Hazel Grove Primary School

HAZEL GROVE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 th - 27 th March 2003

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HAZEL GROVE 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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HAZEL GROVE 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. Hazel Grove Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Chapel Street Hazel Grove Stockport Cheshire Postcode: SK7 4JH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 th February 1998 Hazel Grove Primary School - 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

21678 Mrs S Walker Registered inspector Information and communication technology History Special educational needs The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? What the school should do to improve further? 19335 Mrs S Dixon Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values, and personal development. How well does the school cares for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 22556 Mr E Morgan Team inspector English Art and design Physical education English as an additional language 13110 Mrs P King Team inspector Science Design and technology Geography Educational inclusion 29504 Mrs S Herring Team inspector Foundation Stage Music How good are curriculum and other opportunities? 32338 Mr E Carter Team inspector Mathematics Religious education How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Lynrose Marketing Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 OTU 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: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Hazel Grove Primary School - 5

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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? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Hazel Grove Primary School is bigger than average with 244 pupils on roll. There are markedly more boys than girls in the nursery class and slightly more girls than boys elsewhere. The majority of pupils are of white British heritage with very small numbers of pupils from other ethnic backgrounds. Six pupils have English as an additional language and only three of these are at an early stage of learning English. Most pupils live in recognised deprived areas adjacent to the school and when children start school their attainment is well below what is usual for three-year-olds. Only fifteen per cent of pupils take free school meals but this does not reflect the socio-economic circumstances. A quarter of pupils are on the special educational needs register for a variety of reasons, with three pupils having a statement of special educational need. Most pupils now stay in the school from nursery to Year 6. However, there has been a very high turnover of staff, including the headteacher,

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

since the previous inspection. The school has gained Investors in People status.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is now an effective school. The very clear educational vision provided by the headteacher and deputy and their willingness to accept advice have brought about good improvement in Key Stage 2 and in the ethos of the school. Standards are still well below average in many important subjects, because pupils are still catching up on skills they missed earlier. Overall, teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teaching is good in Key Stage 2 and in Year 3 and 6 pupils now receive very good teaching. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships have improved significantly. The school is aware of the need to bring about similar improvements and has good plans in place to do so. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils’ achieve very high standards in music by age eleven due to the enthusiasm and skill of the headteacher. • The very good leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher provides a clear purpose for the school. • The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development leading to a marked improvement in pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships. • There is very good provision for extra-curricular activities, which enriches pupils’ learning. • Good financial management is improving both accommodation and resources. • Good provision for pupils with special educational needs enables them to make good progress. • Parents’ positive views of the school support the recent improvements.

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What could be improved

• Standards could be higher in speaking, reading and writing throughout the school. • Standards could be higher in mathematics throughout the school. • The curriculum for children in the nursery and reception class and the teaching and the curriculum for pupils in Year 2. • The use of assessment information to plan pupils’ future learning. • The effectiveness of subject co-ordinators and other members of the senior management team in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Hazel Grove Primary School - 7 The school was last inspected in February 1998. Since that time there have been four changes of headteacher. There have been 14 changes of staff in the last two years and attainment on entry has fallen. Currently few pupils move in and out of the school, but this has not been the case in the past. This unsettled period has affected every aspect of school life and makes it impossible to compare standards with the previous inspection, as the pupils are so different. This headteacher has made many very positive improvements including planning, assessment, and target setting in order to raise standards. Standards are starting to improve particularly in Year 6. The areas for improvement identified in the previous inspection, such as monitoring and improving teaching, analysing national tests, improving pupils’ punctuality and aspects of provision for pupils with special educational needs have

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

been addressed satisfactorily. Teaching is now getting better.

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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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schools

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

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schools

The table shows that on the basis of the 2002 end of Key Stage 2 national test results pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science is well below the national average. When compared to similar schools, attainment is average in English, below average in science and well below average in mathematics. In this group more than a quarter of pupils had special educational needs. Inspection findings paint a similar picture of well below average attainment in English and mathematics and below average attainment in science. Overall, pupils make broadly satisfactory progress in these subjects. A third of the class have special educational needs and many of the school’s new initiatives have not had a chance to affect what pupils can do, because their basic skills have not been developed over time. The school now sets appropriate targets in English and mathematics.

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schools

The end of Key Stage 1 test results show that pupils’ attainment is well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. When compared to similar schools, attainment is below average in reading and writing and well below average in mathematics. Inspection findings show attainment is well below average in English and science and below average in mathematics. Pupils make satisfactory progress in English and mathematics but progress is unsatisfactory in science. This group has a high number of pupils with special educational needs.

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schools

By the end of Key Stage 1, standards are below average in all other subjects, except religious education, music and physical education. This is because of a weakness in the past in the curriculum. Progress in individual lessons is variable, but overall reasonable. By Key Stage 2 standards are still below average in information and communication technology and history Hazel Grove Primary School - 8 where pupils are still catching up on basic skills, but well above average in music, because of particularly good provision. In all other subjects standards are in line with the national expectation. Progress is generally good for the oldest pupils, because they receive the strongest teaching.

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schools

The children’s attainment when they start school is well below the expected level. Children make satisfactory progress overall as they move through the nursery and reception class with the best progress in personal and social development and physical development where most children achieve the expected standard. By the time they leave the reception class the children’s attainment is well below average in communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development. Attainment is below average in knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development.

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schools

Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the number of government and school initiatives that are in place and the skilful teaching they receive from all staff.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and like their lessons and activities. They appreciate the improvements made to their school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils’ self-discipline is very good and they move around the school in a calm and orderly way, taking care that their actions do nothing to harm others.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good relationships, which encourage pupils to “give it all they have got”. Personal development is good and improving.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Unsatisfactory, but improving. Families take too many holidays in term time, which does not help the learning of these pupils. The rate of unauthorised absence is well above the national average. A small number of pupils have attendance rates that cause concern.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. It is very good in Years 3 and 6. Teaching is quite variable from subject-to- subject, depending on the teacher’s expertise. At Key Stage 2 teaching is good in English, science, information and communication technology, religious education, art and design and physical education and very good in music. It is satisfactory in all other subjects. In Key Stage 1 teaching is good in music and is satisfactory in other subjects, except in science and design and technology where it is unsatisfactory. In Key Stage 2 there is a good combination Hazel Grove Primary School - 9 of whole class teaching, group, paired and individual work. Management of pupils is usually good. This is an inclusive school that teaches all pupils equally. Although the teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy still has weaknesses, good teaching is provided for

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs, which allows them to begin to ‘catch up’. Marking is variable and too often does not tell pupils how well they are doing in their learning. Homework provision is satisfactory but is best at Year 6. Weaknesses are that in subjects such as science and mathematics samples of previous work shows that pupils of all abilities are given the same work to do. Worksheets are used too often in some subjects, which does not allow pupils to show what they can do. Lesson planning needs to be improved in Year 2. Greater adult input needs to guide children’s learning in continuous provision in nursery.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good extra-curricular activities. A satisfactory curriculum for Key Stage 2 pupils, with some strengths. Reception class children spend too much time on unstructured activities in the nursery to make best progress. The Year 2 curriculum is not taught fully.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good arrangements for pupils to learn basic skills in literacy and mathematics that they did not grasp earlier. Pupils make good progress in such sessions, because they receive good teaching.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school takes good care of the few pupils, with English as an additional language, involving outside agencies to give advice where necessary and so pupils make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development has resulted in the very positive ethos seen in the day-to-day life of this inclusive school. Arrangements for pupils’ cultural development are good and improving.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. A safe caring environment where all boys and girls are valued equally. Satisfactory procedures for assessing pupils in English and mathematics. Assessment is used well to establish which groups of pupils need extra help. This information needs to be used more constructively to plan day-to-day work for all pupils so that their progress improves.

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Aspect Comment

The parents are very supportive of the school and particularly appreciative of recent improvements. Parents receive good quality information. Links with other schools, colleagues and the community are good and aid pupils’ learning well. Hazel Grove Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-met by the headteacher and other key staff Good. Very clear lead from the headteacher and deputy in applying rigour to raising standards and improving the ethos of the school. The headteacher has correctly identified the need to improve the skills of co-ordinators and other managers. Overall, good leadership and management has ensured that the school has turned the corner.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The governors are well informed by the headteacher and supportive of what she is trying to do to raise standards.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. A clearly focussed plan for improvement has worked really well to inspire and motivate Key Stage 2 pupils who are now proud of their school. New staff appointments have worked well to bring about further improvement. Action taken to improve teaching and provision for the youngest children is changing the way teachers work. The headteacher’s careful analysis and target setting still have to improve matters in Year 2.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The available resources are used well to support the school’s educational priorities. The headteacher has been particularly skilful in acquiring extra funds to further school improvement. Value for money is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

There are a good number of teachers and support staff to promote pupils’ learning. The skilful support staff are used particularly well to aid lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. Resources, which are now broadly satisfactory are being updated in line with the school’s priorities. The quality and use of the satisfactory accommodation is steadily improving under the headteacher’s guidance and is now satisfactory.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is well led and managed. • The headteacher and staff are approachable. • Teaching is good. • Staff expect children to work hard. • Children are becoming mature and responsible. • Homework. • Information about their child’s progress. • A better relationship with parents. Around ten per cent of parents replying to the questionnaires expressed these views.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection findings generally support the parents’ positive views of the school. Teaching although satisfactory needs to be improved in nursery, the reception class and Year 2. Parents receive good quality information, and links with parents are effective. Homework is satisfactory overall. Hazel Grove Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The children’s attainment when they start school in the nursery is well below the expected level for three-year-olds. By the time children leave the reception class they achieve very well in their personal and social development due to consistently good provision and most are likely to achieve the early learning goals. Although the children make satisfactory progress in the areas of communication, language, literacy and mathematical development the majority attain well below what might be expected by the time they start in Year 1. However, children are close to achieving the early learning goals in reading, because staff pay more attention to teaching these skills. Children make satisfactory progress in developing their knowledge and understanding of the world and in their creative development, but the majority do not achieve the early learning goals in these areas of their learning by the time they start in Year 1. Children

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

make good progress in physical development and most achieve the early learning goals by Year 1 because of the time devoted to this area.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The 2002 end of Key Stage 1 test results, show that the pupils’ attainment is well below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Teacher assessment in science suggests that attainment is also well below average. These results are not as good as in previous years. In comparison with similar schools (those with similar socio- economic circumstances), pupils’ attainment is below average in reading and writing and well below average in mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. There are significant reasons for the current Year 2 pupils’ poor performance. Around a third of pupils have special educational needs and most pupils are working at the lowest level of what would be expected of seven-year-olds nationally. The school has a clear picture of the background of the pupils’ attainment in the current Year 2 class. They left the reception class in 2001 with well below average standards in reading and mathematics, with only a very small number of girls achieving better than average standards. Many children did not make satisfactory progress during their time in the reception class. Progress did not improve as they moved through the school because the Year 1 and 2 curriculum has not been planned and taught well enough to accelerate their learning and bring them closer to the national average. Many schemes of work are relatively new, including those for literacy and numeracy and all teachers have not had

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Inspection findings are that overall, pupils of all ages and abilities currently make broadly satisfactory progress in English and mathematics and unsatisfactory progress in science at Key Stage 1. They benefit from satisfactory teaching from the new staff in Year 1, who often assess what pupils know and use this to plan future work. Teaching in Year 2 has weaknesses, because basic skills are not taught well enough and expectations are not high enough to improve learning. For instance, pupils are not taught the important words expected in the government scheme of work for literacy and this is slowing their progress. In English at Key Stage 1 most pupils attain the expected standard in listening, but do not do so in speaking because insufficient planned opportunities are provided for them. Standards in reading are below average. The majority of pupils are hesitant and wait for help in tackling new words. Standards in

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

writing are well below average. Many pupils do not write using well-formed letters and they make too many errors in their spelling, even when copying words. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils’ attainment is below average in mathematics, except in space, Hazel Grove Primary School - 12 shapes and measures where pupils’ attainment is average. Although there is a good breadth and range to the mathematics curriculum, activities are not sufficiently well- matched to individual pupils’ particular needs, particularly the lower ability pupils. More able pupils can apply their skills to solving real-life problems, recognise numbers to a 1000 and know that two odd numbers added together make an even number. In science, pupils’ attainment is well below average and their understanding and skills in all elements of science are unsatisfactory. They are confused in their understanding of the requirements of plant growth and seed germination because of ineffective teaching.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Insufficient attention to the sources of light has meant that pupils have learnt incorrect facts. More able pupils have a satisfactory understanding of electrical circuits.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. By the end of Key Stage 1, standards are below average in all other subjects, except religious education, music, and physical education. This is because of a weakness in the past in the curriculum and the fact that pupils have not acquired sufficient basic skills. Progress in individual lessons is variable, but overall reasonable. Progress in some subjects at Year 2 is unsatisfactory because they have not been taught fully according to the planned curriculum.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The 2002 end of Key Stage 2 national tests in English, mathematics and science show that pupils’ attainment is well below the national average. However, attainment is average in English, well below average in mathematics and below average in science when compared to similar schools. The characteristics of the 2002 Year 6 classes help to explain their results, for instance, 27 per cent of pupils were on the special educational needs register with nearly a third at the higher stages. Despite their overall results the school increased the number of pupils who achieved the expected level from in 2001, with a huge increase in those who achieved the higher level in mathematics. In English, the school just achieved their school target at Level 4 in 2002, but was a long way adrift in mathematics. However, at the higher level pupils exceeded their target in mathematics and well exceeded it in science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. There are significant reasons for Year 6 pupils’ poor performance. The school has a clear view of the characteristics of the current Year 6 class. There are around a third of pupils on the register of special educational needs and a similar number of pupils have joined the group since Key Stage 1. Although pupils are currently achieving well, they are not achieving as they could do because this class received disruptive teaching in Years 3 and 4 due to a sequence of maternity leaves. Being taught in a variety of groupings as they moved through the school has also impeded pupils’ progress. The school took good action by moving up the Year 5 teachers with their classes in September 2002 and, consequently, pupils are receiving some of the strongest teaching in the school. Year 6 pupils are also taught in three ability groups in English and mathematics for two days a week, thus allowing the more able pupils to receive

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

teaching suitable to their needs. However, these measures are not good enough to accelerate pupils’ achievement to the national average in a short time.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Inspection findings are that overall, pupils of all ages and abilities make broadly satisfactory progress in English, mathematics, and science at Key Stage 2. They make the best progress in Years 3 and 6 due to very good teaching. The majority of Year 6 pupils have a limited vocabulary and tend to answer teachers’ questions in short phrases. The majority of pupils are hesitant readers because a secure scheme of work has only been in place for a short time. The more able pupils can talk about their favourite authors, identify key features of what they are reading, and back this up with evidence from the text. Pupils’ writing is slowly improving, but is often marred by basic errors in punctuation, grammar and spelling. More able pupils have a satisfactory understanding of how to use paragraphs and how to punctuate their work appropriately. Hazel Grove Primary School - 13 Most Year 6 pupils’ skills in using mental arithmetic are well below average, but those of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the more able pupils are very good. The majority of pupils have a well below average understanding of number, but more able pupils can solve mathematical problems. The majority of pupils can estimate, predict construct, and measure angles satisfactorily and the more able pupils can sort out the differences between all kinds of angles. In science, Year 6 pupils have a satisfactory understanding of basic life processes and confidently explain the reasons why hearts beat faster. They talk about the features of reversible and irreversible changes, giving a range of pertinent examples. However, they lack confidence in discussing forces, because they lack basic understanding of the subject.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. By Key Stage 2 standards are still below average in information and communication technology and history where pupils are still catching up on basic skills, but well above average in music, due to particularly good provision. In all other subjects standards are in line with the national expectation. Progress is generally good for the oldest pupils, because they receive the strongest teaching and they enjoy school life and are committed to improvement.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils with special educational needs are beginning to make good progress and achieve in line with their abilities. The school has made good use of its assessment procedures to identify pupils with special educational needs. It has put into place a wide range of government and school initiatives that are taught effectively by support staff.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. The school has identified a small number of pupils for whom English is an additional language, only three of whom are at an early stage of language acquisition. These pupils are receiving additional support. Overall, all of these pupils are making good progress in speaking, reading and writing English.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Observation of lessons did not show differences in the way that boys and girls learn. However, there are pronounced statistical differences in the attainment of boys and girls. The results of the standard assessment tests show that over time at Key Stage 1 boys perform markedly less well than girls in reading and writing, much better in mathematics, but are at a similar level in science. At Key Stage 2 girls do slightly less well than boys in English and mathematics, but better than boys in science. Inspection findings show that there are markedly more boys than girls in the ‘catch up’ groups in English and mathematics throughout the school, despite the fact that there are slightly more girls than boys in the school. The position is reversed in booster groups for Year 6 pupils where more girls than boys are trying to attain the national average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. The school has turned the corner and overall, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in most lessons and in Years 3 and 6 it is often better than this due to the very effective teaching pupils receive. However, the improved rate of progress is recent, which is why standards remain below average and is due to the impact of the headteacher’s staff appointments and placement of teachers. For instance there are different teachers in almost all age groups in 2003 from those they taught in 2002.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

