Norwood Primary School

NORWOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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NORWOOD 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. Norwood Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Gunthorpe Road Peterborough

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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 Jackson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19 January 1998 Norwood Primary School - 4

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Team members

24326 Mrs M Fitzpatrick Registered inspector 9189 Mr J Horwood Lay inspector 22274 Miss V Rogers Team inspector

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Team members

Cambridge Education Associates Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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 Norwood Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Norwood is about of average size for a primary school, with 204 pupils aged from four to 11 years. The school community is predominantly white European, with fewer than five per cent of pupils from mixed heritages. There are no pupils with English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils eligible for free schools meals is below the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is below average and there is one pupil with a statement of special educational needs, which is below average. The attainment of pupils on entry to the school fluctuates but is generally above average. The school has more higher attaining pupils than are usually found in schools of this type.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school which has many strengths. The quality of teaching is very good leading to high standards, especially in English, mathematics, science, art and design, design and technology and music. The school’s performance in National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 6 is very high, placing the school in the top five per cent of schools nationally. The school is very well led and managed by a highly committed and expert headteacher who has a very clear focus on achieving high standards within a secure and happy learning environment. He is well supported by the expertise of the deputy headteacher and subject managers. Taking into account the high standards achieved by pupils and the very good provision for learning, the school gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards are very high in English, mathematics and science, art and design and design and technology and music; overall pupils achieve very well. • The quality of teaching is very good; learning support assistants make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. • The headteacher provides very good leadership for the development of the school. • Curricular provision is very good; it goes well beyond what is expected and provides very well for pupils’ learning. • The behaviour, attitudes and personal development of pupils are very good overall; pupils form very good relationships with their peers and with adults. • The support and guidance provided by the school are very good, ensuring that pupils are well known to their teachers and that their needs are met. • Provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is very good. It underpins the school’s very good ethos.

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What could be improved

• Planning for the progressive development of pupils’ speaking and listening. • Classroom accommodation for pupils in Years 3 to 6 and the space for the library. • Links with a few parents who are not fully aware of the high quality provision that the school offers. 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 made very good improvement since it was last inspected in January 1998. All of the key issues identified then have been successfully dealt with. Teaching in design and technology and information and communication technology have been improved and pupils’ learning in these subjects is now good. The school’s development plan has improved and is now a detailed document covering all aspects of school improvement and including criteria against which to measure the success of actions. The homework policy makes clear what pupils are expected to do at home and all parents are given a copy. Higher attaining pupils are well challenged in lessons and this is reflected in the very high proportion of pupils who reach the higher levels in national tests. The school has sustained its high performance in national tests since the previous inspection and consistently performs much better than similar schools. Since the previous inspection the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

school has developed its own systems for self –evaluation. These are known and understood by staff, and governors have had training in those aspects of school evaluation which form part of their role. The result is that there is a high level of understanding and involvement in school improvement amongst all involved with the work of the school. Given this, together with the headteacher’s very good leadership, the school is in a very good Norwood Primary School - 7 position to continue to improve and raise standards. The school has set ambitious targets, based on a detailed knowledge of what pupils can do, for the national tests in 2003 and is on course to meet these.

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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

2000 2001 2002 2002 very high A* English B B A* A well above average above average A B Mathematics A A A* A average below average C D Science A* A A* A well below average E

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Key

The performance of Year 6 pupils in the national tests in 2002 places the school in the top five per cent of schools nationally. The pupils who sat these tests had made exceptional progress since they were tested in Year 2. Their performance was well above that of pupils in similar schools. 1 The school has sustained high standards in these tests for the last four years. Standards in the current Year 6 are well above the national average in these subjects. This is because the teacher expects pupils to work hard and perform well and teaching is geared to provide the right level of challenge to pupils of all abilities. In all subjects pupils achieve well because teachers plan well and have the same high expectations. Pupils do particularly well in art and design, where skills are progressively taught throughout the school and pupils are given good opportunities to practise them. They also do very well in music, either as singers or instrumentalists, because of the school’s

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Key

very good provision for the subject. The performance of pupils in Year 2 in the 2002 national tests was well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards in the current Year 2 are similarly high in these subjects. In other subjects standards are good and particularly so in art and design and design and technology, because the skills are well taught and pupils have exciting opportunities to develop and refine them. Children in the Reception class are on course to reach the expected standard in all areas of learning and a significant number will exceed the expectation. They are very well taught and the provision is designed to develop their independence and confidence in their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils show a great enthusiasm for learning from the earliest age. They relish the challenges that teachers set.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall. It is very good in many classes and around the school. In assemblies it is exemplary.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils quickly develop independence and an awareness of the needs of others. They form very good relationships which create a very good climate for learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Above the national average, reflecting the pupils’ enthusiasm for school.

