Fourfields Community Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 th – 21 st November 2002

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SCHOOL

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

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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. Fourfields Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Queen Street Yaxley Peterborough Cambridgeshire

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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 A Belcher

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th October 1997 Fourfields Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

3687 Mr G Bancroft Registered inspector The foundation stage Physical education The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? What could the school do to improve further? 31729 Mr B Harrington Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 31807 Mr D Carpenter Team inspector English Art and design History How good are the curricular and other learning opportunities offered to pupils? 10228 Mrs S Russam Team inspector Science Design and technology Religious education Special educational needs 10638 Mr M Newell Team inspector Mathematics Music English as an additional language How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

8263 Mrs M Forsman Team inspector Information and communication technology Geography Equal opportunities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Lynrose Marketing Limited Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school serves a rapidly expanding community to the south east of Peterborough. It is of average size, with 252 pupils on roll. Just over 5 per cent of pupils come from backgrounds other than White-British. The number of pupils speaking English as an additional language is small and none are at an early stage of speaking the language. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the Reception classes is below that expected for their age. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. Whilst pupils come from a range of housing, a significant number come from former local authority housing. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is below the national average, as is the percentage of pupils with statements of special educational need. A large housing development is currently taking place and it is estimated that the school will

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

double in size over the next three years. Because of this the school is currently undergoing a major building programme. A new headteacher and seven new teachers were appointed in September 2002. At the time of writing this report, there were only three teachers who had been at the school for longer than one year and the school is very different in nature from when it was last inspected.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective, friendly and inclusive school with many strengths. Overall standards are in line with those expected for pupils’ ages and standards in English are good. Pupils achieve satisfactorily. Throughout the school the quality of teaching is good and pupils’ attitudes to their learning and their behaviour are very good. The leadership and management of the headteacher and of the governing body are good. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain above average standards in English, art and design, history and physical education by the end of Year 6 and in English, art and design and information and communication technology by the end of Year 2. • Pupils’ attitudes to their learning and their behaviour are very good. • The quality of teaching is good throughout the school. • Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are good. • The support, guidance and care provided for pupils are good. • The leadership and management of the headteacher and the governing body are good.

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What could be improved

• Standards in science, design and technology and religious education by the end of Year 6. • The length of the school day for pupils in Years 3 to 6. • The distribution of the time allocated to the teaching of subjects. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Fourfields Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The last inspection of the school was in October 1997. Improvement since that time is satisfactory, although since the appointment of the new headteacher improvement has been good. In response to the key issues identified by the last inspection pupils are now taking responsibility for their own learning satisfactorily and the provision made for their spiritual development is satisfactory. Appropriate schemes of work are in place for geography and music and the requirement for a daily act of collective worship is met. Arrangements to record and monitor pupils’ attendance were unsatisfactory. These are now good. Standards have improved in English, art and design, history and physical education by the end of Year 6 and in English, art and design and information and communication technology by the end of Year 2. However, standards in science, design and technology and religious education by the end of Year 6 are not as good as they were at the time of the last inspection. At that time the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

quality of teaching was judged to be a strength of the school. There is now a higher proportion of very good and excellent teaching than seen at that time.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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schools

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

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schools

Children’s attainment on entry to the school is below that expected for their age overall. They exceed the early learning goals in their personal, social and emotional development, and in their physical and creative development by the time they leave the Reception classes. Their attainment in other areas of their learning is in line with that expected for their age. The National Curriculum test results for pupils at the end of Year 6, in 2002, showed that attainment in English and mathematics was average and attainment in science was well below average. When compared with the standards found in similar schools, attainment in English and mathematics was average, and attainment in science was very low, placing the school in the lowest 5 per cent of similar schools. Inspection findings show that standards by the end of Year 6 are above national expectations in English, in line with national expectations

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schools

in mathematics and below national expectations in science. The National Curriculum test results for pupils at the end of Year 2 show that pupils achieved standards that were in line with the national average in reading and writing and below the national average in mathematics. When compared with similar schools attainment in reading and writing was average and attainment in mathematics was below average. Inspection findings show that attainment by the end of Year 2 in reading and writing is above national expectations and attainment in mathematics is in line with national expectations. Attainment in science by the end of Year 2 is in line with national expectations. Over the last three years, by the end of Year 6, standards in English and mathematics have been average, whilst standards in science have been mainly below average. Inspection findings show that by the end of Year 6 pupils’ attainment in art and design, history and physical education is higher than expected for

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schools

Fourfields Primary School - 8 their age. Attainment in geography, information and communication technology and music is in line with that expected. However, attainment in design and technology, and religious education falls below that expected. By the end of Year 2 inspection findings show that pupils’ attainment in art and design and information and communication technology is higher than that expected for their age. Their attainment in design and technology, geography, history, music, physical education and religious education is in line with that expected. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to that of other pupils. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and those from different ethnic and social backgrounds achieve well, attaining similar standards to other pupils. Appropriately challenging targets are set by the school for pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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schools

Inspection findings indicate that pupils are on course to achieve these targets over the next two years.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils show very good enthusiasm for their learning and are keen to participate in the full range of activities offered by the school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils learn in an atmosphere that is free from oppressive behaviour, bullying, sexism and racism. They show care and respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others and clearly understand the impact of their actions on others.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils are keen to take initiative and personal responsibility, and they do so well. Relationships between pupils and between adults and pupils are very good. Pupils are very supportive and helpful towards each other.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance is in line with the national average.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching in English is very good and for mathematics it is good. Teachers throughout the school apply the principles advocated by the national strategies for literacy and numeracy well and teach the basic skills of these subjects well. Teachers have good subject knowledge overall. However, some teachers’ subject knowledge in religious education is less secure. Teachers expect their pupils to achieve well and to show good attitudes to their learning. Pupils, in turn, respond well to these expectations. The management of pupils and the very good relationships between teachers and their pupils are a particularly effective feature of teaching. This is very evident in English, in art and design, in history and in physical education. There are good opportunities for pupils to learn independently and to undertake research, particularly in history and in information and communication technology. The exception to this is in some science lessons, in which pupils

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Fourfields Primary School - 9 depend too much on their teachers for support and have too few opportunities to undertake investigative work. The quality and use of ongoing assessments by teachers are satisfactory. Homework is used well to extend pupils’ learning. Teachers make good use of time, support staff and resources to support pupils' learning and the support provided for pupils with special educational needs is good. Teaching meets the needs of all pupils well. The learning of pupils from differing ability groups is similar to that of their classmates, as is the learning of the small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who are from different ethnic backgrounds.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum provided for children in the Reception classes is good. The amount of time allocated to teaching some subjects in years 3 to 6 is insufficient and the distribution of time across subjects is not balanced appropriately. There are effective strategies for teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. The provision made for extra-curricular activities is good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Arrangements to ensure that pupils with special educational needs learn appropriately are managed well. Good support is provided for those pupils who are on the school’s register of special educational needs and those who have statements of special educational need.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Of the very small number of pupils who have English as an additional language few are at the early stages of speaking English. These pupils are supported well. They achieve appropriately and make satisfactory progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory overall. Provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory, although the school needs to do more to raise pupils’ awareness of the traditions and beliefs of other cultures. Provision for pupils’ moral development is good and that for their social development is very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school’s arrangements for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. Arrangements to monitor pupils’ academic and personal development are good. The quality of educational support and guidance provided for pupils is also good. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and for eliminating oppressive behaviour are very good. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are good and good use is made of the information gained from these procedures to plan what will be taught next. Fourfields Primary School - 10 The school has effective links with parents. The impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school and their contribution to their children’s learning at home and at school are very good. The school provides parents with good information about how well their children are getting on.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The leadership provides a very clear educational direction for the school and the school’s aims and values are represented well in its work. The contribution made by staff with management responsibilities to the quality of education is good. The newly appointed headteacher and staff have settled in quickly and are having a significant and positive effect on the quality of education provided by the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Many governors are recent appointees. They fulfil the duties required of them by law well. They are very supportive and are regular visitors to the school. Their role in shaping the direction of the school is good and they have a strong grasp of its strengths and of areas in need of development. The working relationships between the governors and the headteacher and the staff are very good and make a significant contribution to the school’s commitment to improvement and to the good capacity to succeed.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Arrangements to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching are satisfactory. The school’s improvement plan is good and identifies appropriate priorities for development, along with the course of action to be taken to address these priorities.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Specific grants are used well for their designated purpose and educational priorities are supported well through the school’s financial planning.

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Aspect Comment

The number of recently appointed teachers is high. Arrangements for the induction of new teaching staff to the school are very successful and teachers settle in very well because of this. The day-to-day organisation of the school works well and good use is made of new technology to support these arrangements. Accommodation and resources to support pupils’ learning are currently satisfactory and the match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum is good. The school applies the principles for seeking best value well when purchasing services and resources. Fourfields Primary School - 11

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Behaviour in the school is good. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best. • Their children like school. • The school is well led and managed. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • The range of interesting activities provided outside lessons. • The amount of work that children get to do at home. • The level to which they are kept well informed about how their children are getting on. • The degree to which their children are making good progress in the school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents and carers have very positive views of the school. Inspectors agree with parents about what pleases them most about the school. Inspectors judge that the range of interesting activities provided outside lessons is good and that the amount of work provided for children to do at home is good. Inspectors also judge that the information provided for parents about how their children are getting on is good and that the majority of children make satisfactory progress during their time at the school. Fourfields Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children’s attainment on entry to the school is below that expected for their age. Although their personal, social and emotional development, and their physical and creative development are close to the expected levels. Their communication, language and literacy development, their mathematical development and their knowledge and understanding of the world is lower than expected. By the time they are ready to leave the Reception classes the majority of pupils are exceeding the early learning goals in their personal, social and emotional development, and in their physical and creative development. In communication, language and literacy, in mathematical development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world their attainment is close to that expected for their age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The most recent national test results for the end of Year 6, 2002, show that attainment in English and mathematics is average and attainment for science is well below average. When compared with the standards found in similar schools attainment in English and mathematics is average. Attainment in science, when compared with that found in similar schools, is very low, placing the school in the lowest 5 per cent of similar schools. Inspection findings show that standards by the end of Year 6 in English are above average, in mathematics average and in science below average. The main reason for standards in science being lower than those for English and mathematics is that, until recently, not enough time has been allocated to the teaching of science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The most recent national tests for the end of Year 2, 2002, show attainment in reading and writing to be average and attainment in mathematics below average. When compared with the standards found in similar schools attainment in reading and writing is average and attainment in mathematics is below average. Inspection findings show that attainment by the end of Year 2 in reading and writing is above average and attainment in mathematics is average. Assessments administered by teachers show that attainment in science by the end of Year 2 is below average. Inspection findings judge that by the time pupils reach this age their attainment in science is average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Since 1999, when standards were well below average by the end of Year 6, the annual national tests show attainment in English and mathematics for this age group to have been average in each year. Attainment in science over the same period has fluctuated significantly, but with the exception of 2001, standards have been either below or well below average. By the end of Year 2, since 1999, standards in reading have changed from year to year. For example, in 2000, standards were well above average, whilst they were average in 2001. A similar pattern is evident for attainment in writing. Standards in mathematics have fallen. In 1999 and in 2000 attainment in mathematics was well above average and in 2001 it was average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Inspection findings show that by the end of Year 6 pupils’ attainment in art and design, history and physical education is higher than expected for their age. Attainment in geography, information and communication technology and music is in line with that expected. Pupils’ attainment in design and technology, and religious education falls below that expected. The pupils achieve well in English, art and design, information and communication technology, history and physical education. Pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory in science, design and technology and religious education. Achievement is satisfactory in all other subjects. Fourfields Primary School - 13 6. By the end of Year 2 inspection findings show that pupils’ attainment in art and design and information and communication technology is higher than that expected for their age. Their attainment in design and technology, geography, history, music, physical

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

education and religious education is in line with that expected. Pupils achieve at least satisfactorily in all subjects and they achieve well in English, information and communication technology, art and design and physical education.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The school’s programme of support for pupils with special educational needs is good. It is effectively organised to identify pupils who need additional help in class. This ensures they make similar progress to that of their classmates. Arrangements for supporting pupils who have statements of special educational needs are effective and ensure they attain standards which are in line with their prior achievements. Pupils who have individual education plans make satisfactory progress in meeting their targets. Therefore, their attainment in relation to these targets is satisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and those from different ethnic and social backgrounds all achieve well, attaining similar standards to other pupils. Gifted and talented pupils also achieve well. There are no significant differences between the attainment of boys and girls. Appropriately challenging and realistic targets are set by the school for pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Inspection findings indicate that pupils are on course to achieve these targets over the next two years. However, the school is currently undergoing a major programme of refurbishment and expansion and is to increase in size. In such circumstances any long-term prediction relating to trends in standards is very difficult to make.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils of all ages display very positive attitudes to the school and their work. They arrive at school early so that they can take part in the morning challenges that teachers have prepared for them or to work on their homework assignments. During lessons, pupils involve themselves in activities and on occasions are disappointed when the lesson ends. During the inspection pupils readily agreed that they enjoyed coming to school and this is line with the statements made by the vast majority of parents. Children in the Foundation Stage behave very well and have very good attitudes to their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils are very well behaved in and around the school. This is because of the good provision made by the school to support pupils’ moral development and the very good provision for their social development. Pupils of all ages enjoy engaging adults in conversation and generally understand that good conversation includes polite listening as well as speaking. In lessons, pupils are prepared to take turns, and to share ideas and resources with their friends. There have been no reported instances of oppressive behaviour nor have any pupils been excluded from school because of poor behaviour. All parents responding to the pre-inspection questionnaire state that behaviour in school is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils form very good relationships with one another and with the adults in school. These very good relationships provide a positive environment in which pupils’ personal development can thrive. They have a good understanding of how their actions impact upon others and so do not indulge in activities which would distract their class from the job in hand. They do, however, enjoy good-natured exchanges with one another and their teachers. Often they use their initiative well during lessons and progress to the next task without distracting the teacher, and would benefit from taking more responsibility for their own learning by undertaking research using a library or CD-rom. Fourfields Primary School - 14 Almost all parents believe that the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils with special educational needs generally respond well to their lessons and demonstrate a positive attitude to learning alongside their classmates. Pupils who have emotional and behavioural problems respond well to the help the school provides in enabling them to come to terms with their difficulties and build meaningful relationships with adults and their classmates.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Attendance is satisfactory. During the last year the rate of attendance was 94.3% and this is in line with the national average. In the same period the rate of unauthorised absence was 0.6% which also is similar to the national average. Registration for each class is carried out in line with government guidelines at the beginning of each session.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. Only three teachers have been at the school for longer than one year. However, new teachers have settled in quickly and are being supported by a very good programme for their induction. The quality of teaching throughout the school is good. During the inspection teaching was very good or excellent in 28 per cent of the observed lessons, good in 42 per cent and satisfactory in the remaining 30 per cent. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Teaching for children in the Reception classes is good. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals and of the provision needed by children at this stage of their education is very good. The management of children in the Reception classes is also very good, helping them make good progress and achieve well in the personal, social and emotional area of their development. The quality and use of ongoing assessment to monitor the progress that children make is

