before the invasion by the Romans. In one lesson they looked at resources, documentary evidence about the life of these ancient settlers, understanding how the domestic priority of cooking food was as important then as it is now. From visual resources they are able to infer the everyday routines of work in the home - washing, cooking, and bringing up children. They also recognise a common desire of decorating a room

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HISTORY

with rugs. From this they are able to speculate on the likely impact on the family life of Celts of a Roman invasion. Pupils understand that historical evidence, both archaeological and documentary, can give pointers to the way people live, and from written sources they can focus on particular aspects. Pupils scanned the text for specific references to domestic life and excluded anything that related to warfare. They understood, however, that a “victory feast” linked the two aspects and discussed whether to include such evidence in their note-taking. This is a good example of pupils experiencing the common dilemma of historical enquiry, an overwhelming amount of data which needs to be sifted, and is an important lesson for young historians. The use of CD-ROM for particular areas of study demonstrates how disciplined and specific they need to be in their historical enquiry.

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HISTORY

107. From scrutiny of work in books and on display it was evident that pupils record their historical investigations in a number of ways. For example, in Year 3 pupils recorded their findings of the Great Fire of London through drawings of the inferno, of Samuel Pepys writing his diary on the bank of the Thames and Londoners taking to the river in boats. From this excellent record of work it is possible to see how historical enquiry and art are used to demonstrate the range of their study. They understand the importance of the diary of Samuel Pepys as first-hand evidence, Becontree Primary School 39 which gives a more personal account than accounts by historians who were not alive at the time of the fire. They understood the importance of the Thames as an escape route.

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HISTORY

108. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 3-6 and good in Years 1-2, with some very good teaching in Year 2. Teachers’ planning draws on the scheme of work and in most instances teachers provide appropriate resources and documentation to help pupils understand the period they are studying. Evidence in books indicates that pupils are well supported in key vocabulary in the topics they are studying. Since historical detail and investigation are the focus of the work, the provision of usually unfamiliar subject vocabulary will mean that pupils can focus on the history and learn how to spell these unfamiliar words correctly. The scheme of work focuses on the language and literacy skills needed to record and communicate pupils’ studies, as well as demonstrating how history can support the English curriculum. For example, in the study of Celts, Year 4 pupils practise their note-taking skills, disregarding redundant detail as they scan a text. They use the

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HISTORY

notes to write up an appropriate report, grouping ideas into paragraphs. Such a skill is important in historical enquiry and helps pupils develop a scholarly approach to learning. In Year 2 pupils were able to rewrite the development of Doctor Barnardo’s philanthropic work, using the appropriate language of biographical text.

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HISTORY

109. Pupils’ attitudes to history are very positive. They listen with interest and scan and select historical evidence to inform their writing and discussion. Displays of high quality pictorial resources of ships and jewellery, tools and weapons in class help pupils to understand that historians need to rely on archaeological evidence. Not enough models and real objects were displayed in classrooms, and this suggests that the school needs to build up this important resource.

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HISTORY

110. Co-ordination of the subject is good. Assessment procedures are being developed and are yet to be implemented. Resources are being built up systematically to match the units of study in the scheme of work but, currently, there are not enough resources to inform pupils of the contribution and achievement of black and ethnic minority peoples to history and other areas of endeavour.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

111. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with the expected level in Years 1 and 2 and pupils make good progress. In the week of inspection the quality of teaching and learning indicates that there has been a significant improvement since the last inspection when ICT was judged to be unsatisfactory. In Year 2 lessons, where pupils experience very good teaching, they understand the importance of ICT capability and are aware of its impact on learning in other subjects. For example, in Year 2 pupils know that ICT can be used to rearrange texts or adapt them for purposes such as changing a horizontal arrangement of items into a vertical shopping list, which will be easier to read and tick off. They are able to use the Enter key to insert line breaks and the tabulator keys to construct tables.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

112. Standards in Years 3-6 are above the expected level, particularly in Years 5 and 6. Year 6 pupils are learning that ICT is a powerful tool for mathematical calculation. They know how to enter data onto a spreadsheet and use a formula-maker to perform mathematical operations. They understand that a formula can be moved from one cell to another and can be copied using the Edit menu. Work relating to a shopkeeper’s profit was calculated from his wholesale costs and selling prices and turned into a formula and used to calculate a number of products. Pupils understand that a change in one value will inevitably change the shopkeeper’s profit, and can demonstrate this by changing data on the spreadsheet.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

