Hartford Primary School

HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr David Carrington

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 th –28 th January 2003

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Hartford Primary School - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

School address: Riddings Lane Hartford Northwich Cheshire

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Maurice McBride

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 2 nd March 1998 Hartford Primary School - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Team members 15414 Mr David Carrington Registered inspector 9479 Mrs Chris Field Lay inspector 1189 Mrs Sharon Brown Team inspector 22474 Mrs Jan Taylor Team inspector

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Cherry Trees Wenlock Road Tasley Bridgnorth Shropshire WV16 4QB

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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HARTFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Hartford Primary School - 5 REPORT CONTENTS

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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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

Hartford Primary School - 6 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Hartford Primary School is located in Hartford, about 2 miles to the south west of Northwich in Cheshire. There are 217 boys and 176 girls at the school making the school bigger than most primary schools. The school is a popular choice amongst parents and there has been a significant increase in the school roll during recent years. A well below average proportion of pupils has special educational needs, mainly for emotional and behavioural or learning difficulties. A below average proportion has statements. Virtually all pupils are from white British backgrounds. A below average proportion of pupils speaks English as an additional language with Farsi and Punjabi the main minority languages. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Hartford Primary School is a highly effective school with many strengths and very few areas for improvement. Standards are well above average overall and pupils’ personal development is very good. Standards of behaviour are excellent and relationships are an outstanding feature of the school. The quality of teaching and learning is good and this ensures pupils make good progress. The headteacher leads the school with strong conviction that only the best quality is good enough for Hartford pupils and other staff and the governors take an effective role in school management. Systems to check and evaluate school performance are developing very well, though a few aspects of the school’s work require closer focus in this process. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school is well led and managed. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. • The curriculum has considerable richness and ensures pupils’ personal development is very well promoted. • Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to school. • Standards are well above average.

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What could be improved

• Some aspects of the monitoring and evaluation process require sharpening. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The 1998 inspection report found no key issues and inspectors confirmed the school’s priorities to maintain the well above average standards in English and mathematics by implementing and developing the literacy and numeracy hours. The setting of targets for all pupils and the monitoring and evaluating of teaching were additional priorities at that time. The report stated that the school is placed extremely well to continue to maintain and further improve what it does. The school has worked successfully on these priorities and has made good progress. The school’s capacity for sustaining improvement is good. Hartford Primary School - 7

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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 (known as SATs by parents).

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

2000 2001 2002 2002 very high A* English A* A A A well above average above average A B Mathematics A* A* A A average below average C D science A* A A A well below average very low E E* Similar schools are those schools with up to 8% of the pupils entitled to free school meals.

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STANDARDS

The above table shows that in some recent years standards attained by Year 6 pupils in the SATs have been amongst the top five percent nationally (A*). Last year, standards were well above the national and similar schools’ averages in English, mathematics and science. The picture was similar in Year 2 in 2002 with pupils attaining well above average standards in reading and writing and very high standards (A*) in mathematics and science. Pupils make good progress from their above average starting point when they start school.

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STANDARDS

There has been no consistent pattern in the progress and attainment of boys and girls over recent years and inspectors found no evidence to show that one gender is currently out performing the other. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level 3 in Year 2 and higher level 5 in Year 6 was well above average overall. In general, higher attaining pupils do very well in school. The monitoring of the challenging work set for the very highest attainers could be sharper.

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STANDARDS

The school promotes good standards effectively in other subjects. It has a deserved reputation for achievement in physical education and sport, and standards in the humanities and creative and arts subjects are good. The skills of basic literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) are well promoted across the curriculum. The school meets its mission of Promoting excellence very well because expectations are high and learning is productive and purposeful.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to all aspects of school life and they work hard in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is excellent in classrooms and other places in school. There were no exclusions during the previous full school year.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is looked after with conspicuous success and relationships are excellent. These are significant strengths.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Levels of attendance are well above the national average and pupils attend punctually. Hartford Primary School - 8 Hartford Primary School - 9

