Bickerton Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 7 th May 2003

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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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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. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bickerton Malpas Cheshire Postcode: SY14 8AP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Bruce Kendrick

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 26 th January 1998 Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 4

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Team members

21074 Mr K Williams Registered inspector 9511 Mrs A Longfield Lay inspector 17686 Mr G Simpson Team inspector

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Team members

Sandfield Educational Consultants 16 Wychwood Drive Trowell Park Nottingham NG9 3RB

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Bickerton Holy Trinity CE 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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16-

Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Bickerton Holy Trinity is a Church of England Voluntary Controlled primary school. There are 126 pupils on roll, which is smaller than average. The pupils are admitted to a class containing Reception and Year 1 pupils at the beginning of the year in which they are five and there are three further mixed-age classes. All of the pupils are of white ethnic background. The attainment of pupils when they start school is broadly average. Twenty-four pupils have been identified with special educational needs, which is similar to most schools. No pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Need. The percentage of pupils who have free school meals, at two per cent, is below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. By the time they leave the school, the pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics. The quality of teaching is good and the school is well led and managed. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the school. • The pupils have very positive attitudes to school and their personal development and attendance are good. • The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational needs, to make good progress. • The pupils are well cared for and their health, safety and well-being are secure. • The school is well led and managed by the head teacher, senior staff and governors.

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What could be improved

• Standards in science and information and communication technology could be higher. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since it was last inspected in January 1998 and is well placed to secure further improvement. The above average standards in English and mathematics, identified at that time, have been sustained. Although the number of pupils taking the national assessments each year is small and analysis must be treated cautiously, over recent years the school’s results in English and mathematics have generally been above, or well above average. The school has focused on raising standards in science and more remains to be done in this important area. Good progress has been made in addressing the issues identified in the last inspection, particularly in the last two years. The school has improved its provision for information and communication technology and the teachers’ knowledge and confidence. Standards are beginning to improve, but the school recognises the need to continue to develop this aspect.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Schemes of work, based on national guidance, are now in place for each subject. School development planning has improved and governors have appropriate systems for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of spending decisions. The monitoring of, and support for, staff development have improved. The school is still working to improve the facilities for physical education. The hall, although small for the larger classes, is well used for indoor lessons and there is a good sized field. The school is currently raising funds to create better outdoor hard-play facilities and makes good use of a sports coach to enhance its provision for physical education. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE 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.

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Key

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

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Key

The table relates to eleven year olds who took the tests in 2002. The results for English were well above average when compared with all schools; those for mathematics were above average and in science they were well below average. When compared with similar schools, the results for English were above average; those for mathematics were below average and they were well below average in science. Taken over the last few years, the school’s results for English and mathematics have generally been above or well above the national average, whilst those for science have been too low. Girls have performed slightly better than boys, although the small number of pupils in each year group means that the results can vary from year to year. At age seven, the results in 2002 were well above average in reading and mathematics. The results for writing were in the highest five per cent of schools nationally. The school achieved the

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Key

target set for English in the 2002 national assessments but failed to achieve its target for mathematics. It is well placed to reach the targets set for the current group of pupils in Year 6.

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Key

The evidence of pupils’ work seen during the inspection indicates that standards in English and mathematics are above average by age 11. The pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment and make good progress. Their attainment in science is average, but could be higher as too few of the more able pupils achieve the higher levels. The school has worked hard to improve the teaching and provision for information and communication technology, particularly in the past two years, and standards of word processing and data handling are improving, but weaknesses remain in the control and modelling aspects of the subject. The pupils attain standards that are above the expectations of pupils of this age in art and design. Their attainment in physical education is in line with the national expectations. The children in the Foundation Stage (Reception) are likely to achieve the early learning goals in all areas of learning by

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Key

the time they start Year 1. Inspection evidence indicates that there is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The pupils enjoy coming to school, are very interested in their work, concentrate well and take pride in their achievements.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Lessons are very orderly and the pupils are able to achieve their best. Behaviour around the school, in corridors and in the hall is also very good. They play very well together on the playground and the field.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The younger pupils settle very quickly into the routines of the school. The older pupils carry out tasks to help the smooth running of the school. Relationships are very positive.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. The pupils’ rate of attendance is above the national average. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 8 The pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are significant strengths of the school and this contributes to the welcoming and friendly atmosphere. The pupils of all ages are very confident in their outlook towards school and they approach their work enthusiastically.

