Holystone Primary School

HOLYSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14 th – 16 th October 2002

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HOLYSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Holystone Primary School - ii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Whitley Road Holystone Newcastle-upon-Tyne

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr A J Whinfield

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1997

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. Holystone Primary School - iii

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Team members

3624 Mr Phil Snelling Registered inspector 8988 Dr Joan Cross Lay inspector 12394 Mrs Carole May Team inspector 30954 Mr Brian Ashcroft Team inspector

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Team members

Primary Associates Limited Suite 13 West Lancashire Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale WN8 9TN

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Holystone Primary School - iv

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Holystone Primary School is bigger than most primary schools, with 250 pupils on roll aged between four and eleven years, and 52 children who attend either morning or afternoon in the nursery. The number of boys and girls is fairly even. The school is situated in Holystone, on the eastern edge of Newcastle- upon-Tyne. When pupils start at the school the attainment of most is about what is expected for their age. The proportion of children eligible for free school meals is lower than in most schools. There are a small number of children with special educational needs, most of whom have difficulties with speech or language. The school population is predominantly white, with few children from ethnic minorities, mostly Chinese. A higher than average number of pupils (9) come from homes where the mother tongue is believed not to be English, with a very small number needing extra support for English as an additional

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

language. The school has changed considerably since 1999 by growing from a first to a primary school. Many new houses are being built in the area and the school is popular, though the number of families that move in and out of the area during a school year is typical of that normally found. It is part of a mini education action zone. In the past two years the school has received two School Achievement awards, the Basic Skills Quality Mark and Investors In People status, all prestigious national awards.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. As a result of receiving high quality teaching throughout their time in the school, pupils make very good progress. Nearly all the oldest pupils are on course to reach average or above average standards by the time they leave. The headteacher, new since the previous inspection, is a very purposeful and effective leader who has built up a strong team of staff. Together with the governors he is steering the school firmly towards further improvement. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes; • The teaching continues to be very good through Key Stages 1 and 2; • The headteacher gives very strong leadership and management by the senior staff and governors is good; • The school helps pupils to reach high standards in their personal development.

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What could be improved

• Now and again, the level of challenge in the work for some pupils in Key Stage 2 could be better. 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

The school has not been previously inspected as a primary school. However, there have been many changes in recent times and it has improved a great deal. It has been transformed from a small Victorian building to a large modern school, to house an increased number of pupils. It has successfully added and developed its provision for Year 5 and 6 pupils, and all teachers are new. During these major changes it has raised standards, and pupils’ attendance and punctuality have increased after a dip. A most impressive and well equipped information and communication technology (ICT) suite has been developed, sufficient in size for children usually to be able to work individually at a computer. A robust curriculum for the full range of subjects is in place, which ensures that pupils build their skills and knowledge from year-to-year. Good opportunities are planned to develop pupils’ spirituality. The school is

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

well placed to continue to get better. It regularly reviews its effectiveness and adjusts its teaching and curriculum to maintain high standards. Holystone Primary School - 2

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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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Key

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

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Key

As there have been only two years of national tests in the school at Year 6, it is too early to draw any firm conclusions about trends in pupils’ performances. However, the tables do not fully reflect the extent of pupils’ achievements in 2002. The grades mask the fact that every pupil in Year 6 reached the expected level in science (Level 4), one more than in mathematics, with about a quarter reaching the higher Level 5 in both. Whilst this compares well nationally in mathematics, it does not compare so well in science, where more children are expected to reach a higher level. The school is now stretching its higher achievers more and work seen during the inspection confirms that overall standards are rising from year to year. Pupils currently in Year 6 are on course to perform well in the 2003 tests and the school is set to achieve its realistic targets.

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Key

Standards are also rising in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1. In the Foundation Stage, children achieve rapidly through interesting, challenging and exciting activities. By the end of the reception year, most reach or exceed the standards expected in all six areas of learning, and they show maturity in their personal, social and emotional development. This is built on well in Key Stage 1, where pupils performed extremely well in their 2001 and 2002 tests. Nearly every child in both years reached the expected Level 2 in tests in reading, writing and mathematics, and a good proportion reached the higher Level 3. This reflects the hard work that the school has put into raising standards in this key stage and the teachers’ success in using resources such as those for Additional Literacy Support in everyday teaching.

