Chapel Street Community Primary School

CHAPEL STREET PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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CHAPEL STREET 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. Chapel Street Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Chapel Street Levenshulme Manchester

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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: Rev L Ireland

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 February 1998 Chapel Street Primary - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team Members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

4341 D Clegg Registered inspector Mathematics What sort of school is it? How high are standards? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? 8943 M Manning Lay inspector How high are standards? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with its parents? 4343 S Billington Team inspector The Foundation Stage Art and design Design and technology 10207 A Khan- Cheema Team inspector Educational inclusion, including race equality Religious education Geography History 11816 G Jones Team inspector English as an additional language Science Information and communication technology Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

16492 B Lever Team inspector English Music Special educational needs How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Wessex Education 3 Greenacres Puddletown Dorchester DT2 8GF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway Chapel Street Primary - 5 London WC2B 6SE Chapel Street Primary - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a larger than average primary school with 475 pupils on roll, there are 217 boys and 236 girls. The school is organised into single-aged classes with two per year group. There is also a 60-place nursery, with 44 full-time and 28 part-time children.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The pupil population is very diverse. About 40 per cent of pupils are white, 24 per cent are from a Pakistani background five per cent are from Indian backgrounds and a further five per cent have a Black British Caribbean heritage. There is also a group of 20 refugee pupils, mainly from Pakistan but also from Africa and East Europe. About 48 per cent of pupils have English as an additional language (EAL). This has increased by 21 per cent in the last two years due to the changing nature of the local community; the increase is throughout the school but most evident in the nursery and reception classes. About 25 per cent of pupils are at an early stage of acquiring English. The other main languages are Urdu, Arabic, Bengali and Pushto.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

About 46 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, this is well above the average. About 23 per cent of pupils join or leave the school at other than usual times. About 15 per cent of pupils have special educational needs (SEN); two per cent have a statement of special educational need. The main difficulties are emotional and behaviour, speech and communication and physical difficulties. There are also a number of pupils with specific learning difficulties.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school is involved in a partnership with a local special school and has seven pupils who are supported through this provision. The school is part of the government initiative Excellence in Cities; this provides learning mentors to support some pupils and has been in place about two years.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

When pupils enter the school they are attaining standards that are well below those usually found. Many children are fluent in their home languages but have only limited understanding of English.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a good school with some outstanding features. Good quality teaching generally helps all pupils to achieve well despite the standards being below the national average. Pupils have good attitudes to school and behave well as a result of the excellent opportunities provided for their personal development. The school is very well led and managed. Overall the school provides good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What the school does well • Good teaching helps pupils to achieve well in most subjects. • Pupils learning English as an additional language achieve very well as a result of very good support. • Effective support that helps pupils with special educational needs to achieve well. • Pupils have good attitudes to learning and behave well. • Pupils have excellent opportunities to develop personally. • The school is very well led and managed. • There is a very high level of care and support to all pupils. • The range of extra-curricular activities and visits is excellent. • There is very good information provided for parents

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What could be improved • The standards attained by some pupils in reading. • The opportunities for developing speaking skills in all subjects for five to eleven-year-olds. • The use of performance data in managing school development. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Chapel Street Primary - 8 HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school was last inspected in February 1998 and since that time has made good improvement. The school has maintained the level of performance since the last inspection. Overall results for eleven-year- olds have risen in line with the national average despite significant changes to the school’s population. The standards in science have improved significantly. The quality of teaching has been improved with well over half of teaching good or very good. The curriculum has improved and is now broad and balanced and the provision for personal development is now excellent. The school continues to be very well led and managed.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school has successfully tackled the weaknesses identified in the last report. There have been good improvements to the resources for art, although more limited improvements in resources for music.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Higher attaining pupils generally do as well as can be expected. Standards in English have risen in line with the average, but there is still work to do in securing higher standards in reading and speaking.

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

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STANDARDS

Whilst standards in English and mathematics are well below the national average, overall pupils achieve well, particularly in comparison with similar schools where standards in science are very high. Overall the results in the last three years have improved in line with the national average; overall girls have performed better than boys.

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STANDARDS

Seven-year-olds also achieve well despite attaining standards below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. However, standards in writing are above those of similar schools and about the same in reading and mathematics.

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STANDARDS

The youngest children are given a good start in the nursery and reception classes and achieve well considering that many of them are learning English as an additional language.

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STANDARDS

One of the main reasons for the overall good level of achievement is the effective support given to the pupils with EAL: this helps them to make good and occasionally very good progress in acquiring English. The good support given to refugee pupils enables them to make progress both academically and personally.

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STANDARDS

The pupils with SEN are also given good support and they are helped to achieve their learning targets.

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STANDARDS

Whilst overall pupils generally achieve well, a small group of pupils, generally of average levels of attainment, could achieve more in reading. Many pupils could do better in improving their speaking skills.

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STANDARDS

There is some variation in standards attained in other subjects. Eleven-year-olds attain high standards in art and both seven- and eleven-year-olds attain above expectations in geography. Standards throughout the school are below expectations in RE and in music for eleven-year-olds, although standards of singing are high throughout the school. In all other subjects, pupils achieve in line with expectations. Chapel Street Primary - 9 The school has set realistic but challenging targets that take account of what pupils already understand and can do.

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STANDARDS

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school This is a strong feature of the school. Pupils have good attitudes and generally work hard. They are very enthusiastic about much of what the school offers. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is generally good in lessons and around the school although a small minority of pupils struggle to remain focused in lessons. Personal development and relationships Generally the older pupils are mature and sensible. Throughout the school relationships are very constructive and help pupils to learn. Attendance Attendance is poor, with well below the national average rate.

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STANDARDS

The youngest pupils are developing a good level of independence. The older pupils are very keen to take on responsibilities and use their initiative. A particularly successful feature of the school is the strong sense of racial harmony. Older pupils are very positive about having the opportunity to make friends from different cultural backgrounds. The school takes all reasonable steps to encourage all pupils to attend regularly, including certificates for good attendance, breakfast club and constant reminders to all parents about the importance of regular attendance at school.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6 Quality of teaching Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The overall quality of teaching is good and enables pupils to generally achieve well. Numeracy is well taught. The overall teaching of literacy is satisfactory but needs a more consistent approach to aspects of teaching reading and speaking. For instance, more attention needs to be given to teaching younger pupils to read, write and spell the most commonly used words. In some lessons throughout the school, not enough is done to encourage pupils to improve their speaking skills.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Overall lessons are well planned and teaching generally meets the needs of all pupils. The support given to pupils with particular needs, either learning English as an additional language or having special educational needs is effective and helps them to make progress. Teachers use resources well; in particular, the use of teaching assistants is effective in making sure that all pupils benefit from lessons.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The younger children are well taught and this helps them to make a good start to school. The bi-lingual help given to these children helps them to make a good start in learning English.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is generally broad and balanced and meets the needs of pupils. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The work given to pupils is well matched to their learning needs and helps them to reach their targets. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Pupils are given very good support that enables them to benefit from all school activities and make very good progress. Chapel Street Primary - 10 Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is an excellent feature of the school. The school provides great opportunities for pupils to take responsibility, learn to get on with others and to develop a strong moral code.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils This is a very good feature of the school. Staff know pupils very well and extend them a high degree of care and support. Assessment procedures are generally good, although there is a lack of consistency in the keeping of some pupils’ reading records. Checking up on how well pupils are doing in other subjects is very secure.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school works very hard to develop and sustain a good partnership with parents.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