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. The quality of teaching in English is very good and for mathematics it is good. Teachers throughout the school apply the principles advocated by the national strategies for literacy and numeracy well. They also make good use of opportunities to develop these aspects of pupils’ learning when teaching other subjects. This contributes effectively to pupils’ very good learning in English and to their good learning in mathematics. Teachers have good subject knowledge overall. Their subject knowledge is very good in English and it is good in mathematics, information and communication technology, art and design, history and physical education. Consequently, this helps pupils to learn well in these subjects. However, teachers’ subject knowledge is developed less well in religious education and this slows down the rate at which pupils are able to learn in this subject.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. In years 3 to 6 the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well, enabling pupils to make good progress, and building well on the foundations laid in the Reception classes. Teachers also make good use of opportunities to develop pupils’ basic skills in information and communication technology, both through dedicated lessons and in its application through other subjects. This is especially so in years 1 and 2.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers expect their pupils to achieve well and to show good attitudes to their learning. Pupils, in turn, respond well to these expectations. They acquire skills, knowledge and understanding well in many subjects. The exception is in design and technology and in religious education in years 3 to 6 where not enough time is allocated for the teaching of the subject. The management of pupils is a particularly effective feature of teaching and makes a significant contribution to the very good attitudes to Fourfields Primary School - 15 learning and to the very good behaviour that pupils show during lessons. Relationships between teachers and their pupils are very good. This means that pupils are motivated well to learn, usually sustaining their intellectual, physical and creative efforts well. These qualities in pupils’ learning are particularly evident in art and design, in history and in physical education. Pupils also sustain their interest and concentration well and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

many are enthusiastic learners. They are also appropriately independent learners when required to be by their teachers. The best opportunities for pupils to learn independently and to undertake research are found in history and sometimes in information and communication technology, where pupils show confidence and competence when working on their own. The exception to this is in some science lessons, in which pupils depend too much on their teachers for support and have too few opportunities to undertake investigative work and to make predictions. In design and technology teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to plan and evaluate their work or that of other pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Throughout years 3 to 6 teachers make good use of time, support staff and the resources to support pupils’ learning. Some subjects do not have sufficient time allocated for them to be taught to the extent that they should be, for example, design and technology, religious education, and geography. However, teachers use the time that is allocated effectively. Support in whole class lessons for pupils with special educational needs is good. It is effective in enabling pupils to participate fully and with confidence in all learning tasks. Teaching assistants work effectively and make a valuable contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers make satisfactory use of pupils’ individual education plans to inform their planning and match the work they provide to the pupils’ individual needs. Teaching, overall, meets the needs of different groups of pupils well. The learning of pupils from differing ability groups is

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

appropriate and similar to that of their classmates, as is the learning of the small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who are from different ethnic backgrounds.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. The quality and use of ongoing assessments by teachers are satisfactory. The best use of assessment is made in the Reception classes and in English, mathematics, history and information and communication technology. In these subjects the standards pupils attain and the progress they make are tracked closely as pupils progress through the school. The information about how well pupils are getting on in these subjects is also used well to help teachers in planning the next stages of pupils’ learning and ensuring that the planned activities are matched well to pupils needs and abilities. Procedures for assessment are satisfactory in science, design and technology and religious education, although there is a need in these subjects for teachers to make more use of assessment information in planning the next stages of pupils’ learning. There is also a need to involve pupils more in gaining knowledge of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

how well they are progressing and in what they need to do to improve further. This is particularly true in geography. However, teachers often use the final part of lessons to clarify details of the progress that pupils have made. They also provide pupils with valuable feedback and helpful advice on how to improve further through the marking of their work. Again, the exception to this is found in science where teachers’ marking is of variable quality.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Homework is used well to help pupils to achieve appropriately and to extend their learning. The amount of homework increases progressively as pupils become older. This prepares pupils well for the transition to secondary school. The majority of homework is set in English, in the form of reading and spellings, and in mathematics, but other subjects are not neglected. For example, older pupils undertake research in history. Many pupils make good use of their home computers to assist their research Fourfields Primary School - 16 into a range of topics, responding well to the challenges set by their teachers.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

21. The school provides a good curriculum for children in the Reception classes which reflects national guidelines for the stage. Children of all abilities take part in a range of activities, which successfully promote their learning in all areas of the foundation stage curriculum. Religious education is taught to children who are of statutory school age. Since the previous inspection improvement in the provision for the foundation stage has been good.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

22. The breadth balance and relevance of the curriculum provided for pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 is satisfactory, as it was at the time of the previous inspection. The breadth, balance and relevance of the curriculum for pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 are unsatisfactory and this represents a decline in the position since the time of the previous inspection. Insufficient time is allocated to the teaching of science, design and technology and religious education and this is depressing standards in all three subjects in Year 3 to Year 6. The allocation of time to subjects across the curriculum is in need of substantial review. The quality and range of learning opportunities in the curriculum are well supported by the provision of extra-curricular activities that are popular with the pupils. Statutory requirements are fulfilled with respect to the National Curriculum and religious education, which is taught according to the requirements of

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

the Cambridgeshire Locally Agreed Syllabus. The amount of time allocated for teaching in Year 3 to Year 6 is less than the nationally recommended amount. It currently falls short by 90 minutes a week for these years.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. The national Literacy Strategy and the national Numeracy Strategy have been successfully implemented throughout the school and these are having a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics. The guidelines for other subjects issued by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority are being used, where appropriate, in other subjects. The leadership and management of the foundation subjects recognises that the guidelines do not always provide adequate support for non-specialist teachers, so they are being adapted when necessary. Some of the existing plans and schemes of work require review if they are to reflect the most recent advances in content and resources now available across a range of subjects. For example, those for science and for design and technology.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. The curriculum for information and communication technology is good and the resources available are being used well to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum. Literacy and numeracy are being promoted well through the medium of other subjects. In many classes good quality teaching is establishing strong links between subjects, and pupils are able to use the knowledge gained in one area to enhance that gained in other areas of their learning.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The school’s management is fully aware of the issues of equality of opportunity and educational inclusion. Successful action is taken to eliminate racist language and attitudes and to promote pupils’ appreciation of cultural diversity. However, more needs to be done to increase pupils’ awareness of the traditions and beliefs of other cultures. Teachers are expected to vary pupil groupings over the week. Sports clubs are open to both sexes. The school has begun to provide for the gifted and talented pupils - for example through literacy and information and communication technology and a whole school evaluation exercise for inclusion is contained in the school improvement plan. Fourfields Primary School - 17 26. Within Year 3 to Year 6 the present allocation of time within the curriculum does not promote appropriate equality of opportunity in all subjects. There are major differences in the time allowed for the same subjects in different year groups, for example, the time

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

allocated to religious education varies between 25 and 45 minutes in Year 1 and Year 2. In the past, the time allocated to science in Year 3 to Year 6 has varied between 55 and 105 minutes. The school has recently adjusted its planning so that all classes are following suitable guidelines and sufficient time is allocated to teaching science, but this improvement has not yet had a chance to impact on standards. In the foundation subjects of the National Curriculum the physical education allocation is three times greater than that for history or geography. Consequently, the curriculum time allocation is not secure over the year.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school provides a flexible range of support to meet the various needs of individual pupils. Teachers have copies of pupils’ individual education plans which are used to effectively plan suitable work to meet the needs of individuals. The school ensures that the provision outlined in pupils’ statements is in place and is reviewed annually in line with the new Code of Practice guidance. The school promotes the inclusion of all pupils to provide them with equality of access to the full National Curriculum.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The school provides a good range of activities outside lessons. These include football, rugby and netball for older pupils, computer club for the younger pupils, and chess club for all pupils. The school plans to develop the range of extra-curricular activities offered as soon as possible but has correctly identified the settling in of new staff as a more immediate priority. In addition to school clubs, there are opportunities for pupils in all year groups to visit places of interest, and for all pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 to participate in residential adventure activities. Despite the efforts of the school, parents think that the school could do more to provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education. These areas of learning are formally presented to all year groups and further information is presented through the teaching of religious education and science. Drugs education and sex education are appropriately presented in line with the school’s policies. School assemblies are very effective vehicles for personal, social, health and citizenship education, as they provide opportunities to discuss current issues that relate to school life and the wider community.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural education, good provision for their moral development and very good provision for their social education. This represents an improvement in the provision for social and moral education since the time of the previous inspection. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. Opportunities are provided for pupils to reflect on their lives and on the world around them. Teachers use incidental opportunities for the promotion of a spiritual dimension in lessons and also recognise the need for doing so in their planning. The daily acts of collective worship meet statutory requirements, but still play a limited part in promoting pupils’ spiritual awareness. At the present time the school is struggling to maintain the format of the assemblies as the construction work on the site is reducing the facilities currently available for bringing all pupils together on a daily

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. Throughout the school pupils are aware of the rules that govern their daily activities and they appreciate the links between well ordered behaviour and their enjoyment of their learning. They are helpful and considerate towards others and are aware of the impact Fourfields Primary School - 18 of their actions on those around them. All staff in the school provide good role models for the pupils to follow. In lessons pupils are able to address a range of moral issues through both planned and incidental opportunities. Older pupils are able to look at moral issues surrounding war through their study of evacuees and they have daily opportunities for discussing issues, such as friendship and social inclusion. Pupils also have the opportunity for taking part in residential educational visits, when they get to know each other and their teachers in team building contexts. Pupils value these very good opportunities for enhancing their own social experience and development.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. It promotes pupils good awareness of their own culture and many aspects of wider European influence effectively. Through their art and music they have been able to explore elements of the European tradition in both subjects. They lack experience of the arts and cultures of the non-European world and have only a sketchy understanding of the vibrant musical and artistic traditions present within modern Britain. In religious education pupils are increasingly able to explore dimensions of other faiths and the cultural context within which they operate. From their examination of moral and social issues pupils are also suitably aware of the damaging and unacceptable features of racism in society.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The school has good links with the community and is well placed to become the communal focus of the extended village. Across the school, pupils study their own locality, for example in geography. This helps to promote their understanding of the community in which they live. Pupils in the Foundation Stage enjoy study walks that are linked to topic work. These are often imaginative events, such as looking at different shades of green as part of the study of colours. Visits to the church, for the carol service attended by parents and other members of the community, reinforce the pupils’ sense of belonging to a society. Opportunities to visit art exhibitions enrich pupils’ learning experiences. Visitors provide opportunities for broadening pupils’ cultural horizons.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. There are good links with partner institutions. There is a playgroup and an after-school club that use the site and contribute well to the community aspect of the school’s role. Relationships with other schools are good and they meet each year for a country dancing festival, an athletics meeting, and a musical festival at the nearby high school. Due to the small size of the hall, caused by the current building work, the pupils’ Christmas entertainment for parents is held at the high school. There are well established transition arrangements with the local high school and this is where almost all pupils transfer. Pupils visit the school for sample lessons, and Year 7 teachers visit the school to consolidate academic and pastoral links. Each Monday, the physical education specialist visits the school to help teachers to develop their subject skills. Pupils from the high school help in school as part of their work experience project.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Teachers in training and other students in higher education are welcomed into school to undertake their practical training.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school makes good provision for pupils’ health, safety and welfare. The headteacher has been nominated to deal with any child protection issues that may arise. He has received appropriate training and is supported in this role by the special educational needs co-ordinator. The reporting procedures are understood by the staff and included in the staff handbook for temporary and new members of staff. Fourfields Primary School - 19 36. No formal risk assessments of the premises have been carried out but the headteacher’s and staff’s awareness of the need for vigilance whilst construction is under way is evident. The headteacher surveys the premises every day to ensure that all is in order and there are no obvious hazards. Fire drills are carried out and guidance has been received from the fire officer as to how these and major evacuations should be conducted. Health and safety checks of equipment take place regularly and a

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

member of staff has been charged with responsibility for health and safety. A number of teaching and support staff have received training in first aid and training for midday supervisors is planned. Records of accidents are maintained and pupils are very well looked after if they feel unwell. Good provision is made for pupils with specific medical needs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. There is good educational and personal support and guidance for all pupils. Records of achievement are held for each pupil and contain examples of best work, test results, progress reports and home-school agreements. An attendance manager has been nominated and the procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are effective. Registration takes place at the beginning of each session and attendance is monitored weekly. The electronic database provides information about those pupils whose attendance has fallen below 90%. There is an emphasis upon personal contact with parents, and this information enables the Education Welfare Officer to provide appropriate parent and pupil support. The school provides activities for pupils for ten minutes before the beginning of school and this has reduced lateness and affords a settled start to the school day. Pupils with termly or annual attendance rates of 100%