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Key

Pupils’ skills in ICT are above average by the end of Year 6, though their work does not show enough use of these skills across subjects. Standards in design and technology are above average. Pupils with special needs do well when they are withdrawn for extra support and when their work in class is suitably modified or they receive close support. The same applies to more able pupils. Occasionally, some pupils achieve more slowly than they might because their work has not been sufficiently modified to match to their abilities.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Children work hard in lessons, are proud of their school and keen to please. They really enjoy school and are keen to become involved with all the activities on offer.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well during lessons and are sensible during playtimes and lunchtimes. They work together cooperatively on their tasks. Holystone Primary School - 3 Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils accept responsibility well. They have very good relationships with each other and with the adults who work with them.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Rising and now just above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils are ready to take a greater responsibility for their own learning by taking the initiative more in lessons.

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

Quality of teaching Very good Very good Very good

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

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

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

Almost half the lessons seen were very good or better with a mere handful simply satisfactory. A striking feature of the teaching is the evenness found between classes and subjects. This enables pupils to make very good progress from year-to-year. Introductions to lessons are thought provoking and teachers spell out very clearly what it is the children should know or be able to do by the end. This helps them to apply themselves when they work at activities later in the lesson. At the end, teachers check carefully whether the key points have been grasped. The classrooms are attractive and interesting places to be, rich in resources and displays to excite the pupils. Teachers use learning resources very well in lessons to capture and hold the children’s interest. They use their good subject knowledge to challenge the children to extend and apply what they know. As a result, pupils are keen to become involved in

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

activities. Much is expected of them so they work very hard indeed.

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

Both literacy and numeracy are taught very well and there is some high quality specialist teaching seen, particularly in ICT and design and technology. There is also effective teaching of pupils withdrawn from class for extra support in small groups to meet particular needs. Classroom assistants support pupils very well in lessons. They work productively with small groups and on occasions, with individuals. This is of particular benefit to those pupils who find learning difficult. Some first rate teaching seen in the Foundation Stage reflected excellent teamwork between teacher and nursery nurse.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a rich diet of learning for all pupils. Although due emphasis is placed on teaching English and mathematics, the teaching of all subjects is valued. Many pupils benefit from clubs and out of school activities, mainly sports. Arts are promoted well through participation in events.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Very good when pupils are working separately in small groups. Now and again, work in class is not well enough matched for lower achieving pupils to complete it without close support.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school ensures that these pupils are supported well and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, Very good. Pupils are taught to reflect on their own feelings and the feelings of others. Very good relationships are evident throughout the school. They gain a good sense of the responsibilities involved in being Holystone Primary School - 4 development part of a caring community. They presently have more opportunities to learn about their own local culture than to find out about life in wider multicultural society. Holystone Primary School - 5 How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for its pupils very well. It has good procedures for ensuring their health and safety.

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Aspect Comment

The school is working hard to better provide for higher achieving pupils and has established a policy for identifying and stretching its gifted and talented pupils. It now needs to build on this by fully implementing it. It promotes race equality successfully.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher is a strong leader who has set a clear direction for the development of the school. He is supported well by the deputy and assistant heads. Together they make a strong and committed team for raising standards.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. They have a good understanding of the strengths and development needs of the school and contribute well to its improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school is highly effective in evaluating all aspects of its work. Pupils’ performances in tests and in class are carefully analysed. The outcomes of analysis are used well to decide where to deploy staff and other resources.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Financial planning is thorough. Money is spent wisely on projects such as the ICT suite, which is used very well in promoting good achievement. The school gets good value from grants and through projects such as developing the skills of staff by working with a Beacon school.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher’s leadership has revitalised the school; he has a clear vision of how the school should be and demands high quality in all aspects of its work. The headteacher and governors apply the principles of best value well. They consult with parents and children about provision and compare the school’s performance with that of other schools.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children are expected to work hard and their behaviour is good; • The teaching is good and their children are making good progress; • They find it easy to approach the teachers with concerns and queries; • The children like school and it is helping them to grow up and become responsible. • The amount of homework children get; • The information parents receive; • The range of activities available outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the parents’ positive views of the school. However, whilst parents receive a lot of information from the school it could sometimes communicate this more effectively. Where it is most successful, written information is presented in good time and in a way which is easy and interesting to read. Written reports on pupils’ progress are satisfactory. Inspectors judge the range of activities available to pupils outside lessons to be better than is normally found in most primary Holystone Primary School - 6 schools of this size. Although regular activities are mainly sports, there are many occasional arts events. The amount of homework set is similar to that in most primary schools.