14. Improvement in standards is difficult to judge because ability of the pupils is markedly different from the average intake at the time of the last inspection. Most pupils now come into Year 1 well below average in English and mathematics instead of in line with what would be expected of six-year-olds.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Hazel Grove Primary School - 14 15. Pupils have good attitudes to their work. They enjoy coming to school and feel that their lessons are interesting and that their teachers help and encourage them well. Pupils throughout the school reflect these views in their high levels of enthusiasm for all their activities. Which in turn reflects the headteacher’s encouragement to “Give it all you’ve got because you have a lot to give”. When music lessons are taken by the headteacher pupils show clear enjoyment and strive to live upto her high expectations of what they should do. They listen well to their teachers and each other and instructions are followed quickly and quietly. Pupils work hard and maintain concentration throughout the day. When presented with challenging and stimulating questions they offer thoughtful replies. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and are involved in discussions about their targets for improvement. This is particularly

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

so in Key Stage 2. However, in some lessons opportunities are missed for pupils to develop their investigative skills and independence. Pupils work well alone, in pairs and in small groups when required. For example, in music lessons pupils work together collaboratively very well and in physical education lessons teamwork is good. Pupils feel that the school values their work and achievements and they are proud of the attractive displays in the classrooms, halls and corridors.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Children in the nursery and reception classes show good attitudes to learning. In the nursery the staff insist on good social behaviour, for instance sitting down when told to do so and saying “please” and “thank you” and so children respond appropriately. Generally, children take turns equally and share equipment. In the reception class the majority of pupils put up their hands to answer questions and undertake simple duties, such as taking the register to the office. However, when teaching is not stimulating enough many children lose interest in the activity.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils with special educational needs have positive attitudes to their sessions out of class whether teachers or classroom assistants teach them. Pupils get their heads down, they persevere well, often working harder than their friends in class in order to master basic skills.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The behaviour of all pupils throughout the school is very good. This has a beneficial effect upon their learning and upon the school community as a whole. Pupils help and encourage each other to meet the school’s high expectations very well. Self-discipline is very good and pupils move around the school in a calm and orderly way taking care that their actions do nothing to harm others. They stand aside politely and wait for adults to pass through the door and greet them in a friendly manner. Lunchtimes are sociable and pleasant and pupils report that conflict and bullying are very rare. They feel that misbehaviour is dealt with swiftly and fairly. There have been no exclusions in the past year, but appropriate procedures are in place should they be needed.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. The relationships amongst all members of the school community are very good. Adults in school treat pupils with care and respect. In turn pupils are polite and helpful towards each other and to adults. They work and play together amicably. In lessons the very good relationships amongst pupils and between them and their teachers have a very positive effect upon their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Pupils’ personal development is good given that provision did not formally start until September 2002. They act responsibly and are provided with a range of good opportunities to carry out class duties or to serve the whole school community, for example by preparing for assemblies, by helping at lunchtimes and by serving on the school council. This new initiative is being met with interest and excitement. Pupils have been given good opportunities to evaluate the improvements that have been made to their school and to consider the impact on their learning. Pupils have enjoyed the Hazel Grove Primary School - 15 opportunity to design the new school logo and to play an active part in redesigning the Year 6 toilets to meet their particular needs. Good opportunities are given in lessons to express thoughts and feelings and to consider other values and beliefs. Pupils display sensitivity for the feelings and needs of others. Assemblies in particular support pupils’

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

personal development very well. Their content raises pupils’ awareness of others, raises their expectations of life and does much to promote self-esteem and ambition.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, and relationships are a strength of the school. The very good role models which the headteacher and deputy present to other adults and pupils have brought about this very good standard. This change in the ethos of the school has motivated and inspired all pupils, but those in Year 6 in particular, to be proud of their school and has encouraged them to learn at a faster rate. This is improving their progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. Attendance rates are just below the national average. Although the present level is still unsatisfactory, there has been a significant improvement recently. Pupils are eager to come to school and respond well to the weekly attendance awards. Punctuality has also improved significantly, but is none the less still a concern for some pupils. Absences are due to childhood illnesses and to a considerable amount of holiday taking in term time. This has a detrimental effect upon the learning of these pupils. The rate of unauthorised absence is well above the national average. A small number of pupils have attendance rates that cause concern. Registration time is brief and efficient.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Key Stage 1, and is good at Key Stage 2. In roughly two out of three lessons seen teaching was good or better at Key Stage 2 with the strongest teaching seen in Years 3 and 6 where there are a group of knowledgeable and enthusiastic teachers

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. There are marked differences in the quality of teaching for the oldest and youngest pupils. The effective improvements that the headteacher has put into place, including the appointment of staff, have had the greatest impact at Key Stage 2. Here teaching is good in English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology, religious education, art and design and physical education and very good in music. Teaching is satisfactory in all other subjects. In Key Stage 1 teaching is good in music, and satisfactory in all other subjects except for science and design and technology, where it is unsatisfactory. Since the last inspection there has been substantial improvement in the number of good and very good lessons seen. 25. Teaching for children in the reception and nursery classes is satisfactory. Strong elements are the teamwork between adults. Skilled nursery nurses contribute well to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils’ learning when working with small groups or individuals. Teaching is good in directed activities such as snack time in nursery. Teaching is less successful during continuous provision in nursery or group activities in the reception class. Great emphasis is placed on children making their own choice of activities, but there are low expectations of children finishing activities or recording what they have done. This does not help their learning or enable them to make faster progress. The key weakness in children’s learning is that they not given sufficient direction in what they could do with the activities set out for them. The weaknesses are due to staff coming to grips with a new way of working while they are being supported by the local education authority.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Pupils for whom English is an additional language are well provided for in lessons. For part of the time they are supported by a language specialist who works alongside the Hazel Grove Primary School - 16 pupils, sometimes in class, translating concepts as necessary. Class teachers match the work to pupils’ abilities as necessary and pupils are fully involved in classroom activities.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. Classroom assistants, visiting teachers, and speech therapists support individuals and small groups of pupils at various times of the week during a variety of government and school initiatives. These sessions are usually taught at a brisk pace to maximise the time for learning. The knowledge of classroom assistants of how to teach basic skills is clear. As for instance when the effective modelling of how to read with expression caused one older group of pupils to markedly improve their expression, intonation and clarity when taking part in a play reading. When working in the classroom there is usually good teamwork with teachers to aid pupils’ overall learning. Support assistants enable pupils to take part in their given activities, for instance in Year 5 two special needs pupils took part in a class discussion about a poem, because their assistant helped them to organise

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

their thoughts. Teachers are well aware of providing equal opportunities for girls and boys. Usually pupils with special educational needs receive their extra provision during the ‘task’ part of lessons and rejoin their class to get the benefit of hearing the pupils’ findings.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are securely in place. They are having a significant impact now that the headteacher has reviewed the situation and purchased sufficient resources to enable both strategies to be taught properly. This has not been the case in the past and so pupils have not received the full benefit of the strategies.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. There is a legacy of unsatisfactory teaching of basic skills that are still having an impact on pupils’ learning. For example, the teaching of handwriting in Year 2 or the teaching of spelling, grammar and punctuation in Key Stage 2. Now that the staff is more settled and training is linked to school priorities the teaching of basic skills is beginning to improve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding are good, overall at Key Stage 2 and broadly satisfactory at Key Stage 1. This is partially a reflection that there are more temporary staff at Key Stage 1, but also the fact that the Year 2 teacher, while a long-serving member of staff, is new to the age group and has not yet got to grips with the curriculum. This level of understanding is reflected in the variable quality of teachers’ planning for lessons. Many teachers’, including those in Year 1, try hard to provide clear plans for what they are to teach. In most lessons the purpose of the lesson is shared with pupils, so they know what they have to do and can relate it to earlier learning. In one of the best lessons seen, in Year 3 mathematics, the teacher also linked the purpose of the lesson to pupils’ individual targets and this good practice made their learning doubly effective. Music skills are taught very effectively by the knowledgeable

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Lessons are usually well prepared with a variety of resources to aid pupils’ learning. In Year 1 pupils particularly enjoyed walking along a numberline to demonstrate their understanding of ‘adding on’ and ‘taking way’ from a given number. This activity encouraged them to persevere and they were desperate to have a turn and show what they knew. In a Year 4 art and design lesson the teacher showed pupils a design which she had prepared earlier, and this immediately aroused pupils’ interest and motivated them to work harder at the task set Hazel Grove Primary School - 17 32. Questioning is generally used well to sort out what pupils already understand and to sort out any misconceptions. In a particularly good session in Year 6 science, the teacher arranged for the pupils to sort out key categories of sounds made by vibration. Her selection of answers to record on the whiteboard forced pupils to think scientifically

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and to amend their initial suggestions. Where questioning is not used effectively, as in a Year 2 science lesson on seeds, then pupils’ misconceptions of what seeds need to grow are reinforced and their learning is limited.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. Teachers make generally effective use of teaching whole classes, groups, pairs, and individual pupils. In effective lessons, the endings to sessions are used effectively to allow the class to demonstrate what they have learnt in the lesson. This allows them to have a good knowledge of their own learning. In one such lesson a selection of pupils were put in role as characters from the poem they had studied whilst other pupils questioned them. This gave the teacher good opportunities to assess immediately what had been learnt. In the computer room pupils usually work in established pairs and this allows them to work well together and to help each other as necessary.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

34. Management of lessons is generally good and allows many lessons to proceed at a good pace, which helps teachers and pupils make the best use of the time available, particularly at Key Stage 2. Classroom routines are generally well-established and expectations of pupils’ behaviour are high. However, in Year 2 weaker discipline gets in the way of pupils’ learning and the noise level is often higher than in other classes.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

35. Homework is used appropriately to support pupils’ learning, but there is some inconsistency in practice, a fact that is recognised by parents. There is a satisfactory policy that guides staff in what they should do. The best practice is in Year 6 where pupils have homework folders and diaries. There is good evidence of homework in mathematics and English being used to support pupils’ learning. Sometimes, pupils are given homework to complete work that they have not finished in class, for instance in geography, and this encourages than to produce a reasonable volume of work in class. There is some limited evidence of pupils using their computers to carry out their own research at home, for instance on Florence Nightingale in Year 2.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

36. Weaknesses include the fact that pupils of all abilities are too often given the same work to do and this does not accelerate their learning. This is particularly evident in mathematics, despite the fact that the school has purchased a commercial scheme of work that is designed to avoid this practice. The same issue occurs in science.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

37. In some classes there is an overuse of worksheets, particularly in science and history, at both key stages, partially because historically this is what staff are accustomed to using. Pupils spend too much time ‘colouring in’, and ‘cutting and sticking’ worksheets, which does not allow them to demonstrate what they understand.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

38. Marking is just satisfactory, which is similar to the last inspection. There is a basic policy for marking. However, a weakness is that it ignores other recent initiatives that have been put into place such as setting targets for pupils in English and mathematics and sharing the purpose of the lesson with pupils. Consequently, teachers make varying use of marking to improve pupils’ learning. There are some positive examples, for instance in Year 6 the mathematics teachers make good use of written feedback to tell pupils what they are doing well, and in Years 3 and 6 marking is very well focussed in science to both praise pupils and to challenge them in their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

39. The quality of pupils’ learning is satisfactory overall, it is best in Years 6 and 3. Teachers work hard to promote good levels of interest and enthusiasm in lessons. Hazel Grove Primary School - 18 They are successful because most pupils enjoy their lessons and are keen to learn. Praise is used well to build pupils’ self esteem and their contributions are valued which encourages them to persevere. Where teaching is lively and lessons proceed at a fast pace then pupils make noticeable gains in their learning. Where teachers are clear about the skills pupils need before they learn and when they continually assess what pupils have learnt in lessons then pupils’ learning is good. All teachers do not give pupils routine opportunities to evaluate their work and how it could be improved, for example, in physical education. However, some teachers make very good use of a system for pupils to assess what they have learnt in lessons. The lack of regular

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

routine opportunities for pupils to explore aspects of practical science does not aid their learning. Similarly, when classroom computers are broken pupils do not get daily opportunities to word process their work.

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PUPILS?

40. At Key Stage 2 the school offers an appropriate curriculum to all pupils that includes all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. There are particular strengths in the provision for music and good opportunities in religious education, design and technology, and physical education. This recent improvement in overall provision in Key Stage 2 is too recent to have made a significant impact on standards, but is making a good contribution to pupils’ personal development and is improving the rate of progress. The exception is in music where standards are now very high.

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PUPILS?

41. However, the curriculum for younger pupils in Key Stage 1 not as good and the quality and range of learning opportunities are unsatisfactory overall in Key Stage 1. In Year 2, there are weaknesses in the provision for science, art and design, design and technology and geography, though there are strengths in music and physical education. This is partially due to the Year 2 teacher not checking curriculum plans well enough and teaching the current syllabus, but also because elements of the curriculum have not been completed due to pupils lack of basic skills, for instance in design and technology. In Year 1 the teachers write careful and detailed plans 42. Weaknesses in the curriculum are still apparent because when the current headteacher arrived the school was not using the government guidelines as the basis for the pupils’ learning. The headteacher has therefore dealt effectively with the major

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PUPILS?

issue of providing a secure curriculum for pupils, buying resources to support it and so improving the rate of progress.

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PUPILS?

43. Learning opportunities for children in the Foundation Stage are appropriately based on the recommended areas of learning. However, there is an imbalance in the provision because of the time allocated to the reception class children’s daily visit to the outdoor provision in the nursery. Whilst the outdoor activities in themselves are worthwhile the effect is that undue priority is given to reception class children’s physical development, to the detriment of their identified needs lie in other areas of learning, particularly in mathematical development and in communication, language and literacy.

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PUPILS?

44. The strategies for developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are unsatisfactory overall. National strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy are now firmly in place and are helping to improve pupils’ basic skills in class lessons. Whilst satisfactory progress is now being made, the strategies have not been effective in making up for pupils’ inherited deficit in both literacy and numeracy skills. Opportunities for pupils to develop their numeracy and writing in other subject areas are not planned Hazel Grove Primary School - 19 systematically enough to maximise every chance for pupils to develop their competence in both writing and numeracy.

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PUPILS?

45. The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school has introduced a wide range of initiatives, including additional government strategies for literacy and numeracy, the use of a narrative storyteller, and reading recovery to improve the confidence of lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. Usually the government initiatives take place in the ‘task’ part of the lesson and pupils are fully integrated into the beginning and ends of lessons.

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PUPILS?

46. The provision for equal opportunities is satisfactory. Girls and boys are treated equally and work together well. However, sometimes those taking part in government strategies to improve their basic skills miss interesting parts of the curriculum such as when a group of Year 1 pupils missed physical education to take part in a ‘catch-up’ session. There is a clear anti-racist policy and provision for monitoring in place to guarantee equal opportunities for pupils to learn, whatever their ethnic background.

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PUPILS?

