Other · Ofsted report

St Helen's Church of England Primary School

Inspected — · published 10 Sept 2003 · URN 109158

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Full report text

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 19 th – 22 nd May 2003

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 246881 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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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. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Greenhill Alveston Bristol

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

E-mail address: head@sthelens-pri.s-gloucs.sch.uk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs R Hannam

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1998 St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 2

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

21872 Mrs L Brackstone Registered inspector The Foundation Stage Geography History What sort of school is it? What should the school do to improve further? How well are pupils taught? How high are standards? a) the school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well is the school led and managed? 9652 Mr C Herbert Lay inspector How high are standards? b) Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with the parents? 30669 Mrs M Sandercock Team inspector English Art and design Music 10611 Mr M James Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology Physical education 7336 Mrs L Howard Team inspector Special educational needs Educational inclusion English as an additional language Science Information and communication technology Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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? 9 - 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Helen’s is a voluntary controlled primary school that caters for pupils aged four to 11. It is situated near Thornbury in South Gloucestershire and serves the villages of Alveston, Tytherington and Rudgeway. There are 263 pupils on the school roll, which is bigger than the average primary. There are slightly more boys than girls (141 compared to 122) which is particularly noticeable in Years 4, 5 and 6. Year groups vary considerably in size and consequently the nine classes are divided up on an annual basis depending on the numbers. The vast majority of pupils are of white British heritage. Although there are a very small number of pupils who use English as an additional language at home, none are at an early stage of language acquisition in school. Although only six per cent of families claim free school meals the number eligible is much higher and thus this criteria is not an accurate measure of judging the socio-economic status of the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils, which is average overall. Pupils come from a very wide range of backgrounds including privately owned houses and three small council estates. About ten per cent of pupils have special educational needs and this is less than the national average. Three per cent of pupils have statements of special educational needs and this is above the national average. Pupils with special educational needs experience moderate learning difficulties, speech and language problems, physical disabilities and emotional and behaviour issues. Children start school at the start of the academic term in which they will be five into either a mixed Foundation Stage and Year 1 class or a separate Foundation Stage class. Children start with levels of attainment that are broadly as expected and most have attended the pre-school situated in the school grounds. The vast majority of pupils transfer to the neighbouring beacon school of Marlwood. At the time of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

the inspection the acting headteacher, who is the substantive deputy headteacher, had been in post for three weeks, prior to the new headteacher starting at the beginning of the next academic year. This was because the previous headteacher had recently left to take up an advisory post in the local education authority. A temporary teacher was covering the substantive deputy headteacher’s class.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Currently, the school is being conscientiously steered by the acting headteacher who is very well supported by the acting deputy headteacher. It has recently been recognised with Investors in People and Department of Education awards for school improvement. Good quality teachers are well supported by effective non- teaching staff. This enables all pupils, including those with special educational needs, to make good progress, despite the high mobility rates in Years 4 to 6. The school currently provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• By the end of Year 6, standards in science and reading are above average. Standards in art and design and physical education are above national expectations. • The Foundation Stage curriculum is very well planned and the teaching for this age group is of a very high standard. • All pupils make good progress throughout the school because the overall quality of teaching is good and they are well cared for. • Pupils’ performance is tracked efficiently and good strategies are put into place to ensure that the school meets its targets. Procedures for checking progress in English and mathematics are good. • Provision for special educational needs is good. • The range of learning opportunities are good; provision for activities outside of lessons for pupils in Years 3 to 6 are of high quality and the community contributes well to pupils’ learning. • Parents are provided with very good quality information and they support the school well.

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What could be improved

• The attitudes and behaviour of a small number of pupils. • The role of the subject co-ordinator. • The use of homework to support pupils’ learning. • The judging and checking of achievement in all other subjects except English and mathematics. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 5

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in January 1998 and has made satisfactory progress since then. At the time of the last inspection standards in information and communication technology were judged to be below national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. The school has made good progress in this subject and standards are now as expected throughout the school. Weaknesses were noted in teacher challenge and expectations of work and this has improved satisfactorily. The report highlighted the need to formulate and implement strategies for checking and judging the quality of teaching and learning and the curriculum offered. A framework for checking teaching has been devised but this is not, as yet, being used to fully identify the strengths and weaknesses of the teachers. In addition to the key issues identified improvements in pupils’ progress have been made. The quality of teaching has remained good overall but is

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

now of very good quality in the Foundation Stage. Information for parents was considered satisfactory but is now a very good feature of the school. Parental involvement in the school remains high. At the time of the last inspection provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development was judged to be good but is now considered satisfactory because there are no consistent plans in place. Leadership and management were also reported to be good at the time of the last inspection. However, they are currently satisfactory as a result of the transition period between headteachers and the increased responsibilities required from governing bodies. The nature of the intake has changed and there are a small number of pupils who attend school from homes who are less than supportive. Consequently, although the attitudes, behaviour and personal development of the pupils are satisfactory overall, this judgement represents a decline since the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

last inspection when it was considered good. The previous report highlighted behaviour management as a strength but this is now only satisfactory because systems are inconsistent and there is no whole school approach to behaviour management. In the subjects of the curriculum other than English and mathematics, assessment is unsatisfactory, as it was at the time of the last inspection. At the start of the forthcoming academic year an experienced headteacher takes up post. Coupled with the dedication of the staff towards improvement, the school has a good capacity to succeed.