There is an appropriately strong emphasis on personal and health education and an excellent range of extra-curricular activities.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school enjoys and celebrates the diversity of pupils’ backgrounds and provides a wonderful introduction to life in a multicultural society.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff This is a very well led school. The headteacher provides a strong sense of purpose and direction and is instrumental in establishing and sustaining the strong positive ethos. Senior managers are effective and provide a strong lead in the way that many aspects of the school are managed. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is effective; governors are supportive and committed to the school. They take their task seriously and generally meet their statutory responsibilities. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is effective in identifying priorities for development but could make even better use of the performance data to refine the priorities. The strategic use of resources The school makes good use of the resources available.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has a good level of sufficiently knowledgeable and experienced staff. The accommodation is good and the resources are good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Overall the school successfully seeks best value. Despite some difficulties recruiting adequately experienced and qualified teachers the school shows plenty of determination and patience in finding the teachers and support staff that meet the needs of pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Children enjoy school • The teaching is good • The staff are very approachable • Children are expected to work hard • The school is well led and managed • The school helps children to grow up • A small number of parents felt that they were not well informed about their children’s progress

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The parents are fully justified in having the confidence they have in the school. Teaching is good and the school is very well led and managed. Children are expected to work hard and the school is very good at helping them to grow up. The inspectors judged the information given about pupils’ progress to be good. Chapel Street Primary - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Overall standards attained by eleven-year-olds are well below the national average but pupils generally achieve well. The standards attained by eleven-year- olds in English and mathematics are well below the national average and in science are below the national average. However, in comparison with similar schools standards in English are about average, in mathematics they are higher than average and in science they are much higher than average. In the past three years girls have attained better results than boys, but overall the results have improved in line with the national average. The inspection findings confirm the well below average standards but found that pupils generally benefit from good teaching and achieve well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Seven-year-olds attain well below average standards but also generally achieve well. These pupils attain average standards in reading and mathematics when compared with similar schools and above average standards in writing. The girls overall attain better results than the boys. The standards seen during the inspection were also well below average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The very youngest children get off to a good start . They achieve well, particularly in their personal and social development, but remain below the expected standards in language and communication and mathematical development when they start Year 1.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Most pupils achieve the standards they should . However, a minority of pupils could achieve more in reading if there was a more consistent approach to how it is taught. This is particularly the case for those pupils who do not receive any specific support to help them with their reading. Similarly in speaking, some pupils could achieve more if there was a more consistent emphasis on developing speaking skills in different subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language are very well supported and they achieve well. These pupils make good, and occasionally very good progress, particularly in learning English. This enables them to achieve well in other subjects. The youngest pupils make good progress in learning English but they are not fluent when they start Year 1. Refugee pupils are well supported; they settle into school life very well and start to make progress as a result of the help they receive.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils with special educational needs are also well supported . The attention and help they receive is very beneficial and the teaching helps them to reach their learning targets. The pupils who are supported by learning mentors 1 are also helped to benefit from what the school offers.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. There is variation in the standards attained in other subjects. In art standards reached by eleven-year-olds are above expectations and similar to expectations for seven-year-olds. Standards in history are broadly similar to expectations for both seven- and eleven-year-olds.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 Learning mentors support individual pupils. They are funded through the Excellence in Cities initiative. Chapel Street Primary - 12 8. Standards in geography are above expectations for both seven- and eleven-year-olds. Information and communication technology (ICT) skills are broadly in line with expectations for both age groups. Similarly, standards in design and technology (DT) and physical education (PE) are also about what is expected. Standards in music are lower than expected at the end of Year 6, although the standard of singing is higher than is usually found. Overall, standards in RE are below expectations.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. This is a strength of the school. Pupils enjoy taking part in the activities the school provides, they work well together and they respond particularly well to the opportunities they are given to take responsibility. Parents are right in feeling that behaviour in school is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils have good attitudes to work and they are very enthusiastic about much of what the school offers. In particular pupils enjoy the extra-curricular activities and these are what they mentioned most in their discussions with inspectors. Many eagerly wait to go into the junior choir and participation in the recorder club is high. Pupils proudly sit on the ‘VIP table’ at lunchtime keenly aware that they have been chosen for this because of their good attitudes. In most lessons pupils are keen to learn. In a Year 4 science lesson about investigating the speed at which solids melt, pupils eagerly started on the practical activity and organized the work in their groups. They enjoy coming to school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Behaviour is generally good in lessons and around the school although a small minority of pupils struggle to remain focused in lessons. Pupils behave well at breaks and lunchtime and there are only occasional incidents that need to be sorted out by the teachers. Pupils can be trusted to behave well on trips out of school, for instance, when going for a swimming lesson. In lessons they respond promptly to the teachers’ instructions, eagerly answer questions and concentrate well. In a ‘booster class’ for Year 6 literacy the pupils settled very quietly and conscientiously to their writing task because of the calm atmosphere that the teacher had created. Year 1 pupils working on the story of the Three Little Pigs were very attentive and moved to their ‘learning positions’ very promptly when the teacher asked. Very occasionally pupils are too passive and become easily distracted. This occurs particularly in some Year 3 and Year 6 lessons. Unacceptable behaviour such

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

as bullying is not usual. It is rare for the school to have to exclude pupils and then this is only for a fixed term of a few days. There have been four fixed term exclusions in the last two years. .

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Generally the older pupils are mature and sensible. Because of the excellent attention the school pays to pupils’ social and moral education, those who become involved in helping others are learning to become mature and responsible citizens. This is more noticeable in Years 4 and 5 but individual pupils in Year 6 are also becoming very sensible in thinking about how they can help others within the school. These older pupils help in many ways and show initiative in the ways that they become involved. They support lunchtime supervisors very well in looking after the younger children in a pleasant and friendly way as, for example, when they are waiting to eat in the hall.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Relationships are good in the school and pupils work together well. In personal, health and social education lessons pupils show great respect for each other’s views and listen to each other sensitively. In a Year 5 geography lesson pupils worked very well in pairs and then joined up co-operatively with others they had not worked with before to prepare a presentation for the class. The younger children also Chapel Street Primary - 13 work well together, in one class they were confidently telling each other about the addition sums they had made.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance is poor with well below the national average rate. Despite the best efforts of the school, some pupils do not spend enough time there to take full advantage of the good education it offers. The reasons for non-attendance are mixed. While fewer pupils are away now for extended family holidays than they were at the time of the last inspection, more move in and out of the area and their whereabouts are sometimes uncertain. In addition a small number of families accounts for quite a lot of the unauthorised absences. Those who do attend regularly are punctual and the school day gets off to a good start.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. Good teaching is a key ingredient in the school’s success and helps all pupils to achieve well. About 67 per cent of lessons were good or very good and there were no unsatisfactory lessons. Lessons are well planned and the school ensures that the extra support given to a good proportion of the pupils helps them to benefit from the lessons. Consistently good teaching of the very youngest children helps them to get off to a good start.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. Pupils are very well managed and organised. Generally lessons move along at a good pace so that pupils are kept busy. Teachers make sure that pupils remain involved in the lessons by using praise and encouragement and pupils respond very positively and enjoy their success. Teachers show great patience and understanding with those pupils who struggle to concentrate and are easily distracted. Lessons are characterised by very constructive relationships between pupils and adults and this produces a very good ethos for learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. The teaching for pupils who are learning English as an additional language is very effective. The teachers who provide specific support are very skilled and provide a good programme of support in small groups or individually. On those occasions when translators assist pupils in lessons, they successfully help them to join in. This was apparent in a number of mathematics lesson were the translator reinforced some key teaching points in the pupils’ first language so that they were able to follow instructions and benefit from the teaching. The bi-lingual support staff who work with the very youngest children are also very effective in helping them to make their first steps in learning English.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. The teaching assistants are also very helpful in supporting lower attaining pupils. They sit with specific pupils during introductions to lessons, helping them to fully understand what the teacher is saying and to respond to questions in a sensible manner. They often work with small groups of pupils during the main part of lessons and again ensure that key points are reinforced. On the occasions pupils are withdrawn from lessons for extra support, this is well done and helps these pupils to make up some lost ground.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good and helps them to do well. For example, the Year 6 pupils who are regularly taught mathematics and English in a small group benefit from good teaching that is carefully planned to meet their needs. The special needs teaching assistants also give pupils more opportunities to succeed through working with small groups and providing individual attention.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Some subjects are consistently taught well but there are weaknesses in the teaching of some aspects of English. Mathematics is well taught throughout the Chapel Street Primary - 14 school and science is also well taught, this helps pupils to achieve well. The quality of music teaching is also making an impact on the quality of singing. Writing is well taught but there are some inconsistencies in the teaching of reading and this is resulting in some erratic progress. Not all lessons give pupils enough opportunities to develop and practise their speaking skills.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