47. All subjects of the National Curriculum are planned to be taught and the provision for teaching religious education generally meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. There has been a good improvement in the curriculum for information and communication technology since the last inspection, including the provision of a new computer room, though this is too recent to have had an impact on standards. The provision for music, inspired by the enthusiasm and skill of the headteacher, is a strength of the school and helps pupils achieve a very good standard by the age of eleven and standards in singing are high throughout the school.

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PUPILS?

48. Whilst all subjects are taught in Key Stage 1, planning is still based on topics and in some cases there is not enough rigour in ensuring that all elements of the programmes of study for each subject are covered. Consequently, there are large gaps in some subject areas in Year 2, which affect the standards pupils can reach. Opportunities in science are not sufficiently practical or in sufficient depth to enable pupils to reach the required standard. Pupils have touched on history topics very briefly and so have no security of knowledge nor are they acquiring the necessary skills such as developing a sense of chronology. Scrutiny of pupils’ artwork in Year 2 shows that there is insufficient coverage in all aspects of the subject to enable pupils to achieve the appropriate standard, indeed there was little evidence of any work completed by pupils in the first two terms. Similarly, some planned topics for design and technology have

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PUPILS?

not been taught at all. For example, the autumn plan for pupils to design and make puppets was abandoned as pupils had not acquired the necessary skills. No action had been taken to address the need to improve such skills to complete the unit. The teaching of geography in Year 2 is restricted to the summer term. This long gap between topics limits pupils’ progressive acquisition of skills and they do not reach the expected standard. Pupils enter school with speaking skills that are well below average and there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop these skills quickly enough. This slows their progress in other areas, for example, pupils find it difficult to explain their thinking and so improve their understanding in mathematics. Pupils experience a good range of activities in physical education that helps them to reach the required standard overall.

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PUPILS?

49. There is a richer quality and range of learning opportunities in Key Stage 2. Pupils are exposed to a wide variety of literature in Year 6, with a particular strength in poetry. This is enhancing their skills and appreciation in reading, though has not yet had a measurable affect on writing skills. The new emphasis on investigation and enquiry in science is helping to raise standards, though these are still below average by the end of Hazel Grove Primary School - 20 Year 6. Good opportunities for pupils to record their thinking at each stage in design and technology are improving the quality of their finished product. The good range of activities offered in physical education leads to enthusiasm for the subject and a good chance to co-operate in team games and in dance. There is a good emphasis on learning about different world faiths in religious education and this contributes well to pupils’ personal development.

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PUPILS?

50. The provision for extra-curricular activities is very good and is a strength of the school. Teachers and parents and provide pupils with a wide and exciting range of after school clubs. The school involves outside agencies, such as those for lacrosse to improve pupils’ skills and give them a wider experience of sporting activities. The large number of pupils involved in these clubs gain enjoyment and enrichment from them. The extra- curricular provision has a very positive effect upon pupils’ enthusiasm for school and for the creation of good social skills and very good relationships.

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PUPILS?

51. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is satisfactory. The school is developing a structured scheme of work incorporating existing provision across the curriculum. Health education, including the provision of sex education, and issues surrounding the misuse of drugs are appropriately included. Citizenship is well provided for with opportunities in lessons, ‘circle times’ and the school council for pupils to acquire good discussion skills and to voice their opinions. For example, in a Year 5 English lesson where class discussion centred around the actions and feelings of the characters in the poem ‘The Smugglers’

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PUPILS?

52. The school’s links with the community remain good and enrich pupils’ lives. In particular pupils’ involvement in local events and competitions, where they are often successful, promotes a good awareness of their own traditions and culture. For example, by taking part in dance and a range of music festivals and the local carnival. The school has good relationships with the local church and members of the church help in school, for instance by making pancakes. 53. The relationships with partner institutions are good. Pupils benefit from interschool sporting and musical events. There are good links with the local high school and these provide older pupils with experiences in various subjects including science and information and communication technology. There are supportive relationships between staff in nearby schools, including a Beacon school, and some training opportunities are shared to improve teachers’ expertise. The school provides good

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PUPILS?

opportunities for teacher training and other students to work in the school. Good links with the neighbouring music centre have a very positive effect upon pupils’ achievements.

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PUPILS?

54. The very good overall provision made for pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development is a strength of the school and together with the good provision for cultural development enhances pupils’ personal development very well. This improvement since the last inspection has been responsible for a good improvement in behaviour and pupils’ attitudes to school.

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PUPILS?

55. The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual development is inspired by the charismatic leadership of the headteacher. The exceptional quality and depth of feeling of the communal singing in assembly each morning raises pupils’ self esteem and provides a very positive start to the day. Assemblies are very well planned and provide uplifting moments and chances for personal reflection, which add to the ethos of the school. This is enriched by visitors to conduct assembly such as a Bible Encounter Group, who provided graphic illustrations of the effect of missing ingredients in simple things such as a torch without batteries and make comparisons to the effect on lives without a Hazel Grove Primary School - 21 spiritual element. Pupils are encouraged to examine their own feelings in art, as when older pupils looked at examples of Picasso’s paintings in his blue Period and remark that the painting “…brought tears to my eyes because the man looked so lonely.” In

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PUPILS?

religious education lessons pupils examine a variety of faiths and beliefs and also consider the feelings of others, for example, children in the reception class considered why the ‘tax collector’ had no friends and decided it was because he was so grumpy all the time. Teachers set a good example by treating everyone with respect and this bolsters the requirement for pupils to listen to each other. The school complies with the requirement for a daily act of collective worship.

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PUPILS?

56. The very good provision for pupils’ moral development is founded on a clear behaviour policy with a system of sanctions and rewards, in which pupils can gain or lose ‘golden time’, that are consistently applied and well understood by the pupils. This has resulted in a good improvement in pupils’ attitudes and behaviour. Gold awards for such actions as “refusing to be drawn into a fight!” are acknowledged in the Friday assembly and are very much prized by the pupils. Teachers take good opportunities to discuss and examine moral issues in a variety of lessons. For example, pupils in Year 5 discuss whether Jesus had a fair trial in a religious education lesson, while pupils in Year 4 consider the consequences of war, as they read a letter sent by a Roman soldier from the battle lines in Egypt. The school has clear anti-bullying and anti-racist policies and occasional infringements by pupils are dealt with promptly and effectively. The efforts

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PUPILS?

made by the headteacher and the site manager to improve the appearance of the school have helped pupils to develop a pride in their environment and prompted older pupils to take on the responsibility of decorating their own cloakrooms.

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PUPILS?

57. The very good provision for pupils’ social development is based on the strong sense of community which is evident throughout the school, be it in singing the ‘school rule’ song or participating in team sports, country dancing or school productions. There are good opportunities for pupils to work together co-operatively in lessons. Staff take a leading role in developing community life as seen when staff and children dressed in costume to celebrate the school’s ninetieth anniversary. Pupils in Year 6 have the chance to develop their social skills on the annual residential visit. There are good opportunities for pupils to develop leadership and responsibility from an early age, such as taking the register to the office and elected pupils in Years 3 to 6 participate in the newly formed school council. Pupils are encouraged to be thoughtful and helpful and this is demonstrated well by the care shown to pupils with a physical disability.

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PUPILS?

58. Good provision is made for pupils’ cultural development. The cultural life of the school is greatly enriched by the wealth of musical activities on offer and the great joy engendered by the daily singing and accompanying actions. Through the religious education scheme of work pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 are introduced to the complexities of various faiths and cultures, and this is developed well in some geography lessons. For example, the Year 4 study of Hinduism is linked well to the work on the climate and way of life in India. Pupils in Year 6 study the work of artists such as Hockney and Lowry before creating their own townscapes, but visits to museums and art galleries to extend cultural appreciation are limited. The school is aware of the need to extend pupils’ awareness of life in a culturally diverse society and is taking step to improve this aspect. Children in the reception class listen to a visitor telling a story in Urdu and

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PUPILS?

English. The range of musical instruments has been extended to reflect music from Africa and Asia and pupils sing in Swahili. However, these promising developments are at an early stage.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Hazel Grove Primary School - 22 59. The school provides a safe and caring environment where all boys and girls are equally valued. This is a similar picture to the time of the last inspection and in line with the ethos of the school. Pupils are very well supported by the very good relationships that exist and they feel confident and happy during their time at school. All adults in school know the pupils well and are sensitive to their particular needs and difficulties.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

60. The provision for lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs is good. There is a clear provision map of all that the school has put into place to try to raise standards. The good analysis that the deputy headteacher has carried out has led to the correct provision matched to pupils’ needs. Pupils’ individual educational plans generally match the provision that they are given and classroom support assistants and visiting teachers keep careful note of individual pupils’ progress. The school has good relationships with all the outside agencies who work together for the pupils good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

61. The school takes good care of pupils who have English as an additional language and brings in outside assistance for those at an early stage of learning. Their needs are identified by outside agencies and progress is tracked by their class teachers.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

62. The school has good arrangements for the care and protection of its pupils. There is a comprehensive health and safety policy that is complimented by careful daily practice and in the sensible approach that pupils make to practical activities. The procedures for child protection are satisfactory. There is a good policy and written guidance and teaching staff are suitably trained and aware. However, this good practice is not presently extended to all adults in school. The school has plans in place to remedy this. There is an Internet policy in place and the school has recently written to parents requesting them to sign a letter agreeing to their child’s Internet access.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

63. The procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are very good. There is a clear policy and system of rewards for good work and behaviour and these are highly valued by pupils. Unacceptable behaviour is dealt with consistently and fairly. Midday supervisors and caretaking staff also offer praise and reward for good behaviour and tidiness. This promotes pride in the school environment and in pupils’ behaviour and work. Good behaviour and success are celebrated throughout school in displays of work and weekly assemblies.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

64. The procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good. The school meets the statutory requirements with regard to the publishing of attendance figures and in the registration of pupils each day. Registration is prompt and efficient representing an improvement since the last inspection. As a result punctuality has improved also. Good attendance is encouraged through clear messages to parents and with a weekly class award. Absences are investigated quickly and outside agencies involved for the small number of pupils whose attendance causes concern. The school strongly discourages holiday taking in term time, but this remains a considerable problem.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

65. The school has good induction procedures including home visits by nursery staff and visits to the nursery by parents and children, helping children to settle quickly into the school routine.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

66. Monitoring of pupils’ academic performance and personal development is satisfactory and since the last inspection, and especially in the past year, the school has made significant progress towards establishing a comprehensive assessment system. There is now a secure timetable for various assessments to take place. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in mathematics and English are Hazel Grove Primary School - 23 satisfactory. During the past year assessment procedures have been refined and amplified so that a more systematic and continuous approach is in place to monitor attainment in these core subjects, including more focused assessments of reading and a wide range of standardised tests as pupils move through the school. A ‘progress book’ has been started which tracks pupils’ attainment over time. The improved assessment procedures have not yet had time to raise standards, but have given staff

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

a secure picture of what pupils can do. They are beginning to improve progress because all staff and older pupils have targets to work towards.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

67. For science, design and technology, geography, history and physical education assessment procedures are unsatisfactory. The school has adopted the government guidelines for these subjects, but not the guidelines for assessment. Although the need for improvement is recognised by the school there is as yet no system in place for teachers to make regular assessments against key objectives in these subjects. In information and communication technology the co-ordinator has put together a portfolio of pupils;’ assessed work and is hoping to teach other members of staff how to assess pupils’ skill level accurately.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

68. Despite recent developments in the use of assessment information to effectively inform curriculum planning, this aspect is unsatisfactory. Results of national tests for eleven- year-olds in English, mathematics and science are analysed by the subject co- ordinators and used well to monitor trends and to check that all groups of pupils achieve equally. Findings are shared with staff, and areas are clearly identified which need better teaching and this is good practice. However, there is no clear system in use to ensure that this information is used to modify the curriculum. Plans are in place for a pilot system to make more analytical use of the results of optional standardised tests in mathematics for Key Stage 2, but procedures in Key Stage 1 receive insufficient attention. Satisfactory use is made of assessment information to predict future attainment and monitor progress in mathematics and English, including a new

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

system for the identification of pupils who are underachieving or exceeding expectations. Targets are set for groups in English and mathematics and are shared with pupils, although the application of this is not yet consistent and is less secure in Key Stage 1.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

69. The parents’ views of the school are very good and the school is held in high regard. In particular, parents they feel the leadership and management are very good, the school is very approachable and that the expectations for all pupils are high. Parents have expressed their appreciation for the many recent improvements made within this school community. The inspection findings support the parents’ positive views of the headteacher’s impact on day-to-day life in the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

70. The school has effective links with parents. They are welcomed into school and are well involved in the life of the school and their children’s education. The school is eager to develop this area and offer parents greater opportunities to gain insight into their children’s education and to learn how to provide better support at home. Parents are invited to school performances and assemblies and attendance at these is good. There are good plans to offer curriculum events and open evenings. Daily contact is good and the teachers are readily available to talk to parents about any concerns that they might have. Hazel Grove Primary School - 24 71. The school makes satisfactory provision for parents to be involved in the learning of their children who are identified as having special educational needs. For instance, reviews are carried out during parents’ evenings. At the same time parents are informed if the school would like to place their child on the register of special

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

educational needs because of concerns about their progress. Parents are sent copies of their child’s individual education plans, but few sign and return them. Overall, the school has made satisfactory progress in addressing these areas of concern from the last report.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

72. The impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school is good. A small number of parents are able to help in school and this has a beneficial effect upon pupils’ learning. Extra-curricular clubs benefit from parental support and special events are well attended. There is a strong Friends’ Association that holds social and fundraising events. Funds raised provide welcome extra resources.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

73. The quality of the information provided for parents is good, overall. The school brochure and governors’ annual report are well-written and useful documents that meet requirements. School newsletters keep parents well-informed about school events and information about the work their children will do is provided each term. Parents receive good quality booklets offering ideas for supporting their children’s learning at home. There is very good provision for parents to find out how well their children are doing on a weekly basis. Fuller written reports are issued in the summer term and these are satisfactory. However, they are inconsistent in their quality, some provide good information about a child’s successes, areas of difficulty and how to improve and some do not. Whilst progress is indicated it is not linked to national curriculum levels.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

74. The contribution that parents make to their children’s learning at home and at school is satisfactory. In Year 6 where homework provision is well structured and parents receive good information about requirements it is well supported by parents. They sign homework books regularly and their children feel that they are well supported. Homework provision elsewhere is inconsistent and parents are less well involved. Some parents have expressed a wish for more regular homework and for reading books to be changed more frequently, especially in Key Stage 1. Whilst most parents are clearly committed to supporting their children’s education a significant number do not, as can be seen by the unsatisfactory attendance rates overall and the high number of holidays taken in term time.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

75. There has been general improvement since the time of the last inspection.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

76. Overall leadership and management are good. The school has undergone significant change since the time of the last inspection. There have been four headteachers over this period, at least two deputies plus 14 changes of staff in the last two years. The changes have made it difficult for the senior management team and co-ordinators to fully develop their role and for pupils to make smooth progress in their learning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

77. The current headteacher is vibrant, dynamic and inspirational. Her leadership, although in post for only eighteen months is very good. She has high expectations, and a very clear vision of the educational direction of the school. Through leading by example she has inspired most colleagues to develop a whole school commitment to raising standards by sharing her vision with the whole school community. She is very ably Hazel Grove Primary School - 25 supported in this by the deputy headteacher who arrived just over twelve months ago and is making a similar impact on school life.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

78. One of the areas where these two leaders make a very visible contribution to daily life in school is extra-curricular activity. The school echoes to lively, enthusiastic singing when the headteacher is around which adds much to the ethos of the school. Similarly, the deputy headteacher’s dance club picks up on pupils’ interests and leads to skilful sessions. This type of activity has done much to increase pupils’ commitment to school and fuelled a desire to “give it all they have got”.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