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Pupils throughout the school benefit from good teaching. This has a positive impact on learning and ensures that they make good progress and attain well above average standards overall. This is especially noticeable in English and mathematics where basic skills are taught well. There is no evidence of unsatisfactory teaching in school, whether in lessons or as shown by pupils’ past work. Indeed, some very good or better teaching is in evidence in all year groups. Teachers have high expectations, they plan thoroughly and their methods are effective in promoting good learning. The management of pupils is a singular strength that contributes much to the settled and productive working conditions in lessons. Pupils acquire skills, knowledge and understanding at a good rate, their pace of learning is good and they show very good levels of interest, concentration and independence as they work. The pupils develop into mature and sensible learners who have good understanding of how well

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is very good overall and has considerable richness. Very good links between subjects ensure that basic skills are developed well and the school’s strategies for numeracy and literacy are highly effective. The time allocations for geography and religious education are not sufficient and this limits the quality of learning. The school draws well on the community and other schools to the benefit of the pupils and the programme of extra-curricular activities is excellent. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The support staff are successful in their work with these pupils and ensure they make good progress. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The very few pupils who speak English as an additional language learn effectively because staff cater for them well. All of them speak, read

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Aspect Comment

and write English as proficiently as other pupils by the time they leave school. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Pupils’ spiritual development is good, though it is not planned consistently across the curriculum. Cultural education is very effective in fostering pupils’ awareness of their own culture and it promotes their appreciation and enjoyment of multicultural aspects well. Pupils’ social and moral education are both excellent. How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for the welfare, health and safety of pupils are good overall. Assessment is of good quality and the data produced is used soundly to guide planning and to set targets for attainment. The partnership with parents Parents view the school positively and have a good role in the education of their children. They are provided with good quality information, though some would like even more about their children’s progress.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher leads the school very well and ensures that all staff take a good role in the management of the school. Senior managers are developing into an effective team that promotes high standards and good quality education for the pupils.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors know the school well and are proud of its successes. They have good links that enable them to track what is happening in school and they ask the necessary questions to ensure that things are done well. Governors ensure that the school applies the principles of best value well.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The monitoring and evaluation of school performance is becoming a very effective tool for managers to check that standards and the quality of education are as good as possible. One or two aspects of the school’s work, such as ensuring that the best practice in subjects outside English and mathematics is shared consistently and that there is sufficient time for all subjects, are ready for closer focus in monitoring. On the other hand, systems for appraisal and performance management are excellent.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources There are no major shortages of staff, resources or accommodation, though space is at a premium in the ICT suite. Finance is planned and managed very well and additional grants, for example for pupils with special educational needs and the raising of standards, are used well.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like coming to school. • Teaching is good and there are high expectations. • Progress is good. • Behaviour is good and pupils develop into mature and sensible learners. • The school works well with parents and staff are approachable when there are concerns. • Some parents have concerns about communication with the school and in particular about how well their children are achieving.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the positive views of parents and would assure parents that the school continues to work to improve communication. The annual written pupil reports provide very full information about English and mathematics and appropriate information in other subjects. Teachers work hard to ensure the reports are personalised. Hartford Primary School - 11 PART B: COMMENTARY