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

are rewarded with attendance certificates. Some pupils have completed both key stages without any absence and have been duly rewarded.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance are good and those for eliminating oppressive behaviour are very good. Class rules present a positive approach to self-discipline whilst incorporating the best features of behaviour management. Pupils of all ages understand that there are rules to be observed and find little or no difficulty in observing them. Older pupils observe the rotas that are established for taking turns on the play equipment and a number of Year 6 pupils spend their break times playing with younger children. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 have paired reading activities with pupils in the foundation stage, and there is a ‘buddy system’ which provides support for pupils new to the school. These support activities provide social stability in school and the older pupils present excellent role models for the younger children.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school has devised good links with other agencies to ensure the provision outlined in statements of special educational needs is implemented. The special educational needs co-ordinator is responsible for liaising with a wide range of other professionals, parents, carers and other schools. These duties are undertaken diligently as is the organisation of annual review meetings.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school implements good assessment procedures to identify pupils with special educational needs and complies fully with the Code of Practice. The information is used effectively and consistently for reviewing the appropriateness of pupils being retained on the school’s special educational needs register and deciding what further help they may require. The school meets its statutory requirements as outlined in all pupils’ statements of special educational needs. All statements and reviews are up to date and specified provision is implemented effectively, including access to additional staffing. The school provides special educational needs pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum and all individuals have full access to the whole of the National Curriculum . Fourfields Primary School - 20 41. Procedures for assessing pupils’ academic attainment and progress are good overall. The school’s systems provide accuracy and breadth in tracking individual pupil

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

progress but also monitor the quality of teaching and learning and the overall performance of the school. Assessment information is used well to ensure that pupils’ needs are met and is increasingly used to improve the curriculum. Formal procedures cover English, mathematics and science and the Foundation Stage. Assessment has been made a priority for school improvement in order to provide consistency and continuity during the staffing changes. However, there is a need to retain examples of pupils’ assessed work in design and technology and in religious education as a guide for teachers when they are assessing standards.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school uses a range of recommended tests, which can be compared with each other. Assessment begins with the baseline assessment on entry into the reception year. Each child’s progress through the foundation stage is recorded in a manageable but comprehensive format. A good range of informative assessments is carried out in years 3 to 6. These include for example regular reading assessment and optional core subject tests. The school evaluates the tests themselves and is reviewing the type of science tests in use because the predictions were unhelpful for the most recent national tests. The assessment data is now entered into a computer management program, which provides analysis and tracking of individual pupils’ performance after Year 2. Testing is complemented by the analysis of pupils’ workbooks in English, mathematics and science and by classroom monitoring of teaching and learning. This

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

provides the school management and the teachers with a clear picture of how well pupils are making progress and helps teachers to identify areas for development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school undertakes analysis of results from standardised tests and identifies weaknesses in pupils’ performance. The management has used this information to initiate changes in teaching approaches and focus and refine the teaching of pupils with different abilities. The school has begun to investigate the value-added element to determine for example whether predictions made at Year 2 for attainment at the end of Year 6 are accurate. Record keeping by staff has been reviewed and now follows the latest guidance. Marking is regular and constructive. 44. The agreed targets for pupils are included in the reports to parents, so that they are aware of these and can support their children. There is little formal assessment in subjects other than English, mathematics and science but progress is reviewed for the reports. Pupils’ personal development is also considered and is included in the report to parents. The school reports to parents at the end of the year and holds an additional

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

two parents’ evenings, which provide the opportunity for review of each pupil’s progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Parents have very positive views of the school. They believe that the teaching is good, that the school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best, and state that they would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. Almost all parents believe that the school is well led and managed, and that they are kept well informed about how their children are getting on. They also believe that their children are making good progress, and that the school works closely with parents. A few parents think that the school does not give their children the right amount of work to do at home. Fourfields Primary School - 21 46. The school has good links with parents and provides them with good quality information about the school. The school’s prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents are supported by less formal documents, such as half-termly newsletters which keep

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

parents informed about school life, social issues and forthcoming events. Notices for parents, such as the information wall in Year 1, are useful and enable parents to participate in their children’s education should they so wish. Teachers in the foundation stage make home visits to potential pupils’ homes to help to put pupils and parents at ease prior to the new school year. Teachers make themselves available to parents at the beginning and end of each day so that any concerns may be resolved quickly. Parents are invited to attend class assemblies each week and special celebrations. Formal consultations with teachers take place in the Autumn and Spring terms, and pupils’ annual progress reports are provided in July. For all year groups, the quality of progress reports is very good. They provide detailed information about the pupils' response to the curriculum and support these commentaries with academic targets for

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents of pupils with statements of special educational needs are appropriately involved in annual review meetings. They are invited to contribute both in writing and verbally to the discussions about the continuing needs of their child and the progress they have made since the previous review. The school is also efficient in consulting with parents of pupils who have individual education plans, and involving them in identifying their needs and contributing to setting targets and working to achieve these both at school and at home.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Through the homework programme, parents and carers demonstrate a high level of involvement which has a significant impact upon the work of the school. They are involved in the interactive home-school reading development scheme, and word investigations which surpass traditional strategies for learning to spell. Several parents have undergone training as classroom assistants and are now on the school staff. Parents provide assistance on school visits, some grandparents come into school to help pupils practise their reading which makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning, and two parents help teachers with extra-curricular sporting events. The Friends of the School raise significant funds for the school which are used to provide additional learning resources. Recently these have included a laptop computer, a laminator and a paper shredder. They currently have plans to provide additional resources for the new

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

library and the reception food technology.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The leadership and management provided by the head teacher are good. He has only been in post since September 2002. In addition to the headteacher, there are seven other teachers who were appointed at the same time. The headteacher shows a real determination to move the school forward and to improve standards and the quality of education provided for all pupils. In a short time he has established a very clear vision and educational direction for the work and life of the school. He has quickly, astutely and accurately assessed the strengths and areas for development within the school. The headteacher has been successful in laying the foundations down for an effective team spirit and already there are good working relationships between all the staff and governors that impact positively on the work of the school. In a short period of time the headteacher has quickly gained the respect and confidence of the staff, the governors,

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the parents and the pupils. The headteacher is well supported by the deputy headteacher and the foundation stage manager who make up the senior management team of the school. They meet on a regular basis and share the head’s vision for Fourfields Primary School - 22 school improvement and in working together effectively to drive the school forward. The meetings of the senior management team are used as an opportunity to discuss a range of issues that are relevant to school improvement. These issues are then discussed with the staff at full staff meetings. This process helps to ensure that, from the outset, all staff are fully aware of the headteacher’s commitment to fully involving them in the decision making process.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The school has made satisfactory progress since the time of the last inspection in 1997. Many of the staff present at the last inspection no longer work at the school, with almost a completely new staff from September 2002. In terms of the key issues that were identified appropriate schemes of work are now in place to support teaching and learning in geography and music; more opportunities are provided for pupils to take responsibility and initiative for their own learning; although still only satisfactory some improvements have been made for the provision of pupils’ spiritual development and statutory requirements are now met for a daily act of collective worship and in recording and maintaining pupil attendance figures. Evidence suggests that improvement has been at a steady rather than brisk rate, particularly during the last academic year. However, the arrival of the present headteacher has given a new impetus to moving the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school forward. All the evidence indicates that under his leadership and management, and with the support and determination of all staff and governors, this is now a school that is well placed to move forward and improve in terms of the standards that pupils attain and the quality of education that is provided.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Prior to the headteacher’s appointment the school had good procedures in place for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in English and mathematics. These include the regular observation of lessons and some evidence of the monitoring of pupils’ work and the regular scrutiny of teachers’ planning. The lesson observations were carried out on a formal basis with appropriate written feedback given to teachers. The subject co-ordinators and members of the school’s senior management team carried out lesson observations. Evidence indicates that lessons have been observed during the present academic year again by the co-ordinators of some subjects, with the headteacher already having drawn up plans to carry out a number of teaching observations across the school. The headteacher has also identified the need to put in place procedures for the regular analysis of pupils’ work. This is good practice. Many

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

co-ordinators are newly appointed, but have quickly established a secure grasp of the strengths in the subjects that they are responsible for and of the areas that need to be tackled in order to improve standards and provision. The school needs to ensure that all co-ordinators play an active role in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning through direct observations and the regular analysis of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning so that the role of co-ordinator has its biggest possible impact on helping to raise levels of attainment and in ensuring that all elements of the subject are taught in sufficient depth. This has not been the case over time in subjects such as science, religious education and design and technology. These factors have had an adverse impact on the quality of pupils’ learning and on the below average standards they attain in these subjects by the time that pupils leave school. The school has recognised this

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

as a weakness and has already started to address the issue.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. Good procedures are already embedded in school practice for the analysing of test and assessment data. The headteacher is keen to refine these procedures still further and for subject co-ordinators, where test data is available, to play a more active role. The school uses the available data for analysing trends in attainment and for identifying areas of weakness. The information is then used to help the school set appropriately challenging targets or to set up initiatives to tackle areas of weakness. The headteacher has identified the need to more closely analyse the performance levels of Fourfields Primary School - 23 year groups, groups of pupils, attainment by gender and by taking into account factors such as the mobility of pupils. All these features will become increasingly important as the school is due to expand to almost double in size over the next five years and could well attract a far more diverse range of pupils.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Much of the evidence concerning the professional development and training of staff relates to those no longer in the school. Indications suggest that appropriate procedures are in place to ensure that in-service training is closely matched to the needs of the individual, as well as meeting the needs of the school. Appropriate opportunities are also provided for the training of non-teaching staff. Good procedures are in place for performance management. Very good procedures are in place for inducting and supporting staff that are new to the school. This is clearly in evidence as the large number of new staff to the school feel valued and welcomed, have quickly grasped the school routines, have named points of support should they need them and know precisely what is expected of them in terms of their performance. This is helped by the clear job descriptions which ensure that everybody is aware of their role in

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

helping to bring to life the school’s aims which are stated in the school prospectus.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school improvement plan is a good quality document. It is the driving force behind initiatives to help raise standards, provision and the learning environment for all pupils. The document contains an accurate assessment of what issues the school needs to address in order to improve further. The success criteria that are stated are clearly linked to improving standards. All issues have appropriate time scales, costings and procedures to monitor progress. All staff and governors are provided with opportunities to contribute to improvement planning and this ensures that staff and governors share responsibility for achieving the stated targets and heightens their awareness of what needs to be accomplished. The plan put together under the guidance of the headteacher shows that this is a school with a secure grasp of its strengths and equally important the areas that need to be tackled to improve.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The leadership and management of the foundation stage are very good and do much to ensure that children achieve well. The manager was appointed at the start of the current term. She is providing excellent support for her colleague, who is a newly qualified teacher. The understanding of the foundation curriculum and the provision of activities that meet children’s needs very well in all areas of their learning, are strong features of the provision. Very beneficial relationships with parents have been developed in a very short time. Liaison with parents and the quality of information and communication provided for them are excellent features of the provision.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The leadership and management of special educational needs by the special educational needs co-ordinator are very good. The special educational needs co- ordinator is an experienced teacher who has adequate opportunities to directly monitor and evaluate the work of colleagues and the use made of individual education plans throughout all subjects of the curriculum. There is a satisfactory policy for special educational needs and special educational needs features in the school improvement plan. There is a named governor and a sub-committee of three governors with responsibility for this aspect of the school’s work. However, the governors have had too little involvement in monitoring the quality of special educational needs provision or devising any criteria for assessing the value of this element of the school’s work, or how the school uses the devolved budget for special educational needs. As the three

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

governors are also members of staff at the school who work with special educational needs pupils this could represent a conflict of interest. The school provides a good level of resources and staffing to meet the needs of this group of pupils. Fourfields Primary School - 24 57. The school’s equal opportunities policy is effective and ensures that pupils are fully involved and included in all aspects of the curriculum and in the life of the school as a community. The school pays appropriate attention to ensuring that all aspects of racial equality are promoted, and school curriculum and other policies actively reflect the promotion of racial harmony.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The governing body is very supportive of the school, and is effective in fulfilling its statutory duties. At termly meetings, governors receive, and have done so over time, detailed reports from the headteacher and other staff about progress towards the school’s targets and priorities. Subject co-ordinators make presentations to governors to keep them fully aware of developments and improvements within subjects. Through these meetings and through the committee structure, governors have developed a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and areas for development. Governors are fully involved in target setting procedures and have a good grasp of the standards that the school attains when compared to all schools and when compared to similar schools. Governors, for example are very conversant with the fact that pupils’ attainment in science was well below average and at a lower level than in English and

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

mathematics. Governors are regular visitors to school, with some governors observing lessons and others supporting educational visits and school events. Good use is made of governors’ professional skills to support the work of the school. Governors regularly attend training courses which enable them to evaluate the school’s performance in a wider context. There is full consultation within the governing body regarding priorities for development and governors are beginning to be more involved in making suggestions about ways forward. All governors take a very proactive role in discussing policies and initiatives before ratifying them and them becoming embedded in school practice.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The level of financial planning and strategic use of resources is good and clearly focuses on providing pupils with good learning opportunities. Spending patterns are linked to educational priorities in the school improvement plan. Longer term financial planning is difficult at the present time because of the changing nature of the school whereby the school is set to increase in size quite dramatically. The headteacher is keen to point out that any major spending decisions are to be evaluated in terms of the impact that they have on raising standards or on the quality of pupils’ learning. The day- to-day monitoring and management of the school’s expenditure is effective, as is the day-to-day administration of the school carried out by the school secretary. This enables the school to work in a smooth and efficient manner. The generation and monitoring of the school’s budget enables good use to be made of specific grants.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