79. Under the leadership of the headteacher and the deputy the school has turned the corner and is making a good start to raising standards, but this will not happen overnight. The following systems among many others have been put into place to bring about improvement and fully illustrate what was missing when the new team took over: • Interpreting and analysing the data from national and optional tests to improve pupils’ performance; • Identifying what now needs to be taught more effectively; • Routine assessment in reading and spelling; • Starting ‘catch up’ government initiatives earlier in each academic year and supplementing these with the school’s own ideas; • Target setting in Key Stage 2 which is communicated to pupils and parents; • Working in 3 sets in English and mathematics for two days a week in Year 6; • Putting the strongest teachers, including the deputy, in Year 6; • Putting a strong teacher in Year 3 so that pupils’ performance is accelerated at the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

beginning of Key Stage 2; • Improving behaviour and attendance so that learning can take place. However putting such a secure framework into place and training the staff to use it has taken much of the year that the pair have worked together.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

80. The management skills of the headteacher and deputy headteacher are good, but there are further areas for development. In some areas action taken has not been rigorous enough to raise standards and fully achieve pupils’ entitlement to a secure curriculum. For instance, the headteacher collects in teachers’ planning on a weekly basis and notes who does not submit their planning and which elements are missing. However, there has been insufficient action taken to improve the quality of the weakest planning or to monitor whether what is planned is actually taught in all classes. The effect of this is that Year 2 pupils have not had a good deal this year.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

81. The senior management team comprises the headteacher, the deputy and the Key Stage 1 co-ordinator. They meet on a weekly basis and keep notes of their decisions. The headteacher has correctly identified the need to include the Foundation Stage co- ordinator, so there is a representative from all areas of the school, and to develop the role of middle managers to better contribute to a whole school management team that will impact on raising standards. At present the school recognises that there is insufficient structure to the whole school management team, and specific roles are not clearly enough defined. Detailed job descriptions that have been started do not as yet cover the developing management team. Now that other priorities have been achieved the school can address this. Not all members of the senior management team are conforming to the school’s current expectations of good practice and this hampering

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

82. Although new staff are committed to their roles the amount of staff change has made it difficult to fully develop their role as co-ordinators. Generally, overall management is satisfactory. The subject co-ordinators have varying skills and knowledge of how to Hazel Grove Primary School - 26 lead and manage their subjects. The school has correctly identified the need to do something about this and brought in the local education authority to establish some basic principles, which is evidence of good management. The very good leadership of the headteacher ensures that there is a very strong focus for the development of music and the inclusive nature of the activities truly reflects the school’s aims and values. Science and information and communication technology are led very well by knowledgeable co-ordinators who have a clear sense of direction and have correctly identified key areas for development. Although the leadership and management of

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

design and technology has improved standards since the last inspection, monitoring procedures are not rigorous enough to identify when some teachers are not teaching the subject fully. The leadership and management of religious education however, are unsatisfactory, as the co-ordinator has no clear overview of the standards of teaching and learning in either Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

83. The management of the provision of special education needs is divided between two members of staff. The deputy headteacher uses the results of the school’s assessment procedures to identify pupils with special educational needs. She manages and deploys the team of special educational needs staff who provide the good quality provision for pupils. This part of the provision is effective. 84. However, the work of the special educational needs co-ordinator is not good enough. Although the special educational needs co-ordinator has had some training at a local beacon school, there is still a lack of basic understanding of the role and the need for rigour to ensure that systems comply with local education authority requirements. Although the reviews are up-to-date, the review evidence is not detailed enough to track pupils’ progress. There is no index to pupils’ files to ensure that all evidence is present

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and tracking pupils’ progress over time. There is limited follow-up to those parents who have not signed and returned pupils’ individual education plans. Class teachers have their own copies of pupils’ individual education plans, but they receive fewer sheets of advice of things to do to help such pupils than is commonly found. Teachers’ planning is not good enough to ensure that the needs of pupils with minor special needs are taken into account when deciding what to teach in lessons.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

85. The school is effectively monitoring and evaluating its performance. The head’s clear vision for the school is clearly communicated and is well set out and presented in the school improvement plan which identifies the school’s priorities and in particular strategies for raising pupils’ attainment. The school improvement plan is backed by a good system for identifying what the school does well and where there needs to be improvement. This has resulted in the school correctly recognising what the inspection team has identified as strengths of the school and being already well aware of the need to improve the results of the national tests, raise standards in information and communication technology and improve attendance.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

86. There is good communication between the head, senior teachers and all staff. Staff meetings are held regularly and agendas follow school improvement plan priorities.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

87. The Governing Body is committed and knowledgeable, and effectively ensures that the school meets all statutory requirements. They have managed the long list of changes of staff satisfactorily and have made some good recent appointments. Governors now have their own development plan. The governors are hard working and supportive of the headteacher and ensure that the pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science in particular is regularly monitored and remains a focus for improvement. There is a well-defined committee structure. They have a clear idea of the strengths and areas of development in the performance of the school in the areas of English, mathematics and science, and have fully supported the initiatives introduced in an effort Hazel Grove Primary School - 27 to raise standards. Standards in curriculum and teaching are monitored through the headteacher’s reports and by direct communication with the headteacher. Some

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

governors visit school and support teachers in lessons, enabling them to gain valuable first hand experience of what is happening in school. A short-term priority has been, since the appointment of the headteacher, the improvement of the fabric and environment of the school, and this has had a very good start.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

88. Financial planning and the strategic use of resources are good. The headteacher has been particularly astute in gaining extra funding to improve the budget. For instance, the rent from lettings is now at a realistic level. Financial control and administration are effective and records of financial decisions and the current budget are clear. The school buys in external advice and guidance to enable it to carry out this role effectively. The recommendations of the last audit report have been addressed and are in place. Spending is clearly linked to educational priorities and specific grants are used very well for their designated purpose and to improve pupils’ learning.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

89. The school is well aware of best value principles and has taken guidance from the local education authority. The governing body invites formal tenders for major expenditure and uses local knowledge where possible before finalising contracts. The school buys in local education authority services when they are most appropriate. The headteacher involves staff when priorities are being identified for school improvement. The views of both parents and pupils have been taken into account. The school also compares its performance against other local schools, although this is difficult, as the number of pupils taking free school meals does not reflect the socio-economic circumstances of the area.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

90. The school makes satisfactory use of new technology. For instance, the budget is kept on the computer. Teachers are just using computers to write pupils’ individual education plans and some teachers are putting their planning on computers.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

91. The school has a good number of teachers and support staff to meet the needs of the curriculum. There are three members of staff on temporary contracts to enable the school to plan class sizes and deployment for the forthcoming academic year. Teaching staff are well supported by a wide range of training opportunities to enhance their teaching skills which are linked to school priorities. They use support staff effectively to support the learning of groups of pupils or individuals, especially those with special educational needs. Opportunities for appropriate training are extended to all non-teaching staff benefiting pupils’ learning and the school environment. There are good opportunities for non-teaching staff to have their views taken into account. A positive innovation has been the use of classroom assistants as midday assistants, so that expectations of behaviour remain constant throughout the day. There is a recent

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

good quality staff handbook to provide good practical information about school procedures for existing staff and for those new to the school. Newly qualified teachers are supported appropriately. The school keeps good quality records of observations, meetings and areas for development.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

92. There is a satisfactory performance management policy and practice in place, and the process of classroom observations and interviews to support self-evaluation and professional development are valued and provide a focus for staff in order to raise standards. The members of the senior management team are also team leaders for performance management. Professional Development to support these outcomes is identified in the school improvement plan and personal targets are also linked to the school's priorities for improvement. Hazel Grove Primary School - 28 93. The accommodation is satisfactory. There are a sufficient number of classrooms and some good specialist facilities, for example a newly developed computer suite. The school library is large and at present the subject of pupils’ designs for its further development. Halls are available for assemblies and physical education lessons. Outdoor hard playgrounds are of a good size and the school shares its playing field

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

with a neighbouring school. The nursery is adequate in size and has good outdoor play facilities. The school is generally well maintained and attractive throughout, but the headteacher is well aware of those areas that need improvement after years of neglect.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

94. Learning resources are satisfactory overall. There are strengths in the resources available for music and these support pupils’ learning well. In the other subjects of the curriculum resources are satisfactory. History resources have improved slightly since the last inspection, but are still only adequate. 95. Since the last inspection the school has made good recent improvement in addressing its key issues and other areas for development. This is because the headteacher made staff aware of what still remained to be done. The school was awarded a school achievement award in 2000 in recognition of remarkable results from an exceptionally able cohort of pupils. In the light of the good quality leadership and management effective curriculum, teaching and satisfactory progress for pupils in Key Stage 2, but satisfactory provision for children in the Foundation Stage and pupils in Key Stage 1, the school gives satisfactory value for money.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

96. In order to continue to improve standards the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.28

1) raise standards in speaking, reading and writing throughout the school by:

• improving the teaching of basic skills for all pupils (paragraphs 4, 5, 29, 128/9, 131, 160) ; • identifying more opportunities for pupils to practise these skills in other lessons (paragraphs 4, 44, 125).

p.28

2) raise standards in mathematics throughout the school by:

• making best use of the potential of the commercial scheme of work (paragraphs 36, 145) ; • improving the teaching of basic skills (paragraphs 4, 8).

p.28

the teaching and curriculum for pupils in Year 2 by:

• improving the planning of the curriculum and checking that all pupils receive a balanced provision to aid their learning (paragraphs 3, 41, 43, 48, 101, 102); • using the expertise already existing in the school to raise the level of detail on the planning (paragraphs 23, 30); • checking that what is planned is actually taught fully (paragraph 80); • continuing to improve teachers’ knowledge and understanding and commitment to raise standards (paragraphs 25, 30, 159).

p.28

4) improve the use of assessment to plan pupils’ future learning by:

• using information to set more precise targets in Year 2 in reading and writing (paragraph 68) ; • adopting the assessment units from the government guidelines (paragraphs 67, 167, 172, 178, 183, 194) . Hazel Grove Primary School - 29

p.28

learning by:

• providing more training in how to be effective (paragraphs 81, 82, 84, 178, 183, 209) ; • clarifying job descriptions (paragraph 81).

p.29

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 57

p.30

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.30

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 15 250

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 33

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 7 53

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

p.30

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

p.30

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Hazel Grove Primary School - 31 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Hazel Grove Primary School - 32

p.30

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 16 15 31

p.32

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.32

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

Boys 9 13 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 12 13

p.32

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

Percentage of pupils School 65 (78) 81 (91) 81 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.32

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.32

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

Boys 12 12 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 13 12

p.32

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

Percentage of pupils School 77 (84) 81 (78) 74 (78) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.32

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

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

p.32

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 19 17 36

p.32

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.32

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

Boys 14 11 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 7 12

p.32

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

Percentage of pupils School 61 (59) 50 (41) 75 (76) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.32

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.32

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

Boys 14 13 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 7 12

p.32

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

Percentage of pupils School 61 (55) 56 (53) 75 (78) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.32

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Hazel Grove Primary School - 33

p.32

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 23 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 4 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.33

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. Hazel Grove Primary School - 34

p.33

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2001/02

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.5

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total income 535734

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 10 Total expenditure 569074

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 170.75 Expenditure per pupil 2131

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 16972

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year -16368

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 65

p.34

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 8

p.34

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

p.34

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.34

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 3

p.34

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.34

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Hazel Grove Primary School - 35

p.34

Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

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

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 55 41 4 0 0

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 44 51 5 0 0

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 49 9 1 3

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 55 37 6 2 0

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 82 16 2 0 0

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 73 23 1 0 3

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 54 37 7 2 0

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 76 24 0 0 0

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 73 26 1 0 0

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 50 43 3 3 1

p.35

Questionnaire return rate

Parents are very appreciative of the recent improvements that the headteacher has made. Hazel Grove Primary School - 36

p.35

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

97. Children generally start in the nursery in the September after their third birthday and attend part-time for three terms. At the time of the inspection, a number of younger children had been admitted in January, to take advantage of the availability of some spare places, and they will attend part-time for an extra two terms. Children transfer to the reception class in the September following their fourth birthday.

p.36

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

98. The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall. Since the last inspection there has been satisfactory improvement with the introduction of the Foundation Stage curriculum and the organisation of planning across the nursery and the reception class to take account of all the recommended areas of learning.

p.36

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

99. The Foundation Stage is made up of a nursery class, staffed by two teachers on a job share basis and a nursery nurse, and a reception class, staffed by a teacher and a nursery nurse. The school has good induction procedures including home visits by nursery staff and visits to the nursery by parents and children, helping children to settle quickly into the school routine. The nursery is housed in a bright detached building with a secure outdoor play area, and the reception class is situated in a good sized room in the Key Stage 1 building. Full use is made of adjacent areas and also the large hall. Whilst resources are limited, they are of good quality and are sufficient to meet the demands of the curriculum.

p.36

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

100. Assessments early in the first term show that many children enter the nursery with levels of attainment that are well below average, particularly in speaking. The children make satisfactory progress in the nursery, but their attainment is well below average in early reading and mathematics at the start of the reception year. Children with special educational needs are identified at an early stage and given good support, individually or in small groups, that helps them to make similar progress to the rest of the class.

p.36

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

101. There is some imbalance in the curriculum for children in the reception class. Great emphasis is rightly placed on the children’s personal, social and emotional development and the consistently good provision in this area enables children to achieve very well and reach the expected standard by the end of the reception year. The decision to allow all reception class children to use the outdoor provision in the nursery on a daily basis, half in the morning and the rest in the afternoon, has caused an imbalance in the overall curriculum, with an exceptional amount of time devoted to aspects of the children’s physical development at the expense of identified needs in other areas of learning. Consequently, though children achieve well in physical development and reach the required standard by the end of the reception year, they make only satisfactory progress in the areas of learning of communication language

p.36

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. As pupils enter Year 1 their attainment remains well below average in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development and is below average in knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. This arrangement for outdoor provision also impinges on the attention devoted to younger nursery children as staff supervise the two groups in similar activities. 102. Teaching is satisfactory, overall, throughout the Foundation Stage. It is good during specific directed activities or when suitably focussed as in a good lesson in the reception class when children developed their understanding of the difference between Hazel Grove Primary School - 37 fiction and non-fiction. Teaching is less successful during activities planned for continuous provision in the nursery or in group activities in the reception class. Whilst

p.36

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

many of the activities provided are potentially worthwhile, the intended learning behind the activities is often unclear and lacks focus and insufficient guidance is given to the children as to what they are expected to do. For example a good range of activities is ready in the nursery as children arrive and they join in without any general explanation as to what is on offer. Too often the children move quickly from one task to another without completing any task successfully and so learning opportunities are lost. Great emphasis is placed on the value of children choosing what they want to do, particularly in the nursery. Whilst this encourages independence there is too little direct teaching to enable children to acquire language and mathematical skills at a faster pace to bring them closer to the expected standard. A strong element in teaching is the teamwork between adults. The skilled nursery nurses make a good contribution to children’s

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

learning and are particularly effective when working with small groups. A general area of weakness in teaching is the low expectations of children to complete a task, or to record what they have done at a suitable level, and this limits their rate of progress.

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

103. The staff in both classes are now working towards becoming a cohesive unit, with the co-ordinator overseeing planning meetings to provide continuity between the nursery and reception classes. However, there has not yet been an opportunity for the co- ordinator to monitor teaching and learning in the nursery to evaluate the success of what has been planned. Ongoing assessment procedures are satisfactory, but the information is not yet recorded in a sufficiently clear form to help teachers plan for the specific needs of groups or individuals.

p.37

Personal, social and emotional development

104. The teaching is good in this area of learning. Pupils make very good progress and attain the expected standard at the end of the reception year. Snack time in the nursery is well planned to develop children’s social skills, with a high expectation for children to say “please” and “thank you” and to sit at the table until everyone has finished. Teachers promote a secure atmosphere in which children develop the confidence to try and to develop good relationships with adults and other children. Children in the reception class are made well aware of the golden rules and learn to be honest and not to hurt other people’s feelings. Good use is made of stories to encourage children to be sensitive to the needs of others, for example, children in the reception class develop an awareness that being grumpy or failing to smile can make others feel unhappy through listening to the story of Zaccheus. Rules are applied fairly and consistently and so

p.37

Personal, social and emotional development

children learn to behave well. They develop independence as they are expected to tidy away and older children get themselves changed for physical education. The co- operation between all adults provides a good role model for the children who co-operate well with each other, for example, when nursery children take turns to be the chef in the café or to take the money at the till. Children in the reception class learn to maintain their attention for longer periods of time as they join older pupils for assembly in the big hall and join in confidently with the singing and actions. Hazel Grove Primary School - 38

p.37

Communication, language and literacy

105. Teaching is satisfactory in this area of learning and children make satisfactory progress overall. Teaching is most effective in class sessions such as shared reading or story telling, when children’s attention is well focussed. It is also good in small groups working with an adult, for example in the reception class when the teacher helps children to use their knowledge of letter sounds to make their own giraffe book. However, too often the range of activities offered to the children is undemanding and insufficiently focussed on developing basic literacy skills. Strategies for teaching reading are more structured and are therefore more effective, enabling children to achieve close to the expected standard in this aspect of the curriculum, though standards in speaking and writing remain well below average as children enter Year 1.