113. Teaching in ICT is good overall, with staff well supported by the ICT subject framework developed by the local authority. This identifies elements of each strand of ICT and allows pupils to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in a progressive way. The local authority advisory team has supported the school well, for example, by providing model lessons on ways of working with the teaching framework. This has given staff the confidence to plan their own lessons using Becontree Primary School 40 the learning outcome to assess pupils’ progress. In the lessons observed there were clear learning objectives shared with the pupils. Teachers demonstrated good subject knowledge and are therefore able to intervene to help pupils make good progress. Lessons build on previous work which teachers review at the beginning of each session. Teachers respond sensitively to pupils’ errors and clarify misunderstandings that a whole group may have. They use a projector and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

screen to ensure that pupils understand the step-by-step processes involved in each lesson and in this way secure a common level of understanding before pupils work independently. In all lessons there is a good balance between teachers’ instruction and pupils working independently to achieve what they are expected to do. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported because of the practical and visual dimensions of the work and because they work in pairs and small groups. Similarly, pupils with special educational needs are given clear explanation and hands-on experience to ensure that they achieve the learning objectives. Teachers respond well to the needs of the whole class but could use their time more efficiently by bringing groups of pupils to the monitor to give targeted support at the right challenge level. Working on a one-to-one basis leaves some children marking time until the teacher or a teaching

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

114. Pupils’ attitudes to learning ICT are very positive. They are happy to discuss what they are doing, for example, using a formula-builder to simplify mathematical calculations. One pupil explained that it works by converting a calculation into a formula, and different formulas can be used to perform different tasks using the same data. Pupils are aware of the importance of CD- ROMs in learning and how they differ from books and videos. They know that they have a range of options and must work efficiently to find the information they need from the broad multi-media range of this resource. They use their ICT skills well to progress learning across the curriculum, particularly in numeracy and literacy. During the week of inspection, however, there was no evidence of pupils using a classroom computer to support study or to research a current topic.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

115. The subject is managed well. The co-ordinator for ICT has worked closely with the local education authority to support curriculum development. The school is using the National Curriculum assessment programme based on “Minimum Expectation” for each unit of work to chart pupils’ progress in ICT.

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MUSIC

116. Standards in music are similar to those found nationally for pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6. There is no evidence of standards from the previous inspection. All aspects of the subject are taught throughout the school including performing, composing and appraising music. There is a curriculum plan in place to show teachers the aspects they should teach each term. To ensure a consistent approach and maintain standards the school uses a published scheme of work successfully to help non-specialist teachers in the delivery of the subject. This is working well and helping pupils to make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. Pupils also have the opportunity to further develop their skills by having instrumental lessons in brass, violin or clarinet with visiting specialists and guitar with the music co-ordinator.

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MUSIC

117. Pupils of all ages sing enthusiastically, tunefully and with due regard for phrasing and rhythm. Singing mainly takes place in class lessons and assemblies. Some of the singing is to tracks on CDs using the backing track so that pupils learn to sing without the original vocals intruding on their performance. When they sing to a live piano accompaniment the standards are even higher as the pianist is more sensitive to the needs of the pupils. Pupils play instruments from an early age to accompany songs and to compose their own music. They choose instruments they consider to be suitable to match the mood or to represent an object. For example, pupils in Year 1 successfully chose and played percussion instruments to represent night sounds. These included a triangle to make the noise of dustbins falling over, a wood block for a ticking clock and bells for the stars twinkling. By the time pupils reach Year 6 they know many of

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MUSIC

the instruments played in an orchestra and identify their groups such as brass or woodwind by their sound. Pupils recognise if a piece has a single melody or weaving melodies and the more able pupils specify the metre the music is played in. They listen to music for enjoyment and express Becontree Primary School 41 how it makes them feel. For instance, in one Year 6 lesson the pupils listened to concertos by Bach and Vivaldi and made sensible and sensitive comments about how the pieces affected them. Music is also played at the start and end of assemblies to introduce pupils to a wide range of music from around the world.

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MUSIC

118. The quality of teaching is sound overall with no unsatisfactory teaching seen. Good relationships are a strong feature with pupils behaving well in lessons and eager to be involved. However, the time allocation per week for music in some classes is low and teachers struggle to complete the work planned. For example, in Year 1 the weekly lesson is only 25 minutes long and this is too short to fully develop a theme. Pupils’ work is rarely recorded to help them evaluate their own performance and that of others and to help them suggest ways to improve. Such recordings would also prove useful in assessing standards reached by individuals and groups of pupils as they move through the school. The use of information and communication technology to support learning in music is an area yet to be fully developed.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119. Standards in physical education are in line with those expected nationally for pupils in Years 2 and 6. No judgement was made on physical education in the previous inspection, so no comparison can be made.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120. Pupils at Years 1 and 2 develop their skills well in dance and although no gymnastic lessons were observed, the movements made in dance suggest that gymnastics are in line. Pupils use space effectively and in dance have at least satisfactory and sometimes good control of movements. They listen carefully and respond well to instructions. Pupils change pace and direction smoothly in time to the music’s rhythm. They understand the need for warming up before they exert themselves and the need to cool down at the end of vigorous exercise. In Years 3-6, pupils continue to build on previously acquired skills, displaying energy, enthusiasm and enjoyment. They generally show good control, which was observed in both Year 6 classes when pupils were building a sequence of movements to music. All pupils in Year 4 and 5 receive swimming instruction and by the end of Year 5 in excess of 90 per cent achieve the required 25