These funds are appropriately spent and the consistent financial reporting system adopted by the school ensures good control of the separate budget allocations. The school has a high underspend in its budget but this has been clearly earmarked for adding to the ongoing building developments and for improving resources when the building work is complete. The latest auditor’s report found the school’s financial procedures to be of a high standard and the minor recommendations have been fully implemented by the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The school’s financial management is effective in applying the principles of best value in the use of the school’s resources. The school is keen to evaluate its performance in terms of test results against similar schools to ensure that it is providing value for money. The headteacher and the Governing Body have set what they see as challenging targets and objectives both in terms of attainment and the overall quality of education that the school provides. The school is determined to fully consult with parents, pupils and the wider community as it expands and seeks to provide not only a good quality of education but also an establishment that provides a good range of activities for the local community. Commercially, the school is a discriminating Fourfields Primary School - 25 purchaser, well aware of the needs for a competitive approach. Taking all factors into account, the school is providing good value for money.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. There are an appropriate number of teachers and support staff to present the curriculum. Most teachers are new to the school and the headteacher has presented them with significant induction training which has not only provided staff with important information for the running if the school, but has made significant strides in establishing a team. A member of staff has been appointed to co-ordinate in-service training opportunities and requirements as they arise, with teachers helping to identify their own training needs due to the newness of staff and the relevant systems.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The school’s accommodation is adequate for the number of pupils on roll. It is anticipated that the number of pupils will double in the near future as a result of new housing in the village. Accordingly, the school is being expanded to accommodate this increasing population. The existing temporary buildings are not conducive to good learning as conditions are far from ideal with noisy construction machinery immediately outside some windows. However, pupils are sufficiently mature to ignore unnecessary distractions and persevere with their work.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The existing school premises include suitable hard and grassed areas for sport and play. Classrooms are light and airy. One classroom, created temporarily to accommodate the rising roll, is a thoroughfare for three other classes. This is currently an unsatisfactory situation as distractions are numerous and may include a whole class moving through to visit the information technology suite or hall. However, this will be addressed, once the current building programme is completed. The new building will provide library space, which currently is sparse due to the sharing of space with the information technology suite. The existing hall is appropriate for the number of pupils on roll, although performances for parents are held in the high school, as there is insufficient space for pupils and their parents. There are no plans to extend the hall to accommodate the increased number of pupils on roll nor the demands that will

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

accompany the larger community. The accommodation for clerical and medical staff is not being extended in line with the school’s expansion plans, and no provision has been made for a community room, nor for the incorporation of the pre-school and after- school clubs which already share the site.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. Learning resources are generally satisfactory in all subjects. In history, resources are good. Very good use is made of resources in the community such as Peterborough Cathedral, borrowing from the county library and using information and communication technology for research. Art resources that are in place are good. The school has access to a kiln and there is a good stock of posters and books accessed through the library service. There is an increasing use of information and communication technology with the use of virtual galleries. However, no aspects of multicultural art are presented. Non-fiction resources in English are good; those for fiction are satisfactory. The school recognised this deficiency along with the need for more library space, and has budgeted for a substantial increase of fiction books in the new building. Within information and communication technology, the interactive whiteboards are well used

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

across the curriculum and younger pupils are taught how to use electronic office equipment such as facsimile machines, however, there is a shortage of computers in classrooms and the machines in the computer suite are not completely reliable. Fourfields Primary School - 26

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

65. In order to improve standards further the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

p.26

by the end of Year 6 by:

• increasing the amount of time allocated for teaching design and technology and religious education and ensuring that this is sufficient to meet with recommendations; • allocating more time for pupils to undertake investigations in science; • creating samples of assessed work that reflect attainment in each aspect of the subjects to guide teachers in assessing the standards that pupils attain; • increasing the opportunities for pupils to plan and to evaluate their work in design and technology. (paragraphs: 2, 5, 18, 19, 22, 41, 99 – 104, 112 – 116, and 143 – 150)

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ensure this meets with national recommendations and that there is an

appropriate balance of time across all subjects. (paragraph: 22, 26, 99, 112, 114, 117, and 143)

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ensure this meets with national recommendations and that there is an

In addition the governors should also consider the following area for improvement for inclusion in their action plan

p.26

raise pupils’ awareness of the traditions and beliefs of other cultures by:

• increasing the use of visits and visitors with a focus on this aspect of pupils’ development; • creating more opportunities for pupils to experience the traditions and beliefs of other cultures, especially through art and design and through music. (paragraph: 32, 111, and 137)

p.26

appointing governors with oversight for special educational needs who are

not directly employed in this aspect of provision within the school. (paragraph 56 )

p.26

appointing governors with oversight for special educational needs who are

The school is aware of these issues. It is well placed to address them and has already begun working on them. Fourfields Primary School - 27

p.26

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 24

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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 2 percentage points.

p.27

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) n/a 252

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals n/a 24

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs n/a 2

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register n/a 31

p.27

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 1

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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 27

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 22

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Fourfields Primary School - 28

p.27

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 17 14 31

p.28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.28

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

Boys 16 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 12 11

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (88) 90 (88) 87 (92) 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 16 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

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

Percentage of pupils School 87 (88) 87 (88) 87 (96) 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 15 15 30

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 11 11 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 11 11

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 80 (82) 73 (76) 66 (96) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.28

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 11 11 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 10 11

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 77 (71) 70 (75) 73 (75) 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. Fourfields Primary School - 29

p.28

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 7 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 5 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 1 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. Fourfields Primary School - 30

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.7 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 448538

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 11 Total expenditure 477383

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 185 Expenditure per pupil 2273

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 76745

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) n/a Balance carried forward to next year 47900

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher n/a

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff n/a

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week n/a

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6.8

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 7.7

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Fourfields Primary School - 31

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 52 36 10 0 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 28 68 0 0 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 26 56 14 4 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 32 56 12 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 56 42 2 0 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 46 50 0 0 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 30 56 8 0 6

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 38 50 2 0 10

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 42 4 0 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 30 38 16 4 12 Fourfields Primary School - 32

p.31

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. Children’s attainment on entry to the school is usually below that expected for their age. Although, when they start school their personal, emotional and social development are about average. By the time they leave the Reception classes the majority of children are exceeding the early learning goals in their personal, social and emotional development, and in their physical and creative development. In communication, language and literacy, in mathematical development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world their attainment is in line with that identified by the early learning goals for their age. Children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. The quality of teaching in the Reception classes is good, with very good features. Consequently children make good progress during their time in the Reception classes and achieve well in each of the six areas of their learning. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding, evident in the way they present the foundation curriculum and the early learning goals, is very good. This helps teachers to plan the curriculum effectively and to set clear objectives that promote learning well in each of the six areas of children’s development. Teachers and teaching assistants manage children very well. This is partly why children make such good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Teachers are also very positive in their approach to children, recognising and celebrating children’s successes and the progress they make. This approach helps children to become increasingly confident learners. The quality and use of

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

ongoing assessment is also very good. Consequently teachers are able to plan effectively and to match activities for children’s learning to their abilities in all areas of their development very well.

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. The management and leadership of the foundation stage are very good. Both teachers of the Reception classes, one of whom is the manager of the foundation stage, are new to the school. They have rapidly established very good lines of communication and very good relationships with parents. Visits are made to the homes of all children shortly before they are due to start at the school. There is also a good range of opportunities for children to visit the school and take part in activities before they start. Consequently children settle in easily and confidently. They know how their part of the school is organised and what is expected of them. Their parents are also well placed to help their children with their learning and many parents support their children’s learning well. Parents are welcomed into the classrooms at the start of the day, helping their children to settle in well and begin work quickly. There is a weekly newsletter for

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

parents that sets out what children will be learning and how parents can help with this process. These arrangements work very well and this aspect of the provision is excellent.

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

69. Children are on course to exceed the early learning goals for their personal, social and emotional development by the time they are ready to leave the Reception classes. They make good progress and achieve well in this area of the learning because the quality of teaching is good. Children are eager to help with administrative tasks and with the organisation of the classroom. They take turns to return the register to the school office after the start of each session and help to tidy up after activities. They are eager learners and they co-operate well with each other when working in partnerships and in Fourfields Primary School - 33 small groups. They are quick to settle down at the start of the day and begin new tasks. Often they work independently, and with occasional checks by their teacher and the teaching assistant, often maintain their interest and sustain their effort well. They also discuss problems with each other as they arise, often offering solutions that are

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Personal, social and emotional development

gratefully received by their classmates. Children are polite, yet inquisitive. They are confident when they speak to adults and are eager to explain about their work. Relationships between children and between children and adults are very good. Children often support each other. They show concern if anyone is upset and celebrate each other’s successes appropriately.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

70. Children are on course to achieve the early learning goals for their development in this area by the time they are ready to leave the Reception classes. They make good progress and achieve well in this area of the learning because the quality of teaching is good. The majority of children are good listeners and are attentive when listening to their teachers and to each other. Many children are also enthusiastic talkers. However, their speaking skills are developed less well than their listening skills. A significant minority of children, although they are able to make themselves understood, need time to consider what they intend to say and are often unable to sustain their talking and explanations in sentences. However, teachers are using a good range of strategies very effectively to improve children’s speaking abilities. They provide frequent opportunities for pupils to talk with adults and amongst themselves. They use questions

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

very well to enable pupils to think about what they wish to say and to extend their responses during questions and when offering explanations. The daily ‘circle time’ is a good example of this and children observe the four rules of sitting still, waiting for their turn, speaking clearly, and listening to others well. Sometimes the teacher records these events so that children can listen to themselves speaking.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

71. Teachers provide very good opportunities for children to learn the sounds made by different letters and combinations of letters and the sounds at the beginning of words. It is common practice, on a daily basis for children to have opportunities to match letter sounds to objects and because of this they make good progress. They frequently play games. Such as ‘I spy’, in which they match sounds to the objects they see in the classroom and around the school. Such experiences are helping to improve their speaking and to develop their early reading abilities, although for many accuracy and speed are still not at the level expected. However, progress is evident because of the good activities and regular opportunities for practice.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

72. Children enjoy being read to. They take great interest in books, often commenting on the illustrations and predicting what might happen next in the story. During the inspection the teacher successfully used the story of ‘Bug in a rug’ to help children to recognise rhyming words. The children proceeded to retell the story in their own words and arrange pictures of the story in the correct order. They discussed the story in groups and listened courteously to each others ideas whilst they did so.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

73. All children have attempted to write their name to provide a title for their self portraits in the classroom art gallery. Many of the names are written legibly, whilst others have formed some letters clearly. Higher attaining children are often able to explain what they have written about and enjoy doing this. It is evident from the analysis of children’s work that good progress is made in writing. Many early attempts are little more than scribble, but by the end of the year the majority of children form letters and words clearly and legibly. There is a writing area in each classroom that includes cards, writing paper, envelopes and invitations. Many children use this facility as part of their everyday play. It Fourfields Primary School - 34 provides a context for their improving writing skills which they enjoy and it clearly appeals to their imaginations. Samples of children’s work show that towards the end of

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

their time in the Reception classes higher attaining children can cut and paste pictures and captions to form correctly sequenced stories. With help they can also arrange sentences into the correct order to form stories.

p.34

Mathematical development

74. Children are on course to achieve the early learning goals for their development in this area by the time they are ready to leave the Reception classes. They make good progress and achieve well in this area of their learning because the quality of teaching is good. Children’s knowledge of number is developing appropriately and teachers provide a very good range of activities that help this to happen. In one lesson the teacher hid forty plastic bears around the classroom for the children to find. There were ten bears of each colour and many children were able to work out how many more they needed to find to complete their set, by counting on. They also responded correctly to their teacher’s questions – such as ‘Please bring me three green bears’. All children were involved well in this activity as their teacher set questions that matched closely the ability of the children. The highest attaining children can write the numbers 1 to 10

p.34

Mathematical development

75. Children’s knowledge of basic two dimensional shapes is good and many correctly recognise shapes, such as squares, rectangles, triangles and circles. In one lesson the teacher challenged children to name shapes as she produced them from a bag. Many were able to do this quickly and correctly. During this lesson excellent teaching also challenged children’s speaking abilities very well by asking children to describe the shapes without naming them. This enabled children to use terms such ‘long’ and ‘short’ and ‘curved’ correctly in the descriptions they offered. Children’s learning during this lesson was excellent, based on the activities provided by the teacher. Teachers extend this work very effectively when they walk around the school with the children and ask them if they can see any of the shapes they have learned about in the buildings. Children did this activity with great enthusiasm and did not want to stop. Effective

p.34

Mathematical development

displays do much to enhance children’s mathematical development – such as the colourful displays that illustrate numbers visually for children in both the Reception classrooms.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

76. Children are on course to achieve the early learning goals for their development in this area by the time they are ready to leave the Reception classes. They make good progress and achieve well in this area of their learning because the quality of teaching is good. There are good sand and water play facilities to which all children have regular and frequent access. This helps children to improve their knowledge of science and materials and to develop the fine motor skills through handling a variety of objects. During the inspection one group of children searched the water to find two dimensional mathematical shapes that they named correctly.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

77. The food technology room is readily available for children to use, often with very good support and guidance from teaching assistants and parents. This accommodation is used well to extend children’s learning about food and the processes that are followed and the ingredients that are used to make sandwiches and cakes. When children handle food, teachers and teaching assistants work very effectively to raise children’s awareness of important health and safety issues. For example, children know they must wear caps and aprons and wash their hands before they begin work. Fourfields Primary School - 35 78. Children know the parts of flowers and have labelled these on diagrams. They handle flowers with care and use words, such as ‘pollen’, ‘violet’, and ‘perfume’ to describe the colours and smells they experience. They also know the parts of the human body and have named these by labelling pictures of the ‘Gingerbread’ man. Children recognise

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

objects that create light, such as candles and battery torches, and talk with knowledge and enthusiasm about such objects. Children’s knowledge of the seasons of the year and changes that take place is developing well. During a walk around the school several higher attaining children were able to explain what was happening to flowers and plants as the weather became colder. One child pointed out that flowers need to be warm to grow.