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

Overall the quality of teaching is good. During the inspection it was never less than satisfactory in the lessons seen. The quality of teaching has a significant impact on the above average standards in English and mathematics and the key skills of literacy and numeracy are well taught. Teaching in Reception is never less than good. The teacher and teaching assistant work together very well to provide a stimulating and supportive environment in which the children settle quickly and make good progress. The children are given a good start in their language and numeracy development.

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

Across the school, lessons are well planned, with a clear sense of what the pupils are expected to learn. The teachers have high expectations of the pupils’ capabilities and, particularly in English and mathematics, they provide work that provides them with a good level of challenge. In science, although tasks are often modified to take account of the more able pupils, or extension activities are provided, there are too few opportunities for the pupils to take part in open-ended enquiry or make choices and decisions about how investigations might be carried out and how the work should be recorded. Those pupils who have difficulty learning are well supported by the staff, which enables them to make good progress. A particular strength is the amount of high quality voluntary support available from parents and friends of the school, which enhances the quality of the pupils’ learning experiences. Through in-service training, the teachers have

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

improved their knowledge and confidence of information and communications technology. However, there is sometimes an over-reliance on voluntary help to teach the skills in this subject.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements. There is an appropriate range of extra-curricular activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The procedures for identifying and assessing the pupils’ needs are good. They are well supported and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall and this is a strength of the school. The school’s promotion of the pupils’ social development is very strong.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school provides well for child protection and the welfare of its pupils. The arrangements for assessing the pupils’ attainment and tracking their progress in English and mathematics are good.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum is delivered through a thematic approach, with topics containing more than one subject and the school is planning to improve the way that the subjects link together. The provision for information and communication technology has improved since the last inspection, although the school recognises that more still needs to be done. The provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is a strong feature and this contributes to the positive learning environment. Whilst the pupils receive a good range of opportunities to learn about their own culture, there is too little planned work on developing their knowledge and understanding of living in a multi-cultural society. The school has developed an effective partnership with its parents, which makes a good contribution to the pupils’ learning in school and at home. There is a thriving Parents’ Association and many parents help in school. Overall, the parents

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Aspect Comment

have very positive views of the school. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher, supported by the deputy headteacher, senior staff and governors, provides good leadership. He has developed a clear idea of how well the school is doing and what it needs to do to improve.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body supports the school effectively and they have developed good strategies to ensure that they are well informed about the work of the school and the impact of the decisions they make.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. There are effective systems to assess and monitor the pupils’ progress, and to develop the teaching and learning.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Financial planning is closely linked to the priorities in the school’s Development Plan.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher, staff and governors have created a supportive learning environment, in which the pupils enjoy coming to school and they make good progress. There is a strong sense of team work in the school, with all staff contributing to the school’s continued development. The School Development Plan has improved since the last inspection and is now much more focused on implementing specific actions to secure improvement. The governors have appropriate systems for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of spending decisions and to ensure that best value principles are applied when making purchases.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The teaching is good. • Their children like school, behave well and they are making good progress. • The school expects the children to work hard, achieve their best and become more mature. • The school is approachable and works closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • Some parents would like more extra-curricular activities. • Some would like more information about how well the children are getting on. • A few are not satisfied with the amount of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Overall, the parents have very positive views of the school and they have confidence in the way that the school’s leaders are creating a positive learning environment in which their children are happy and enjoy learning. The inspectors agree with the parents’ positive views. The inspection evidence indicates that the school provides a satisfactory programme of extra-curricular activities. The annual reports on pupils’ progress are detailed and contain targets for improvement. There are appropriate occasions during the year for parents to meet with teachers to discuss their children’s progress. The arrangements for homework are appropriate, taking account of the pupils’ age and experience. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 10

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The pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the

1. The pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is broadly average. They make good progress in their language and mathematical development and, by the end of the infants and juniors, they attain standards that are above the national average in English and mathematics. The number of pupils taking the national assessments is usually small and so the results can vary from year to year. However, over recent years, the results in the national assessments for pupils in Year 6 have been consistently above or well above average in these subjects. The school is successful in these tests because an above average proportion of pupils achieve a higher than expected level for their age (Level 5 or above). The pattern of results in the Year 2 tests shows a similar good performance. The school sets challenging targets for the Year 6 tests and, although they failed to achieve their target for mathematics in 2002, they are well placed to

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The pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the

achieve their targets in both subjects for the pupils currently in Year 6. The work seen during the inspection reflects the good performance in the national assessments because standards in reading and writing at age seven and in English at age 11 are above average. The pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment.