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

1 Schools with a similar percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Norwood Primary School - 8 Quality of teaching Very good Very 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 quality of teaching and learning are strengths of the school, particularly in the Foundation Stage, Years 1 and 2 and Year 6. Teaching in English and mathematics is very strong and pupils make good progress in their basic skills of literacy and numeracy as a result. They are able to apply these skills well to their learning in across the curriculum. Teaching in science is similarly strong, with a good emphasis on pupils learning through observation and investigation. Teaching in art and design and design and technology is notable because of the attention that teachers pay to developing skills and giving pupils ample opportunities to practise and refine them. In other subjects, pupils’ learning is good because teachers plan interesting activities and they expect pupils to work hard. In the Foundation Stage teaching is of a consistently very high standard. Planning for learning is imaginative and based on a very good knowledge of the pupils’ needs. There is very good

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

emphasis on developing the children’s independence so that they are soon able to direct themselves in many activities and make sensible choices about what they do. The teacher’s very detailed planning ensures that the learning support assistant and adult volunteers are very well supported in the work they do with the children.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. Planning is of a very high quality. There are many opportunities for pupils to extend their learning beyond the classroom and learn from visiting experts.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils make very good progress because of the careful planning by teachers and learning support assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Pupils are given many opportunities to develop their independence, to learn about the culture and beliefs of others, to develop an understanding of the importance of sharing and supporting, and to distinguish right from wrong. The ethos created by pupils’ mature personal development makes a great contribution to learning.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. There are thorough systems to ensure pupils’ health, well-being and sense of security. Teachers use very good assessment procedures to track pupils’ progress and they use the information from assessment to ensure that pupils are provided with good levels of challenge in their work.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good leadership from the headteacher, who has high expectations of all staff. The deputy headteacher provides very good leadership through the quality of her own work and by giving very good support to colleagues.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good involvement in all aspects of the school’s development. Governors have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and the ability to contribute well to its strategic development. They ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school has very good systems for self-evaluation and for evaluating its performance compared with that of other schools. Teachers are made aware of the outcomes of the school’s evaluations.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of Very good. The school’s development plan is sharply focused on raising Norwood Primary School - 9 resources standards. Spending decisions are based on this and the outcomes of spending are evaluated against their impact on standards. The school is very good at securing best value in what it buys and in its use of resources. The large carry forward in the budget has been spent on improving the school’s facilities in the last year.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• That their children like school, work hard and achieve their best. • That their children make good progress. • That behaviour in the school is good. • That the teaching is good. • That the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • That the school is well led and managed. • The amount of homework that is set for their children. • The information they get on their children’s progress. • How closely the school works with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team fully agrees with parents’ positive views about the school. Homework provision is judged to be good overall, though the school should continue to monitor homework to ensure that it matches the school’s expectations of what pupils should do. The information parents receive on their children’s progress is more than is usually seen in schools of this type and the school has an open access policy for parents who have concerns or seek information about their children. There are a few parents who feel they do not have close links with the school. The inspection team accepts that the school should develop better links with these parents so that they are fully aware of the high quality provision that the school provides. The school development plan identifies consultation with parents as a priority in the coming year. Norwood Primary School - 10

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and technology and music; overall pupils achieve very well

1. Standards achieved by pupils in Year 6 in the National Curriculum tests are very high compared with the national average and well above the average of similar schools. This high performance has been sustained for the last four years in English, mathematics and science. The trend of improvement has kept pace with the national trend. A notable feature of the school’s results when pupils are in Year 6 is the high proportion of pupils who reach the higher level in these tests. In the 2002 tests this proportion was almost double the national average in each of the subjects. Results are of a similar high standard at the end of Year 2, where pupils’ performance in the national tests in 2002, placed the school well above the national average. There is no significant difference in the performance of girls and boys in the tests.