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

79. Children have regular opportunities to use computers and do so with good confidence. They receive a good grounding in the use of computers. Teachers raise children’s awareness of other traditions and beliefs satisfactorily. At the time of the inspection a good display was in place, focusing on Diwali (The Festival of Light), and introducing children successfully to the Hindhu culture and religion.

p.35

Physical development

80. Children are on course to exceed the early learning goals for their physical development by the time they are ready to leave the Reception classes. They make good progress and achieve well in this area of the learning because the quality of teaching is good. Children’s fine motor skills are developed well when they cut sandwiches in food technology. This activity also supports their mathematical development very well as children identify the shape of the sandwich they are cutting. Children move with good co-ordination and control during lessons in the hall. They remain aware of what is going on around them and are agile at avoiding each other, even when they are moving quickly. Most children copy the movements demonstrated by their teacher accurately and are keen to demonstrate what they can do when asked. When preparing for their ‘Humpty Dumpty’ dance they recall their previous learning very well and proceed to change smoothly from one shape to the next as they dance to

p.35

Physical development

illustrate the story. During these lessons teachers maintain a brisk pace and children work very hard. This is what is expected of them and children respond very well. Teachers make good use of the parachute, enabling children to develop their physical abilities and to co-operate with each other, and change places whilst making the parachute move in particular ways, which they do well.

p.35

Physical development

81. Teachers and teaching assistants use time and resources well to support children’s learning. Provision for children to play and learn outside is satisfactory. They have regular and carefully supervised access to a secure outdoor area adjacent to their classrooms and to large climbing apparatus and to large wheeled toys. There are major plans to extend this aspect of provision. As part of the current building programme a canopy will be erected, providing cover and enabling children to play outside, even when it is raining. The secure outdoor area is to be extended, providing a large area in which children can play and learn.

p.35

Creative development

82. Children are on course to exceed the early learning goals for their creative development by the time they are ready to leave the Reception classes. They make good progress and achieve well in this area of the learning because the quality of teaching is good. Teachers provide a good range of art based activities for children to experience and they respond well to these. They create regular patterns using hand prints and many Fourfields Primary School - 36 have produced very realistic self portraits. Many children understand how to mix colours to create new ones, using vegetable dyes and filter paper. When they do this they name the primary colours correctly. Children often use collage well in their art work and teachers link this work well to other areas of the children’s learning. For example, their Autumn and firework collages relate to their understanding of the changing seasons and events that happen at different times of the year.

p.35

Creative development

83. Children respond well during opportunities to be involved in drama and role-play. During the inspection children participated enthusiastically in organising the departure of Noah’s Ark and making sure all the animals were on board. Children enjoy opportunities to sing and to make music. They learn the words to new songs quickly and are eager to provide accompaniment by playing percussion instruments. They are appropriately aware of pace and rhythm and keep time very well.

p.36

ENGLISH

84. The 2002 end of Year 2 tests results show that pupils’ attainment in reading and writing is in line with the national average. In comparison with similar schools, pupils’ attainment is also in line with the average in reading and writing. At the end of Year 6 the test results show that pupils’ attainment in English is also in line with the national average and is in line with the average for similar schools. The data shows that there has been a trend of steady improvement in standards in English by the end of Year 6 since 1998. Evidence available during the inspection indicates that the trend is now one of rising improvement in Year 1 and Year 2 and in Year 3 to Year 6 and that standards will be above average in the forthcoming national tests. This represents good improvement over the position identified by the previous inspection.

p.36

ENGLISH

85. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy Strategy and teaching overall is very good. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are also very good and teachers when planning the progress of pupils’ learning use the assessment information effectively. Pupils of all ages and abilities make good progress as they move through the school. There has, in the past, been a significant difference in the performance of boys and girls in English in Year 3 to Year 6, but evidence from the inspection indicates that this difference is now levelling out.

p.36

ENGLISH

86. Pupils in all classes listen to their teachers and their classmates with respect and they all enjoy participation in class discussions. The quality of pupils’ vocabularies is a strength of the school and speaking and listening skills are above national expectations at the end of both key stages. Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to express themselves in class discussions and because of the very good rapport between them and their pupils the quality of such discussions is high. Pupils in all classes are confident when asked to read aloud and they evaluate their own work and that of others in a mature and constructive manner. Improvements in speaking and listening have had a significant impact in other areas of the curriculum and pupils use subject vocabularies very successfully when expressing their ideas.

p.36

ENGLISH

87. Pupils make good progress in reading and inspection findings show their attainment is above national expectations in both key stages. Good quality teaching encourages pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 in developing a love of books and stories and all pupils are excited by the sharing of their Big Books. In Year 2 pupils were observed sharing the ‘Farmer Duck’ story with great enthusiasm and were excited by the prospect of exploring the text further in the lessons to come. With their teacher they responded to the conventions of the text and were keen to point out how bold type indicated that the Fourfields Primary School - 37 reading should become more emphatic. As they read they also showed a sophisticated understanding of the morality in the tale of the exploited duck and were adamant that steps had to be taken to bring the lazy farmer to his senses. The enjoyment of shared reading is supported by individual and guided reading activities and pupils have access

p.36

ENGLISH

to a good range of fiction and non-fiction materials. In their own reading the vast majority of pupils are effectively deploying a range of strategies for addressing new and unfamiliar words and they take much enjoyment from successfully breaking the code and adding new words to their repertoire. As they read pupils also receive very good support from the teaching assistants who work in Year 1 and Year 2.

p.37

ENGLISH

88. By the time they reach Year 6 pupils are familiar with a wide range of literature and they have a good understanding of the work of a range of authors. In all classes in Year 3 to Year 6 pupils are encouraged to explore a wide mix of literary types and styles and in their own work they show an increasing ability to produce writing that can mimic the styles of authors ranging from Shakespeare to Roald Dahl. Pupils in Year 6 read avidly and are well informed concerning the cult favourites amongst contemporary authors. In discussion they show an appreciation of a literary tradition and know that literature is a powerful force in cultural development. Although small and currently in need of redevelopment and expansion the school library supports pupils in their explorations of literature. Many pupils also use the local community library. By the time they reach Year 6 pupils have a good knowledge of the way in which books can be used to support

p.37

ENGLISH

independent research and learning and they now also have an understanding of the value of information and communication technology in expanding the possibilities afforded by literature.

p.37

ENGLISH

89. At the end of both key stages pupils’ attainment in writing is above national expectations. All pupils have drafting books, writing books and literacy books that they use regularly and effectively. The pride they take in their work in these books is enhanced by the quality of the marking, which plays a significant part in maintaining the pupils’ motivation in writing. In addition to their practise of the grammatical and syntactic conventions of English pupils are also encouraged in experimenting with the use of words. In some of the independent writing produced by pupils in Year 2 they show good ability to experiment with adjectives to give their stories an added dimension and flavour. They are also able to transfer knowledge gained from their reading of Big Books and they know that the way in which words are written, the use of simple punctuation and the length of sentences can help create an impact on the reader. In a Year 2

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ENGLISH

lesson one pupil expressed the view that if he could only think of six more good words it would be the best writing he had ever done. Pupils have many opportunities for practising their handwriting, which is generally well formed and neat in appearance. 90. Pupils’ written work, by the time they reach Year 6, shows that they have a god grasp of formats and styles. The range of work produced includes reviews, persuasive and instructional writing, poems, play scripts and fiction in a variety of genres. Amongst the good quality work produced in Year 3 to Year 6 there is some of outstanding quality. Pupils have produced poems that present and use emotions with a stark simplicity that impacts immediately on the reader. This work also raises the level of spirituality in the pupils’ literary expression. Work pupils do in other subjects, such as history, also reflects the transfer of high-level literacy skills to other areas of the curriculum. In all

p.37

ENGLISH

classes pupils were observed to be confident and proud in sharing their work with others and were also supportive of each other when evaluating what they had done. Presentation of work is good and teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to improve and refine their writing. Computers are used frequently in drafting and presenting finished work and pupils clearly see the computer as a tool to support their work in English. Fourfields Primary School - 38 91. The quality of teaching is very good and during the inspection some excellent lessons were seen. The very good relationships between teachers and pupils contribute to the very good atmosphere for learning that exists in all classes. Teachers and support staff encourage pupils in all aspects of their work in English. They provide good opportunities for self-expression and pupils speak well and with confidence. The development and use of vocabulary is particularly impressive, especially amongst the higher attaining

p.37

ENGLISH

pupils and is apparent both in speaking and writing. In lessons all teachers demonstrated high expectations of performance from their classes and pupils respond well to this, with good levels of motivation. Through the effective use of questions and measured praise for the answers teachers indicate that the contribution of every pupil is valued. Marking of pupils’ work is very good and the comments give pupils a clear indication of what they can do to improve their performance. The marking is also used very effectively to carry out assessments of progress and in discussion pupils from all classes were able to indicate an understanding of their own work and progress. Summary sessions at the end of lessons in Year 2, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 also had the effect of consolidating and reinforcing progress and left the pupils with a clear idea of their own progress as well as looking forward to the next lesson. The very good

p.38

ENGLISH

teaching makes a significant contribution to improving the use of literary skills in subjects other than English. The analysis of pupils’ work in history, for example, showed good progress in the quality of written expression as pupils move through the school. Very good relationships between teachers and their classes associated with good quality class management create a good atmosphere for learning throughout the school. In this aspect teachers are helped by the quality and efficiency of the support staff who work with the pupils. Teachers promote the use of information and communications technology well and, as in Year 4, uses of techniques such as ‘Powerpoint’ to enhance the lesson are having a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

p.38

ENGLISH

92. The recently appointed co-ordinator for English is also recently appointed to the staff of the school and has yet to have a personal impact on English and literacy. Her previous experience and the sense of vision and commitment that she brings to the task already offer effective leadership for the future development of the subject. As the school is refurbished and expanded the co-ordinator is in a position to ensure the resourcing of a new and more effective library and also has plans for a major expansion of the stock of good quality fiction for pupils to use. Good use is already made of the assessment data collected through monitoring tests, and from the daily observations of the teachers, to inform the planning of lesson content and structure. The school has achieved good progress in English since the time of the previous inspection and although resources are currently at a satisfactory level is well placed to improve still further.

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MATHEMATICS

93. Inspection findings show that attainment in mathematics is in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Teaching across the school is currently of a good standard and this means that within lessons the progress being made by all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is good and that pupils are achieving well. The school has a high percentage of teachers that have only been in post for a very short period of time. Evidence indicates that over time the progress and achievement of pupils although satisfactory has not been consistently at the level found during the week of inspection. Unvalidated data from the 2002 National Curriculum test results at the end of year 2 show attainment to be below average when compared to all schools and to similar schools. The results for pupils at the end of Year 6 show attainment to be at an average level when compared to all and similar schools. Any

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MATHEMATICS

differences between test results and inspection findings can be explained by Fourfields Primary School - 39 differences in natural ability of the different groups of pupils. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Improvement since the time of the last inspection has been satisfactory. The good quality of teaching, the positive attitudes of the pupils to learning, the effective procedures that are in place to monitor teaching and to analyse test and assessment data and the good leadership of the subject are all factors that indicate that standards are set to rise in subsequent years.

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MATHEMATICS

94. By the end of Year 2 standards are at an average level overall with pupils’ attainment in number at a more secure level. The effective implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy has resulted in much emphasis being put on developing pupils’ mental agility. Most pupils are secure in their recall of addition and subtraction facts to 10 and in their understanding of place value to 100.The higher attaining pupils have a secure recall of addition facts to 20, are secure in their knowledge of place value to numbers beyond a 100 and are beginning to demonstrate an ability to recall number facts from their 2, 5, and 10 times tables. Pupils recognise sequences of numbers, including odd and even, with the higher attainers realising that addition and subtraction are inverse operations. The good quality of teaching ensures that pupils look at different ways in which they arrive at the answers to calculations but pupils find some difficulty in explaining how

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MATHEMATICS

they arrive at answers or in solving problems that are presented in word form or in formats other than what they are used to. Pupils use mathematical names in an appropriate manner for common two and three-dimensional shapes and describe their properties, including the number of sides and corners. Pupils are secure in recording results in simple lists, tables and graphs but are less secure in their interpretation of the data. Evidence indicates that over time some pupils have taken quite a while to grasp new mathematical concepts and that there has been a lot of repeated work in their books where the concept is being consolidated and at times over consolidated. This is not the case at the present time where there is a sharper edge to the teaching and teachers are keen to move pupils’ learning on at a faster rate.

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MATHEMATICS

95. By the end of Year 6 standards are at an average level and pupils of all abilities are currently making good progress in their acquisition of mathematical skills and understanding. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to put their mental agility skills to the test through a range of activities that start off many lessons. Teaching ensures that pupils are expected to examine and evaluate the different ways in which answers are arrived at. Pupils are being directly taught specific strategies and techniques to help them solve word problems. The recency of this initiative however means that it has not yet had sufficient time to have its greatest impact on improving pupils’ performance in this area of mathematics which is not at a secure enough level for a significant minority of pupils. Pupils have a satisfactory understanding of place value and because of good quality teaching evaluate the method they will use be it mental, pencil and paper or

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MATHEMATICS

calculator to work out calculations of differing difficulty. Pupils understand terms such as factor, multiple or square. The higher attainers are confident in simplifying fractions and in converting fractions to percentages and in calculating the mean, median and mode. Pupils calculate the areas and perimeters of shapes in an appropriate manner. Although pupils draw and measure angles the accuracy is not consistently as good as it should be. Pupils collect discrete data and record it using different formats but again their ability to interpret the data is not a particularly strong feature.