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The pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the

2. In Reception, the children build well on the literacy skills that they bring from home. They respond well to the teacher’s high expectations of their capabilities and quickly gain the confidence to join in class discussions with their older classmates in this supportive and well-structured environment. They have good opportunities to develop their writing skills and the more able children, in particular, write independently with good standards of spelling and handwriting. These youngest children enjoy creating their own stories and books, for example when retelling the story of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears.’ Reading skills are similarly well developed by the end of the Reception Year. The children make good progress in their mathematical development. They can identify missing numbers in simple patterns and they are able to use the language of mathematics confidently, describing the position of a number as

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The pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the

‘before’ or ‘after’ another number and using a variety of terms for ‘adding’ or ‘subtracting’. Lower ability children can order numbers up to 10 and higher attainers cope well with larger numbers up to 100.

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The pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the

3. The pupils continue to make good progress in the infants and juniors. Speaking and listening skills are developed in the class discussions at the beginning and end of literacy sessions and lessons in other subjects. Pupils of all ages join in confidently. They listen well to each other and to their teachers and, by the end of Year 6, they speak clearly and they ask and answer questions willingly. They enjoy the opportunities to perform, as when pupils in Years 4 and 5 wrote and performed ‘rap’ poetry. They use technical language well and more able pupils, in particular, have an extensive vocabulary, for example using the term ‘clauses’ confidently when making simple sentences more interesting. The school places a high priority on the teaching of reading and standards at age seven and 11 are above average. By Year 6, most of the pupils read fluently and accurately and have a well developed knowledge of the types

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The pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the

of stories they enjoy and their favourite authors. They also understand how to use their reading skills to extend their learning in other subjects. Across the school, the home/school reading programme is well supported by parents and this makes a positive contribution to the standards attained. The pupils respond well to the wide range of opportunities they have to write for a variety of purposes and many produce high quality stories and poems together with reports and accounts in other subjects such as science and history. Spelling across the school is generally good and a strong feature is the standard of handwriting and presentation, which reflects the pride which most pupils take in their work.

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The pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the

4. In mathematics, the pupils become confident and accurate when working with numbers and as they develop their mathematical ideas. The grouping of pupils of similar age or ability for the daily mathematics lessons works well and enables the teachers to provide interesting and challenging work. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 11 The pupils in Year 2 have good number skills and they solve simple word problems involving mass. By Year 6, most pupils are competent and confident. They enjoy comparing fractions and decimals and working out percentages and, if faced with difficulty, they persevere until they are successful. One of the reasons why standards are above average is because the teachers deliver the national numeracy strategy well and the planning is clear about what the pupils are expected to learn and how the learning will take place. There are good opportunities for using and applying their skills in other subjects, for

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The pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the

example when creating graphs in science.

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The pupils have very positive attitudes to school and their personal development and attendance

5. Throughout the school, the pupils have very positive attitudes to their work. Most parents who returned the questionnaire, and those who attended the meeting for parents, indicated that their children like school and this view is supported by the evidence from the inspection. As a result, the pupils’ rate of attendance is good and is above the national average. The pupils show an interest in their work, they are eager to do well and they work hard in lessons. The youngest children concentrate well for increasingly long periods. Most pupils take great pride in their work as shown by the high standard of presentation evident in work across the school. Relationships amongst the pupils and between the pupils and the adults in school are good. The staff provide excellent role models and the pupils respond by being polite and courteous. This makes a clear contribution towards the positive atmosphere in the school. The older pupils are very

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The pupils have very positive attitudes to school and their personal development and attendance

mature learners who approach their work with great enthusiasm. Across the school, the pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at playtimes is very good. Lessons are very orderly, which contributes to the calm and purposeful atmosphere and enables the pupils to do their best. Pupils of all ages, including the youngest ones, behave sensibly even when not being directly supervised, for example when moving round the school.