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and technology and music; overall pupils achieve very well

2. Standards in English, mathematics and science are high in all classes. The school has very effectively used the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to guide teachers’ planning. However, teachers go well beyond the strategies in their planning to meet the needs of all pupils. They are particularly effective in providing challenging work for higher attaining pupils. Standards in the current Year 6 are well above the national expectation. Pupils read with very good understanding, are able to discuss the books of their favourite authors and explain why they like their work. They write with good structure and a clear sense of whom they are writing for. They make their writing vivid by using well-chosen words from a wide vocabulary. In mathematics their work is of a similar high standard. Pupils have very good mental agility with number because of the regular mental challenges they meet in mathematics lessons. They have

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and technology and music; overall pupils achieve very well

very good understanding of all aspects of mathematics and show a good application of strategies they have learned to solving everyday problems. In science standards are well above the expectation for their age. Pupils have very good knowledge in all areas of science. They are able to deduct and hypothesise about what might happen during experiments because they have had frequent opportunities to develop these skills. The range and presentation of their work in science are particularly noteworthy. They record the findings of their investigations in a variety of ways, such as report writing, which is clear and concise, tables, diagrams and graphs. Often, they use information and communication technology to record or to collate their findings. The standard of work in the books of higher attaining pupils in Year 6 is very high indeed.

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and technology and music; overall pupils achieve very well

3. In art and design, pupils reach a standard well above what is expected for their age by Year 2 and Year 6. This is because from the time they join the school they are taught skills of observation and techniques for mixing and applying colour. These skills are progressively built upon, as pupils progress through the school, so that the work they do is always underpinned by a good understanding of the techniques they use. Pupils are also given frequent opportunities to practise these skills because art and design work is linked to many subjects, especially English, science and history. In Year 1 pupils produced outstanding work with pastel and crayon when they drew fruits for their work on healthy eating. In Year 6, pupils captured the work of various famous artists in their work on portraits. Their close observation of how these artists had created their effects was evident in the high quality of their own

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and technology and music; overall pupils achieve very well

work. Pupils work in design and technology is of a similar high standard, with very good attention to design and skills evident in the work seen for all years. Pupils show a great love of music, both in their singing in assemblies as well as in their attention and participation in music lessons. Because of this they reach high standards. The school’s very good provision for instrumental tuition means that a high proportion of pupils, almost half of the school, play a musical instrument. The school’s delightful music assembly demonstrated pupils’ enjoyment of performance in music and the high standards that had been achieved through the hard work and dedication of pupils and staff.

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contribution to pupils’ learning

4. Teaching seen during inspection was very good overall. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen and the quality of teaching in some classes was consistently very high and on a few occasions outstanding. All teachers show a strong commitment to making learning accessible and fun for their pupils. They are able to do this because of their good subject knowledge and expertise and because they plan learning Norwood Primary School - 11 activities very carefully. A strength of teachers’ planning is the use that they make of their assessment of pupils’ prior learning. In a Year 2 English lesson, the teacher made very good use of pupils’ suggestions about how to sequence the process of a snake shedding its skin so that they could produce a flow chart of information. Her skilful management of the discussion and reference to pupils’ previous work on ordering ideas was very effective in helping them apply their skills to the new task. Teachers are

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contribution to pupils’ learning

careful to build upon pupils’ knowledge while presenting a good level of challenge for new learning. This was well illustrated in a good music lesson with Year 4 pupils, where they were able to quickly develop confidence in the use of terminology they had previously learned, as they responded to the teacher’s questions about what they were hearing in that lesson.

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contribution to pupils’ learning

5. Teachers make good use of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy to plan for the progressive development of skills and knowledge. They are careful to inform pupils what they expect them to learn in the lesson and make time at the end of the lesson to check with pupils whether they have met the targets set. Pupils respond very well to this format and have a good knowledge of their learning as a result of this process. Pupils in Year 6 who were interviewed were very confident about the standards they had reached and what they needed to do to improve on these standards. Where a teacher’s subject knowledge is very good and the expectations very high, pupils learn at a rapid rate and develop very good writing skills. In a Year 6 lesson, the teacher made very good use of a range of methods to engage, motivate and instruct pupils about how to create lively and compelling descriptions. By making

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contribution to pupils’ learning

use of pupils’ own writing to illustrate techniques, the teacher quickly engaged their interest. The very good questioning that followed allowed all pupils to see how certain effects were achieved in writing so that they were able to invent further examples for their own use. The exciting, fast-paced teaching prepared pupils very well for their independent work and they tackled this with great enthusiasm and concentration. The writing which emerged was of a very high standard and pupils were delighted to both read aloud and listen to each other’s efforts towards the end of the lesson. Teaching of this quality is common in this class in most subjects and pupils’ achievement as well as the standards they reach are very high as a result.