21. The school provides a broad and well-balanced curriculum that meets the needs of its pupils. A well-planned appropriate curriculum ensures that pupils are provided with opportunities to progress smoothly in their learning.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

22. The school makes good provision for children in the nursery and reception classes in the majority of the recommended areas of learning . The school makes good use of national guidance when planning what children will do. Good use is made of the numeracy strategy. The literacy strategy is fully in place and helpful but more needs to be done to plan carefully for teaching reading and developing speaking.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. The curriculum is broad and balanced and is enriched through the school’s efforts to make it relevant by making useful links across the curriculum . The school makes good links between subjects so that pupils see the relevance of what they are learning at school. For example, the links between ICT, English and history are well established. There are good links between mathematics and science; during one science lesson pupils plotted the results of their experiments on to straight-line graphs. The school is quick to seize opportunities such as the Commonwealth Games or Black History Month to make school work even more relevant and interesting.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. The school provides high quality support for pupils with special educational needs through sharply focused teaching that is matched to pupils’ learning targets. The school also effectively supports pupils with emotional and behavioural problems through work with a trained learning assistant. Pupils with physical difficulties are also very well supported during lessons, including PE lessons, so that they have full access to the curriculum.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. Provision for pupils for whom English is an additional language is a strong feature of the school. Skilled teachers and assistants give pupils good quality support and there is a well-planned programme to help pupils to learn English successfully.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. The school provides an excellent range of well-run extra-curricular activities. These include football, netball, dance, lacrosse, swimming, tag rugby and athletics. In addition the school has a squash club that is targeted at pupils who have not previously been involved in sport. There are also ICT activities organised for different year groups of pupils during lunchtimes. A homework club operates after school for pupils who would prefer to complete their homework and receive support in doing so. A teacher runs a French club and a breakfast club is arranged every morning before school starts. In addition there are opportunities for pupils to attend a very wide range of visits to places of educational interest and a chance for older pupils to participate in a residential visit to Ghyll Head in the Lake District. All of these activities enrich the curriculum and provide an extra dimension to pupils’ learning in a wide range of

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The efforts the school makes to help pupils develop personally is an excellent feature of the school. The school ethos is very concerned to raise pupils self- Chapel Street Primary - 15 esteem, to make them aware of others and their different customs and beliefs and to encourage them to work for the benefit of the school community. Even the youngest children are very sensitively helped to begin to think about life experiences such as mortality, for example, through a well-chosen poem about a sparrow. The school provides an appropriate programme of sex education and teaches pupils about how to keep themselves safe. The latter includes raising pupils’ awareness of the dangers associated with drugs misuse.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The school provides great opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and learn to get on with others. Pupils have excellent chances to participate in school life, to make changes and to help others. Many of these opportunities arise from the strong commitment the school has made towards becoming a ‘healthy school’ under a local authority scheme. Pupils in the school council are currently involved in designing playgrounds and their plans have been accepted and will be carried out. Among other duties, pupils very willingly run the healthy tuck shop and help at the breakfast club. They are asked to apply and be interviewed for positions as ‘playtime buddies’ in Year 4 to 6.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The school enjoys and celebrates the diversity of pupils’ backgrounds and provides a wonderful introduction to life in a multicultural society. The school is a vibrant multicultural community in itself. It shows the importance it gives to different cultures in the display on ‘Black Arts and Crafts’ resulting from a study week and also the colourful display of masks celebrating the Chinese New Year.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The school is a very moral community. Pupils are left in no doubt about their own responsibility for the way in which they behave. In a junior assembly the issue of fairness was very sensitively explored so that pupils appreciated that to fail to speak out against injustice or unfairness is to actually support the wrong side. They were reminded about Martin Luther King and about the struggle for civil rights in America in such a way that they could relate to them to their own lives. Poems written by Year 6 pupils after studying the Muslim faith show that they understand how hard it is to work for peace and to follow ‘The Straight Path,.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. This is a very good feature of the school. All staff know pupils very well and extend them a high degree of care and support. Parents feel that their children are happy at school and they can be assured that they are always very well supervised.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. All staff are well trained both to manage pupils’ behaviour and to deal with matters such as first aid . A very strong feature of the child protection procedures is that the families of children at risk are also supported very well.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Attendance remains poor . The school does all it can reasonably to monitor and promote it and the great majority of pupils are keen to attend regularly. Attendance rates are carefully checked and if there is persistent non-arrival then the Education Welfare Officer is involved. The school awards certificates to classes for good attendance and is constantly reminding parents of the need to make sure that pupils attend each day. The number of pupils who leave the school without actually informing the school exacerbates the figures. These pupils remain on the school register until their attendance at another school is confirmed.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The school is very consistent in the way it encourages pupils to behave well and the simple but effective rewards and sanctions are clearly understood. Any misbehaviour is very well dealt with and careful records kept so that the school Chapel Street Primary - 16 can take appropriate action. Pupils’ successes are celebrated and good work shared in assemblies to raise pupils’ self-esteem.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. There are good procedures for checking up on how well pupils are doing. Teachers generally carefully record the progress that pupils make both academically and personally. This ensures that they have a good insight into the progress that pupils are making and plan work accordingly. In some classes however, not enough is done to monitor how well pupils are learning to read. The school assesses pupils in their first language and this ensures that, were appropriate, assessments are accurate and helpful.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36. This is a very good aspect of the school. Parents are very positive about many aspects of school life. Their high level of interest is confirmed by the high proportion answering the questionnaire. The school works very hard to involve and support parents and relevant information is readily available to them.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. A worthwhile and constructive partnership is developed and sustained with parents. The school believes strongly in involving parents at an early stage in their children’s education and this starts with a parent and toddler group and coffee mornings that are pleasant and friendly occasions. These sessions are thriving and parents work together with parents new to the school to pass on the skills such as making story sacks that are used by the school. The school encourages parents whose skills in English are limited to take advantage of the lessons offered and these are helping some become more directly involved in school life. Parents are welcome to spend some time in the nursery at the start of each session to share what their children are doing and to help them settle down. Some parents do not feel they are well informed but the inspection showed that information is of a high quality and readily available and teachers are very accessible to parents. The school has a