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Hartford Primary School enjoys a deserved reputation for the quality of education and standards achieved. This is down to continued very good leadership given by the headteacher. She has built successfully on the school’s past reputation and focused the school’s work very effectively on best practice and maintained high standards. The school has evolved into a highly effective school where the pupils get a good deal.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The senior management team is thoroughly united in its pursuit of excellence and is developing an effective partnership with the headteacher. Senior managers have good involvement in monitoring and evaluation systems and have good insights into school performance. This role continues to expand and there is very good determination amongst them to make improvements.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Staff morale is high. Subject leaders are committed and take decisive action to meet the targets set for their subjects. They too are more involved in monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work, though the headteacher and staff acknowledge that this aspect can be strengthened. This priority is identified clearly in the school improvement plan and effective steps have already been taken to further the role and impact of subject leaders.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. The governors are a central group in school management. They are knowledgeable and influential in matters of self-analysis of performance. They function well as critical friends of the school and by asking key questions about what is being achieved, at what rate and by whom , they are making a valuable contribution to the application of best value principles. Governors are justifiably proud of the school and give valued support to staff, pupils and parents alike.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. The school’s strategies for appraisal and performance management are excellent. Clear, sensible and very appropriate targets are set for staff that relate very well to the school’s mission and educational priorities. The culture of self-analysis, evaluation and improvement in school is strong and staff are not afraid to identify and tackle weakness. They also celebrate success.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Time management is another success in management terms. The very many duties shared amongst staff are apportioned equably and tackled in good spirits. There is much good will amongst all staff and governors to work for improvement. Priorities are ranked carefully, costed thoroughly and resourced properly. All staff and governors know and understand these priorities and work hard and successfully to bring them to fruition because they all have a central role in putting the school improvement plan together. Funding is managed most effectively and additional grants are put to good use, as shown by the good quality provision for pupils with special educational needs and the maintenance and improvement of standards.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. The buildings show the attention to pupils’ needs prevalent in school. In general, there is adequate accommodation for the increasing numbers of pupils. The ICT suite is a good addition to educational provision and is used effectively, though it is cramped and some work spills out into adjacent areas. There are well-advanced plans to extend and improve the ICT suite in a bid to further raise standards in the subject. There are some very good quality displays about the Hartford Primary School - 12 school that celebrate achievement and success and promote good aspirations amongst the pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. It is very clear that the school’s mission is pursued successfully because all staff and the governors are involved well in the management of the school. The headteacher is to the fore in setting high expectations and ensuring that learning is productive and purposeful.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The quality of teaching and learning is good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. Throughout the school pupils benefit from good quality teaching and learning. It is evident that they get a good deal from lessons and that unsatisfactory teaching and learning is absent. The scrutiny of past work shows that expectations are high; a characteristic that is also very evident in lessons.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. Teachers have good subject knowledge, they plan thoroughly and their methods are successful in motivating the pupils to good learning. The variety of teaching techniques usefully gives pupils ample opportunities to learn in a hands-on fashion. This promotes good concentration and effort, resulting in productive working.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. The management of pupils is something at which staff excel. Very rarely do teachers have to remind pupils to improve their behaviour or effort. When this is necessary, a glance frequently suffices. The expectations for positive behaviour have been established very firmly and pupils’ respond extremely well. Additionally, pupils have little time to waste because the lessons are moved forward at a good pace and are well focused on the development of knowledge, skills and understanding. Pupils are apologetic if they step out of line, they know not to repeat the misdemeanour and they know that they have been treated fairly.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. Support staff play a valuable role in advancing pupils’ learning. They assist pupils with special educational needs well, for example. The support staff are fully involved in lesson planning, so they know exactly what is expected of them. They carry out their duties with commitment and hard work. The pupils benefit from this additional support and their quality of learning is improved because of it.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

13. Teachers share the expected learning outcomes with the pupils at the start of lessons. This gives good focus to learning. Additionally, targets for learning are shared with pupils and with parents. Whilst pupils have good understanding of how well they are learning, the review by pupils of what has been achieved at the end of lessons could be more widespread and marking could be linked more to the targets. However, there is a willingness and commitment to make these improvements amongst managers and the staff.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

14. Inspectors observed many lessons of good or better teaching and learning quality and all would stand quotation to illustrate the strengths that abound. However, a Year 5, ICT lesson serves this purpose particularly well. In this lesson, excellent teaching and learning was observed because the conditions and expectations prevalent were spot-on for pupils of different abilities. The teacher adopted a brisk and confident approach to the exploration of spreadsheet facilities using the interactive whiteboard 1 . There was a sense of awe in the class when one boy changed the layout of the spreadsheet with a few clicks of his finger. As each pupil demonstrated how to

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1 A large board linked to the computer that functions as a touch-screen, enabling staff and pupils to make changes, say, to a spreadsheet, much as they might with a mouse and the keyboard. Hartford Primary School - 13 make changes, other pupils talked very quietly, and entirely appropriately about what they were observing and what they knew should be changed. Both boys and girls were attaining at a well above average level as they moved from the repetitive processing of figures to the use of formulae to define mathematical operations. They made very good use of the formula-builder function to do this and by the end of the session, many pupils were demonstrating skills in advance of those expected for pupils for this age. Additionally, there was a clear attempt to bring quality to the presentation and interpretation of the data as pupils worked hard to give structure to their information and to refine it continually.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

15. Pupils’ progress is very much assisted in school because of a well-planned curriculum that gives attention to the development of both academic and social skills.