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Pupils get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes

1. Children make very good progress in the nursery and reception classes (Foundation Stage) because of the first-rate provision and high quality teaching. Some key features of this provision are:

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Pupils get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes

2. The information given to parents and the way the children start off in school. Before they begin at the school, parents and children are made to feel welcome. The information pack that parents are given is outstandingly helpful to them. Staff meet and hold workshops with parents and children so they can become familiar with routines. Teachers and parents decide between them when individual children are ready to attend for the full session or what best to do if they are initially very tired. As a result, children settle in quickly and happily, and become confident learners. These good relationships are built upon on a daily basis when children arrive. For example, parents arriving with their children in the nursery are greeted warmly and briefly discuss any concerns with the staff. Their children register themselves and gather enthusiastically but patiently on the carpet ready to begin their work. Sessions begin

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Pupils get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes

3. The way lessons and activities are planned and the children’s progress is checked. The pupils’ work in the Foundation Stage is planned by all the staff together, so the work in the nursery is built on successfully in the reception classes. At the same time as working to a strong framework, there is enough flexibility for teachers to seize individual opportunities in areas such as art and music. The staff carefully track the children’s achievement and use the information to ensure that their work is at the right level of challenge. As they become older, the children are prepared well for their work in Key Stage 1, especially in literacy and numeracy.

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Pupils get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes

4. The interesting and challenging activities given to the children, and the teaching. Staff expect a lot of the children both in their work and play and in the way that they should work together. Teachers make good use of praise when children meet their high expectations of behaviour. They organise their rooms very well to support the children’s learning and provide them with a rich diet of exciting activities. They promote children’s personal development strongly, for example, they use times such as snack time very well to develop their social skills They seize unexpected opportunities, such as taking pupils to the windows to see hailstones bouncing in puddles during a rainstorm, which they watched with hushed amazement. Good use is made of open-ended questions to encourage the children to think and speak out. For example, in one nursery session, the teacher’s question ‘What’s happening here?’ whilst looking at a picture during a story, encouraged a child to answer fully

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Pupils get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes

‘She can see the big bad wolf who is coming to get her.’ Learning is made fun. This was seen, for example, in a reception activity when children were trying to recognise missing words in a story. The teacher captivated the children with her animated and expressive reading of the story and children became engrossed. Many of the activities seen during the inspection were linked to a ‘Bear’ theme, which helped the children make connections between different parts of their work.

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Pupils get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes

5. The way staff work together and the contribution of parents. Holystone Primary School - 7 Adults in the nursery and reception classes are very clear about, both the purpose and the outcomes they are seeking from the activities the children do. This is because there are clear objectives shared between all the adults involved with the children’s learning, be they staff or parent helpers. There is very good teamwork between teachers and nursery nurses and this is a significant strength. The contribution of parents to children’s learning in the Foundation Stage is considerable. Carefully thought out notes are provided to help parents support activities effectively. For example, a parent helping by making porridge (including tomato ketchup flavoured!) with a small group kept all pupils very interested as they took turns to stir. She helped them develop their mathematical language through using questions well

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Pupils get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes

6. The way the resources are chosen, cared for and used. From the outset, the nursery staff teach the children how to take care of their own needs and how to properly look after the resources provided . The children soon learn to tidy away very efficiently at the ends of sessions, showing good levels of personal development and maturity for their age. Teachers are imaginative in the way they make simple but effective learning aids; for example, making a menu in the nursery by using pictures with Velcro on the back. Rooms are very well set out into areas for learning, with well organised ‘messy’ areas. Large role play areas with attractive dressing up clothes are seen in the nursery. In the reception class, a well equipped area containing different sized furniture and bowls for the three bears was ideal to promote children’s learning through play. Children working with a parent making finger puppets used a wide range of attractive resources, such as coloured feathers, which

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Pupils get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes

excited their interest. Computer and mathematics areas are well resourced and the provision of a senses table stimulates the children. Where activities such as early writing through mark making are set up, a good range of appropriate and interesting implements and paper are provided. Attractive books abound at the right level of difficulty to encourage children’s early reading skills. This good use of interesting high quality resources makes pupils keen to learn and helps them become more independent of help from adults. This was amply demonstrated by a small group of reception pupils who were highly engrossed in carefully selecting pictures to illustrate the route of a bear hunt.