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. This partnership contributes well to the school’s success. Because the school works so hard to involve parents at an early stage it helps the children develop good attitudes to school. For example, the home-school books contribute to the communications between parents and teachers.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. The information given to parents is generally good. The annual reports are clearly written and there is plenty of opportunities for parents to come into school to discuss any concerns they may have. Parents consider the school very approachable. The prospectus is informative and well written but it does not contain all the information it should and similarly the annual report from the governors is missing some information about national test results.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40. The school is very well led and managed. The headteacher, working closely with the deputy headteacher, provides a very strong sense of purpose and direction. His long- term commitment to the school has been instrumental in securing and sustaining the community’s confidence in the school. He has also been very influential in maintaining high morale amongst the staff. All staff work very hard and are committed to doing their very best for all pupils.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. The leadership has ensured that the school has responded very positively to the changes within the community. The headteacher is very astute in seeking support and assistance through a range of national and local initiatives. For example, Chapel Street Primary - 17 the Excellence in Cities initiative is making a valuable contribution to the progress made by a group of pupils who find learning difficult.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. Teachers with key responsibilities also make a good contribution to the management of the school. The procedures for supporting and teaching those pupils with EAL are very effectively managed. This makes a significant impact on how well those pupils achieve. Teachers with curriculum responsibilities also contribute to the successful management of the school. The SEN procedures are also well managed and sharply focused on ensuring that pupils with difficulties are given the kind of support they need.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The school has some good information about how well pupils are performing and is beginning to collate this in a useful way. The school is careful to collect information about the results for seven- and eleven-year-olds and is able to identify any particular groups of pupils who may not be achieving as well as they should. This analysis of the results includes checking up on the different ethnic groups to ensure all are benefiting from what the school offers. However, currently not enough use is made of this information in guiding and refining the way that the school develops and there is not enough analysis of the year by year attainment of different groups of pupils. Although the school uses the information to set pupils’ targets, there is more that could be done to track how well pupils are doing.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. There are good systems for checking on the quality of teaching and learning. All key staff have responsibilities for looking at teaching and spotting ways of improving, this is one reason why the teaching is getting better. Teachers also look carefully at pupils’ work to make sure they are learning what they should be and that all pupils are having some success. These activities are part of the shared commitment to seek constant improvement and are a reason why the school provides a good base for training new teachers.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The governing body supports the school well and is very committed to the inclusive ethos that pervades all the work of the school. Governors carry out their responsibilities seriously and generally fulfil their statutory duties. They are up to date and knowledgeable for instance, about the requirements concerning the duty to promote racial equality.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The school is very well resourced. There is a fine group of staff, all working for the benefit of pupils in various capacities. The accommodation is very good, it is enhanced with some terrific displays that celebrate success, provide information or help pupils with their learning. The level of resourcing is generally good.

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

47. In order to sustain the present strengths and improve further, the governing body, working through the headteacher and senior managers should:

p.17

by:

• adopting a more consistent approach to the teaching of reading; • ensuring all teachers give enough attention to teaching the most commonly used words; • making sure that all children are heard reading on a frequent and regular basis; • making sure that all teachers use a common approach to monitoring pupils’ progress in reading. Chapel Street Primary - 18

p.17

Raise standards in speaking by

• planning specific activities that focus on teaching speaking skills; • using a range of strategies to encourage pupils to talk more in all subjects.

p.18

Make better use of performance data in managing school development by

• thoroughly analysing the end of year test results; • providing teachers with information to help them to identify and support pupils who are not making enough progress.

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Minor issues

§ Raise standards in religious education. § Continue with the very good efforts currently being undertaken to improve attendance. § Ensure that the prospectus and the annual report to parents contains all the statutory information.

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 26

p.19

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 58 379

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 203

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 1 38

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 218

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 65

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 47

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Chapel Street Primary - 20

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 32 23 55

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 19 24 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 19 20

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

Percentage of pupils School 64 (78) 78 (81) 80 (80) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 18 24 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 20 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 64 (78) 80 (80) 71 (74) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 30 31 61

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 16 18 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 19 24

p.20

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

Percentage of pupils School 56 (57) 61 (61) 80 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 16 18 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 20 19 25

p.20

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

Percentage of pupils School 59 (52) 61 (63) 75 (77) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Chapel Street Primary - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 5 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 103 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 4 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 7 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 20 2 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Chapel Street Primary - 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 18.8 Financial year 2001 - 02

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 925514

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 16 Total expenditure 817996

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 474 Expenditure per pupil 1957

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 55126

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.5 Balance carried forward to next year 162644

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 37.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 153

p.22

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3.5

p.22

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 8.2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.22

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.3

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Chapel Street Primary - 23

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 55 37 4 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 52 36 5 4 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 39 9 2 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. 45 37 11 3 3

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 31 3 1 2

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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. 61 30 4 0 4

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 47 38 8 1 6

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 65 27 3 1 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 59 32 6 1 2

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 59 28 5 1 7 Chapel Street Primary - 24

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. The majority of children joining reception classes spend at least a year in the nursery; a minority has up to five terms experience. In both nursery and reception classes, children benefit from the generally good provision made for all areas of learning. Teaching is good overall and in some areas it is very good. Planning is based on the curriculum guidance for this stage of learning, with appropriate links made to the national strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy for older children in the reception classes. Overall, children achieve well. Many are on course to meet the expected levels of attainment in their personal and social development, aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world and creative and physical development. A minority is likely to meet expected levels in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development.

p.24

Personal, social and emotional development

49. Teaching in this area is very good. Children make very good progress in the nursery due to the high level of attention given to promoting their confidence, self-esteem and independence. In the early stages, very few play or work with others and many have difficulty in sharing equipment. By the time they move into reception classes, almost all have learned to work in pairs or in a small group. Most talk together about their activities and often help each other with small difficulties. This was evident, for example, when two children were playing a matching game and took great delight in finding the head, bodies and feet of a character that fitted together. Children show a good level of independence in dressing after PE lessons. They often select and organise activities independently and put equipment back after use.

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Personal, social and emotional development

50. Staff pay particularly good attention to promoting children’s understanding of other’s feelings through careful negotiation of small disputes. Children are encouraged to take turns and work collaboratively through activities such as making sandwiches. There is very good provision to encourage appreciation of a range of cultures and beliefs through, for example, notices written in a variety of languages and making divas to celebrate Diwali.