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contribution to pupils’ learning

6. Teachers of younger pupils in Years 1 and 2 make very good use of games and puzzles to interest and motivate their pupils. In an outstanding mathematics lesson in Year 1, the pupils demonstrated very high levels of confidence when responding to the teacher’s challenging questions in a game about number eight. Their use of the correct terminology showed that the games they play teach them very well and are memorable. All pupils were able to volunteer facts about the number by stating its relationship to other numbers – such as – “It is bigger than..”, It is less than..”, It is the sum of..” By the end of the lesson, all pupils had made exceptional gains in their understanding of number bonds to 20, were very confident about ordering numbers, and did this rapidly in a another ‘game’ of jumbled numbers. Their ability to use mathematical terminology fluently and accurately was further evidence of how secure their

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contribution to pupils’ learning

learning was. Teachers place a great emphasis on pupils learning correct techniques from an early age and then create many opportunities for pupils to develop skills and apply these to creative and technical challenges. The very high quality of pupils’ work in art and design and design and technology bears testimony to the frequent opportunities that pupils have to design and make objects and to draw, paint and work with clay. Pupils’ work displayed in the school shows a very good link between subjects, such as production of clay masks to capture the style of pottery they have learned about in history, or sail boats made to develop pupils’ understanding of their floating and sinking topic in science. In these and numerous other examples teachers demonstrate a commitment to providing an exciting range of learning activities that enrich pupils’ learning and allow them to find where their strengths and aptitudes lie.

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contribution to pupils’ learning

7. The contribution made by learning support assistants in all lessons is very good. They form very good relationships with teachers and pupils and are able to gather information about how pupils are progressing and share it with teachers for the benefit of pupils’ learning. Learning support assistants are well trained and alert to the needs of pupils, especially in literacy and numeracy. They engage well with pupils during whole-class teaching, encouraging pupils who have special educational needs or lack confidence. The result is that these pupils feel secure enough to volunteer answers and take part in the lesson at the same level as other pupils. The careful planning between teachers and learning support assistants ensures that pupils who have special educational needs make very good progress so that they usually reach the standard expected for their age by the time they are in Year 6.

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contribution to pupils’ learning

8. Teaching in the Foundation Stage (Reception class) is consistently very good. It is based on outstanding planning which ensures that the range of activities provided for children is wide, exciting and challenging. The children respond to the opportunities provided with great enthusiasm and come to Norwood Primary School - 12 school eager to get started each morning. The teachers and the learning support assistant place strong emphasis on developing the children’s independence as learners so that by this stage of the year, children are confident about making choices and selecting and organising their own learning materials. Because of the teachers’ very good communication skills children are absorbed when they are taught directly ‘on the carpet’. They listen with total attention while the teacher sets a challenge to find out how tall we are. The teacher’s excellent use of big and small jumpers to illustrate difference in size is typical

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contribution to pupils’ learning

of her imaginative methods and allows the children to recognise the concept immediately. They are very keen to get started ‘on their own’ to measure each other and have been well prepared to look about the room for things to use as measures. This kind of teaching gives pupils enormous confidence in their ability to solve problems as well as teaching them how to work with others. Because of the very high quality provision in the Foundation Stage children make an excellent start to their learning.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership for the development of the school

9. The headteacher has continued to provide very good leadership for the school since the time of the previous inspection. He has a clear educational vision which is very well communicated and is shared by all who work in the school. There is a clear emphasis on ensuring that the pupils are supported to reach the highest standards and achieve their best. To this end he and the deputy headteacher have developed systems of school self-evaluation which ensure that teachers and learning support assistants are well aware of the school’s strengths and what is needed to improve weaknesses. This shared understanding is a strength of the school since it places all staff in a position to make a contribution to improving the school. The headteacher has ensured that the school has made very good improvement since the previous inspection by developing thorough procedures for tracking pupils’ progress. High standards