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Foundation Stage

7. In nine out of ten lessons seen during the inspection the teaching was good or better. In almost half it was very good or excellent. This is a very strong picture, particularly bearing in mind that three of the teachers are newly qualified and in their first term of full-time teaching. Key strengths of the teaching observed were:

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Foundation Stage

• the way in which teachers introduced lessons; • the teachers’ good subject knowledge; • the high expectations teachers have of the pupils; • the consistency between classes; • the quality and use of teaching aids and resources; • use of specialist skills for whole classes and groups of pupils.

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Foundation Stage

8. At the beginning of their lessons, teachers always discuss with the pupils in a meaningful way what the lesson is about and what they should know or be able to do by the end. As part of the summary, they usually return to this so they can check out Holystone Primary School - 8 with the pupils whether they have learned and understood what was intended. Another successful feature of the introductions to lessons is the way teachers link the learning to what has gone before. So, for example, the teacher in a Year 1/2 handwriting lesson reminded the Year 1 pupils of their learning about ‘Descenders’ in reception, sensitively corrected errors as they practised in the lesson and encouraged them to evaluate their own work at the end. In a Year 3/4 mathematics lesson, the teacher used a laptop computer to project the objectives of the lesson on compass directions on to a whiteboard. This motivated the pupils. At the end of the

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Foundation Stage

lesson in the plenary, pupils stood on the ‘Magic Mat’ as they described the direction they were facing when looking at certain objects. They showed that they had met their learning targets.

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Foundation Stage

9. Based on their good subject knowledge, teachers are skilled at asking questions that make pupils think, test their understanding or tease out full answers to their questions. For example, in a small literacy group of more able Year 6 pupils, the teacher effectively rephrased what the children said to her. This helped them grasp how best to use complex sentences so that their audience could understand what they were trying to say. In a Year 3/4 English lesson, the teacher’s very good subject knowledge enabled her to discuss the imagery of poetry confidently with the pupils. In a Year 5/6 English lesson, the teachers’ good questioning skills helped the pupils to contrast and understand the differences between original text and a modern version. This good subject knowledge with strong questioning skills can be seen across both key stages and all subjects. For example, in a Year 1/2 music lesson, the teacher

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Foundation Stage

sensitively challenged a pupil who was holding a triangle incorrectly by simply saying ‘Why is yours making a dull noise?’ This encouraged him to think out what was wrong for himself.

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Foundation Stage

10. Teachers expect a great deal of the pupils in lessons and they rise well to the challenge. In all classes there is calm and purposeful learning, often made interesting by the teacher’s skills in using attractive and appropriate learning resources. For example, in a Year 1/2 design and technology lesson, the teacher held the pupils’ attention closely through a demonstration of how a winding mechanism works, using a construction kit. Having challenged the children with questions such as ‘How can I make the winding action slower?’ they worked well in groups, sensibly chatting about their work. By the end of the lesson, most groups had successfully made a winding mechanism and attached a battery and motor to it.

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Foundation Stage

11. There is some very accomplished specialist teaching of groups and whole classes. One subject in which this has considerable impact is ICT. In recent years, the school has improved its facilities by establishing a first rate ICT suite, equipped to the highest levels. In a lesson taken by the coordinator, its facilities were used to the full, for example, in the introduction when a demonstration was given using an interactive whiteboard. After the teacher’s clear explanation of the task, the pupils answered questions keenly. When they began work at the computers, they became totally immersed in what they were doing. They showed they were able to create a personal movie by editing video footage filmed around the school by the children. They demonstrated their capability to cut slides, move them into storyboards and add features such as full screen titles. The teacher rounded off the lesson expertly by

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Foundation Stage

ensuring that the skills being taught at the beginning were fully learned and their use understood.