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Communication, language and literacy

51. Teaching is good overall, but there are aspects that need improvement. Good attention is paid to promoting children’s early skills in speaking and listening although opportunities for this could be extended. In the nursery, children quickly learn to listen attentively and follow instructions. Through their responses, often through gestures, laughing or pointing at the pictures, they show understanding of the main points of a story. Children’s speech is extended so that the majority in reception classes communicates using short phrases or simple sentences, although these are often grammatically incorrect. Very good provision is made for children learning English as an additional language. In the nursery, bilingual nursery nurses play a very valuable role in telling stories in children’s home languages, informally translating instructions and introducing key phrases in English and encouraging the children to use these in

p.24

Communication, language and literacy

Chapel Street Primary - 25 their activities. In the reception classes, the range of practical activities and clear instructions by staff ensures that children continue to make good progress in their acquisition of English.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

52. Children learn to communicate their ideas in writing through mark-making and dictating captions for pictures and the re-telling of stories. Story-telling using enlarged books is a regular activity in the nursery and reception classes and children develop very positive attitudes to reading. They make very good progress in learning letter sounds and many begin to use these to attempt independent written work. In reception classes, many children show a high level of interest in looking at books and understand how to use the pictures to re-tell the story. However, their progress in recognising commonly used words is very slow and this hinders their progress in learning to read.

p.25

Mathematical development

53. Teaching in this area is good. In the nursery, good attention is paid to encouraging children to understand aspects of number through informal counting activities and planned tasks. These include, for example, grouping and ordering objects with the teacher encouraging careful matching as children count 1 to 5. Shopping activities also help children to become familiar with counting and ‘taking pennies’. Children develop an awareness of shape through matching activities and spotting shapes in the environment.

p.25

Mathematical development

54. Work on number continues in the reception classes as children learn to tell number stories and begin to understand grouping objects for practical addition and subtraction. Teachers place strong emphasis on using accurate mathematical terms and teaching effective strategies for calculation. In one lesson, for example, the teacher demonstrated the importance of ‘counting on’ to add one group to another rather than going back to the beginning and starting again. This was so successful that some children began to add, for instance 3 and 4, by saying ‘I’ve got three in my head..four, five, six, that makes seven’. Most children are working successfully with numbers up to 10; a few higher attaining children are confident beyond this and in some activities need a greater level of challenge to extend their skills. Most children recognise common two-dimensional shapes and are learning the language of measure.

p.25

Knowledge and understanding of the world

55. Teaching of this area is very good. Children are offered a rich range of experiences that encourage them to observe, investigate and learn about the world around. Nursery children are taken for walks around the local area, visiting places such as the library and learning about features of the environment. They learn about the process of change through making a variety of foods and discussing photographs of themselves as babies or toddlers and talking about what they are able to do now that they could not do at a younger age. Growth of a variety of plants such as sunflowers and radishes encourages children to understand what plants need to grow.

p.25

Knowledge and understanding of the world

56. These experiences are extended well in the reception classes where children learn about the five senses. They know about some features of living things, the names of common farm animals and how the environment begins to change at the start of spring. Activities are well organised to stimulate interest in, and appreciation of, the world around. In the role play area, for example, a tape of bird song encouraged two children to listen attentively and to discuss how the sound was being made.

p.25

Knowledge and understanding of the world

57. In both the nursery and reception classes, a good range of practical experiences encourages children to construct models using a variety of construction equipment. Chapel Street Primary - 26 They learn a range of techniques for joining and fastening when they make models with recyclable materials. Early computer skills are well established, with many children showing good control of the mouse and understanding how to manipulate images on the monitor.

p.25

Physical Development

58. Teaching of this area is good. Children in the nursery have regular access to a good range of play equipment in the outdoor play area and develop confidence in running, climbing and manoeuvring tricycles and trucks. By the time they join the reception class, most move with reasonable control and show good awareness of space and of each other. Their skills in balancing are not so well developed; many are still learning to hop and skip. Their progress is inhibited to some extent because there is no dedicated play area for the reception classes; the school is aware of this and there is an ambitious plan to extend the nursery outdoor area and create a larger play space for all children in the Foundation Stage. In the meantime, reception classes have regular access to the nursery play area for short periods and timetabled PE sessions in the hall and staff are doing all that they can to compensate for the lack of

p.26

Physical Development

59. Throughout the nursery and in the reception classes children have good experience of using pencils, crayons, playdough and a variety of tools such as scissors. As a result, their skills in finer movements develop well.

p.26

Creative Development

60. Teaching of this area is very good. Children have very good opportunities to represent their ideas and observations using media such as paint, chalks and collage. Staff provide very good stimuli in art areas; in the nursery, for example, children were very engaged in making random patterns by rolling balls in paint and then across their paper. In the reception classes, staff followed up a ‘spring walk’ by encouraging children to make a spring picture. A good range of resources was available and the teacher provided very good support for the activity, talking to the children about colour and helping them to recall what they had seen the day before.

p.26

Creative Development

61. Imaginative play is stimulated through good use of stories that often leads to other activities. In the nursery, for example, a nursery nurse encouraged children to use instruments to represent the various movements in the story of ‘The Bear Hunt’. Role- play is often linked to first-hand experiences; for example, a baby clinic was set up in the nursery after a visit from a parent and baby. However, unless an adult is present, many children find difficulty in taking on a role and interacting with others because of limitations in spoken English. Some of the equipment for role-play is limited or in poor condition, particularly in the nursery, and this also inhibits the quality of children’s experiences.

p.26

Creative Development

62. Provision for music is very good. Children have good opportunities for incidental music-making and learn to use a variety of percussion instruments. Music is also taught regularly by the specialist teacher and many children are reaching a very good standard in singing and performing simple rhythms.

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ENGLISH

63. The improving standards in English are a result of the school's drive to improve writing across the school. The school now needs to concentrate on building on this success to improve speaking and reading. Chapel Street Primary - 27 64. In all years pupils listen attentively to their teachers and each other and behave well. Children start the school with a range of abilities in speaking their first language but overall standards of speaking are well below expectations. Many children are at the early stages of learning English and because of the individual or small group support these pupils make very good progress. Some teachers, when teaching all subjects, give good opportunities for pupils to speak in pairs and groups, and encourage more complex responses to questions. In many lessons, however, teachers' questions only elicit simple answers and many pupils are quite reluctant to speak. There are

p.26

ENGLISH

limited opportunities for pupils to practise and fully extend their speaking skills, although teachers identify key specific vocabulary for pupils to learn.

p.27

ENGLISH

65. Standards in reading are below average. One reason for this is the lack of consistency in how reading is taught. Some classes have a session of guided reading each week, but others only once a fortnight. The teaching of commonly used words for reading is also inconsistent and progress is not always regularly recorded. Overall pupils do not read enough. By Year 2, higher attaining pupils understand the use of letter sounds, which enables them to read new words. One girl explained clearly how she reads words she does not know and uses specific language quite naturally. She reads on for the context and ‘segments and blends phonemes’. Whilst Year 2 pupils talk about their favourite books they have limited awareness about the stories and only a few have favourite authors.

p.27

ENGLISH

66. Pupils build steadily on their reading as they continue through the school, although the inconsistencies in approaches continues. By Year 6, pupils are generally mature in their choice of books. Pupils are able to choose their own reading material from a good selection and most know how to use non-fiction books to find information. The good support provided for pupils with SEN enables them to know and understand how to use letter sounds, which increases their ability to read and to access other areas of the curriculum. Pupils with EAL achieve very well in extending their reading. Pupils who do not have the benefit of extra support make less rapid progress.