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

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Key

Children start school with standards in all areas of learning that are as expected for their age group. They make good progress in the Foundation Stage because the quality of teaching and learning is very good overall and curricular provision is of a very high standard. By the time that they are ready to start Year 1 of the National Curriculum they have exceeded nationally recommended levels in all areas of learning. Good teaching in Years 1 and 2 also enables the pupils to make good progress and, by the end of Year 2, standards in English, mathematics and science are above average. Pupils who started St Helen’s in the Reception class continue to make good progress in Years 3 to 6 and frequently attain above average results in the standardised tests. There are a significant number of pupils who enter St Helen’s in Years 4 to 6, many of whom have special educational needs or have transferred to enable them to attend the nearby

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Key

popular secondary school. These pupils also make good progress and many achieve the expected levels at the end of Year 6. Consequently, by the time that they reach the end of Year 6 standards are above average in science and reading. Overall standards in English and mathematics are average. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 6 Standards in physical education are above the nationally expected levels at the end of Years 2 and 6; swimming is of excellent quality and is as a consequence of regular use of their own school swimming pool. Very good standards in art and design are found at the end of Year 2 because the quality of teaching by a specialist in this year group is of very high quality. Art and design standards remain above the nationally agreed levels at the end of Year 6. Standards in design and technology, history, geography and music are in line with nationally expected levels at the end of Years 2 and 6. Standards in religious education at the

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Key

end of Years 2 and 6 are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils with special educational needs made good progress in relation to their prior attainment because they are taught well and provision is good. The school has set appropriate targets for improvement and is making good progress towards achieving them.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Satisfactory overall. Most pupils are enthusiastic about school and enjoy being involved in their activities. However, there are a small number of pupils who display negative attitudes and are disrespectful to their teachers. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Satisfactory overall. Most pupils behave themselves in lessons and around school. However, there are a small number of pupils who behave in an anti- social manner in their classrooms, in assemblies, in the dinner hall and during playtimes. Personal development and relationships Satisfactory overall. Most pupils respect each other’s feelings but a small number of pupils do not fully understand the impact of their anti-social behaviour on their teachers and classmates. Relationships within the school are satisfactory overall. Attendance Good. Attendance rates are above the national average and pupils are punctual.

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

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

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

The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is very good and is a strength of the school. Notable strengths are the very good understanding of the needs of this age group and high quality management strategies. All adults in the Foundation Stage have high expectations of behaviour and work and basic skills are taught consistently very well. This is ensured through rigorous planning, highly effective teaching methods and very thorough assessment procedures. All staff are deployed very well to promote learning skills and high quality resources enable the acquisition of knowledge and skills. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 to 6 is good. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and teach literacy and numeracy well. Lessons are well planned and pupils know what to do. A good range of teaching methods is used to maintain the interest of the pupils and these include

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

work as individuals, within pairs and groups and as whole class sessions. Lessons move at a good pace and this ensures that pupils are acquiring the appropriate skills. Good use is also made of support staff and an interesting range of resources. Pupils are managed well in Years 1 and 2 but at times teachers’ expectations of behaviour are not high enough in Years 3 to 6. Satisfactory use is made of praise to encourage pupils but the quality of marking is not consistent. Homework lacks consistency and is not used well enough to support learning. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well in class and this ensures that they are fully involved in lessons. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 7

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. Provision for the Foundation Stage is very good with a very high quality range of opportunities planned for these young children. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The needs of pupils are well met through individual education plans that identify short, measurable steps for progress. Provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Satisfactory overall. Appropriate opportunities are provided for the pupils to explore values and beliefs. A sense of community is fostered and they are developing an understanding of their own cultural heritage. However, provision to promote the pupils’ understanding of the difference between right and wrong behaviour is ineffective. Multicultural awareness is underdeveloped. How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school takes good care of its pupils and checks their personal

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Aspect Comment

and academic progress carefully in English and mathematics. However, assessments in all other subjects are weak and there is no whole school approach to behaviour management.

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Aspect Comment

The school works well with its parents and values the support given.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory overall. The acting headteacher and her deputy are steering the school well through an interim period between substantive headteachers. Subject management is well developed in some key areas but requires more in depth co-ordination in a number of the foundation subjects. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory overall. Governors are extremely supportive of the school and give their time willingly by sharing their expertise and helping in class. The committees meet regularly and discuss school planning issues. Whilst having a clear understanding of the strengths of the school, the governing body is just developing an awareness of its weaknesses. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. Effective tracking procedures have been recently devised and these are used to check individual pupils’ progress. National test results are

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Aspect Comment

carefully analysed and points for future improvement clearly identified. The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Governors have a satisfactory understanding of the principles of best value and apply it appropriately. However, they have just started to develop an awareness of the need to consult and compare using wider criteria.