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The pupils have very positive attitudes to school and their personal development and attendance

6. The school provides well for the pupils’ personal development, particularly their spiritual, moral and social development. Assemblies play a significant role in the pupils’ development and they are regularly led by visitors from the local church. Through stories and discussions, they develop a mutual respect and an understanding that religious faith is important to many people and what is involved in belonging to a community in terms of beliefs and values. They are given time to reflect on their own beliefs and their place in the school community and they consider the impact of their own and others’ behaviour on that community. The pupils develop their self-esteem and confidence from their earliest days in school. In Reception they quickly learn to take responsibility for themselves by tidying up after activities. There is a strong moral code in school and the pupils have a clear sense of what is right and wrong and why it is

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The pupils have very positive attitudes to school and their personal development and attendance

important to have rules. The provision for the pupils’ social development is very good. They are encouraged to work together in lessons and they enjoy doing jobs in classrooms and around the school. The pupils respond well to this provision by behaving very well and having very positive attitudes to school. Relationships in the school are very good. The school provides a good range of opportunities to develop the pupils’ awareness of their own culture, including the celebration of festivals, such as harvest. There are many opportunities, for example in history and geography, for finding out about life in the past and in places further afield. Work in art and visits to places of local interest and further afield enhance their understanding. However , there is too little emphasis on developing their understanding of life in a modern multicultural society.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

7. Almost all of the parents who responded to the questionnaire, and those who attended the meeting for parents, agree or strongly agree that the teaching is good and this is borne out by the evidence from the inspection. In the lessons seen, the teaching was never less than satisfactory and the proportion of good or better teaching has increased since the last inspection. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 12 across the school and contributes significantly to the above average standards in English and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

8. The teaching in Reception is never less than good and it is sometimes very good. The teacher has a good knowledge and understanding of how young children learn. There is a strong emphasis on the children’s personal development and a varied curriculum with carefully structured activities relating to each of the areas of learning. The teacher plans to develop the children’s self-esteem and confidence and provides opportunities for them to make choices and decisions about their work and discuss what they have learned. She works very well with the teaching assistant and there is a secure and supportive atmosphere, which is helping the children to make a good start to school and good progress. The teaching assistant is well briefed about her role during the lessons and supports the children well.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

9. Lessons in literacy and numeracy are well planned and the teachers have a good knowledge of the national strategies. The teachers are very clear about what the pupils are expected to learn in these lessons and generally plan activities that challenge all levels of ability. A strong feature of the best teaching is the teachers’ high expectations of what the pupils are capable of achieving, for example in the use of technical language. This was seen to very good effect in literacy lessons in the two junior classes, which moved at a very brisk pace and challenged all pupils to achieve their best. As a result, the pupils made very good progress in these lessons. The more able pupils are challenged to produce increasingly more complex work and they produce many examples of high quality writing. Lower ability pupils also respond well to this teaching. They are clearly keen to do their best and to complete their tasks

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

successfully and they make good progress towards their own specific targets.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

10. Across the school, relationships are very good and the pupils are well managed which, together with the very positive attitudes and very good behaviour, adds to the calm, purposeful atmosphere that is a feature of the lessons. The pupils’ work is marked consistently and conscientiously and the comments help inform them about how well they are doing and how they might improve their work. Good use is made of the services of a sports coach, who makes a strong contribution to the physical education programme. The pupils benefit greatly from a large amount of high quality voluntary support from parents and friends of the school. There are many example of this, but one of note was in an art lesson in the lower junior class, where three parents gave good support to groups of pupils carrying out tasks relating to the story of Alice in Wonderland. As well as benefiting those pupils directly, it also freed up the teacher to use her

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

expertise to develop the skills of a specific group whilst maintaining a good overview of how the rest of the class was progressing. The pupils’ confidence in their own ability is due in no small part to the quality of support from the adults.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