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The curriculum has considerable richness and ensures pupils’ personal development is very

16. School managers have worked hard to unify the curriculum and to make sensible links between its different parts. The eleven subjects of the curriculum are generally well planned and dovetail together well in the furtherance of the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT. This linkage is a considerable strength of the curriculum and enables the school to preserve the necessary breadth and balance to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum and religious education. As identified in the final section of this report, fine-tuning of the curriculum is required to ensure that all subject have a sufficient allocation of time to enable the best learning possible and that the time that is allocated is utilised fully. However, pupils benefit well from the overall curriculum and they build skills as successfully in arts, creative subjects, the humanities and sports as they do in English, mathematics and science.

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The curriculum has considerable richness and ensures pupils’ personal development is very

17. The development of basic skills, such as reading and writing are promoted well in other subjects. At present, the school is giving additional focus to writing in a bid to raise standards further. This emphasis is not just to be found in English, but across the curriculum, with some very good examples of writing in different styles and at length in science, ICT and history. ICT is used well to enhance learning across the curriculum, though subject leaders have each identified ways in which they are seeking to improve such links. The school is making good progress in its work to advance the use of ICT in all parts of the curriculum.

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The curriculum has considerable richness and ensures pupils’ personal development is very

18. The hands-on learning identified above is well promoted in subjects such as science, design and technology and physical education. Practical activity is given due prominence in such subjects and planning focuses firmly on skill development. Beyond the development of the necessary skills in these subjects, this approach gives pupils greater responsibility, and independence in their work and encourages productive collaboration and a mature approach to learning. Thinking is central to such learning and pupils’ reasoning and logic skills are developed well.

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The curriculum has considerable richness and ensures pupils’ personal development is very

19. The programme of extra-curricular activities is excellent and the school has had considerable success in competitive sporting events. The range of activities changes each term and different clubs are available for different year groups. Football, short tennis, yoga, mathematics puzzles, music, recorders, choir, orchestra and netball were all on offer during the inspection for pupils from Year 1 to Year 6. The participation rates of staff and pupils in the clubs and activities provided are high and pupils’ learning, progress and standards all increase because of the calibre of work produced. The programme of educational visits and visitors to school also gives pupils wider opportunities to find out more about the topics they study. For example, the visit to Quarry Bank Mill at Styal, which complemented work on Doctor Barnado and helped pupils develop a Hartford Primary School - 14 sense of empathy with families in early Victorian times. Links with the community and other

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The curriculum has considerable richness and ensures pupils’ personal development is very

schools are also used well to broaden pupils’ experiences.

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The curriculum has considerable richness and ensures pupils’ personal development is very

20. The curriculum is as much about pupils’ personal development as it is their academic achievement. Mature and sensible learners are evident throughout the school because of the successful focus given to spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. The overall quality of this work is very good though there are a couple of areas for enhancement. Whilst pupils’ spiritual development is good, there are not enough planned opportunities for this across the curriculum. There is a very spiritual dimension to many assemblies and religious education lessons but spiritual education in other subjects is more spontaneous than planned. School managers are determined to broaden the range of spiritual education in a bid to bring provision to the same very good quality in other aspects of personal development. Likewise, whilst cultural education is very effective in fostering pupils’ own culture it is not quite as adept at promoting their

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The curriculum has considerable richness and ensures pupils’ personal development is very

appreciation and enjoyment of other cultures, especially those present in modern 20 th century society. The school has identified this as another priority for improvement and is moving ahead with it currently.

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The curriculum has considerable richness and ensures pupils’ personal development is very

21. Pupils’ social and moral education are both excellent and this gives a lift to the response of pupils to the varied experiences they meet in school.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

22. Pupils are keen to come to school. There is no time lost in settling to the day’s work and pupils immediately listen and concentrate well. Parents also underline the interest their children show in school and some report that it is difficult to keep them away, even when there is legitimate reason. Some parents even say their children would like to come to school at weekends!