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Aspect Comment

The overall number and match of staff are adequate. However, support for the Reception classes is inconsistent and specialist staff are not used to best effect in this age group. Accommodation is satisfactory overall; there are extensive playing fields and a swimming pool but the large number of mobile classrooms does not promote cohesive staff nor help with pupil movement and behaviour in and around the site. Learning resources are adequate. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 8

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • Teachers have high expectations. • Their children make good progress at school. • Teaching is good. • They feel comfortable approaching the school with problems or concerns. • The school helps their children to become mature and sensible. • Behaviour is good. • The range of activities outside of lessons. • Closer working relationships with the school. • More information available on the progress of their children. • The right amount of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with most of the positive views expressed by parents but cannot agree that the behaviour is consistently good. Inspectors agree that there are weaknesses in the amount and content of homework. The range of activities outside of lesson is good for Years 3 to 6. However, inspectors cannot agree with any of the other points they wish to see improved. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 9

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children start school with average skills in all areas of learning. They make good progress during their time in Reception and, by the time that they are ready to start Year 1 of the National Curriculum, they have attained above average standards. This is because the quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is very good and curricular provision is very rich. Good improvements in the children’s achievements have been made since the last inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Both boys and girls continue to make good progress in Years 1 and 2, which is a good improvement since the last inspection when it was considered satisfactory at this stage in their education. Over the past three years standards at the end of Year 2 have remained above the national average and this is a good feature of the school’s results. In the 2002 standardised tests pupils at the end of Year 2 attained well above the national standard in reading and writing and above average standards in mathematics. In comparison to similar schools standards were well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. There is no national test for science at the end of Year 2 but in teacher assessments standards were average. Inspection evidence confirms that standards in reading, writing and mathematics have been maintained at this good level. Standards in science have improved as a consequence of a whole school focus on this subject that has been led by a talented

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

subject manager. Pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2 because the quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and this ensures that their achievement is good in relation to prior attainment. Standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science have been maintained at a good level since the last inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Over the past three years standards at the end of Year 6 have exceeded the national average in English, mathematics and science. In the 2002 national tests at the end of Year 6 standards in science were above average and average in mathematics. However, standards in English were below average. This dip is explained by a significant number of pupils in this cohort who joined the school in Year 5 who had special educational needs, particularly in literacy skills. In comparison to similar schools standards in science were above average but below average in English and mathematics. Inspection findings indicate that standards in science in the current Year 6 have been well maintained and are still above average. Standards in mathematics remain average. However, there has been a good improvement in English, particularly in reading and standards are now average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The school has carefully tracked pupils through the school and it is clear from the information gathered that pupils who started St Helen’s in the Reception class continue to make good progress in Years 3 to 6 and frequently attain above average results in the standardised tests. It is also evident that the significant number of pupils who enter the school in Years 4 to 6 also make good progress in relation their prior attainment. For example, 30 per cent of the current Year 6 class had not attended St Helen’s since the Reception class. However, it is evident that they have made good progress in relation to their prior attainment on entry into school and many achieve the expected levels at the end of Year 6. Standards in Year 6 at the time of the last inspection were above average in English and mathematics and well above in science. However, these results reflect a change in the nature of the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

population rather than any relation to the quality of teaching and learning in the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Standards in physical education at the end of Years 2 and 6 are above the expected levels for these age groups. This is as a direct result of a good range of extra-curricular activities on offer to the older pupils. Standards in swimming are very high and this is because of the very good facilities available on site to teach this skill. Standards in art and design in Year 2 are well above national expectations because the quality of teaching and learning is very good in this subject in Years 1 and 2. Standards in art and design at the end of Year 6 remain above national expectations. This represents good improvement since the last inspection when standards were considered as expected at the end of Years 2 and 6 and progress was judged to be satisfactory. Standards in information and communication technology were considered to be below the nationally recommended levels. However, since the last inspection good improvements have been made and standards are now as