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The headteacher provides very good leadership for the development of the school

have been maintained in subjects and the school’s performance in national tests has remained well above the national average since the previous inspection. The headteacher has ensured that teachers and learning support assistants are given good professional development to improve their skills and keep abreast of developments in education. The result is a highly professional, skilled staff, who are confident about their ability to meet the headteacher’s high expectations of them. The stability of staffing, which is one the school’s strengths, is due in part to the headteacher’s involving them closely in school improvement.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership for the development of the school

10. The headteacher has been very effective in his delegation of responsibilities to staff so that all aspects of the school’s provision are well managed. He sets all staff clear objectives in their work and ensures that they are given support to help them meet these. The deputy headteacher works very closely with the headteacher in supporting the development of the school. She provides an excellent professional example in her work as a class teacher as well as being expert in the management of developments in the school. The effectiveness of the leadership team in the school is seen in the school’s development plan, which very astutely identifies the right priorities for attention over the next three years. The work of subject leaders is also of a high standard. The Foundation Stage co-ordinator provides very high quality learning experiences for young children, based on her very good understanding of their learning needs

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The headteacher provides very good leadership for the development of the school

and her thorough and detailed planning. The English and mathematics co-ordinators have a good knowledge of teaching and learning in the school and both are able to give very good support to colleagues to help them reach high standards with their classes. The high standards that are achieved in other subjects reflect the quality of all subject leaders.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership for the development of the school

11. The school makes very good use of resources, both in allocating spending to priorities to raise standards and in the use it makes of its staff. In the last year the school has improved facilities in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 using funds it had saved over time for this purpose. Learning support assistants are very well used to target children who need support and because they work so closely with teachers they have a significant impact on pupils’ learning. The work of governors makes a good contribution to the development of the school. They have a good understanding for the school from their visits and the headteacher’s and staff’s presentations to the governing body. The governors have recently developed procedures for gaining more information about parents’ views of the school through questionnaires and by attending parents’ consultation evenings. Their close involvement with the school

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The headteacher provides very good leadership for the development of the school

is a significant factor in creating a sense of community in the school.

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very well for pupils’ learning

Norwood Primary School - 13 12. The curriculum for pupils of all ages is very well planned and enriched by visits out of school and visitors to the school. This makes a very good contribution to the breadth of their learning. Teachers plan activities to take children for walks in the school grounds from the time they start school to develop their awareness of the world around them. Children in the Reception class were able to recount vividly what they had seen and learned when the visitor from the Raptor Centre brought in and talked about birds of prey. This led to very good writing about the experience as well as very detailed pictures of owls which they had proudly displayed in the classroom. As they grow older, pupils visit museums, art galleries and places of historic and geographical interest. They particularly like their visits to a local activity centre where they ‘are evacuees’ for the day, or have an Egyptian or Tudor day. As part of their geography work

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very well for pupils’ learning

older pupils visit the River Nene to take sections of the river and build up its profile. Pupils in Year 1 were delighted to know how pizzas are made after they had been visited by a baker as part of their work in design and technology. Throughout their time at school pupils visit different places of worship including local churches, mosques and temples. These are all vivid experiences which pupils can recall with good detail. The oldest pupils look forward to their residential visit in Year 6 when go to Scarborough to study settlements and the coastline. The preparation for and the range and quality of visits consolidate pupils’ love of learning and emphasise that learning takes place everywhere. The very well planned curriculum in the classroom makes very good links between subjects and demonstrates to pupils how subjects are connected and that learning in one subject can help understanding in another.

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very well for pupils’ learning

13. Visitors to the school bring in additional expertise and give pupils insights into how ‘real artists and writers’ work. Pictures by Year 6 pupils show a dramatic use of their very good art skills after they worked with an artist in residence last term. They are justly proud of their collaborative pieces using paint to explore body shape and the spaces created around it, that are well displayed in the school hall. The provision for learning outside lessons through clubs at lunchtime and after school is very good. Particular strengths are sport and music but pupils also have opportunities for dance, choir, chess and information and communication technology. For pupils who enjoy mathematics there is a puzzle club and for those who love writing there is a magazine club. The school is clearly committed to enriching the curriculum offered to its pupils and takes all appropriate opportunities to do so. A good example of this

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very well for pupils’ learning

is demonstrated through the Health Promoting School Award which the school has proudly gained on more than one occasion in the recent past.