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MATHEMATICS

96. The quality of teaching and learning in both key stages is currently good and this is having a positive impact on how well pupils are achieving and on the good progress that pupils of all abilities are making. Pupils have good attitudes to the subject and are responding well to the increasingly high expectations that are being set. The pupils enjoy the mental arithmetic activities that start off many lessons. The tasks are often demanding but fun and the pupils show a great desire to get the answers right. These Fourfields Primary School - 40 good, lively opening sessions often set the tone for the rest of the lesson, with pupils’ interest, enthusiasm and motivation remaining at this high level throughout. Pupils behave well and are always ready to help out a classmate. Pupils listen attentively and show a readiness to ask and answer questions. All these factors help to create a climate that is conducive to effective learning. This is enhanced by effective teaching. A

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MATHEMATICS

wide variety of teaching methods are employed, which include whole-class discussion, group work and individual work. Work is often well matched to the differing ability of pupils. At Key Stage 2 pupils are taught in ability groups. This is proving effective because even within these ability groups teachers recognise that there is still a wide range of attainment levels and work is planned and matched well to these finer differences in attainment. As a result the work and activities are challenging and the learning of pupils is pushed on at a good rate. Throughout the school the session at the end of the lesson is used well to check what pupils have learned and in the most effective teaching the information is then used to guide and inform future planning.

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MATHEMATICS

97. Teachers’ planning is often of a good standard and outlines clear learning objectives. These are then shared with the pupils so that pupils are made fully aware of the part that they can play in their own learning. Teaching is increasingly taking account of pupils’ previous learning with teachers skilfully picking up on any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding and then making this a focus for future lessons. A very good example was observed at Key Stage 1 where the difficulties pupils were experiencing in alternative ways of making 8p were then made a focus for future activities. Throughout the school teachers have a good subject knowledge and this is used well to deal with any misconceptions. A good example of this was observed for the older pupils in school where the teacher and pupils worked through a complex problem involving conversion between metric and imperial measures, decimal fractions, ratio and proportion as well as difficult calculations. The pupils’ learning was

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MATHEMATICS

significantly enhanced because of the teacher’s clear explanations and strong subject knowledge. There is good use made of the school’s computer suite to support pupils’ learning in mathematics with classes having timetabled lessons where pupils’ numeracy and computing skills are developed alongside each other. Occasionally the tasks that are set are not challenging enough to really enhance pupils’ mathematical skills. Teachers are adept at capitalising on opportunities to strengthen pupils’ mathematical skills in subjects such as science and design and technology. There are some good examples of the marking of pupils’ work being used to provide good pointers for development and improvement, but this good practice is not as consistent across the school as it should be. Good use is made of homework to further pupils’ learning with a good range of homework tasks being set on a regular basis.

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MATHEMATICS

98. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator has only joined the school very recently but procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in the subject are and have been embedded in school practice for quite a while. Teachers have been monitored over time but there are a high number of teachers new to the school. The co-ordinator has however already been provided with opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching and learning across the school with further opportunities to be provided throughout the current academic year. Plans are also in hand for a regular scrutiny of pupils’ work to supplement the scrutiny of teachers’ planning which already takes place. There is a great commitment across the school to raising standards. With this in mind the headteacher is to form and teach an additional targeted group of older pupils at Key Stage 2 after Christmas to help improve

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MATHEMATICS

provision and standards. Good procedures are in place for assessing and tracking pupils with the school identifying particular groups of pupils that may need additional support or that may need to have their learning extended. The school is effective in the manner in which it analyses test and assessment data and plans to refine the process Fourfields Primary School - 41 still further by paying more attention to attainment and achievement by gender, by particular year groups and individual pupils and factors such as pupil mobility. This is particularly important, as the expansion of the school will mean that there may well be differences in the composition of different year groups in terms of attainment, attitudes and pupil mobility. Resources to support teaching and learning in the subject are at a satisfactory level with the co-ordinator keen to develop the role that parents could play in supporting and enhancing their child’s learning in mathematics.

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SCIENCE

99. In the 2002 teacher assessments of pupils at the end of Year 2 standards were average with some pupils achieving the higher levels. Inspection findings judge that attainment is in line with national expectations. In the 2002 national tests at the end of Year 6 standards were well below average and were in lowest five per cent when compared with the results found in similar schools. Inspection findings indicate standards are getting better because the subject is now taught more often and for longer. Trends in performance in science at the end of Year 6 are not yet rising quickly enough in comparison with pupils’ prior attainment. Pupils who are capable of achieving higher than average standards are also not doing as well as they could. All boys and girls including those with special educational needs do not achieve well enough at Key Stage 2. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards at Key Stage 1. There has been

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SCIENCE

unsatisfactory improvement since the previous inspection because science has not been taught in sufficient detail or for long enough each week.

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SCIENCE

100. Pupils in Year 2 have a good understanding of the science which they have studied this term. Discussions with groups of pupils show that the language they use to talk about science is satisfactory. Some pupils are able to predict what they think will happen in an investigation, for example when asked what happens to a light bulb if a circuit is incomplete, or if another bulb is added to the circuit. Pupils’ writing skills are not promoted well enough because too much work involves using worksheets. Better opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their numeracy skills through collecting and recording data using graphs and tally charts. Opportunities are well planned and included in most lessons for the use of information and communication technology to support learning. However, work in pupils’ books indicates teaching does not always include sufficient challenge for pupils who are capable of doing harder work. Pupils in

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SCIENCE

Year 1 do not have sufficient opportunities to plan their own work, to think scientifically or to predict what might happen. Better opportunities are provided for the promotion of observational skills, but chances are missed for developing the pupils’ key scientific vocabulary which would help them to explain their findings, for example, that sound diminishes as it travels away from its source, more effectively.

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SCIENCE

101. Pupils in Year 6 have inadequate knowledge and understanding of some aspects of the science curriculum. However, as a result of the good teaching they receive, they are improving quickly. Pupils’ knowledge about living things and how they adapt to different habitats is good. However, they are unable to adequately explain how to plan or conduct an experiment because they have been used to following the teacher’s directions or watching the teacher perform the investigation. They have some knowledge and understanding about the features of a fair test and the various factors to be taken into account. In discussion with groups of pupils their lack of personal experiences is because they have had too little time to perform their own experiments and teachers have concentrated too much on teaching factual information. During the inspection pupils in the Year 6 class were able to work together to discuss plants and food

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SCIENCE

production, but opportunities for making predictions or sequencing a variety of food Fourfields Primary School - 42 chain models were too limited. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to write their own accounts of what they have found out during the lesson. They know and use too little scientific vocabulary. They are better able to record their findings in graphs, charts and tables and use their numeracy skills more effectively when carrying out experiments. Pupils have used the internet and CD Roms to support their learning and these opportunities are usually well planned.

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SCIENCE

102. The quality of teaching and learning is now good. Lessons are well prepared, resourced with suitable apparatus, and teachers take care to link lessons to previous learning. Lessons are managed very well, therefore pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. When pupils are interested, as in a lesson on electricity in Year 2, they work with intense concentration and this helps their learning. Good use is made of learning resources that pupils can handle themselves and this helps to maintain their interest. As a result the quality of teaching and learning was very good and pupils achieved standards expected for their age. Pupils who had a better knowledge and understanding of the subject also achieved well because they were given more challenging work to complete. In lessons where there are extra adults they are used effectively to support the learning of lower attaining pupils and those with special

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SCIENCE

educational needs. However, an analysis of pupils’ work shows that, in the past, the work was not well matched to their ability, the length of lessons was too short and the quality of teaching was not good enough to compensate for the lack of time. As a result they made too little progress which, over a period of time, results in the standard of their work being unsatisfactory. The science curriculum was not challenging enough and teachers have expected too little of the pupils. Higher attaining pupils were not sufficiently challenged. Throughout the school marking was too variable to improve pupils’ learning. In a few classes teachers did not take sufficient care to ensure that all work was dated so that progress could be easily tracked. Worksheets were insufficiently challenging and this restricted the opportunities for pupils’ to use their literacy skills to express scientific knowledge and ideas. More recently, the quality of

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SCIENCE

marking has improved, but it is not always good enough to show the pupils how to improve and too little importance is attached to displaying pupils’ work in class or around the school.

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SCIENCE

103. The co-ordinator for science is a subject specialist and has a good knowledge and understanding of the standards pupils are achieving. She is aware of what needs to be done to bring about improvements. The subject has not been a school priority until very recently. Opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor the quality of teaching are planned and she has already evaluated the quality of teachers’ planning and assessed the work produced by pupils

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SCIENCE

104. Procedures to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory. Systems to record what pupils know, understand and can do are being implemented more fully and assessment is used to help set work that matches pupils’ needs well. Some teachers use simple question and answer tests to see if pupils have learned what they should at the end of each unit of work, but no pupils yet evaluate their own learning. The school has recently adjusted its planning so that all classes are following suitable guidelines and sufficient time is allocated to teaching the subject.

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ART AND DESIGN

105. Pupils’ attainment is above national expectations by the end of Year 2 and by the end of Year 6. This represents an improvement since the time of the previous inspection when they were judged to be satisfactory. Pupils of all ages and abilities make good progress Fourfields Primary School - 43 as they move through the school and there is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls.

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ART AND DESIGN

106. The teaching of the basic skills of drawing is a strength of the curriculum in art and design. Pupils have very good pencil techniques by the time they reach the end of Year 2. Their work shows a good attention to detail and they realise that the pencil can be used to indicate variations in light and shade and in tone and texture. The link with the work of famous artists is also made through their understanding of techniques such as pointillism and a later study of the work of Seurat. As they move through the school pupils grow in their understanding that art, like literature, can become more detailed and complex. Pupils in Year 3 were observed engaging with the difficult task of drawing self- portraits using mirrors. A strong feature of the lesson came from the enjoyment they found in wrestling with the task as it revealed more aspects of the skills of the artist. In all classes pupils have the opportunity to practise observational drawing as a basic

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ART AND DESIGN

skill. Use of sketchbooks helps provide a measure of confidence in observational drawing and pupils gradually come to terms with taking a perspective and giving as much attention to the spaces between objects as to the objects themselves. In a Year 4 lesson pupils made very good progress in their understanding that the relationship between objects in a display worked to enhance the visual impact of those objects in their drawings.

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ART AND DESIGN

107. Pupils also have very good opportunities to experience the possibilities inherent in using paint as a medium of expression. Work on display shows a progressive build-up of understanding of the palette of colours necessary to show the full glory of Autumn leaves, for example. Pupils also arrive at their confident use of the colour palette through looking at colour in other ways, such as wool winding to get the shades for replicating the style of Van Gogh, as used in his picture Starry Night. In a display based on the work of Klimt pupils have been able to see the essence of his use of shape and colour by having baskets of wool showing a spiral effect from the winding of each individual ball of wool. By the time they reach Year 6 pupils have a very good sense of mixing colour for effect and they have also been able to experiment with the colours available in computer programmes gaining further in confidence as they have done so.

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ART AND DESIGN

108. Around the school the use of materials in three dimensions has a major impact on the quality and appearance of displays. Work in English and history is displayed in three- dimensional form and in Year 5 the parts of a flower have been displayed in three dimensions. The standard of work in Modroc, salt dough and clay is also good and pupils’ work benefits from the school having its own kiln. As part of the plans for the new buildings currently rising on the site there is a proposal that pupils should be able to contribute a clay tile to a permanent wall panel to commemorate the opening. Experience in handling materials is also provided through paper weaving and collage work and through the use of fabrics and textiles.

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ART AND DESIGN

109. The work of famous artists from the European tradition is used to good effect in stimulating an interest amongst the pupils and they enjoy trying to match their own styles to those of established painters and craftspeople. At present there are too few opportunities for pupils to extend their knowledge and appreciation of art through the study of work from other non-European artistic traditions and cultures. They also lack an awareness of the wide range of styles and traditions now represented in the United Kingdom. Some change is being effected as a result of the expansion of the study of religious education and pupils are becoming more aware of, for example, the art of Islam and of the Indian sub-continent. The interpretation of the work of artists such as Picasso and Salvador Dali has given pupils a fresh perspective on what is possible in modern art and they are able to make comparisons between the representational

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ART AND DESIGN

Fourfields Primary School - 44 traditions of painters from an earlier period with more recent work. In discussion pupils from Year 6 could express a view on the way in which the artist uses devices and techniques to communicate with the viewer and compare these with their understanding of writers.

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ART AND DESIGN

110. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school. Teachers’ planning is supported by a scheme of work, although this requires revision to take account of a wider range of traditions and artistic expression. The strength of the teaching comes from an attention to the basic skills such as drawing so that pupils become confident in their work as they move through the school. Pupils respond well to the high expectations of their teachers and are also motivated by the effective way in which their work is valued. Pupils in all classes are encouraged to evaluate their own work and that of others and they know that this is a way of helping them to improve. The quality of the displays around the school is impressive and does much to create the good atmosphere for learning that pervades the school. Displays are labelled and annotated in ways that encourage the use of language and the development of a subject vocabulary. Pupils

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ART AND DESIGN

use computers well to generate drawings and paintings and also as sources of information and pupils are able to research art gallery collections.