11. The procedures for the identification of pupils with special educational needs are good and this enables those pupils to make good progress. The pupils’ individual education plans are clear about the small steps that these pupils need to take to improve. They are regularly reviewed and updated and, as a result, the work provided for them is well matched to meet their targets. The class teachers and special educational needs co-ordinator are committed to meeting the needs of these pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

The pupils are well cared for and their health, safety and well-being are secure.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

12. The school provides a good standard of care for its pupils. The school is a close-knit community and the staff know the pupils very well. They keep a close watch on their welfare to ensure that they are able to fulfil their potential. Child protection procedures are good: all teaching staff have received training and are aware of their responsibilities. The staff and governors take issues of health and safety seriously; appropriate procedures are in place and drills are practised regularly. The management of behaviour is very good. There is a wide range of strategies which are implemented consistently across the school and instances of unacceptable behaviour are extremely rare and are dealt with effectively should they arise. The school has effective procedures to monitor and promote good attendance and parents are clear of the system for reporting absence. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 13

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

13. The assessment of the pupils’ attainment, particularly in English, mathematics and science, has improved since the last inspection. Regular assessments of their performance are made in each year group and this, supplemented by the results in the national assessments and the optional tests, is providing the school with good information about how well it is doing. The school has begun to track individual pupils’ progress and set targets for the level that the pupils should achieve by the end of each key stage. This information is well used to inform the planning of future work and the school is making useful analyses of the national tests papers and using the information to show the areas where improvement is needed. Some progress has been made in developing assessment procedures in other subjects, but these are at an early stage of development.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

The school is well led and managed by the head teacher, senior staff and governors.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

14. The headteacher, supported by the deputy headteacher, senior staff and governors, provides good leadership for the school. Together, they have created a supportive learning environment, in which the pupils enjoy coming to school and they make good progress, particularly in English and mathematics. Most parents share the view that the school is well led and managed, works closely with parents and is approachable when they have suggestions or concerns. Since his appointment over a year ago, the headteacher has gained a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development and good progress has been made in addressing the issues identified in the last inspection. The headteacher has a positive approach, plays a visible role in the daily life of the school and is involving all staff in decision-making. Consequently, there is a strong sense of teamwork and a common commitment to

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

15. The partnership between the headteacher and governors is also effective. The headteacher ensures that governors receive good information about the school’s performance. Many governors are active in school, visit regularly and sometimes help in classrooms. As a result, the governing body fulfils its statutory duties well and shares the headteacher’s view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and what needs to be done to improve. They are well organised and have a clear understanding of their role in providing strategic direction for the school’s development.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

16. The small teaching staff shares the responsibility for co-ordinating all subjects and contribute to the school’s continued progress. They lead the development of subject initiatives, organise resources and keep up-to-date about current developments. Special educational needs provision in the school is well organised by the co-ordinator, all statutory requirements for special educational provision are in place and up-to-date. Staff and governors contribute to the process of development planning and the resultant plan is a comprehensive programme for improvement in a wide range of areas. This is an improvement on the findings of the last inspection, when the School Development Plan was judged to be lacking in focus. There are effective strategies for monitoring and improving teaching and learning and many staff are involved in the programme of classroom observations.

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The quality of teaching is good, which enables all pupils, including those with special educational

17. Financial planning is good. The school successfully links spending to the School Development Plan to provide financial support for the school’s key priorities. The school monitors its spending decisions well, an improvement since the last inspection, and makes good use of the principles of best value. Additional financial contributions, generously donated by the thriving Parents’ Association, are used well to provide additional resources. The day-to-day control of finances is good. All staff, including teaching, classroom support, school administration, caretaking, cleaning and catering staff play their part in providing a good quality of education.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Standards in science and information and communication technology (ICT) could be higher. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 14 18. The school has identified the need to raise standards in science and ICT and has set in place strategies to secure improvement and to address the weaknesses in ICT identified in the last inspection. Progress has been made, but more work still remains to be done.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

19. The school’s results in the national assessments for pupils in Year 6 have varied from year to year, due largely to the small number of pupils who take the tests each year. The results for science in 2001 and 2002 were well below average and closer analysis shows that, in each of those years, too few pupils have attained the higher levels (Level 5 or above). Inspection evidence, based on the work seen during the inspection and the pupils’ previous work, indicates that, overall, the pupils’ attainment in science is broadly average. Science is generally well planned through a thematic approach, with topics containing more than one subject. Whilst the teachers’ planning indicates that the requirements of the national curriculum are met, the school recognises that there is a need to improve the continuity from one year to the next and is planning to review its curriculum provision for all subjects.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