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pupils form very good relationships with their peers and with adults

14. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good. These attitudes begin in the Reception class, where the children become enthusiastically involved in a wide range of interesting activities. Children quickly become confident and independent in their learning and learn to choose activities sensibly. Older pupils are well organised in lessons, taking care of their materials and moving from one activity to another promptly and quietly. This means that no time is wasted and they get the most benefit they can from lesson time. They listen very attentively to teachers’ explanations and instructions and respond enthusiastically to questions. They are eager to explain and develop their ideas when they are given the opportunity and speak clearly and confidently, showing their interest and enthusiasm for learning. Year 6 pupils became thoroughly involved in listening to extracts from each other’s writing and were keen to

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pupils form very good relationships with their peers and with adults

praise good expression or exciting word choices when invited to comment by the teacher. Pupils’ behaviour is good overall and in many lessons it is very good. Pupils are courteous to each other and adults and they give way gracefully if someone else wants to speak. In the playground and in the dining room pupils are well behaved and follow the requests of midday assistants promptly. In assemblies their behaviour is exemplary. All of this behaviour makes a good contribution to the secure and positive atmosphere in the school and gives good support to pupils’ learning.

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pupils form very good relationships with their peers and with adults

15. Pupils form very good relationships with their classmates, teachers and learning support assistants. They work very well when given shared tasks and give good support to each other as they are working. Pupils show tolerance and respect for each other and they have a good understanding of how everyone helps others to learn by following rules and being kind and caring. In personal and social education lessons, pupils are encouraged to speak positively about their classmates on their Special Day. On these days, each pupil is given the special responsibilities for classroom tasks and is allowed to choose where to sit and where to stand in the line. Pupils of all ages enjoy these privileges. The system develops their respect for each other and fosters the very good relationships that exist. Norwood Primary School - 14

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are well known to their teachers and that their needs are met

16. Pupils in the school are very well cared for. They are well known to their teachers both personally and academically. This is because the school places very strong emphasis on tracking pupils’ learning so that interventions can be made if pupils falter either in their learning or in their relationships. The senior management in the school has established rigorous systems, that are followed by all teachers, for monitoring pupils’ progress. The information gathered provides the headteacher and the deputy with a regular picture of progress in each class. Because of these systems, teachers are quickly alerted to any problems a pupil might have and these are brought to the attention of the special educational needs co-ordinator. The result is that pupils are well supported, either in their learning or in managing their behaviour so that they do not disrupt lessons for others. The high level of care that pupils enjoy in the

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are well known to their teachers and that their needs are met

school makes a significant contribution to their personal development as well as to their confidence as learners.

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are well known to their teachers and that their needs are met

17. The school makes very good provision for child protection and the health and welfare of its pupils. All staff are trained and aware of procedures relating to child protection. They are skilled at making risk assessments of their planned activities, both in and out of the classroom, to ensure that they provide a safe learning environment for pupils. The school has very thorough procedures for school visits to ensure the safety and welfare of pupils and these are always well supported by parent volunteers. The school’s behaviour programme places very good emphasis on praise and reward. Pupils’ attitudes to school and their learning flourish because it is so well implemented by teachers.

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good. It underpins the school’s very good ethos

18. From the time they start school the children are encouraged to develop a love of learning and are provided with frequent opportunities to explore the wonder of the world around them. In science and design and technology lessons they are encouraged to see links in the natural world and appreciate the importance of interdependence. In all classes pupils are expected to work together harmoniously with classmates and they do. Through the well-planned teaching about other religions and their visits to different places of worship they learn of the diversity of the society in which they live as well as developing an understanding and tolerance of different viewpoints. They have many opportunities to appreciate the creative efforts of others as well as learning the skills of painting, sculpting and music making for themselves.