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

106. There are many opportunities for children to develop their listening skills as they enjoy storytime or listen to the tale of The Hungry Caterpillar on tape. They respond well to questions about the story, but too often the teachers require only a limited response with insufficient opportunity or expectation for children to extend their language by providing a more detailed answer. Children can recite a good number of rhymes by heart and enjoy joining in the refrain during the story of the Gingerbread Man. However, they are not routinely expected to develop their language for thinking by explaining their answer, for example in counting.

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

107. Children are encouraged to develop a love of books from the earliest age, by choosing a book to read as they sit on the carpet in the nursery or on their weekly visit to the school library. With guidance from the teacher or nursery nurse they are becoming skilled in turning the pages carefully and enjoy choosing a book to share with their parents at home. Children learn to recognise their name quickly as they find their name card to register their arrival in the nursery. Reading is taught systematically in the reception class with good attention paid to the letter sounds through a structured scheme. Children develop their reading skills well during guided reading sessions or in reading regularly to an adult from the graded reading scheme. Parents make a good contribution as they hear their children read or share a book nightly at home.

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

108. Children learn how to form their letters in the nursery by tracing the shapes in the sand and making marks for their shopping lists on the writing table. Many children can write their own name on their work, though planned opportunities for children to practise their writing skills are limited. In the reception class children learn to form their letters systematically. With the support of the teacher many children are beginning to write simple words to accompany their picture. More able children use their knowledge of letter sounds to write a shopping list and lower attaining children are learning to write some recognisable words with help. However, the expectation of the amount of written work is limited, and opportunities are missed to extend children’s writing in other areas of learning, such as writing about their walk to the supermarket.

p.38

Mathematical development

109. Teaching is satisfactory overall. The children make satisfactory progress, but their levels of attainment remain well below average as they enter Year 1. There are good opportunities for the children in the nursery class to develop counting skills as they count the plates at snack time or sing a range of number rhymes. In the reception class, children practise counting during the introductory oral session to numeracy lessons, however, very little is recorded which is a shortcoming in developing basic mathematical skills and depth of understanding. Hazel Grove Primary School - 39 110. Regular practice enables most reception class children to count to 20 with confidence and more able children are comfortable in counting backwards to zero; lower attaining children can colour up to five stars from a group. Good questioning in a class session leads many children to solve simple addition problems, such as if five buns have been

p.38

Mathematical development

sold and five buns are left there must have been ten buns at the beginning. Some activities in group sessions are less demanding, and do little to advance mathematical development, for example, coin rubbing and drawing coins from close observation do not significantly enhance children’s mathematical development.

p.39

Mathematical development

111. Children develop a satisfactory knowledge of shape through completing shape puzzles in the nursery or looking carefully at the shapes of the construction pieces. In the reception class most children are familiar with the names of common two-dimensional shapes and look carefully at how rectangles fit together in their brick patterns. Children in the nursery develop an understanding of measuring as they use unifix cubes to see how tall teddy is and extend their measuring skills in the reception class through direct comparison as they compare which object is heavier or lighter. Children learn to solve problems by looking at graphs they have made, for example, nursery children decide which is the favourite fruit by looking at the pictogram and children in the reception class look at the graph of snacks to see how many children enjoy eating bananas.

p.39

Knowledge and understanding of the world

112. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Though children make satisfactory progress, their attainment remains below average as they enter Year 1. Teachers plan a wide range of activities in this area, but there is insufficient focus on what the children are intended to learn from each activity and this reduces their effectiveness.

p.39

Knowledge and understanding of the world

113. Children are given good opportunities to develop confidence in information and communication technology as they have daily access to a computer in the nursery, and the reception class children have regular sessions in the computer suite. Good use is made of the local area for children to investigate different types of shops and plan their route to walk to the new supermarket, though this is not sufficiently extended to form a basis for early recording. They develop some understanding of the past as they talk about grandma and granddad. Children observe change as they note the development of the tadpole from the frogspawn in the nursery. Children are becoming familiar with different parts of the world and many in the reception class recognised that some books were about Africa. The teacher provided a good range of tropical fruits for children to examine though an opportunity was missed for them to develop other

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aspects of their learning from the activity such as comparing the size of different seeds or noting the texture and smell in any organised way. Only half the children were present in the reception class during this activity, as half were in the nursery outdoor area. The teacher, therefore, had to replicate the activity the next day to the rest of the children, rather than moving the learning on to the next stage.

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114. Children have good opportunities to construct models throughout the Foundation Stage and children in the reception class learn about how bricks need to be laid alternately from looking at patterns. In a purposeful task children were required to draw their model of a giraffe before choosing which bricks to use and this clear direction enhanced their learning. Water and sand are available for exploration during continuous provision for children as are opportunities to use tools for example in cutting and sticking. However, lack of language skills and too little specific direction from adults means that children do not routinely ask questions about what they see and how things work and so opportunities are missed to extend their learning. Hazel Grove Primary School - 40 115. A good feature is the development of understanding about the beliefs and cultures of different people. Children in the nursery show respect as they say a daily prayer before

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snack time. In the reception class children hear about people in the bible and also listen carefully to a story read to them in Urdu. They also benefit from participating in high quality assemblies with the rest of the school.

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Physical development

116. The teaching of physical development is good and so children make good progress and achieve the expected standard by the end of the reception year. However, sometimes the adult on outdoor duty is overwhelmed as all children decide to play outside at the same time.

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Physical development

117. Nursery children ride and cycle around with care for each other. They climb and slide with ease. The reception class children show a good awareness of space around them in gymnastics lessons and display confidence and control as they link a sequence of movements together and stop and change direction on command. The clear explanations and demonstrations from the teacher help children to improve their own performance, for example they learn that stretching their arms in the air helps them to jump higher. Whilst physical education lessons start with an appropriate ‘warm up’, opportunities are missed for children to describe the effect of exercise on their body. Though a range of indoor activities is available for reception children during their daily visit to the nursery, they do not enhance any of the activities already available in the reception class, and during the inspection the vast majority of children chose to be

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Physical development

outside using the bikes or climbing frame.

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Physical development

118. The current topic throughout the Foundation Stage emphasises the importance of healthy eating and this is reinforced as children make sandwiches using healthy ingredients. Children learn to use a wide range of implements such as knives to spread ingredients, scissors and paint brushes with increasing control.

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Creative development

119. Teaching is satisfactory overall and the children make satisfactory progress, though overall the level of attainment is below average at the end of the reception year.

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Creative development

120. Children in the nursery class enjoy painting freely and paint pictures of themselves to illustrate their day. They look carefully at a range of fruit and draw with pastels from close observation. In the reception class children learn to use colour as they use wax resist crayons to demonstrate different moods such as being peaceful. The range of work and materials used, however, are limited and this constrains the children’s creativity. Children exercise their imagination in the role-play areas, for instance the nursery café area, though greater adult intervention is needed to demonstrate interesting language to get the best out of this activity.

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121. Children enjoy listening to music and know a good range of songs, but all children in the nursery do not join in. Children in the nursery use the percussion instruments and investigate where the sound comes from. Reception class children join in with older pupils in the singing assemblies and so their singing is of a good standard.

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Hazel Grove Primary School - 41 122. The results of the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are well below the national averages when compared to all schools. When compared to similar schools, standards are below average in reading and writing at Key Stage 1 and average in English at Key Stage 2. The inspection findings confirm that pupils’ attainment is well below national expectations at both key stages. However, because of recent initiatives, progress is currently satisfactory and standards are showing signs of improvement in Key Stage 2. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to other pupils in the classes and those with English as an additional language make good progress in language acquisition. The changing nature of the school’s intake makes comparison with standards during the time of the last inspection unreliable.

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123. No differences in the achievement of boys and girls were observed in lessons during the inspection. However, the results of the standard assessment tests show that over time at Key Stage 1 boys perform markedly less well than girls in reading and writing, and at Key Stage 2 girls do slightly less well than boys in English. Inspection findings show that there are markedly more boys than girls receiving extra help in the ‘catch up’ groups of pupils learning basic skills and who are working well below the average level. The position is reversed in booster groups for Year 6 pupils where more girls are trying to attain the national average.

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124. By the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 most pupils attain the expected standards in listening. The school, having identified the need to improve pupils’ social skills, has successfully developed a culture whereby pupils listen to their teachers and to each other during classroom activities. Teachers themselves provide good role models in the way they listen to pupils and value their contributions. Teachers are also consistent in their expectations of pupils and provide ample opportunities for them to speak. This basic skill has laid the foundation for pupils to learn more effectively in other areas.

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125. However, standards in speaking are well below expectations in that most pupils are reluctant to take part in classroom discussions and to speak aloud, even when relationships are very good. The majority of pupils of all ages lack self-confidence and have a limited vocabulary. Most pupils lack skills to answer questions and often their responses are limited to single words or short phrases. Only a few of the more able pupils can develop their ideas at any length. Teachers are skilful in drawing out pupils’ ideas and in challenging them to give more thoughtful answers and this is paying dividends at present. This was seen in Year 5, when the teacher gave pupils the opportunity to take on the character of the poem which they had been studying and gave other pupils the chance to question them. Teachers are providing satisfactory opportunities for discussion and debate and this is valuable in encouraging pupils to talk

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and to extend their vocabulary. However, it is difficult to catch up in such a short time on all the years when pupils did not have planned opportunities to develop their skills as they moved through the school.

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126. Standards in reading by the end of Key Stage 1 are below expectations. This is due to the fact that until the current headteacher began to lead the school forward, there was not a good enough selection of books in the school to encourage pupils to read. A few more able pupils read with a satisfactory level of fluency and accuracy, but lack good expression when reading aloud. The majority of pupils, however, are hesitant and wait for help when tackling unfamiliar words. These pupils have difficulty recalling the story they have read, relying on pictures to remind them of past events. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards overall in reading are still below expectations, although a number of pupils read with satisfactory levels of accuracy and fluency. Teachers are doing as much as they can to move reading skills forward at present, especially in using Hazel Grove Primary School - 42 assessment to target pupils for extra help. These older and more able pupils can talk

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about their preferences and favourite authors, identify key features and themes in books they have read and select information to support their views. Pupils of higher ability use a series of texts and retrieve and collate information from a range of sources. The majority of pupils in Key Stage 2, however, are hesitant readers and lack fluency. Their ability to retell the story is limited, as is their ability to predict what might happen. Most pupils can name the author of the book they are reading, but find it difficult to name other books by the same author or other authors they have read. Pupils’ ability in most instances to offer opinions about the book they are reading is limited, as is their ability to make comparisons with other books they had read. Pupils use the school library, but only the older and more able pupils are confident enough to suggest how they could find specific information in the library.

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127. All pupils throughout the school take their reading books home and their reading records help parents to become involved in their children’s learning. Virtually all pupils reported that they read at home – the younger ones reading to adults, whilst many of the older pupils are becoming increasingly independent readers. This is helping to consolidate progress.

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128. Standards in writing overall are well below national expectations at the end of both key stages. The majority of pupils throughout the school are not reaching the expected level for their age and this is most marked at the end of Key Stage 1. The work of pupils in Year 1 shows that the more able and average ability pupils write simple words and phrases reasonably accurately with clearly shaped, correctly orientated letters in most instances. However, the lack of a consistent approach to the teaching of handwriting and practising of handwriting inhibits progress. The teaching of basic skills in Year 2 results in most instances in poorly formed writing with many spelling errors, even when words are provided for them to copy. The handwriting lacks any consistency and sometimes words are unrecognisable. Letters are not formed correctly and are not consistent in size. Pupils in Key Stage 1 have a limited vocabulary and capital letters

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are used indiscriminately. Very few pupils make any attempt to express their thoughts in writing. The small number of more able pupils are working at the national average in some tasks.

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129. Pupils’ writing in Key Stage 2 is often marred by errors in punctuation, grammar and spelling. A notable feature of the writing seen in Key Stage 2, however, is the recent noticeable improvement in pupils’ standard of writing. Scrutiny of pupils’ work completed over the last year indicates improvement in the way pupils organise and present their work, and also improvement in the content of their writing, their spelling and punctuation. This is particularly true in Year 3 where skilful teaching is allowing pupils to undertake a good range of writing and is considerably accelerating their progress from what they could do in Year 2. Older and more able pupils have a satisfactory understanding of how to use paragraphs and punctuation. Spelling is improving and pupils are learning to write for a range of purposes. This is the result of the stimulating teaching at present evident in Key Stage 2 that introduces pupils to a

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wide range of literature, including poetry. This is beginning to impact positively on pupils’ standards of writing.

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130. Good arrangements are now in place to support all pupils identified as having specific needs. These groups of pupils are well supported by classroom assistants, both in the class and during withdrawal periods. Knowledgeable assistants use resources that are well matched to pupils’ needs. They work at a brisk pace and have high expectations of what pupils can do. For instance, in a session on play reading a group of lower attaining pupils visibly improved their expression and intonation when reading their individual Hazel Grove Primary School - 43 parts and collaborated well together to act as a chorus. These arrangements are beginning to impact positively on standards of literacy.

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131. The teaching of English is satisfactory overall in Key Stage 1, because of the contribution of Year 1 staff. They work hard and try to use assessment effectively to plan pupils’ future learning and to accelerate their progress. Year 2 pupils receive too many worksheets, repeated exercises and activities that require pupils to ‘colour in’ and this does not offer them sufficient challenge. Teaching is good in Key Stage 2. Lessons in the main are well prepared and relationships are good. Where the teaching is good or better, as it is in Key Stage 2, the learning intentions are made clear, lessons proceed at a good pace and the lesson content is well matched to pupils’ ability and aptitude. In these good lessons teachers work hard to involve all pupils and draw on their ideas. Praise is well used to improve pupils’ self-esteem and their contributions are valued. The marking of pupils’ work in Key Stage 2 informs pupils of what they need

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to do to improve. In other lessons where the quality of teaching is only satisfactory, teachers’ expectations have not been made explicit to the pupils, resulting in low standards of writing and presentation. This also results from a lack of a consistent approach to pupils’ writing. The teaching of English is based on the national literacy strategy, but it is yet to impact sufficiently on pupils’ basic skills across the curriculum. Class discussions make an effective contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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132. The leadership and management of English are satisfactory, mainly as a result of the deputy headteacher taking on the role of English co-ordinator in addition to her many other roles. The fact that such a key member of staff has taken on the role gives her a good overview of standards, especially as she is the assessment co-ordinator. This was an effective management decision and part of the school’s priority to drive standards upwards. There were few systems in place to support literacy when she took over the role. A range of initiatives has been introduced very recently in order to raise standards and targeted groups of pupils receive support and follow specific learning programmes. These intervention strategies have been carefully implemented and are beginning to impact on standards. Opportunities to develop literacy skills across the curriculum are underused and this does not allow pupils to consolidate their

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writing skills in subjects such as history. The school has correctly prioritised improving pupils’ speaking and writing skills and good systems are in place to monitor pupils’ progress, but it is too early to judge their impact. Whilst the current co-ordinator has overseen the present initiatives to improve literacy, the school needs to appoint a co- ordinator for literacy with a little more time so as to ensure that the curriculum is well planned. The present system of assessment is well-organised and provides the school with sufficient details of pupils’ progress. Suitable targets are set for improvement. Overall, however, assessment results are not sufficiently used to guide curricular planning on a day-to-day basis. Resources overall are satisfactory and the recently refurbished library is well stocked with both fiction and non-fiction books. It is well located in a bright and attractive area and used by both pupils and staff.