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ART AND DESIGN

111. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic for her subject and offers effective leadership for the subject throughout the school. Although there is no school wide system for assessment in art the monitoring of progress through the selection of work for exhibitions and displays gives a clear picture of progress and performance in each class. The co-ordinator keeps a useful portfolio of work that shows the range of coverage in each key stage. Resources overall are satisfactory. The availability of a working kiln enhances the experiences gained by the pupils and the build up of information and communication technology applications is good. There is a lack of library-based resources at present although the plans for the new library will provide an opportunity to improve the stock of books and posters. More needs to be done to give pupils an insight into the arts and crafts of other societies and traditions, a change that

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ART AND DESIGN

will also enhance the contribution of art and design to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. Standards of pupils’ work at the end of Year 2 are satisfactory and all pupils in Year 1 and Year 2, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. By the end of Year 6 the standards are below those expected for pupils of this age. Pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 make too little progress because their lessons are too short and the subject is not taught regularly enough. Nevertheless, design and technology activities are used effectively to extend pupils’ learning in a range of other subjects, for example in history. However, opportunities are missed to spend adequate time in developing pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills within the subject itself. Only one design and technology lesson was observed during the inspection, therefore judgements take into account a range of other evidence available in the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 experience a satisfactory range of activities and the quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers plan lessons well. However, there are too few books or other sources of ideas for teachers to use to help them vary their lessons. Nevertheless, in both year groups the teaching promotes and encourages the pupils to create their own designs and evaluate the success of their ideas. No lessons were observed in these classes during the inspection, but some samples of work pupils had completed were displayed and available for analysis. Pupils have gained experience of Fourfields Primary School - 45 designing, making and evaluating a range of packaging and masks and they do this satisfactorily They have used a range of materials including fabric, braid, beads and buttons. To join the different components they used glue, staples, sticky tape and stitching. Pupils have also had experience of food technology. In work linked to their

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

history lessons about World War II pupils made a picnic. To sustain them in their role as evacuees they made jam sandwiches. To reinforce their knowledge and understanding of healthy eating as part of their science studies they selected their favourite fruits to make a fruit salad. Other delicacies have included baking gingerbread and making chilli con carne. In discussion with pupils they could recall a good range of ingredients, how they measured the quantities and the order in which they completed the tasks. The standard of pupils’ work, whilst satisfactory, could have been even better if teachers had provided more constructive helpful comments when evaluating their work, and by letting pupils have more independence when planning the designs for their work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Teaching and learning in Year 3 to Year 6 are now satisfactory. However, over time, the range of learning experiences pupils have received is limited. In discussion with pupils they are able to give clear explanations about what the subject is and understand the processes of planning, making and evaluating their work. Year 5 pupils could recall having made pulleys and dice. They remember using materials such as balsa wood and dowelling and could recall a range of tools used including saws and right angled frames, as well as a good range of assembly components. They could not recall having extended their skills in food technology since they were in Year 2. More recently they have begun to use sketch books to plan, design and evaluate their work. Sketch books retained from last year show examples of how pupils in Year 6 designed instruments, used cams in the construction of toys with movable parts and made slippers.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. Pupils enjoy the practical aspects of the subject. In a Year 5 lesson pupils showed how to work together safely and sensibly. They discussed their past work objectively, and they appreciate the need to offer and receive help willingly, whilst being sensitive in how they discuss the work of others in the class. However, their limited experiences mean that in discussion about their work they are not sufficiently confident to suggest many ways to utilise features such as electrical components, information and communication technology control or mouldable materials. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory. The use of the information gained from assessments to guide teachers’ planning is also satisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory and since the last inspection improvements have been made to the quality of provision. The school is well placed to maintain this improvement. The newly appointed co-ordinator has a very clear understanding of what needs to be done to raise standards and has already devised plans to monitor the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers are committed to improving the subject and they have realistic expectations of what pupils should achieve. The school is aware of the need to make more time available for pupils to learn sufficient new skills to enable them to achieve higher standards of work by the age of eleven. The limited space, particularly in the temporary classrooms, currently occupied by Year 5 and Year 6, also restricts opportunities for teaching some aspects of the subject, such as food technology and the construction of larger products. In spite

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

of the limitations imposed by the cramped accommodation teachers ensure all pupils have access to the design and technology curriculum and are provided with opportunities to learn new skills, knowledge and understanding.

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GEOGRAPHY

Fourfields Primary School - 46 117. The standard of attainment in geography by the end of Year 2 and by the end of Year 6 is in line with national expectations. No judgement was made as to the standard of attainment at the time of the last inspection but the adoption of a scheme of work for geography was a key issue for improvement. This key issue has been met and an appropriate scheme of work has been implemented. There is evidence of recent improvement in the subject and pupils of all abilities including those with special educational needs are making satisfactory progress overall. As was observed in the last inspection, the long gaps between geography units slow down the rate of progress particularly in Year 3 to Year 6. Opportunities for pupils to develop and practise subject skills are limited.

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GEOGRAPHY

118. By the end of Year 2, pupils have developed familiarity with their own locality and have compared it with a significantly different locality in Mexico. From their study of their own village they appreciate the variety of buildings, roads and street furniture and record them in drawing and painting. They are encouraged to evaluate the pleasant and unpleasant features and begin to develop environmental awareness, for example regarding recycling. From their study of a contrasting locality they demonstrate satisfactory understanding of differences in employment, landscape and culture. Pupils draw simple maps of their surroundings and add information to plans such as those of the school. Younger pupils use computer programs to design town plans and show understanding of the relationships between street features such as pedestrian crossings and shops. The provision of a single unit for geography in the summer term

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GEOGRAPHY

leaves few opportunities for pupils to practise map skills to the proper level over the rest of the year.

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GEOGRAPHY

119. By the end of Year 6, pupils demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of key geographical concepts. They show a sound understanding of geographic features such as coastal erosion and river courses. Investigations into their own locality cover different aspects, so that by the end of the key stage pupils know the structure of their settlement and the main issues affecting its future, such as housing development. Pupils have some opportunities to undertake research for themselves, for example in undertaking tourism surveys in Sheringham and to develop reporting and recording skills. Their map skills are limited. They are not familiar with the subject vocabulary and do not apply skills such as interpretation of scales easily. Links with numeracy enable them to use 4 figure grid references. As in Year 1 and Year 2, the subject is only taught once a year in the summer term. This provides opportunities for fieldwork and visits but

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GEOGRAPHY

does not allow for skill reinforcement and practise.

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GEOGRAPHY

120. The quality of teaching is now satisfactory overall. The scheme of work is appropriate and well matched to the school’s resources. Information and communication technology is used increasingly, for example in photographing the village with the digital camera, and in presenting data in graph form. There is considerable emphasis on the locality, which is used as the starting point for study in three of the four classes in Year 3 to Year 6. Planning for the single unit in each year is detailed and comprehensive but the impact on learning is reduced by the time span between units. The systematic development of pupils’ map skills is not followed with sufficient rigour. Teachers provide imaginative tasks for pupils and encourage the development of observation and questioning skills through field trips and local study. It is the school's practice for pupils to produce topic books that include their best work in geography but not to use regular

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GEOGRAPHY

workbooks. Although the topic books encourage high standards of presentation, they do not promote the systematic development of recording skills particularly those that require regular reinforcement such as accuracy in drawing, measurement and data interpretation. Fourfields Primary School - 47 121. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The scheme of work provides sufficient guidance to teachers. Planning procedures ensure the core curriculum is taught progressively. Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory. The use of information gained from assessments to guide teachers planning is also satisfactory. Resources to support pupils’ learning are adequate.

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HISTORY

122. Pupils’ attainment in history is in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and above expectations at the end of Year 6. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 make satisfactory progress. Standards at the end of Year 6 have improved since the time of the previous inspection. By the end of Year 6 all pupils, including those with special educational needs, have made good progress in history and in the development of the skills of historical enquiry. 123. By the end of Year 2 pupils have a satisfactory grasp of basic chronology and can explain that time and change are closely associated. They move from a study focused on themselves through their community to an examination of ancient history in their study of the Egyptians. Toys provide a vehicle through which they are able to appreciate many aspects of change and Year 2 pupils have grasped the significance of changes, such as the invention of electricity in the nature of toys. Famous people and

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HISTORY

events are linked effectively with pupils’ stories and writing. They gain much enjoyment from their examination of the lives of key figures such as Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale. Some of the work done by pupils is recorded on tape, rather than in written form, and this helps in their grasp of detail. When interviewing people, pupils are able to frame questions about the things that interest them and this brings them closer to the experience of ‘living history’.

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HISTORY

124. By the time they reach Year 6 pupils have a secure knowledge of many of the key dates and events in British history. The issues that surround these dates and events become part of their broader understanding of the nature of history. Older pupils are confident in their ability to question some of the interpretations placed on events in the past. In discussion pupils from Year 6 were able to present a view critical of the often-used cliché concerning the ‘good old days’. During the course of the inspection the older junior pupils made a day visit to Stibbington, where they role-played life in a Victorian community. As part of the experience they were able to trace their role character back through a lifetime by using the historical resources available. Following this experience the pupils were able to speak movingly of the nature of a child’s experience of the world in the more severe climate of Victorian childcare. In a Year 6 literacy lesson, when

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HISTORY

pupils were studying aspects of the novel The Railway Children, they showed a good grasp of the historical context in which the events of the novel are played out. Pupils throughout the school are encouraged to develop the skills of historical research and investigation. Increasing use is being made of information and communications technology to enhance the database available for personal research. In their homework and in discussion pupils also indicate that they are using computers at home to research jointly with parents and siblings and they have a clear appreciation of the computer as a tool to support their learning in history.

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HISTORY

125. The quality of teaching in history is satisfactory in Year 1 and Year 2 and good in Year 3 to Year 6. Teachers plan well and encourage the development of a joy of history. As a result of the good teaching in the subject pupils throughout the school are developing awareness that history has meaning for their own lives. They know that the landscape Fourfields Primary School - 48 around them is littered with the remains of older societies and communities and teachers stimulate their wish to know more of these. Through visits to facilities, such as those offered by Stibbington, pupils also have an opportunity for developing fieldwork skills in history. The pupils feel that such work gives them a feel for ‘real history’. Much of the discussion, stimulated through the study of events such as the evacuation of children from London during World War 2, enables pupils to develop empathy with the experiences of members of their own age group during an earlier time. Through the

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HISTORY

teaching of these aspects of history the subject is making a good contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils. In discussion with pupils from Year 6 it is apparent that they value the way in which history has informed their understanding of the thoughts and feelings of earlier generations.

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HISTORY

126. The co-ordinator has great enthusiasm for history as a subject and offers good leadership to her colleagues. The use of criteria for assessment is well embedded in the teaching of history throughout the school and the information gained is incorporated into teachers’ planning. The programme of visits out of school and to school by, for example, ‘Roman soldiers’ helps the pupils develop a real sense of being part of the tableau of history. The local community is also well used as part of the study of history. Resources overall are satisfactory and increasing use is being made of the resources available through information and communications technology.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127. Standards of attainment are above national expectations at the end of Year 2 and in line with expectations at the end of Year 6. This represents an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, are making good progress overall. Pupils have regular lessons following a structured scheme of work for information and communication technology and have good opportunities to apply their skills across the curriculum.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128. By the end of Year 2 pupils’ attainment is above national expectations. Children in the Foundation Stage receive a good grounding and by the end of Year 1 a significant number of pupils are already achieving beyond what is expected of their age. Consequently teachers are adjusting the scheme of work to provide appropriate challenge for the older pupils in Key Stage 1. Pupils in Year 2 not only use the mouse and keyboard confidently but also load their usual programs independently and show familiarity with the file menus and dialogue boxes. They enter and edit text and add clipart. They give directions for the movement of a floor robot. Pupils know and use the tools that change the appearance of their work such as the font size and style and the flood and fill tools for graphics. They listen carefully to instructions and work responsibly. Younger pupils display confidence in selecting and positioning graphics

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onscreen for example in building a town plan and clearly evaluate their work. They set themselves high standards and work hard to achieve them for example in persevering with the rotate tool to get the right angle.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

129. The majority of pupils at the end of Year 6 achieve standards which are in line with national expectations overall. A small number of pupils attain above national expectations. Pupils are familiar with communicating through emails. They are able to navigate web pages and undertake research using the Internet. Older pupils have used the multi – media features for slide show presentations. They search CD based encyclopaedia and have organised data themselves, for example in creating graphs about how long they have lived in Yaxley. Pupils understand database structure and are able to interrogate prepared files. They are beginning to appreciate validity and Fourfields Primary School - 49 plausibility of data. Younger pupils experience data preparation and collation, for example by collecting information about class preferences. The present provision ensures pupils develop skills progressively, but restricts their opportunities to complete

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substantial projects. Teachers are following the scheme of work closely and are ensuring that pupils acquire appropriate skills, including those of control technology and data logging.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

130. The quality of teaching is consistently good throughout the school. Instances of very good teaching were observed in the course of the inspection. Teachers now display confidence and competence and regularly use information and communication technology for teaching and presentation. Regular lessons in the information and communication technology suite are timetabled for all pupils from the Reception year to Year 6. The quality of teaching is strengthened by the frequent use of information and communication technology to enhance learning in other subjects, for example making graphs of insect habitats in science and by the weekly sessions using information and communication technology for Literacy or Numeracy. Unusually a Computer Club is provided after school for pupils in years 1 and 2. There are occasional opportunities for the more able pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 to take part in special events, such as a

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

newspaper for the school cluster. The programme of study for information and communication technology is being taught through a recognised scheme of work, which ensures progressive teaching and learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

131. The leadership and management of the subject are good. Planning for information and communication technology is monitored by the co-ordinator. Arrangements for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are good. The assessment is based around an information and communication technology capability record, which accompanies each pupil through the school. Class teachers discuss the completion of each target with their pupils and the range of attainment indicates that the records reflect the individual. This year the pupils’ written records are completed by individual work folders held on the network. The new co-ordinator has begun to assemble a portfolio of work, which will be used for exemplar purposes. The co-ordinator and the senior management team have drawn up an ambitious and comprehensive development plan for the enlarged establishment.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

132. The resources within the school are adequate. The range of peripheral resources, such as the interactive whiteboard and webcam are good, but at present there is a shortage of computers in use in individual classrooms. The action plan for information and communication technology will ensure a superior level of resourcing. The school has put in place secure procedures for Internet safety.