p.27

ENGLISH

67. The school has placed great emphasis on raising standards in writing and there has been good improvement. By Year 2 pupils’ writing is clear and well formed, but few use joined writing. Although most pupils use capital letters and full stops, their punctuation is often haphazard, and few write in more complex sentences. By Year 6 pupils show a good range of written work for a variety of purposes, not only in English lessons but in other subjects such as history, RE and science. They write good quality letters of persuasion to Earl Shrewsbury to improve the lives of children in Victorian times and in Year 5 they present arguments on steam trains under the heading ‘Heroes or Monsters’. They extend their use of descriptive writing as they experiment with active verbs and personification within a poem on a Stormy Night …" the mighty thunder roared like a tiger it stamped down Lynsted Lane..". The

p.27

ENGLISH

newspaper accounts on the Blitz, using a publishing package on the computer, report "..fires were licking the sides of buildings, reaching for the sky…"

p.27

ENGLISH

68. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory throughout the school. Teachers use the national literacy strategy, and lessons are suitably planned to teach pupils of differing levels of attainment. In the lessons during the inspection the overall quality of teaching and learning was good and often very good. Teachers managed lessons well and pupils were attentive and well behaved. Teachers understand what pupils need to learn and they make good gains in learning. In Year 2 high quality teaching of reading led to pupils looking at and discussing the features of the non-fiction text on ‘Tadpoles and Frogs’. In a very successful Year 5 lesson the teacher guided pupils skilfully in understanding and using similes and metaphors. They wrote the beginning of a group poem following their visit to the Peak District, using figurative speech : " Chapel Street Primary - 28 Bakewell is a sleeping baby nestled in the hills….. " . The setting 2 arrangements are

p.27

ENGLISH

proving effective in Year 6 and work is generally well matched to pupils' needs. In a group lesson for pupils with SEN the teacher skilfully followed the work of the whole class but was also careful to ensure that the teaching also focused on pupils’ learning targets. She used a good range of examples and kept their interest and enthusiasm by the good use of praise and encouragement.

p.28

ENGLISH

69. The co-ordinators have a clear direction for the subject and have managed the emphasis on raising standards in writing well. They have a clear understanding of what needs to be done next. They look at planning, monitor teaching and review pupils’ work. The school has developed sound assessment procedures that show pupils’ progress, but does not use this data well enough to ensure that all pupils are moving on.

p.28

ENGLISH

70. Book resources are good, and the library is appropriately used to find fiction books and research for topics. ICT is used more than at the previous inspection, and now provides sound support for the teaching and learning of English across the school. Pupils use a range of word processing tools to enhance their written work, including multimedia presentations.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

71. The majority of pupils achieve well in mathematics despite the standards overall being well below the national average. Results in national tests are similar to those at the last inspection but the achievement has improved. The very effective support given to pupils with EAL ensures that these pupils benefit from the lessons and also achieve well. Good teaching, a generally well-planned curriculum and effective management of the subject all contribute to the good level of achievement.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

72. Year 2 pupils are generally accurate at counting, they have a basic understanding of adding and taking away. They have a growing grasp of how numbers work and recognise, for instance patterns such as odd and even numbers. Higher attaining pupils work with two digit numbers.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

73. The majority of Year 6 pupils use the four operations to solve number problems and have a developing understanding of how decimals, percentages and fractions relate to each other. However, only the higher attaining pupils work rapidly and accurately when solving problems mentally. Many eleven-year-olds struggle to recall number facts rapidly and accurately.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

74. Lessons are very well planned and teachers have a clear idea of what pupils need to learn. They make sure pupils know what the lessons are about and this helps pupils to think about how well they are learning. The quality of teaching varies between very good and satisfactory. Some teaching is very good and helps pupils to make big steps in their understanding. Year 4 pupils were successfully getting to grips with their multiplication tables and learning how to use them to solve problems. The teacher asked sharp questions and encouraged pupils to talk to each other about how they calculate. By asking a few pupils to feedback their ideas to all the class the teacher made sure that they used the right vocabulary and all pupils could check their own thinking. Very good classroom management also makes sure that pupils remain on task and work hard throughout the lesson.

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MATHEMATICS

Pupils in Year 6 are organised into teaching groups based on their levels of attainment. Chapel Street Primary - 29 75. A very good lesson with Year 5 pupils helped pupils to use what they already knew to solve more difficult number problems. The teacher gave a very clear explanation of the strategy backed up by illustrations that left pupils in no doubt about what they had to do. The examples, worked through with the whole class, gave pupils a clear understanding and enabled them to make some very good progress when they worked on their own or with an assistant. The teaching was challenging and demanding, insisting that pupils explained their thinking and so extended their vocabulary and improved their speaking skills at the same time. This is important for all the pupils but particularly for those learning English as an additional language. One pupil who had only been learning English for a few months was sufficiently confident

p.28

MATHEMATICS

to give a clear explanation of how she had solved the problem to the whole class.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

76. Many pupils benefit from the help and support given to them by classroom assistants and, in some lessons, by translators who help pupils who are learning English to understand the main teaching points. The good level of support generally means that all pupils do work that meets their needs. Occasionally in lessons, the introduction is too long and some pupils find the work too difficult and struggle to maintain concentration.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

77. The school is using the national strategy for teaching numeracy effectively and this is helping teachers to plan lessons and to check up on how well pupils are doing. In some instances the work that pupils do is not always building on what they already can do and this is slowing their rate of progress.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

78. The subject is well managed by two teachers who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. There are good procedures to check up on the quality of teaching and to make sure that pupils are making enough progress. However, there is some scope to give a sharper focus to how the subject is managed once the senior managers make better use of the information about how well pupils have done in end of year assessments.

p.29

SCIENCE

79. Since the previous inspection standards for seven-year-olds in science have been maintained at average levels but have improved for eleven-year-olds as a result of the improvements put in place. This is good achievement for seven-year-olds and excellent achievement for eleven-year-olds.

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SCIENCE

80. Knowledge of food and its division into different types such as carbohydrates, fibre, proteins, vitamins and minerals is a strong feature of seven-year-olds’ knowledge. This helps them to make decisions with regard to a healthy diet. They also know that materials either occur naturally or are man-made and that these change when they are heated. Seven-year-olds have a sound grasp of how to investigate and experiment. For example, in an experiment to identify the warmest part of the classroom pupils placed five ice cubes in different places. They were aware that the cubes needed to be the same size for them to be able to say that the warmest section of the room was where the cubes melted the quickest.

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SCIENCE

81. Eleven-year-olds know and understand the common life processes, including how plants manufacture their own food using sunlight. They achieve well through participating in well-planned investigations such as examining the growth rates of two plants, one of which is fed with nutrients. This also provided good links with mathematics because pupils drew straight line graphs to illustrate the varying growths of the two plants over a period of several weeks and made the connection between measurements and real life situations. Their comprehension of how light travels in straight lines led them to a clear understanding of how shadows are formed. They have a good knowledge of electricity and how to construct electric circuits. Their Chapel Street Primary - 30 knowledge is put to good use by carrying out experiments to discover which materials will conduct electricity.

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SCIENCE

82. The quality of teaching is good. Pupils’ previous learning is always reviewed at the beginning of every lesson and this enables them to acquire knowledge and understanding more effectively by making links with what they are about to learn and what they already know. Links between learning in other subjects and science lessons are well made. For example, in a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils were timing how long it took for a candle flame to be extinguished when covered by glass containers of differing capacities. The teacher encouraged pupils to make a connection between the capacities of the jars and the length of time it would take and use this to predict how long it would take for the candle to go out. Teachers encourage pupils to assess their own knowledge and understanding and this helps them to have a better knowledge of their own learning. Support assistants and learning assistants work very well with pupils with EAL and with pupils who have

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SCIENCE

special educational needs, enabling them to make good progress.

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SCIENCE

83. The co-ordinator provides sound management. Teachers’ planning is monitored regularly to ensure that the curriculum is covered appropriately. Pupils’ attainments are assessed at the end of each unit of work but this is too late to modify lessons to improve understanding of elements of learning within the unit.