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governors is good

Holystone Primary School - 9 12. The headteacher leads the school very well. He has been in post for almost three years during which time the school has improved significantly; the pace of change is impressive. Part of this change is due to the school becoming a primary instead of a first school. This has involved managing an extensive rebuilding programme. At the same time, there have been significant changes in the staff, with all teachers having been appointed since the previous inspection in 1997. The headteacher has a clear vision and has established the systems and structures needed to put it into practice. For example, a senior management team has been formed which works extensively in analysing the school’s performance and identifying the right priorities for improvement. The very clear direction for the work of the school that he has established is shared by staff and governors.

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governors is good

13. The high quality of the teaching seen during the inspection is a testament to the way the school recruits new staff. Governors are rightly proud of the rigour of the procedures. Through careful selection the headteacher and governors have assembled a staff who work together extremely well as a team and the effects of this can be clearly seen in the consistently positive way in which pupils are managed and taught. Standards are rising and pupils’ achievement growing under leadership where the headteacher shows a strong determination to succeed. He has raised expectations and this is one important reason why there is an upward trend in pupils’ achievement. Good appointments have also helped in improving previous weaknesses in particular subjects or areas, for example, in ICT.

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governors is good

14. The governing body performs its role well. Governors have a good understanding of how well the school is doing and what needs to be improved. They are very committed to the school and to its continued improvement. They have a good working knowledge of the school because they are encouraged to become involved in all aspects of its work. The Chair of Governors has given strong support to the headteacher in managing the changes during the last three years.

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governors is good

15. Extensive procedures have been established for analysing test and assessment results and identifying where weaknesses need to be tackled. For example, the school has recognised the need to improve on the number of pupils who reach higher levels of attainment at the end of both key stages. Measures implemented to help more pupils reach the higher levels include different and harder work in lessons in Key Stage 1, with setting for English and mathematics, and booster classes in Key Stage 2. The school makes good use of information gathered to set realistic targets for pupil performance. It has also developed effective procedures for finding out how it is doing in other aspects of its performance. Rigorous action then follows, as can be seen in the continuing improvements in attendance and punctuality. Pupils’ behaviour has improved since a dip reported by parents and governors around the time of the

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governors is good

reorganisation of the school. Pupils’ behaviour is now of a very high standard that provides a strong platform for teachers to give pupils more opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning and work independently in lessons.

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governors is good

16. The school has established its performance management system and objectives have been set for teachers that reflect the priorities for school development. The school has a large proportion of newly qualified and young teachers. They are given close and regular support by experienced staff, which helps their confidence and extends their skills. Good opportunities are created for their professional development through, for example, links to a Beacon school and through giving teachers the opportunity to go and see good practice elsewhere. Systems for keeping a check on teaching are well established. Lessons are observed by the headteacher and some Holystone Primary School - 10 subject leaders. Teachers are given feedback on what they are doing well and what they need to do to improve.

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governors is good

17. All teachers, including the headteacher, take responsibility for overseeing the provision and teaching in subjects. However, since there are so many newly appointed teachers at present, many roles are changing. Nevertheless, staff are very committed, enthusiastic and carry out their responsibilities effectively. Examples can be seen in the leadership of ICT, which has seen very rapid improvement, and the Foundation Stage where high standards of provision are evident.

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they respond with a love of learning

18. The pupils enjoy school and are happy, enthusiastic learners who want to succeed. They are very well behaved during their work and play, helped by consistently high expectations from all the staff. They like being given challenges, such as those set in the new computer suite by the specialist ICT teacher to hone their word processing skills. All ages delight in gaining merits for trying hard and achieving well. These accrue towards highly sought after certificates presented by dignitaries in special ceremonies that are attended by parents. Boys and girls mix freely and easily. They laugh and joke together and get a lot of fun out of school. An older pupil who recently joined the school said that it had been very easy to settle in because everyone is so friendly.

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they respond with a love of learning

19. Right from their first days in the nursery and reception classes, the staff create a climate within which all children can flourish. They are valued as individuals and encouraged to become independent, to make choices and support one another. Pupils' thoughts and ideas are always given worth, which helps them to become confident learners who are eager to contribute to discussions.