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MATHEMATICS

133. The 2002 end of key stage national test results show that pupils’ attainment is well below the national average against all schools and similar schools at the end of both key stages. Inspection findings agree with this judgement at Key Stage 2, but show that attainment is below average at Key Stage 1. The changing nature of the school’s intake makes comparisons with standards during the time of the previous inspection unhelpful. Hazel Grove Primary School - 44 134. Pupils of all ages and abilities, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress as they move through both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The small number of pupils with English as an additional language make good progress in picking up relevant mathematical vocabulary to help them understand their work.

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MATHEMATICS

135. Observation of lessons did not show differences in the way that boys and girls learn. However, there are pronounced statistical differences in the attainment of boys and girls. The results of the standard assessment tests show that over time at Key Stage 1 boys perform markedly better than girls in mathematics. At Key Stage 2 girls do slightly less well than boys in mathematics. Inspection findings show that there are more girls than boys in the top set and markedly more boys than girls in the ‘catch up’ groups in mathematics throughout the school, despite the fact that there are slightly more girls than boys in the school. The position is reversed in booster groups for Year 6 pupils where more girls than boys are trying to attain the national average.

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MATHEMATICS

136. The government guidelines for numeracy are in place, and the recently introduced commercial mathematics scheme is already having a positive impact on the quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

137. Overall, at Key Stage 1 there is a good breadth and range to the mathematical curriculum, with a particular emphasis on number work. Whilst there is good use of the new scheme, there are insufficient activities that are well matched to pupils’ needs during the main part of lessons, particularly for those pupils of lower ability. Whilst some pupils clearly demonstrate a good understanding of areas of mathematics, few are able to clearly articulate their thinking when trying to explain problem solving strategies, because of underdeveloped speaking and listening skills.

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MATHEMATICS

138. The pupils benefit from the daily opportunities to practise, extend and consolidate their knowledge and understanding of number facts. The majority of pupils are confident when handling numbers both mentally and when recording in their workbooks. The small number of more able pupils are able to apply their skills to solving real life mathematical problems.

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MATHEMATICS

139. Pupils have good opportunities to use mathematical language and vocabulary to explain their ideas. Teachers use a good range of open and closed questions to facilitate this, but their underdeveloped spoken language hinders many pupils. By the end of Key Stage 1 the pupils’ knowledge of number is below expectations, but the small number of more able pupils can recognise and order numbers to 1000, recognise number patterns in a sequence, and use addition and subtraction facts to solve simple problems. Most pupils can order two two-digit numbers from first to tenth, and know about odd and even numbers. More able pupils are able to apply their knowledge to check results when solving problems. For example, more able pupils know that two odd numbers can be added together to produce an even number, and understand the relationship between the halving and doubling of numbers.

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MATHEMATICS

140. Pupils’ attainment in shape, space and measures is in line with expectation. Pupils can talk with confidence about the properties of simple two-dimensional and three- dimensional shapes, identifying and describing the ‘faces’, ‘edges’ and corners of a cuboid. The more able clearly describe the properties of a pentagon, a hexagon and an octagon. Pupils confidently use non-standard measures, for example, when investigating the weight of a shoe using plastic cubes. Pupils are effective in applying practical skills to help with problem solving activities. A good example of this is where pupils used cutting and sticking to construct a ‘clock’ to record the results of an Hazel Grove Primary School - 45 investigation. More able pupils are also given good opportunities to extend their skills through investigative tasks. A good example is where pupils created and constructed shapes with straws and two-dimensional pentagons and hexagons. More able pupils

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MATHEMATICS

have good experience of extracting information when it is presented to them in graph and list form, solving money problems by sorting information when using a shopping list.

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MATHEMATICS

141. By the end of Key Stage 2 mental arithmetic skills for most pupils are well below expectation, although those of the small number of more able pupils are very good. Most pupils have a slow recall of number facts, while the more able demonstrate the ability to solve problems by the application of two or three processes. Most pupils are still developing the ability to clearly express their thinking, through their spoken language, to explain solutions to problems they have been set. More able pupils are confident in illustrating the methods they have used when describing problem-solving strategies.

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MATHEMATICS

142. By the end of Key Stage 2 most pupils’ understanding of number is well below expectation, but the more able effectively apply their knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to solve mathematical problems. Pupils demonstrate a practical understanding of place value and decimal notation, and are able to apply these principles to money and measure. They have gained satisfactory experience of rounding numbers to 1000, halving and doubling sums of money, carrying out number investigations, and use investigative strategies to solve problems. A good example is in Year 6, where pupils were asked to divide a number by 100, and then by 99 to establish whether there was a pattern, and then use this knowledge to predict answers for other numbers. The lowest attaining pupils identify fractions by counting squares, but do not know how to work out the lowest common denominator.

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MATHEMATICS

143. Pupils in the booster group demonstrate their knowledge of negative numbers when extending a sequence and working out which rule to apply. When working with co- ordinates in four quadrants, other pupils satisfactorily explain and record their findings when dealing with symmetry, translations, rotations, and reflections in their understanding of shape. Older pupils use their knowledge of how to calculate the area and perimeter of rectangles to partition irregular shapes in order to find the area. They are able to estimate, predict, construct and measure angles, whilst the more able distinguish the differences between different angles. 144. Pupils are encouraged to record their work in a clear and organised way and are able to interpret data and information presented to them in many forms, including charts and graphs. More able pupils use a conversion graph to convert sterling pounds to rands.

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145. The quality of teaching and learning in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory, overall. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of mathematics, and generally have suitable expectations and satisfactory basic skills, and this has a positive impact upon the pupils’ learning. The best lessons start promptly and begin with reference to the previous lesson, stating a clear learning objective to focus the pupils’ attention on what they have to do. There is a good variety of mental starter activities to reinforce and consolidate previously learned concepts. The introduction to and exposition of the main part of the lesson is good overall, with effective focussed questioning and good resources, but a weakness is that activities set are not always well matched to the differing needs of the pupils. Too often, the same task is given to all the pupils, so there is not an appropriate match of the task to the ability of the pupils. Whilst the more able

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MATHEMATICS

children make satisfactory progress, lower ability pupils do not always have tasks that match their ability, and so it hinders their progress. Effective use is made of the end of Hazel Grove Primary School - 46 lesson discussion sessions, especially in Year 1, to reinforce and consolidate learning, allowing teachers to assess progress and inform future work.

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MATHEMATICS

146. The quality of teaching and learning in Key Stage 2 is good. Good use has been made of the government’s intervention programmes, Springboard and Booster classes, to support the pupils’ learning. Setting procedures in place in Year 6, where teaching has focussed on smaller groups with a narrower ability band, are beginning to have a positive effect on learning. Good teamwork between teachers and support staff effectively supports children with special educational needs. There is good use of direct teaching when activities are in progress, and good use is made of the classroom assistant to effectively interact with particular groups of pupils. Planning, organisation and the management of classroom lessons are good and the structure of the numeracy lesson is well established.

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MATHEMATICS

147. In the majority of lessons, learning objectives give the lessons a clear and prompt start, allowing a focus to be established from the very beginning. Good effective questioning, with both open ended and closed questions, allows pupils to demonstrate previous knowledge, to reinforce and consolidate learning, and to explain mental strategies employed in calculations. The time given to allow pupils to reflect upon the methods used is a strength, and positively enhances learning. Teachers have good subject knowledge, and use praise effectively to maintain a stimulating environment where success is celebrated. Mental activities at the start of a lesson are good overall, allowing pupils to demonstrate a growing range of strategies. Good explanations and clear directions ensure that activities are clearly understood by the pupils so that they undertake their tasks promptly. A significant weakness, however, is the narrow range of

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MATHEMATICS

activities set for the main part of the lesson. This lack of differing activities means that while the more able are generally well catered for, the majority of the children, particularly those lower attaining pupils, do not have tasks that are matched to their ability, and therefore this hinders their progress. There is good direct teaching where teachers support individuals and work with a focus group on a particular teaching point or to reinforce or extend learning. The endings to lessons are good overall. A particular strength is the use of a ‘traffic light’ system of red, yellow and green cards. Pupils use these to indicate a self-evaluation of their progress, and this informs the teacher’s assessment in planning for future lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

148. Teachers make good use of homework in Key Stage 2 to extend opportunities for pupils to improve their knowledge and understanding of mathematics. For instance, in Year 6, pupils had good opportunities to practise the type of questions which are often found on national test papers. Although information and communication technology is occasionally used to support learning in mathematics, the use is often incidental and not planned sufficiently to ensure maximum benefit for the pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

149. Mathematics makes a very positive contribution to the pupils’ social development. This is clearly demonstrated where pupils work co-operatively with a partner or in small groups. The good use of group work allows pupils to share and discuss ideas and reinforce their thinking. Pupils work hard at their tasks. They respond well to the praise and encouragement offered by teachers, not only in the lessons themselves, but also in the positive constructive feedback they receive in their written work. There is a satisfactory range of resources to support teachers in lessons, and pupils are capable of organising resources appropriate to their learning needs.

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MATHEMATICS

150. Overall, leadership and management of mathematics are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has been effective in guiding the school through the implementation of the national and commercial schemes of work. Together with the headteacher, the co-ordinator Hazel Grove Primary School - 47 oversees the planning of the mathematics curriculum and a programme of monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning has been introduced. Good use is made of analysing data to inform curriculum planning and to target specific groups of pupils to raise their attainment. However, many initiatives are relatively new and have not yet had time to raise standards. There is a good range of appropriate resources to support pupils’ learning.

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151. At the end of Key Stage 1, teacher assessment in 2002 indicates that pupils’ attainment is well below national expectation. The results of the national curriculum tests for Year 6 in 2002 show that pupils’ attainment is well below the national average and below average when compared to similar schools. It is difficult to compare standards with those of the last inspection as the ability of the intake has changed completely.

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SCIENCE

152. As pupils move through Key Stage 1 they make unsatisfactory progress, the standard of work seen during the inspection confirms that attainment by the age of seven is well below expectations for pupils of this age. In Key Stage 2 progress is more variable, but by the age of eleven, despite rapid progress in their last year, the proportion of pupils working at the expected level is below expectations. Inspection findings show that there is no significant difference between the progress and attainment of girls and boys throughout the school. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make similar progress to others in their age group.

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SCIENCE

153. The curriculum for science is not taught in sufficient depth or with emphasis on practical enquiry and so in Key Stage 1 pupils’ understanding and skill in scientific enquiry is unsatisfactory. Most pupils can add labels to drawings, for example, to highlight parts of an electrical circuit, and more able pupils write simple explanations of their learning. Although some pupils in Year 1 have attempted to record their findings as a bar graph, overall, pupils show poor measuring and recording skills. The quality of written work is poor for many pupils and this does not help their learning. Although they are sometimes encouraged to develop their writing skills, the overuse of worksheets and ‘cut and paste’ activities prevents the development of recording skills. Where more able pupils are challenged, for instance, to produce a factfile when carrying out research on a minibeast in Year 2, they have made a creditable attempt at recording

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what they have found out. Few other examples of this level of challenge were found. More able pupils are not yet beginning to recognise the need to make a test fair, but in Year 1 they make a ‘guess’ as a precursor to prediction and this is good practice.

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154. Attainment in the other areas of science is also unsatisfactory overall, and although pupils have experienced an appropriate range of topics, there is sometimes insufficient challenge and structure to their work, especially for older pupils in the age group. Although most pupils can name the main parts of a plant and recognise organisms as either plants or animals, they are confused in their understanding of the requirements for plant growth and for the germination of seeds. Work on ‘minibeasts’ shows understanding that animals are found in different locations, but even more able pupils do not consider sufficiently how an animal is suited to its environment. These pupils have been able to ‘cut and paste’ a diagram to show the lifecycle of a butterfly, but have not written an explanation of what the chart means. In Year 1, pupils have sorted materials and tested them, including those that are attracted to magnets, but have not

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linked the properties to their uses. Their understanding of materials and their properties is unsatisfactory. They have not begun to understand how materials can be changed by, for example, melting or forces. Pupils in Year 2 have investigated an electrical Hazel Grove Primary School - 48 circuit and more able pupils have a satisfactory understanding of this, and have recorded their activities well including testing with different objects in the circuit. Knowledge of sources of light and the variation in sounds from different sources is thin and insufficient attention has been given to this, with some inaccurate learning, and attainment in the unit on physical processes is unsatisfactory overall. The weakness in pupils’ attainment in Key Stage 1 arises largely from insufficient challenge. Some worksheets are used to provide a useful structure to support pupils’ thinking and recording, but those that require little thinking with an emphasis on colouring or ‘cut and

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paste’ activities make limited contribution to pupils’ learning and do not reinforce key points in their learning well enough.

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155. Observation of lessons and examination of pupils’ books during the inspection indicates that Key Stage 2 pupils’ are making satisfactory progress. However, as a result of earlier, less effective learning, by Year 6 pupils’ attainment is below national expectations . Although pupils are given encouragement to record their own work in most year groups, they do not develop the language of investigative work. In Year 3 there are high expectations of pupils to write about their own activities, and pupils record a range of investigations using scientific concepts including prediction and fair testing, for example, in some well-articulated work on materials and stretching. In other year groups the idea of prediction and fair testing are less integrated into pupils’ experimental work. For example, they are able to predict, but seldom use the term, nor do they consistently refer to fair testing. Even in Year 6 little reference is made to this

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concept, and, although pupils can explain this well, their understanding is not reinforced and developed sufficiently throughout the key stage and they do not use the principle clearly when designing their investigations. Pupils are largely expected to write their own reports of their activities, so that science supports the development of writing skills. However, the lack of an agreed, progressive approach to recording activities results in even the oldest pupils using inconsistent strategies to write up their work. Most pupils can measure with appropriate units and record their findings in tables, but there is little evidence of even more able pupils producing graphs or using data- handling software.

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156. Pupils in Year 6 have satisfactory knowledge of basic human life processes and can confidently explain the reasons for faster heartbeat and increased breathing during exercise. However, in Year 5, pupils’ work shows confusion over how the heart works as a pump, and they have made unhelpful drawings that do not explain structure and function. Pupils develop a satisfactory understanding of the structure of plants and their needs, but their understanding of how plants make food is confused. Although aware of the potential usefulness of some micro-organisms, pupils have insecure understanding of what they need to survive. Understanding of links between organisms and their environment is underdeveloped.

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157. Pupils have a satisfactory understanding of materials and their properties and recognise that magnets attract and repel, and have learnt well about different types of insulation for heat and electricity. Understanding of evaporation and condensation is good, and in a lesson observed in Year 5, pupils used scientific terminology well, reinforced by good teaching. Separation of mixtures is less securely understood, but pupils in Year 6 can explain the features of reversible and irreversible changes well, giving a range of appropriate examples.

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158. Pupils have gained some understanding of the nature of a basic electrical circuit and more able pupils can draw clear diagrams with symbols and know the effect of adding components. Pupils do not appreciate the significance of arranging the circuit differently, and the breadth of study of this topic is limited. Pupils are aware of sound as Hazel Grove Primary School - 49 vibration, and their understanding that light travels in straight lines extends to basic aspects of reflection. Forces are not understood well, and although in discussion pupils in Year 6 showed awareness of gravity and air-resistance, they lack confidence in their understanding and need considerable prompting to discuss these applications of forces.