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ART AND DESIGN

84. It was not possible to see any teaching during the inspection, but scrutiny of work on display and discussion with the co-ordinators indicates that provision for the subject is good and pupils achieve well. Standards are securely in line with national expectations for pupils in Year 2, and by Year 6 standards are above expectations. Throughout the school, pupils’ skills in using a range of materials and processes to represent their ideas and observations develop well and some work is of a high standard. There has been an improvement in standards since the last inspection and resources are now adequate for teaching the subject.

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ART AND DESIGN

85. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have good opportunities to explore colour, line and tone. Year 1 pupils produced good self-portraits using charcoals and pencils. They worked to enhance their initial attempts, practising line and shade and enhancing their techniques. Year 2 work focused on the theme of ‘Mother Nature – designer’, looking at line and form in a variety of natural objects. Some close study replicated aspects of pattern and texture using a range of materials; this work shows good development of pupils’ skills of observation and creation of image. In Years 3 to 6, pupils continue to explore ideas and images including those used by famous artists. Year 5 pupils created impressive pictures in the style of Monet with paint used very effectively to give texture to the work. The work of Kandinsky was replicated in collage and pastels. A study of Matisse was linked to work on jazz, with a variety of abstract techniques

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ART AND DESIGN

used well to decorate instruments for a display.

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ART AND DESIGN

86. Art is used well to enhance work in other subjects. Links with literacy are made when Year 2 pupils make ‘wanted’ posters for the ‘bad’ characters in traditional tales. Year 3 pupils designed some striking posters to convey messages about healthy eating and care of teeth. Work in history on the Ancient Greeks led to Year 5 decorating masks using tissue paper collage and making pots; Year 6 pupils created some strong images of the blitz during the Second World War using pastels for a firelit sky and superimposing silhouettes for buildings. The whole school has been involved in study of fashion through the last century, producing observational drawings of dress and printing materials to represent a particular era. Part of the work for Black History Month involved pupils trying out a range of techniques typical of African art. Last term Chapel Street Primary - 31 one co-ordinator was released from class teaching to work throughout the school;

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ART AND DESIGN

this has had an impact in extending the range of work undertaken as well as giving the subject a high profile.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (DT)

87. During the course of the inspection only two lessons were observed. Evidence from these, an analysis of previous work, teachers’ plans and discussions are sufficient to show that the standards found at the last inspection have been maintained.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (DT)

88. Indications from previous work indicate the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall as it was at the previous inspection. It is evident from their work on puppets that by the end of Year 2, pupils understand that the making process begins with a plan. They use pictures to develop and communicate their designs. They select from a range of materials, tools and techniques and learn to join by sewing. They know what they have done well and suggest how they could improve it. Work in Year 4 on designing and constructing a chair gives pupils the opportunity to use scientific knowledge to test how strong it is. In Year 6 the design and construction of Anderson shelters support work on the Second World War well and shows sound skills and understanding. In the lessons observed the teachers showed sound knowledge of the subject and used support staff well. Pupils were enthusiastic and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (DT)

worked well in pairs. They enjoyed the practical activities.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (DT)

89. The school has introduced national guidelines, which ensure that skills are systematically built on, and assessment arrangements are now in place to record pupils' skills at the end of each unit. Pupils use their numeracy skills to measure accurately but there is little use of ICT in the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

90. Planning and organisation of the curriculum has improved since the last inspection and standards achieved by seven- and eleven-year-olds are higher than expected and are improving through out the school.

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GEOGRAPHY

91. Year 2 pupils confidently discuss what they know about the area where they live and where their school is situated. They also talk about Barnaby Bear’s visits to different parts of the world and are able to point out where these places are on the maps displayed around the school. Most pupils are confident when talking about places that are much further afield. Year 5 and 6 pupils know the capital cities of various countries and are able to point these out on a map of the world.

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GEOGRAPHY

92. The best teaching was in Year 5 and was very good, challenging pupils with interesting content, activities to match the needs of all pupils and a variety of resources. Pupils enthusiastically engaged in interesting group activities to study the local area around Levershulme and the contrasting locality around Bakewell in Derbyshire. They analysed the evidence and the data they had collected on the traffic flow, buildings, land use, landscape features, bridges, rivers and the park to discuss how the locals and visitors might use the contrasting environment. One group of pupils understood, used and interpreted scale on ordinance survey maps. Another group were comfortable in downloading area maps of Bakewell via the Internet, locating the various places they had visited and gathering more in-depth information in order to share this with the whole class later. Another group which included pupils for

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GEOGRAPHY

whom English is an additional language studied the human and physical features with targeted support using good teaching and learning resources.

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GEOGRAPHY

93. The schemes of work and the long-term curriculum plans, that incorporate a number of other foundation subjects with geography, are comprehensive. The focus on geographical work during the inspection week was minimal although the pupils’ record Chapel Street Primary - 32 of work indicated that the National Curriculum requirements are being covered more than adequately.

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GEOGRAPHY

94. The co-ordinators are very enthusiastic; they work collaboratively and provide effective guidance to other teachers. This guidance, together with an increased level of new resources, has helped to develop geography topic boxes that should ensure that standards continue to improve.

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HISTORY

95. Standards in history are in line with expectations for both seven- and eleven-year- olds. The school has maintained its good history provision since the last inspection. A programme of work has evolved and history is now effectively linked to some other subjects. For example, while learning about the Second World War pupils in Year 6 produced some interesting artwork. Pupils develop their understanding of sequence of events during the numeracy lessons by working with timelines. Most year groups use history lessons as an opportunity for extended writing. For example, Year 5 use the study of ancient Greece for this purpose.

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HISTORY

96. Year 2 pupils have some simple understanding of how they have changed over time and are aware of stories about famous people from the past. Year 6 pupils are quite knowledgeable about the life and times in Victorian Britain. They understand some of the key events of the period and are particularly interested in the inventions that changed the way people lived. They have only limited understanding of cause and effect but are more comfortable using evidence to learn about life in the past.

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HISTORY

97. Pupils learn about changes over time by looking at artefacts, books, household utensils, tools and a variety of other familiar and unfamiliar materials. For example Year 5 pupils expressed some interesting variety of perceptions as to what, in their view, education and schooling was like during Roman and Victorian times. They went on to learn about Roman and Arabic numerals before looking at the tools for writing during that period. All pupils know how the history of the Victorians or the Romans is different from the present.

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HISTORY

98. The quality of teaching is good. Pupils enjoy history and show a great deal of interest in investigating primary and secondary sources. Pupils’ interest is further heightened by the variety of extra-curricular activities organised by school like the visits to the air raid shelters in Stockport, Styal, and the Salford Art gallery, Lark Hill Place. Pupils respond enthusiastically to teaching which is well planned and integrated into the broad curriculum.

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HISTORY

99. Pupils are learning about the history of Britain, local history and about people from other countries like Greece. However not enough is made of the history of other societies or the study of the influences of social, cultural and religious differences within and between the various communities represented by the families of the pupils at the school. Whilst pupils recognise that migration, movement and settlement are recurring experiences in British and world history, they miss the opportunity to explore both commonalities and variations in the migrants, asylum seekers and settlers’ experiences and the reactions and responses of local populations.