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MUSIC

133. Pupils’ attainment in music is in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The subject is allocated an appropriate amount of time at both key stages. The school follows a scheme based on commercially produced musical tapes. Teachers use this appropriately and add to it with their own interventions and extensions to enhance pupils’ learning. Teaching and learning are satisfactory with some good features and this results in pupils of all ages and abilities acquiring the required knowledge, skills and understanding at a steady rate and the progress that all pupils make, including those with special educational needs, is satisfactory. Improvement since the time of the last inspection has been satisfactory. Fourfields Primary School - 50 134. By the end of Year 2, pupils sing in a satisfactory manner and with a high level of enjoyment. Pupils recall a number of songs from memory, although in a singing

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MUSIC

assembly pupils were more conversant with the chorus of the songs than the verses. Pupils’ sense of rhythm and pitch is satisfactory. Pupils name a variety of untuned instruments and are increasing their confidence in playing and controlling the sounds that these instruments make and in following simple card notations to make loud, soft, fast or slow compositions. For some pupils it is clear that they have not all had regular experiences over time of handling such instruments or in composing their own pieces of music. Pupils listen carefully when played different pieces of music and recognise fast or slow tempo with the higher attaining pupils clapping very well in time to changes in tempo.

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MUSIC

135. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ singing is at a satisfactory level. Pupils perform within class music lessons with good levels of enthusiasm and recognise and respond to the fact that different music can evoke different moods and responses and this is often reflected in the manner in which they sing. For example, pupils in Year 5 stamp their own, yet accurate, interpretation on songs such as ‘Tuxedo Junction’ and ‘Down South in Birmingham’. Pupils’ singing ability and confidence is enhanced by the opportunities that are provided for the school choir to sing at different venues, such as an old people’s home, a local hospice, the local parish church and at a musical event for Peterborough schools. Pupils have knowledge of and use a satisfactory musical vocabulary with the higher attaining pupils able to read musical notation confidently. Evidence shows pupils taking part in composition exercises, including playing untuned

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MUSIC

percussion, which they complete in a satisfactory manner. Pupils are provided with opportunities to use simple musical notation accurately and to play back and evaluate what they have composed. Pupils’ knowledge of musical vocabulary is satisfactory with higher attaining pupils explaining accurately terms such as ‘ostinato’ and ‘accelerando’. Although there is some evidence of pupils’ musical appreciation skills through, for example listening to different pieces of music in assemblies, pupils’ knowledge of the names of or works of notable and famous composers is limited.

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MUSIC

136. Teaching and learning are satisfactory with some good features. Pupils clearly enjoy taking part in musical activities and do so with good levels of interest, motivation and enthusiasm. Pupils are well behaved in lessons and follow instructions appropriately. All these positive features help to create a good learning environment. The school uses a scheme that is based on commercially produced tapes. A strength of the teaching is that teachers do not simply follow the tapes to the letter, but instead stop the tapes at appropriate times and make additional teaching points and question the pupils about what they have learnt so far. This enhances pupils’ learning further. There are occasions when teachers recognise that there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding and teachers then modify future activities to take account of these factors. This again is effective. Teaching for the younger pupils in school makes good

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MUSIC

use of putting actions to songs which motivates the pupils and encourages them to take a full and active part in lessons. Occasionally, too much time is spent on allocating untuned instruments to different pupils which reduces the pace of the lesson and subdues pupils’ initial enthusiasm. In singing assemblies, the teacher directly taught the pupils techniques to improve their singing, which led to an immediate improvement in the level of performance. Teachers’ subject knowledge is satisfactory overall but not all teachers are confident in developing pupils’ compositional skills or in developing pupils’ knowledge and appraisal skills of a wide range of different types of music or different composers. Where teaching is effective, for example in Year 5, pupils listen to and appraise different genres of music, are introduced to a wide range of musical terms, and are provided with ample opportunities to perform with a constant emphasis on how

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Fourfields Primary School - 51 their performance could be improved next time. These factors result in good strides in pupils’ learning being made as well as the pupils thoroughly enjoying themselves.

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MUSIC

137. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator, who is the headteacher, has only been in post and at the school since the start of the academic year. However the co-ordinator has identified a number of areas for improving provision within the subject. These include providing music tuition for individual pupils with instruments such as violins and recorders, the employment of a specialist music teacher to enhance pupils’ learning and attainment and to widen pupils’ experiences of a wider range of music including music from different countries and cultures. No opportunities have been provided so far to directly monitor the quality of teaching and learning in lessons and plans are in hand to do so when the subject is a priority area on the school development plan over the next two years. Procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress in the subject are not securely in place.

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MUSIC

Visitors to the school include a jazz and a string quartet and a professional rock and roll group who perform to the pupils and then talk about how music can impact on and change the culture in which we live. These experiences strengthen pupils’ musical knowledge and add to their social and cultural development. However, pupils still have too little access to the music of other cultures, particularly that of non-European cultures. Resources are satisfactory with the school seeking to develop them further over the next 12 months.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. By the end of Year 2 standards are in line with expectations and by the end of Year 6 standards exceed expectations. Throughout the school pupils from all backgrounds make good progress. This is because all pupils are included well in the provision made for the subject and the quality of teaching is good. Pupils’ very good attitudes to their learning also make a significant contribution to the standards they attain. Improvement since the time of the last inspection is good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. In Year 1 and Year 2, in gymnastics, pupils are provided with good opportunities to prepare for exercise through appropriate and correctly performed warm up activities. Pupils know that exercising vigorously will raise their heart rate and they know how to check this. Teachers plan their lessons well. The structure they use allows pupils to refine the movements and balances they are taught and to combine them successfully into sequences. Teachers use diagrams to remind pupils about what they are trying to achieve in some lessons. This, along with helpful demonstrations from teachers and from pupils, helps to provide pupils with a clear of view of what is expected of them. Attention to safety is a good feature of these lessons, with pupils clearly aware of what is going on around them. Pupils handle apparatus carefully and correctly because they are taught to do so correctly. Teachers also provide pupils with good opportunities to

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evaluate their work and that of other pupils. Pupils respond well to these opportunities, showing that they understand the expectations for their work. However, they are not always encouraged sufficiently to make suggestions about how their work might be further improved.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. In Year 6 standards in football and hockey exceed those expected for pupils’ ages. The oldest pupils show great enthusiasm for their learning and inclement weather conditions do not provide a barrier to their participation. Their learning benefits greatly from lessons that are planned well and from enthusiastic teaching. In both games many pupils are able to maintain good control whilst moving quickly with the ball. They also pass the ball accurately and are very aware of the good positions taken by other Fourfields Primary School - 52 pupils during small sided games. These games are planned carefully by the teacher to match the abilities of the pupils and provide very good opportunities for pupils to apply the skills they have acquired during earlier practices. During these lessons pupils work hard, maintain their concentration and are helpful and sensitive towards each other. Teachers use questioning effectively, enabling pupils to plan the tactics they will use

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when playing games and to evaluate the quality of their work and their success in applying the skills they have learned. Teaching assistants also make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning by ensuring that appropriate equipment is available and making helpful suggestions that reinforce the points made by the teacher.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. The range and quality of learning opportunities is good and the subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, all pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 have the opportunity to go on a residential visit each year. These experiences provide good opportunities for pupils to develop their skills and knowledge of outdoor and adventurous activities and make a significant contribution to their social development. An effective programme is in place to support pupils’ learning in swimming. Records show that the majority of pupils attain appropriately in this activity. There is a good programme of extra curricular activities. This currently includes after school football, rugby and netball clubs. The football club is well attended by boys and girls and high levels of enthusiasm and skill are evident. Information and communication technology is used satisfactorily to enhance pupils’ learning in the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

subject. For example, stop watches are used to accurately measure pupils running times in athletics and computers are used to keep records of their performances. School teams compete successfully with others in inter school and local sports competitions, particularly in football.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. The quality of leadership and management is good. The nearby secondary school, to which most of the pupils transfer, is a sport college. Links with this school are very good and teachers and pupils benefit greatly from this close liaison. A teacher from the secondary school visits each week and provides very good advice and support for teachers. The subject co-ordinator, in partnership with the visiting teacher, monitors the quality of teaching provided for all classes and provides very helpful advice for improvement. Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. Pupils attain standards at the end of Year 6 that are below the levels expected in the locally agreed syllabus and their progress is unsatisfactory. Standards by this age are not as good as they were when the school was last inspected. Pupils attain the standards at the end of Year 2 that are expected for their age and are making satisfactory progress. Evidence was gained from an analysis of pupils’ work, lesson observations and talking to staff and pupils. Standards of attainment are restricted by insufficient time for pupils to do enough work, inconsistencies in teachers’ expectations of the detail and accuracy in pupils’ work and uncertainties in some teachers’ subject knowledge. Pupils do not have sufficiently detailed knowledge and understanding, especially in Year 5 and Year 6, of different religious beliefs and practices. Many have a sound factual knowledge of some moral and social issues, for example the conflicts in

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other parts of the world. However, few understand some of the religious influences on their own or other people’s lives.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. Year 2 pupils know that Christians worship in church. Many know and describe how a Christian is baptised and recall enthusiastically the main events of weddings and Fourfields Primary School - 53 christenings that they have attended. Some know that the Bible is the holy book for Christians, although few know or understand the meaning of such symbols as the cross. Most pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 have a sound understanding of the events that underpin some of the main Christian festivals, such as Christmas and Harvest. Few can recall details of other Bible stories they have read. Year 2 pupils know that other religions worship in different places, for example a synagogue and they are keen to find out about how Jewish people celebrate special events. They know the Torah is a special book and that the Jewish Sabbath is known as Shabat.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. Pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 build on their knowledge of Christianity, although few understand or explain how Christian values and beliefs influence their lives. They recall the main events in the life of Jesus and retell accurately some of the Bible stories they have studied, for example those of Noah’s Ark and the life of Mary and Joseph. However, they do not have opportunities to write their own accounts about these or to use them for illustrating Christian values, such as caring and honesty, and few can explain how such personal values influence their lives at home and at school. An analysis of the work of pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 shows that some of them know the different religious practices of some other world faiths, for example the Muslim prayer ritual and their fast during Ramadan. They know that the Muslims and Hindus have special holy books, sacred to their particular religions. Few know the names of the holy

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books, such as the Qur’an and they are not always aware of which particular holy book is sacred to each religion. Very few Year 6 pupils know any of the main symbols of Judaism or Islam, for example the Star of David and the Five Pillars of Islam. They show no knowledge of how these symbols have been developed or established nor have they sufficient understanding of their symbolic importance.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146. Teaching is now satisfactory, but over time the quality of the curriculum in Year 3 to Year 6 has been unsatisfactory. The analysis of pupils’ work shows that teachers’ expectations were not consistently high enough. Pupils’ work was frequently copied from information provided by the class teacher and did not include enough accurate, detailed, personally researched information. Teachers used worksheets too frequently, which required drawings or the completion of short sentences. This did not enable pupils to develop their answers and extend their literacy skills. This is because the subject is not taught for enough time each week. Some class teachers have not been clear about what they have been teaching, for example, aspects of the personal, social and health education curriculum have been mistaken for religious education.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147. In the lessons observed during the inspection the quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory. Teachers are particularly adept at managing pupils and keeping their attention. A good example of this was during a Year 1 lesson where the teacher’s own secure knowledge and understanding of the subject enabled her to retell the story of Mary being visited by an angel. Pupils were captivated by a range of illustrations depicting various artists’ impressions of an angel which they were given to look at while the teacher spontaneously told them the story, without referring to any books. At the end of the lesson pupils recalled the facts in detail and were eager to hear the next instalment as part of learning about Advent.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148. In a well taught lesson in Year 3, about the Jewish faith, pupils made good progress and demonstrated an extensive knowledge and understanding about Jewish food preparation, rites and feasts, such as Pesach and Hannukah. Literacy skills were developed and promoted through good opportunities for dialogue and discussion. The teacher’s own secure knowledge and understanding of the subject meant that pupils’ questions were answered well and this made a significant contribution to extending their knowledge. Nevertheless, some teachers have weaknesses in their own subject Fourfields Primary School - 54 knowledge, for example, in relation to the beliefs and practices of the Hindu faith. In a lesson where pupils were debating ‘reincarnation’ a significant proportion of the class had great difficulty conceptualising the passage of a soul or spirit from one existence to another.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

149. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The subject co- ordinator has developed a subject policy and there is a clear curriculum programme which makes good use of subject guidance to meet the needs of the Agreed Syllabus. There has been no monitoring of lessons to evaluate the impact of teaching and learning, but there has been some evaluation of pupils’ work and class teachers’ planning. The range of resources, particularly religious artefacts and resource materials for teachers to use to improve their own knowledge and understanding of the subject are satisfactory, but there are still some shortages, such as good quality artefacts for some world faiths. The school makes effective use of visits to local churches, and the cathedral, synagogues and a mosque. Teachers and, in particular the headteacher, use assemblies, linked to a planned theme, to help promote pupils’ religious knowledge and their understanding of values and beliefs. Not all teachers

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provide adequate time for pupils to pray and reflect during assemblies.

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150. The school is now well placed to improve standards at the end of Year 6 because measures are in hand to increase the amount of time the subject is taught to pupils in Year 3 to Year 6. The co-ordinator has a very clear view about the need to ensure all the new staff have opportunities to consolidate their own knowledge and understanding of the subject.

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