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they respond with a love of learning

20. This supportive environment continues as pupils get older. In a Year 3/4 literacy set, for example, pupils were collectively drafting ideas for a poem about a stream. One pupil found it hard to understand how another could describe the water as fierce. The teacher sensitively pointed out that his mental image was simply different to that of his classmate. The pupils, some of whom have special educational needs, were fully engrossed in their learning. ‘Refreshing, bubbly, wonderful,’ read the teacher from their suggestions. One pupil, totally lost in her imagination and uninhibited about expressing her feelings, exclaimed ‘I wish I was there.’

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they respond with a love of learning

21. The pupils show remarkable empathy for one another, helped by personal, social and health education lessons that sometimes include sitting in a circle for discussions. In a Year 5/6 lesson, the pupils showed that they are very familiar with circle time routines. Fun warm up activities were followed by in-depth discussions focussed upon what they consider to be of especial importance and triggers that cause them to feel irritated. The pupils were able to talk about intensely personal situations due to the excellent relationships established within the class and the deep trust that nothing will ever be repeated outside the circle. Lessons such as this help the pupils to learn more about each other, share common experiences and offer one another advice and support with maturity beyond their years.

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they respond with a love of learning

22. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are given good opportunities to influence future school events and developments through their democratically elected council, which has representatives from each class. They suggest ideas for charitable fundraising, social gatherings and school improvement. Ensuing discussions about practicalities, Holystone Primary School - 11 skilfully steered by the deputy headteacher, enable pupils to think through their ideas and make informed choices. Older pupils are actively encouraged to volunteer to share books with younger ones and to take the initiative for any task to help others in the school community. These acts are suitably recorded by pupils in their personal citizenship books, which prompt them to be ever mindful about the needs of others.

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could be better

23. In the majority of lessons the work given to different groups of pupils is just at the right level of challenge to stretch all of them. However, now and again, the work is not so well matched for some Key Stage 2 pupils and it can be either too easy or too difficult. For example, in a geography lesson seen in lower Key Stage 2, a small group of pupils struggled to transfer data from a tally chart to a bar chart because they were not sure how to do it. This slowed their progress. In the mental arithmetic seen in lessons and from the answers pupils recorded in their books last year, all pupils were seen to be given the same questions to answer. Whilst for most the level of difficulty was right, a few clearly found them easy, others too hard. In some lessons, teachers need to go a bit further in adapting pupils’ work to their abilities to ensure they are appropriately challenged. This is especially true where lesson plans do not identify

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could be better

harder or easier tasks for pupils of different abilities.

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could be better

24. The school has taken great strides in the past two or three years to promote very good attitudes to learning in the pupils, and to begin to fully challenge and stretch the highest attainers. This has created the conditions for pupils to take a greater responsibility for their own learning and to take the initiative more in lessons. Creating more opportunities of this sort would particularly benefit the more able, and the gifted and talented pupils.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

25. To build on the very good work done so far and to improve teaching and learning even more, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) Further raise the challenge to different groups of pupils by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• More consistently providing classroom activities adapted to pupils’ abilities. • Giving pupils more opportunities to take responsibility and to work independently in lessons. Holystone Primary School - 12

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 14

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 250

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 24

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 27

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 17

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 17

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Holystone Primary School - 13

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 22 18 40

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 20 22 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 18 18 18

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (100) 100 (100) 98 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

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

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 98 (100) 98 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 11 14 25

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 10 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 13 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (83) 96 (78) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 10 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 13 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (89) 96 (72) 96 (78) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Holystone Primary School - 14

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 540,696

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2.6 Total expenditure 512,863

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 83 Expenditure per pupil 2,182

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 18,005

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 45,838

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26 This carry over is earmarked to be spent

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 during the 2002 / 2003 financial year; e.g. site

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32 improvements

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Holystone Primary School - 15

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4.2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4.2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 56 42 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 56 41 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 37 45 10 3 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 35 45 15 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 30 6 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 33 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 47 35 11 3 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 48 38 7 0 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 48 3 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 33 40 14 1 13 Holystone Primary School - 16 Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer and may not total 100.

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