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

metres unaided swim. Pupils in Year 3 developed catching, throwing, bouncing and dodging skills well using different methods of bouncing from stationary to moving positions. The extra-curricular opportunities offered to the pupils enhance their ball skills well but the limited competition with other schools restricts space awareness and good positioning, which is crucial to establish team- ship. Pupils have a good understanding of the need for safety and teachers position themselves well in order to observe all pupils at all times.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121. Teaching is good overall. Teachers mostly have high expectations of pupils both in their behaviour and skills development. They encourage pupils to evaluate and improve their own as well as others’ performance. Planning is appropriate in all aspects and the full range of activities, including gymnastics and athletics are planned for. Teachers provide a good range of extra- curricular activities and these support and enhance skills development well but do not provide competition experiences. Pupils in Year 6 have the opportunity to attend a residential visit to Hay- on Wye, which extends the normal primary curriculum with such activities as abseiling, canoeing and tracking. This experience is extremely valued and teaches pupils independence and inter- dependence as well as effectively promoting their moral and social development. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and their behaviour is good. They enjoy the physical activities, which

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

promote basic skills and improve paired working. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, accept responsibility for gathering and returning equipment and pupils readily respond to instructions. Staff and pupils dress appropriately for physical education.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

122. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school has a satisfactory scheme of work, which is appropriate for the range of activities taught. Assessment procedures and the monitoring of teaching, learning and standards remain to be developed. The co-ordinators have only been in post since September. Resources are satisfactory. Becontree Primary School 42

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

123. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, the majority of pupils achieve the standards in line with the locally agreed programme of work. Pupils of all ages, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress overall. Standards cannot be compared to the last inspection as the subject was not inspected then.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

124. Pupils develop a satisfactory knowledge of the practices of major world religions with an appropriate emphasis given to the study of Christianity. They are acquiring a suitable understanding of similarities and differences among religions. In Year 6, pupils are beginning to recognise examples of belief that are important to Muslim communities. For example, they learn about prophet Muhammed and the events leading to the founding of Islam and explore the implications of worshipping idols in different religions, such as worshipping the Sun God in ancient Egypt. In Year 4, pupils read the story of Umar and develop a good understanding of how faith could be an important factor for making important decisions, recognising that Umar’s faith in Allah helped him to make a stand against bullying. One pupil explained that this was to do with faith in Allah and another commented ‘faith is when you trust someone.’ Some aptly explained how it

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

develops a sense of responsibilities. Good provision is made for the pupils to explore their thoughts and feelings about, for example, the importance of making rules, as observed in Year 2. In Year 3, pupils are beginning to develop an understanding of Hinduism. In Year 1, pupils usefully discuss the importance of gifts at Christmas and recognise that they characterise religious festivals and understand that gifts could be inexpensive but given with love and care. The celebration of religious festivals in the Christian calendar, such as Harvest, Christmas and Easter and from other faiths’ calendars, such as Eid, Diwali and the Chinese New Year make a positive contribution to their learning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

125. Overall, the quality of teaching throughout the school is satisfactory with some good aspects. The best teaching is characterised by secure subject knowledge that is effectively communicated to pupils and enhances their understanding. Teachers make skilful use of questioning to encourage pupils to think about what is being discussed. Appropriate use of resources helps the pupils to remain focused on a topic, which results in their being well behaved and attentive during lessons. They listen well to the discussions and the contributions of others. Both assemblies and the effective PSHE lessons reinforce and enhance the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and make a satisfactory contribution to religious education. The pupils’ individual needs are met and the teachers’ caring and positive approach builds up the pupils’ self-confidence by ensuring that all are involved in the lesson. The teaching of religious

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

education makes a sound contribution to the pupils’ literacy.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

126. The subject is managed satisfactorily. A whole-school scheme of work to support the teachers’ planning and to ensure that pupils build on what they know and can do as they move from year to year is in place and is being updated by the local education authority. The school is resourced satisfactorily with books and artefacts from different religious faiths and cultures. ICT is not consistently used to support religious education and the progress of the subject could be further enhanced through more visits of representatives of other faith communities.

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