20. The pupils experience a variety of investigations. For example, in Year 2, they predict and check which objects will float and sink and explore how things dissolve, as part of a topic on ‘Water and Weather’. This knowledge and understanding is extended in Years 5 and 6 when, in their study of the Ancient Greeks, the pupils mix material with water and find out about reversible and irreversible changes. The school has rightly worked to improve the pupils’ investigational skills as a means to raising standards. However, much of the work is teacher-directed, which limits the opportunities for the pupils, particularly those capable of attaining high levels, to devise their own tests and decide how the work should be recorded. Although extension work is provided for the more able pupils, much of the work is similar for pupils of all abilities. The school has recently introduced a published scheme to support the teachers in

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

their planning. This is proving effective and also provides opportunities for assessing the pupils’ knowledge and understanding. It is important that the school continues to implement these arrangements so that the teachers have a clear idea of how well the pupils are doing and so that they can inform them of how they might improve their work.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. In its last inspection, the provision for ICT and the pupils’ levels of attainment were judged to be weaknesses. The findings showed that there was too little emphasis on developing these skills and staff expertise and confidence were low. Since then, and particularly in the last year or so, the school has made great strides in addressing these weaknesses. The profile of the subject has been raised and the teachers have benefited from in-service training through the national arrangements and the school’s own in-house activities. The provision of computers has improved in the classrooms and a small suite has been established in the former office of the headteacher. Originally, with smaller class sizes, the suite worked well, but with the larger classes of the current year, it is not possible for the whole class to be taught at the same time. The use of the suite relies on voluntary help, often from parents who are happy

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

to share their expertise. This means that the teachers are not directly involved in teaching the skills and makes it difficult for them to monitor their progress and presents difficulties when this support is not available. The siting of the suite up a flight of stairs away from the classrooms also limits its availability to pupils for independent work and research. The older pupils use the suite independently for word processing, but they rely on the availability of voluntary supervision when using the internet. These shortcomings have been recognised by the headteacher, who is reviewing the provision and has recently instigated the purchase of a number of laptop computers for the pupils’ use.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

22. The curriculum for ICT is appropriately broad and balanced. The older pupils are confident and proficient in the basic skills of word processing, e-mail and the use of the internet and they also use spreadsheets to handle information. However, they have benefited from the improvements in provision for only a short period of time and there are weaknesses in their knowledge and understanding, particularly in relation to control technology. As a result, their standards of attainment remain below what is expected of pupils of this age. The arrangements for assessing pupils’ attainment and monitoring their progress in ICT are at an early stage of development. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 15

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. In order to raise standards and improve the quality of education further, the headteacher, governors and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) raise standards in science and information and communication technology (ICT) by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• increasing the opportunities, particularly for the more able pupils, to devise their own scientific investigations and select and record their findings in a variety of ways; • continuing to implement the arrangements for assessing pupils’ attainment in science to ensure that their progress is monitored and that they are well informed about how they can improve their work and how they can attain the higher levels; • continuing to improve the provision for ICT to ensure that the development of the pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding does not rely on volunteer support; • improving the pupils’ attainment in the control aspect of ICT; • improving the arrangements for assessing the pupils’ attainment in ICT.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(paragraphs 18-22) Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 11

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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 six 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) 126

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 24

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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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. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 17

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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 2 8 10

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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 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 8 8 8

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (94) 100 (94) 100 (89) 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 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 8 8 8

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (94) 100 (94) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 11 8 19

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 10 8 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 7 7

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (58) 79 (68) 84 (74) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 10 9 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 8 8

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (53) 89 (68) 100 (74) 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. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 3 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.6 Financial year 2002/2003

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 316069

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Total expenditure 303266

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32 Expenditure per pupil 2407

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 20890

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 12803

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 19

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 57 37 4 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 49 4 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 60 10 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 31 55 14 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 22 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 37 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 45 51 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 39 55 3 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 45 47 2 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 45 33 20 0 2

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