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

expected at the end of Years 2 and 6. This has been successfully achieved through the installation of St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 10 a dedicated suite and extensive staff training. Standards in design and technology, history, geography and music are as expected for pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6. At the time of the last inspection standards were judged to be good in history but the slight decline in standards is as a result of the need to introduce literacy and numeracy consistently throughout the school. Standards in religious education in both Years 2 and 6 meet the expected levels of the locally agreed syllabus.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy are of a good standard and are used well to promote standards in subject areas across the curriculum. For instance, literacy and numeracy skills are used well to support geography, science and information and communication technology lessons. This was particularly evident in the local field study work being undertaken in Years 5 and 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their specific attainment on entry into school. This is because their needs are quickly identified and are swiftly met through high quality planning and effective support.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils make good progress throughout the school because of the good quality of teaching and the dedication of all staff. The school sets realistic targets that fully include and challenge all pupils. All pupils achieve well in relation to the targets set for them. Overall, the school adds good value to its pupils’ education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Children in the Reception classes have very good attitudes and they behave well. Through the very good care and support they receive from staff, children settle quickly into classroom routines and are happy and eager to be involved in a wide range of learning activities. Overall pupils in Years 1 to 6 have satisfactory attitudes to school and to their learning and their behaviour in and around school is also satisfactory. However, there are a small number of boys and girls, particularly in Years 3 to 6 whose attitudes and behaviour are unsatisfactory. The relationships between pupils and each other and between pupils and adults are also satisfactory overall. Pupils have not maintained the good attitudes and standards of behaviour that were evident at the last inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The pupils’ behaviour and attitude to learning are satisfactory overall. There is a considerable difference in the quality of this aspect of school life across the school. For example, in Years 1 and 2 the attitudes and behaviour of pupils were good or better in the vast majority of lessons. However in Years 3 to 6 the attitudes and behaviour of the pupils were satisfactory overall. In a small number of lessons in the upper end of the school the attitudes and behaviour of pupils were judged as unsatisfactory. This reflects the impact of the unsatisfactory provision for moral development and the lack of a whole school policy for behaviour. Occasionally, a small number of pupils in these lessons were allowed to get away with inappropriate behaviour such as swinging on their chairs, fiddling with pencils and rulers and calling out in an insolent and unacceptable way. This created a restless and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

unacceptable environment for learning. Where good behaviour management was evident there was a purposeful atmosphere in class with a good learning ethos. Standards of behaviour in the playground, in the dining hall at lunchtime or in assembly are also satisfactory overall. However, noise levels in the dining hall were allowed to rise to unacceptable levels and the behaviour of a few older pupils was inappropriate. There was no indication of any racist behaviour during the inspection and there have been no exclusions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Relationships between all members of the school community are satisfactory overall. The majority of pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong and always show respect towards each other and all members of the school community. There was no evidence of graffiti or vandalism in or around school and pupils take satisfactory care of the accommodation. The quality of these relationships has a positive impact on pupils’ learning, as they are all included in all school activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. The opportunities for pupils to take responsibility in school are satisfactory. Pupils enjoy taking responsibility for setting up and working the overhead projector prior to assembly. Additionally, class representatives are elected to sit on the school council where they discuss a variety of issues such as playground activities. Other pupils take the registers to the school office. Additionally, more senior pupils organise games for the school fairs in the summer and at Christmas and run the school café. Year 6 pupils are given the opportunity to enjoy a residential visit to the Forest of Dean. The St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 11 lunchtime gardening club gives pupils the opportunity to be involved in the planting out of flowers and tomato plants. Pupils are also aware of the needs of those less fortunate than themselves and make generous donations each year to a variety of local charities. For example, tinned fruit is sent to

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

charities supporting the homeless in Bristol and pupils raise money for Shelter, Christian Aid, Comic Relief, Blue Peter appeals and Cancer Research. These opportunities have a satisfactory impact on the personal development of pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils with special educational needs have satisfactory attitudes to work, most participate in activities and discuss confidently within group settings. Relationships are satisfactory and most pupils with special educational needs enjoy coming to school. Pupils with emotional and behaviour difficulties are generally well supported and this enables them to take a full part in lessons.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. The attendance of pupils to school continues to be good and above the national average. The rate of unauthorised absence is broadly in line with the national average. Punctuality to school is good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good and has been well maintained since the last inspection. However, no unsatisfactory lessons were observed during this inspection and this is an improvement since the last inspection when a small amount of unsatisfactory teaching was observed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is consistently very good and has improved considerably since the last inspection when it was considered to be satisfactory. Subject knowledge is excellent and all adults involved with these children fully understand their needs. Lessons are presented very well with staff ensuring that the prepared activities are both interesting and exciting, but yet firmly rooted in the Foundation curriculum. This was evident in an excellent session in the information and communication technology suite where the teacher successfully developed all of the areas of learning in the Foundation Stage curriculum, enabling the children to have a very good knowledge of their own learning. During this lesson the children used a program on the computer to draw butterflies, which they identified as ‘symmetrical’ . They developed their physical skills as they used the ‘mouse’ as a control and required careful co-ordination as they moved their

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

cursor around the screen. After their picture was completed the children were then required to write about how the butterflies had changed from caterpillars and this developed their writing, spelling and scientific skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are excellently taught in a manner that appeals to these youngsters. For instance, at snack time the children are encouraged to ‘buy’ their milk using pretend amounts of money. This successfully reinforces their numeracy skills in a very practical and realistic manner. Literacy skills are also very well promoted in the Foundation Stage through the use of very good quality storybooks as a staring point for a learning project, such as ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ , which appeals to young children. Teaching is very well planned to meet the needs of children of all abilities. Regular assessments take place and these are used very well to inform planning. This results in all groups of children being appropriately challenged. Specific activities are also included in both daily and weekly planning and this ensures that they work at an appropriate pace to suit their needs. Very high quality strategies are employed in teaching, notably the use of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