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159. Teaching is good overall in Key Stage 2 with the strongest teaching in Year 6, but unsatisfactory overall in Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 1 work lacks sufficient challenge. Pupils do much of their recording on worksheets, which limits opportunities to develop both literacy and the ability to record and articulate learning. The absence of a consistent approach to guiding pupils in the recording of their work hinders progression in scientific enquiry. In a lesson observed in Key Stage 1 questions were used well to recap and consolidate previous learning on germination, but subsequently lacked focus and confused pupils because of a lack of clarity and direction. In Key Stage 2 most teachers have good scientific knowledge and plan with clear, though rather general, learning objectives throughout the school, but objectives for scientific enquiry are seldom clearly identified. Where the purpose of the lesson is shared with pupils, they

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are aware of their own learning. However, pupils’ work and teachers’ plans indicate that planning often takes place with insufficient consideration of what pupils already know, so that work is not tailored to meet the needs of different groups within a class, especially those who are capable of more advanced work . Where teaching is most effective, independent writing is encouraged so that, as well as recording their scientific thinking, pupils develop the basic skill of literacy. Pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to develop their numeracy skills as pupils undertake limited measurements and draw graphs only occasionally. Use of information and communication technology is limited; a recently acquired datalogger is beginning to be used, but pupils are not yet familiar with it and insufficient use is made of available software to present data graphically. Teachers in Key Stage 2 generally have

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appropriate expectations for pupils’ achievement, and use questions well to challenge the more able pupils. This was shown in a Year 6 lesson where outcomes of pupils’ investigations of shadows were used as the basis for very good questioning to encourage pupils to use scientific knowledge to explain their findings when they differed from their expectations. Consistent use of scientific vocabulary is notable in all lessons observed and in samples of pupils’ work. Classroom management is good, and this has a positive effect on the learning of all pupils. Marking of pupils’ work is satisfactory though variable, and where it is most effective shows an appropriate combination of praise and challenging comments so that pupils are encouraged to think more deeply about their learning.

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SCIENCE

160. Throughout the school the presentation of work is too variable, with no consistent approach to setting out written work, but pupils of all abilities make an effort to complete what they have been asked to do. Good behaviour was seen in all lessons during the inspection with pupils responding well to teachers’ expectations, showing enjoyment and good engagement with their work and carrying out practical activities responsibly. The subject makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ social and moral development.

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SCIENCE

161. The subject is led very well by a knowledgeable co-ordinator who works part-time. She has a clear sense of direction and has correctly identified the key areas for development, including improving assessment, the refinement of planning and a systematic approach to progression in science enquiry. Teachers’ planning is now supported well by units of work from the government guidelines. All of this has been in place for a relatively short time and has not yet had time to bring enough benefits to the progress pupils’ make. The management of science is satisfactory with areas for development. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning and pupils’ work and is Hazel Grove Primary School - 50 aware of the weaknesses which the inspection team identified. There is no observation of teaching in science lessons and overall monitoring is unsatisfactory, as it does not yet impact on standards. The subject makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ social

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SCIENCE

and moral development. Resources are sufficient to aid learning.

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ART AND DESIGN

162. Standards in art and design are below national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils’ progress, including those who have special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, is unsatisfactory in Key Stage 1, but is satisfactory in Key Stage 2. It is difficult to make an exact comparison with standards in the previous inspection because the nature of the intake has changed.

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ART AND DESIGN

163. Pupils in Year 1 display a good range of basic art skills and draw and paint confidently. Their observational drawings show attention to detail and good pencil control. They make satisfactory progress in learning how to produce different shades and colours by mixing powder paints. Following a study of the work of William Morris, pupils make repeated patterns using both sponges and potatoes as stencils and this work is well extended into three-dimensional work, based on polystyrene tiles. The work shows the use of a range of materials, including pasta, beans, seeds, straws and string and is of a good standard. Pupils’ developing art skills are also well used in cross-curricular work, such as displaying how children’s toys have changed over time in history. However, the curriculum is not good enough in Year 2, as there is insufficient coverage of all aspects. Year 2 pupils have done a very limited range of work and overall their

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ART AND DESIGN

attainment is below the expected level. Some examples of paper weaving showed Year 2 pupils’ manipulative skills were developing satisfactorily, but overall insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to fully develop their potential.

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ART AND DESIGN

164. Throughout Key Stage 2 pupils have regular opportunities to practise their art and design skills. Their observational drawings show increasing competence and the ability to record detail, as seen in their portrait drawings. By Year 6, pupils have studied the work of several famous artists and have produced their own satisfactory pictures in the style of these artists, such as Paul Klee and Picasso. Pupils in Key Stage 2 have good opportunities to experiment with different materials and to appreciate their limitations, as, for example, when Year 3 pupils tried to make figures in the style of Giacometti from clay. They realised that the material was unsuitable for the long thin figures they were attempting to make. Overall, pupils’ three-dimensional work incorporates a good range of materials, such as air dying clay, textiles and paints. Pupils record their first hand observations of features in and around the school in their sketch books and make

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ART AND DESIGN

detailed drawings to highlight the texture of materials. A notable feature of pupils’ work in art and design is its use in cross-curricular themes. Music is used very effectively in Year 3 as a stimulus to produce displays incorporating different materials and colour in the theme of musical weaving and print making to represent graphic notation. In Year 6 pupils have effectively examined and depicted Rangoli patterns and henna hand paintings linked to their study of Hindusim. Work on the ancient Egyptians incorporated a study of Faience pottery and pupils attempted to represent the distinct blue and green coloured earthenware pots.

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ART AND DESIGN

165. Pupils in Key Stage 2 react well to the broad art and design curriculum and, whilst some of the work is of a good standard, overall pupils do not take sufficient care in their work and the finished product lacks attention to detail. Their ability to talk about their Hazel Grove Primary School - 51 work and how it might be improved is also limited, as is their ability to talk about the work of famous artists.

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ART AND DESIGN

166. The quality of teaching in art and design is variable. Overall, it is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. Teaching at Key Stage1 would be improved if what was planned was taught. There is evidence that teachers of younger pupils have sufficient knowledge and understanding to encourage work to be produced at the appropriate level. Where teaching is good at both key stages, pupils respond well. The good relationships encourage pupils to try hard and persevere in their work. Teachers’ planning is well supported by a good scheme of work and most teachers have a good understanding of art. Lessons are well planned and pupils are interested in their work. In better lessons, the teacher uses features of pupils’ work to highlight design, colour and tone and this improves all pupils’ learning. Overall, the display of pupils’ work enhances the learning environment. Such displays also enhance pupils’ self-esteem

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ART AND DESIGN

and make a good contribution to enhancing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils’ computer skills are used effectively to reinforce learning in art, as in Year 4 where pupils practised repeating patterns on the computer before they tackled them in art.

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ART AND DESIGN

167. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has a comprehensive overview of the taught curriculum and supports colleagues appropriately. Whilst there have been no opportunities to formally observe teaching, the work of pupils is regularly evaluated and the co-ordinator is aware of their progress and attainment. There is no formal assessment of pupils’ work. Resources have recently been purchased and overall the school is satisfactorily resourced to meet the needs of the art and design curriculum.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

168. During the inspection no design and technology lesson were seen, but evidence from examining teachers’ plans and scrutinising work on display and discussion with pupils shows that an appropriate range of activities is being undertaken, except in Year 2 where the scheme of work planned is not always being delivered. Pupils’ attainment is below expectations at seven and progress is unsatisfactory, but in line with national expectations by the age of eleven, where pupils make satisfactory progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

169. In Key Stage 1 pupils experience a limited range of designing and making activities and are developing related skills such as cutting and joining. There is no systematic approach to progression in the development of skills, because the curriculum is still broadly topic based. Pupils in Year 1 have followed a suitable food theme, identifying the importance of fruit and vegetables in a healthy diet and recording their ideas and learning for an attractive display using word-processing skills. Their work on structures has satisfactory links with geography and shows that teachers’ plans cover all appropriate stages, including designing, selection of materials and making up models. In Year 2 pupils have worked with textiles to design and make ‘Joseph’s coat,’ but have not developed ‘joining skills’ or practised them as part of the process, and have made no records of design ideas or criteria. This, together with the non-completion of the

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

previous unit of work on puppets, indicates that attainment by the end of the key stage is unsatisfactory because of unsatisfactory teaching.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

170. By Year 6 pupils have satisfactory understanding and skill in all aspects of design and technology. Their work on slippers shows a thorough consideration of styles and materials. Pupils of all abilities have evaluated different types of shoes against suitability Hazel Grove Primary School - 52 for purpose, designing and producing a paper prototype. Good strategies were used for evaluating different types of slipper against specified criteria, and each pupil designed and made a slipper to a specification, producing a well-made product, evaluated against the specification, and a good record of the whole process. Pupils in Year 3 also show satisfactory understanding through their work on food, establishing criteria for judging sandwiches, making their own and suggesting improvements, though not the reasons for the improvements. Photographic evidence shows that pupils in Year 4 have designed and made alarms showing good use of their understanding of electricity, and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

have also worked with fabric to design and make money containers, with a good standard of finish. Use of recycled materials by Year 5 to make musical instruments shows satisfactory understanding of the principles of testing the finished product against criteria as part of the evaluation.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

171. Teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 2, but unsatisfactory in Key Stage 1. Overall, teachers display satisfactory knowledge of design and technology, planning appropriate activities which address all elements of the subject so that pupils experience well- structured lessons which provide good opportunities for learning. The exception to this is in Year 2, where short-term plans lack sufficient detail to show which skills are to be developed to support pupils’ learning. Throughout the school there is insufficient emphasis in plans on development and progression in ‘making’ skills. 172. The subject has been led well so that there has been satisfactory recent improvement in the provision of design and technology in Year 1 and Key Stage 2 since the last inspection. The use of national guidance from the government has recently been introduced to provide a suitable framework to ensure statutory curriculum requirements

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

are met. The co-ordinator has a good overview of the subject throughout the school, and staff development has ensured most teachers’ improved knowledge. Management is satisfactory with some weaknesses. The curriculum has not been fully delivered in Year 2 indicating that monitoring is not fully effective. There is at present insufficient routine monitoring of teaching and standards of work. Links with pupils’ spiritual development are not evident, although social and moral development is fostered satisfactorily through group activities and recognition of the importance of health and safety rules. Opportunities to develop pupils’ multicultural awareness, for example, when working with food from different cultures, are not exploited. Assessment is unsatisfactory because the school has adopted the government guidelines for the curriculum, but not for assessment. No robust assessment of learning and progress

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GEOGRAPHY

173. By the end of Key Stage 1 standards are below national expectations. Standards are in line with national expectations by the end of Key Stage 2.

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GEOGRAPHY

174. Pupils in Year 1 have satisfactorily studied maps of their locality, identifying the correct location of their own homes. However, in discussion, pupils in Year 2 show limited understanding of this aspect. Although Year 2 pupils recognise the uses of maps, only more able pupils can give accurate instructions using directions to right and left, for instance to track their route from the library to their classroom. The Year 2 pupils have too long a gap between studying geography in Year 1 and when they begin to study topics again in the summer term, and this accounts for their unsatisfactory knowledge and understanding. It also affects the smooth development of their skills.

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GEOGRAPHY

175. By the age of eleven pupils have satisfactory geographical skills, and use maps of the locality with different scales, linking them to aerial photographs. They use simple grid Hazel Grove Primary School - 53 references, symbols and keys, and are beginning to make inferences from contour lines, but pupils of all abilities have difficulty in identifying ordnance survey symbols in common use. Pupils in Year 3 have a good understanding of ‘plan views’ of the school and more able pupils can produce good instructions and have a clear concept of the link between the plan and the building layout. Their knowledge of place is satisfactory and is developed through a study of contrasting localities such as Castleton in Derbyshire, and they understand the physical similarities and differences between that and their own locality and their effect on how people live. Year 4 pupils show good understanding of the similarities and differences between their own lifestyle and that of

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GEOGRAPHY

people in a village in India, using geographic skills to design a questionnaire, and have a satisfactory awareness of the location of India and neighbouring countries. This makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development. By Year 6 pupils have poor awareness of global features such as continent and world climate zones, but through their study of rivers identify patterns and processes in physical geography well, including erosion and the effect of rivers on agriculture and soil fertility. Knowledge of environmental change and sustainable development is less evident, and although activities such as local traffic surveys have given pupils some awareness of environmental issues these elements of the geography curriculum are unsatisfactory. 176. Pupils of all abilities and the small number with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress overall, and pupils respond positively to their work showing good

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GEOGRAPHY

attention to presentation and engagement with ideas, with good behaviour in all lessons seen.

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GEOGRAPHY

177. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers have sufficient subject knowledge and most produce clear plans with appropriate expectations of pupils’ performance, though the pace of learning is sometimes unchallenging where geography is studied for a whole afternoon. Classes are managed well and teachers link geographical issues to real life situations, such as local traffic issues and comparisons of a local market with one in India. Good use of fieldwork as part of the curriculum contributes to an understanding of geography as a living subject. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support to help them to learn. For instance, in a Year 6 lesson these pupils were helped to record their findings and so they were able to make similar progress to other pupils. There are some links with literacy through report writing and carrying out research, and with numeracy through data-handling, but these are not well developed. A significant

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GEOGRAPHY

deficiency is the underuse of opportunities to link geography with information and communication technology. Marking of pupils’ work is too variable, but where good includes dialogue to encourage pupils to think about their work. Where it is less satisfactory it is cursory and praises work without commenting on pupils’ learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

178. Leadership is good. There is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable co-ordinator who has a good overview of the subject, although opportunities for monitoring are limited. The curriculum has been modified to match current requirements, and sensible use has been made of established elements alongside new developments. Management is satisfactory with weaknesses. Procedures for assessment are unsatisfactory, as there is no consistent approach to ascertaining what pupils have learned and monitoring their progress.

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HISTORY

179. By the age of both seven and eleven standards are below those expected nationally. Pupils achieve satisfactorily overall in Year 1 and Key Stage 2, and progress is often seen within a year’s work, but the lack of interesting resources and the lack of secure Hazel Grove Primary School - 54 planning limits what pupils understand. The last inspection team did not make a judgement about standards.

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HISTORY

180. By the age of seven most pupils have some limited understanding of chronology, but the small number of more able pupils securely understand that history means ‘just then’ or ‘in the past’. Their understanding of historical skills and knowledge is slowly developing. For instance, a small group of pupils knew that toys in the past were most likely to be made of wood and toys in the present were more likely to be made of plastic. However, they could not name or describe any wooden toys from the past. Most pupils know some facts about Florence Nightingale’s life and that she was the ‘lady of the lamp’. All pupils quickly identify which objects, such as a computer or a vacuum cleaner, would not have been used by nurses in the past and this forms a useful link with their work in science. The small number of more able pupils are beginning to interpret the past accurately and give correct reasons for her importance, saying, for example, that

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HISTORY

“Florence Nightingale was the first person to realise that the high death rate in the Crimean war was from people dying from diseases”.

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HISTORY

181. By the age of eleven, the average attaining pupils and the small number of more able pupils are beginning to understand that there are different types of evidence which give confirmation of historical events as they retrieve information from a wide range of sources, including videos and books. Lower attaining pupils cannot do so. Pupils have some idea that certain sources are more reliable than others and give reasons why they hold these opinions. Pupils have some limited knowledge of chronology. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of historical events is limited. In discussion average and more able pupils correctly name a range of famous Victorians and have some idea of which items were invented in Victorian times. In written work, about half of these pupils write a date or at least mention the 1800s as the time of such inventions. They have a superficial knowledge of the differing life styles of poor and rich Victorians. They

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HISTORY

remember a little about their studies of the Greeks, because history is only taught for one term each year in Key Stage 2 and this leaves too long a gap in their studies. However, overall pupils do not organise and communicate their work well enough as they progress through the school.

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HISTORY

182. The quality of teaching and learning is broadly satisfactory. Pupils are beginning to use information and communication technology both to find out information in class and to explore web sites as part of their homework. In some classes there are clear links to extending pupils’ literacy skills, as in one Year 6 class when pupils write diaries and biographies. In other classes pupils are given good opportunities to reflect as when they write from the viewpoint of a child in the workhouse or as a Roman soldier writing home from a faraway country. Some teachers make good use of timelines to allow pupils to understand how the period that they are studying fits in with what they already know. However, there are weaknesses which do not improve pupils’ learning, as in Year 2 where planning is not clear enough and so pupils do not get a clear chronological approach to history, but jump about in their studies of Florence Nightingale. In some

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HISTORY

classes too many worksheets are used for pupils of all abilities and this does not allow them to show what they know, understand and can do. Generally, pupils are interested in the subject and this helps their learning.