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HISTORY

100. The school has a good supply of books, pictures and photographs. Teachers’ planning and their knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum requirements are sound and they enjoy teaching history.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Chapel Street Primary - 33 101. Standards for both seven- and eleven-year-olds have been maintained since the last inspection and are improving. The installation of a computer suite is enabling pupils to acquire greater skills and understanding.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

102. Seven-year-old pupils use word processing competently to write short pieces. In the process of using a computer to write, they change font style and the size of the print as well as making corrections. They use the Internet to find out information quickly. For example, Year 2 pupils located information about Florence Nightingale as part of their learning in history. Pupils program a movable toy successfully to move along a pre-arranged route and also use a video camera to film their classmates talking about life as a Muslim.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

103. By the time pupils are eleven they have successfully built on their earlier skills. They produce graphs of temperatures, sunlight and other weather data using sensor equipment as well as graphs of pupils’ heights plotted against their masses. They use the Internet for research purposes, for instance pupils searched for information about a range of rivers together with their lengths and geographical locations. Pupils are developing an understanding of spreadsheets and use art programs to produce good quality posters using clip art and multimedia presentations on a theme of the Second World War.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

104. Teaching is sound. Planning is good with lessons always beginning with an explanation of what the teacher hopes pupils will achieve and careful step-by-step preparation of what will be done. Such a careful approach to planning enables pupils to acquire skills and understanding systematically. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to experiment and find out things for themselves. This promotes independence and heightens pupils’ interest in ICT. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well by perceptive classroom assistants enabling them to make good progress. Pupils normally work effectively in pairs but in some cases the class teacher is not aware that one pupil does all the work instead of sharing the task. This affects the progress negatively of one of the pair of pupils. At other times pupils’ learning is affected because the teacher does not identify that a small number of pupils are not watching demonstrations. In some lessons teachers

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

demonstrate too quickly and impart too much information in a short span of time and this impairs pupils’ ability to make good intellectual efforts during the lesson and their progress slows accordingly.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

105. The co-ordinator provides satisfactory leadership and management. She has had limited time for monitoring lessons and in consequence the quality of teaching has not improved as much as it could. Some teachers’ ICT skills still need improvement and, as a result, teachers remain apprehensive about teaching ICT because their skills at using multimedia and control aspects are limited. The learning resources available are good. The computer suite is a valuable asset and enables pupils to be taught as a whole class.

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MUSIC

106. Standards attained by pupils in Year 2 are broadly in line with expectations. In Year 6, standards are below expectations and this represents a decline since the last inspection. However, there are indications of improvement. Throughout the school, standards in singing are good. A specialist teacher has been teaching classes throughout the school for just under two years . The quality of teaching is good and all aspects of the curriculum are being covered. There is a strong emphasis on participation in, and enjoyment of, music making and singing.

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MUSIC

107. The majority of Year 2 pupils show a good sense of rhythm and quickly pick up repeated patterns as they perform using percussion instruments. Most maintain the Chapel Street Primary - 34 beat in simple compositions. They play a variety of instruments using correct techniques and respond quickly to the teacher’s signals as ‘conductor’. Year 1 and 2 pupils participate readily in action songs, singing clearly in unison and showing a good recollection of lyrics. The teacher’s very good lead, clear articulation and lively demonstration promote children’s enjoyment and a good response.

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MUSIC

108. Year 6 pupils also enjoy composition and performance but their skills are at the level of much younger children, indicating lack of experience in year groups lower down the school. Most are aware of correct techniques for playing pitched and unpitched instruments but their attempts at improvising repeated patterns are often very ‘ragged’. Very few are successful in maintaining a part in a six or eight beat pattern or understand how different parts of a pattern fit together. Their musical vocabulary is limited, as is their knowledge of different types of music or composers. As with the younger children, pupils in Years 3 to 6 respond well in singing and particularly enjoyed songs with a strong rhythm. They sing enthusiastically in a three part round, showing awareness of how the different sections fit together and working well to achieve a good overall effect.

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MUSIC

109. The profile of music has been raised over the past two years and there are plans for further enhancement. There are good opportunities for all pupils to participate in performances in school; the choir has performed at Manchester Arena and there is a good range of extra-curricular activities and some instrumental tuition for the oldest pupils. The work of the specialist teacher provides a good opportunity for professional development for teachers but not all take advantage of this; staying with a class during a music lesson is optional. Resources in terms of instruments are good, but there is a need to improve the range of recorded music.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE)

110. During the inspection it was not possible to observe lessons in all aspects of the subject. Overall, standards for eleven-year-olds are above expectations, with standards in swimming and gymnastics particularly high. Standards in games meet national expectations.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE)

111. Standards for seven-year-olds are in line with national expectations in gymnastics and dance. Seven-year-olds’ attainments have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE)

112. Pupils in Year 2 move in a variety of ways to denote a range of different feelings during dance lessons. These include moving at different levels and expressing smooth and sharp ‘spiky’ movements. They successfully transfer what they learn to do on the floor of the gymnasium to the apparatus and travel backwards, forwards and sideways in a range of different ways. Most Year 6 pupils swim confidently for at least a distance of 25 metres and the others have developed good confidence in the water and are able to swim competently with the support of a swimming aid. They perform confident movements on gymnastic apparatus and assume symmetrical shapes with a good sense of balance. Pupils have good muscle control and produce good finishes to sequences of movements. Pupils take part in a wide range of individual and team games and their skills in controlling a ball, finding spaces to receive passes and anticipating the movements of others are in line with those

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE)

113. Teaching of Years 1 and 2 is sound and good for Years 3 - 6. Teachers assess pupils’ performances and provide good advice to pupils on how to improve. They manage pupils’ behaviour well and this has a good impact on concentration and pace of working during lessons. Sometimes teachers give instructions but do not allow sufficient time for pupils to think how they will interpret them. This does not encourage Chapel Street Primary - 35 pupils to acquire new skills. Although the attainments of pupils during swimming lessons are good there is not enough variety in the activities provided to make the experience enjoyable.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE)

114. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management. There is a wide range of sporting extra-curricular activities, including provision for physically disabled pupils and those previously not actively participating in sport. Teachers take part in in- service training that is leading to improvements in their teaching. The quantity and range of learning resources are good.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE)

115. Standards for seven- and eleven-year-olds are below expectations. The main focus is on elements of Christian teaching set within the context of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils show some awareness of the principle features of other faiths and respect for those holding different beliefs. Year 6 pupils name places of worship accurately and remember some of the main festivals like Christmas, Easter, Divali, and Eid. Although they talk confidently about Christianity, their knowledge and understanding of the other religions is sketchy, limited and in some respects confused. For example one pupil thought that Eid was the celebration of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) birthday, although another was able to correct him.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE)

116. The quality of teaching observed was satisfactory. Lessons are well planned and pupils are well managed, but occasionally teachers’ own subject knowledge is not as secure as it should be. Although Muslim and other non-Christian pupils are made to feel welcome by the school, there is insufficient emphasis on explaining how lives of families are affected by their commitment to a religious belief and a faith in God. Pupils are taught facts about the religions they study without always being required to ask probing questions or reflecting on the impact of religious principles within their own or other peoples’ lives.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE)

117. Scrutiny of work indicates that pupils get a limited exposure to RE. Pupils’ written work shows insufficient coverage and a lack of continuity across year groups and across the whole school. The school encourages links with the themes for assemblies, collective worship, circle time 3 and PHSE but in lessons pupils are getting piecemeal offerings of religious material with an emphasis on learning 'about' religions rather than 'from' religions.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE)

circle time is an opportunity for pupils to talk about issues concerned with personal development.

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