first hand experiences and the use of appropriate language. For example, everyday situations are set up, such as working in the ‘Garden Centre’ , where staff involve themselves in role-play to support and develop language and social skills. There is plenty of purposeful involvement with children and use of structured play activities suitable for the age group. Imaginative approaches capture the interest of the children and maintain their motivation.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The learning support assistants spend limited time in the Foundation Stage, but when available, they make a very valuable contribution to the quality of children’s learning and progress. Management of the children is consistently very good and this has a positive impact on their learning. All adults are consistently very clear about the behaviour that is to be expected. Children’s learning is very good and all ability groups do well in relation to their capabilities and their previous learning. Children are encouraged to take reading books home to share with their parents and this promotes close links with the parents. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 12 19. The overall quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 to 6 is good. Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure and this enables the pupils to systematically acquire and understand the relevant skills. The teaching of both literacy and numeracy is good and the national strategies are used well to teach

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

these skills consistently. Lesson planning in Years 1 to 6 is good. Daily planning is very detailed with national planning documents used for literacy and numeracy. Learning objectives are clearly identified in each lesson and shared with the pupils to help them understand what skills they are acquiring. Good use is made of a wide range of teaching methods. For example, pupils work individually, in pairs and in whole class sessions. This was evident in a Year 4/5 lesson where the teacher made good use of ‘talking partners’ to ensure that the pupils were involved in their learning. Time is generally used well. For example, in a good Year 1/2 literacy lesson the pupils worked at a good pace in the information and communication technology suite using an interesting program to identify ‘ee’ and ‘ea’ sounds within a list of words. In a good numeracy lesson in Year 5/6 the teacher used their recent geography field study trip to Thornbury to develop their data-handling skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Consequently, this one session was successfully used to develop numeracy, geographical and information and communication technology skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Pupils are interested in their learning when teacher expectations are high. For example, in a Year 2 geography session the teacher made very good use of questioning to challenge the intellectual skills of the pupils. On the other hand, in a lesson observed with older pupils the task set was not fully challenging because they had covered the work previously and were not stimulated by the content of the lesson. Teacher expectations of behaviour are good in Years 1 and 2 but are variable in Years 3 to 6. For instance in a Year 3/4 geography lesson the teacher was very pro-active in her management of the pupils. Consequently, the lesson moved at a fast pace because the pupils fully understood the implications and consequences of any weak behaviour. On the other hand, a number of lessons were observed in the upper end of the school where pupil management was inconsistent and insufficiently rigorous. As a result, at times pupils were not fully concentrating on their studies

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and this led to weak attitudes and some incidents of unsatisfactory behaviour.

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21. Relationships between teachers and their classes in Years 1 to 6 are generally good. Much verbal praise is provided to encourage and motivate the pupils. However, this is not extended to ensure that the pupils fully understand what they need to do next to improve their learning. The marking of books is inconsistent throughout the school and it is evident that systematic monitoring of this has not taken place. In Years 4 and 5 there is evidence that pupils are provided with evaluative comments to help them improve, but this is not consistent throughout the school. Homework is unsatisfactory overall. Pupils in Year 1 and 2 are given regular spellings to learn and reading books are taken home to share with parents. However, there is no consistent format for this and parents are unsure when to expect the work to be done at home. Homework is inconsistent in Years 3 to 6 and it is evident that

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it is not planned in a systematic manner, which is made clear to all concerned.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Support from classroom assistants is good and they work closely with class teachers to ensure that all pupils are fully included in all activities. However, the management of their time within the classes is inconsistent and this leads to situations where classes are either understaffed, such as in the Reception class, or overstaffed if pupils, who are funded for individual support, are absent.

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23. The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs is good throughout the school and enables them to make good gains in their learning. The requirements of individual education plans are built into daily activities and staff ensure that support is given to meet individual and group needs. This ensures that all pupils are fully integrated into the life of the school community and that all develop good levels of self-confidence.

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PUPILS?

24. The curriculum provided by the school is good. It provides a rich and balanced curriculum that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and of the guidelines for religious education for pupils aged five to 11. The curriculum for the children in the Foundation Stage is very good and provides them with a stimulating range of learning experiences. At the time of the last inspection there were no schemes of work in place for each subject. However, this has been rectified and national guidelines are used to ensure a consistent approach to skills development. The school has St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 13 satisfactory policies in place to teach about the misuse of drugs and other substances and for sex education, supported by lessons for personal, social and health education. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have some planned opportunities for personal, social and cultural development whilst the pupils in

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Years 3 to 6 are taught this in class assembly times.

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25. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been introduced well and long term planning for mathematics and English is satisfactory. The reinforcement of the teaching of literacy and numeracy through other subjects is good throughout the school. For instance, although not introduced to the school as soon as in other schools, the National Literacy Strategy is now securely embedded in the practice of the school and is beginning to have an impact in raising standards. Pupils use their writing and reading skills across the whole curriculum. Good use is made of these skills, with pupils using strategies like listing, note taking, information writing and report writing to record their work. Good opportunities are made in every subject for pupils to express their views and to listen critically and objectively to others. Teachers’ questioning ensures that pupils’ confidence and skills develop

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well. Discussions are well used in subjects like geography, music and art and design and generally, pupils use these opportunities well, though good practice in managing these sessions with established and consistent rules needs to be shared.