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HISTORY

183. The management of history is satisfactory given that the co-ordinator has been in place for a year and the subject is not a school priority. However, leadership is unsatisfactory and the role needs to be further developed. The adequate resources have been audited and new items purchased and staff encouraged to use the museum service for more artefacts. There is a satisfactory policy for history and the curriculum has been reorganised, but not all teachers have been quite sure which topic they should have Hazel Grove Primary School - 55 been teaching this year. Although the school has adopted the government guidelines for teaching history, it has not adapted the guidelines for assessing what pupils know. Pupils have too few regular opportunities to go on educational visits or speak to interesting visitors to improve their sense of chronology and how life was lived in the past. However, the school had a good celebration to acknowledge the 90 th birthday of

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HISTORY

the school and this helped pupil to gain a sense of change over time.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

184. By the end of both key stages, standards are below the national expectations for seven- and eleven-year-olds. Pupils are now achieving satisfactorily because most teachers have completed their government training to improve their skills of how to use computers to best effect. However, the computer suite has not been open for long enough to bring pupils’ skills up to national expectations. 185. Pupils in Year 2 are not given enough opportunity to develop their skills. Pupils have limited experience of dragging pictures into the correct order to form a life cycle, and they said that they found this hard. Pupils’ understanding of the terms relating to regular use of the computer is weak and they do not have sufficient opportunities to develop their ideas and make things happen. They can correctly name the ‘mouse’ and ‘screen’ but not the ‘monitor’. They can name tools such as ‘pencil,’ 'paint’ and ‘rubber' when

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

using a graphics program, but not ‘fill and flood’. By the age of seven most pupils can use a mouse satisfactorily to click and scroll their way through a web site on Florence Nightingale. There are limited opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in using a word processor to support their learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

186. By the age of eleven a minority of pupils are working at the expected level, but most are dependent on adult support and guidance in all aspects of their work. Pupils have limited experience of the Internet, for example, to download current newspaper articles about the top stories of the day. Most pupils are broadly average in importing pictures into text, as demonstrated when they used the digital camera to take snapshots of small groups of pupils and pasted this image into a calendar and successfully added a border. Overall, standards in manipulating images are below average. In a good link with work in numeracy one class of Year 6 pupils generated, developed, and organised a set of tessellations by flipping and colouring shapes. The most able pupils wrote an explicit set of instructions on how to carry out the task. However, pupils in the other Year 6 class worked at a much lower level. Standards in word processing are generally

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

below average in terms of using different fonts and colours to best effect, with good awareness of its impact on an audience. However, one literacy group used their skills well to retell the story of the Three Little Pigs from a different viewpoint in a newspaper format and added appropriate images to illustrate their work. Pupils’ skills in data handling are below average. In one class pupils are learning how to create a database. Most of the average and lower attaining pupils create a file without too much trouble, occasionally needing help with the tricky bits, such as remembering what wing spans would be measured in. The more able pupils quickly and confidently type in their entries, but most do not finish the task. However, conversation with pupils reveals that they have not begun to work towards putting together a multi-media presentation. Although the school now has a data-logger pupils have had limited experience of using

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

187. Teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2 where pupils make the best progress in their learning. However, because this standard of teaching has only been in place since teachers completed their government training it has not yet brought standards up to national expectations. Pupils are still making up the backlog in their Hazel Grove Primary School - 56 basic skills. Where teaching is successful, teachers have clear management strategies that make best use of the time available, for instance, established pairings of pupils for working on the computer. The needs of pupils with special educational needs are taken into account, either allocating them to a separate computer or pairing them with a more able pupil to support their learning. These strategies are effective. The purpose of the lesson is usually shared with pupils, so they understand what they are to learn and can build on what they already know. One Year 6 pupil used her knowledge of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

what they had learnt in a previous literacy session, with another teacher, to explain that there was another way of demonstrating the task to the class, for instance, by bringing up the keyboard on the computerised whiteboard instead of using a pupil to type in key phrases on a computer. In a Year 3 lesson pupils were very confident that they could use the computerised whiteboard to demonstrate tasks which the teacher suggested. In most lessons pupils are managed well and the lesson proceeds smoothly as pupils work together companionably, take turns and sort out minor problems. Overall, pupils have a fair understanding of the use of technology in day-to-day life because teachers take opportunities to point this out to pupils.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

188. Leadership and management are good. There was little in place in September 2001, so the school priority was to train staff and to put a computer suite in to operation. This has been done. The policy has been updated and the government guidelines now form a suitable scheme of work. There is an Internet policy and a letter has been sent to parents to sign to give permission for their children to use the Internet. The school has been fortunate to acquire good quality second hand computers and printers to improve their stock and so support pupils’ learning. Overall, resources are now satisfactory and the school has correctly identified the need to network classroom computers and give them Internet access so that they can support pupils’ learning more effectively. Some classroom computers are currently broken and this means that routine tasks cannot be wordprocessed to support everyday tasks. The co-ordinator has made best use of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

training opportunities with a nearby school to improve her assessment skills, so that she can train her colleagues to assess pupils’ skills accurately.

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MUSIC

189. By the age of eleven pupils attain standards which are well above average, and pupils aged seven achieve standards which are broadly in line with national expectations. The high quality of singing is a strong feature throughout the school. This very good improvement since the last inspection is a result of the enthusiasm, commitment and expertise of the headteacher who also co-ordinates the music in school. The subject makes an excellent contribution to pupils’ personal development through the spirituality of communal singing, the high level of co-operation and the celebration of other cultures, for example, as they sing a song in Swahili.

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MUSIC

190. Pupils achieve well in Key Stage 1 and very well in Key Stage 2, where the co-ordinator has a greater teaching commitment. Music is a strong feature whenever the school comes together, and every pupil acquires the confidence to sing out loud and clap in time to the music as pupils sing coming in, during and going out from assembly. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils for whom English is an additional language respond well to the practical nature of the subject and make progress at a similar rate to others. This is an inclusive school and pupils with specific physical disabilities are fully included in the activities, and supported well by staff and pupils. Aptitude and enthusiasm are encouraged through additional lessons on a wide variety of instruments, well supported by the adjacent music centre staff. In turn the performance of these pupils contributes well to class lessons and the musical life of the school. The

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MUSIC

Hazel Grove Primary School - 57 school’s musical expertise has been recognised by the wider community as the choir is invited to perform in a variety of venues and a group of flautists won the prestigious Young Musicians’ Award at the Royal Northern College of Music.

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MUSIC

191. By the age of seven, pupils keep a steady pulse using percussion instruments and clap and repeat simple rhythms. They respond well to the high expectations of performance, for example, holding their part well when singing a four-part round with older pupils, and can change tempo and volume on direction, and to suit the mood. This was seen in singing practice when they changed from the soulful ”Father God” to performing “The Spring Chicken Song” with gusto for the rest of the school. Work in areas such as recording music using symbols for sounds is less advanced. 192. By the age of eleven pupils display a very good understanding of the difference between ‘pulse’ and ‘rhythm’ and give a good explanation of the meaning of technical terms such as ‘tempo’, ‘staccato’ and legato’ and give appropriate examples, naming the ‘Coronation Street Theme’ as an example of legato. There are many examples in Key

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MUSIC

Stage 2 of pupils composing their own music and recording this graphically. They develop a good appreciation of music as they listen to a varied range of composers. For example they listen to ‘The Hall of the Mountain King’ by Grieg and have some success in identifying and following the structure. Through regular opportunities to make music they are developing the confidence to improvise, as when they chose to sing jazz in a round, rather than the more conventional, Frère Jacques. All pupils can use percussion instruments effectively and a large number of pupils are learning to play an instrument in school.

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MUSIC

193. Teaching is good in Key Stage 1 and very good in Key Stage 2, where there are several staff with musical expertise. The strongest influence on learning throughout the school is the inspirational example of the headteacher who exudes a joy in music that proves infectious for the pupils. She gives them the confidence to perform quoting the motto, “Give it all that you’ve got, because you’ve got a lot”. Pupils react well to the wide range of interesting activities. This was seen in Year 3 when pupils co-operated well to compose a tune making their own sounds such as whistles and clicks, and recording this pictorially. They also responded sensibly to the high expectations of behaviour in a potentially difficult activity. Good use is made of demonstration to improve pupils’ understanding, this was seen in Year 1 when the teacher used a drum and a xylophone to help pupils recognise the difference between a long and a short note. Some use is

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MUSIC

made of information and communication technology to support learning, as in a Year 1 lesson when pupils identified ‘things that rattled’ on the computer program and wrote the sounds. However, this is in the early stages of development.

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MUSIC

194. The excellent leadership of the co-ordinator ensures that there is a very strong focus for the development of the subject and the inclusive nature of the activities truly reflects the school’s aims and values. There is some assessment of pupils’ progress from direct observation, though this is not yet formalised. There is a suitable range of resources, which is being supplemented regularly, and there is a good focus on acquiring a variety of instruments from around the world.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

195. Pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, make satisfactory progress in at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory and sometimes good progress at Key Stage 2. Hazel Grove Primary School - 58 196. Pupils in Key Stage 1 understand the need to ‘warm-up’ before engaging in strenuous exercise. They show a good awareness of space and the ability to exercise safely. In gymnastic activities, pupils move, climb and jump confidently and link individual actions into short sequences of movements. Pupils handle equipment sensibly. In games activities, pupils in Year 2 show satisfactory catching and throwing skills and try to practise in order to improve.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

197. Pupils in Year 6 know the importance of ‘warm-up’ activities, particularly in relation to preparing muscles so as to prevent muscle strains. They know that they breathe faster and that the heart beats faster during and after vigorous exercise. Pupils are less sure about the value of exercise in promoting a healthy life style. Pupils in Year 3 use space well during their games activities and show good self-discipline. They co-operate well in pairs and in small groups and practise in order to improve as when engaged in bat and ball activities. Pupils, for example in Year 6, play sensibly when engaged in small team activities. They co-operate well and involve all team members. All pupils have opportunities to learn to swim and by the time they leave Year 6 most pupils are competent swimmers. Pupils also benefit from having opportunities to take part in outdoor activities, including climbing and orienteering.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

198. The teaching of physical education is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good overall in Key Stage 2. Where teaching is good, lessons are well planned and proceed at a good pace. Teachers’ expectations are high and pupils display good levels of self-discipline. Good practice is highlighted and pupils practise to refine their skills. Overall, however, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to evaluate their own performances and teachers to not indicate clearly how improvements can be made. In some lessons, although teaching is broadly satisfactory, the lessons were not well planned so as to enable pupils’ skills to be developed progressively and the expectations of pupils were too low. Pupils are not always sufficiently encouraged to be self-critical and overall they are sometimes too easily satisfied with modest performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

199. Pupils enjoy their physical education lessons and all pupils take part enthusiastically. They show good attitudes and respond to their teacher promptly. Behaviour is good and they co-operate well with each other. Team games give pupils opportunities to interact and this makes a good contribution to pupils’ social development. All pupils, including those with special educational needs are included in activities. The school provides the older pupils with a very good range of extra-curricular games and athletic activities in which both boys and girls take part. There are also links with outside clubs, such as lacrosse, that enable those pupils to pursue their interests outside school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

200. Leadership and management are satisfactory and the curriculum fully meets National Curriculum requirements. A policy and scheme of work are in place, but no observation of colleagues’ teaching takes place. No formal methods of assessment are in place. The school resources are satisfactory in that there are two good-sized halls and a range of equipment. Pupils use the large schoolyards for games and there is a nearby grassed area for games, which is shared with a neighbouring school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

201. Pupils’ attainment in religious education at the end of both key stages is in line with expectations of the Stockport Agreed Syllabus. In both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils of all ages and abilities, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. Hazel Grove Primary School - 59 202. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils satisfactorily develop their knowledge and understanding, applying skills and work at a suitable pace. They know some of the Old Testament stories, for example, Adam and Eve, Noah, Joseph, and have been able to retell the story of Noah in words and pictures. Pupils also have appropriate knowledge of some of the events in the life of Jesus, including the parable of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, and the significance of the Easter story. All pupils by the end of Key Stage 1 are aware of Advent and the Christmas story, have explored the reasons why Shrove Tuesday is a special day, and why Lent is important to Christians. Pupils have

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

good opportunities to retell stories through discussion, and in their own words and pictures. They have begun to study and explore feelings and responses, and are able to identify the importance of other people’s feelings. A good example is where the youngest pupils have discussed what it means to be a good friend, what it feels like to be jealous, and considered the concept of fairness.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

203. By the end of Key Stage 2 the pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of Christianity and have had an adequate introduction to other world faiths, including Judaism and Hinduism. This is reflected in the effective displays around the school. Most pupils show a satisfactory understanding of Christian traditions and demonstrate familiarity with the Christian year, for example, Advent as a time for preparing for Christmas. Pupils are satisfactorily aware of the Bible as a sacred text, and are aware of artefacts and symbols of other world faiths. In lower Key Stage 2 pupils are encouraged to compare and contrast Christianity with Judaism in Year 3, and with Hinduism in Year 4 where religious education makes effective links to learning in geography.

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204. In Years 5 and 6 pupils extend their knowledge of Old Testament stories, including David, Moses and the Ten Plagues of Egypt, and Daniel. They gain further insight into the Jewish faith, gaining understanding of some of the important faith celebrations and customs, such as Hanukkah, Hashanah and Pesach. Pupils in Year 5 enjoy an extended study of Easter, while in Year 6 pupils extend their knowledge and understanding of Christianity, and draw upon world faith text resources, such as the Ramanyana, to broaden their experience. Pupils’ subject knowledge by the end of Key Stage 2 is satisfactory and they are able to bring their learning to contribute to class discussion when considering issues.

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205. The quality of teaching and learning in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory. Teachers have good subject knowledge, identify learning objectives clearly and are able to devise approaches that actively involve pupils in their learning. Where learning is effective, the teacher uses the children’s knowledge well to move the lesson forward at a good pace. A good example in Year 1 built upon the children’s previous knowledge of Joseph to extend the story at a rapid pace through an effective question and answer session. Teachers encourage the pupils to share in their learning by allowing them to bring their personal experiences to discussion activities to help illustrate and clarify concepts for their friends. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported when the teacher works alongside them to discuss what they know.

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206. At Key Stage 2 teaching is good overall. Lesson planning at both key stages reflects the content of the locally agreed syllabus, but Key Stage 2 teachers use the scheme more consistently to support pupils’ learning. Prompt starts to lessons with clearly identified learning objectives, such as why and how people use prayer, focus the pupils’ attention, and help them to learn. Teachers use pupils’ knowledge to draw comparisons with other faiths to generate discussion. The teachers’ organisation and management is good, and resources are well prepared and appropriate, which help the pupils to make good progress. A good example of this is the use of a stimulating and powerful Hazel Grove Primary School - 60 animated video to illustrate the Easter story. When teaching is very good, pupils are offered a variety and range of activities to support their learning. For example, the use of role-play to explore the fairness of the trial of Jesus greatly enhanced the pupils’

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207. Pupils are encouraged to relate to other people’s problems and to imagine themselves in that position, for example, what it is like to be a slave, to break a promise, what it feels like to be jealous, and how it feels to accept blame. Pupils also have the opportunity to pursue independent research when compiling facts about the Bible, and ‘preparing for a special activity’.

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208. The pupils’ attitude to religious education is very good overall, and the subject makes a positive contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development throughout the school.

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209. The leadership and management of religious education, however, are unsatisfactory. The co-ordinator has insufficient overview of the standards of teaching and learning in either Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2 and how the curriculum and its planning is monitored. There is no evidence of a systematic procedure for assessment, and the pupils’ work has not been monitored for almost two years. The co-ordinator has recently undertaken the development of a portfolio of pupils’ work, but this is very much at the development stage. There is a good policy in place and this is to be reviewed shortly. The school is awaiting a new scheme of work from Stockport local education authority, due to be launched in 2004, but at present the co-ordinator has no clear plans or priorities for its introduction and implementation. Resources are generally satisfactory to support pupils’ learning.

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