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

23. Behaviour is excellent in all parts of the school and at all times of day. The school’s expectations of behaviour are identified very clearly and there is a most successful system of rewards and (comparatively rarely used) sanctions to encourage best response. Furthermore, pupils develop a great sense of self-discipline that means that reprimands and correction of unsatisfactory behaviour are rare. A number of pupils have emotional and behavioural needs and receive special educational needs support for this. The school works well with these pupils and their behaviour is usually good. Instances of bullying are not common, but when they do occur they are tackled very effectively. Parents and pupils alike say they have confidence in the school’s measures to eliminate bullying.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

24. Relationships are also excellent. This extends to relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults. The staff are very good role models for the pupils and pupils quickly value the help and assistance given to support their learning. Pupils show courtesy and consideration to others; not just to adults but to other pupils as well. Politeness is routine because it is insisted upon; again, by pupils as well as staff. Pupils treat each other extremely well and are concerned for the well being of other pupils.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

25. Pupils also respect others’ views. There are very good levels of tolerance about the school and racial harmony is good. The Year 6 pupils who talked to inspectors about their work on the School Council impressed with their thoughtfulness for the plight of other pupils and suggestions for how life and work could be improved in school. They also demonstrated very clearly their maturity and sensible outlook on life. Whilst suggesting ways that staff and the school could Hartford Primary School - 15 improved, they remained loyal to the school that they were particularly pleased to attend and which they valued immensely for the start it gave them to education and their own development.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

26. The very positive attitudes to school are not just reflected in pupils’ keen response in lessons, but also in the rate of attendance, which is well above average. They are also reflected in the progress that pupils make and in the overall standards attained.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

27. The school promotes high standards very effectively and has a good track record in consolidating and preserving the high level of attainment established over many years. Taking last year’s SATs results as just one indicator, the school added good value overall to Year 6 pupils’ attainment when compared to the same pupils’ attainment in Year 2. This has been the trend for some time and the overall trend to improving standards is similar in school to the national picture, with attainment consistently at least above the national average and often exceeding this level.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

28. The chart of academic attainment for Year 2 and Year 6 pupils consists mainly of A (well above average) and A* (in the top five percent of schools, academically) grades for English, mathematics and science. The fluctuations in this pattern are normal and do not disguise any causes of concern. So for example, there has been barely any difference in the attainment of girls and boys overall during recent years. In some years boys may have out performed the girls and in others the girls moved ahead. However, the trend has usually mirrored the national picture and where it has not, it has been of short-term nature. Inspectors checked the attainment of boys and girls carefully in lessons and in their past work and did not find any significant variation in the very good standards attained.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

29. The higher attaining pupils, who make up the majority in school, do well in their studies as the work is firmly focused on their needs. Thus, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels in the Year 2 and 6 SATs was well above average overall in 2002. Some refinement could be made to the procedures to monitor the work set for the very top attaining pupils. The school is not yet flagging up those with particular gifts and talents and this is a target in the school’s bid for excellence.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

30. As indicated earlier, standards are very good across the school, not just in the Year 2 and 6 SATs. Academic attainment is the central plank of the school’s mission and this is upheld with evident success. The quality of work seen in lessons and pupils’ books is testament to the very good standards being achieved. In reception, well above average standards were observed during the inspection in the communication, language and literacy strand of work and in mathematical development. In mathematics for example, most children were counting to ten and back, then to 20 and back and could start at numbers other than one as they did this. The quickly spotted errors on the number line by identifying missing numbers or those in the wrong order. Most pupils could complete simple addition problems using simple visual aids to do so. In this lesson, good use was made of ICT to support learning and progress in mathematics as pupils

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

added two amounts to make totals up to 20. These well above average standards represent good progress from the above average level of skills and knowledge when the present reception children started school.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

31. Pupils in infant classes maintain these above average standards. Year 1 and 2 English lessons showed well above average standards consistently and standards in all other subjects were above average as a minimum. There is a consistency here in both intellectual and practical Hartford Primary School - 16 subjects, with pupils in Years 1 and 2 making continued good progress in subjects such as mathematics, history, ICT and physical education. Indeed, progress in one Year 2 history lesson about Florence Nightingale was very good because the teacher made very effective use of resources and used the concluding session most successfully to sponsor very good gains in learning. Around the school there are many displays of good quality work by Year 1 and 2 pupils. Year 1 have made sculptures in the style of Henry Moore, woven fish using paper straws and made attractive fabric flowers. Year 2 pupils have used blanket stitch to make a

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

quilt, which they then decorated with fabric paint and sequins. They have also made imaginative pictures of Jack and the Beanstalk from oil pastels and paint. There is some good use of ICT on display too. Year 2 pupils have used the shape tool and floodfill feature on their graphics program with text boxes to design models that they then constructed in design and technology lessons.