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PUPILS?

26. The school has reviewed planning and development to ensure that the curriculum offers a wide range of opportunities that meet pupils’ learning needs and aptitudes. This is particularly difficult when some classes are of mixed age pupils. Even with planning for units of work through a two-year cycle some pupils occasionally do not cover all the work they should. This is because the numbers in Years 3 to 6 fluctuate and time spent in the upper part of the school varies. The school is aware of this and is working hard to solve this problem. Curricular planning is achieved through satisfactory half-termly and weekly planning. These help to ensure that pupils learn appropriately for their age and ability. Additionally, there is targeted support for small groups of pupils whose standards do not quite reach the nationally expected ones in English and mathematics. The provision for pupils with special

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PUPILS?

educational needs is good. This is because the identification process for pupils with such needs is clearly understood by staff and the individual education plans for these pupils are well written with appropriate attainable targets. Work planned for them helps meet their targets and they are well supported by teaching assistants in class. They make good progress in lessons.

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PUPILS?

27. The school has satisfactory links with the local secondary school that help pupils transfer to the next stage of their education. More capable pupils attend problem-solving courses and there is a well- established induction programme. Links with local primary schools are also satisfactory. There are good links with the pre-school on the same site whose pupils usually transfer to the main school. They visit the school, attend an assembly and have a stall at the summer fete. Links with the community that contribute to pupils’ learning are good. The school enters enthusiastically into all church and village activities and in turn they are very supportive of the school. A local hotel recently gave the school £1,000 to buy new televisions and CD players. The church is used well by the school as a learning resource as well as for services and celebrations. Several pupils sing in the church choir.

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PUPILS?

28. The curriculum is greatly enriched for the pupils by a range of visits and visitors. The theatres, museums and art galleries in the nearby city of Bristol are well used to widen and deepen pupils’ knowledge. Pupils travel further afield to Willsbridge Hall and Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust for environmental scientific work and to Tudor Lodge and Clevedon to support history topics. The local police and fire service help the school’s life skills programme. The pupils raise money for cancer research and Rumanian children through activities such as Comic Relief, a mufti day and a toy sale. Local residents recall their experiences of the past and pupils interview others to find out their views on the increasing traffic congestion. There is a good range of extra-curricular clubs, particularly for pupils in Years 3 to 6. These include sports, art, gardening and information and communication technology activities.

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29. The schools provision for equality of opportunity is satisfactory. Half of the junior pupils have instrumental lessons from peripatetic music staff. Some lessons take place before and after school, in break and lunchtimes. However, the vast majority take place during school lessons. The school has not developed a strategy that ensures pupils do not always miss the same part of the same lesson for a whole year. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 14 30. The ethos of the school stresses its Christian foundation and provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory and has been maintained since the last inspection. There are opportunities within school and class assemblies for pupils to reflect upon the content of the occasion, though these are not stressed enough. There are too few opportunities for spiritual development planned in the curriculum for most pupils, though children in the Foundation Stage are

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given many relevant opportunities to wonder at the natural world.

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31. Provision for pupils’ moral development is unsatisfactory and has declined since the last inspection when it was considered very good. Pupils are expected to understand the consequences of their actions upon others and the difference between right and wrong, but too little time is spent directly discussing these issues and getting pupils, especially the oldest ones, to confront their own actions. Pupils are told how not to behave but too little emphasis is put on why. Consequently some pupils do not understand exactly why their actions are unacceptable, nor the distress they cause to others. Pupils, again especially the oldest ones, do not show respect to adults, constantly misbehaving in a very wearing, low-level way during lessons. They reluctantly conform when told, for example, to ‘stop talking, pay attention, sit up!’ but immediately the teacher’s attention moves away they continue talking, look elsewhere and slide down in their seats. Sometimes this constant need to remind pupils

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of the rudimentary rules of polite behaviour slows the lesson and therefore the rate of learning for all the pupils.

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32. Provision for social development is satisfactory. At the time of the last inspection it was considered very good and this is a significant decline since then. There are opportunities for the oldest pupils to look after younger pupils in the playground through the playground friends scheme. Year 6 pupils read with those in Year 3 and both groups say they enjoy and learn from the experience. Two pupils from each class represent their peers on the school council, but this is still at an early stage of development and its impact on the life of pupils is limited. Each class offers opportunities for pupils to exercise responsibility through monitor jobs within the class. Most pupils are able to work together in small groups. Older pupils do not find it easy to talk to visitors and are socially gauche. Respect for school property is not embedded in pupils’ behaviour especially when playing outside.

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PUPILS?

33. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory overall. This represents a decline since the last inspection when it was judged to be good. There are good opportunities for the pupils to learn about the culture of Great Britain, but too few for them to learn about the vibrant, multicultural city a few miles away. Good use is made of the museums, art galleries, theatres and the religious education resource centre in Bristol to help pupils understand their place in the world and their unique British inheritance. However, music and art studied in the curriculum do not embrace a wide range of time and place. Pupils learn about the major religions of the world in their religious education lessons, but only visit the local Anglican Church. The important Christian festivals of Christmas and Easter are regularly celebrated and the Hindu festival of Divali has been celebrated. Visitors from

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other religions such as Judaism have shared their beliefs with the pupils. However, there is a lack of recognition of people of other ethnic heritage in displays, book stock and written language, though seven per cent of the pupils come from such backgrounds.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The school continues to provide a high level of care for the emotional and physical needs of its pupils. This view is shared by parents who spoke about the caring ethos of the school at their meeting. There are good procedures in place for the promotion and monitoring of attendance. However, the procedures to promote and monitor behaviour and to eliminate oppressive behaviour are unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school maintains appropriate records for first aid, fire drills, accident recording and the contact of family and friends in case of an emergency. Good procedures exist to ensure swimming pool safety. The procedures for child protection are effective and the designated teacher ensures that all members of staff have an appropriate understanding of it. The school looks after pupils well at dinnertime and in the playground but the midday supervisors do not always ensure that noise levels and behaviour in the hall are appropriate. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 15 36. The governing body takes its responsibility for health and safety seriously through its site and security committee and the school reacted very quickly to rectify a safety concern, which was pointed out during the inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school promotes and monitors attendance well. The impact of this is that attendance rates have remained above the national average since the last inspection. However, the procedures for the promotion of good behaviour and for eliminating oppressive behaviour are unsatisfactory and are the result of the unsatisfactory provision of moral development across the school. The absence of a whole school behaviour policy also means that there is nothing on which to base a consistent application of behaviour management.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The procedures for monitoring personal development are satisfactory. Pupils receive individual support and their progress through the school is recorded well in their records of achievement. All members of staff have a good awareness of each child’s strengths and weaknesses and plan to enable each child to make as much progress as possible to achieve realistic targets. The overall procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress are satisfactory. In English and mathematics the procedures are good and they have improved since the previous inspection. The use made of the information gained from these procedures, in these subjects, is also good. Assessments are undertaken at the end of suitable topics or units of work and teachers keep detailed records of pupils' current attainment, as well as the progress they have made. This assessment information is used effectively to ensure that pupils are provided with work that is suited to their

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

particular needs, with pupils regularly being presented with a varying range of activities, in English and mathematics.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Procedures for monitoring pupils' progress through the school, in these subjects, are good. The school possesses considerable evidence about the attainment of pupils, both from its own procedures and through the information provided by the national and optional tests. This information is carefully used to plot the progress that pupils have made. It is also used to set targets for pupils in English and mathematics, relating to future improvement.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. In the subjects of the curriculum other than English and mathematics, assessment is unsatisfactory, as it was at the time of the last inspection. Opportunities are sometimes listed in teachers' planning and general evaluations are occasionally produced at the end of units of work. However, at present practice is inconsistent. Where they exist, these evaluations do not provide enough information about the performance of individual pupils, to identify either their present attainment or the progress they have made. Few other records are kept. The information is also inadequate to help in the planning of new work that is suited to pupils' particular requirements.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school is effective in identifying children with learning difficulties when they start school and ensures their needs are met. Teachers review pupils' targets, which are of good quality, on their individual education plans regularly. The special educational needs co-ordinator receives information about any child new to the school and is able to identify any concerns. These are shared with the pupil's teacher and the necessary support given to ensure that the pupils are given good care. The school has developed appropriate links with other agencies to ensure that pupils receive as much support as possible but does not receive help from the behavioural support team to gain advice on how best their needs can be met within the school. They know each of the pupils extremely well and the school is successful in caring for pupils who are known to need particular attention and for whom the school needs to be particularly vigilant. This is endorsed by the school’s commitment to

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inclusion. Provision for pupils who have statements is good and the school ensures that all other agencies, as outlined in their statements, are fully involved. Annual reviews of the statements are appropriately completed and again all agencies involved with the pupils either attend the review or submit reports.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The school promotes itself well to its parents and those who responded to the questionnaire or who attended the meeting had positive views about most aspects of school life. Parents hold St Helen’s School in high esteem. The quality of information provided for parents is very good. The school has maintained the high quality of this aspect of school life since the last inspection. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 16 43. The contribution of parents to school life is good. A significant number of parents help out in school on a regular basis in a variety of roles and many more provide effective support for visits into the community. The school also benefits from an active and hard working parent-teacher association. Parents are very supportive of the variety of activities that are planned and some of the money raised from these events has been used to build the pergola and quiet area and to provide bark for the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The information provided by the school is very good. Annual reports on pupils’ progress are very informative and they include appropriate targets to enable pupils to make further progress. Similarly, the weekly newsletters are very informative and attractively designed for easy reading.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are always invited to play a full part in the special educational needs process. They are encouraged to attend review meetings to discuss their children’s individual education plan. Parents of statemented pupils attend and contribute well to the annual reviews.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school values all the support given by its parents and it has a good impact on pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. Both the acting headteacher and her temporary deputy are steering the highly committed staff well through an interim period between substantive headteachers. All staff are extremely dedicated and share a common vision, which enables them to work closely together as a team. The school aims to develop independence, strong values, respect cultural identities and encourage tolerance and fairness; these are satisfactorily met.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The delegation of staff with management responsibilities is satisfactory overall with a number of good features. The extremely conscientious assessment co-ordinator has recently developed a system that tracks pupils progress in English and mathematics as they move through the school. She has been actively involved in analysing test papers and provides detailed information for her colleagues. The co-ordinator for the Foundation Stage is an excellent practitioner who leads by example. She has worked very hard planning a suitable curriculum and has an outstanding vision for the needs of the youngest children in school. Co-ordinators are talented practitioners in their specific areas of responsibility and promote their subjects well. Each subject co-ordinator manages a budget and all have a good awareness of available resources in school. The English co-ordinator, who is also the substantive deputy headteacher and acting headteacher, has displayed good practice by analysing