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good. It underpins the school’s very good ethos

19. Teachers are very careful to teach pupils right from wrong and are well supported in this by the school’s carefully thought-out behaviour code. The involvement of pupils in generating class rules helps them understand the need for rules and have some idea of what life would be like without them. Teachers are careful to take time to explain to pupils who have acted thoughtlessly how their actions might affect others, so that pupils learn to reflect on their actions and develop better self-control. Pupils have frequent opportunities to work together and their social skills are very well developed as a result. In nearly all lessons there is a time when pupils work in pairs or small groups and they do this with an ease and naturalness that shows they have learned the skills of sharing and give and take. In personal and social education lessons pupils have very good opportunities to discuss issues that are important to them.

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good. It underpins the school’s very good ethos

They are able to suggest solutions to problems that affect them and are well prepared by this to take on the responsibilities of the recently started school council. Through all of these experiences pupils are provided with a very strong base to develop their own viewpoint and opinions as well as developing an appreciation and understanding of how people work together to form a society.

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Planning for the progressive development of pupils’ speaking and listening

20. While teachers give pupils many opportunities to respond to questions and develop ideas through discussion, there is no specific planning for this to ensure that all pupils acquire their speaking and listening skills in a progressive way. The school’s English policy contains good detail of the range of skills that pupils should develop and this would form a very good base from which to plan a scheme of Norwood Primary School - 15 work for speaking and listening. This would then bring the planning for this aspect of English onto a par with all the other aspects, which are very well planned.

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Classroom accommodation for pupils in Years 3 to 6 and the space for the library

21. The school has recently completed a programme of building to improve accommodation for the Foundation Stage and Year 1 and 2 classes. This has been very successful in improving the space available for teaching and the organisation of learning. However, the accommodation for older pupils in Years 3 to 6 has many shortcomings. The rooms are very small and generally have little natural light or natural ventilation or storage space for learning materials. The space dedicated to each class is restricting because the classrooms are too small for pupils to move about for different activities. Teachers are very skilled at overcoming these difficulties in their planning for learning, but they would be able to expand the variety of learning methods if the space available were better arranged. Because the shared areas are open there is inevitably a good deal of noise transfer between classes, which can be

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Classroom accommodation for pupils in Years 3 to 6 and the space for the library

distracting for pupils working in silence when others are responding to teachers’ questions or reading aloud as a class. The school recognises these problems and rightly has the improvement of this accommodation as one of its priorities for the coming year. The school library is currently housed in a small area which does not allow whole-class teaching to take place there. Given the high literacy skills of the pupils it would be to their advantage to have a bigger library space in which to enjoy research and reading for pleasure.

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school offers

22. A few parents commented that they did not think they had close relations with the school. While the inspection team judged that the school does much to involve parents and that the vast majority find the school approachable, in view of all that the school has to offer their children it should continue to seek ways to improve links with these parents so that they can fully appreciate what the school does for their children and become more involved in supporting their learning.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. In order to continue to raise standards, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Plan for the progressive development of pupils’ speaking and listening skills as outlined in the school’s policy for this.* Paragraph 20

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve classroom accommodation for pupils in Year 3 to Year 6, so that teachers have space to expand learning styles, the learning spaces are better lit by natural light and there is adequate space for the storage of learning materials.* Paragraph 21

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve links with the small minority of parents who feel that the school is not working closely with them, so that they have a good understanding of the high quality of the school’s provision.* Paragraph 22

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* These issues are already contained in the school’s development plan for the coming year. Norwood Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 13

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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 four percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) - 204

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals - 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register - 18

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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 0

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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 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Norwood Primary School - 17 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Norwood Primary School - 18

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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 15 15 30

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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 15 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 15 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (93) 100 (97) 100 (93) 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 14 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 14

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (90) 97 (97) 97 (90) 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 13 16 29

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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 13 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 14 14 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (90) 93 (86) 97 (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 12 10 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 14 13 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (97) 79 (86) 97 (93) 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. Norwood Primary School - 19

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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 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 2 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) 8 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 511535

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 10 Total expenditure 423019

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 154 Expenditure per pupil 2024

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 63418

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 151934 Norwood Primary School - 20

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0

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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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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Norwood Primary School - 21

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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. 44 47 6 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 39 58 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 27 55 15 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 28 46 17 8 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 43 41 7 7 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 40 2 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 30 50 13 6 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 40 47 7 5 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 38 55 3 3 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 30 52 9 5 4

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