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

32. Junior pupils continue to make good progress and standards are good in all subjects. Lesson observations in Years 3 to 6 showed good standards in history, ICT, music, physical education and religious education to complement the well above average standards in last year’s English, mathematics and science SATs for eleven year old pupils. In both junior and infant years the scrutiny of pupils’ past work supported these judgements about standards. Good standards are evident in arts subjects, for example, there are some high quality hanging wall friezes in the hall that show different aspects of school life. These friezes make good reference to social and moral education because they include prints showing ‘ playing together in the playground ’ and how ‘a good friend would notice you struggling with your homework and help you ’. In a few cases, a shortage of time meant that standards did not rise to the same good level, for

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Behaviour and relationships are excellent and the pupils have very positive attitudes to

example in geography, but overall, pupils do well in school and make good progress. There is also every prospect that standards will continue to be the prime achievement of the school in future years.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Some aspects of the monitoring and evaluation process require sharpening.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

33. As discussed earlier, there are one or two places where the school’s work can be improved further. In such cases, enhanced monitoring and evaluation of the quality of provision will lead to even greater success in school. So much in the school is a success and staff are firm in their commitment to improvement that advancement in the following three areas is assured:

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

34. The work set for the very highest attaining pupils in school, including those with particular gifts or talents is not monitored consistently. Specific learning objectives for this group of pupils are not always identified in planning and this is something for the school to check and evaluate.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

35. In subjects outside English and mathematics the quality of teaching and learning is not monitored as assiduously, for example in geography and religious education. This report has flagged numerous strengths in the school’s provision but the next step is to provide the necessary training, time and opportunity to involve all staff in the critical review of the subject for which they have responsibility

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

36. The time allocation given and the timetabling of some foundation subjects have an adverse impact on standards of attainment. For example, the quality of writing is religious education and geography work and to a lesser degree history, is not to the same high standard as seen in English lessons and the sample of pupils’ work provided. In this respect, the planned learning Hartford Primary School - 17 outcomes are not met in full when there is a relative shortage of time to develop the necessary skills and knowledge. Hartford Primary School - 18

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

37. All staff and the governors are committed to maintaining standards at a very high level and have been successful in this task. There is also very good commitment to ensure that the quality of education is of good quality. However, there are one or two aspects of the school’s work where closer focus through monitoring and evaluation would serve to bring even more success. Accordingly, everyone in school should:

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Continue to hone the system of monitoring and evaluation

By • Checking that planning of work for the very highest attaining pupils in school is consistent in its identification of appropriate learning objectives. • Identifying and sharing best practice in subjects outside English and mathematics • Making sure that the time allocation and timing in all subjects matches the learning outcomes planned for pupils. Hartford Primary School - 19 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 9

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 393

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 13

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

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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 14

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Hartford Primary School - 20 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Hartford Primary School - 21

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 25 27 52

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 24 24 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 27 27

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

Percentage of pupils School 98 (96) 98 (94) 100 (98) 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 24 25 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 27 27

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

Percentage of pupils School 98 (96) 100 (98) 100 (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 24 35 59

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 24 23 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 34 34 35

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

Percentage of pupils School 98 (89) 97 (86) 100 (95) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 21 22 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 34 31 34

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (77) 90 (84) 95 (95) 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. Hartford Primary School - 22

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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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Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 3 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.9 Financial year 2001-2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 665 096

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 629 623

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 129.5 Expenditure per pupil 1 614*

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 24 215

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 35 473

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Teachers and classes Financial information

* 629623/390 Hartford Primary School - 23

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 7

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 7

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.2

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Hartford Primary School - 24

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 56 42 1 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 59 40 1 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 42 44 11 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 30 50 16 2 2

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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. 71 24 3 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 70 29 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 50 44 5 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 67 30 1 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 61 34 2 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 44 39 9 3 5

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