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the national test results in her subject. In her role as a senior manager she also has an understanding of overall standards in English. However, all other co-ordinators have a limited understanding of standards in their subject areas throughout the school and this is a weakness. The substantive deputy headteacher, who has been in post for five terms, has not been fully involved in the management of the school until just prior to the inspection. As a result, her knowledge of management issues is at an early stage of development. The staff are truly committed to the success of the school; the interim senior management team are eager and keen to move the school forward and there is a good capacity to succeed.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The co-ordinator is very experienced and all the paperwork is well organised. The requirements of the Code of Practice are fully met. There is a good special education needs policy, which endorses the school's commitment to the full inclusion of all pupils. The special education needs co-ordinator effectively monitors the targets on the individual education plans and the overall provision for pupils with special educational needs. The school supplements the special educational needs budget which is spent on high quality learning support assistants who have been well trained. However, the management of their deployment is less effective. The governing body is well informed about the special needs provision in the school through regular meetings between the special educational needs co-ordinator and the designated governor.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The governing body is extremely supportive of the school and governors are very proud of its caring ethos. They share their professional expertise willingly and a small number of governors help in St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 17 school on a day-to-day basis. The governing body fulfils its responsibilities satisfactorily. The school prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents meet requirements and there is an appropriate committee structure. Satisfactory strategies are in place for checking the performance of the headteacher and school planning issues are discussed thoroughly. The governing body is very clear about the strengths of the school, but is just starting to develop an understanding of its weaknesses. For example, there has not been an awareness of the underlying reasons for the problems with the attitudes and behaviour of a small number of pupils. The governing body is aware of the need to

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

provide value for money and appropriately applies the principles of competition and challenge to different levels of service and quality of product used. However, their use of consultation and discussion with the pupils, parents and wider community is limited.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The monitoring, evaluation and development of teaching are satisfactory. A suitable framework for checking and judging teaching has been recently devised, but is yet to be used effectively to identify the strengths and weaknesses of various methods. In addition to this the school has not developed opportunities for subject co-ordinators to watch their colleagues teach so that strategies for effective teaching can be shared. This was identified as a weakness in the previous report.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school development plan is a detailed document for the coming year and identifies the main tasks that will be undertaken and highlights where money will be spent. The governors are clear about the tasks included on the plan and have a suitable awareness of how the areas identified for improvement will be evaluated. There is also an overview of priorities to be considered in the future but procedures for these strategies need to be budgeted for over a longer period of time.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school has an appropriate programme for the performance management of staff. There is a committee that meets annually to review the performance of the headteacher and this is satisfactorily carried out. The areas identified for teachers are linked to priorities in whole school planning as well as personal issues highlighted for improvement. There are suitable systems in place for the induction of staff new to the school and newly qualified teachers are well supported. All staff are aware of their duties and responsibilities, carrying them out in a committed and enthusiastic manner.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The budget plan is appropriately linked to areas detailed in the school development plan. The governing body has regular reports about how the budget is spent and members of the finance committee meet on a regular basis to discuss issues as they arise. Recommendations from the most recent audit report have been successfully implemented. The school administrator and her clerical assistant manage the day-to-day financial and administration affairs of the school very well. Procedures concerning invoices, statements and budget figures are accurately and efficiently dealt with through the expert use of new technology systems.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. There is a satisfactory match of qualified teaching and support staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. The teaching of music is enhanced by the very good provision of peripatetic specialists. However, the allocation of support staff is not as effective as it could be. For example, provision staff in the Reception class is minimal and yet the experienced nursery nurse is not used to support this age group. In addition to this there are a number of classes where support staff could be deployed more effectively.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The adequacy of accommodation is satisfactory overall. The presence of an on-site swimming pool ensures very good provision for the teaching of physical education. Additionally, the two adventure playgrounds allow pupils the opportunity for stimulating play. The caretaker and his staff are very effective members of the school community and they ensure that the school is well looked after. Learning resources are also satisfactory overall. However, the provision of multicultural books in the school library is limited. St Helen’s C of E Primary School - 18

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